World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 0-6: A Language Spoken by a Friend

  

The fluffy futon.

Written and illustrated by Yuichi Kasano.

Translated from Japanese by Cathy Hirano.

Gecko Press, 2026.

Picture book.

Originally published by Fukuinkan Shoten Publishers, Inc., Tokyo, Japan, in 2000 under the title of Under the sun on the fluffy futon.

Grandma spreads her newly washed futon to dry in the sun. The futon is so soft and smells so clean! The cat can't resist nestling down for a snooze. Instead of chasing it away, Grandma settles in alongside, soon followed by the hen and her chicks, a little boy, the dog, the goat, and the pig family. . . . Soon the whole household is taking a nap! Until Grandma starts to find the futon so comfy that no one else can fit.

A fun and cute read. I’ve heard from translators that translating sounds is hard. That emergency service vehicles, and animals, make different sounds in different languages. I wonder how this translator handled them.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 0-6: Asia

 

Our nipa hut: a story in the Philippines.

Written by Rachell Abalos; illustrated by Gabriela Larios.

Barefoot Books, 2024.

Picture book.

Yelena and Papa take care of their traditional Filipino dwelling - their nipa hut - and it takes care of them. But when a tropical storm roars towards the Philippines, their preparation will be put to the test. Gripping narrative will keep young readers glued to the pages as Yelena, Papa and the nipa hut work together as a family to withstand the storm.

The importance of traditions and community, and the impact of climate change.

The author based the story of her childhood experiences. She now lives in the USA.

The illustrator is from El Salvador, and now lives in the UK.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 7-12: The Americas

  

Imagine!

Written and illustrated by Raúl Colón.

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2018.

Wordless sophisticated picture book.

When a boy visits an art museum and one of the paintings comes to life, he has an afternoon of adventure and discovery [that] changes how he sees the world ever after.

The power of art to transform and change lives.

Set and embedded in New York.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 13-18: Africa

 

Our beautiful darkness.

Written by Ondjaki.

Illustrated by António Jorge Gonçalves.

Translated from the Portuguese by Lyn Miller-Lachmann.

Enchanted Lion Books, 2024.

During a blackout in a war-torn Angola, two teenagers explore their deepest emotions as they share personal stories and dreams in the intimacy of the darkness.

A tiny taonga (treasure), with flashes of intensity and emotion – like the flickering shadows and lights on the wall.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 13-18: The Americas

  

Amazona.

Written and illustrated by Canizales.

Translated from Spanish by Sofía Huitrón Martínez.

Graphic Universe, 2022.

Andrea, a young Indigenous Colombian woman, has returned to the land she calls home. Only nineteen years old, she comes to mourn her lost child, carrying a box in her arms. And she comes with another mission. Andrea has hidden a camera upon herself. If she can capture evidence of the illegal mining that displaced her family, it will mark the first step toward reclaiming their land.

War, grief, protest, Indigenous rights, sexual assault, displacement – so much going on in such a slim volume – but one that packs a bunch.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 7-12: Oceania

  

Light and colour.

Edited by Corey Tutt.

Hardie Grant Children, 2026.

Illustrated nonfiction.

Light from our Sun and other sources is all around, bringing colour, heat and energy. Over time, humans have harnessed light to create fire, fluorescent light and even scientific equipment like lasers. But light and colour are tricky. Too much or too little light changes our body chemistry, when it bends it can fool our eyes, and it can even act like a wave or a particle. Explore what First Australians and scientists have learned about the incredible properties of light and colour.

Part of a series which includes Numbers in Nature, Earth’s changing surfaces, Animal survival.

A wonderful synthesis of Australian First Nations knowledge and science, with Western science.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 7-12: Oceania

 

My first ikura.

Written by Qiane Matata-Sipu.  

Illustrated by Isobel Te Aho-White.

Taku ikura tuatahi

Nā Qiane Matata-Sipu. 

Nā Stacey Morrison i whakamaori. 

