We partnered with Candlewick Press books to review some of their new picture books for kids. These 24 children’s books are full of fun stories and beautiful illustrations. I’m providing a brief summary and linking to each of the new picture books for kids. Check them out and share them with a little reader in your life!

Ages 2-5

Ear Worm! (ages 2-5) – written by Jo Knowles and illustrated by Galia Bernstein

This playful story is about a little worm who has a song stuck in his head. His friends let him know that a song stuck in your head is called an “ear worm”. Each of them also have their own song stuck in their head, and they all sing and dance along together to the fun lyrics. Our girls love this one!

Sometimes Cake (ages 2-5) – written by Edwina Wyatt and illustrated by Tamsin Ainslie

Birthdays are fun to celebrate, but sometimes it’s not your birthday, and you still feel like a party. It can fun to celebrate little moments together too. A girl and her Lion have fun celebrating everyday things, like Tuesdays, favorite foods, and favorite colors. They find there are lots of reasons to eat cake and spend time with friends! This is a really cute story to celebrate finding the joy in simple moments.

Chirp! (ages 2-5) – written and illustrated by Mary Murphy

This story shows lots of birds waking up in the morning and chirping their own unique sounds and songs. Each bird is different, and it celebrates the joy of sound and individuality. The illustrations are made with bold, bright shapes, and shows a variety of charming birds.

Not That Pet! (ages 2-5) – written by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw

Our family loves that this book features a little girl named Mabel. She gets to choose the pet her family will own, and she is determined to find the very best one. Each pet she chooses seems fun at first, but none of them are quite the right fit for her family. She finds a funny reason to send each one back to the pet shop, until she finally meets her perfect pet, which isn’t what we expected her to choose! It’s a cute and funny story for kids who love animals or are dreaming of choosing their own pet for their family.

Ages 3-7

At the Pond (ages 3-7): written by David Elliott and illustrated by Amy Schimler-Safford

This book introduces readers to the ecosystem found in a pond. It is full of fascinating and familiar animals who live in the pond or around its watery edges. It’s a beautiful poem about the animals and plants that can be found there. It’s a great story to read before your own nature walk or pond adventure!

The Think-Ups (ages 3-7) – written and illustrated by Claire Alexander

Our girls love this creative story about 2 young kids who are stuck inside and using their imagination to play. They take turns thinking up animals and then the animals appear! They have big imaginations and they quickly find their house is overflowing with Think-Ups! This is a fun book about being creative and playing together with siblings to eliminate potential boredom – a perfect reminder for our 3 daughters!

I’ll Go and Come Back (ages 3-7) – written by Rajani LaRocca and illustrated by Sara Palacios

This sweet story is about a little girl who visits her grandmother in India. At first she is overwhelmed by the differences, and feels lonely and out of place. Soon, despite a language barrier, she and her grandmother are able to understand each other. They look at books together, shop, play games, and eat favorite foods. She is sad to leave at the end of the trip, but the next summer her grandmother visits her in America. At first her grandmother feels out of place, but the little girl shows her around and makes her feel welcome. They continue to develop their bond, despite their differences and distance. It’s a great story for kids whose grandparents don’t live as close to them as they might like, and for celebrating cultural differences.

Ages 4-8

Somewhere (ages 4-6) – written by Robie H. Harris and illustrated by Armando Mariño

A young girl wants to explore “somewhere” she’s never been before, and discover an unfamiliar place on her own. Her father walks her to a beautiful forest and lets her play among the leaves and discover treasures. She then returns to father and recounts her exploration to him. It’s a sweet story of curiosity and discovery, full of beautiful watercolor illustrations.

This is a School (ages 4-8) – written by John Schu and illustrated by Veronica Miller Jamison

This is a story about “school” and all of the people who make up the communities within the building. The book makes it clear that a school isn’t just a building, it is about the people who work and learn together. People within a school care for one another, they ask questions and share answers, and they work together to help each other discover and grow.

Take Off Your Brave: The World through the Eyes of a Preschool Poet (ages 4-8) – written by Nadim (age 4) and illustrated by Yasmeen Ismai

This book is filled with poetry written by a 4-year-old poet. It is full of poems that give us a glimpse of how little Nadim sees the world. It’s funny and joyful, and paired with child-friendly artwork. It may even inspire your little ones to try their hand at creating their own poetry too.

Firsts and Lasts: The Changing Seasons (ages 4-8) – written by Leda Schubert and illustrated by Clover Robin

There is a rhythm to the changing seasons, and each time we say goodbye to one season we also say hello to the next one. Each season we get to do something for the first time, but it also means we are doing something for the last time. This book is a joyful ode to the familiar rituals within each of the four seasons, because each year we get to say goodbye and hello to each season again!

John’s Turn (Ages 4-8) – written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Kate Berube

This book is about a boy named John who has a big day at school, as it is his turn to perform for Sharing Gifts time. He is prepared and ready, but also nervous to see all of his classmates waiting and staring up at him. John finds his courage, and shares his talent for dancing in front of his classmates. This is a sweet look at finding the courage to share our talents and gifts with others, even when we are nervous.

