September 25 – Math Storytelling Day

About the Holiday

National Math Storytelling Day was established in 2009 by Maria Droujkova, founder of The Natural Math Community at Naturalmath.com, and her daughter to encourage people to share the joys of math with children through stories and games. Having fun with math is one of the best ways to get kids excited about learning and working with this most important subject. Celebrate today with math stories that involve patterns, spatial relations, quantities, logic, puzzles, and numbers. You can even sing math songs and tell math jokes! You’ll find lots of resources for Math Storytelling Day and every day on the Natural Math website. Today’s book comes from Charlesbridge, who early on embraced the power of picture books to get children involved with math in everyday life.

Thank you to Charlesbridge for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Sisters All the Time (Steamworks)

Hermanas todo el tiempo (Steamworks) (Spanish Edition)

By Angela Quezada Padron

For Mari Saturday was the best day of the week because her half-sister Luz came over. “They laughed and played all day [and] giggled and acted silly all night.” But when Sunday came and Luz had to leave, Mari felt sad. She never seemed to have enough time with her big sister. On this Sunday, just five minutes before Luz’s mom was scheduled to pick Luz up, she called to say she’d be two hours late. Excited to have extra time together, Mari and Luz planned out which activities they wanted to do. Mari wanted to do all of them, but Luz knew they didn’t have time for that.

They decided to write down all of their favorite activities and estimate how long each took. First up, they wanted to “try to beat [their] record for the longest domino trail ever.” This would take about 40 minutes to set up . . . “and about 5 minutes to watch them all topple.” They had one hour and 45 minutes left to fill. With the trail built and a new world record accomplished, it was time to have a fashion show. Part way through their preps (including making up Papi and doing his hair), pizza arrived. After lunch, they only had 30 minutes left, so they decided to play indoor Olympics.

Luz and Mari had just gotten started when Papi reminded them that their lunch dishes needed cleaning. Then during their trampoline contest, he told them they needed to pick up the dominoes and hang up the fashion show clothes. All of these ate into the time the girls had left. With only five minutes before Luz’s mom was expected, they jumped into a sock race, but “Ding Dong!” time was up. Mari pleaded for more time. She thought that sisters should not “live together SOME of the time,” but ALL the time. Luz took her little sister’s hand and told her, “No matter where I am, you’ll always be my hermanita, 365 days a year.” Throughout the week, the sisters called and planned their “time to smile together, laugh together, and love together.”

Back matter includes an Author’s Note about her own half siblings and a spread titled “Picking Up STEAM” with English time-related words to know, Spanish words that appear in the story, concepts of time management, basic facts about time, hours from 1:00 to 12:00 shown on an analog and digital clock, and ideas for readers to play with and explore time on their own.

Angela Quezada Padron’s warmhearted story of half sisters who love spending time together provides a perfect frame for children learning about time management and tempering expectations of how much can be accomplished in measured amounts of time. The sisters’ enthusiasm and imagination will captivate readers, and the time spans for each activity on their list are realistic and may prompt kids to time themselves doing each one. Quezada Padron’s inclusion of clean-up time will be appreciated by parents and caregivers and is a good reminder about responsibility for children as well. Her vibrant, action-packed illustrations portray the close relationship between the sisters and eye-catching perspectives on the girls’ activities. There are plenty of scenes to make kids giggle too as they minutes tick down on a fun day.

Education wrapped in engaging fun, Sisters All the Time (Steamworks) and Hermanas todo el tiempo (Steamworks) offer an affectionate family story in which concepts of time unfold as naturally as they do at home, in a classroom, or other settings. The book will spark recognition of how time passes and a beginning to better time management of busy days and is a top pick for all libraries, classrooms, and home collections.

Ages 4 – 7

Charlesbridge, 2026 | ISBN 978-1623546779

About the Author

Angela Quezada Padron is a Latina author-illustrator who spent childhood days writing stories and doodling on garage walls of her New Jersey home while enjoying summers visiting family in the Dominican Republic. She writes fiction and nonfiction picture books and novels, and she creates colorful, textured illustrations with diverse characters & heartwarming scenes. Angela won first place in the Portfolio Showcase at the 2023 Florida SCBWI Conference and was chosen as a semi-finalist for the SCBWI Tomie dePaola Award in 2014. Visit her at angelapadron.com.

