by Lisa Katzenberger, illustrated by Hannah George; Sourcebooks Kids, 2024.
An accessible, affirming picture book, I Can Do It Even If I’m Scared offers gentle advice for meeting and overcoming fears to children in Grades K-3.
Social-Emotional Learning
Sourgrass
by Hope Lim, illustrated by Shahrzad Maydani; Beach Lane Books, 2024.
Sofia and May forge their friendship as they play in the wildflowers beyond their yards. How their friendship evolves when May moves away makes for a sweet and hopeful story just right for primary graders.
One Sweet Song
by Jyoti Rajan Gopal, illustrated by Sonia Sánchez; Candlewick Press, 2024.
“One sweet song for heart and soul; one sweet song to make us whole.” Here’s a counting tale told in lilting rhyme that mirrors the soothing storyline. A diverse neighborhood comes together through music that gradually grows and gently falls. The notes played help overcome loneliness, lift hearts, and connect young and old.
A Family Like Ours
by Frank Murphy and Alice Lee, illustrated by Kayla Harren; Sleeping Bear Press, 2023.
The latest in the …Like series of picture books, A Family Like Ours celebrates the diversity found in families while reflecting on the commonalities. As the refrain that grows through the book reflects, “We are braver together, we are better together, we are made to be together. We are safe together; we are stronger together.”
Next Door
by Deborah Kerbel, illustrated Isaac Liang; Kids Can Press, 2023.
Wordless picture book Next Door highlights the joy in appreciating simple pleasures and the value in finding positive ways to overcome differences and connect with others.
Light Comes to Shadow Mountain
by Toni Buzzeo; Holiday House, 2023.
Set in the mountains of eastern Kentucky in the 1930s, this Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection explores the onset of efforts to spread electrification to rural America. This novel not only sheds light on the importance of electricity, but through story expertly drawn, it exemplifies the importance of having convictions grounded in facts while also respecting others’ beliefs, and the value in seeking to understand both sides of an issue when forming an opinion or landing on a belief.