Some very beautiful picture book titles have recently been released, several of which are centred on emotioins and how to deal with them.
CHIDORI: A Story of one thousand birds by Jennifer Maruno; Ill. Miki Sato / Death, Loss and Remembrance
This is the story of the arrival of a Tsunami in a small village in Japan and the impact it had on your Hana as she watches the storm in horror. Hana is finally reunited with her father and grandmother and she eagerly takes up painting the the birds to honour her mother. Jennifer Murano is spot on with her storytelling using concise language to describe devastating events and at the same time evoking feelings of endurance and broken hearts. Miki Sato’s collage art using paper textiles and watercolour paint vivid pictures of the village community during destruction and at peace. Bravo to Murano and Sato for a beautiful heartwarming story.
Excerpt
“A wave, darker than the one that had taken their village, washed over Hana’s heart.”
THE DRAGON’S EYES by Megan Chew
While helping to prepare for the Lunar New Year, a young Chinese girl named Li-Anne finds a box of stuff in the basement of her house and comes upon her grandmother’s ‘kong ming’ lantern and is eager to restore it to better condition. The lantern is lit and flotas up in the air when it is lit. Li-Anne attends to her grandmother’s lantern with care, tracing the dragon’s original form. When she carefully paints the eyes, the dragon comes to life and transports Li-Anne to China where she meets several relatives she had only nown from their photos. During her visit, Li-Anne attends a reunion dinner, an important family tradition. The Dragon’s Eyes is not only a magical adventure story, but it celebrates Chinese cultural roots, customs and connections through the eyes of second-generation immigrant child. Megan Chew tells an engaging and informative story accompanied by bold illustrations often accompanied with graphic speech bubbles. Lovely!
NO MORE CHAIRS by Dan Gill; ill. Susan Gal / Racism; Kindness
Dan Gill recounts a touching story about a teacher (himself) who chose to display an empty chair in front of his classroom. His students are curious about the story about the chair and Mr. Gill recounts a true experience from his childhood about a turning point in his life with his friend Archie. Archie and Dan were invited to a party at an upper scale apartment and when they arrived, the mother who was hosting the party turned the two boys away saying there were ‘no more chairs’. Archie is black, Gill is white. The author invites readers to share stories of allyship: “May you have a chair in your heart for anyone who comes knocking at your door filled with anticipation.” The lively art work is appealingly presented in bright vibrant colours. NOTE: The Day War Came by Nicola Davies is another special picture book about ‘sharing chairs’.
POPO THE XOLO by Paloma Angelina Lopez; ill. Abraham Matias / Death, Loss and Remembrance
The issue of Death, Loss and Remembrance seems to be a tough topic for many teachers. It is a sensitive topic that may trigger strong emotions with students. Children’s literature can help bring connection, compassion and empathy to those who have experienced loss and grief. There are many picture books, novels and nonfiction titles and strategies to support educators with teaching this tough topic (see: Chapter V ). Popo the Yolo is a story of losing a loved one and the rituals are rooted in Indigenous cultural understandings of Mexico. Popo is Nana’s beloved pet, and when she passes, Popo takes her on a journey where they pass a river and hills, s. a black stone, of molten lava, a snowstorm, a jaguar etc. all part of the Nine Levels of Mielan where the people go when the day. Spanish words are filtered throughout. Brightly-coloured Illustrations ideally capture the realism and mysticism of souls passing on and of memories kept alive. What a unique picture book and a rich resource to discuss cultural customs of honouring lost loved ones. Popo the Xolo is a beautiful beautiful book of remembrance and love.
TAP! TAP! TAP! by Herve Tullet (2022/ 2023)
Tullet has created some wonderful picture books (Press Here; Mix It Up) that require action and interaction as readers follow instructions and play with the images on the page Tap! Tap! Tap! is another entertaining book that is full of energy, whimsy, and art. Readers fingers and hands move and dance on each page that burst with dynamic lines and shapes in primary colours. The simple expository text that appears in each spread invite readers (of any age) to Tap, Tap, Tap and Dance, Dance Dance. (e.g. “Put your hand here and Whoooosh!, Circle around the page three times – First one direction – Ziiiip then the other, Zooop!”.) Fun !Fun! Fun! that encourages repeated , let’s do it again, visits.