Hermanas todo el tiempo (Steamworks) (Spanish Edition)

Mari y Luz son un tipo de hermanas especial: ¡medias hermanas! Comparten el mismo papá, pero tienen mamás distintas, por lo que solo pasan los fines de semana juntas. Cuando la mamá de Luz se retrasa un día, las chicas deciden aprovechar su tiempo adicional al máximo, así que planifican sus actividades, estiman cuánto tiempo les llevará cada una y se lanzan a hacerlas. Pero el tiempo se les acaba demasiado rápido, y Mari se siente triste. Luz le recuerda que son hermanas TODO el tiempo, aunque solo puedan estar juntas una parte del tiempo.

Ages 4 – 7

Charlesbridge, 2026 | ISBN 978-1623546779

Math Storytelling Day Activity

Sisters All the Time Activity Page

Kids can have eye-opening fun keeping track of their favorite activities, chores, mealtimes, or other events of the day with this Time and El tiempo y la hora pages from Charlesbridge!

You can purchase Sisters All the Time from these booksellers

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You can purchase Hermanas todo el tiempo (Steamworks) (Spanish Edition) from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

September 10 – African Fabric Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

African Fabric Month™ was launched in 2016 by Lisa Shepard Stewart of Cultured Expressions, Inc. The celebration “promotes the artistic and practical uses of such fabrics as ankara prints, batik, kuba, adinkra, bogolan/mudcloth, korhogo, adire, kente, and more, and serves to honor and promote the cultures that create them.” While Stewart shares her love for African fabrics year round through special online and in-person events, this month-long holiday puts particular focus on the global positive contributions of the weavers and other textile artists of Africa. To learn more about the holiday as well as ongoing events and activities, visit culturedexpressions.com.

Thank you to Charlesbridge and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sending me this book for review!

Anansi and the Talking Cloth

Written by Caroline Brewer with Kwasi Asare | Illustrated by Ekua Holmes

Anansi the spider, chief storyteller and trickster, lives in a city “well-known for its talented weavers, / who work their hands and feet in a fascinating fever” to create “kente, the talking cloth.” Each unique cloth made by the spider weavers tells a story revealing truths, courage, how to spread peace or the fact that “our families are more precious than gold.” The city brims with sunshine, vibrant foliage, music, and smooth transportation. Even the “rainbows glow with a sparkly dew.”

Illustration copyright © 2026 by Ekua Holmes. Text copyright © 2026 by Caroline Brewer with Kwasi Asare. Published by Charlesbridge copyright © 2026.

Even though Anansi gathers the spiders together to tell his wise tales, he doesn’t always adhere to them himself. For instance, while the spider weavers create unique and beautiful cloth by hand, many people “strut about in machine-made brands” that are cheap and quickly fashioned, but have no stories to impart—including Anansi himself! As time passes and the spider weavers’ sales slip, the weaving industry folds, and the once-vibrant community fades. The kente weavers cry, and Anansi wants to help.

But Anansi resorts to his trickster ways and tries to scare the weavers into returning to their looms, but they aren’t fooled. With the help of his wife Aso, Anansi finally sees that the “weavers feel mistreated by the spiders of the city.” By buying machine-made cloth, they “rip at the fabric of every weaver’s dream” and destroy “community pride.” Anansi listens to his wife’s suggestions and calls the community together to thank the weavers, but is it too late to restore the sunshine, singing and dancing, vivid colors, and vibrant kente talking cloth to the once hip city?

Back matter includes an Author’s Note discussing the legends and history behind Anansi and kente cloth as well as an Illustrator’s Note about a trip Ekua Holmes recently made to Ghana.

In Anansi and the Talking Cloth, Caroline Brewer, in consultation with master kente-cloth weaver Kwasi Asare, created an original Anansi story, which is at once as timeless as classic Trickster stories and as current as debate over fast fashion versus lasting quality. Brewer’s stylish storytelling weaves rhymes and the spirited rhythms of assonance, consonance, and alliteration to envelope readers in her magical imaginings of spider weavers creating valuable kente talking cloth—a term created by Brewer for the story. The jaunty cadence flows from page to page, making the story a joyful, riveting read aloud. Through Aso’s thoughtful answer to the weavers’ strike, Brewer also strikes a universal chord for showing respect and gratitude.

