Bartleby, words and pictures by Matt Phelan. Farrar Straus Giroux, Macmillan. Rainccoast, 2026. $25.99 ages 3 and up

"During music time, everyone plays
the giant xylophone. 

           I PREFER NOT TO.

Then everyone sings a silly song. 

           Bartleby says, 

                I PREFER NOT TO." 

Bartleby, a dapper white bear all dressed in red, says one thing a LOT: I PREFER NOT TO. He says it with little emotion, and is never impolite. He just states his case. His teacher, Ms. Melville, always offer an invitation to her students, including Bartleby. Bartleby remains reluctant whether it is sharing time, or music, play time, or games. 

When it is time for art, Ms. Melville invites all to draw a picture of themselves. She adds a special instruction that they 'show me who you are!' Only then does Bartleby step inside the circle to ask his teacher a quiet question and for some special paper. She agrees. Everyone gets to work, including Bartleby. When all artists have finished their work, Bartleby collects each portrait, and arranges them on the frame he has created.  

"Everyone loves Bartleby's display." 

As the day comes to an end, his classmates ask if Bartleby would like to play with them tomorrow. 

"I WOULD 
LIKE TO."

From the beginning of his story, Bartleby chooses to stand apart from the others in his class. While his classmates are enthusiastic participants, Bartleby would rather be an observer. Until that art class when he chooses to do something in his own way, and his teacher provides support for him to be himself. 

Bartleby's red draws attention at every turn; and his standing apart as he considers requests and questions keeps him true to his own feelings. Matt Phelan's ability to create an accepting and inclusive place for all children makes this an exceptional book to read aloud.

                                                                                   

When You See Us: The Mysterious World of Aquatic Insects, written by Katherine Hocker and illustrated by Svabhu Kohli. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2026. $24.99 ages 6 and up

 

"We are so small that we can hide under 
grains of sand, and in bedrock crevices, 
            or buried in mud. 

We love the dark. 
You won't see us then."

In an interview with Jena Benton at Simply 7, Katherine Hocker had this to say in answer to one of Jena's questions: 

 "I’ve been teaching and writing about aquatic insects for a long time. One of my favorite moments in my insect field trips comes when I’m with a group of students at the edge of what looks like a boring, muddy pond. We lower a net into the water, swirl it around a bit, then gently transfer the contents to a water-filled tray. Everyone gathers around… and suddenly what looked like a mess of dead leaves and sticks is swarming with amazing critters! It’s a moment of such delight and wonder as the students realize there’s a whole world they never knew about, just below the surface. And then to help them realize that most of those little crawlies will someday leave the water and take flight as familiar winged insects ... that’s the feeling I wanted to share in this book."

And share it she does, in poetic descriptive language that leaves readers with a close-up and personal look at what lives in the ponds, rivers and streams that are a part of their environment. She explains these mayflies, dragonflies, mosquitoes, and other insects spend most of their lives living underwater. She clearly shows the life cycles that begin on boulders, leaves, or even laid right on the water itself. 

Close-up illustrations show the hatching and growing process that results in their eating others or being eaten by predators. All the while, they are moving about the watery habitat that is their home. It is then that humans might catch a glimpse of them. When the time is right, they change again. Finding the perfect place to transform into the flying creatures they will become, they split their skins and find the freedom that is the sky. Readers are far more likely to see them now. Knowing the path they have taken to become what is now obvious, is fascinating and quite a lesson in the world of science.  

In back matter, the author adds further facts about aquatic insects, alongside thumbnail sketches of each of the seven types. She then shares instructions for finding such insects and observing them without harm to them or their surroundings. Instructions are also provided for capturing them temporarily in order to get an even closer look. Finally, she offers resources for learning more. 

Mixed media, digitally finished, illustrations complement the lovely language of the text at every turn. 

"When you see us, 
                  think of what we were 
                          and what we became.

                             Think of what you were
                                         and what you can become."                                                                                 

Is This ... SPRING? Written and illustrated by Helen Yoon. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2026. $19.99 ages 3 and up

"Why is this happening? 

Why?

Spring is so special. 

How can I live now?"

When you live where I live, at the moment you may have a love-hate relationship with spring. Yesterday was sunny and the temperature was 18C; today the wind is whipping and our high for the day is -7C. What did we do to the weather gods overnight? 

I was feeling exactly as this sweet and excited pup was feeling yesterday. In first person voice, all the 'feels' are shared. Bright flowers, clear skies, the wonder of romping from place to place, and the joy inherent in celebrating its arrival. Wait ... dipping a nose into those wonderful flowers results in a series of huge and unstoppable sneezes and finally the realization that they are an allergic reaction. What's a pup to do? 