Hat Cat (ages 4-8) – written by Troy Wilson and illustrated by Eve Coy

This charming book looks at the friendship between an old man and a young kitten. The two of them become the best of friends, but the old man is scared to lose the cat, so he doesn’t want him to go outside. This story examines the challenges that can come with companionship and developing love and trust. It’s a sweet story is filled with charming and delightful illustrations, and looks at the power of animal friendship.

Ages 6-9

Carrimebac, the Town That Walked (ages 6-9) – written by David Barclay Moore and llustrated by John Holyfield

This story takes place after the Civil War, in a town where freed Black citizens were being shunned by the white people in surrounding towns. One day an old woman arrives to the town with her grandson and teaches the citizens how to make beautiful things, which they then sell to the white people. But some of the white people get angry and threaten to burn down the town. They people in town work together to protect their people, combining history with folk tale and magic, and celebrating endurance and storytelling.

The Song of the Nightingale (ages 6-9) – written by Tanya Landman and illustrated by Laura Carlin

This is a creative story about a painter who is adding color to all of the animals. She paints dots and spots and stripes and shapes, using lots of bright and beautiful colors. When she finishes painting all of the animals, using up all of her paint, a little gray bird flies out of the forest. She drops the last bit of gold paint from her paintbrush into the beak of the bird. When the bird sings, golden notes come out, and the song of the nightingale begins!

Love in the Library (ages 6-9) – written by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and illustrated by Yas Imamura

This is a true story about the author’s grandparents that takes place after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Tama was sent to live in a War Relocation Center and she doesn’t know if she will ever be able to leave. She works in the camp’s tiny library and each day George comes to the library to check out books. Their friendship grows and develops into a beautiful love story.

Hope Is an Arrow: The Story of Lebeanese-American Poet Khalil Gibran (ages 6-9) – written by Cory McCarthy and illustrated by Ekua Holmes

Kahlil Gibran was the world’s third best-selling poet of all time, but first he was Gibran Khalil Gibran, a child immigrant from Lebanon who had a secret hope. He wanted to connect all people from around the world, bringing them together despite their differences and beliefs. This book shares his fascinating journey!

Ages 7-10

My Big Book of Outdoors (ages 7-9) – written and illustrated by Tim Hopgood

This book is full of poetry and fun facts about nature during all four seasons. It contains ideas about activities and fun things to see and do outside, right outside your own door, all year round. It is full of bright illustrations and inspiration to get outdoors and explore nature.

I’m a Neutrino: Tiny Particles in a Big Universe (ages 7-9) – written by Dr. Eve M. Vavagiakis and illustrated by Ilze Lemesis

This story is told from the point of view of a tiny neutrino, the smallest bit of matter known to exist. The book combines watercolor illustrations and real photographs, with scientific facts about neutrinos. Scientists are still researching, learning, and discovering more about neutrinos. This book urges children to also dream about contributing their own discoveries to science, and continue learning and discovering.

Sanctuary: Kip Tiernan and Rosie’s Place, the Nation’s First Shelter for Women (ages 7-10) – written by Christine McDonnell and illustrated by Victoria Tentler-Krylov

Kip was a young girl growing up during the Great Depression who helped her granny feed the hungry men who came to their door asking for help. As she grew older, she continued to serve food to hungry people, but it was believed that there were no women experiencing homelessness. However, Kip noticed that women were coming into the serving lines dresses as men, sleeping on park benches, and searching for food in trash cans. She dreamed of opening a shelter for women, where they could be given good meals and warm beds, with no questions asked. She worked to open Rosie’s Place, our nation’s first shelter for women.

Ages 8-12

Behold Our Magic Garden: Poems Fresh from a School Garden (ages 8-12) – written by Allan Wolf and illustrated by Daniel Duncan

This summer we plan to let our girls help us with planting flowers in our garden. This book is filled with poems about gardening and includes lots of fun facts. It’s perfect for kids who love nature, flowers, plants, and gardens. There are lots of lessons that can be learned from planting seeds and watching them grow!

Oceanarium: Welcome to the Museum (ages 8-12) – written by Loveday Trinick and illustrated by Teagan White

This is part of the fascinating “Welcome to the Museum” series. It is written by a marine biologist, and contains lots of interesting information about oceans and marine life. The stunning illustrations were created by a naturalist artist, and it is a wonderful pairing of interesting text and beautiful pictures!

The Stardust That Made Us: A Visual Exploration of Chemistry, Atoms, Elements, and the Universe (ages 8-12) – written by Colin Stuart and illustrated by Ximo Abadia

Chemistry can be overwhelming for young kids, but this books presents the history and application of chemistry in the real world in an approachable way. It is full of artwork that helps kids to visualize the known elements and explore the chemical makeup of the universe.

Marshmallow Clouds: Two Poets at Play among Figures of Speech (ages 10+) – written by Ted Kooser and Connie Wanek and illustrated by Richard Jones

This is a fun book for poetry fans of all ages. It is full of poems that combine imagery and metaphor about the simple sights and sounds that surround us. Simple moments of life are beautifully illustrated with poetic language. This book may inspire your family to try creating your own poems about what you see outside your own windows!

Need other book ideas? Check out New Books for Kids, Books for Kids (That Also Teach!), and Top 12 Tidy Books for Kids.

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