These days I’m a bit more careful about the picture books I choose to buy. I tend to favour books that deal with DEI and yes, address tough topics, as the following list of recent 2024, 2025 releases reveals:
ADRIAN SIMCOX DOES NOT HAVE A HORSE by Marcy Campbell; illus. Corinna Luyken / 2018 / bullying, poverty, kindness
Adrian Simcox claims he owns the most beautiful horse and he is pleased to tell this to anyone who will listen. Chloe, however, refuses to believee him: How could he keep a horse, feed a horse when he only is able to wear shoes that have holes in them. Chloe complains and complains but comes to learn an important lesson when her mom escorts her to Adrian’s home. I was aware of this special picture book but recently decided to purchase it after reading about it in Regie Routman’s book The Heart-Centred Teacher stating that it’s a poignant book about bullying, poverty, judging others without knowing their ‘back story’ and – ultimately – the power of kindness and a vivid imagination to set things right.”….”This one is a gem for reading aloud and having up follow-up conversationis – for learners of all ages.” (p. 88) I absolutely agree. Thank you-Regie. This one is a gem.
BLUE IS THE ONLY COLOR IN THE RAINBOW by Deanna Hart; illus. Chrish Vindhy / 2013 / diversity
Jasmine is a young girl is so devoted to the color blue (clothes, toys, food) and so when she gets a furry monkey, Mango, as a gift, she is reluctant to play with him because he is red. Mango takes Jasmine to place called Prisma where ‘the sky swirled with everything was colorful bright and happy and Jasmine comes to accept that blue is not the only color in the rainbow. This picture book presents appealing story by the author of A Firefly Named Felix.
THE COLOR MONSTER GOES TO SCHOOL by Anna Llenas / 2018 / kindness
With this purchase, I now have the set of Color Monster books that are the perfect resources for helping young children understand emotions. (The Color Monster: A Story about Emotions; The Color MOnster: A Pop-up Book of Emotions; Dr. Color Monster An emotional toolkit). In this title, Color Monster has anxiour feelings about the first day of school, but new friends and new school adventures help him through the day. I’m very fond of these lively books, not only for their capacity for helping children connect to the different feelings they may experience from day to day but for the exuberant, child-like – and colorful – artwork that were executed in a variety of media including crayons, watercolor pencils acrylics and collage.
EVERYONE STARTS SMALL by Liz Garton Scanlon; illus. Dominique Ramsay / 2024 / nature and the environment
Small or big, high or low, soil, wind and water, everything in the natural world is connected. The water from a creek and a river quenches the thirst of the tree. The sun’s rays help to give the world fruit and. Insects of the forest work in harmony. This is a very special picture book that pays tribute to the resilience of the planet with vivid word images and vibrant lively illustrations. Liz Garton Scanlon and Domique Ramsay have created a rich,poetic, nonfiction document to help young readers learn about and ponder Earth’s ecosystems and recovery as the world experiences the effect or climate change.
Excerpt
“Water grows too, tumbling end over end, picking up speed along the way. It’s not a race, says Tree, but Water keeps rushing toward the sea and Tree keeps stretching toward the sky.”
GIRL TAKES DRASTIC STEP How Molly Lamb Bobak Became Canada’s First Official Woman War Artist by Jillian Dobson; illus. Genevieve Simms /2024 / gender; Canadian history
The opening sentence reads: “Molly always knew she was artist.” Author, Jillian Dobson tells the story of Molly Lamb, who more than anything dreamt of capturing the events of World War II but found herself overcome with obstacles. Molly’s ‘drastic step’ was joining the Canadian Women’s Army Corps but soon discovers misogynistic attitudes when her commanders claimed that the front lines were no place for woman. Her tenacity eventually led Molly to realize her dream and become the first official woman war artist working overseas. Jillian Dobson and Genevieve Simms were inspired to tell this story by inspecting the artist’s headlines (e.g., ‘If Only… Maybe.. Perhaps..,;’ Lamb’s Fate Revealed stories and illustrations that filled her 226-page newspaper style journal. This special biographical picture book brings to life wartime experiences of women who supported the war effort. Girl Takes A Drastic Step is a celebration of feminism, perseverence and artistry.