Ekua Holmes’ electrifying collage illustrations in glorious overlapping hues of blue, orange, red, green, and yellow bring the intricate patterns and vibrant colors of kente cloth to the page. Young readers will be awed by the spider weavers as they use their many arms and legs to weave talking cloth and be fascinated by images of people and spiders mingling in the city, shopping, dancing, making music, and gathering to hear Anansi’s stories.

With underpinnings in Ghanaian culture and the legacy of kente cloth production, Anansi and the Talking Cloth is a highly inventive and jazzy read aloud that is pure fun while also imparting the values of storytelling and guarding precious traditions. The book is a must for any public and school library collection and would be on frequent rotation for home story times.

Ages 5 – 8

Charlesbridge, 2026 | ISBN 978-1623544218

About the Authors

Caroline Brewer is an award-winning children’s book author, artist, environmentalist, literacy consultant, and creator of Nature-Wise, a program for students and teachers that blends literacy and nature exploration. Caroline is also author and illustrator of Harriet Tubman, Force of Nature and author of Say Their Names. She lives in the Washington, DC, metro area. Visit her at carolinebrewerbooks.com.

Kwasi Asare was born in Nsawam, near the capital city of Accra, Ghana, and is one of Africa’s most prominent and accomplished weavers known for kente cloth, the highly prized Ghanaian cloth that traditionally symbolizes royalty, honor, and leadership. For the United Nations’ fiftieth anniversary in 1995, he created a new kente cloth design. Until 2017, it replaced the original cloth created by Kwasi’s father, A. E. Asare. Visit him at kwasiasare.com.

About the Illustrator

Ekua Holmes was awarded a Caldecott Honor, Coretta Scott King’s John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award, Robert Siebert Award, and Boston Globe–Horn Book award for Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement, her first illustration project. She won the Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration twice: Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets and Stuff of Stars. Visit her at ekuaholmes.com.

You can purchase Anansi and the Talking Cloth from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

September 2 – Friendship Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Friendship Month has been celebrated ever since the Oddfellows organization was established in England in the 1730s. Their official title is The Grand Order of Oddfellows Friendly Society (or GUOOFS), and it is an international organization dedicated to philanthropy, charity, and, of course, friendship. All month long people are encouraged to spend more time with their friends, get in touch with those they haven’t seen or talked to in a while, and to reach out to others who are alone or need a friend. As school gets underway, there are plenty of opportunities for kids to meet new people and form friendships – some of which may last a lifetime.

Thank you to Charlesbridge and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sending me this book for review!

Ege and Ávra

Written by Evgenia Mantikas and Elifgül Büyükoral | Illustrated by Nazlı Tarcan

Ege, who lives on the east side of the Aegean Sea in Türkiye, is going fishing with her grandfather. “‘Do you think I’ll catch a çipura, Salih Dede?'” she asks. He doesn’t know, he tells Ege and adds “‘but the sea gives us what we need.'” A short way away on the west side of the Aegean Sea in Greece, Ávra asks her grandfather, “‘Pappoú, will I catch a tsipoúra?'” He answers “‘Perhaps. But the sea knows what is best for us.'” As the girls and their grandfathers steer their boats into fishing waters, they come upon each other in close proximity. Ege complains that Ávra’s boat is in their way, while Ávra fears Ege will steal their fish. Both grandfathers repeat their wisdom from the morning.

Illustration copyright © 2026 by Nazlı Tarcan. Text copyright © 2026 by Evgenia Mantikas and Elifgül Büyükoral. Published by Charlesbridge copyright © 2026.

As Ege and Ávra cast their fishing lines, they get hopelessly tangled. They pull and wrestle with their poles until Ege is thrown into a bucket and Ávra finds herself wrapped in a net. The two girls lock eyes while their grandfathers erupt in laughter. The girls laugh too, then, and introduce themselves, overcoming their language barrier by placing a hand over their heart as they say their name. Ávra offers Ege the corner of a net, and together they cast it into the sea.

