Immigration Books for Kids

Photo from readbrightly.com

In a timely article from readbrightly.com, Laura Lambert highlights books for children that speak to the immigrant experience in the United States. She asks, "what does [immigration] mean to a 3-, 6-, or 12-year old?" Included in her list are picture books like, What is a Refugee?, Danbi Leads the School Parade, and Yuyi Morales's award winning Dreamers. 

To see the full list of titles you can read the article here.

[Books for Kids About the Immigrant Experience in America. Lambert, L. Updated in 2026. readbrightly.com]

https://www.readbrightly.com/books-about-immigration-for-kids/

Charlotte Zolotow Award winner

Photo from Penguin Random House

I'm pleased to announce that the winner of the 2026 Charlotte Zolotow Award is Angie Kang, for her stunning book Our Lake, which was published in 2025 by Kokila / Penguin Random House.

The committee also named three Honor Books and eight Highly Commended titles. The full list and press release are available on the CCBC website as of this morning. I will also be sending an award announcement email to the Friends listserv.

We are looking forward to the winning author joining us for the award event on the afternoon of Saturday, April 25. The time is yet to be determined; I'll keep you informed as I know more.

Sincere thanks, as always, to the Friends of the CCBC for your generous support of the Charlotte Zolotow Award.

Sincerely,

Madeline Freimuth, CCBC librarian and 2026 CZ Award chair

ICYMI Storytime Books of 2025

What books published in 2025 work best for storytime? We've got you covered with a roundup of  some best of 2025 lists!

Photo by Yan Krukau from Pexels

JBrary

Every year JBrary pulls together a list of their favorite picture books for storytime. This year Lindsey Krabbenhoft compiled the list her "top picks for picture books published in 2025 that make excellent read-alouds to groups of babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age kids."

You can find the entire list here: https://jbrary.com/2025-favourite-storytime-picture-books/. 

The post includes links to Jbrary's Favorite Storytime Picture Books going back to 2013. Definitely worth going back through and seeing what gems you could add to your storytimes!

LaLa Librarian 

Alyssa Jewell, a.k.a. La La Librarian, read over 500 picture books published in 2025 to "painstakingly narrow that list down to a top 10 for storytime read-alouds." It's specifically, curated for with suggestions for storytimes with preschool, kindergarten, and 1st graders.

You can find her list: https://www.lalalibrarian.com/blog/best-storytime-books-of-2025.

 Fuse8

As part of her 31 Days, 31 Lists series in December, Besty Bird featured Picture Book readalouds sure to "shake up your readaloud game, all plucked from 2025 publications."

Bird links to her readaloud list from years past but I'd also encourage you to check out the full 31 Days, 31 Lists series like Great Board Books, Funny Picture Books, Nonfiction Picture Books and so many more great suggestions.

 

Storytime is essential

Photo by Alejandro Barba on Unsplash

"Storytime is essential." This quote from an article in The Horn Book  caught my eye recently as I was flipping through the magazine. When we're in the weekly grind of storytime, it's easy to forget that. It's easy to get stuck in the monotonous routine of  nursery rhymes, movement activities, picture books, and puppets. Every once in a while it's nice to be reminded of how important what we do is to the community we serve. 

I want to share a story with you about a time I was sweetly reminded of what we are truly doing when we serve the families we serve. There was a young girl, we'll call her Ann. Ann came to storytime every week, and never spoke a word. Her mother told me that she didn't speak any English, so they came to storytime to help her learn, and to have her be around other kids. For months they came and Ann would smile and bop along to music, but still didn't speak. One day about three months after they started coming, we were ending storytime with bubbles (as we always do) and Ann yelled out as loud as her little lungs would allow, "BUBBLES!" It was the highlight of my year. It was the first English word I heard her speak, and from there she just kept talking. 

Her family moved recently, but her mom wrote a card to the youth librarians before she went she left a card saying, "You are literally her first teacher and through your storytimes she learned a lot. Now she can read and always loves bubbles, thanks to you." What an incredible reminder of the impact we as librarians have on the kids in our libraries. 

