October 22 – National Color Day

About the Holiday

Today’s holiday has a pretty simple goal—to encourage people to appreciate all the colors that make up our world and to use color to express their feelings, their personality, and their creativity. The stunning beauty of changing leaves makes fall the perfect time for celebrating color, and October is usually when this gorgeous natural phenomenon is at its peak. To have fun with today’s holiday, experiment with color—you may find color where you never thought to look and see the world in a whole new way!

Thank you to Charlesbridge for sending me this book for review!

A Party of Colors (Steamworks)

Una fiesta de colores | A Party of Colors (Steamworks) Spanish Edition

Written by Aya Khalil and Bayan Lahham | Illustrated by Olivia Aserr | Translated by Anyeliz Pagán Muñoz

After a camping trip with Baba, Salem tells his dad that the car “needs a bath.” Baba agrees, and off they go to the car wash. This is Salem’s first visit to the car wash, and he eagerly watches out the window, then he “opens his window to get a better view. Water spray sprinkles Salem, and he quickly rolls up the window. Then comes the soap. “Red soap bubbles and yellow soap bubbles cover the car.” As the car moves ahead, the red and yellow bubbles mix to create orange suds swirled by a spinning brush that cleans away the dirt.

Illustration copyright © 2026 by Olivia Aserr. Text copyright © 2026 by Aya Khalil and Bayan Lahham. Published by Charlesbridge copyright © 2026.

Moving on, the windows become canvases of blue and yellow foam. Salem excitedly watches the two colors mix into one as it makes the windows shiny again. The tires also get a colorful cleaning treatment, and Salem sees big brushes swirl two more colors together. With all of the washing finished, a rainbow of bubbly colors stream behind them. It’s time for a rinse—”. . . just like I do! Salem says.”

But how will the car get dry? The “Whooosh! Whooosh! of a big fan shakes the car, making Salem and Baba laugh and cover their ears. Just one more quick towel dry, and the car is as good as new! Salem had so much fun, he wants to go through again!

Back matter gives readers and adults aspects of the story to think and talk about, including cause and effect relationships, sequencing, and colors and color mixing as well as four fun hands-on “Count, Play, and Explore Together” activities to reinforce the science included in and suggested by the story.

Little ones will be excited to take this realistic trip through the car wash with Salem and watch pairs of colors mix to create another. Aya Khalil and Bayan Lahham’s playful and sequential language moves the story along quickly, leading every couple of pages to a new suspenseful reveal of a newly created color. Children will be charmed by Salem and Baba’s close relationship and the fun they have together. Salem’s connecting the steps of the car wash to his own bathing at one point invites kids to experiment with colors in the bathtub or sink, extending (along with the back matter) the enjoyment of and lessons in the story.

Olivia Aserr’s delightful illustrations mix sweet, realistic interactions between father and son with kaleidoscopic images from inside the car wash. Salem—with his wide eyes and awed expression—is as bubbly as the soap they drive through, instantly connecting him with young readers. Asser’s depictions of the cleaning stations as well as a cleverly conceived header graphic that calls out the various washing stages as the pages are turned give children much to watch for and interact with.

A mesmerizing and immersive board book, A Party of Colors and Una fiesta de colores/A Party of Colors offer broad repeat readability and inspiration for extension activities. The book is a must for all public and preschool libraries and would be an often asked for read aloud at home.

Ages Baby – 3

Charlesbridge, 2026 | ISBN 978-1623546892

About the Authors

Aya Khalil is an award-winning author, librarian, and freelance journalist. Her titles for children include The Night Before Eid, The Arabic Quilt, and The Great Banned-Books Bake Sale. Aya’s books have won numerous awards and honors including The Arab American Book Award and NCTE’s Charlotte Huck Award. Visit her at ayakhalil.com.

Bayan Lahham is a math and science teacher. She has been a tutor and homeschooler over the years. Bayan grew up on the East Coast and currently resides in Ohio with her family. A Party of Colors is her debut. Visit her at bayanlahham.com.

