Thanks to Holiday House and Peachtree for sending me these books! As always all opinions are my own. There are affiliate links in this post.

Are your kids doing the Pizza Hut Book-It Program this year? Mine are through their school program and we’re always looking for new books to add to our shelves. Our seven year old has really taken off with his reading ability this year and even my ten year old still loves to read engaging picture books. I’m so excited to share a few that we’ve just added to our weekly line-up!

New Books from Holiday House and Peachtree Publishers

Giants Are Very Brave People

The perfect storytime book for the child who needs a little help learning to be brave! Everyone is afraid of something, but Bigelow is afraid of just about everything–clouds, alphabet soup, baths. One day Bigelow meets a tiny woman who is afraid of HIM. Luckily, Bigelow is better at making friends than being scary, and soon Mrs. Pimberly and Bigelow are eating pancakes together. Mrs. Pimberly is surprised Bigelow is scared of so many things. Maybe if he acted more like a fierce giant and shouted “Fee Fi Fo Fum!” he wouldn’t be so scared. Can these magic words really help Bigelow conquer his fear? In a new edition, revisit this sweet, funny story of a giant finding his courage from Florence Parry Heide, author of The Shrinking of Treehorn and Princess Hyacinth. Illustrator Merrill Rainey puts a new contemporary spin on this fractured fairytale with his bright, playful cartoon style.

• Buy it: Amazon

The Brand-New, Never-Used, Perfect Crayons

Violet is ecstatic when she earns her very own super big box of eighty-four crayons all matching in length, perfectly pointed, each in their smooth, uniform wrapper. There’s even one with her name on it. She can’t stop imagining all the wonderful things she can draw with them. But when it comes time to get busy, she can’t seem to do it—she doesn’t want to ruin all that perfection. It isn’t until her little sister takes matters into her own hands that Violet is able to let go and have fun drawing all the things she dreamed up when she first got her box of brand-new, never-used, perfect crayons. With The Brand-New, Never-Used, Perfect Crayons, Leanne Hatch taps into the joy of sharing, creating, and letting go of perfectionism. Adorable art set alongside textured crayon sketches reminiscent of classics like Harold and the Purple Crayon makes this a book perfectly suited for the shelves of young creatives everywhere.

• Buy it: Amazon

Big Truck Super Wash

The jolly manager at the Big Truck Super Wash welcomes each dirty truck with a warm smile, shampoo (gurgle and gush), steam, scrubbers (swish-a, swoosh-a), and a rinse. The trucks can return home glistening, gleaming, and spot-free. With rhythm, rhyme, and onomatopoeia, the text is fun to read aloud. And each truck is depicted with expressive headlight eyes and a personality of its own. In creating the character of the truck wash manager, the illustrator portrayed his dad, who owned a truck and often recruited his son to help wash it. Subtle messages about hard work and cleanliness make it a perfect choice for bath time or any time!

• Buy it: Amazon

A Walk in the Woods

Confused and distraught after the death of his father, a boy opens an envelope he left behind and is surprised to find a map of the woods beyond their house, with one spot marked in bright red. But why? The woods had been something they shared together, why would his father want him to go alone? Slowly, his mind settles as he sets off through the spaces he once explored with his dad, passing familiar beech and black oak trees, flitting Carolina wrens, and a garter snake they named Sal. When he reaches the spot marked on the map, he finds pages upon pages of drawings of woodland creatures, made by his father when he was his age. What he sees shows him a side of his dad he never knew, and something even deeper for them to share together. His dad knew what he really needed was a walk in the woods. New York Times bestselling author Nikki Grimes and the Caldecott Award winning illustrator Jerry Pinkney spent the early days of the pandemic emailing back and forth and talking about collaborating on a book, with Jerry sharing all of the pictures he took of the woods around his house. From this, they conjured a story of a boy’s struggle with grief, and all the things he sees and feels on a walk through the forest.

• Buy it: Amazon

Madeline Finn and the Blessing of the Animals

It’s a special day! Madeline Finn is taking Bonnie and Star to the Blessing of the Animals. When they arrive, they see dogs and cats. There’s even a goat! Madeline Finn watches closely as the Reverend Mary Alice spends time with every animal, giving each one their very own blessing. “How do you know what to say?” Madeline Finn wants to know. “Everyone has a blessing inside,” Miss Mary explains. “A special gift to share with the world.” When Madeline Finn receives a blessing all her own, she has a new mission: finding the blessings in others. Surely, the furry and feathery residents at her local animal shelter have lots of special gifts to share. They just need someone to believe in them—someone to set those blessings free.

• Buy it: Amazon

Prak Fills the House

Prak is a practical pig who is often overlooked by her two older brothers: Mo the muscly one, and Bo the beautiful one. So when Poppa Pig offers his house to whichever of his children can fill it to the brim, everyone assumes Mo or Bo will be up for the task. No one expects Prak to have the strength or charisma to fill a house. But with a lot of creativity and a bit of luck, Prak might just surprise them all! Charming and lighthearted illustrations by debut illustrator Lauren Emmons joyously accentuate this lively read-aloud from the acclaimed author of Boo Stew, Donna L. Washington. A warm and endearing choice to share with family.

