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.

Reading books to my kids is one of my very favorite parts of parenting. There’s just something about curling up on the couch together and experiencing a new story that I adore. I love teaching my kids about other cultures and perspectives, experiences they may go through later in life, and just the beautiful illustrations in picture books. Check out some of our favorite new books from Holiday House and Peachtree as we head into the holiday season! 

Sensational New Picture Books from Holiday House and Peachtree

Challah Day

Inspired by memories creators Charlotte Offsay and Jason Kirschner have of baking Challah with their children, Challah Day celebrates the sweetness of sharing homemade food as a family. A family mixes, kneads, and braids bread in this joyful, rhyming story about a Jewish holiday food that’s baked with love. From kneading sticky dough to gathering with family around the table, Challah Day celebrates family, food, heritage, and tradition! A Challah recipe is included. Ages 3-5.

• Buy it: Amazon

In The Night Garden

Carin Berger, the award-winning author of The Little Yellow Leaf, has fashioned a bedtime book like no other—a gentle, collage-illustrated bedtime read about the often mysterious and always beautiful experiences to be found in nighttime spaces. While little ones may fear the dark and the unknowns it contains, the unfamiliar can be beautiful and it not something to fear. Curious readers will be rewarded when they look for the mysterious cat that appears on every page! Ages 3-6.

• Buy it: Amazon

Boom!

Easy-to-read text and energetic, cartoon-style artwork make for an accessible story filled with personality and visual humor. Dog and Cat are sleeping peacefully when–BOOM! A thunderstorm comes. While Cat is happy to spend the noisy night playing with toys, Dog frantically tries find the just the right hiding spot. The recipient of two Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Books, Paul Mesiel brings young readers on a silly, nighttime adventure. Ages 4-8.

• Buy it: Amazon

Banana Dream

Inspired by the author’s own childhood, a young boy in Iraq yearns to taste the bananas that have been made unavailable by warfare. Plentiful and inexpensive elsewhere, in this story, they represent something longed for but unattainable. With simple prose, This picture book explores a unique perspective on a fruit that’s often overlooked in North America, giving readers insight which sheds light on a place and time with which they might not otherwise be familiar. Ages 4-8.

• Buy it: Amazon

Owl and Penguin: Best Day Ever

Vikram Madan’s Geisel Honor characters are back! Sometimes best friends disagree. Though Owl and Penguin are opposites, they like to solve their conflicts with creative play. In five nearly wordless stories, expressive art leads the storytelling, supplemented by simple text captions and emoticon-style images in speech bubbles. With warm humor and a joyful palette, it’s perfect for kids to giggle over on their own. Ages 4-8.

• Buy it: Amazon

My Day with Dad

Modeled after her own, debut author/illustrator Rae Crawford has created an early reader that celebrates biracial families. A day with Dad is a day packed with fun! Games, kites, a bike ride, mac and cheese, and more! Young readers can enjoy this simply-worded story independently, or cuddle up for some quality father-child time of their own. Ages 4-8.

• Buy it: Amazon

Tadpoles

In this tender reflection on the fleeting rhythms of the natural world and the enduring love of family, a boy and his father spend a morning exploring an ephemeral pond, a delicate nursery formed by rainfall, perfect for sheltering tadpoles from predators as they grow. The boy’s father doesn’t live with him anymore, and the ponds may only be temporary, but together they make memories that just might last a lifetime. With Tadpoles, author and illustrator Matt James draws from his own memories as a parent and as a child to tell a wistful, relatable story. The book includes additional information on tadpoles! Ages 4-8.

• Buy it: Amazon

Let me know: Which book looks best to you? Be sure to consider these books from Holiday House and Peachtree for the upcoming holidays!

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/