Here Come the Aunties, written by Cynthia Leitich Smith and illustrated by Aphelandra. Heartdrum, Harper. 2026. $24.99 ages 4 and up

"Here comes Auntie Kylie
with handmade moccasins. 
I pull on my new pair! 
We rock our mocs
as sun-kissed leaves
rain down from trees.

Starting in the summer when Auntie Abby visits to help with the garden, River introduces each of the aunties who are difference-makers in his daily life. One is his second-grade teacher, another takes a boatful of cousins fishing on Labor Day weekend. The list goes on. At school and at home, they bring their own special skills to families and community to help make life better for all. 

Using repetitive language to introduce each one and share their gifts lets young readers know just how special these women are. They offer help at every turn, and for each new celebration. When talk turns to anticipation of a new baby's arrival, Auntie Wendy brings a crib quilt. So many lovely supports these special women provide: games, moccasins, Halloween pumpkins, Indigenous teachings, beading, discussions about healing and hope. even wood for the fire and deer meat for dinner. They are all there when River graduates from second grade, and they will be there when River's little sister arrives. There is nothing they won't do to provide love and support when needed. 

Life on River's Muscogee reservation is full of many who accept the role of Auntie for River and his family. In an author's note, Ms. Smith explains that the aunties may be relatives, but they don't have to be. Aphelandra's art is created using ink, gouache and Photoshop. Deep color, warm settings, and expressive faces reflect Indigenous culture in clothing, traditions, and the changing seasons. The true benefits of a sharing community are aptly described in honor of those aunties who provide safety, security and a better life for a young boy and his family.                                                                                       

Ripples, written and illustrated by Katie Yamasaki. Norton, Penguin Random House. 2026. $24.99 ages 4 and up

 

"My toes toast in the sun. 

We tend to the river. 

As we curve around a bend, the singsong
notes of "Happy Birthday" float past, 
mixing with birdsong high above
and our own voices, splashing in the river."

An overhead view of the river that flows into a large pond is pictured on the front endpaper, in verdant color that enhances the water and its surroundings. Along the shoreline, readers will notice a number of rafts with oars at the ready. The title page shows Aunty Koko and the child narrator donning life jackets and preparing to head out in one of the inflated rafts. It is a magical day.

As they paddle forward, they notice the sparkle of sun on the water and smell the wet earth on the shore. Beavers, butterflies and turtles are out sunning themselves in the warmth of the day. As they paddle further, they continue to take note of the wildlife, and of friends enjoying a wondrous day at the river's edge. Both happy noise and moments of peaceful quiet fill the air.

Soon, the two paddle onto the pond where the amount of trash increases. It becomes almost too much to handle. Luckily, the people they have met along the river arrive to lend a hand. Together they create the ripples that improve the health of this natural habitat. The art is brilliantly colorful, and in keeping with the work being done together to improve their shared environment. 
                                                                              

Mungo On His Own, words by Matthew Burgess and art by Julie Benbassat. Clarion Books, Harper. 2026. $24.99 ages 4 and up

 

" ... he remembered his mother 
and their summer days together. 

She showed him how to cross the creek, 
how to blend in with the underbrush,
and how to find a snack when hunger 
gnawed his belly."

Although Mungo and his mother are finished dinner, Mungo is still hungry. His mind calls up images of the red berries he so loves. He thinks he can set out to find them on his own, even in the cold and darkness of November. His mother agrees. It is cold, and Mungo has never gone foraging on his own. There are sounds that worry him as he makes his way through the forest. 

He splashes through cold water, climbs a nearby hill, and quickly crosses the road. Hearing a hooting owl, he tucks himself into an oak tree's hollow. He is scared and wonders about turning back; instead, he remembers all his mother taught him in the summer about being brave. On he goes, smelling all the smells with his nose pointed toward the berry bush he is looking for. The berries make his journey worth every step. As night falls and the cold swirls around him, Mungo makes a joyous journey through the newly-falling snow home. Mama is proudly waiting at their den door. Mungo is just in time to watch the night sky fill with stars from the warm comfort of the family den. 

