Across the country and around the world, students will be returning to school or going for the very first times. They’ll be faced with tough decisions and new challenges alongside a lot of fun. Here are a few of our newest picture books to get your readers ready for a year full of learning, adventures, and self-discovery.
New
Poetic and heartwarming, Geisel Honor–winning and #1 New York Times bestselling creator Niña Mata’s first authored picture book stars a young Filipina on her first day of school as she discovers the true and layered meaning of “new.”
In the big city, everything feels new.
School is new. The people are new. And the glares and stares you get for being different are new.
But new can also mean new beginnings . . .
A child’s-eye view of the common immigrant experience of adjusting to an unfamiliar place, Mata’s picture book debut is a delightfully illustrated masterpiece that will resonate with any child who embarks on a new adventure.
First Day Around the World
From award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Ibi Zoboi and artist Juanita Londoño, this lyrical celebration of the first day of school across every continent explores what going back to school looks like for children in countries around the world!
How do children around the world spend their first day of school?
Some eat warm akara for breakfast in Nigeria, while others unwrap lunches of kluski in Poland. In China, they practice intricate characters in special notebooks, and in Argentina, they learn each other’s names in a sing-song memory game. No matter where in the world, every student has something new to look forward to on their first day!
From Ethiopia to Germany to India to Brazil, this lyrical text introduces young readers to the breakfast-to-bedtime routines, cultures, and landscapes that connect people across all continents.
Sunnyside School: A Community Helpers Book
“This is an awesome addition to all collections. The bonus [to this community helpers book] is the school setting. The illustrations are cute and appealing to the eye.”—School Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW)
Meet everyone who works in a school in this fun, interactive story that is the book to introduce kids to how a school works.
Perfect for fans of Richard Scarry’s Busy, Busy World.
Welcome to Sunnyside School! It’s the first day of school, and Ali is missing her best friend, who moved away over the summer. Her younger brother, Matty, is nervous about starting kindergarten. And Mila is a new kid in the second grade. What will they do and discover at Sunnyside School?
This fun, interactive paper-over-board book is perfect to teach kids about all the different people and departments who support them at school. Includes a detailed glossary, counting prompts, and search-and-find elements!
A School Library Journal Brilliant Picture Book Star
Don’t miss all Lindsay Ward’s interactive and informative picture books:
- Helping Hospital: A Community Helpers Book
- Trusty Town Hall: A Community Helpers Book
- The White House: A Meet the Nation’s Capital Book
- The Capitol: A Meet the Nation’s Capital Book?
Ellie Has a Secret
“Gentle and magical. A story that purrs with a full heart and a Secret.” —Hanna Cha, Caldecott Honor artist of The Truth About Dragons
“A slyly told modern fable about keeping a secret, with dazzlingly cinematic spreads.” —the Fan Brothers, creators of The Night Gardener and It Fell from the Sky
“Gorgeous, immersive, and a crucial conversation starter to help readers of all ages feel safe in revealing weighty secrets of their own.” —Devin Elle Kurtz, creator of The Bakery Dragon and illustrator of Seven Ways Through the Woods
A gorgeously illustrated picture book debut about releasing the secrets that weigh us down. Perfect for fans of the stunning characters and worlds by David Wiesner, the Fan Brothers, and Aaron Becker. Pure magic!
Ellie would never dream of taking something from her classroom without asking her teacher first. But the shell she finds during recess is particularly peculiar—and has a mysterious critter living inside it! Surprising even herself, she pops it in her pocket as a little secret when no one is looking. It’s not long before the creature outgrows the shell and starts to weigh Ellie down.
Does Ellie have a secret, or does the secret have her?
This spectacular debut by author-illustrator Amelia Bothe explores the delights and perils of keeping secrets as well as the rewards of being honest. Gorgeous art of this magical beast wows on every page.
Specs
Fun, lyrical, and electric, Specs is the follow-up picture book to the beloved Kicks, from award-winning poet Van G. Garrett and New York Times bestselling illustrator Reggie Brown.
This is a love letter to glasses. But not just any glasses. Only the shiniest, flyest, you-est specs you can find—the ones that let you see things in a whole new way!
In this playful and joyful ode to specs of all kinds, young readers follow one girl on her journey of acceptance and join the fun of picking the perfect pair of glasses.