• Buy it: Amazon

Do You Remember?

Tucked in bed at a new apartment, a boy and his mother trade favorite memories. Some are idyllic, like a picnic with Dad, but others are more surprising: a fall from a bike into soft piled hay, the smell of an old oil lamp when a rainstorm blew the power out. Now it’s just the two of them, and the house where all those memories happened is far away. But maybe someday, this will be a favorite memory, too: happy and sad, an end and a beginning intertwined. In a series of warm and wistful vignettes, as achingly fleeting as childhood memories always become, Sydney Smith takes us into the mind of a young person processing a bevy of complex emotions during a major life change. Do You Remember? is a stirring meditation on holding fast to the best of the past, and choosing to believe in the future.

• Buy it: Amazon

The Voice in the Hollow

When a blizzard closes the library early, Hubert decides to take a shortcut home through the spooky Hollow. Just as Hubert is gathering his nerve to press on, another mouse appears and offers to take his hand. Together they journey through the snow, an ominous forest, over fallen trees traversing ravines, and over the mountains. Hidden in the terrain are scenes that evoke myths of the origins of Earth’s mysterious features and nature’s erratic behavior. In a stunning double gatefold, sleeping bears spring to life, setting off a landslide and sending Hubert and his guardian running. Just as Hubert is reaching his destination he turns to find his guide gone. Hubert races home to tell his family about his wild adventure through the Hollow. In this winter tale, with a sparse text Will Hillenbrand crafts a new family favorite for settling down on snowy nights.

• Buy it: Amazon

The Littlest Yak and the New Arrival

Gertie the littlest yak is getting ready to welcome a new arrival to the family, and that means big sister planning and big sister sharing. She can’t wait to share all her favorite things — like her curly-wool comb for important back-scratching, or her pinecones for playing yak throwing and catching — because the newest yakling will have so much to learn! But how does Gertie feel about sharing Mummy? Is there enough room in Mummy’s heart to love both Gertie AND the new arrival? This adorably warm and reassuring story from the award-winning creators of The Littlest Yak shows readers that there will always be room for families, and hearts, to grow.

• Buy it: Amazon

The North Wind and the Sun

This thought-provoking, gorgeous story portrays the many different definitions of strength, as told through the powerful bond of three sisters. Together they face The North Wind, a mighty wintry gale bent on destroying the sisters’ old patchwork coats with his harsh words and powerful blustering. But these gray-haired sisters stand firm, bracing against the hateful Wind and his taunts, facing his negativity with practicality, resilience, grit, and gut. Their coats will not be blown off by force. It isn’t until the Sun tries her own methods—generosity, warmth, and waiting—that the sisters make their own decision: it is time to remove their coats. It’s the downfall of a bully, the downfall of aggression, the downfall of the Wind. With beautiful collage artwork and author Philip Stead’s characteristically nuanced storytelling, this retelling of The North Wind and the Sun demonstrates the importance of persistence, the power of standing up for what you believe in, and the triumph of love over hate.

• Buy it: Amazon

Scaredy Cats

Three kittens, faced with a pink polka dotted present have different ideas of what might be in it. One’s pretty sure it’s a cake, but his two skittish friends aren’t so certain. What if it’s a big hungry crocodile waiting to eat them up? Or a cakeand a crocodile? Or a cake, a crocodile, a tiger AND a great white shark? The stakes get higher as the laughs get louderin this hilarious read aloud with raucous illustrations by popular author artist Jeff Mack.

• Buy it: Amazon

Pass the Baby

What does it take to make a perfect family meal? Is it the forks, spoons, plates, and napkins? Maybe it’s sister’s lemonade, Papi’s guacamole, or delicious meatballs and ravioli eyed by a hungry pup. When it’s time to sit down and dig in, there’s one thing everybody agrees they need to do, “Baby, baby, pass the baby!” This rollicking, rhyming picture book about one (rather large) diverse family dinner table captures the buzz and hum of a shared meal, with one adorably excitable baby at its center, eager to join the fun. With Pass the Baby, author Susanna Reich imbues her text with an undercurrent of harmony, warmth and inclusivity, complimented by ebullient illustrations by Raúl Colón.

• Buy it: Amazon

All of these books are beautifully illustrated and SO much fun to read aloud. Holiday House and Peachtree books are always huge hits in our household, and I know they will be in yours too! Let me know which ones look like favorites for your family in the comments below!

Amber

Hi there! I’m Amber, a 34 year old wife and mom of two from central Minnesota. I love to be outside with my family anywhere the weather is warm (which means I spend half the year freezing). We’re a homeschooling family that loves to travel as often as possible! When I have a spare free moment, I love to read, take photos, and scrapbook. I’m interested in anything that makes life more fun; I also love socializing and sharing about my favorite products!

www.emilyreviews.com/