A concerned owner has a hopeful solution: a cloth mask and goggles! While no longer able to smell all the spring smells so loved, both prevent constant sneezes. 

"I STILL LOVE SPRING!"

This is the third time for this sweet canine to deal with concepts that are new. First Winter (2023) and then Easter (2024), now Spring. The deliriously happy approach in the first two is echoed in this entry to the series. Words and pictures together are essential to the storytelling, and to the delight young children will feel in sharing all three books. 
                                                                       

Goldfinches, writing by Mary Oliver and art by Melissa Sweet. Viking, Penguin Random House. 2026. $24.99 ages 5 and up

 

"One more thing
I want to mention 
before the pages
actually begin.
Writing poems
for me but not
necessarily for 
others, is a way 
of offering
praise to the 
world.

            - Mary Oliver"

This poem is but one example of Ms. Oliver's love for the natural world. It is the first shared in a book for children. In it she pays tribute to goldfinches, thistles, and their relationship, each to the other. While exploring open fields, a woman and her dog (presumably Mary) relish the beauty of their surroundings. There are goldfinches in the trees, and a marsh where brilliant pink thistles grow with wild abandon. It is said the finches are waiting for the long days of midsummer when the thistle head is filled with black seeds.  

Only then do the birds 'drop from the sky' to gather the silver down that explodes from those thistle seeds. How else to line their nests? Others join the woman and her dog to watch as the finches build a home for their carefully laid eggs. It happens every year. Once hatched, those tiny new birds fill their protective basket as parent birds provide food and safety. The woman sits against a tree with her dog, a pencil and her notebook, sketching and adding words that might someday become a new poem of praise to the world. 

What a perfect pairing to have the incredibly gifted artist Melissa Sweet illustrate Ms. Oliver's words. She does so in the most beautiful way; using watercolor, gouache, pencil, vintage and handmade papers, mixed media collage, thistle down, and a bird's nests. The compositions are skillfully placed on each page to ensure careful observation that invites all readers to stop and pay attention, as Ms. Oliver would want us to do the same anytime we spend time in nature. The text is clearly placed within uncluttered space for her words to shine. The palette of rich yellows and pinks is inherent in the goldfinch feathers and the richness of the thistle pods.  

It has the feel of the notebook an avid observer of nature's wonders would keep. The collages are lovely in every way; they showing setting, color, scientific information, nest building, a bird's life cycle, and the joy found in exploring nature. 

"Have you ever been so happy in your life?"

Back matter includes the full text of the poem, Ms. Oliver's bird list from 1991, and a valuable author's note. 
                                                                                       

Wanda Hears the Stars: A Blind Astronomer Listens to the Universe, written by Amy S. Hansen with Wanda Diaz Merced. Illustrated by Rocio Arreola Mendoza. Charlesbridge, Penguin Random House. 2025. $22.99 ages 8 and up

 

"By high school Wanda knew she wanted to go 
to college. There wasn't much money, but her 
parents told her if she worked hard, she could 
study anything she wanted. 

Wanda wanted to understand the universe."

This picture book biography that introduces a young Puerto Rican girl who knew from the moment she saw her first meteor shower that she was destined to 'aim for the stars'. She had so many questions. When her family could not answer them, she was filled with wondering. Reading helped her learn; it did not answer many of her questions. 

Things were better in high school. She was able to study and find out more about the science she loved. When she was able to enrol in college, her interest in physics satisfied her thirst for knowledge. That is, until she lost he sight due to the diabetes she had lived with since childhood. Advice from her roommate had Wanda learning to live independently. But, how could she continue to study the stars, her forever dream?

Another friend Emilio came to her rescue, teaching her about radio waves from space. Unexpectedly, Wanda could hear the sound transform as Emilio continued explaining what was happening. Persistence and patience led her to a program at NASA, where:

"A computer turned data into sounds
like drumbeats and chimes. Wanda 
listened for patterns in the sounds. 
She was finally studying the stars!" 

She had to work differently than other scientists; much of her work resulted in the same conclusions.  Today, Wanda shares what she learned while pursuing her doctorate by explaining that science is for everyone. She proves it by inviting people to join her on a 'galactic audio tour'. She helps them hear what she hears and tells them the secret she heard in the stars that no one else had ever heard. What wondering! 