About the Illustrator

Olivia Aserr is a half Egyptian, half Irish American artist who currently works as a children’s illustrator and a background painter at Disney Television Animation. Olivia is passionate about telling stories that are fantastical and diverse. Visit her at oliviaaserr.com.

You can purchase A Party of Colors from these booksellers

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Una fiesta de colores | A Party of Colors (Steamworks) Spanish Edition

Acompaña a Salem y Baba a explorar las secuencias, la mezcla de colores y el autolavado, ¡porque el STEAM está en todas partes y es para todos!

Parte de STEAMWORKS, una serie de libros de cartón de ficción para niños de 0 a 3 años que relacionan la ciencia, la tecnología, la ingeniería, las artes y las matemáticas (STEAM, por sus siglas en inglés) con la vida diaria de los niños.

Ages Baby – 3

Charlesbridge, 2026 | ISBN 978-1623546908

About the Authors

Aya Khalil es autora, bibliotecaria y periodista independiente galardonada. Entre sus títulos para niños figuran The Night Before Eid, The Arabic Quilt y The Great Banned-Books Bake Sale. Los libros de Aya han recibido múltiples premios y distinciones, entre ellos el Arab American Book Award y el Charlotte Huck Award de la National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE, por sus siglas en inglés). ayakhalil.com.

Bayan Lahham es maestra de matemáticas y ciencias. A lo largo de los años, también ha trabajado como tutora y educadora a domicilio. Bayan se crio en la costa este y hoy día vive en Ohio con su familia. Una fiesta de colores / A Party of Colors es su debut literario. bayanlahham.com.

About the Illustrator

Olivia Aserr es una artista mitad egipcia, mitad irlandesa-estadounidense que trabaja como ilustradora para niños y artista de fondos para Disney Television Animation. A Olivia le apasiona contar historias fantásticas y diversas. oliviaaserr.com.

You can purchase Una fiesta de colores / A Party of Colors from these booksellers

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October 12 – National Farmers Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

You may have seen the statement “No Farms, No Food” on T-shirts, bumper stickers, online, and other places. It’s true! Without farmers dedicating their lives, day in and day out to grow the crops and animals we depend on for nourishment and survival, where would we be? National Farmers Day events have taken place across the country since the 1800s. Today, events are held on different dates in towns throughout the US during the fall. Farmers are also celebrated around the world during various countries’ harvest months. You can honor hardworking farmers today, this fall, and throughout the year by thanking a farmer, visiting farm markets or farm stores in your area, attending a state or local fair near you to learn more about your local farms and farmers, and making a trip to a working farm or a historical reenactment attraction that provides educational programs about this crucial contribution to our lives.

Thanks to Nosy Crow for sending me this book for review!

Fold-Out + Play: Farm

By Ingela P. Arrhenius

What child can resist the delight of acting out their imagination with hands-on play? In her brilliant fold-out and free-standing farm-in-a-book, Ingela P. Arrhenius invites just that with charming verses that entice excitement and exploration. The green hills beckon: “Through the fields / and off we go. / Cows and sheep— / let’s say hello!” while in the barn, kids find “It’s warm and / cozy in the hay. / This is where / the animals stay.”

Then with a simple tug on a ribbon, a drawer, incorporated into this book’s ingenious design, slides out to reveal sturdy cardboard cards of figures that are easily assembled with legs or tabs that allow them to stand freely on their own. The cheerful family— including Mom, Dad, Sister, and Brother, and, of course, their cat and dog—is ready to work and play. Mom and Dad can even hold items, such as the basket, buckets, and the watering can. As each card is pulled from the drawer, children’s smiles will grow wider as they find a horse and foal, cow and calf, ducks, sheep and lambs, a pig and piglet, a donkey, a goat and kid, a hen hatching eggs and her with her chicks, and a turkey. There’s even a scarecrow to smile at the birds!