Using pencil and charcoal for the linework and art colored using Procreate and Photoshop, Julie Benbassatt's illustrations are filled with warmth and emotion as Mungo travels the forest landscape in search of his treasured berries. Mungo's yellow eyes and orange fur keep him front of mind for young readers as he makes his dark and somewhat scary search. 

Helicopter parents, take heed. Our kids are capable of independence and bravery when given the chance to show us. 

The Mother Tree, written by Sybil Rosen and illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. anne schwartz books, Penguin Random House. 2026. $24.99 ages 4 and up

"At sunset they walk through what's left of the woods.
Raw stumps lie amid heaps of bent and broken smaller 
trees. Sadie doesn't have words to describe how forlorn
and ruined everything looks. 
The nearer they get to the mother tree, the more scared 
Sadie feels. Will her beech still be there?" 

I have mentioned in previous posts that many published books for children today speak to them about the importance of our natural surroundings. A good many highlight trees, and what we are learning about their place in the health of our planet. 

In her book, Sybil Rosen introduces readers to Sadie and her mother who love to spend time walking in the forest that surrounds their home. They know these trees as friends who provide shade, homes for birds, and beauty at every turn. Sadie knows that trees and humans help each other when it comes to breathing. Sadie works in her notebook to note all they see on their daily walks. They often end up at Sadie's favorite tree: a two-hundred-year-old beech with a branch that offers a place for rest whenever the two stop to visit. 

Her mother answers Sadie's questions and shares new learning about how so much happens in the roots beneath their feet. When they notice that many of the trees have been marked with a red circle, Sadie is confused. She learns from her mother that the marked trees are destined to be cut down and sent to a lumber mill. Sadie is very upset when the loggers make their presence known by a terrible racket. As they get closer, Sadie shares her real concerns about her beech tree with Momma. 

Her mother wonders what Sadie would say to loggers if she could talk to them. Taking up her pencil, Sadie writes a heartfelt note. 

"Please do not cut down our mother tree.
The new forest will need her and we 
need the oxygen. 
Thank you very much.

Sadie"

After a long wait and a lot more cutting, Sadie and her mother return to the beech to find the loggers listened to one small child's voice. It's a start.  

The charcoal, watercolor and digital artwork is emotional in scope while showing Sadie's feelings about all that is happening to her beloved trees, and very helpful while sharing Momma's teachings about the nature of trees and that a mother tree plays a role of great importance. A note from the author provides more details for readers and some of the actions they can take to protect our forests.                                                                                      

A Day Off School, written by Oliver Jeffers with illustrations by Kevin Waldron and Oliver Jeffers. Harper Collins, 2026. $24.99 ages 5 and up

 

"He went back to 
thinking about school
to cheer himself up. 

But ... 

what if something really good 
happened there today? 

Like an EXTRA playtime? 

or a DOG loose in the CORRIDORS?"

When Herbie woke one morning with the sniffles, his parents suggested he should stay home. What great good luck for him. A day with no school, ALL TO HIMSELF! There is so much he can do; he was soon out of bed and busy with building a fort, playing SPACE BLASTERS, and racing his cars on a long and winding track. His enthusiasm remained strong all morning. When his dad checked in on him, Herbie was surprised to learn it wasn't even lunchtime. He had done everything he wanted to do. 

He didn't want to think about school, but he did. He began to wonder what he was missing. There wasn't anything else he wanted to do until his sister Daisy came home. That set him to imagining what was happening at school in his absence. Was there birthday cake for one of his classmates? Had pirates invaded? Did a monster take the teachers? 

This would be a perfect time to stop reading and see what listeners might add to the growing list of what-ifs. Think of the fun they would have in thinking creatively about other such ideas. 

When Daisy arrived home, Herbie wanted to know what he missed. Daisy was non-committal. As she climbed the stairs to her room, Herbie was sure he could see a space helmet in her backpack. It made him long to return to school the following day. 

