More Than A Million, written and illustrated by Grace Farris. Bloomsbury Children"s Books, Raincoast. 2026. $24.99 ages 3 and up

"Love you more than a million 
blueberries on the floor

Love you more than just one more
goodbye at the school door

Love you more than 365 lunch box notes

Love you more than a truly astounding 
number of fevers and sore throats"

I have long forgotten how many times I heard 'MOM' when the kids were young. My daughter lives in the midst of it whenever their kids are home from school or bike rides or being with friends. Anyone with kids at home will know what I mean.

Front matter begins with a worry from a pajamaed child while mom is trying to sleep: 'Mommm. I had a bad dream. I dreamed you didn't love me.' Oh, dear. That statement provides the impetus for every page that follows. Each one offers one more way that parents love their children. Each shared assurance begins with the words ... Love you more than ... 

In rhyming couplets, the child is reminded of the many ways that parents prove their love. There are no conditions that will change that. The experiences are those often shared in families: writing on the wall, illness, spills, art accidents, lost clothing, loud noises, constant questions. Who hasn't been there? Parents will understand the frustrations, while children may not even acknowledge the problem. They only want to remember how much they are loved. 

Illustrations are created digitally, filled with variety in the adults involved, and add context and interest for young readers. Funny at times, and mostly heartwarming, this is a book that will be read again and again. 

Into the Wilderness, written by Haven Iverson and illustrated by August Zhang. Roaring Brook Press, Macmillan. Raincoast, 2026. $25.99 ages 4 and up

"With my finger, I trace where we've come from 
and where we want to go. 

I study the land: long valleys
and the peaks of the Rockies like jagged teeth. 

I take a deep breath and focus,  
turning the map so that it lines up with what I see ...

Eventually, I find the way." 

With parents following behind, our young narrator leads the way to a large alpine lake they love. In earlier pages, readers learn that the three have been making yearly trips into the wilderness together, sharing the mountains, forests, ridges and rivers that are there for them to enjoy. Their story starts when the child is much smaller and in Mom's backpack. Leaving the car in a parking lot each year, they spend their days carrying the wonder of the wilderness with them. Each year the child takes more responsibility for carrying what is needed.

Once they arrive at the lake, they pitch their tent. The parents settle in for a nap while the child enjoys time spent on a nearby rock, thinking about never feeling alone there. There is so much to see, to hear, to smell, and to admire about being right where they are. 

"In the wilderness, I feel a part of it all. 
I can leave my feelings of lonely behind." 

Once home, the memories of the journey sustain until the three return the following year. The beauty in the world is a truly amazing thing, and to be celebrated. Descriptive language at the wonder of the environment, and extraordinary digtal illustrations complement each other at every turn of the page. If this book doesn't make you ache to get out there and enjoy nature, I will be surprised. Hopefully, it won't be long. Get that backpack ready! 

Back matter is useful and explanatory, including facts, history, ideas for protecting the wilderness and ways to be a good steward while there.                                                                                   

The Old Sleigh, by Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey. Norton Young Readers. Penguin Random House, 2025. $24.99 ages 3 and up

 

"Through sleet. 
Through wind. 
Through darkest night. 

The old sleigh gave warmth. 
The old sleigh gave light." 

In this good-natured and very gentle book by the Pumphrey brothers, readers are fully engaged in a tale of character, community, and kindness. Whenever snow falls, and every year for a long time, a boy and his father go about the business of using their horse and sleigh to deliver firewood to their neighbors. At the onset, the village is small, the sleigh is old but worthy and gives all that it can to the job. No matter the weather or time of day, the two are out and about making sure that their neighbors are warm and have firelight through the darkest nights. It benefits everyone. 

The town gets bigger, their work continues ... until one day. The loads have become heavier, and the sleigh breaks down. Something must be done. In a series of wordless pages, readers are aware of the work being done by both father and son to assure future deliveries. A new sled, pulled by the boy, takes the place of the old to deliver its precious packages to those who need and appreciate it.  It also provides entertainment for the boy and his friends. 

When the old sleigh is refashioned to give its all again, the boy is old enough to do the driving to the houses in the now small city, for community members old and new. The sleigh keeps to its hard work as both characters and community grow and change, yet also remain the same.  

Few words are needed, and the artwork is a signature of this very talented pair of artists. Repetition in text is brilliant and happens in just the right places. Perfect for sharing at bedtime on still long winter nights, its cozy warmth will be much appreciated.                                                                                      

Taking Turns with Turtles: A Rescue Story, written by Shari Becker and illustrated by Brittany Lane. Groundwood, 2026. $21.99 ages 3 and up

 

"Turtle waste and hatched eggshells help
nourish new beach plants as they grow. 

Turtles have been caring for the earth's dunes
for millions of years. 
Now it is my turn to care for the turtles."

Written in first-person narrative, the text in this pleasing and encouraging book about rescue missions looks to those who make a difference in caring for the turtles that have given so much to help the environment through millions of years. 

The first narrator is a child who wakes on a cold and wintry morning to join her parents in a search for cold-stunned turtles that have washed up on the sand and cannot move. They provide cover to try to warm it up and go on to look for more. As they go, the child thinks about how turtles have always worked to keep the oceans clean and available for other animals to call home. Now, she is caring for those turtles. 

The story moves on the person who transports the lost turtle to a warm place where it can rest, be measured and then taken to a vet clinic where it will get the care it needs. The vet does all needed to bring the turtle back to health and also speaks to visitors about the importance of turtles in the world's ecosystems. Moving on to rehab, the turtle is provided with sustenance before releasing it back to the ocean. A volunteer pilot is next in the circle of caregivers. He fills his climate-controlled plane with boxed turtles and flies them to warmer waters where volunteers are ready to accomplish the final leg of their journey. 