How do the farm chores get done? Kids will love building and moving the large 3D tractor, animal pen, feeding trough, and wheelbarrow just waiting to be filled. Now, it’s time to discover the play area! The book opens wide and folds down to create four thoughtfully and lovingly created stages. Young farmers find themselves amid vibrant fields bursting with fruit and vegetables ready to harvest, as well as flowers, trees, a pond, a henhouse, and more outdoor features to explore. Inside the cleverly conceived barn, a goat enjoys lunch while a mouse, goose, and rooster say hello, and a window opens to reveal animals having fun outside. Two pages of stickers are also included to allow kids to personalize their settings.

With their props set and the seeds of infinite stories sown, children will enthusiastically devise scenarios for this farming family and their animals!

Interacting with her adorable farm, it’s easy to see how much care, love, and respect for children Ingela P. Arrhenius put into every aspect of her well-developed farm, from the reflective sheen on the pond to the double-gated door, to details like the hose curled on the grass waiting to be used. The superbly engineered tractor, wheelbarrow, pen, and trough as well as the sweet-faced animals and welcoming characters offer endless options for play.

Fold-Out + Play: Farm makes an inspired gift for any child for independent play as well as shared playtime between older and younger siblings or an adult and child. This book would make a fantastic take-along for babysitters and for gentle imaginative creative time in preschool and kindergarten classrooms as well as for daycare centers.

Ages 3 – 8

Nosy Crow, 2026 | ISBN 979-8887772905

About the Author

Ingela P. Arrhenius graduated from art school in the early 90s and has been working as an illustrator ever since. At first, she worked in advertising and magazines, but her focus over the past ten years has been on products and books. Ingela has created patterns for fabrics, wallpaper and stationery, as well as packaging and home accessories. She has also collaborated with several toy producers around the world and her love of retro style, typography and colour is reflected in all her work. Ingela lives in Stockholm with her husband (an author) and two sons. Visit her at ingelaparrhenius.com.

National Farmer’s Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-garden-board-game-1

Grow a Vegetable Garden Board Game

With this fun game you and your family and friends can grow gardens inside! Roll the dice to see whose garden will fully ripen first!

Supplies

Printable Garden Plot Game Board
Printable Vegetable Playing Cards: Page 1 | Page 2
Printable Vegetable Playing Die
Black or brown crayon (optional)
Card stock or heavy paper for printing (optional)
Tape
Scissors

Directions

Object: The object of the game is for each player to fill their garden rows with vegetables. Depending on the ages of the players, the required winning number of rows to fill and the number of vegetables to “plant” in each row can be adjusted.

Print one Game Board for each player
Print one set of Playing Cards for each player (for sturdier playing items, print on card stock)
Print one Vegetable Playing Die and assemble it (for a sturdier die, print on card stock)
Cut the vegetables into their individual playing cards
Color the “dirt” on the Garden Plot with the crayon (optional)
Choose a player to go first
The player rolls the die and then “plants” the facing vegetable in a row on the game board
Play moves to the person on the right
Players continue rolling the die and “planting” vegetables until each of the number of determined rows have been filled with the determined number of vegetables.
The first person to “grow” all of their veggies wins!

You can purchase Fold-Out + Play: Farm from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

October 8 – World Space Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

First declared by the United Nations in 1999, World Space Week has grown to be the largest public space-related event in the world. The week is an international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition. This year’s theme is the Rocket Revolution and “celebrates how launch innovation has stimulated the rapidly-growing space economy and enabled new uses of space to help the world.” A stellar international line up of events is planned to commemorate this initiative in 100 countries. The week includes space education and outreach events held by space agencies, aerospace companies, schools, planetaria, museums, and astronomy clubs around the world. To learn more about the week, visit worldspaceweek.org.

Thanks to Twirl for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Lost in Space! (Flip and Find)

By Ben Newman

Young space adventurers are about to blast into a galaxy of fun with Lost in Space! (Flip and Find), an interactive puzzle in a book! Assigned five missions comprising three phases each, kids are asked to put their skills of observation, critical thinking, and problem solving to the test. To get started, they need only to open the cover and pick up all the gear they’ll need—a die-cut card attached just inside. The card’s three windows provide an astonishingly varied view of the stars, planets, meteors, rockets, and even space beings they’ll encounter on their journey.

