August 11 – Happiness Happens Month

About the Holiday

Happiness Happens Month reminds us that happiness can happen anywhere and at any time. In fact paying attention to all of the little moments during each day, going on spontaneous outings with friends or family, or taking time to do a favorite activity may be all you need to feel happier every day! Spending time reading with your kids is one of those activities that’s sure to bring a smile and comforting a sense of “ahhhh!” With school starting again soon, it’s a great time to reflect on the fun you’ve had over the past months and as well as the memories and learning to come. Today’s book combines fun and learning in a way that’s sure to make happiness happen every time you read it!

Thank you to Abrams Appleseed for sending me this book for review!

Charts for Babies

By Michelle Rial

Little ones may not know about all the visual tools people use to corral the data that that keeps the world working and connected, but knowing how to read these helpful graphics is a crucial skill as children climb higher and higher in math and science classes at school. So, is there a way for even the youngest children to begin learning these important concepts? Michelle Rial says wholeheartedly, “Yes!” But is there a way to make it relatable and exciting and—dare I ask?—fun? Like really fun?

Michelle Rial has all that covered in Charts for Babies, a bright and bubbly jaunt through ideas big and small that encompass the building blocks of math and vocabulary (including visual representations of nouns, verbs, adjectives, those beguiling prepositions, and opposites) as well as cuddly emotions adults and kids love to share. And Rial does all of this with adorable graphics and rhymes that will make your heart sing.

With her trademark wit, Rial presents 16 types of charts and graphs—including a Venn diagram, column chart, scatter plot, timelines, bar chart, and decision tree. She also introduces kids to concepts such as “snug” and “loose,” the difference between a circle and a dot, a single object and a pair, how manipulating shapes can create new shapes, and many others. A few random visitors, like a duck and a sneeze, pull double duty—making little ones giggle while completing a rhyme.

Along the way, Rial also invites kids to count, name colors, find components of five kinds of charts in the midst of a “mess,” and discover other ways to connect with and talk about the text. I can guarantee that both adults and kids will embrace the book’s sweet ending.

A book that will immediately bring smiles to every reader, Charts for Babies is really a love letter to, yes, mathematical and scientific organization but also to sharing concepts, ideas, and humor that unite us all in a way that will have kids and adults excited for repeat reading. Older children will also enjoy the cleverness and cadence of this story and will eagerly chime in on read alouds or read it independently themselves. Charts for Babies is a must for any library or home collection and makes a wonderful gift.

Ages 2 – 5+

Harry N. Abrams, 2026 | ISBN 978-1419785184

About the Author

Michelle Rial is a graphic designer who makes charts. Named by Vulture as one of “9 of the Funniest Cartoonists and Illustrators on Instagram,” she is the author and illustrator of the books Am I Overthinking This? and Maybe This Will Help. Her work has been featured by The New Yorker, Oprah Daily, USA Today, Wired, and more. She lives in the redwoods of California with Lenny, Jude, and Einstein. You can visit her at michellerial.com. Follow her on Instagram.

Happiness Happens Month Activity

Happiness Is… Game

Happiness is all around you! Grab one or more friends to play this game that reveals what things make you happy.

Similar to the “Geography” game, the first player names something that makes them happy. The second player must think of something that makes them happy and starts with the last letter of the word the previous player said. The game continues with each player continuing the pattern. To finish the game, set a time limit or have players drop out if they can’t think of a word. The last player left is the winner!

You can purchase Charts for Babies from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

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

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

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

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

June 25 – National Day of Joy

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

The National Day of Joy encourages everyone to look for simple moments and expressions of happiness in daily life. Cheerful smiles and greetings, random acts of kindness, upbeat moods, and general positivity can affect not only immediate interactions but our moods and our health. To honor the day and the idea, find ways to start each morning with a positive attitude for the day to come. Need ideas for how to get started? Say “Hello” to those you meet, listen to and encourage others, happily help out where needed, send a surprise letter, card, or text to a friend or family member far away. And, of course, doing something fun with your kids always makes the day better. Today’s book shows how simple pleasures and hard-won accomplishments can bring a special kind of joy to all ages.