It doesn’t take long before a school of fish swim into the net. With excitement, Ege shouts, “‘çipura!'” “‘Tsipoúra!'” Ávra cries. They stare at each other in awe; “their words for the fish sound the same!” Aboard their respective boats, Ege and Dede and Ávra and Pappoú cook lunch with some of the fish they’ve caught, spices, lemon, and vegetables. They gather on Pappoú’s boat, giving thanks before they begin. Afterward, there’s dessert—a favorite of everyone.

Too soon, it’s time for each family to return home. Ege and Ávra wave goodbye “until they both disappear into the horizon,” each believing that they will meet again. As the two girls drift off, with the sea air gently lulling them to sleep, they whisper “Good night” to the new friend they each made.

Back matter includes an Authors’ Note relating how Evgenia Mantikas and Elifgül Büyükoral met and became friends in college; a brief history of the clash between Türkiye and Greece, a map, and a glossary of Turkish and Greek terms in the story.

As children meet Ege and Ávra and their grandfathers at home and on their boats, they are privy—through visual and textual clues—to something neither girl yet knows: how similar they are. Instantly, readers become invested in how their meeting will play out, starting as it does with suspicion and grumbling. Throughout their story, Evgenia Mantikas and Elifgül Büyükoral beautifully use metaphor, humor, and lyrical prose to bring the two families together in the universal languages of laughter, food, and shared experiences. Büyükoral and Mantikas imbue their lovely, simple storytelling with true surprise and delight that will captivate both children and adults.

Children will eagerly linger over Nazlı Tarcan’s beautiful and evocative illustrations to point out the similarities between the girls as well as their grandfathers. Even the boats boast commonalities. Tarcan’s gorgeous color palette and expressive portraits suffuse her pages with feelings of camaraderie and peace. You can almost feel the sea breeze and smell the aromas wafting from the impromptu meal, and as the girls wish each other “Good night,” their wistful faces will fill readers hearts with hope.

A poignant and uplifting read aloud for meaningful story times, Ege and Ávra is a must for all public and school libraries and would be an exceptional addition to any home bookshelf.

Ages 4 – 8

Charlesbridge, 2026 | ISBN 978-1623546670

A third generation Greek American, Evgenia Mantikas grew up immersed in her family’s culture. She visited Xios every summer, reading for hours on the beach. Evgenia’s love for stories grew as she studied creative writing and received her BA and MA in English literature. After teaching ELA for two years, Evgenia returned to school and earned her MFA from Simmons University and uses her voice to tell cultural stories about family. You can visit her at evgeniamantikas.com.

Elifgül Büyükoral was born and raised in Türkiye, where her close-knit family nurtured her love for books. Elifgül delved into the world of literature and language when she earned her BA in ESL. Fueled by her passion for storytelling, Elifgül moved to the United States to receive her MA in children’s literature from Simmons University. Elifgül writes stories that shine light on her heritage and Islamic faith, hoping to amplify diverse voices. Follow her on Instagram.

Nazlı Tarcan is a Turkish artist and illustrator based in Namur, Belgium. After studying illustration in high school, she studied photography at one of Türkiye’s most prestigious fine art universities, Yildiz Technical University. Midway through her studies, she followed her creative call and ran away with the circus, performing for ten years, traveling through Qatar, Georgia, Tajikistan, Greece, France, Poland, and many other countries. As an artist, she takes inspiration from the tiny details of everyday life. Visit her at nazlisillustrations.com.

Friendship Month Activity

Give Me Your Hand! Puzzle

In this Give Me Your Hand! Puzzle, everyone is welcomed with a handshake. Offering friendship to all, the interchangeable pieces can be mixed and matched as the animals become buddies with one another.

Supplies

Printable colored Give Me Your Hand! Puzzle
Printable blank Give Me Your Hand! Puzzle
Colored pencils or crayons
Scissors
Heavy Stock paper (optional)
Poster board (optional)
Glue (optional)

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-UN-day-puzzle

Directions

Print the puzzle: to make the puzzle sturdier: Print on heavy stock paper or glue the page to poster board
Color the pictures with colored pencils or crayons
Cut the pieces apart
Switch the pieces around to make many alternate pictures

You can purchase Ege and Ávra 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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February 26 – 18th Anniversary of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault Opening

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

In 2008, after more than 20 years of discussion and planning, The Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Svalbard, Norway, opened its doors to deposits of seeds from around the world. The vault’s mission is one that encompasses both history and the future as the facility safeguards both heirloom and modern varieties of seeds for future planting in the event that farmland, plants, and seeds are lost due to natural and/or human-created events. Each year, the seed vault typically accepts deposits during a few days in February (around its anniversary date), June, and October. Today’s book brings the story of this important global resource to children.