Do you have a story to share about a time when you felt the love? A compliment someone gave you, or a time that you could see the difference you were making? Let's end 2025 sharing some of that love with each other!

[Storytime Hits. Peterson, Hannah. The Horn Book. January/February 2026.]

Throw-It Thursdays: Relabeling the Holidays

 Ashley Borman, Technical Services Librarian at the Clintonville (WI) Public Library, is back with another collection development - and weeding - column.

Do you have a Holiday section in your library? Are the Holiday books all listed under just “Holiday – Author Name”? How do you find the books you want for each season or holiday? When I started working at my current library, there was already a Holiday Section in the picture books. But it was chaos. Everything had the same generic green holiday sticker on it and was under the authors last name. It made things very difficult to find, especially for lesser known holidays.

A few years after I started, when I was settled in and comfortable with making changes, I talked to our children’s librarian and we started a fix to this issue. We bought specific holiday stickers for Valentine’s Day, Easter, Fourth of July (just a flag), Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. We put these stickers over the Holiday sticker that was already on the item. Instead of putting them all back in alphabetical order, we put all of each of the specific Holidays with their own sticker on separate shelves.

After picture of the reorganized green holiday stickers next to the rest of the holiday books.

There are still a few shelves with the generic holiday sticker, but it made it much easier for us to identify and pull books for displays and teachers, and the kids love it because they can find what they want more quickly too. After almost 10 years, we decided the specific holiday stickers were no longer enough. Our generic green Holiday sticker shelves were getting stuffed, and we still had trouble finding all of the lesser-known holiday books for a specific holiday when we wanted or needed them.

Earlier this month, I pulled all of these books and did a weed based on condition, usage, et cetera. We discarded a lot of old and crusty books. To reorganize these items, we re-labeled them with the name of the holiday and the first initial of the author. So Groundhog Day books are all together under Groundhog, all of the Diwali books are together under Diwali, Hanukkah under Hanukkah, and so on. It is now so much neater and more organized, and specific holidays are a breeze to find!

Closer view of one of the newly re-organized shelves.

The Best 25 Picture Books of the Past 25 Years

Photo by Taylor Heery on Unsplash

 When you think about picture books, it's often easy to recall the classics of your youth. When someone asks about my favorite children's books, the first that come to mind are Corduroy, Caps for Sale, or anything by Richard Scarry. Then more current options pop up like Fluffy McWhiskers Cuteness Explosion, Julian is a Mermaid, or Your Birthday was the Best. 

Writing for Slate.com Dan Kois and Rebecca Onion have compiled a list of the best picture books from the past 25 years, proving that new(er) books have a place alongside those classics we remember. The article states, "Picture books have undergone a revolution in the past 25 years...The art form is now remarkably different from what it was when we were little." 

Read the full article and find out if any of your favorites made the list here.

[The 25 Greatest Picture Books of the Past 25 Years. Kois, Dan & Onion, Rebecca. September 22, 2025. Slate.com.] https://slate.com/culture/2025/09/best-kids-books-2025-picture-read-aloud-new.html

Make 2026 the Year of Math at Your Library!

Did you know 2026 is the United States' official year of math? Me neither but I'm excited to learn about it!

MoMath (the National Museum of Mathematics) is an award-winning museum in New York, New York that celebrates the role of mathematics in all the structures and patterns around us. But next year MoMath is expanding its reach by "curating picture-book spotlights, hands-on activity guides, and turnkey program ideas that any library can use to celebrate the United States' official 2026 Year of Math."

Join the Year of Math Librarians' Notification List to:

• receive early alerts when resources go live
• get tips for hosting math-themed storytimes and activities
• join a community of librarian committed to interdisciplinary engagement!

Are you planning any math-related programs at your Library? 

Tips and Info from DPI's June 26, 2025 Youth Services Newsletter

Jeni Schomber's DPI Youth Services Weekly Reminders and Resources is an email newsletter chockfull of great resources we've come to rely on. If you are a WI youth library staffer and you don't receive this weekly missive in your email inbox, please contact Jeni (jennifer.schomber@dpi.wi.gov) to be placed on the list! 

