2026 CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL HOT OFF THE PRESS PICKDiscover the wonderful world of insects as Lydia collects bugs for show-and-tell in this picture book perfect for little entomologists.Lydia loves bugs. She loves big, bouncing bugs and small, squiggly bugs. You know who doesn’t love bugs?Lydia loves bugs, but her father and brother do not! Scared of all things creepy crawly, they often run away or set her bugs free.

From Jezebel to Catherine the Great, from Cleopatra to Mae West, from Mata Hari to Bonnie Parker, strong women have been a problem for historians, storytellers, and readers. Strong females smack of the unfeminine. They have been called wicked, wanton, and willful. Sometimes that is a just designation, but just as often it is not. "Well-behaved women seldom make history," is the frequently quoted statement by historian and feminist Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. But what makes these misbehaving wo...

**Birdwatching! Borrrring, right? Not to these avian adventurers from Maynard Elementary as they fight a snowstorm in order to save a rare snowy owl.An adventurous read for 7 to 10 year olds about forging long-lasting friendships in this new chapter book series about a junior birdwatching club.**Michael, the star of the soccer team, is about to kick his first practice shot when he hears a noise from behind him. Jet, a bird nerd and member of the Junior Birdwatching Club, ap...

Penguins compete for the best parade float in this laugh-out-loud Level 1 Ready-to-Read from the author of Chicken Karaoke and Flamingo Bingo!Hip, hip, hooray—it’s a penguin parade! Who will win the Best Float vote? And does one of the penguins have a surprise trick up his sleeve?

**A Schneider Family Book Award YA Honor BookA School Library Journal Best BookNCTE Notable Children's Verse Novel2026 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant ReadersA Bank Street Best Book“This beautifully crafted novel sings and soars.”—Nikki Grimes, author of Ordinary HazardsDylan seeks solace through birdwatching and poetry in the woods behind his grandfather’s auto shop—but when he rescues an injured hawk, he must learn to confront t...

Based on a true story to the beginning of the storied career of children’s book author Jane Yolen, written by her very own daughter.Janie Yolen loves to read, write, dance, and sing. So when her teacher announces Janie's elementary class will perform a play, Janie is thrilled. There's just one problem . . . the play is boring. With the support of her teacher and classmates, Janie rewrites the play, resulting in a hit class musical.An inspiring and funny loo...

A celebration of seven different winter holidays observed in the US and the traditions that unite them all.Diwali, Solstice, Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Bodhi Day, and Lunar New Year are visually depicted in turn, accompanying a stunning, read-aloud text that speaks of the traditions that link them all together. The warm yet accurate imagery is explained in simple secondary text on each spread, and further in the backmatter. Beloved author Jane Yolen and daughter...

Once forced to the sidelines of science, Mary Anning is now recognized as the world's first paleontologist. A rousing, empowering nonfiction biography for STEM-minded kids.At first, Mary Anning collected shells and other curiosities to sell in her family’s shop. Then she began discovering fossils that were monumental to changing the course of how we understand life on Earth. But educated male scientists at the time—men who bought and studied Mary’s fossils—did not ...

**The Avian Adventurers are back! Birdwatching is never boring with Michael and Jet involved. This time they fight construction that might destroy the woods where yellow warblers live.An adventurous read for 7-to-10-year-olds about forging long-lasting friendships in this chapter book series about a junior birdwatching club.**In the second book in the Avian Adventurers series, Michael and Jet discover that developers are planning to destroy a piece of land where yellow warb...

Ducks and dodos play dodgeball in this hilarious Level 1 Ready-to-Read from the author of Chicken Karaoke and Flamingo Bingo!Tweet! goes Coach Dodo’s whistle. Gym class is in session. Time to play dodgeball. Ducklings are ducking and dodos are dodging. Why is that chick sitting there reading?

It’s game day for birds of a feather in this infectiously charming Level 1 Ready-to-Read from the author of Flamingo Bingo and Toucan with Two Cans!Football fans crowd into the stands to cheer on the exciting match of Turkeys versus Eagles. As the players take their place on the field, every bird is flapping and flipping with football fever. Let the game begin!

Sing with birds of a feather in this laugh-out-loud Level 1 Ready-to-Read from the same team who created Toucan with Two Cans and Flamingo Bingo!The big night is finally here! Tonight, the birds gather for the Chicken Karaoke Show! Duck wants to shine in the spotlight, but can she overcome her stage fright and soar to new heights? Find out in this sweet and silly rhyming story.