The Little Stone Buddha, written and illustrated by Grace Lin. Little, Brown and Company. Hachette. 2026. $24.99 ages 6 and up

 

"Now the little stone buddha could 
see more than the sky. He saw all the 
people and cars moving fast, the tall 
brick buildings, the crushed cans and
dirty boxes all around him. But his 
smile still stayed."

On the opening endpaper, a man pedals a bicycle carrying a load of belongings through a drab neighborhood, when a little stone buddha falls from the pile and lands near a collection of garbage. People pass by, going hither and yon, never noticing the tiny buddha lying there. He listens to the beat of people's feet, the traffic noise, always smiling though he sees nothing. 

A small girl, walking with her mother, does notice him. She whispers hello; at her mother's bidding to not touch the dirty garbage, she sets the buddha on a discarded box and suggests that someone should clean up the place. From his perch, he can now see all around him. Despite the gloominess of his surroundings, he continues to smile. A man notices that smile, and stoops to take some of the discarded empty cans away with him. 

Things look a little better. The buddha continues smiling. His smile encourages young men carrying throw-aways to a dump further down the street to keep going. A dog is discouraged from 'doing his business' where the little guy is living. The dog's owner leaves some flowers and promises a vase for them ... tomorrow. More and more people take time to stop and to make his life better. Days pass; garbage is removed; flowers are planted; a shelter is built, and gifts are offered. 

"All for the little stone buddha ... 
who continued to smile." 

Grace Lin's compelling gouache illustrations begin in the dim confines of a dilapidated neighborhood where garbage collects in open spaces, and lends an air of misery to the buddha's new home. As neighbors stop to pick up garbage and work to change the space, new and vibrant colors invites close observation and feelings of goodwill and generosity. In the end, it becomes a haven appreciated by all who live in the community. 

An author's note (complete with colorful photographs) tells readers that this book was inspired by two things: a book Ms. Lin loved as a child - The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton.  The other is the true story of the Oakland Buddha (found at the traffic median of East 19th Street and 11th Avenue in Oakland, California). 

Note: The final endpaper shows the amazing transformation of the initial space, following the many acts of kindness shown by members of the neighborhood.                                                                                   

                                                                                    

Open: Every Seed Has Its Moment. Written by Robert Agis and illustrated by Sarah Jacoby. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2026. $26.99 ages 3 and up

 

"Every seed has a purpose. 
And every seed is different. 

Some are big, 
and some are small. 

Some are smooth, 
and some are 
very rough."

Two voices - the narrator and the seed - invite young readers to take note of a seed's life cycle. It is helped to live its best life with help from rain, soil and sun. Every seed has its moment to grow and flourish; the time has come for this tiny one. It is surrounded by many different types of seeds, and each one is special. 

They will grow on their own, as this little one will do. It takes the time it takes; each one uses the soil, the sun and the water to be what they are meant to be. The seed questions what it happening, while the narrator answers all queries with a promise that the seed will soon learn what it needs to know. Growing is hard work, but worth it. 

Watercolor and pastel artwork, finished digitally, provides clear and quiet context as pages turn. Full of hope, the text describes what is happening underground as growth is anticipated. At the top of the pages, readers can see how the gardeners are working to bring their garden to life. When the flower breaks through the surface, there is great delight from both gardener and plant. The flower now knows what it is meant to do. Its beauty is evident, along with each and every other plant that has grown in the same garden. 

This is a lovely early introduction to a plant's life cycle. Fun to read when you are talking about spring, or gardens. 

King of the Castle, written by Heather Smith and illustrated by Andrea Armstrong. Kids Can Press, 2026. $21.99 ages 4 and up

 

"Eventually, he stops needing the ladder. 

He launches himself into his bunk in two 
seconds flat. 

I know this because I timed him on the 
stopwatch he no longer uses. 

On Saturdays, he goes out with his friends.

I stay home and read comics for free. 

One day, he tells me he's going away
to summer camp."

Every bedtime finds two brothers settling in for the night in their bunkbeds; the older is 'the king' on top and reminds his younger brother endlessly of that superiority. There are issues, of course, our young narrator explains. The day often ends with teasing before sleep. He knows, however, that his older brother is always there. When he is alone, he climbs the bed's ladder and notices that his brother's 'keep out' box has jujubes in it even though there is a NO FOOD IN THE BEDROOM rule. If he tells, he will be found out. He says nothing. 

