Picture Books
Freedman, Deborah. Partly Cloudy. Viking Books for Young Readers, 2024.
“What do you see when you look at the clouds?” is the opening question of this breathtaking book about what two bunnies see when they look at the sky. One bunny sees whipped cream, popcorn, and pea soup. The other bunny sees cumulus, stratus, and cirrus clouds. While the bunnies can’t agree on what is in the sky, they can start to appreciate the other’s perspective and eventually learn from each other.
Partly Cloudy would be a great book to introduce a weather unit, teach different points of view, or simply celebrate the beauty God put in the sky in the form of clouds.
Seales, Stephanie. My Daddy Is a Cowboy. Harry N. Abrams, 2024.
A girl and her dad get to spend the start of the day with “just-us time” in this beautiful picture book set in a city where cowboys ride through town bringing people joy. The two of them ride their horses through the quiet streets before dawn as they watch the sky change from black of night to blue of day.
My Daddy Is a Cowboy would be a great book to share with students when breaking down stereotypes. The cowboys in this book are not the cowboys most people picture in their heads. Stephanie Seales was inspired by the Compton Cowboys of southern California, and every place in the text is a real place in Compton. The vibrant colors of the book combined with the relationship between a father and a daughter make this a great book to use on so many different levels and for a variety of purposes.
Long, Loren. The Yellow Bus. Roaring Brook Press, 2024.
The Yellow Bus appears to be just a basic back-to-school book, but it is surprisingly so much more. Readers experience the life of a yellow bus from school bus to homeless shelter to a playground for goats and beyond. Loren Long got the idea for this book when he saw an abandoned bus and started to wonder what stories that bus held. The Yellow Bus would be a great book to use in writing exercises to discuss where to find ideas. This book could also be used in reading to discuss that books are so much more than their covers. The art and story of this book are stunning, and readers will enjoy all the twists and turns this yellow bus takes.
Chapter Books
Scanlon, Liz Garton. Bisby Cross (series). Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2024–25.
Bisby Cross is full of life. She exemplifies the best parts about being a kid: she is curious, passionate, and excited about everything. Bisby Cross reminds me of Ramona Quimby or Beatrice Zinker. Bisby happily lives with her parents and a cat, she has a best friend named Natia, and she struggles with asking too many questions. In each of the three books—so far—Bisby bumps up against problems that kids will relate to: a teacher who is very strict, her desire to win a fundraiser, and a terrarium jar that is out of control. This series is a great introduction to novels in verse for younger readers.
Bisby Cross would be an excellent read-aloud in first or second grade. It would be helpful to show each page as you read, however, in order for students to start to have an understanding of what a novel in verse looks like. We all have Bisbys in our classes, and this series celebrates them well.
Kelly, Erin Entrada. Felix Powell, Boy Dog. Greenwillow Books, 2024.
Felix Powell, eight years old, is excited because Nana has given him five dollars to spend at a thrift store. Felix discovers a worn-out blanket for only one dollar and just knows he has to have it. While Felix waits for dinner, he plays with his new blanket. All is well, until Felix decides to cover himself with the blanket and suddenly turns into a dog! Felix is now able to talk to his dog, Mary Puppins. Felix discovers new smells, new perspectives, and even talks to a cat named Gumbo. Being a dog is fun, but Felix is ready to be a kid again. Will Nana be able to get him back, or will he be a dog forever?
Felix Powell, Boy Dog has short chapters, great illustrations, and an easy to follow plot. Readers will think it is hilarious when the dogs start sniffing each other’s butts and will end up being informed about why they do that. Felix Powell, Boy Dog is just a fun early chapter book.
Walsh, Jenni L. Operation: Happy. Zonderkids, 2024.
Jody and her military family are on the move again. This move takes them to Pearl Harbor in 1940. Jody’s mom is not thrilled about this move, as she fears Pearl Harbor’s location is too close to the war raging on the other side of the world. Jody, on the other hand, is enjoying the island and her new dog, Happy. December 7, 1941, turns Jody’s world upside down. Forced to leave Hawaii without their father and with their mom in the depths of depression, Jody and her sister, Peggy, struggle to adjust to life after Pearl Harbor. With Happy’s help, Jody thinks up a plan to save her family. But will she and Happy be able to make it happen?
Operation: Happy celebrates hope, courage, family, and the loyal friendship of a pet. This book is a beautiful way to introduce students to Pearl Harbor, while also delicately handling the theme of a family member with depression.
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Mary Jo Staal is a pre-K–4 librarian and Nurturing Faith Coordinator at Hudsonville Christian School in Hudsonville, Michigan. Follow her on Instagram for even more recommendations: @readalongwithmj.