What happened then will have readers laughing out loud!

Illustrations by this inventive team fill every spread with images and movement that will hold attention and that respect the imagination of children. While Herbie is not as enamored of being by himself as he thought he might be, the artists provide plenty for readers to focus on as the day progresses and Herbie's imagination runs wild. 

When Bryn's Ear Went Quiet, written by Nancy Hundal and illustrated by Ellen Rooney. Owlkids, 2026. $22.95 ages 5 and up

 

"Waiting, waiting. Then another nurse came, and 
it was time to go. 

He wheeled my bed down the center of the hall like
a plane on a runway. Mom held one hand. Dad held
the other. We taxied down more halls and turned 
many corners until we came to a halt in front of 
two wide doors."

Bryn was able to hear everything when she was 4; at 6, she suffered a number of ear infections that left her deaf in her right ear. A hearing aid helped; but it didn't solve all of her problems with hearing her mom's lullabies or wearing a helmet for skating. Another option was explained to Bryn by her parents. She could have an operation to implant a cochlear ear. It wouldn't be perfect, but it would help her hear with her right ear again. 

Nancy Hundal offers this lead up to Bryn's decision to have the cochlear implant. From then on, with gentle yet precise text, she explains for her readers the experiences that Bryn undergoes from talking with doctor, to the trip to the hospital and the preparation needed to be ready for surgery. Once in the OR, readers learn the procedures from arrival to recovery. After a long rest, Bryn is released to go home with her parents. One month later, her implant is turned on and Bryn can hear sounds in her right ear once more. 

This realistic explanation, accompanied by softly colored illustrations, has a calm and reassuring tone to explain hospital routines and provide relevant information for any family facing surgery for a child. First person narration allows for Bryn's thinking about the procedure, and reflects her feelings and questions. While it is a story about hearing loss, children experiencing other surgical procedures will find comfort in the information shared. 

Creatures of the Coral Reef, written by Martin Jenkins and illustrated by Jason Cockcroft. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2026. $26.99 ages 5 and up

"Everywhere you look, there's 
something darting about: 
brightly colored fish, crabs, 
and shrimps with bony claws, 
knobbly-looking octopuses, 
curly seashells ... 

Sometimes a jelly fish, 
a graceful sea turtle, 
or even ... 

       a shark."

Martin Jenkins begins his new book by asking his readers to imagine themselves as a butterflyfish, graced with a 'pointy nose, a flat body, and a stubby little tail'. Then, he questions where they might be found. Offering clues, he leads them to learn a lot about their habitat. He includes their surroundings and also the many forms of life that surround them. 

He then tells them they are in a coral reef, and goes on to provide clear information about the tiny animals called coral polyps and their many distinguishing features. He explains how a coral reef forrms over thousands of years to become home to many marine animals, including the butterfly fish. A butterfly fish lives with its mate in the reef where all of its needs are satisfied; in fact, its favorite food is coral polyps! No worry about devouring the entire reef; it continues to grow slowly. 

Until it doesn't! Coral bleaching is happening to coral reefs around the world. When conditions change in the reef, the coral polyps rid themselves of what lives inside them; they stop growing and turn white. Recovery may take place, if organisms return to the corals. If not, the corals will die. The causes for coral bleaching are described clearly and without alarm; these facts are there to inform readers about the changing climate and its effects on the beautiful reefs. 

If the reefs don't survive, life for the butterflyfish will become tough. There is hope from scientists working to help the reefs survive, or by encouraging the growth of corals in other areas. They won't give up even though there are only few of them working to make the changes needed. 

"They know what amazing places coral reefs are, 
and they're working as hard as they can to make
sure they don't disappear." 

Bravo! 

Accessible information is provided in a most effective way, while the realistic digital art takes readers into the ocean realm where these magnificent creatures thrive, survive, and feed a plethora of other marine animals. Two pages of back matter offer timely data on the reefs, climate change, and the help we can give to make a difference.