Thank you to Abrams Books for Young Readers for sending me this book for review!

Robin and the Stick

By E. B. Goodale

“Robin always had a stick.” Sticks were Robin’s go-to for playing, decorating, and general all-around love. It was easy finding sticks—right outside his window, an old tree “rained them down as it blew in the wind.” Every morning as mama lifted Robin into the air, she said, “‘Today you are the biggest you’ve ever been!'” Robin wasn’t sure what she meant. One day when Robin and Mama went for their walk, they encountered “the best stick Robin had ever seen.”

The stick was so large it blocked the sidewalk, and even though Robin tried every way to lift it, this stick didn’t budge. Mama explained that it was a branch—a stick too heavy to pick up. Every day, Robin tried different ways to lift it, but never could. Then one morning the day began as usual, plus “one hundred kisses” from Mama, before they went outside, where the branch still waited. This time Robin put every ounce of strength into the mission and suddenly, Robin was holding it aloft! Robin dragged the branch home, proudly thinking “today I’m the biggest I’ve ever been!” and knowing the perfect way to use this prize.

E. B. Goodale’s debut book in her “Robin’s World” series for the youngest readers is infused with the joy of growing and learning and will make you smile from beginning to end. In her adorably pint-sized book, Goodale plays with notions of change and growth as well as young and old. Robin is shown in various perspectives—small at home and when first encountering the branch to larger closeups of Robin’s day-to-day efforts to lift it. On the day of Robin’s ultimate success, Goodale mirrors the image of Robin’s first sight of the branch, but from the opposite side. Now Robin fills the page, while the branch, shown along the illustration’s narrowing path, appears much smaller than before.

Readers suddenly join Robin in the idea that today may just be the day—and, indeed, it is! As Robin lifts the branch and proudly drags it into the house, adults will appreciate the mother’s comically accepting stance at the door. Goodale’s heartwarming black-and-white monoprint and oil paint illustrations, tapped with red in Robin’s coat and Mama’s uplifting phrase, also highlight concrete moments and Robin’s focused attention.

A joyful book for offering encouragement, celebrating milestones, inspiring imagination, looking back and looking forward, Robin and the Stick is a must for every library collection and a story adults and children will enjoy at home for years. The book makes a wonderful gift for baby showers and new parents. The lack of pronouns makes it a universal story for any child.

Ages 3 – 6

Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2026 | ISBN 978-1419780837

E. B. Goodale can often be found wandering in her local arboretum, looking for the perfect stick. She is the author/illustrator of The Moon Remembers, Also, and Under the Lilacs, and has illustrated many other books for children, including Windows by Julia Denos, and The Bees of Notre-Dame by Meghan P. Browne. She lives with her family under a big old tree in coastal Massachusetts. Visit her at ebgoodale.com.

National Day of Joy Activity

Robin and the Stick Coloring Page

Join Robin for exploration and fun with this coloring page! Parents, caregivers, and teachers can find this activity as well as a video of E. B. Goodale talking about making of Robin’s World on E. B. Goodale’s website.

You can purchase Robin and the Stick from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

May 29 – National Bike Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Established in 1956 and sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists, National Bike Month celebrates all the fun and benefits of cycling. Communities around the country celebrate with special events, tours, and safety lessons. The month also hosts Bike to School and Bike to Work days to encourage people to leave their cars at home, get fresh air and exercise, and have fun at the same time. Although the month of May is winding down, biking is always a fantastic way to enjoy family time! For more information visit the League of American Bicyclists.

Yellow, Red, Green—Go!

Written by Ellen Mayer | Illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu

Mommy and her child are off on a bike ride to visit Grandma! On the way, Mommy points out the traffic lights they pass—and sometimes need to stop for. Mommy explains what each color means and the pattern the colors make. “‘Yellow means we have to slow down,’ says Mommy.” When the light changes, her little one is excited to explain “‘Red means stop.'” But in a minute, the eager tyke urges her on: “‘Green, Mommy! Go!'”

Illustration copyright © 2024 by Ying-Hwa Hu. Text copyright © 2024 by Ellen Mayer. Courtesy of Star Bright Books.

