SLJ Reviews

In these five titles for new readers, pairs of friends share in adventures and have twice the fun.

That rocks are born, not made, will have children sitting up with delight for these two fact-filled but funny origin stories.

From nursery rhymes that soothe to spooky verses that thrill, these titles share a variety of poems for young readers to experience.

Why should Christmas in July get all the summer holiday glory? This list of Halloween board books and picture books is perfect for those who want to get into the spooky spirit despite the summer heat.

This month, a poetry collection by Margarita Engle, a new middle grade novel from Dan Gemeinhart, and a nonfiction title about the Erie Canal stand out, along with other great books.

Finding Spanish-language books for older readers continues to be a challenge, but we’ve curated this list that includes translations of Jason Reynolds and Raina Telgemeier’s popular titles and a Spanish-original YA about an undocumented teen.

These eight forthcoming board books and picture books will be available long before December. Turn on some Christmas tunes, grab a Santa hat, and peruse these holly, jolly offerings.

These six titles show that good things come in small sturdy packages. Board books, for the pre-literate and newest readers, continue to surprise and delight in equal measure, and fly off the shelves for story hours.

From Pakistan to Spain to ordinary neighborhoods, the power of books has never been more visible than in these 65 gems plucked from the mines of picture books published in the first half of 2025.