Here is the June 26, 2025 edition  

Hello All, Check out these valuable youth services resources and reminders! WiSciFest Bioblitz The 15th Annual Wisconsin Science Festival (WSF) will be held October 16-26, 2025. Again, this year, the Wisconsin Water Library at UW-Madison is assisting the WSF to support libraries' participation in the WiSciFest Bioblitz - a community science event that collects data on biodiversity in Wisconsin.  Libraries are a perfect fit for hosting a mini bioblitz and the Water Library is here to help. A bioblitz gives community members the opportunity to explore and record the surrounding flora and fauna and can run for one hour, one day or for the whole run of the science festival.  A free, one-hour informational webinar will be held on Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at 11:30. This is an opportunity to learn the basics of community science and how you might participate. The webinar is designed for both new and experienced bioblitzers. Learn more and register for the webinar.  CSLP Newsletter Check out the latest Collaborative Summer Library Program newsletter featuring a Partnership Spotlight, Library Staff Self-Care tips, Manual Highlights, and more. You may even recognize a Wisconsin public  library or two highlighted in the Color Our World video! SLJ Picture Book Palooza Thursday, July 17th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Join School Library Journal July 17th for the fifth annual SLJ Picture Book Palooza, an all-day, free virtual celebration of authors and artists from around the world, who bring picture books to life with their extraordinary art. Register for a day dedicated to their craft and hard work, with a schedule that includes keynotes, author panels, and illustrator spotlights with visionary creators. Visit the exhibit hall, chat with authors and publishing teams, download digital galleys & resources, and be prepared to be inspired as you build your collection, one picture book at a time. Registration and more information Building Community Based Summers (BCBS) National Cohort Save the date! The next CSLP-sponsored BCBS national cohort will be offered in the fall of 2025. Watch for an announcement later this summer and in the meantime, be sure to subscribe to the Collaborative Summer Library Program newsletter for news and announcements.  Jeni Schomber Public Library Consultant The DPI does not sponsor or endorse external resources or events. They are provided for your consideration only. Contact: jeni.schomber@dpi.wi.gov

2024 CLEL Bell Picture Book Award Winners

Alison Loewen, CLEL Award committee member and YSS past chair shares this exciting news:

Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy today announced five winning picture books that exemplify the early literacy practices READ, WRITE, SING, TALK, and PLAY. Winners were selected from a 25-title shortlist put forth by the awards committee and voted on by library and early childhood professionals from around Colorado.

The 2024 CLEL Bell winners in each category are:

READ - “This is a Story” written by John Shu and illustrated by Lauren Castillo. The book is published by Candlewick.

WRITE - “Scroll” written and illustrated by Hui Li. The book is published by Christy Ottaviano Books (Little, Brown and Company).

TALK - is “A Day with No Words” written by Tiffany Hammond and illustrated by Kate Cosgrove. The book is published by Wheat Penny

PLAY - “Quiet Time with My Seeya” written and illustrated by Dinale Dabarera. The book is published by Roaring Book Press.

SING - “We Belong to the Drum” written by Sandra Lamouche and illustrated by Azby Whitecalf. The book is published by Orca Book Publishers.

The CLEL Bell Picture Book Awards are an annual recognition of five high-quality picture books that provide excellent support for early literacy skills for young children. A winner is chosen in each of 5 categories that support early literacy: READ, WRITE, TALK, PLAY, and SING.

Criteria for the Award:

  *   Theme or content related to one of the five early literacy practices: Read, Write, Sing, Talk, or Play

  *   Distinction or uniqueness in presentation of relevant theme or content

  *   Supports and/or models parent and caregiver engagement with their children through early literacy practices

  *   Ability to appeal to parents or caregivers and their young children (ages birth-5) of diverse family situations

  *   Excellence in writing, illustration, and design

  *   Excellent book production (quality paper, binding, cover, etc)

  *   Fiction and nonfiction are eligible.

For more information contact info@clel.org<mailto:info@clel.org> and visit https://www.clel.org/clel-bell-awards/

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Picture Books with SEL

Whenever Tess Prendergast writes a post for the ALSC blog, I sit up and take notice. Her well-thought out and well-researched insights on early literacy, preschool literature and services are always fascinating. She worked as a children’s librarian for 23 years and has a PhD in early literacy education and now teaches librarianship and children’s literature courses at The School of Information, University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, Canada. She currently facilitates the ALSC Preschool Discussion group and has served on both the Geisel (2023) and Caldecott (2016) committees.