As they continue on, the pair continues to repeat the pattern, making a playful game of it. They pass a toy store and go inside, where they find more patterns in the toys and displays. It’s one more fun thing to tell Grandma! Back on their bike, they soon roll into Grandma’s neighborhood. Here the little one finds a pattern on the facade of her apartment block and points out, “‘Window, light, door. Window, light, door. Window, light . . . .'” Wait! there’s a surprise! “‘Window, light . . . Grandma!'”

The story includes a Note for Parents and Caregivers from Dr. Ashli-Ann Douglas, a Research Associate II at WestEd, whose
research focuses on improving mathematics teaching and learning to support children’s development of strong math skills and
positive math beliefs.

In her Note, Dr. Douglas discusses the benefits of talking to young children about recognizing patterns—one of the important building blocks to understanding many parts of math that children will encounter as they move through school. Dr. Douglas then invites adults to engage their children in pattern scavenger hunts within the story’s text as well as at home and away while encouraging them to find patterns in sounds, routines, and other areas of daily life.

Endearing parent-child interactions are at the heart of award-winning author Ellen Mayer’s Small Talk Books® that model rich conversations between a young child and an adult and enhance fun learning opportunities naturally present in many daily activities. In Yellow, Red, Green—GO! the child’s excitement to show an understanding of patterns is infectious, and youngest readers will eagerly want to join in around their own home and community. Readers will notice the strong back-and-forth patter between Mommy and child as they get on the bike and react to what they see on the way to Grandma’s—a stimulating dynamic that creates a fertile environment for language development and is a sweet way to build bonds.

Ying-Hwa Hu’s adorable illustrations glow with the child’s giggly enthusiasm for finding patterns and the close relationship between Mommy and her little one. Hu populates the community with other child-adult pairs and favorite objects and scenes that readers can talk about. She also includes plenty of opportunities to point out other patterns and to name colors, animals, toys, and other city features. As Mommy and the child interact, Hu demonstrates ways in which adults can engage their children through body language. Fans of other books in this series will be excited to see familiar objects and characters throughout the pages.

A delightful addition to the Small Talks Books® series, Yellow, Red, Green—GO! is a must for every library, daycare, or preschool board book collection and is highly recommended for any young child’s home bookshelf.

Yellow, Red, Green—GO! is also available in a Spanish/English edition

Ages 2 – 5

Star Bright Books, 2026 | ISBN 978-1595729798 | Bilingual Edition ISBN 978-1595729804

Ellen Mayer is an award-winning children’s author who has worked as an education researcher and early literacy home visitor. Her other math story books published by Star Bright Books include Banana for Two, Clean Up, Up, Up!, and Leaves to My Knees. She lives with her husband in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Visit her at ellenmayerbooks.com.

Ying-Hwa Hu is an award-winning illustrator. Her work has been exhibited at the Bologna Book Fair and The Society of Illustrators Original Art Show. Ying-Hwa has illustrated over 30 books, many of which she collaborated on with her husband Cornelius Van Wright, also an illustrator and author. They live in New York City. Visit her at yinghwahu.com.

National Bike Month Activity

Yellow, Red, Green–Go! Activities

You can find lots of Yellow, Red, Green—GO! activities, including a pattern coloring page; a song sheet with lyrics for “The Wheels on the Bike,” a take off on “The Wheels on the Bus;” an original song that explores patterns, sung by Anna Adler; a Teaching Guide by California Early Math Project; and more to download on the Star Bright Books website.

You can also find the above activities and a fun craft on Ellen Mayer’s website.

You can purchase Yellow, Red, Green—GO! from these booksellers

English: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

You can order ¡Amarillo, rojo, verde… pasen! / Yellow, Red, Green—GO! from these booksellers

Spanish/English: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

May 26 – Better Sleep Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

The Better Sleep Council—the sponsor of today’s holiday—was established in 1978 to educate people about the important relationship between sleep, good health, and quality of life. The goal of Better Sleep Month is to promote the benefits of good and healthy sleep, draw attention to the effects of sleep problems, and help people prevent and manage sleep disorders. Helping young children develop beneficial bedtime routines can improve their daytime functioning and positively impact their growth, health, and happiness. Get ready to celebrate the moon—and sweet dreams—all summer long and beyond with today’s luminous book!