Nā Isobel Joy Te Aho-White i waituhi. 

QIANE+co, 2025.  

Sophisticated picture book.

A gentle and powerful story that reclaims the sacredness of a girl’s first ikura (period) through a Māori lens — celebrating connection, ceremony and whakapapa. Rooted in te ao Māori, My First Ikura and the reo Māori translation Taku Ikura Tuatahi is a beautifully illustrated children’s book that follows a young girl’s first period, guided by the support of her whānau. More than a story of physical change, it celebrates womanhood as a sacred rite of passage. First of its kind in Aotearoa, it addresses first menstruation through a Māori cultural framework. Culturally affirming, it emphasises ceremony, family support and ancestral wisdom — it also includes a specially written karakia for families to learn together. Beautifully produced, with premium finishes and lush, full-colour illustrations using traditional earth pigments (kōkōwai). Created by recognised Māori creatives: Builds trust and demand from readers seeking authentic Indigenous voices. Education-friendly: Supports conversations in kura, classrooms and at home about periods, wellbeing and identity.

What an absolutely stunning book. Such positivity and support. 

Dragging out the knowledge I half-remember from the introductory anthropology paper I took (in *mumble* 1990!) - and the essay I wrote about menstruation customs - this approach is very rare. 

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 0-6: The Americas

 

I am a Bon dancer.  Written by Brandi-Ann Uyemura.

Illustrated by Amy Matsushita-Beal.

Holiday House, 2026.  Picture book.

"I thread each arm through my peach sleeves. Grandpa Jo ties the bright yellow sash around me. I check to make sure the paper flowers in my hair are on just right. I am ready for my first Bon dance festival!” 

It's a young Japanese-American girl's first time at the "Festival of Souls," one of the largest Buddhist festivals. It's just like her grandfather described: the smell of corndogs, the glow of hanging paper lanterns, the beat of taiko drums. But Grandpa Jo didn't tell her that everyone else already knew how to dance! Suddenly, the lanterns feel like spotlights. She wish, wish, wishes she could dance, but she can't bring herself to try until Grandpa Jo encourages her to remember the meaning of the Obon Festival - celebrating our family members who have passed on - and to imagine her beloved Grandma Nat dancing along with her. Because she is there, and behind her are her parents, sugar-cane cutters, and behind them are their parents, who came to Hawai'i on ships from Japan.

Traditions of light and dance – and their connection to those who have passed.

The author is fifth generation Hawai’ian Japanese.

The illustrator was born in the USA, and is now based in Tokyo.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 0-6: Asia

 

How we share cake.

Written and illustrated by Kim Hyo-eun.

Translated from Korean by Deborah Smith.

Scribe Publications, 2024.

Picture book.

Original Korean edition published by Munhakdongne Publishing Corp.

Making sure you get your rightful share in a family of five siblings is never easy. Everything must be carefully calculated and precisely measured to make sure no one misses out. How we share cake is an exploration of the timeless struggle for fairness and justice among brothers and sisters.

Slices of cake – and Korean life – are shared in this recognisable family situation.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 7-12: Europe

 

Who Will Make the Snow?

Written by Taras Prokhasko.

Illustrated by Marjana Proshasko.

Translated from Ukrainian by Boris Dralyuk and Jennifer Croft.

Elsewhere, 2023.

The two newest moles in the forest learn to dig themselves out of their comfort zones and experience the boundless, unpredictable world around them – a Social Emotional Learning adventure. Twin moles, Purr and Craw, are born on the first day of spring. The newest members of their woodland world, they’re curious about everything. What is swimming? Why does mother speak French as she makes pancakes? What does father scrawl in his notebook? Do animals live in the sea? Why do grownups eat smelly cheese? How do we get better when we're sick? What happens when we die? As they start to grow up, every day is filled with another adventure as they explore the peculiar characters that surround them in the forest. Home is always waiting for them, filled with the clacking of father’s typewriter, the sound of mother playing her upright bass, and the smells of quince jam and medicinal moss brews. During their adventures outside the home, they learn that the world is sometimes scarier, stranger and more dangerous than it seemed from the pocket of their father’s coat. Each new encounter leaves Purr and Craw a little braver and wiser and with a few extra friends. Beautifully illustrated with scenes of mischief and discovery by Marjana Prohasko, Who Will Make the Snow? reminds us that the world is always larger and more wonderful than we can see from our own corner of the woods.

