May Recommendations

In WALTER HAD A BEST FRIEND, written by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier, Walter and Xavier hiked together, painted pictures together, and even knew how to be “best friend quiet" together. In all things, the pair “were best friends together. Until… quietly… slowly… they weren’t.” Now Walter doesn’t hike and he doesn’t paint pictures. When he’s quiet, it’s “sad” quiet. Then, one morning, Walter realizes that maybe he’s ready to try “a new trail.” The pitch-perfect text doesn’t waste a single word in describing a friendship that ends with nobody at fault, one that simply moves on. Ruzzier’s signature pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations endearingly depict all the critters and the wonderfully fanciful landscape they call home.

ALL THE BEATING HEARTS, written by Julie Fogliano and illustrated by Cátia Chien, gracefully reminds readers how, although we may wake up to eat different foods and wear different clothing, and we may spend our days in different ways, and even when good things happen and bad things happen, even then, in our beds at night “we are all just hearts/beating in the darkness”—we are all “here/and alive/together but apart/the same, but exactly different.” Pastel and colored pencil illustrations are at once childlike and sophisticated, literal and whimsical, and they beautifully anchor and elevate the text. A wonderful book, the kind that shows how loud a “quiet” book can be.

HELLO, DOOR, written by Alastair Heim and illustrated by Alisa Coburn, stars a thieving fox who gleefully explores someone else’s fancy house, bagging items as he goes. “Hello, clubs. Hello, clocks. HELLO, LITTLE JEWELRY BOX!” This fox is having a grand time until a family of bears arrives home, who don’t take at all kindly to the vulpine burgling. Never fear, the unquenchable fox quickly forms an alternate plan. Uncluttered, humorous, rhyming text and action-packed, cartoony illustrations keep this one zipping along.

In MY BABA’S GARDEN, written by Jordan Scott and illustrated by Sydney Smith, a boy takes readers to visit his Baba, who “lives in a chicken coop beside a highway.” Every morning, Baba feeds the boy and walks him to school. When it rains she “walks slow because she is looking for worms,” which they add to her garden after school. When Baba moves in with the boy and his family, he brings her food, and plants tomatoes in a pot for her. And he looks for worms… Gorgeous, poetic text and stunning watercolor and gouache art make this a worthy successor to the team’s I TALK LIKE A RIVER.

In CITY UNDER THE CITY, by Dan Yaccarino, “the Eyes help everyone.” Bix, who lives with her family, hates it—she wants to brush her own teeth, thank you! The Eyes even choose what kids read at school. And they watch. One day, a cute rat leads Bix “down, down, down,” to “a very interesting place.” There’s plenty to discover, including books and a library, and Bix learns many new things. When it’s time to go home, Bix brings a book with her. The Eyes are not pleased. They take away her sister Taff. But Bix distributes books to all the people in her city, and they learn to fight back. With the Eyes gone, life changes for the better. Illustrated with ink on vellum and rendered digitally, this picture book/graphic novel/easy reader is a most excellent dystopian homage to books, free-thinking, and family engagement.

HELLO, MEADOW! written by Terry Pierce and illustrated by Nadja Sarell, is a sweet, easy-to-understand board book that cheerfully advocates for enjoying nature with respect. A diverse cast of humans and wildlife demonstrate how hikers can help meadows thrive by staying on trails, artists can help by drawing flowers rather than picking them, and families can help by using binoculars rather than getting too close to wildlife. Gentle text and appealing illustrations show little ones how “every grown-up, every child,/can help keep meadows strong and wild.” Share this board book with the youngest hikers in the family!

--Lynn