June Moon

Written by Lynn Becker | Illustrated by Nate Carvalho

As a playful moon rises into the sunset-painted sky, a young child imagines being transported to the seaside where he builds a sandcastle under the “Beach Moon / Bucket Moon / Twirling on a dune moon.” He becomes a shovel-brandishing pirate plying the ocean as a whale breaches, backlit by the glowing moon.

Illustration copyright © 2024 by Nate Caravalho. Text copyright © 2024 by Lynn Becker. Courtesy of Familius.

But “bath and bedtime” await, and the sea spray becomes a bubble bath that leads to a frothy “peppermint typhoon moon.” At last the child is growing tired and with a twinkling tune and precious teddy bear, he drifts off to the “Kiss-me moon, / Cuddle moon, / Weave a dream cocoon moon.” Then with one more sleepy look, the child says goodnight to that “Magic as a June moon.”

In her dreamy board book, Lynn Becker combines the giddy fun of bedtime with the sweet comfort of daily routines and cuddling goodnights. Her jaunty verses tumble joyfully from scene to scene carried on her delightful use of rhyme and consonance. Little ones will enjoy calling out the word “moon” at the end of the lines and are sure to ask for this endearing book often.

Nate Carvalho’s adorable kawaii-style moon will enchant little ones as it rises and sets over the child’s bedtime preparations, sparking imaginative play on the way to dreamland. Carvalho incorporates clever imagery that blends reality and fantasy, as when the view out the child’s window of peaked tile roofs segues on the next page to sand dunes. Children will also like pointing out the pillow in the pirate’s boat and how the moon’s “peppermint typhoon” mirrors the child’s pajamas. As the moon settles over the rooftops once more, young sleepyheads will likewise be ready to settle into their comfy beds.

Lovely and soothing, June Moon will become a quick favorite for bedtime reading. The book makes a perfect gift for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers as well as for baby showers; grandparents or other caregivers; and any library, daycare, or preschool collection.

Ages Baby and up

Familius, 2024 | ISBN 978-1641709996

Lynn Becker grew up in New York, spent many years in the Southern California desert, and now lives in Colorado. She’s a children’s book reviewer and the author of Monsters in the Briny, illustrated by Scott Brundage and Ghost Town in the Mountains, illustrated by Roland Garrigue. Visit her at lynnbeckerbooks.com.

Better Sleep Month Activity

Sleepytime Puzzle

All of these sleepy animals want to go to bed! In these puzzle pages, kids can settle each animal into the empty spots so they can get a good night’s sleep with their friends. Then color them!

Sleepytime Puzzle – Easy | Sleepytime Puzzle – Medium | Sleepytime Puzzle – Hard

Moon Coloring Page | Sun Coloring Page | Earth Coloring Page

You can purchase June Moon from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

March 25 – National Reading and March into Literacy Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

All month long, we celebrate reading—and writing! This focus on literacy spotlights the importance of reading with your children early—even from birth. Reading with your kids helps them develop language and writing skills that will promote future success in school and beyond. Even if your child isn’t talking yet, as you read to them they’re listening and learning about their language, how it sounds and looks on a page. The rich experience in today’s two board books, which combine reading, critical thinking, and fine motor skills, can get you and your little one started on a lifetime of learning.

Ready for Mazes: Baby Animal Mazes

By Susann Hoffmann

Little ones can’t get enough of baby animals! They squeal in delight when they see tiny ducks, bunnies, and other small animals and just want to pet or be near them. Baby Animal Mazes gives the youngest readers a hands-on chance to help baby animals navigate winding paths while avoiding obstacles to find their family, play games, and complete other fun challenges.

Each visually rich and adorable puzzle introduces a baby animal with a sweet storyline involving family, friends, or a favorite treat. But there’s a catch! In each maze, important parts of the path are missing. Here’s where young readers can help the baby animal cross the two-page spread to their goal by finishing the path. To do this, three sturdy, round disks printed with a section of path (straight-away, intersection, or curve) are provided on the first page. These fit snugly into circles where the path is broken. Children will have fun finding the right piece and how it fits to complete the path. A range of difficulty—from one missing piece to three—offers a challenge and increasing confidence.