"The waves tickle my feet and hug my ankles. 
When the water finally kisses my knees, 
Mom places the turtle in the water. 

She lets go."

Watercolor artwork by Brittany Lane is beautiful and provides a perfect setting for each stage of this rescue mission. Each new narration begins with 'one morning when', and every one of the helpers recognizes that, after all that turtles have done to help the environment, 'now it is my turn' to help the turtles.  

Back matter offers an author's note, facts about sea turtles, a migration map, and the role readers can play in helping should they encounter a cold-stunned turtle. A final page provides rescue statistics, resources, and a list for further reading. 

North for the Winter, written and illustrated by Bobby Podesta. First Second, Roaring Brook Press, Macmillan. Raincoast, 2025. $31.99 ages 8 and up

"Come on. We can ask the person who lives 
there if they've seen anything strange in the 
woods. 

Like a flying reindeer? 

I was thinking we could start with something
a bit more vague.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK"

You may want to wait until the fall to purchase this Christmas adventure. Certainly, fans of middle grade graphic novels with be interested in reading about a young girl who is traveling with her father to a new home in Colorado. When her father is distracted by a flat tire and needs to change it, Virginia wanders into the nearby woods where she sees a reindeer and then watches it fly away, leaving behind a luminous compass. 

Their move is precipitated by the death of her mother. The two going to live with Aunt Frances in hopes that it will the change they need. Virginia soon meets Benny who lives in the same apartment building and they spend time together. While they are together, Virginia shares what she saw in the woods with him, knowing he will keep her secret. As she might have hoped, Benny is quick to agree that they 'are in this together'. They will search for the reindeer. 

Theirs is an adventure with magical moments that have many twists and turns, as the two find the reindeer, learn that is lost, and meet up with some helpful mall elves, members of the Continental Air Defense Center that tracks suspicious flying objects, and a hunter who is intent on capturing Donner. The two hope that they will find a way to get the reindeer back to Santa in time to help with his deliveries on Christmas Eve, when it's all hands on deck to get the night's work done. 

The story pacing is fast, the artwork is appealing and full of action and expression, and the storyline easy to follow. There is danger and great excitement as the two deal with the difficulties inherent in a search for a magical being. There is comfort found in new friendships, and ultimate triumph in assuring a successful Christmas Eve run for Santa and all of his reindeer.  

You Are the Land, written and illustrated by Steph Littlebird. Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin Random House. 2026. $24.99 ages 6 and up

"When I could walk, my mom sang to me:

You are the mountains, the hills are your relatives, 
and Earth is our Mother.

My mom is like a valley. Her love protects me
like an evergreen canopy. She teaches me
to be gentle like a warm spring day." 

In a foreword, Steph Littlebird gives readers information about her people and their culture. She explains what it means to be a "place keeper" for the earth. She hopes that her book will encourage all who read it to become more in tune with nature and their role in keeping it safe. 

The narrator is a child who introduces family members, starting with her grandmother and her song concerning Indigenous traditions and connections to nature. She compares her grandmother to a flower. As she grows older, her grandfather compares her to water and teaches her to have courage. Once walking, her mom sings songs about the hills and mountains and about Mother Earth. Her dad compares her to the sky and calls her a shooting star. His warmth encourages her to dream big and shine like the sun. All these lessons allow her to teach her little sister by listening to her questions and loving her fiercely. 

Her first powwow continues the lessons. 

"You are the land, a part of all creation."

This is an affirming story of family connections and shared learning about the natural world. Its poetic tone and detailed artwork are filled with images of nature and Indigenous wisdom. 

A Friend for Lucy, written and illustrated by Jen - Ai Elena Molineaux. Levine Querido, Chronicle. Raincoast, 2025. $26.99 ages 5 and up

 

"Ana was so happy Leah could see her, and 
Leah to meet her, they spent the rest of the 
afternoon playing together in the park. 

And as the day came to an end, the two 
girls sat down to chat."

Ana is worried about her sister, Lucy. It's obvious that Lucy has become reclusive in her old age; she lives a quiet life in her home with no visitors. She spends her days reading, eating banana bread on her own, and watching television without company. Lucy's sadness is very evident. What can Ana do to make a difference? It would certainly be easier if Ana weren't a ghost. 

Ana makes the decision to find a friend for her sister. As she floats above the park searching, she realizes that none of the people she sees there can see her. When she is about to give up, another young girl named Leah speaks to her. They can see each other. They play together in the park for the rest of the day. As the afternoon comes to an end, Ana mentions her sister Lucy who lives in the same apartment block as Leah's family. 

Leah agrees to visit with Lucy the next day, with her mother's permission. Lucy is surprised to have a visitor, but invites Leah into her home for a piece of freshly-baked cake. As Ana quietly watches the two enjoy their tea time, the two spend the afternoon playing cards, doing a puppet show, and building a fort where they can read together. For the final book to share, Leah chooses a family photo album that awaken long forgotten memories to tug at Lucy's heart. Ana no longer fears for her aging sister, knowing Lucy is happy with her memories and her lovely new friend. 

The graphic-novel format for telling this story is very effective. The use of sepia tones, except for Ana's luminous ghostly appearance, give the story a vintage feel. Endpapers at the back of the book are filled with new photographs that give readers a sense of how life has changed for Lucy after meeting with Leah and finding a new lease on life.  A lovely story of family, friendship and community.