Thank you to Charlesbridge and Barbara Fisch of Blue Slip Media for sending me this book for review!

Just in Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault

Written by Megan Clendenan | Illustrated by Brittany Cicchese

Imagine a vast vault carved into the heart of an arctic mountain where priceless treasure is kept safe from dangers like fire, floods, storms, war, and climate change. Sounds like a movie plot, doesn’t it? But there is such a vault—the Svalbard Global Seed Vault that protects perhaps the world’s most valuable resource: seeds.

Before Megan Clendenan and Brittany Cicchese take children on a tour of the Svalbard Seed Vault, they plant a wide range of knowledge about seeds themselves. Kids learn world-wide traditions for saving local crop seeds, in both fortress-like seed banks and “simple community spaces with jars of seeds on shelves,” that each variety of seed has a “unique genetic code” that determines everything about it, and why some seeds may face extinction.

Then it’s off to Norway to see where a group of engineers, scientists, and architects designed the vault that was to be built “in the middle of a frozen mountain.” Step by step, kids join the crew to see equipment arrive, hear the blast that facilitated the digging and carving of the tunnel, and even meet a hungry arctic fox they befriended.

Readers learn about security at the vault, witness the care with which farmers, gardeners, and collectors from around the world contribute seeds to the vault’s shelves, and discover that in the vault’s “first five years, 80,000 unique crop varieties arrived . . . !” They also see how crucial the seed vault is through the story of the first withdrawal of seeds from the bank that helped a war-torn country recover their crops. Today, “inside the vault, a walk down the aisles becomes a walk through the world” with “more than 580 million seeds. / For you, for me / for everybody. / Just in case.”

Back matter extends the discussion of some issues presented in the text, including the difficulty of keeping seeds safe, the vault itself, the need to continually update crop seeds to reflect evolutionary changes, and an author’s note.

With the allure and story-building of an adventure about hidden treasure, Megan Clendenan draws readers into the frozen, underground world of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, where the survival of crucial food crops is protected. Her clear and lyrical text (“steel doors open and beckon into the belly of a mountain,” “walls of ice shine like stars.”) keeps readers riveted to the historical and current facts about farming, seed harvesting, and this global facility that may be unknown to many. Easy-to-understand sidebars illuminate particular aspects of Clendenan’s subject, including, information on local seed banks around the world, varietal differences and the threat of extinction of some seeds, vault design and construction, seed storage conditions, and the first seed withdrawal.

Brittany Cicchese’s lovely illustrations take children to the arctic north to view the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, with it’s ethereal sculptural entrance, and its shelves lined with boxes of seeds before transporting them to various farms, gardens, markets, and seed repositories around the world. Cicchese’s detailed and realistic depictions clearly connect readers to those who grow and sell food, the design and construction of the vault from the meeting room to the mountain tunnel, the scientists and families who provide the seeds, and the plants that grow to feed us all.

An absorbing look at one of the world’s most important resources that also offers a sense of hope in its example of global collaboration, Just in Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a must for school, classroom, and public libraries as well as for children who love gardening, farming, science, and food.

Ages 5 – 8

Charlesbridge, 2025 | ISBN 978-1623544805

Megan Clendenan studied sociology, English, and environmental planning and has worked for nonprofit organizations focused on environmental law, women’s empowerment, mental health, and urban food security. As a children’s book author, she loves writing nonfiction that explores the connections between history, society, and the environment. She is the author of Design Like Nature: Biomimicry for a Healthy Planet, Fresh Air, Clean Water: Our Right to a Healthy Environment, and Cities: How Humans Live Together. She lives near Vancouver, British Columbia, with her family and two fuzzy orange cats. This is her first picture book. You can visit her at meganclendenan.com.

