Best Reads of T2 2025-2026

Here are my favorite books I read during trimester 2. All images and summaries from Goodreads.

Picture Books

With a minimal tableau of familiar objects and a gentle rhythm suited for reading aloud, a forest and all its items—a cabin, some rocks, a (nice) forest ghost, a stream, a bridge—are assembled, ending with bedtime as the sun goes down. This is a forest for a young child to have whenever they want to go there. 

Four ducks are tired of their small pond and set out for an adventure in the big lake. Walking at the back, Eric isn't sure. He’s heard there’s a monster in the lake, but his friends don’t believe a word of that old story! Eric reluctantly tags along, only to make a startling discovery and find himself in a wonderful underwater adventure.

Art is for everyone! From found objects to sidewalk chalk, from homemade instruments to breakdancing, from building with blocks to molding clay, art is natural and healing. Readers will be encouraged by the invitation to create anything, anywhere, with any materials. Inclusive and expansive, Ejaita portrays a wide cast of characters exploring their own feelings and ideas, accompanied by a poignant, yet easily understood, text. 

Early Readers

Kids love to eat snow! It looks a lot like ice cream… hey, maybe it really IS ice cream! Johnny Boo and Squiggle are excited to find out, unless the Ice Cream Monster eats it all first. Armed with his gigantic and mighty Ice Cream Fork, he seems unstoppable… until all that cold snow in his tummy knocks him down for the count. Can Johnny Boo and Squiggle warm up their frozen frenemy with mittens from their secret mitten box? Or will they get lost in the silly blizzard forever?

Chapter Books

Oscar Aberdeen is a bit of an oddball. He's an ace at playing bridge, loves Frank Sinatra, and attends a whole lot of funerals. He's also the youngest resident of Sunny Days retirement home by more than a half-century—and he wouldn't have it any other way. So when his grandpa's suddenly served an eviction notice that threatens their place at Sunny Days, he needs to find some cash. Fast.

Enter Jimmy Deluca, a shady elderly man with a reputation for being bad news, who makes Oscar an offer he can't refuse. He's got the drop on riches hidden away on the "outside" and he'll share the loot with Oscar on one he busts him out of Sunny Days.

Nonfiction

Author and illustrator James Marshall let kids in on the joke. He knew little kids were smart, and he didn't talk down to them in his stories. He was right—kids loved his picture books. Decades after his death, the characters he illustrated—Miss Nelson, Viola Swamp, George and Martha, Goldilocks, Fox and His Friends—are still beloved. James Marshall should be at least as famous as his characters, and now he is, in his own picture book biography.

This book really pops, full as it is of fascinating bubbles—useful and entertaining, noisy and silencing, lifesaving and dangerous, microscopic and bigger than a sports stadium. Filled with fascinating and unusual examples from diverse STEM fields—including physics, biology, geology, food science, and medicine—this book bubbles over with fun facts about our world.

Would you be lonely living atop a steep, snowbound mountain or bored in a tiny island village? Could you find your way home through a dense jungle or a blinding desert sandstorm? Master of cut-paper collage artwork Giles Laroche transports readers to the world’s most extreme places through his exquisite illustrations and succinct explorations of what it takes to survive and thrive there.

Designed for children who can’t yet read, this introduction to cooking for kids ages 4 to 8 has an easy-to-read visual layout. This cookbook features delicious and wholesome sweet treats and desserts for the whole family to enjoy—chocolate chip cookies, apple hand pies and more!

Mock Caldecott Winner - 2026

The American Library Association awards the Caldecott Medal to the artist of "the most distinguished American picture book for children." This year, I read 9 picture books with Caldecott buzz to kindergartners and first graders, and we narrowed the list down to 2 finalists. 

With 56% of the votes, the Garden City Mock Caldecott winner is This Book is Dangerous, illustrated and written by Ben Clanton.

Students shared their reasons for their choice, and explanations included: 

• It was funny.
  
  
• I liked when the jellyfish got scared.
  
  
• Because it goes BOOM!
  
  
• I liked when the jellyfish got chased by the snakes.
  
  
• Because of all the monsters.
  
  
• I like when the jellyfish was eaten by the whale.
  
  
• It is cool.
  
  
• I liked when the shark got spicy and his eyes turned fire.
  
  
• I liked when the shark was red.
  
  
• He got away because of the hot sauce.
  
  
• The jellyfish pops out of the shark's mouth.
  
  
• I liked when they ate waffles at the end.
  
  
• There was a narwhal in it.
  

Here are some of their illustration interpretations: 

Best Reads of T1 2025-2026

Of the 43 kids' books I actually finished, these were my favorites. All images and summaries from Goodreads.

Picture Books

Meet Bean, a very tiny hedgehog. She loves ghosts, swings and a stuffie called Clem.

Meet Bean’s grandma. She loves strawberries, sweaters and tiny Bean burritos.