In her most recent ALSC post, Tess writes: "Most children’s library workers have already heard of the concept called social and emotional learning (SEL). In many ways, its exact definition is self-evident: SEL is learning that seeks to address the social and emotional developmental needs of children.[1]

Among many other benefits to children’s overall literacy growth, I believe that children’s picture books present rich opportunities for practitioners to extend understanding of specific SEL concepts. Although no single picture book can fully demonstrate all the complexities of SEL, here I have selected some of my favourite, recently published picture books and linked them to the 5 dimensions of SEL which are: Self-awareness; Self-management; Responsible decision-making; Relationship skills; and Social Awareness. "

To read Tess's suggestions and resources, please click here [Reading Picture Books through a Social and Emotional Learning Lens. Prendergast, Tess. ALSC blog. January 18, 2024.]

Tots "Step Up" to Picture Books

Littles can be tough on books. That's why board books are so great. But how does one help them transition to the more easily damaged picture books without destruction following?  

Photo: Amy Steinbauer. ALSC blog

In a recent ALSC blog post, Amy Steinbauer shared how she solved that problem with withdrawn (but still in good condition) books serving as "practice books" in the library. She writes "I often hear parents or caregivers say that they want their toddlers/preschoolers to move past board books and into picture books, but they are concerned that the books are too delicate for their child’s use. They know the toddler death grip is real or notorious destructive preschoolers may accidentally or not, tear or rip the pages of picture books. These fears may sound important to patrons who don’t want to destroy precious books or who may worry about a fine, but at the library, we want books to be read, and used, and enjoyed! (Even if they are sometimes destroyed]."

To read the full post, please stop here. [Practice Picture Books. Steinbauer, Amy. ALSC blog. April 7, 2023]

CLEL Book Awards Announced

 

The Colorado Libraries Early Learning (CLEL) book awards were recently announced. CLEL Bell Picture Book Awards are an annual recognition of five high-quality picture books that provide excellent support of early literacy development in young children. 

A winner and honorees are chosen as exemplary in five categories: READ, WRITE, TALK, PLAY,  and SING,

To see the awards list, early literacy activity guides and more, please stop here.

Tuesday Tips: SLJ Picture Book Palooza

Sam Jones is the Youth Services Librarian at the Beaver Dam Public Library. Today she shares a tip on a free virtual event coming in two days (don't despair - if you register, you will have access to the sessions for three months after the event)!

School Library Journal's Picture Book Palooza is coming right up on this Thursday, July 14. It is a free, virtual event from 11- 6 pm that features authors and illustrators of picture books. You do have to register for the event. However, the sessions will all be available to watch on demand the next day! 

There are many topics that will be discussed during the event, such as identity and individuality, family, and humor in picture books. This can be a great way to learn about the current trends in picture books and hear about some new books. 

JBrary's Favorite 2021 Storytime Picture Books

JBrary's blog has been more active this past year and it's with pleasure that we share their most recent post.

Lindsey Krabbenhoft writes: "I hope this list helps you feel reinvigorated to do a magical part of our jobs: sharing stories with families in whatever way makes sense for your community right now. I think of this annual blog post as my love letter to my fellow children’s librarians – I see you and I feel lucky to be part of this community. Cheers to us!"

Click here to read the full blog post plus access previous years' Favorite Storytime Picture Book Lists.

Brooke's Books - Storytime Favorites

Brooke Newberry, early literacy librarian at La Crosse Public Library, is back with her final column sharing recommendations on great picture books for your collection. YSS thanks Brooke for her contributions over the past year!

As 2021 comes to a close, I’m reflecting back on all of the amazing children’s picture books that were published this past year. Here are a few of my storytime favorites. Happy New Year!

Eyes That Kiss In The Corners

Joanna Ho

Harper, 2021

A young Asian girl notices that her eyes look different from her peers'. Drawing from the strength of these powerful women in her life, she recognizes her own beauty and discovers a path to self-love and empowerment. This powerful, poetic picture book will resonate with readers of all ages.