An early chapter book. Very cute, however many tasks are assigned based on gender stereotypes. 

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 7-12: Europe

 

Feather.

Written and translated from the Welsh by Manon Steffan Ros.

Firefly Press, 2024.

Originally published in Welsh as Pluen.

Huw always pops in to see his nan on the way home from school – she bakes him cakes and never fusses about his homework. So it's a great shock when, one day, Nan forgets his name, and calls him Johnny – the long-unmentionable name of her late brother. As Nan slowly slips into the grip of dementia, Huw and his friends go on a quest to learn more about Johnny and what happened to him. Exploring themes of friendship, family bonds and the history of conscientious objection in WW2, Feather is both modern and historical, as well as being relatable, particularly for children who may have grandparents with a similar dementia struggle to Nan.

Sympathetic and gentle, with moments of strength and sadness. Huw standing up to his father and asking for some attention is so brave.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 0-6: Bilingual Picture Book

  

Kende! Kende! Kende!

Written by Kirsten Cappy and Yaya Gentille.

Illustrated by Rahana Dariah.

Child's Play Inc., 2024.

Text in English and French and some words in Lingala. Picture book.

A multilingual story of love and learning, joy and journey. Inspired by the families throughout Central Africa who are forced to leave their homes, this is an honest but hopeful own-voice narrative about displacement, migration, and finding a new home. Having fled their village as conflict approaches, Mamá, Papá, Lolie, and Nico live in a refugee camp until they are chosen for resettlement in North America. Their new city is a go, go, go of new challenges, but also a return to love and learning, joy and journey. A text woven from three languages (English, French and words in Lingala) celebrates multilingual speakers and the resilience of refugees.

Journeys told through the number of wheels on vehicles. The things that stand out as different, including women driving and doing physical activities.

The first language is French while in Africa, then swaps to English when the family is resettled. The Lingala words are in bold and in capitals, with script similar to handwriting.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 0-6: Africa

 

I'll see you in Ijebu.

Written by Bunmi Emenanjo.

Illustrated by Diana Ejaita.

Barefoot Books, 2024.

Picture book.

A Catholic girl growing up in the bustling city of Lagos, Nigeria takes a trip to spend a week with her Muslim extended family in the countryside town of Ijebu to celebrate Eid al-Adha. Her days in Ijebu are filled with celebrations, traditions and special time connecting with family. Breathtaking illustration and poetic writing draws the reader into the sensory experience of celebrating Eid in Nigeria, while detailed endmatter includes information about Nigeria and Eid al-Adha, recipe for Nigerian puff puff and more.

Family, traditions, and love. A beautiful depiction of how followers of two different religious traditions can celebrate and support each other.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 7-12: A Language with a Non-Latin Script

 

The village beyond the mist.

Written by Sachiko Kashiwaba.

Illustrated by Miho Satake.

Translated from Japanese by Avery Fischer Udagawa.

Restless Books, 2025.

A mountain town that's not on any map, a messy bookstore with infinite doors, and a spoiled prince under a forgetful wizard's curse... this summer might hold more than Lina bargained for! When a gust of wind carries off her umbrella, it leads Lina down a secret path between the trees to a strange and incredible world. In the hidden village of Misty Valley, centaurs roam the cobblestone streets and gnomes visit shops stuffed with spellbooks and enchanted desserts. All magic has a dark side, though, and sometimes even sorcerers need a human's helping hand.

For the younger age group – more 12 to 14 years.

Ethereal and mystical.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 13-18: Asia

 

The girl and the goddess: a modern myth. 