And they both love stories.

In ten tiny stories we follow Bean and her grandmother through adventures of the everyday.

Aggie is very excited to live on her own—until she finds out her new house is haunted. But no fear, the situation is nothing that can’t be fixed with a carefully considered list of No haunting after dark. No stealing socks. No eating all the food.

But the ghost doesn’t like playing by the rules and challenges Aggie to an epic game of tic-tac-toe—winner gets the house.

Evergreen Forest is a very nice forest, with very nice trees and very nice animals. It’s a rather dull place, but no one says a word about it. In fact, no one says very many words at all! And therein lies the problem.

Until the word-loving wandering wombats arrive.

They use words like enthusiastic and splendiferous, ready to turn ordinary into EXTRAordinary! With twinkles in their eyes and words on their minds, the word wombats come to transform Evergreen Forest. 

In a world where the pressure to speed ahead seems relentless, now is the time to take a trip to the rainforest and cheer for the slowest mammal on Earth—a hungry sloth—who takes her time moving through thicket and vine in search of the tastiest leaves.

Early Readers

Fall is here, and it brings a slew of exciting autumnal adventures for best friends Bat, Cat, and Rat, from leaf-raking romps to peculiar pumpkin picking to the trials of trick-or-treating.

In “Raking,” falling leaves make for extra chores—and extra pranks.

In “Picking,” each member of the trio has their own unique idea about what makes the perfect pumpkin.

In “Costuming,” the roommates each work on their costume creations in secret, and the big reveal brings a big surprise!

Kat and Mouse are Kat is spontaneous and creative, and Mouse likes routine-and cheese. While Kat's lunchtime is always an adventure, Mouse, on the other hand, has cheese every day. Kat doesn't Mouse ever get bored of cheese?! Mouse does Kat ever get bored of me?! Can this duo find a lunch that fits their friendship?

Chapter Books

Jasper the Rabbit is back! A little older and wiser, he collects creepy stories to share as cautionary tales. If you’re ready for some chills and chuckles alike, tune in as Jasper weaves the yarn of Charlie Marmot and the particular pickle he found himself in.

See, Charlie''s tonsils have become infected and have to come out. No biggie, right? But when he decides he wants to keep them in a jar for show and tell, things get creepy… First, strange slurping sounds in his room keep Charlie awake the night before his surgery. Then, he goes to the doctor only to be told his tonsils are already gone! Could it be they’re out for revenge?

Nonfiction

This delightfully fun exploration of trees both informs and entertains, and helps young readers make sense of the world around them. The charming protagonist, Tree, sparsely narrates her story in ten short chapters with text bubbles and vignettes sprinkled in to provide wit, style, and humor.

When Kathleen Friel was young, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and a doctor told her parents all the things she'd never be able to do. They left his office for good and found a new doctor.

As Kathleen grew up, she found her own methods to tackle tricky tasks and make her way through the world. After becoming fascinated by science, she went on to earn a PhD, investigating how injured brains can build new connections. She now runs her own lab, developing new techniques to help others with cerebral palsy.

 

Best Reads of the Summer

Over the summer, I read dozens of books to prep for Mock Caldecott and Mock Sibert; these were my favorites. All images and summaries from Goodreads.

 

Picture Books

One pair of pants? Two pairs? Three? How many pants should Little Freddie wear? And where should he put them? What about underpants? Where do they go?

In a book with text and art that are sure to induce giggles, Drew Daywalt and Lucy Ruth Cummins settle the age-old question: Do a dog’s front legs deserve pants, too?

OH MY CRIKEYS! Doesn't life move fast? One moment you're in the Wibbly, relaxing with your Wibbly friends. The next, they've all grown tails and turned into tadpoles! And what's more, they are bursting OUT of the Wibbly ... AND you've got to keep up! 

Some tadpoles don't feel ready to become frogs.

And some never wanted to become tadpoles in the first place. 

Why, dear reader, must you NEVER EVER trust fish?

1) They spend all their time in the water where we can’t see them.

2) Some are as big as a bus—that is not okay.

3) We don't know what they're teaching in their "schools."

4) They are likely plotting our doom.

This nature-guide-gone-wrong is a hilarious, off-the-rails exploration of the seemingly innocent animals that live in the water.

Did the title just say that this book is dangerous? Jelly doesn't do dangerous. Can you help Jelly find a way out? Just don't move a muscle or make any loud noises, okay? And definitely DON'T touch anything!

In the tradition of interactive classics like The Monster at the End of This Book, Jelly has got to find a way out of this book, and it's up to the reader to help this little jellyfish . . . or not!

Did you know, there was a time when people could get in trouble—really, really BIG trouble—for being LEFT-HANDED!?

It’s true!

Lefty and Righty hand out the facts in a theatrical performance that spans the ages. Once upon a time, left was considered wrong . . . but now, left or right, it’s all alright. (And there are scissors for everyone!)

