In this book, a young boy named Fledgling is guided by his family and teacher to help him recognize when he’s feeling anxious and overwhelmed and learn to regulate his emotions.

Using an analogy of flying a plane, with an adult “flight instructor” helping a child have a “smooth flight,” the authors use a five-propeller […]

A fish tracks down a friend’s missing pearl in Adam Moryto’s picture book The Sassy Snapper.

Sassy Snapper is a fish who enjoys solving mysteries and puzzles. When Curious Clam’s shiny pearl goes missing, Sassy takes the case. She talks to Confident Crab and Obnoxious Octopus, and is joined in her quest by Grumpy Grouper […]

In this collection of vignettes, Vinny, a friendly dog, meets new friends and has experiences that change his perspective and manage his emotions for the better.

In one vignette, “Overcoming Hurt: Finding Forgiveness,” Vinny steps outside while feeling regretful about things from his past. An owl comforts him, sharing that we all make mistakes. The […]

A girl learns to identify her feelings and improve her outlook in Deana Plaskon’s insightful picture book Bella and Bird Explore Sadness.

Molly is feeling sad, and Bella the horse and Bird want to help. They tell Molly that everyone gets sad sometimes and the best response isn’t to just ignore it. Molly then reveals […]

A ballet school teacher realizes that learning is an ongoing process in the charming children’s picture book A Tail of Learning.

A cat named Kittina was given a dance studio by a magical ballerina. Every day she teaches young animals the basics of ballet, including pliés, tendus and passes. Whenever a student gets frustrated, Kittina […]

A jealous centipede endangers the life of his generous butterfly friend in Tito Al’s children’s picture book The Centipede Who Wanted to Fly.

Centipede and his good friend both have a set of legs attached to each segment of their bodies. But Caterpillar lives in the branches of a Katmon tree, while Centipede lives in […]

In Amanda M. Cetas’s Charting a New Course, two families face financial difficulties as they attempt to establish themselves in the New World of 17th century America. Calling upon their young sons to pitch in, they unintentionally endanger them.

As the novel opens, young Etienne is marooned in the Caribbean after being tricked into working […]

In Rick Ench’s entertaining middle grade novel, two brothers embark on an arduous adventure that teaches them valuable lessons about trust, friendship, self-confidence, accountability, and courage.

Family financial ruin forces Xander Van Hooten,“nearly 11,” his brother Theo, 9, and their parents to move from California to New York, where they live unhappily in their father’s […]

In book one of Abed’s middle-grade series, two orphans unite to save their town from wood-eating zombies.

Felix and Ninja live at the Wayward-Amok Orphanage in the town of Spinachi, which is on the island of Tub. The orphans are served spinach for every meal, which, unsurprisingly, grows abundantly. But, once a month they receive […]

A peacock who spreads rumors about other animals is exposed in B. Able’s picture book Wiggle Waggle Zoo and the Case of the Sly Peacock.

Many interesting animals live at the zoo, including: Geraldine, a giraffe who makes friendship bracelets; Ally, an alligator who likes to sing; and Ziggy, an acrobatic kangaroo. The zoo’s pride […]