Back matter includes a glossary, a list of the Spanish terms (with pronunciation guide) for words used in the writing of Wanda's story. A note from Wanda is included about her path to listening to the universe, and another from Amy, her co-writer. Further information is provided about Radio JOVE, her work to become independent, Wanda's journey as a scientist, a list of resources and a selected bibliography. 

Fascinating and accessible for readers, and complemented by vibrant digital illustrations created by Ms. Mendoza, this is another of those picture books biographies that introduces someone readers may not be familiar with ... a woman facing almost incomprehensible odds to live her life pursuing her dreams. Well-known in the world of astrophysics, and for her advocacy for those who learn differently, Wanda is someone to greatly admire. Her story is well worth hearing.                                                                                   

How To Have A Thought: A Walk With Charles Darwin. Written by Nicholas Day and illustrated by Hadley Hooper. Neal Porter Books, Holiday House. Penguin Random House, 2026. $26.99 ages 5 and up

 

"Every living creature, even within the same 
species, is slightly different, Darwin realized. 
A difference that makes it easier to survive 
is a difference that a creature is more likely 
to pass on to its offspring, simply because it
has survived to have offspring. And so that 
slight difference gets preserved. 

Why did the finches have different beaks? 
Because each differently sized beak helped
crack a differently sized nut." 

What an intriguing look at Charles Darwin and his daily walks! His ability to think creatively is set out for readers in a series of actions taken as he begins each one. It starts with a rock. For the reader, it won't be Mr. Darwin's rock; it can be any one that appeals. One could even take a few (or more), or a box, or a jar ... anything will work. Next, a stick is needed. Again, not the one Mr. Darwin carries every day. Your choice. Finally, a loop. Mr. Darwin walked the same one every day. As he walked, he would knock one rock off the pile with his stick, and keep walking the loop over and over again, if he needed the time for thinking. 

There is much to know about Charles Darwin. He lived in England in the 19th century and was a naturalist and scientist. As a young man, he travelled around the world on a ship he called the Beagle. Upon his return to England, he set about studying all he had collected on his journey. There was much to remember and consider. Every day, from then on, he did the same thing. As he walked, he let his mind wander. If it was not much of a concern, it was a one-rock problem, and so on. The most important problem of all was about the trip he had taken, and the wonders he had seen. It lay in knowing all creatures are not exactly the same; there must be a reason for even these slight differences. In a book as creative as Charles Darwin's mind, readers are offered a final piece of advice: 

"Here is how to have a thought: 
Stack your rocks high. 
Hold your stick firm. 
Throw your loop over the land. 

And step." 

Wonderful text, written in a conversational tone with unconventional advice given, sitting alongside dazzling digital illustrations make this a book that suggests readers can be just as creative in their thinking as Charles Darwin was in his. Additional context and insight into Mr. Darwin's life and thoughts are provided in an extensive and welcome author's note.                                                                                            

Worm on the Job, written by Maureen Fergus and illustrated by Paul G. Hammond. Kids Can Press, 2026. $21.99 ages 4 and up

"Then he splatted against the 
front door of the convention 
center. Plopping to the ground,
he hastily stretched across the 
door frame. 

Seconds later, as the thief
was trying to make his 
escape, he tripped over 
Worm and went sprawling."

How often have you told yourself that you cannot do that. Or, have you heard your kids and students say the same thing? Confidence and persistence in the face of fear and uncertainty can make all the difference in the world. So, once Worm has finished reading every book in the library, he gives up his job as head librarian and makes the decision to take a new path. Lifeguarding is not for him; nor is deep-sea fishing. While washing windows, he grows concerned with the attention being paid to him by nearby pigeons. 

His hopes are raised when he notices the convention center is looking for a brave security guard to protect the incredible inventions being shown at the newest gathering of inventors. Many are interested in employment; none look anything like Worm. The manager is not impressed with Worm's appearance and says so. Worm's anger gets the best of him as he describes but one of the attributes that make him perfect for the job. 

""Can you survive being cut in half,
eat your own weight in soil every day, 
and turn kitchen scraps into valuable 
fertilizer?" asked Worm."

Worm gets his chance to prove his mettle; he does his job to the best of his ability.  Coming face-to-face with the dastardly criminal he is to be on the lookout for, Worm uses every trick in the book to take the crook down and hand him over to the police. What impressive work he has done; it wins him thankful praise. But ... by now, Worm has another goal to pursue. NASA won't be sorry to have such a capable and determined new astronaut recruit. Worm has every confidence in himself! 

So many details to consider in Paul G. Hammond's digital, humorous artwork. It perfectly accompanies this creative and very 'punny" story.