Children will have to use their smarts, coordination, powers of deduction, and just plain love of discovery to place the card on each game board, then flip and turn it this way and that until they match the visual challenges and complete each assignment: Cosmic Wonders, Hello, Space Beings!, So Many Stars!, Rocket Ruckus, and Mission Marvels.

Ben Newman’s stylized meteors, planets, stars, and other cosmic phenomenon as well as the silly space creatures who long to be sorted into teams and the rockets that need reconstructing will entice kids to enlist their inner aerospace engineer for entertaining and skill-building play.

With games in varying levels of difficulty and engaging graphics, Lost in Space! (Flip and Find) is a sturdy board book for kids of all ages. Even adults will enjoy trying their hand at these intriguing puzzles. There’s plenty of repeat play in each mission to make this book a favorite go-to at home, in the classroom, or at daycare centers. Lost in Space! (Flip and Find) is also a reliable take-along book for outings or any time waiting is expected.

Ages 3+

Twirl, 2026 | ISBN 978-2408061821

About the Author

Ben Newman is a freelance illustrator and lecturer who created the Professor Astro Cat children’s books. He lives in Hastings, UK. Visit him at bennewman.co.uk.

You can purchase Lost in Space! (Flip and Find) from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

August 19 – National Back to School Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

For many kids August means going back to school or taking their first steps into a classroom, while for the youngest children it can be just the beginning of learning new concepts that are the building blocks of education in lots of fun ways. Board books are perfect for sharing the language, math, science, and other concepts that little ones need to learn along the way to being ready for school themselves!

Thanks to Phaidon Press for sending me this book for review!

Small Monster, Big Monster: A Seriously Silly Book of Opposites

By Allan Sanders

Ready to have monstrous fun learning opposites? Allan Sanders transports kids to a vibrant world where monsters and humans coexist, with hilarious results. What happens when a “monster gets ON the bus?” As you might imagine, “passengers get OFF.” And they’re not just getting off, they’re scrambling through the windshield as fast as they can. All except a young girl who welcomes the monster with a smile and wave. What do you imagine a monster will do after seeing a tornado from INSIDE? Go OUTSIDE to ride it, of course!

These monsters aren’t scary! All they want to do is play, dance the night away, enjoy getting FULL on pizza (who doesn’t?!), and engage in some of people’s favorite sports. Little learners will love hanging with these monsters who are just as curious, active, ingenious, and friendly as they are as they learn opposites that make the world work!

Allan Sanders’ brightly colored pages, accented with neon touches, will immediately draw little ones to these funny, friendly monsters, who take part in activities from the city to the gym to the ski slope and beyond in their own unique style. Kids will also love spotting lots of silly surprises on each spread during giggly read-alouds.

Ages Baby – 3

Phaidon Press, 2026 | ISBN 978-1837292110

About the Author/Illustrator

Allan Sanders is an illustrator and artist who lives by the sea in Brighton, UK. He has illustrated several Children’s books including On the Move, My Amazing Body, Outer Space, The Animal World, The Book of Perfectly Perilous Math, and most recently The Alphabet of Alphabets and A Number of Numbers for Wide Eyed Editions. He likes diagrams, limited palettes, screen printing, comic books, handwritten type, and wonky perspectives. Visit him at allansanders.co.uk.

You can purchase Small Monster, Big Monster: A Seriously Silly Book of Opposites from these booksellers.

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Picture Book Review

August 5 – National Family Fun Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Every month can be full of family fun, but in August we take time to celebrate the longer, more relaxed days of summer that can lead to special times together. Little ones especially love having fun while learning about the world and all its variations. This month is in many ways a transitional month as the weather can fluctuate from the high heat of summer to the cooling comfort of autumn, and the relaxed days of summer vacation return to the rigors of a school schedule. Today’s board book helps young children navigate these changes as they get ready to set their own course whether they’re going to daycare, starting school, or exploring from home!

Thanks to Charlesbride and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sending me this book for review!