Can you tell when a storm is coming? Can you feel the wind coming and growing? Do you hear the branches bouncing together, hear the whispers of the wind through the leaves? Join in the journey as two siblings bear witness to the steady start, thrilling apex, and gentle end of this island storm. They’ll shelter soon, but first they want to feel it all.

Children who fear thunder can take comfort in seeing it captured in the pages, while those who relish watching the sky crack open can enjoy battling this storm from the comfort of their homes.

POP! As a hot day sizzles into evening, everyone on stoops and sidewalks looks skyward on this special summer night—the Fourth of July! Words and art blossom into flowers of fire across the sky, making this a perfect read for firework enthusiasts in cities and suburbs everywhere. POP! POP!

 

Fossil records show that the first humans were born in Africa. Meaning, every person on Earth can trace their ancestry back to that continent. The History of We celebrates our shared ancestors' ingenuity and achievements and imagines what these firsts would have looked and felt like.

What was it like for the first person to paint, to make music, to dance, to discover medicine, to travel to unknown lands? The History of We takes what we know about modern human civilization and, through magnificent paintings, creates a tale about our shared beginnings.

Nonfiction

Meet Grimpy! He’s a dumbo octopus, and he’s taking us on a tour of the whole cephalopod class—underwater creatures such as cuttlefish, nautiluses, octopuses, and squids.

Grimpy knows all about what makes these many-armed marvels so special, like how the coconut octopus uses tools or the cuttlefish talks with color! It seems like every creature has a special ability—except him. When Grimpy gets stuck on everything a dumbo octopus can’t do, the other cephalopods show him why it’s great to be a dumbo.

Did you know...
... a praying mantis only has 1 ear?
... a squid has 3hearts?
... a giant African land snail can have up to 18,000 teeth?

Toes, Teeth, and Tentacles celebrates and highlights the numerous unusual and strangely fascinating features and appendages of all kinds of animals, from horns to toes and stomachs to hearts. From the two-tongued loris to a scallop's 200 eyes, readers will find joy in numbers with this latest book by these two masters of nonfiction.

Welcome to the world of Sleuth & Solve: History, a collection of 20 clever mysteries where the clues are in the details and crafty twists put readers' wits to the test. These mind-bending mini-mysteries transpire across eras and civilizations, from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance to the French Revolution and beyond.

Sleuth & Solve encourages readers of all ages to practice deduction, inference, and logical reasoning to crack each case—and develop critical thinking skills at the same time.

Growing up on a dusty farm in Southern California, Ruth Aiko Asawa lived between two worlds. She was Aiko to some and Ruth to others, an invisible line she balanced on every day. But when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, suddenly she was only Aiko.

Like many other Japanese Americans, Ruth and her family were sent to incarceration camps. ... The barbed wire would inspire Ruth’s art for decades. Throughout her career, she created enchanting twisting sculptures and curving shapes that connected, divided, and intersected.

Born in 1738, Mary Katharine Goddard was homeschooled by her mother in reading and math. She took over her brother’s printing shop a few years later and became an expert in printing newspapers, essays, and posters. When the American Revolution started, she published important news that helped the fight against the British – even if it meant that if she was caught, she’d be punished for treason.

In 1776, Mary was asked to print the Declaration of Independence – she is the only woman whose name is on the Declaration.

How did math work before zero existed? A STEM nonfiction book that unpacks a fascinating history of a number we can’t imagine our current world without. From place value to being created and destroyed before being created again, zero has had quite a journey. Respected children’s author and consummate researcher Sarah Albee lays out the history of zero alongside the complications that initially hampered its development, including Western imperialism.

Did you know that deep in the ocean, fish are loud? Scientists have recently discovered that fish and shellfish grunt and groan, crackle and cluck, and even burp and boop to communicate. They warn each other, woo each other, and welcome each other with all kinds of sounds, making the ocean quite noisy! 

Once upon a time, children's music was just Mother Goose, nursery songs, and lullabies. And then came Ella Jenkins.

Ella Jenkins is an American folk singer and living legend dubbed “The First Lady of Children’s Music.” For nearly 70 years, she has been writing and performing music that has entertained and engaged generations of young listeners. In Make a Pretty Song, Ella’s life and legacy are captured in vibrant sights, sounds, and stories that leap right off the page.

From the first human settlements to today’s modern metropolises, we have always relied on the sun for light, energy, and sustenance. We Carry the Sun traces the history of solar power from ancient south-facing villages to the Industrial Age and modern innovators; and from solar-powered steam engines to silicon solar panels. Lyrical and informed, Newbery Medal winner Tae Keller’s debut picture book is also a timely call to action that asks young readers to imagine a brighter, cleaner future. 