Written and illustrated by by Nikita Gill.

Ebury Press, 2020.

Novel in verse.

Let her be a little less human, a little more divine.

Give her heart armour so it doesn't break as easily as mine.

One girl's wild journey of strength, beauty and growth as she discovers who she really is. Lyrical wonder, spiritual revelation and revolution meet with epic mythical landscapes in this deeply intimate coming-of-age story, one that teaches us all, no matter how small we feel, to become the masters of our own destiny. Meet Paro. A girl with a strong will, a full heart and much to learn. Born into a family reeling from the ruptures of Partition, follow her as she crosses the precarious lines between childhood, teenage discovery and realising her adult self. Nikita Gill's masterful poetry and beautiful illustrations conjure up jasmine-scented voices and smiles inhabited by ancestor's souls, rain dancing in a new city and the painful caverns in our hearts. We are taken on a journey of deity wisdom, fragmented family, and love lost and gained. We see power in belief, healing from trauma and hope after conflict. Undercurrents of the Trimurti, the Creator, the Preserver and the Destroyer, run deep, as Paro must confront fear, desire and the darkest parts of herself in the search for meaning and, ultimately, empowerment. Navigating different cultures, religions and identities, The Girl and the Goddess is a mesmerising poetic tale of where we come from, how we grow and how we become who we are.

Powerful, a book to think about and absorb.

A verse novel, which takes less time than a traditional novel – but, it is so deep it takes time to come to terms with everything. 

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 0-6: Asia

The line.

Written by Swapna Haddow. Illustrated by Farah Shah.

Scholastic, 2026. Picture book.

A powerful story about Partition, with a hopeful message at its heart. "I would draw lines that would lasso us to our neighbours and keep us close for all time. I would draw lines that made us feel safe together." When a line divides the country of India, a little girl and her family are forced to leave their home. On her journey, the girl thinks about what she would do differently if she was in charge of a line with so much power. She would draw lines that brought people together, despite their differences. Her lines would make people friends. Her lines would make the world a better place. Bringing together award-winning Indian author, Swapna Haddow, with British-Pakistani illustrator, Farah Shah, representing both sides of Partition The hopeful message of the story and warmth of the illustrations handle the subject matter with care, suitable for a young audience. Based around a historic event, but with important themes that are still very relevant today Includes a spread at the back of the book with facts about the Partition of India.

How we see lines – are they separators, or connectors. There are a number of recent books about The Partition – perhaps because it is coming up to the 80^th anniversary.

Written while Swapna was the University of Otago College of Education/Creative New Zealand Children’s Writer in Residence. 

#WorldKidLitMonth

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 7-12: Asia

The line they drew through us.

Written by Hiba Noor Khan.

Andersen Press, 2025.

Fiction.

Three best friends are born on the same day under miraculous circumstances. But by their twelfth birthday, Jahan, Ravi and Lakshmi's lives are about to change forever. The British announce Indian independence and draw lines of Partition that tear apart the country, and the friends. One of them flees, one of them disappears, and the other is left wondering, could a miracle bring them back together?

Heart-breaking. Touches of the mystical.

Stories of British genocide / cruelty / horrific behaviour are embedded into the story.

My caveat is the introduction, which makes it seem as though Bangladesh was created at the same time as the Partition in 1947. Which, to me, feels like a negation of the trauma and horror of the Liberation War of 1971 – and all that led up to it. 

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 0-6: Oceania

Pukapuka.

Written and illustrated by Vasanti Unka.

Nā Justin Kereama ngā kōrero i whakamāori [Translated into te reo Māori by Justin Kereama.]

Beatnik Publishing in association with Ngā Pātaka Kōrero o Tāmaki Makaurau [Auckland Council Libraries], 2025.

Picture book.

A family’s delightful journey across town and into a place which is fun, restful, informative, musical and absorbing in turn. A very special treat for library lovers, young and old alike, from one of Aotearoa’s best-loved author/illustrators. 

A glorious story and celebration of libraries and books.