Manny Matches the Weather

Manny y el tiempo hacen juego (Spanish bilingual edition) (Steamworks)

Written by Jenny Lacika | Illustrated by Antonieta Muñoz Estrada | Translated by Anyeliz Pagan Munoz

In this welcoming board book, Manny finds that often when he dresses himself, the clothes he’s chosen aren’t quite right for the weather conditions. Manny knows he looks stylish in his outfits, but they sometimes let him down, leaving him sweating, shivering, or even soaked. He wants to learn how to pick just the right clothes.

Illustration copyright © 2026 by Antonieta Muñoz Estrada. Text copyright © 2026 by Jenny Lacika. Published by Charlesbridge, 2026

Mami suggests checking the temperature on a weather app, but Manny wants to figure out how to choose the right pants, shirts, shoes, and accessories “all by himself.” If only there were clues to help Manny decide. In fact, there are! Young readers will learn how they can read and gauge the temperature and other conditions from inside before they hit the outdoors as well as the skill of mixing and matching to attain the perfect combination of pieces that show off their unique style while keeping them perfectly comfortable every day.

Back matter titled “Picking up STEAM” discusses how children can use scientific tools like thermometers and observation to learn how different weather conditions and elements, such as shade and the color of the sky, look and feel. Manny Matches the Weather is part of STEAMWORKS, a series of fiction board books for ages 0-3 that relate science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) to kids’ everyday lives.

Manny y el tiempo hacen juego

¡Ediciones simultáneas en Inglés y bilingüe en Español e Inglés! Acompaña a Manny a explorar la temperatura y el tiempo, ¡porque el STEAM es para todos y está en todos lados! Parte de STEAMWORKS, una serie de libros de cartón de ficción para niños de 0 a 3 años que relacionan la ciencia, la tecnología, la ingeniería, las artes y las matemáticas (STEAM, por sus siglas en inglés) con la vida diaria de los niños.

Illustration copyright © 2026 by Antonieta Muñoz Estrada. Text copyright © 2026 by Jenny Lacika. Translated by Anyeliz Pagan Munoz. Published by Charlesbridge, 2026

In her engaging and confidence-building board book, Jenny Lacika introduces young children to a thoughtful and independent boy who recognizes a problem and determines to solve it on his own. The issue of dressing is unique to every child, depending on their tolerance for different weather conditions and their burgeoning sense of style. Encouraging kids to choose their own outfits and learn from their experiences even from the youngest ages is a meaningful step in their education and promotes self-reliance, creativity, and positive self-esteem. Lacika’s cheerful and straightforward text is sprinkled with questions that invite readers to share in Manny’s observations, while fostering the idea of scientific observation in themselves.

Antonieta Muñoz Estrada’s vibrant illustrations take kids into Manny’s room and outside to view how his clothing choices match the weather before he learns to take cues from what he sees and afterward. On each page, she gives readers many opportunities to point out and talk about various types of clothing and weather-dependent accessories; recognize sunny, rainy, windy, and snowy weather; and compare Mami’s weather-appropriate outfits to Manny’s as he learns.

Perfect to share with young children all year around, Manny Matches the Weather is an inviting and impactful board book that makes learning the important skill of weather-appropriate dressing fun while introducing the concept of scientific observation. It is a must for any library collection as well as daycare, preschool, and home bookshelves.

Ages Baby – 3

Charlesbridge, 2026 | ISBN 978-1623546731

About the Author

Jenny Lacika is a children’s writer from Santa Fe, New Mexico. She is the author of Beto’s Berry Treasure and Again, Essie?, winner of the Mathical Award. As a Chicana, MIT grad, chronically ill, mother of two, her work often explores themes relating to STEM education, disability and accessibility, and Chicanx culture and history. She now lives in her hometown with her husband and children.

About the Illustrator

Antonieta Muñoz Estrada is a kidlit illustrator and digital artist from Mexico. She graduated from the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Facultad de Bellas Artes in 2007, with a bachelor of visual arts degree, specializing in graphic design. She loves to draw funny, colorful characters with meaningful stories, and over all, she wants to make others happy with her illustrations. http://www.mariadrawss.com.

