Hey Otter! Hey Beaver!
Written and illustrated by Brian Pinkney
Sometimes friends love the same thing for different reasons, and that difference can reveal lessons in cooperation and competition. That’s true for the two friends in “Hey Otter! Hey Beaver!” Otter just wants to play, while Beaver is determined to make his dam. In the end they learn how to make both work but working together. Ages 4-8. Available Feb. 21.
Luna Finds Love Everywhere
By Dr. Shainna Ali
Mental health expert Dr. Shainna Ali shares developmentally appropriate self-love lessons for kids in “Luna Finds Love Everywhere.” The colorful picture book follows cheerful Luna as she navigates simple tasks, like having breakfast, getting dressed or playing with friends. Throughout the story, the book poses questions, like “How do you feel when things don’t go your way?” or “What are some of your favorite things to do?” to get young readers thinking about self-expression and self-esteem. Ages 3-5.
Rabbit, Duck, and Big Bear
By Nadine Brun-Cosme and Oliver Tallec
“Rabbit, Duck, and Big Bear” travels through the seasons with beautiful illustrations of three best friends having fun together in the forest. The rabbit, duck and bear think they do everything together until they realize they’ve all found solace under a beautiful fir tree on their own. They learn that time with friends and time alone are equally nice. Ages 4-8. Available Feb. 14.
Sunny and Oswaldo
By Nicole Melleby, and illustrated by Alexandra Colombo
“Sunny and Oswaldo” is a touching picture book that introduces themes of empathy and mental health in an age-appropriate way. Young Sunny is not a cat person, so when her dad excitedly brought home a scruffy, unfriendly cat named Oswaldo, she wasn’t happy. But when Oswaldo goes missing one night, Sunny realizes how much Oswaldo means to her dad. Ages 4-8.
Lasagna Means I Love You
By Kate O’Shaughnessy
Author Kate O’Shaughnessy is a trained chef and her love and expertise of food and recipes shines through the pages of “Lasagna Means I Love You,” the bittersweet story of eleven-year-old Mo who suddenly finds herself in search of family when the death of her beloved grandmother puts in her into foster care. Through letters to her grandmother and recipes she’s collected from other families, Mo processes the big changes in her life and eventually finds a family she can call her own. Ages 8-12.
Family Meeting Planner
By Alex Mont-Ros
Alex Mont-Ros, dad to eight children knows a thing or two about the challenges of raising a family. Over the last two decades as a dad, he held family meetings to encourage communication and address the day-to-day needs of everyone in his family. He learned the importance of planning, accountability, organization and focus to successfully run these meetings, which led to the creation of “The Family Meeting Planner,” a workbook designed to help families get on the same page and improve their communication and connection.
For more book suggestions, check out our January Book Corner.
