Summer Reading Challenge 2026 - (Kinder- 4th)

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    by Carole Boston Weatherford

    $19.99

    From award-winning author Carole Boston Weatherford comes a captivating picture book biography about the incredible life of esteemed author, editor, and activist Toni Morrison, featuring gorgeous illustrations by debut artist Khalif Tahir Thompson.

    How do you tell a story?

    Before Toni Morrison was a Pulitzer Prize winner and Nobel Prize–winning author, she was Chloe Ardelia Wofford, a little girl in Ohio who was both the only Black child in her first-grade classroom and the only student who was able to read.

    This is the true story of how that young girl learned from her upbringing, surrounded herself with stories, and made a tremendous impact on the world. Toni Morrison’s pen was her sword, and she grew to be a titan of the arts. Her legacy is one that still touches readers to this day.

    Expertly and evocatively told by award-winning author Carole Boston Weatherford, with beautiful painted illustrations by Khalif Tahir Thompson, this is a must-have picture book biography for any collection. It celebrates Toni Morrison’s legacy while inspiring readers to create art, believe in themselves, and strive for greatness.

  • Laolao's Dumplings

    by Dane Liu

    $18.99

    Millie's grandma, her Lao Lao, passes down her dumpling recipe in this heartwarming story about community, culture, and belonging.

    Millie loves cooking with her Lao Lao, and together they walk through Chinatown collecting fresh ingredients to make a steaming hot batch of dumplings. Chives from Auntie Lim, shrimp from Uncle Lee, and enough lychee to last all day make for the perfect dumplings and the perfect summer together for Millie and Lao Lao.

    However, when winter rolls around and Lao Lao falls ill, it's up to Millie to remember Lao Lao's recipe and return to Chinatown to get all the right ingredients. With two teaspoons of patience, a pinch of luck, and a whole lot of love, Millie and her parents make a batch of dumplings that Lao Lao will never forget.

    This is a celebration not only of good food, but of the loved ones we get to share good food with.

  • I Know Numbers!: (Counting Books for Kids, Children's Number Books) cover image
    $16.99

    How do we love numbers? Let us count the ways: They're on street signs and bus stops, featured on phones, thermometers, chalkboards, and scales. They show the time and the date, and help us to measure distance, sizing, and so much more. This spirited picture book by beloved author-illustrator Taro Gomi will charm and inform the youngest of readers, offering them a unique—and useful—look at a key concept we count on.

  • I Can Make a Movie! cover image

    Morgan Stevenson Cooper

    $18.99

    From self-taught, award-winning director Morgan Stevenson Cooper comes a heartfelt picture book about a girl on a mission to make her first movie—and lift her grandpa's spirits along the way.

    Norah Rose loves movies—action, comedy, drama—you name it! She dreams of becoming a director, but Hollywood feels a long way from home. When her grandpa falls ill, Norah decides to make a movie just for him, because no one loves a good story more than Grandpa. Armed with her mom’s phone, a head full of ideas, and the wide-open backdrop of Kansas City, Norah sets out to write, cast, shoot, and edit her very first film. There’s a lot of work ahead, but Norah’s sure of one thing: her movie is going to shine.

    With a spirited how-to approach and lively artwork by Geneva Bowers, Morgan Stevenson Cooper shows young readers how creativity, heart, and a little hustle can turn any dream into a reality.

  • Hazel's Best Day: A Story of Community, Accessibility, and Pride in Being Yourself cover image
    $18.99

    From the author of Oshún and Me and the artist of Homegrown comes a joyful picture book that celebrates community and individuality, inspired by real people with disabilities everywhere.

    Today is the best day of the year: PARADE DAY! It’s the day that Hazel’s city is a little bit shinier, everyone’s a little bit happier, and she gets to wear her sparkliest, coolest gear to celebrate and attend the disability pride parade.

    As Hazel takes readers on an eye-opening journey through her city on her way to the parade, along the way they will see the various ways in which communities can evolve to be more accessible and safe for everyone. Whether it's putting dips in the curb for people using mobility aids, facilitating the use of service animals, or installing wheelchair accessible playground equipment, there are a lot of ways our communities can be made safer and more accessible for everyone.

    Also by Adiba Nelson
    Oshún and Me: A Story of Love and Braids (also available in Spanish!)

    Also by DeAnn Wiley
    Homegrown
    Double Dutch Queen

  • Braided Roots: The interweaving of history, family, and a father's love cover image

    Pasha Westbrook

    $19.99

    A stunning, poetic debut picture book from Pasha Westbrook about honoring one’s roots and the unbreakable bond of familial love, brought to life with enchanting illustrations by Madelyn Goodnight.

    Father braids my hair, just like his,

    scented of coconut oil, the familiar tug of fingers on my scalp,

    love in every twist...

    As a young girl’s father lovingly yet painstakingly braids her hair, he weaves a story about the strength and resilience of their ancestors, Freedmen who walked the Trail of Tears from Mississippi to Oklahoma.

    In this enchanting picture book, past and present come together in a tale about endurance, history, and love. With beautiful, sweeping illustrations by Madelyn Goodnight and debut author Pasha Westbrook's lyrical writing, Braided Roots tenderly explores the unwavering love between a father and daughter.

  • A Song for Juneteenth cover image
    $18.99

    This emotional and lyrical picture book by acclaimed poet Zetta Elliott celebrates the importance of Juneteenth as well as the resilience of Black families and the power of community--featuring stunning illustrations from Caldecott Honoree Noa Denmon.

    Black child
    you were birthed from a
    dark
    jeweled expanse
    infinite and vast
    but holy as the womb

    Never forget it was HOPE that birthed you ...

    From birth to beyond, from slavery to freedom, and from generation to generation, this powerful and evocative book shows the breadth and depth of Black history--from the creative duo behind A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart, which won a Caldecott Honor.

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