You can purchase Manny Matches the Weather from these booksellers

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You can purchase Manny y el tiempo hacen juego from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

August 4 – Hooray for Kids Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today we celebrate kids—their joy, exuberance, and nearly endless excitement to learn new things. The youngest children are especially enthusiastic as they discover their own way of looking at and interacting with the world. Today’s books explore skills that kids use every day in fun and helpful ways.

Thanks to Charlesbride and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sending me this book for review!

Moon Chef | Chef luna

Written and Translated by Delia Ruiz | Illustrated by Nomar Perez

Gaby loves helping her parents in the kitchen, and she’s made a surprising observation! When she sees the moon through the windows of her house, its shape reminds her of her favorite foods. And what’s more—the shape of the moon is always changing! Sometimes the moon is a full circle like the rellenos de papa her family ate for dinner, but days later the moon is a half-circle, reminding Gaby of the empanadillas on the platter.

Illustration copyright © 2026 by Nomar Perez. Text copyright © 2026 by Delia Ruiz. Published by Charlesbridge, 2026.

As she grabs a plantain to create tostones, she realizes it looks like the crescent moon she sees out the kitchen window. On another day, she decides that the “moon is hiding” as she licks her dusky blue “flan plate clean like new, and it blends in with the sky.” When the moon reappears, Gaby is happy to find other tasty snacks to track it’s progress back to a full moon for a complete “monthly moon menu.”

“Picking up STEAM” back matter includes a discussion of the moon and its shape as a sphere that goes through various stages throughout the month. Illustrations of the moon identify the eight lunar phases, educating kids about this phenomenon. Tips for how adults and children can explore the concepts in the book at the grocery store and while looking at the moon also make science learning fun. Moon Chef/Chef Luna is part of STEAMWORKS, a series of fiction board books for ages 0-3 that relate science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) to kids’ everyday lives.

Chef luna

¡Hola, Luna! Sigue el ciclo de las fases lunares a medida que Gaby llena su plato (¡y la barriga!) con alimentos que coinciden con la forma de la luna que ve en el cielo. De la media luna a la guayaba gibosa, las formas de los alimentos crecen y decrecen a medida que avanza el mes, al igual que las fases lunares. Amplía lo aprendido más allá de la historia con el material de apoyo elaborado por expertos, que incluye información adicional sobre las fases lunares y actividades STEAM divertidas.

Parte de Steamworks, una serie de libros de cartón de ficción para niños de 0 a 3 años que relacionan la ciencia, la tecnología, la ingeniería, las artes y las matemáticas (STEAM, por sus siglas en inglés) con la vida diaria de los niños.

Delia Ruiz’s creativity in comparing whole and sliced fruit and vegetables as well as finished dishes to the phases of the moon will excite young readers and prompt them to do the same with their own favorite foods and objects around their homes. Concrete associations such as these make an impression as children learn to connect something they know to an unfamiliar concept or subject and extrapolate that knowledge to other topics. Ruiz’s Gaby is an enthusiastic companion for little ones discovering new tastes at home and exploring their world nearby and as far as the eye can see.

With vivid colors and a cheerful, busy home, illustrator Nomar Perez invites young children to find a wide variety of shapes from circles and half-circles to crescents and slivers as well as squares, ovals, diamonds, and abstract patterns on his pages. Kids will have fun making connections from room to room and talking about the differences between the circles and examples of spheres they find. Perez’s festive taco night, lit up by the moon, fireflies, and string lights and containing a full range of shapes, offers inspiration for readers to enjoy finding shapes at home themselves!

Ages Baby – 3

Charlesbridge, 2026 | ISBN 978-1623546700

About the Author

Delia Ruiz is a Latina teacher-turned-author from San Antonio, Texas. Her books include the ¡1, 2, 3 Baila! bilingual board book series, Ways Papi Says I Love You, Moon Chef, and Roqui’s Pandero Beat, winner of the International Latino Book award. Delia hopes to inspire the next generation of writers who also come from immigrant households. She lives in Puerto Rico with her husband, their son, and their pug. Visit her at aventurasenesl.com. You can follow her journey @aventuras.en.esl

About the Illustrator

Nomar Perez was born on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, in the city of Ponce, and moved with his parents and five siblings to Ohio when he was ten. Nomar is heavily influenced by all types of media, most especially animation, puppetry, and computer art. He studied computer animation and painting at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and since then has worked as an illustrator on social expression products in the categories of humor, children’s, and young adult. Nomar has also illustrated numerous children’s board books and school publishing books. Coquí in the City is his author-illustrator debut. Follow him on Instagram.