Best Reads of T3 2024-2025

I have been cranking through RICBA nominees and Mock-Caldecott-buzz picture books. Here are my favorites from the past three months. All images and summaries from Goodreads. 

Picture Books

When a turtle in a bear suit claims he is a “for-real” bear, he must prove himself to another turtle who just so happens to be a for-real bear expert. Hilarity ensues as Bearsuit Turtle proves he can climb trees, hibernate, and do other for-real bear stuff . . . like riding bikes, eating ice cream, and smashing pumpkins.

But when Bear-Expert Turtle reveals a secret, Bearsuit Turtle has to admit a truth of his own. Whether or not these two turtles are for-real bears or experts, they just might become for-real friends.

After an awful day at school (including a tragic but plausibly deniable mishap with a pudding cup), Izzy wants to be left alone. But it's Friday, and that means making tortillas with Lito. As the mistakes pile up, they come tumbling out of Izzy—and Lito surprises her by saying everyone makes mistakes, and if she makes a tortilla out of her mistakes, he will EAT it. Suddenly, the whole family is confessing and getting mistakes off their chests with a feast of mistacos!

Llewellyn the bunny and his friends dream of many things. Some of their dreams are small, like learning to ice skate, visiting a friend, or acting in the school play. And some of their dreams are big, like going to the moon, or becoming a ballet dancer or a wildlife photographer. Their dreams feel so precious that the bunnies place them in jars for safekeeping.

But when a storm comes and destroys their collection of jars, Llewellyn and his friends wonder: what's the point of dreaming if everything could be lost?

The only thing better than playing make believe is playing make believe with your favorite grown-up! Especially when that grown-up’s imagination is as big as yours, and you both get to make all kinds of funny sounds. 

What does it feel like to lose someone you love? For one little boy, it’s like he has a hole in his life. It’s in the bottom bunk, where his little brother, Matty, used to sleep, and it’s on his brother’s chair at dinner. It follows him everywhere until the day he decides to really explore it.

Inside the hole he confronts his grief—the sadness, the anger, and the truth of how much he misses Matty. His friend is waiting when he climbs out, and when she asks, “Do you want to tell me about your brother?” he’s surprised to find that talking about Matty is a comfort.

Every Monday, Mabel wakes up early and peeks out her window to make sure she didn’t miss the one thing she’s been looking forward to the whole week. She drags her chair down the hallway, past her big sister and Mom and Dad, out the door, and waits. 

What is Mabel waiting for every Monday? According to Mabel, it’s the best thing in the world. But no one else in her family seems to understand…until they see what’s honking down the street!

Chapter Books

Down at the bottom of the tall buildings of NYC, Magnolia Wu sits inside her parents’ laundromat. Magnolia has pinned every lost sock from the laundromat onto a bulletin board, in hopes that customers will return to retrieve them. But no one seems to have noticed. In fact, barely anyone has noticed Magnolia at all.

What she doesn’t know is that this is about to be her most exciting summer yet. When Iris, a new friend from California arrives, they set off across the city to solve the mystery of each missing sock, asking questions in subways and delis and plant stores and pizzerias, meeting people and uncovering the unimaginable. (RICBA 2026 nominee)

Sage's thirteenth birthday was supposed to be about movies and treats, staying up late with her best friend and watching the sunrise together. Instead, it was the day her best friend died. Without the person she had to hold her secrets and dream with, Sage is lost. In a counseling group with other girls who have lost someone close to them, she learns that not all losses are the same, and healing isn't predictable. 

Emma McKenna can’t wait for third grade at the brand-new Curiosity Academy. She’ll have a cool teacher who wears high-tops and science earrings. She’ll meet interesting classmates from all over Peppermint Falls. Best of all, she’ll get a fresh start after last year’s talent-show disaster left her with that awful nickname. It’s going to be the best year ever!

Then Lucy walks into Mrs. Z’s room.

Lucy, Emma’s best-friend-turned-enemy.

Lucy, who gave Emma that nickname and spread it all over school!

Emma’s fresh start is doomed . . . unless she can make friends before Lucy ruins everything. (RICBA 2026 nominee)

Nonfiction

Discover why the world’s first Black Grandmaster Maurice Ashley thinks that chess is one of the best skills in life. Follow him on a journey from Jamaica to New York to the world stage where he has taught thousands of young people the life philosophies of the game. Part biography, part skills, and fully oozing with passion. (RICBA 2026 nominee)

Based on a true story, the author humorously recounts the time his grandfather got stranded with a friend on Surtsey, a brand new volcanic island in Iceland. The adventurers face epic challenges like molten lava, melted eyeglasses and scant supplies before finally getting rescued. Graphic novel-like layouts and spirited text invite readers to search for the one thing that's not actually true in this thrilling yet light-hearted tale of adventure. Endnotes include information about volcanoes, Icelandic culture and Norse mythology. (RICBA 2026 nominee)