TWIG

Aura Parker's Twig is just about the sweetest story you'll find about fitting in and finding your groove at a new school. Heidi is starting her first day at a busy bug school, and she's nervous about finding new friends. Sadly, her instincts turn out to be right, especially because it's so hard for everyone to find her! I had to order Twig from Australia so forgive my less-than perfect photos of the spreads -- they're just too sweet not to show!

BIG CAT, LITTLE CAT

When my friend Sally recommended Elisha Cooper's Big Cat, Little Cat, I knew it had to be an extra special book. Sally and I are both -- let's just say -- cat enthusiasts, and it takes an exceptionally beautiful cat book to impress us. So when she described the book as quiet, gentle, and (most importantly) beautifully illustrated, I immediately purchased it. And, of course, Sally was right, which is hardly a surprise!

Let's Talk Illustrators #22: Suzanne Del Rizzo

My Beautiful Birds, written and illustrated by Suzanne Del Rizzo, stands apart from other books in about a thousand ways. For one thing, it's a children's picture book about the Syrian refugee crisis. But more so, it's relatable, impeccably illustrated, and refuses to shy away from depicting the realistic tragedies of displacement. Suzanne stays true to the experiences children are having across the world and puts forth a story about a boy who tries to find the beauty in the ugly around him. But let's let Suzanne do the talking.

OVER THE OCEAN

This month's #kidlitpicks theme celebrates mighty girls in children's literature, and I'm excited to showcase Taro Gomi's protagonist from Over the Ocean. Originally published in Japan in 1979, this timeless picture book quietly asks readers to reflect on their lives and use their imaginations to think about the world around them.

YAK & DOVE

Hold onto your hats, friends. Kyo Maclear and Esmé Shapiro are collaborating on a picture book and it. Is. Fantastic. If you're a fan of Frog and Toad, then this is definitely the book for you!

Let's Talk Illustrators #21: Joseph Kuefler

If there's one thing we all know, it's that politics are everywhere, and playgrounds are no exception. Joseph Kuefler's new picture book Rulers of the Playground allows children to see the complexities of their playground experiences reflected in beautiful illustration and sharp wit. Rulers of the Playground proves to be a keen introduction into the world of political thinking and questioning authority, and it teaches readers about compromising for the greater good. Joseph proves that he has no shortage of playful, intelligent stories to tell after his 2015 debut Beyond the Pond, and it was an absolute pleasure to talk to him about his process for creating relatable -- yet deeply mature -- picture books for children.

EVERYWHERE, WONDER

Sometimes it frustrates me to receive a book and then have ZERO time to write about it until weeks later. Everywhere, Wonder by Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr is one of those books. It feels like it's taken me forever to get the chance to talk about it! 

BEFORE & AFTER

Forget the "before" and "after" scenarios you've seen in books, because I guarantee you the situations we see in Jean Jullien's Before & After are funnier, more colorful, and waaaaay more satisfying.

Let's Talk Illustrators #20: Deborah Marcero

When I picked up Deborah Marcero's newest picture book Rosie and Crayon, I immediately connected with it in about a thousand ways. Deborah and I had the pleasure of chatting a little about how much her book means to me, and I was thrilled when she agreed to an interview. Deborah has a way of breathing life into every character she conceives, and it brings me so much joy to share her process behind creating this special book about love, loss, and hope.

All the Wonders of THINGS TO DO

This month, All the Wonders is jumping into National Poetry Month with All the Wonders of THINGS TO DO!

Jump in with us during National Poetry Month as we celebrate All the Wonders of Elaine Magliaro and Catia Chien’s picture book Things to Do, a lyrical story about the wonder we can find in the world around us.

Visit All the Wonders for a craft that puts poetry in motion, interviews with the author and illustrator, and a chance to win a copy of the book!

YOU AND ME, ME AND YOU

Miguel Tanco's You and Me, Me and You provides an interesting take on exploring father-son relationships, showing readers the wonder of being a father, but from a child's point of view. You and Me, Me and You simultaneously walks the line between nostalgia in sentiment and innocence: the young boy spends the book "teaching" his father how to do things like talk to people on the subway and slow down in life, but it also shows how the father silently helps his son grow as a person, too.

DOUBLE TAKE!: A NEW LOOK AT OPPOSITES

Double Take!: A New Look at Opposites, written by Susan Hood and illustrated by Jay Fleck, takes a fresh new look at opposites and how they reflect points of view and relativity. Readers follow a young boy, a blue elephant, and a black cat as they move about town demonstrating the opposites they find around them.

Let's Talk Illustrators #19: Jon Klassen and Mac Barnett

So I had just about the coolest experience a few weeks ago when I interviewed Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen in person at the Brookline Booksmith in Boston, MA. We talked about all sorts of things (including how easy it is for Mac to forget Jon is even there!), but mostly we talked about their newest collaboration Triangle. Let's dive right in!

#kidlitpicks March Round-Up: 16 Poetry and Haiku Picture Books

Parents have the capability to open the door to an incredible world for their child(ren). They have the sole pleasure of sharing the beauty and wonder of poetry with them. Poetry books contain soothing rhythms and rhymes, short, simple sentences and clever repetition of key words and phrases. There is nothing like the rhythm of words flowing together to form a story in such rich language. Poetry is such a happy thing! It's magical to watch children's eyes, minds, and hearts dancing along the rhythmical lines of poetry and into a lifelong love of lyrical language.

The variety of language and structure in poetry is great for children's growing brains and imaginations. It's also refreshing for the grownups who read with them! With National Poetry Month now that we're in April, it's a splendid time to let poetry blossom in your household and in the young hearts of your children.

We hope you enjoyed following @kidlitpicks book club this month, and a special thank you to Charnaie from Here Wee Read for the thoughtful theme!

GOLDFISH GHOST

Goldfish Ghost, written by Lemony Snicket and illustrated by Lisa Brown, is the tale of a dead goldfish. Yes, you read that right. It's the story of a dead goldfish who sets out to find out who he is now that he's in his current state, and the humor with which Snicket and Brown tackle this bizarre story is laugh out loud funny.