Weekend reads roundup: 10 May 2026, part one

 

I'm a cloud.

Written and illustrated by Tjitske Kamphuis.

Godwin Books/Henry Holt and Company, 2025.

Picture book nonfiction.

Science.

Wonderful introduction to clouds.

Possible read-alikes:

• The cloud book  by Tomie de Paola.
• Partly cloudy by Deborah Freedman.
• When Cloud became a cloud by Rob Hodgson.
• Yucky weather by B G Barnstormer,  Heather LeMay, and Charlotte L. Taylor.
• What are clouds? by Katie Daynes and Marta Álvarez Miguéns.

 

 

 

This is happy!

Written by Anna Ross.

Illustrated by Debi Gliori.

Otter-Barry Books, 2024.

Picture book.

Finding happiness and joy – and centring yourself.

Possible read-alikes:

• Augustus and his smile by Catherine Rayner.
• The little book of joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama & Archbishop Desmond Tutu, with Douglas Abrams and Rachel Neumann, illustrated by Raphael López.
• Happy all over by Emma Quay.
• A good day by Kevin Henkes.
• I am happy by Michael Rosen and Robert Starling.
• Tiny good things by Gabrielle Tozer and Sophie Beer.
• The little things by Penny Harrison and Hannah Sommerville.

 

The good little mermaid's guide to bedtime.

Written by Eija Sumner.

Illustrated by Nici Gregory.

Tundra, 2024.

Picture book.

Doesn’t every well-behaved person (or mermaid) wish they weren’t? At least sometimes.

Possible read-alikes:

• Mermaids are the worst! by Alex Willan.
• Big bad dragon club by Beach.
• I am a wolf by Kelly Leigh Miller.

 

 

The best kind of mooncake.

Written and illustrated by Pearl AuYeung.

Page Street Kids, 2022.

Picture book.

Kindness and community.

Possible read-alikes:

• Lily's Hong Kong honey cake by Erica Lyons and Bonnie Pang.
• Mooncakes mean family by Benson Shum.
• Thanking the moon: celebrating the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival by Grace Lin.
• Zahra's blessing: a Ramadan story by Shirin Shamsi and Manal Mirza.

Big Bear is coming!: hear, smell, see, run!

Written and illustrated by Anuska Allepuz.

Walker Books, 2026.

Picture book.

Who can that be? Big bear!?!!

A cute story that uses all the little bears’ senses.

Possible read-alikes:

• I hear the snow, I smell the sea by Janice Milusich and Christopher Raschka.
• Mama in the moon by Doreen Cronin and Brian Cronin.
• We're going to find the monster! by Malorie Blackman and Dapo Adeola.
• Where's my teddy? by Jez Alborough.
• The Dudgeon is coming by Lynley Dodd.
• Watch out! Big Bro’s coming! by Jez Alborough.
• I’m coming to get you by Tony Ross. 

Downpour: splish! splash! ker-splash!

Written by Yūko Ōhnari.

Illustrated by Kōshirō Hata.

Translated from Japanese by Emily Balistrieri.

Red Comet Press, 2025. Picture book.

Brilliant onomatopoeic story of rain and play.

Possible read-alikes:

• Rain by Cynthia Rylant and Lisa Congdon.   
• Pitter pattern by Joyce Hesselberth.
• The wetter the better by Emma Vere-Jones and Lisa Allen.
• When Isaac hears the rain by Julie Thompson and Leah Giles.
• Puddling! by Emma Perry and Claire Alexander.   
• Rain! by Linda Ashman and Christian Robinson.
• The rain train by Elena de Roo and Brian Lovelock.
• Red rubber boot day by Mary Lyn Ray and Lauren Stringer.
• Goodnight sounds by Debbie S. Miller and Michelle Jing Chan.
• In the meadow by Yukiko Katō and Komako Sakai. 

How to be a cat.

Written and illustrated by Nikki McClure.

Abrams Appleseed, 2013.

Picture book.

Simple words and pared down colour palette (black, white, blue).

Possible read-alikes:

• How to be a cat by Juliette MacIver and Carla Martell.
• Cat's seasons by Airlie Anderson.
• Joy by Yasmeen Ismail and Jenni Desmond.
• Kitten's first full moon by Kevin Henkes.
• Hello little ones by Amandine Piu.
• A book of loves by Cynthia Rylant.
• What a small cat needs by Natalia Shaloshvili and Lena Traer.

 

Where are you, Eddie?

Written by Michael Rosen.

Illustrated by Gill Smith.

Walker Books, 2026.

Sophisticated picture book.

Michael Rosen’s son, Eddie, died a few years ago – and this is a quiet meditation of life without Eddie, and how he is still present in the world.

Possible read-alikes:

• Michael Rosen's sad book by Michael Rosen and Quentin Blake.
• Where are you, Brontë? by Tomie DePaola and Barbara McClintock.
• The hug blanket by Chris Gurney and Lael Chisholm. 

Sugar in milk.

Written by Thrity Umrigar.

Illustrated by Khoa Le.

RP Kids, 2020.

Picture book.

Immigration. Acceptance. Folktale retelling. Refugees.

Possible read-alikes:

• Saving the butterfly: a story about refugees by Helen Cooper and Gill Smith.
• The carpet: an Afghan family story by Dezh Azaad and Nan Cao.
• A different pond by Bao Phi and Thi Bui.
• Wishes by Mu̕ọ̕n Thị Văn and Victo Ngai.
• What will my story be? by Nidhi Chanani.
• Watercress by Andrea Wang and Jason Chin. 

Mr. Fox's game of "No!"

Written by David LaRochelle.

Illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka.

Candlewick Press, 2024.

Picture book.

An interactive story.

Possible read-alikes:

• The book with no pictures by B.J. Novak.
• Donut touch! by Seb Davey and Alex Willmore.
• Boop! by Bea Birdsong and Linzie Hunter.
• Come on out! by Alberto Lot.
• A delicious story by Barney Saltzberg.
• I say OH, you say NO by John Kane.
• Rupert the Mouse presents Be quiet! by Ryan T. Higgins.