Little readers will be enchanted with Susann Hoffmann’s vibrant and charming images of wildlife that are just waiting to be named, counted, or found in an impromptu “I-spy” game. Textured pages keep little fingers on the paths and offer a sensory experience while reading.

With just the right amount of challenge for little ones, plenty of repeat play and readability, and a large, durable format, Baby Animal Mazes will be a favorite go-to book on any young child’s bookshelf. The book makes a perfect take-along activity and gift.

Ages 2+

Twirl, 2026 | ISBN 978-2408061951

Susann Hoffmann is a freelance illustrator and animator. Her work can be seen in various digital media, books, and film. She lives in Hamburg, Germany. Visit her at susannhoffmann.com.

You can purchase Ready for Mazes: Baby Animal Mazes from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Where Are You, Baby?

By Elena Selena

Sweet endearments, loving looks, and cuddly togetherness makes this interactive board book a perfect companion for snuggly story times with your baby or young child. “Where are you, little one?” mother and father animals ask, and children will love lifting the intricately cut lion, hedgehog, parrot and other flaps to discover the babies underneath. “Here I am!” they eagerly answer. Lifting the babies’ flaps in this well-designed book bring them close to mom or dad so they can have fun exploring, flying, and more together.

Elena Selena infuses her bold, colorful illustrations with all the heart of parenthood, drawing the eyes of both adult and baby animals so that they are always looking at each other with affection and, in many, outstretched arms are ready for hugs.

Moms and dads will cherish sharing this book with their little ones. It’s sure to become a favorite for bedtime or playtime at home or for entertainment while out at the park, beach, or anywhere waiting is expected. Where Are You, Baby? would make a much-loved addition to home bookshelves as well as a gift for baby showers or new babies.

Ages Baby – 4

Twirl, 2026 | ISBN 979-1027613892

Born in Lithuania, Elena Selena initially trained at the Vilnius Academy of Arts before discovering her talent for making pop-up books at the École Estienne (ESAIG) in Paris. She now splits her time between illustration and pop-up projects, and conducts pop-up workshops for children as well. She lives in Paris, France. Visit her at elenaselena.com.

You can purchase Where Are You, Baby? from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

September 8 – International Literacy Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

In 1966 UNESCO (United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture) established International Literacy Day on this date to “actively mobilize the international community to promote literacy as an instrument to empower individuals, communities, and societies.” This year, the theme is “Promoting literacy in the digital era” and focuses on the way digitization has changed and is changing the way people learn, live, work and socialize—both positively and negatively.

Today’s observance also shines a light on the importance of engaging children in reading from their earliest ages. It is well-documented that children who are read to from birth develop better reading and communication skills, which leads to better across-the-board performance in school and beyond. While reading together, parents, adults, and caregivers and their children also develop strong bonds that last a lifetime. Today’s two books offer young readers the joy and excitement of reading in interactive formats that adults will love sharing with their kids. To learn more about International Literacy Day, visit unesco.org.

Thank you to Twirl Books and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for send me copies of these books for review!

Animals Everywhere: A Lift, Look, and Find Book

Written by Stéphanie Babin

Illustrated by Sophie Ledesma, Robert Barborini, Marie Caudry, Jessica Das, Marie Kyprianou, and Charlotte Roederer

Take your little ones on an around-the-world tour to six diverse environments in the enchanting Animals Everywhere, a vibrant and fun seek-and-find book that includes flaps for even more surprising discovery. Habitats featured are a rural countryside, a polar region, a forest in autumn, a farm, the rainforest, and a wildlife-welcoming backyard. Each of these habitats are presented with either one or two gatefold pages that open to reveal a panoramic view of beauty and delightful details that invite children to find either 12 or 16 creatures.

Running along the bottom of each page spread, a banner includes a short, easy-to-understand description of the environment as well as small circles containing images of the creatures to be found and their name. To help the youngest readers, each creature is depicted in the exact way and orientation as in the large picture.