You can purchase Moon Chef from these booksellers

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You can purchase Chef luna from these booksellers

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July 20 – Global Hug Your Kids Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today’s holiday may be the easiest on the calendar to celebrate! It’s purpose is simple—to show your child or children how much you love them by giving them a hug! And why stop at just one? Such closeness builds strong family bonds, helps with a child’s brain development and social and emotional learning, and even has benefits for their physical health. To celebrate today (and every day!) give your kids hugs throughout the day and tell them how much and why you love them!

Hello, Baby

By Sandra Magsamen

Every day seems to go by so fast! What with work at the office or from home, chores to do, shopping, or just trying to stick to a schedule, it’s a lot. And if you have a baby or toddler, the hours can fly by without even a moment to slow down and spend some snuggle time together. Sandra Magsamen understands! Her delightful board books are written to fit into busy schedules while expressing that special love you and your baby share.

Hello, Baby, Magsamen’s newest book, is as warm as a hug and filled with endearments that ensure little ones know how much they mean to their family and how much they are loved. Joyful rhymes are matched with adorable illustrations of smiling characters and bright colors for a peppy read aloud that will swell a child’s as well as adult readers’ hearts. Short and sweet, Hello, Baby is perfect for cuddly respites during the day—at snack time, nap or bedtime, to dry tears, or whenever an opportunity arises to share a special moment together.

Hello, Baby will be a much-loved addition to home libraries for new parents, grandparents and other family members as well as a favorite for public libraries and daycare centers.

Ages Baby – 3

Cartwheel Books, 2026 | ISBN 978-1546183945

About the Author

Sandra Magsamen is the author and illustrator of over 75 books for young children including I Love You, Honey Bunny, You’re My Little Chickadee, and Our Little Love Bug! As an artist, an art therapist, and a mom, she uses her creativity to remind people to express themselves and connect with others. Her lifestyle brands, products, and books are sold worldwide. Visit her at sandramagsamen.com.

Global Hug Your Kids Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-hug-coupons

Free Hug Coupons

Everyone needs a hug now and then! With these printable Free Hug Coupons you can extend Global Hug Your Kids day to everyone in your family every day of the year! Why not fill a jar with these coupons and display it so that all your favorite people can get a sweet hug whenever they need it most.

You can purchase Hello, Baby from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

About the Holiday

A Party of Colors (Steamworks)

Una fiesta de colores | A Party of Colors (Steamworks) Spanish Edition

Written by Aya Khalil and Bayan Lahham | Illustrated by Olivia Aserr | Translated by Anyeliz Pagán Muñoz

Una fiesta de colores | A Party of Colors (Steamworks) Spanish Edition

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About the Holiday

Fold-Out + Play: Farm

By Ingela P. Arrhenius

National Farmer’s Day Activity

Grow a Vegetable Garden Board Game

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About the Holiday

Lost in Space! (Flip and Find)

By Ben Newman

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About the Holiday

Small Monster, Big Monster: A Seriously Silly Book of Opposites

By Allan Sanders

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About the Holiday

Manny Matches the Weather

Manny y el tiempo hacen juego (Spanish bilingual edition) (Steamworks)

Written by Jenny Lacika | Illustrated by Antonieta Muñoz Estrada | Translated by Anyeliz Pagan Munoz

Manny y el tiempo hacen juego

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About the Holiday

Moon Chef | Chef luna

Written and Translated by Delia Ruiz | Illustrated by Nomar Perez

Chef luna

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About the Holiday

Hello, Baby

By Sandra Magsamen

Global Hug Your Kids Day Activity

Free Hug Coupons

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