Their routines are fixed. The older brother is forever in charge; the younger one not always thrilled with the rules he must live by. Time passes and things begin to change. The older brother is now spending more time with his friends, and soon he is off for a week at summer camp. 

"He says, "In seven days, I'll 
have a new bunk bed." 

I wonder if he'll get a new rascal."

The day for camp arrives; the worry grows stronger. Nights are frightening, as night noises are louder and hard to pinpoint. Days are endless without his brother's presence. When mom sends him outside, he reluctantly goes to the park where other kids invite him to play. He is gone all day. That night, as he checks out the top bunk once again, he finds a note of warning to stay out of the shoebox. Who obeys such a thing? Inside he finds his favorite, gummy bears!

Sibling relationships can be complicated. Heather Smith shows her readers that in this touching story. Andrea Armstrong's digital art is emotional and expressive in multiple scenes as the two live life together - and apart. It's sure to inspire conversations with both younger and older siblings concerning their memories and experiences. 

Watermelon Pool, written and illustrated by Bonsoir Lune. Translated brom the Korean by Frances Cha. Dial Books for Young Readers, Penguin Random House. 2026. $26.99 ages

 

"Everyone stomps together and the clear, 
crimson watermelon juice starts to pool.

When the hot sun is 
about to get even hotter."

Who knew the joys to be found in the watery depths of a watermelon pool? Who even knew there was such a thing? A ripening watermelon suddenly cracks open to reveal its bright flesh and plentiful seeds. A man places his ladder against the watermelon rind and climbs up and up, until he is standing at the edge and ready to test the 'waters'. First, he discards a few seeds before settling into a 'nice and cool' spot on the watermelon's surface. 

Along come other community members looking for a cool spot. There is some concern that last year's watermelon had too many seeds, and wasn't easy to use for swimming.  The row of prospective swimmers grows longer as they go. Numerous young swimmers are eager to get up the ladder or vine to make their way to the top. With crunching feet, they walk about on the lookout for a perfect spot.

The arrivals ramp up, and soon they are having the best effect: 

"Everyone stomps together and the clear, 
crimson watermelon juice starts to pool." 

As more and more people arrive, so does the cloud seller show up with his cloud parasols and his rain cloud showers. The sun has become very hot and swimmers are in need of such protection. He does a great business. A full page spread then shows the enjoyment swimmers are feeling as they find their own just-right and refreshing spot. It isn't long until Grandpa is invited to provide a big slide. It is set up to make a path from one half of the watermelon to the other. Grandma takes her turn first. Before long, the sun is setting and it's time to return home. This first watermelon pool closes for the season! 

No worry, there is always next year! 

This is exactly the kind of book that powers kids' imaginations and lets their thoughts run free. Onomatopoeia adds sensory delights as feet splash through the cool flesh, and a grandma 'wooshes' down the slide with great glee. What a glorious summer adventure! 

Read it once; read it twice to see what you missed the first time. You will be surprised.                                                                                 

Confessions of a Mango, by Kate Lumsden and Nate Pieplow. Little, Brown and Company, Hachette. 2026. $23.99 ages 8 and up

 

"One hundred and seventy people have liked 
my post. That's almost half the school. Nearly 
forty have commented, and a few sent me 
private messages. The profiles are all vague, 
with obviously fake names and pictures. The 
only person I know for sure is Thea. I recognize
the cartoon teddy bear with the crooked smile."

Twins Ruby and Bryce are in sixth grade, and attending a new school. Benton Academy is touted as being for 'the smartest kids in the district'. Ruby would rather be in her old school, with her old friends, and without her brother. Bryce is an over-achiever when it concerns robots, and has difficulty making new friends. Ruby is quick to meet people, and afraid to tell anyone that she has dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia for fear they will think her unsuitable for the prestigious school. She does not like the pressure put on her to prove herself.  The school provides accommodations for her learning differences. Still, she worries about the consequences of any noticeably poor performance. The twins are in the same school, to meet the needs of their parents' jobs and schedules. Ruby knows Bryce should be there. 

