Welcome to another round-up of recently read and recommended picture books! In no particular order, here are the titles: Unicorn (and Horse) by David W. Miles, illustrated by Hollie Mengert, a marvelously, cleverly told story (and one that my four year old loves) about a horse who feels ordinary next to a unicorn and their magic until a moment of discovery; Run Wild by David Covell, a dynamic, singsong story- an ode to the outdoors- that positively drums, wiggles and springs off the pages; Qin Leng’s I Am Small, an amazingly lovely, gentle and thoughtful author-illustrator debut from a celebrated Canadian favourite about changing self-perceptions and younger siblings; the brilliantly conceived and illustrated Sweep by Louise Greig, art by Júlia Sardà, a story about unruly, larger-than-large emotions that readers of any age will be able to connect with; Crow Not Crow by Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple, illustrated by Elizabeth O. Dulemba, an engaging, sweet and simultaneously educational read about a young girl’s first attempts at bird watching with her father; the mightily fun and wonderfully illustrated I Am a Cat by Galia Bernstein, which will be enjoyed over and over again by feline lovers; The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes by Duncan Tonatiuh, a reimagining of a Mexican legend and so very, very captivating, featuring Tonatiuh’s gorgeous, unmistakable artwork; Me and My Fear by Francesca Sanna, a beautiful and emotionally resonant look at a young girl’s growing fears as she moves to a new country; and last but not least, The Remember Balloons by Jessie Oliveros, illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte, a deeply moving and touching story about a young child seeing their beloved grandfather experience stages of memory loss- you may cry, you may smile at the loveliness or at thoughts about your own grandparents, and your heart may ache from this story, but it should not be missed.
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