GRAY by Laura Dockrill; illus. Lauren Child / 2024 / emotions; kindness
Gray is a gloomy colour. It’s a colour that conveys a sombre mood and a feeling of sadness. It is a colour that, yes we all feel at some time. Scribbles on a page, puddles in the road, tea gone cold, are times when we ‘don’t feel like me’. This is a book that many readers will connect to, reveal how they are feeling and to let them know that they are not alone. With simple text and evocative full-page illustrations, featuring die-cut pages, this picture book helps children to identify with their feelings of being unhappy, while at the same time offering assurance and comfort to readers to let them know that they are ‘big red hugs’ and ‘blue lullabies ‘ awaiting them. This is a brilliant, stellar picture book that needs to be shared (and discussed). (Note: Gray is a worthy companion to the Dr. Color Monster books by Anna Llenas).
Excerpt
“I love you however you are feeling… and my love won’t change, even when you are gray.“
The following two picture books are by author Matt De La Pena and illustrator Loren Long, each a champion in their contributions to the world of picture books.. Each title is celebration of universal human experiences providing readers through lyrical text and poignant illustrations a vehicle to reflect on and appreciate the value of having LOVE and HOME.
HOME by Matt de la Pena; illus. Loren Long / kindness / 2025
Home is a tired lullaby. Through the back window of an old truck you watch the only home you’ve ever known. Home is not a house you leave behind but the people who walk beside you. Home is not the walls we build up around our orderly little lives but the wild wild world outside. Home is surviving hurricanes and floods and hard times when forced to move on. A wish made on the first star you see is home. Home is the thump, thump, thump of your own human hears as you stadnd in a forest of redwoods.
“It’s the thump, thump, thump / of the earth’s sentimental song inviting you into the harmony of things.”
LOVE by Matt de la Pena; illus. Loren Long/ kindness / 2018
The sound of parent voices over a newborn’s crib is love. Love is running through sprinklers in a concrete park. Love is comforting a child when they have a nightmare. Love is lying on a field of flowers. Love is made-up stories, listening to a busker outside a subway station, staring at your face in the bathroom. Love is treasured friendships. Love is universal. Love gives us comfort in troubled times. . Love gives us connection.
“Stars sjome ;pmg after they’ve flamed out.. and the shine they shine with is love.”
THAT DAY by Pierre-Emmanuel Lyet / 2024 / death, loss and remembrance
Translated from the French, this warm picture book celebrates one boy’s cherished memories about a grandpmother who recently passed away. A simple story about death, loss and remembrance, filled with lovel The brightly coloured artwork fill the pages – and the heart.
“I don’t remember the last time I saw you / but I know what it felt like to hold your hand.”
SHOUT OUT !!!!
THE LITTLEST DROP by Sascha Alper; illus. Jerry Pinkney and Brian Pinkneym/ 2025
The forest is on far, and the animal habitants just choose to flee to safety. But not the hummingbird who flew to the river, filled her tiny beak with just the littlest drop of water which she deposit over the ferocious fire. Back and forth, Hummingbird flew letting the water fall drop by drop by drop.
“Hummingbird, wht are you doing?” elephant asked. “You are just a small bird.”
“I am doing what I can.”
Jerry Pinkney (1939 – 2021) illustrated more than 100 children’s books, many with Black characters. Much of his work bring to life traditional tales and fables. He was honoured with many awards including the Caldecott prize for John Henry (2000); Noah’s Ark (2003) and for the book The Lion and The Mouse (2010) . The Littlest Drop is worthy of a big shout out, not only for its important message thag we all have the power to chance the world, but the book was the final work that renowned artist Jerry Pinkney was working on before his death. Brian Pinkney, worked on his father’s blak and white sketch by adding colour and some embellishments to his father’s draft work. The art work is a WOW… (another Caldecott, perhaps (I say, ‘yes’).
This is a must-share story to help young people think about doing being an participants in their world.
NOTE: This parable originated by the Indigenous Quetchua people of South America. Sascha Alper’s version was inspired by a telling from Wangari Maathai, the first African woman and first environmentalist to win the Noble Peace Price. Noteworthy too is a version by Haidan author / illlustrator Michael Nichol Yahgulanass who created the inspiring picture book The Little Hummingbird (2010)