A child discovers frog eggs in a pond. Eggs will become tadpoles and eventually frogs. But where did the very first frog come from? Well, the picture book merrily takes children way back in time to the Big Bang where the first atoms were just forming. Stars formed and exploded, atoms moving across the universe. 8 billion years later, our solar system formed around the sun. Earth was perfectly positioned to create living things, but it took time. Cells formed, became creatures, lived in water and eventually on land. Amphibians rule the land for 100 million years, evolving and eventually frogs started hopping.
This is the third book by this creative pair, offering a book both about frogs and about the universe and life itself. The text is engaging and interesting as it suddenly veers from pond life to all life and then back again to frogs. It’s a journey in time and space that is definitely worth taking as the book explains the process simply for young children to understand. The illustrations also change from watery blues and greens of frogs and ponds to the dynamic colors of the universe as it is born and grows.
A book about frogs that hops in new directions. Appropriate for ages 4-7.
Beginning with a gosling snug in his egg, the book tells it that it is time to hatch! Step one is finding and pricking the air cell in the egg so that the gosling can breathe. Step two is tapping away with its egg tooth to break that shell. Perhaps a quick nap, since that was hard work. Now on to cutting the shell and using wings and legs to exit. Find a warm spot to dry off and then you are set to head out with your mother and siblings.
Alongside the jaunty hatching story that can be shared aloud, there are in-depth facts on each page turn so that readers can learn more. It’s a great way to share information with children who are interested and still have a fast-paced read aloud for a crowd. The facts are written in an engaging style too, full of answers to natural questions. The art in this picture book is a lovely mix of cartoon and science, making for a book that will show well to a group and also read well snuggled close.
The Mystery Writers of America has announced their nominees for the 2026 Edgar Allan Poe Awards that focus on the best mystery fiction, nonfiction and TV produced in the previous year. The award has two categories which focus specifically on titles for youth. Here are the nominees in those categories:
Celebrate the centennial of Langston Hughes’ first book of poetry with this new collection of selected poems paired with art from twenty gifted Black artists. This collection takes the poems in The Weary Blues and skillfully pairs them with illustrators who capture the essence of each poem in their unique ways. The result is a nonfiction poetry book with each poem separate but also part of a whole. Turning these pages is a journey through Hughes’ work and also through beautiful and distinct artistic reactions to each poem.
With poems like “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” included in the collection, children will discover Hughes anew. The book ends with a biography of Langston Hughes as well as biographical information on each of the illustrators. The sweep from one illustrator to the next has been done with care, creating a full story as the pages turn and still allowing them to stand on their own.
This belongs in every library. Appropriate for ages 8-12.
Visit Jerry Pinkney’s studio with his granddaughter in this celebration of a granddaughter’s love of art and her connection with her grandfather. There are papers around the room, stacks of stories, and bright watercolors on a tray. Grandad shows her how to make a wash, but Charnelle can’t do it quite the same way. He gives Charnelle her own sketchbook to fill. The two draw side-by-side and Grandad explains that each artist will see the world in their own way.
Celebrate the nurturing of a young artist in this picture book about one of the best-known picture book artists of our time. Tying music into the feel of the book, the quiet time spent together each making art clearly inspired her to become the artist she is today. The illustrations in her book pay homage to her grandfather and still have a feel all her own as she uses cut paper figures and objects like paint brushes and erasers to create pages with depth and texture.
A warm and lovely tribute to a genius of picture book creation. Appropriate for ages 4-7.
Told from the perspective of the Alabama River, this picture book shares the account of Black American history as seen by the river. From the creation of Selma to the Trail of Tears. From enslaved people to battles during the Civil War. From sharecropping to bridges across the river. All is witnessed by the river itself. But nothing was quite like 1965 when resistance flowed across the bridge at Selma and freedom flowed but not without bloodshed and brutality.There were more rivers to cross, more agreements to be made, but history and change were made that day.
The Young People’s Poet Laureate has created a picture book that looks deeply at the dark history of slavery, sharecropping, lynching and more before turning to the hope of change inherent in the protests at Selma. The writing is beautiful, unflinching and honest about the history of racism that our country was built upon. Collier’s illustrations are a rich mix of acrylic, watercolor and collage. They include a gatefold that works to pause the reader, linger at a pivotal moment rather than rushing on past.
Powerful witness to our shared history. Appropriate for ages 8-12.
The shortlists for the 2026 Australian Indie Book Awards have been announced. The awards celebrate the finest of Australian writing and are nominated and judged by indie booksellers. The awards are given in several categories, including children’s and young adult. Below are the shortlisted titles for those two categories. Click here to see the entire list of shortlisted titles.
Waking Brain Cells 