Like The Goodbye Tree, this book shows the multicultural reality of a colonised land. 

#WorldKidLitMonth

World Kid Lit Month

 

It's that time of year! 

Time when I start planning my reading for #WorldKidLitMonth! 

Are you ready to join me? 

Visit the World Kid Lit Month website for booklists, resources, ideas... so many valuable resources! 

Weekend reads roundup: 16 May 2026, part two

Are you a banana?

Written and illustrated by Robert Starling.

Pat-a-Cake, 2025.

Board book.

Flaps.

A riot of a read.

Possible read-alikes:

• Banana, banana, banana! by Sarah Finan.
• Yellow is a banana by John Himmelman.
• Are you a frog? by Robert Starling.
• Pairs in the garden by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and Lorna Scobie.
• Tractors have wings!: a vehicles book with cutouts by Becky Davies and Gareth Lucas.
• Dinosaur surprise! by Rebecca Gardyn Levington and Teresa Bellon.
• Guess who's getting dressed by Smriti Halls and Marta Altés. 

Lost: stories of people, places, and things lost throughout history.

Written by Tom Adams.

Illustrated by Daniela Martín Del Campo.

Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2026.

Illustrated nonfiction.

Pirates, pharaohs, places, and people – an interesting collection of ‘lost’ things.

Possible read-alikes:

• Lost tombs and treasure by Linda Barghoorn.
• Historium by Jo Nelson and Richard Wilkinson.
• Amazing treasures: 100+ objects and places that will boggle your mind by David Long and Muti.
• This day in history for kids: 1,001 remarkable moments & fascinating facts by Dan Bova and Russell Shaw.
• Hidden wonders: discover our planet's best-kept secrets by Nicole Maggi and Kate Baker.

 

The grumpy ghost upstairs.

Written and illustrated by Mamiko Shiotani.

Translated from the Japanese by Polly Lawson.

Floris Books, 2025.

Picture book.

Translation.

Uncertainty and being scared of new situations and people.

Possible read-alikes:

• Gustavo the shy ghost by Flavia Z. Drago.
• The coziest place on the moon by Maria Popova and Sarah Jacoby.
• There's a ghost in this house by Oliver Jeffers.
• Hardly haunted by Jessie Sima.
• The little ghost who was a quilt by Riel Nason and Byron Eggenschwiler.
• Aggie and the ghost by Matthew Forsythe.
• How to make friends with a ghost by Rebecca Green.

Penny & Pip.

Written by Candace Fleming.

Illustrated by Eric Rohmann.

Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2023.

Picture book.

A dream! Going to the museum and ending up adopting a dinosaur!

Possible read-alikes:

• One cool friend by Toni Buzzeo and David Small.
• Have you seen my invisible dinosaur? by Helen Yoon.
• Penelope Rex and the problem with pets by Ryan T. Higgins.
• Leo's Lobo by Melissa Cristina Márquez and Maria Gabriela Gama. 

Nora notices.

Written and illustrated by Tegan Moss.

Little Book Press, 2025

Picture book.

A world of imagination when you go out with Nora.

Possible read-alikes:

• Nothing ever happens on a gray day by Grant Snider.
• We go slow by Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie and Aaron Becker.
• Tiny by Laura Stitzel.
• Tiny worlds by Brittany Cicchese. 
• The spaces in between by Jaspreet Kaur and Manjit Thapp.
• Look by Gabi Snyder and Samantha Cotterill.
• The bridges by Tom Percival.
• The Think-Ups! by Claire Alexander.
• Slowly, slowly by Toni Yuly. 

The bin monster.

Written and illustrated by Annabelle Hale.

Affirm Press, 2025.

Picture book.

Australian.

What is causing the disaster of bin day?

Possible read-alikes:

• Winner winner, bin chicken dinner by Kate and Jol Temple, and Ronojoy Ghosh.
• Rajah Street by Myo Yim.
• The Gang by Michel Streich.
• The bear out there by Jess Hannigan.
• The monster in the lake by Leo Timmers, translated by Bill Nagelkerke. 

