All book summaries courtesy of Goodreads.
A House - Illustrated and written by Kevin Henkes
Brimming with interactive, call-and-response questions, A House is a timeless and irresistible must-have for both very young children and emergent readers—as well as the entire family. Where is the door to the house? Do you see any clouds? What does the house look like when it is sunny outside? When it is raining? And what will the house turn into when its family returns? A home.
Mel Fell - Illustrated and written by Corey R. Tabor
Sometimes, you might fall down, down, down,
before you learn to fly up, up, up…
Milo Imagines the World - Illustrated by Christian Robison, written by Matt de la Pena
Milo is on a long subway ride with his older sister. To pass the time, he studies the faces around him and makes pictures of their lives. There's the whiskered man with the crossword puzzle; Milo imagines him playing solitaire in a cluttered apartment full of pets. There's the wedding-dressed woman with a little dog peeking out of her handbag; Milo imagines her in a grand cathedral ceremony. And then there's the boy in the suit with the bright white sneakers; Milo imagines him arriving home to a castle with a drawbridge and a butler. But when the boy in the suit gets off on the same stop as Milo--walking the same path, going to the exact same place--Milo realizes that you can't really know anyone just by looking at them.
The Museum of Everything - Illustrated and written by Linda Rae Perkins
A spectacular picture book illustrated with dioramas, collages, and three-dimensional paintings. When a young girl feels that the world is too big and loud and busy and distracting, she pretends that she’s in a museum. It’s quiet there, and she can wonder about everything: Is a rock in a puddle an island? Is a dry spot on the ground on a rainy day the shadow of a car that’s just driven off? There’s a museum for everything—for islands and shadows and clouds and trees, and so much more.
Not Yeti - Illustrated by Claire Keane, written by Kelly DiPucchio
Monsters are loud. And rude. They like to smash things and they always need to be right. But not Yeti. Yeti bakes banana bread and sings to whales and always has a nice word to say. But sometimes you find yourself alone when you're different. And Yeti doesn't know there's a special surprise in store for him.
Off-Limits - Illustrated and written by Helen Yoon
Dad's office is off-limits--which only makes it more intriguing to his curious young daughter. As soon as she sees an opening, she sneaks in to have a look around. After all, there's no harm in just looking, right? What she discovers is a magical wonderland of sticky tape, paper clips that make glorious strands, and a kaleidoscopic array of sticky notes. Who could possibly resist playing with those?
The Rock from the Sky - Illustrated and written by Jon Klassen
Turtle really likes standing in his favorite spot. He likes it so much that he asks his friend Armadillo to come over and stand in it, too. But now that Armadillo is standing in that spot, he has a bad feeling about it . . . Here comes The Rock from the Sky, a meditation on the workings of friendship, fate, shared futuristic visions, and that funny feeling you get that there's something off somewhere, but you just can't put your finger on it.
Someone Builds the Dream - Illustrated by Loren Long, written by Lisa Wheeler
Gorgeously written and illustrated, this is an eye-opening exploration of the many types of work that go into building our world--from the making of a bridge to a wind farm, an amusement park, and even the very picture book that you are reading. An architect may dream up the plans for a house, but someone has to actually work the saws and pound the nails. This book is a thank-you to the skilled women and men who work tirelessly to see our dreams brought to life.
Sunrise Summer - Illustrated by Robbi Behr, written by Matthew Swanson
When a girl and her family travel 4,000 miles from home, it's not your typical summer vacation. Everything is different on the Alaskan tundra--where the grizzly bears roam and the sockeye salmon swim--including the rules. A girl can do things she wouldn't, and couldn't, do at home. She can wake up at midnight to work with her mom on a fishing crew. She can learn what it means to be an essential part of a team. She can become a braver, stronger, and ever-more capable version of herself. She can take her next big step. She's ready for her first real sunrise.
Wishes - Illustrated by Victo Ngai, written by Muon Thi Van
Wishes tells the powerful, honest story about one Vietnamese family's search for a new home on the other side of the world, and the long-lasting and powerful impact that makes on the littlest member of the family. Inspired by actual events in the author's life, this is a narrative that is both timely and timeless. Told through the eyes of a young girl, the story chronicles a family's difficult and powerful journey to pack up what they can carry and to leave their world behind, traveling to a new and unknown place in a crowded boat.
The Worm Family Has its Picture Taken - Illustrated by David Ezra Stein, written by Jennifer Frank
This book tells the story of a young worm who, embarrassed by her family’s appearance, disguises them for a family photo, but ultimately comes to appreciate them for who they are.