This well-conceived book goes far beyond a simple search-and-find concept. Each spread is loaded with action and interactions, animals, people, vegetation, vehicles, objects, and weather events for kids and adults to talk about, point out, and use to create their own seek-and-find fun. These fully realized landscapes make for exciting and challenging searches that kids can enjoy again and again and that will engage children over a wide age range.

Stéphanie Babin’s charming text is enthusiastic and evocative as she welcomes young readers to each habitat and shares a sprinkling of facts just right for little learners. These can lead to discussions about pollinators, camouflage, where we get our food, and even to trips to the backyard or nearby park to search for creatures and plants there.

Each environment is gorgeously illustrated by a different artist, giving the book the feel of walking through an art museum and encountering a stimulating variety of styles. Kids will be transfixed with the bright colors, adorable animals, and all there is to see and do.

Sure to quickly become any young child’s story time favorite, Animals Everywhere: A Lift, Look, and Find Book is a must for home bookshelves and library collections. The book would also make a much-appreciated gift.

Ages 2 – 4+

Twirl, 2025 | ISBN 979-1036381454

About the Author

Stéphanie Babin is an author of books for young children, particularly nonfiction and interactive titles. She lives in Paris, France.

You can purchase Animals Everywhere: A Lift, Look, and Find Book from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

My Animal Sounds (Baby Basics™)

By Xavier Deneux

Babies love books! Babies love animals! How can you combine these two favorites in one fun activity? With the interactive board book My Animal Sounds! Created for the youngest learners, My Animal Sounds combines high-contrast illustrations of ten adorable animals with sound chips that bring the pages to life. High-contrast books engage babies from birth and as their vision develops during their first year by featuring bold, black-and-white images that are easier for them to focus on and see clearly.

Spots of color add cheery notes to each of Xavier Deneux’s charming scenes, as a curious cat roams a rooftop, a bird stops by on an early spring day, a rabbit uncovers a carrot, and a sheep and dog meet on a twilit evening, among other sweet images. And who can resist the endearing giggles that will bubble up from hearing the frog croak and chirp, the rabbit chitter and crunch, and the pig snuffle and snort. Kids will continue to enjoy this book well into toddlerhood as well.

Cuddling with your baby or toddler and My Animal Sounds will become a favorite way to spend quality time together. The book makes a perfect take-along for parents, grandparents, and caregivers, a smart choice for any daycare setting, and a fun addition to a babysitter’s or nanny’s pack. The book would also be terrific new-baby gift.

Ages Baby – 3

Twirl, 2025 | ISBN 979-1036382086

About the Author/Illustrator

Xavier Deneux‘s chic, bold style and insightful grasp of what makes younger children think, connect, and smile has resulted in more than 100 critically lauded books. After graduating from ESAG (École Supérieure d’art graphique) Penninghen, he worked in advertising before becoming a full-time children’s book illustrator. He is the creator of the TouchThinkLearn series. He lives in Paris, France.

You can purchase My Animal Sounds (Baby Basics™) from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

About the Holiday

Charts for Babies

By Michelle Rial

Happiness Happens Month Activity

Happiness Is… Game

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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

Robin and the Stick

By E. B. Goodale

National Day of Joy Activity

Robin and the Stick Coloring Page

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About the Holiday

Yellow, Red, Green—Go!

Written by Ellen Mayer | Illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu

Yellow, Red, Green—GO! is also available in a Spanish/English edition

National Bike Month Activity

Yellow, Red, Green–Go! Activities

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About the Holiday

June Moon

Written by Lynn Becker | Illustrated by Nate Carvalho

Better Sleep Month Activity

Sleepytime Puzzle

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About the Holiday

Ready for Mazes: Baby Animal Mazes

By Susann Hoffmann

Where Are You, Baby?

By Elena Selena

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About the Holiday

Animals Everywhere: A Lift, Look, and Find Book

Written by Stéphanie Babin

Illustrated by Sophie Ledesma, Robert Barborini, Marie Caudry, Jessica Das, Marie Kyprianou, and Charlotte Roederer

My Animal Sounds (Baby Basics™)

By Xavier Deneux

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