Great Elizabethans: HM Queen Elizabeth II & 25 amazing Britons from her reign.

Written by Imogen Russell Williams.

Illustrated by Sara Mulvanny.

Nosy Crow, 2022.

Illustrated nonfiction.

A diverse group of the famous, and not-so-famous. There are activists and athletes, scientists and storytellers.

Possible read-alikes:

• Kia kaha: a storybook of Māori who changed the world by Stacey Morrison, Ngāi Tahu, Te Arawa; and Jeremy Sherlock, Tainui, Ngāti Awa.
• Dare to be different: inspirational words from people who changed the world by Ben Brooks and Quinton Winter.
• Talking history by Joan Haig, Joan Lennon, and André Ducci.
• Little people, big dreams treasury: 50 stories of brilliant dreamers by María Isabel Sánchez Vegara. 

The forever bear.

Written by Lu Fraser.

Illustrated by Pippa Curnick.

Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2025.

Picture book.

Teddy bears are magic.

Possible read-alikes:

• Bear is a bear by Jonathan Stutzman and Dan Santat.
• The Winter wish by Helen Mortimer and Rachael Dean.
• The Library of Bears by Cat Rabbit.
• Abdullah's bear needs a name! by Yasmin Hanif and Sophie Benmouyal.
• Freddy the not-Teddy by Kristen Schroeder and Hilary Jean Tapper.
• The witchling's wish by Lu Fraser and Sarah Massini.
• Invasion of the unicorns by David Biedrzycki. 

Yellow is a banana.

Written and illustrated by John Himmelman.

Abrams Appleseed, 2025.

Picture book.

An argument about colour and perception.

Possible read-alikes:

• Red is not angry, blue is not sad by Alicia Acosta, Luis Amavisca, and Anuska Allepuz.
• One world, many colours by Ben Lerwill and Alette Straathof.
• Are your stars like my stars? by Leslie Helakoski and Heidi Woodward Sheffield.
• They say blue by Jillian Tamaki.
• Let's look at colours by Marion Deuchars. 

Iron Robin.  

Written by Rose Tremain.

Illustrated by Richard Jones.

Puffin Books, 2023.

Picture book.

A lovely book – but I’m not sure of the appeal to children.

Possible read-alikes:

• Ruby's birds by Mya Thompson and Claudia Dávila.
• The magic feather by Julia Donaldson and Catherine Rayner.
• The Boy and the Moonimal by Debi Gliori.
• Wren's nest by Heidi E.Y. Stemple and Eugenia Nobati.
• Grandpa and the kingfisher by Anna Wilson & Sarah Massini. 

Weekend reads roundup: 16 May 2026, part one

 

Now I see autumn.

Written by Mac Barnett.

Illustrated by Jon Klassen.

Simon & Schuster, 2026.

Board book.

I’ve now read all the books in this series – and I’m ashamed of how long it took for me to pick up it’s all the same text in each one. The magic in these books is Jon Klassen’s illustrations.

Possible read-alikes:

• Cat's seasons by Airlie Anderson.
• A cat book of seasons by Nicoletta Costa.
• When autumn comes by Ekaterina Trukhan.
• Autumn by Gerda Muller. 

Wild places: the life of naturalist David Attenborough.

Written by Hayley Rocco.

Illustrated by John Rocco.

G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2023.

Illustrated nonfiction / biography.

Just what it says on the tin.

Possible read-alikes:

• Wild planet: the life and wisdom of Sir David Attenborough by Hayley Rocco and John Rocco.
• Wild life: the extraordinary adventures of Sir David Attenborough by Leisa Stewart-Sharpe and Helen Shoesmith.
• A gift of dust: how Saharan plumes feed the planet by Martha Brockenbrough.
• Wangari's trees of peace: a true story from Africa by Jeanette Winter.
• Planting stories: the life of librarian and storyteller Pura Belpré by Anika Aldamuy Denise and Paola Escobar.
• We are water protectors by Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade.