As she becomes more desperate about her academic work, she learns about a social media space where contributors are anonymous. She creates an account called 'confessions of a mango' to share her feelings about the school and the fact that she is afraid she cannot meet expectations held for her. To her surprise, others admit to feeling the same way. Some share their feelings about the challenges they are facing. The school begins to change. Ruby is not the only mango! Though some challenges are brought by overanxious parents and the school administration, Ruby hangs in and perseveres, believing that she has done nothing wrong and is, in fact, helping students have a voice. 

Ruby is a very likable character who is perceptive and thoughtful. She is a good friend, sister and student. Her learning difficulties are shared with empathy and show who she is. Her intelligence and bravery help to make needed changes. Valuing differences is so very important in middle years, and Ruby is a sincere role model for those wanting things to be different. 

Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children, written by Mac Barnett. Little, Brown and Company, Hachette. 2026. $26.00

 

"The children's writer must have the same talents
that all writers, in varying amounts, possess - control
of language, a sense of rhythm and pace, appreciation 
of beauty, a knack for character, a strong point of view - 
and, on top of all that, the ability to connect with kids. 
It's this last skill that's most mysterious. We know what
makes a writer good, but what makes someone good at 
writing for children?

All the great children's writers I've met have had either
a direct line to their own childhood or a deep sympathy
with actual kids. Some have both."

This essay collection celebrates children and all the smarts they bring to the books they hear and read. Mac Barnett wants children to see books that speak to who they are, not who or what they should be. He doesn't see books that are written from an adult perspective as important to the reading lives of children; rather, he wants their books to fuel their imaginations and offer fantastic stories that entertain and require thinking on their part. He loves and honors their genius, and wants them to have books that give their lives meaning. 

He suggests that there are good books for bad children, and bad books for good children. Only by sharing them, and listening to the children as you do, do adults learn about their reasoning and the joy that books bring. Great books should contribute to their social development. This book reads like a welcome conversation between friends, and offers plenty of opportunities to take the time to stop to think carefully about what he is saying. Panning didactic literature as having value only to "the adults who buy them and who find themselves flattered, and their rules reinforced, in the books’ pages.” I positively agree with that sentiment, having read hundreds of books to children and watched their reactions to some bad books. Their enthusiasm is non-existent and the brave ones will ask: 'is that really a book!?' Assuring them that it looks like a book, they are quite certain it doesn't talk like a book. Astute, indeed. 

“Since the invention of the printing press, children’s books have been a battleground between those who want to tell kids what to do and those who want to tell them stories.” 

Mac Barnett is a storyteller. His personal anecdotes here prove that. His goal, through these essays, is to convince those who read this important and significant book to grace kids with joy in their reading. I love it! 

What was your favorite book as a child? Why do you remember it so vividly? 

Together for Mama, written by Pooja Makhijani and illustrated by Nadia Alam. Rocky Pond Books, Penguin Random House. 2026. $24.99 ages 5 amd up

 

"In the car, Baby Maya cried. Mama's 
eyes were red. Asha looked out the window.

At home, Mama hugged Papa. 
Asha wrapped her arms around them.
"I can't do this," Mama whispered."

In a very sensitive look at postpartum depression, an older sister welcomes home a new baby. Asha loves this new baby and the joy she brings. She spends a great deal of time with Maya and knows how to be a very loving caregiver to her sister. While helping where she can, she also recognizes that Mama is sad. 

In small illustrated scenes, readers can see that Mama is often alone and avoiding contact with her family. Nothing seems to make her happy. One day she forgets to get Asha from school; only then can she ask for help. Papa knows what he must do. 

"Dadi and Noni arrived the next morning."

The two grandmothers know exactly what to do, encouraging everyone to find happy and relaxing things to do for themselves. They hold Maya, and answer Asha's questions about Mama and her unhappiness. So much has changed since the baby, and Asha is worried Mama won't ever feel better. With everyone's help, life begins to change. As days pass, life becomes better. It takes time, but Mama starts to feel as she once did. 

This is a delicate portrayal of the toll postpartum depression can take on a whole family, while also being compassionate and understanding in its treatment.