Brittany Cicchese enjoys capturing emotion above all else, from expressive portraits to moody illustrations. She is the illustrator of The Kitten Story: A Mostly True Tale and No More Señora Mimí. When Brittany isn’t sketching or writing, you can find her working at the library, reading a good fantasy or sci-fi book, or hiking around the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Brittany lives in Denver, Colorado. Visit her at brittanycicchese.com.

Anniversary of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault Opening Activity

Just in Case Activity Kit

Educators and families will enjoy using the comprehensive Just in Case Activity Kit from Charlesbridge, Megan Clendenan, and Brittany Cicchese! It includes Connection Activities for English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science; Discussion Questions; Tips to help children harvest seeds from their own fruit and vegetable plants; a garden planner; and a list of further resources. You can find the Just in Case Activity Kit on Megan Clendenan’s website and from Charlesbridge.

You can purchase Just in Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

July 8 – Math 2.0 Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Established in 2009, Math 2.0 Day celebrates math and technology and how these two disciplines complement each other. The day was conceived to bring together mathematicians, programmers, engineers, educators, and managers to raise awareness of the importance of math literacy at all levels of education. For kids a love of math and technology begins early as they experiment and explore every day during playtime, family time and even, as today’s book shows, at bedtime.

Thank you to Charlesbridge for sending me a copy of The Animals Would Not Sleep! for review consideration. All opinions about the books are my own.

The Animals Would Not Sleep!

Written by Sara Levine | Illustrated by Marta Álvarez Miguéns

All of Marco’s stuffed “animals were making a ruckus” when his mom told him it was time to get cleaned up and ready for bed. She wanted to see all the toys put away, so Marco, who thought like a scientist, got to work. He wanted to sort his animals like a scientist would, so he got out three baskets and made signs for Flying Animals, Swimming Animals, and Animals That Move on Land. Then he picked up his dancing flamingo, bird, bat, and ladybug and put them in the first basket. He placed his octopus, stingray, frog, fish, whale, and seal in the second basket, and his dinosaur, giraffe, bears, snake, pangolin, gecko, mice, and zebra in the third basket.

But the animals were still wide awake, and “they egged one another on until not one remained in its container.” Marco thought they would settle down, but when his mom called the second time, he reconsidered his strategy. This time he made signs that sorted the animals by color, but zebra started to cry. He was afraid being in such close quarters with black-and-white snake and stingray, plus he missed his friend giraffe.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-animals-would-not-sleep-ruckus

Image copyright Marta Álvarez Miguéns, 2020, text copyright Sara Levine, 2020. Courtesy of Charlesbridge.

Marco decided to try again. He took all of his animals out and made signs that read Small, Medium, and Large. Things seemed to quiet down, so Marco began to put on his pajamas. But then he heard moaning and groaning coming from the Large basket. When he went to check, Dinosaur and Dancing Flamingo complained about being too cramped. Plus, Dancing Flamingo missed Rainbow Bear. Then he heard noises from the Small basket. Those animals weren’t happy either.

Marco’s mom gave him two minutes to get it all sorted out. Fortunately for Marco, being a scientist meant “he was used to coming up with ideas and thinking outside the box.” The animals were getting tired, and Yellow Bear had just burst into tears for no apparent reason. Like a good scientist, Marco cared about his animals and wanted them to be happy. He had one more sorting idea. With the large animals, medium-sized animals, and small animals all tucked in with plenty of room and their friends nearby on Marco’s bed, Marco got under the cozy covers. He got a goodnight kiss from Mom and then they all fell happily to sleep.

Back matter includes an illustrated Author’s Note about the way scientists sort, or classify, animals by their characteristics as well as a discussion that explores the math in the story. “Try This!” tips provided by Karen Economopoulos, co-director of the Investigations Center for Curriculum and Professional Development at TERC, give adults ideas for various ways to engage children in sorting.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-animals-would-not-sleep-marco

Image copyright Marta Álvarez Miguéns, 2020, text copyright Sara Levine, 2020. Courtesy of Charlesbridge.