Best Day Ever

Marilyn Singer

Clarion, 2021

This playful puppy thinks she’s having the best day ever! She's so happy to be out with her friend, she doesn't even realize that she's being a little naughty. But then he scolds her, and suddenly—Worst. Day. Ever. Will puppy be able to make amends and turn their day back around?

Room for Everyone

Naaz Khan

Atheneum, 2021

A young boy on a crowded bus discovers that, after some wiggles and giggles, there’s room for everyone in this lighthearted rhyming picture book set in Zanzibar.

Itty-Bitty Kitty Corn

Shannon Hale

Abrams, 2021

Kitty thinks she might be a unicorn. She feels so perfectly unicorn-y! “Neigh!” says Kitty. But when Unicorn clop clop clops over, sweeping his magnificent tail and neighing a mighty neigh, Kitty feels no bigger than a ball of lint. Can this unlikely pair embrace who they are, and truly see one another? 

Shh! The Baby's Asleep

JaNay Brown-Wood, 2021
Baby is finally asleep. But everyone is much too loud! Can Mom, Daddy, Grammy, Pop Pop, Shae, Dante, Rover the dog, and even the neighbor keep quiet? A hilarious cast of characters will keep readers laughing throughout this amusing celebration of early literacy and intergenerational family relationships.

Play with WLA During National Picture Book Month

WLA Exec Director Laura Salser writes in WLA's 11/12/21WLA Bulletin to members:

November is Picture Book Month

Picture Book Month is an international literacy initiative that celebrates the print picture book during the month of November.

Tell us how your library is celebrating!  Send photos, stories, and more to sauser@wisconsinlibraries.org.

In honor of this special month, we’re taking an informal poll:   What is the most popular picture book checked out from your library over the past year?  Send replies to sauser@wisconsinlibraries.org.

Brooke's Books - Board Books

Brooke Newberry, La Crosse Public Library, is back with her monthly column sharing recommendations on great picture books for your collection. 

My heart belongs to board books! These small but mighty books are perfect for our youngest patrons. These are a few of my favorite board books from the year so far. 

Hello Baby Animals, Who are you?

Loes Botman

Duo Press, 2021

Meet some adorable baby animals -- a wobbly foal, a playful kid, muddy piglets and many more. Young children will love seeing familiar baby animals, discovering new ones and learning their special names.

Dog's First Baby: A Board Book

Natalie Nelson

Quirk Books, 2021

Welcoming a new baby to the family isn’t always easy. When his humans bring home someone new, Dog is determined to sniff out the truth. Is this arrival another dog, or something else? As Dog investigates, he might just find a new friend in this loud, silly creature.

My Heart Beats

Rina Singh

Orca, 2021

No matter what language we speak, no matter where we live in the world, our hearts beat with the same rhythm. A beautiful photographic board book featuring babies from all over the world and the sounds their hearts make as they beat with love.

City Baby

Laurie Elmquist 

Orca, 2021

Bustling streets, lively squares and busy restaurants are baby’s playground when they are in the big city. So much to see and do as baby’s stroller navigates the crowded avenues or baby takes a break in a quiet park to blow bubbles and chase pigeons. Rhyming verse from Laurie Elmquist takes the reader on a journey through a festive big city.

Everyone’s Sleepy but the Baby

Tracy C. Gold

Familius, 2021

After a long day, the whole family is ready to hit the hay . . . except for the baby. Why is it so hard to get the baby to sleep? With hilarious illustrations that might hit a little too close to home for new parents, Everyone’s Sleepy but the Baby is the perfect, true-to-life bedtime story that will help even the most reluctant sleeper wind down for bed.

Families Grow

Dan Saks

Rise x Penguin, 2021

This warm appreciation of love invites the youngest readers to share in the joy and excitement of expecting families. The lyrical, rhyming text subtly references pregnancy, surrogacy, and adoption, gently touching on the different ways a family can grow. The book's celebratory yet comforting tone incites both appreciation and understanding, leaving readers with a lasting message of unconditional familial love.