About the Holiday

This month is all about sharing stories! Whether you’re regaling listeners with an anecdote from your life or reading a picture book to kids, sharing stories is one of the best ways to connect with others, pass down experiences, and spark imaginations. The emotions shared while laughing or commiserating together while telling or listening, create bonds that uplift, teach, and lead to unforgettable memories. Today’s book is an effervescent celebration of all the stories that make up a life.

Thanks go to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for sending me a copy of Yay! for review.

Yay!

Written by Jessica Kulekjian | Illustrated by Zara González Hoang

In childhood there’s so much to celebrate! From a child’s first steps to their first day of school to the first time they perfect a skill they’ve been “practicing again and again, they deserve a “Yay!” “Yays” also buoy kids who continue to strive and overcome even when every step is hard. Of course, no one can win them all, but so what. “Yay anyway!”

“Sometimes, others will cheer you on no matter what. Yay, You did it! Other times, your voice is the only cheer you hear.” Give yourself a “Yay, Me!” And why all these “Yays?” Because so much is waiting for every child and they have so much in their mind and their heart. So much to be celebrated!

Jessica Kulekjian’s rousing acknowledgement that all of life’s accomplishments—big, small, and even simply attempted—deserve praise and celebration offers the kind of uplifting encouragement that fosters pride and confidence in children learning to navigate their world as individuals with unique viewpoints and talents. Her flexible text allows adults and children to talk about “firsts” to come, reminisce about achievements in the past, and celebrate, over and over, life’s events, whether they’re easy, hard-earned, funny, or surprising.

You can almost hear the children in Zara González Hoang’s illustrations cheering for themselves and others as they enter a classroom for the first time, perfect ballet moves, complete an uphill hike using forearm crutches, and win a board game. From a track meet to the playground, from a kitchen to a classroom lab, these joyful kids will inspire your kids to find all the “Yay!”-worthy moments in their day, every day.

Yay! would be a much-loved and inspirational addition to home, classroom, and library picture book collections. The book would make an especially meaningful gift for the end of the school year to celebrate graduations, recitals, ceremonies, and other occasions.

Ages 3 – 6

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1547609215

Jessica Kulekjian first discovered her love for storytelling during a young author’s contest in elementary school. Even though she lost (three times!), she didn’t give up writing. After years of practice, and with lots of encouragement from family, friends, teachers, and other storytellers, Jessica became the author of picture books, including First Notes of Spring and Before We Stood Tall: From Small Seed to Mighty Tree. Jessica has an MA in teaching and works at a public charter school, supporting homeschooling families. She lives with her husband and three kids in Central California. Connect with her at jessicakulekjian.com, on Instagram @jessicakulekjian, and Twitter @jesskulekjian.

Zara González Hoang is a picture book author and illustrator. She grew up in a little bungalow in the frozen tundra of Minnesota. Surrounded by snow she spent her days dreaming, doodling and listening to the colorful stories of her Dad’s life growing up in Puerto Rico while trying to figure out where she fit in as a mixed-race Latina Jew in a sea of Scandinavians. These days, she lives outside of DC in a magical suburban forest with her Mad Man husband, human-shaped demons and curly-coated corgi. She still spends her days dreaming and doodling, but now instead of listening to stories, she’s starting to tell some of her own. Connect with her at zaralikestodraw.com and @zarprey on Instagram and Twitter.