Perfectly capturing the way young children interact with their toys, Sara Levine combines imagination and scientific thinking in her inventive story, part of the Storytelling Math series from Charlesbridge. In Marco, who’s proud of his scientific thinking, Levine shows readers that they, too, already think like a scientist. Marco’s empathy for his animals’ complaints will get kids thinking about classification and the various ways they might sort the animals. Levine’s use of realistic dialogue that echoes bedtime routines in many homes and gives each character—human and animal—distinct personalities will draw kids in to this charming story that is organically infused with strong math lessons. Levine gives Marco a sweet final solution to his problem that will please kids and have them wanting to extend the lessons in the story to their own toys and/or household objects while they think like a scientist too.

Marta Álvarez Miguéns opens the story with an enchantingly wild two-page spread where Marco stands in the middle of his room as his toys bounce on the bed, climb blocks, juggle, fly, and cause a ruckus. Turn the page, though, and these animals now lie motionless around the room as Mom peeks in to check on Marco. When Marco sorts his animals into the baskets, readers can clearly see which animals go where and why. Kids will knowingly giggle when the just-sorted animals spring from their resting places to prolong bedtime. Miguéns also plainly depicts Marco’s and the animals’ facial expressions from happy and playful to sad and crying to peaceful and satisfied. These images give adults and children an opportunity to discuss emotions and how to recognize various clues in faces, a skill important for social-emotional learning. Vivid colors, adorable animals, details such as alphabet blocks that stack or are turned to spell words, and kid-appealing décor will have kids wanting to come back again and again.

A book that’s sure to become a favorite at bedtime or to enhance classroom or homeschooling curriculum, The Animals Would Not Sleep! will spark mathematical and scientific thinking and recognition in all young learners. The book offers an irresistible invitation to experiment and interact with math and science and is a must for home, school, and public library collections.

Ages 3 – 6

Charlesbridge, 2020 | ISBN 978-1623541286 (Hardcover) | ISBN 978-1623541972 (Paperback)

Discover more about Sara Levine and her books on her website.

To learn more about Marta Álvarez Miguéns, her books, and her art, visit her website.

About Storytelling Math

Storytelling Math offers books that celebrate children using math in their daily lives as they play, build, collaborate, compromise, and discover the world around them. Each story features characters of color who are empowered to solve problems, enjoy activities, and help out using their knowledge of and experimenting with math. Free downloadable hands-on activity kits are available for each book on the Charlesbridge website. Sharing these joyful stories with your littlest ones and older kids will make them eager to explore, use, and learn more about math every day. You can learn more about Storytelling Math on the Charlesbridge website.

Storytelling Math: Math, Diversity, and the Power of Story was developed with Marlene Kliman at TERC—a nonprofit dedicated to STEM education—under a grant from the Heising-Simons Foundation.

Enjoy this The Animals Would Not Sleep! trailer with Author Sara Levine!

National Book Month Activity

The Animals Would Not Sleep! Activity Kit

You can have fun sorting and exploring math with your class or family with the Activity Kit for The Animals Would Not Sleep on the Charlesbridge website. Download it here!

The Animals Would Not Sleep Activity Kit

**You can find The Animals Would Not Sleep! at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

About the Holiday

Sisters All the Time (Steamworks)

Hermanas todo el tiempo (Steamworks) (Spanish Edition)

By Angela Quezada Padron

Hermanas todo el tiempo (Steamworks) (Spanish Edition)

Math Storytelling Day Activity

Sisters All the Time Activity Page

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About the Holiday

Anansi and the Talking Cloth

Written by Caroline Brewer with Kwasi Asare | Illustrated by Ekua Holmes

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About the Holiday

Ege and Ávra

Written by Evgenia Mantikas and Elifgül Büyükoral | Illustrated by Nazlı Tarcan

Friendship Month Activity

Give Me Your Hand! Puzzle

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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

Just in Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault

Written by Megan Clendenan | Illustrated by Brittany Cicchese

Anniversary of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault Opening Activity

Just in Case Activity Kit

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About the Holiday

The Animals Would Not Sleep!

Written by Sara Levine | Illustrated by Marta Álvarez Miguéns

About Storytelling Math

National Book Month Activity

The Animals Would Not Sleep! Activity Kit

You can find The Animals Would Not Sleep! at these booksellers

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

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**You can find The Animals Would Not Sleep! at these booksellers**