SOMETIMES I FEEL THAT WAY TOO by Hannah Beach; ill. Rebecca Bender / Emotions
This book recounts the day in the life of a young boy who’s every day encounters brings a range of emotions: the coziness of a teddy bear; the excitement of a balloon in flight; the silliness of a playful hamster; the loneliness of an orange that didn’t get picked for a snack; the frightened feeling of a snail tucked in its shell; the love of family. Each interaction reminds the youngster that ‘sometimes he feels that way too’ which provides an ideal resource for young readers, to share their own stories and feelings. Rebecca Bender’s wonderful illustrations beautifully help to bring each event to life and help to inspire students’ personal connections to the these events.
Excerpt
“Hello boots, all together just right. I see you happily belonging.
Sometimes I feel that way too.’
TIME TO LEAVE, LAVERNE! by Lana Button; Illus. Yong Ling Kang / Emotions
Laverne is an exuberant young girl who bursts into a room “like a sunbeam”. However, when it’s time to leave the library, the park, a restaurant, a birthday pary she is sad and mad and “nohing seemed o calm Laverne’s thunderstorms.” When bad weather forces Laverne to stay inside one day, she holds a family meeting and explains that each of her sguffies have some sad, bad, disappointed feelings. Eventually, Laverne comes to deal with her emotions and with one foot in front of the other, the storm inside her start to subside. Many young readers will identify with Laverne’s strong feelings and learn wys to “weather all kinds of storms.” Any book that deals with identifying and controlling feelings is worth sharing and Time To Leave, Laverne, with an engaging narrative and expressive illustrations is a gem.
THE WOMAN WHO TURNED CHILDREN INTO BIRDS by David Almond; ill.. Laura Carlin (2022)
When Nant Solo comes to town, she claims she can turn children into birds. The adults in the community thinks that this is plain daft. (“It’s total trash. It’s piffle, twaddle, balderdash.”) and they warn the children to stay away. But children, being children can’t resist and when Nancy Solo whispers words into young Dorothy’e ears, the young girl becomes a swallow ‘swooping into the blue.’ but only for a few minutes before returning home. The whispers continue and Colin transforms into a sparrow, Susan a goldfinch, Walter a rook and Wolfgang a a parakeet. The sky became filled with children who had turned into birds. Will the adults join in the fun and dare to fly? What an exhilarating whimsical story. David Almonds tells a simple, funny and a flight of imagination. Laura Carlin (a favourite illustrator of mine) art work soars. The Woman Who Turned Children Into Birds is a joyous reading adventure. that takes flight from beginning to end.
SHOUT OUT
OUR LAKE by Angie Kang / Death, Loss and Remebrance
A young boy and his brother head off to swim in the cool waters of the lake on a hot sweltering day. The experience helps the boys connect to special times they spent with there father who is no longer with them. The simple, poetic language and the astonishing gouache illustrations depicting various perspectives work together to tell a heartwarming story of healing, comfort and remembrance. I was so pleased to read that this picture book was recently declared to be a Caldecott Honor book. I look forward to sharing this beautiful beautiful book with young readers. Five stars from me!
Excerpts
“At the peak, the domed sky swaddles us in heat and the water glistens below.”
“The wind whistles it’s approal as I head back to earth.”
NOTE: Our Lake is a perfect companion to the Governor General and Marilyn Baillie award-winning book When You Can Swim by Jack Wong. This is a glorious book that celebrates the joy of swimming and invites readers of all age to thnk about memories of learning to swim, competitive swimming, and swimming adventures they’ve had in pools, lakes, oceans and seas.
SHOUT OUT
BROKEN by X. Fang / Emotions
A young girl named Mei Mei accidentally broke Ama’s cup. Oh the guilt.?Oh the blame! (it was the at, Mimi’s fault). Will Ama get mad at her granddaughter, yell at her, abandon her or love her like Ama always does. The story is told in simple text. The illustrations are full of expression; I particularly admire the way several images fill and explode on the page. Broken is a great story, a great marriage of text and great art and a wonderful message – “Every patch and every repair tells a story.” It is a story about worry and shame balanced out with forgiveness and comfort. It is a story that is sure to evoke different emotions with readers (i.e, worry, sadness, relief, compassion, love). There was a buzz that this title was a strong contender for the Caldecott Medal. I’d hve been quite happy if it won.
CALDECOTT WINNERS 2026
Medal winner
- Fireworks by Matthew Burgess; illustrated by Catia Chien
Honor Winners
- Every Monday Mabel by Jashar Anwan
- Stalacitte & Stalagmite: A Big Tale from a Little Cave by Drew Beckmeyer
- Our Lake by Angie Kang
- Sundust by Zeke Pena