 

I do not like stories.

Written by Andrew Larsen.

Illustrated by Carey Sookocheff.

Owlkids Books, 2020.

Picture book.

I’m with the protagonist – I, too, would rather be at home with my cat/s.

Possible read-alikes:

• That's not Stella by Donna Fredin.
• Just one more story by Perry Emerson and Sean Julian.
• Everywhere with you by Carlie Sorosiak and Devon Holzwarth. 

 

All from a walnut.

Written by Ammi-Joan Paquette.

Illustrated by Felicita Sala.

Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2022.

Sophisticated picture book.

A poignant story of tradition, generational knowledge, immigration, love, and grief. Life cycles, life lessons, and death.

Possible read-alikes:  

• Nell plants a tree by Anne Wynter and Daniel Miyares.
• This is the tree we planted by Kate McMullan and Alison Friend.
• Wren's nest by Heidi E.Y. Stemple and Eugenia Nobati.
• Grandpa is here by Tanya Rosie and Chuck Groenink.
• The oak tree by Julia Donaldson and Victoria Sandoy.
• More than a tree by Sarah Kurpiel.
• Grandpa Green by Lane Smith.        
• Birdsong by Julie Flett.
• The garden we share by Zoë Tucker and Julianna Swaney. 

Clara and the birds.

Written and illustrated by Emma Simpson.

Milky Way Picture Books, 2024.

Sophisticated picture book.

A story of shyness and needing solitude – and not fitting in.

Possible read-alikes:

• Solo by Neil Clark.
• The coziest place on the moon by Maria Popova and Sarah Jacoby.
• Agatha May and the anglerfish by Nora Morrison, Jessie Ann Foley, and Mika Song.
• The grumpy ghost upstairs by Mamiko Shiotani; translated by Polly Lawson.
• Everything in its place: a story of books and belonging by Pauline David-Sax and Charnelle Pinkney Barlow.
• Daisy by Jessixa Bagley.
• Bird Boy by Matthew Burgess and Shahrzad Maydani.

 

The whale and the snapper = Tohorā me te Tāmure.

By Jo Van Dam, Ariana Stevens, and Richard Hoit.

Scholastic New Zealand, 2026.

Aotearoa

Picture book.

Bilingual.

Rhyming.

Retelling of the Lion and Mouse by Aesop.

Possible read-alikes:

• The lion & the mouse by Jerry Pinkney.
• Sharky McShark and the teensy wee crab by Alison Murray.
• Aesop's fables introduced by Marcus Sedgwick, translated by S. A. Handford, illustrated by Brian Robb.
• The lion and the mouse by Amanda Wood and Nataraj Noj. 

Kekeno, curious explorer.

Written by Katie Furze.

Illustrated by Ned Barraud.

Scholastic New Zealand, 2026.

Aotearoa.

Picture book nonfiction.

Katie Furze is doing a fine line in picture book nonfiction featuring endemic creatures of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Possible read-alikes:

• Narwhal: the Arctic unicorn by Justin Anderson and Jo Weaver.
• Elizabeth, queen of the seas by Lynne Cox and Brian Floca.
• Inky's amazing escape: how a very smart octopus found his way home by Sy Montgomery and Amy Schimler-Safford. 

You're in my heart.

Written and illustrated by Sawyer Cloud.

Tate Publishing, 2026.

Picture book.

Rhyming text.

Missing family while away.

Note: creator lives in Madagascar.

Possible read-alikes:

• All the love in the world by Louise Fedele and Ana Toro.
• Where three oceans meet by Rajani LaRocca and Archana Sreenivasan.
• Ivanhoe Swift left home at six by Jane Godwin and A. Yi.
• The day the crayons made friends by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers.
• I'm not sleepy by Raahat Kaduji.
• I send you a hug by Anne Booth and Åsa Gilland.
• Mina's magic malong by Eva Wong Nava, June Ho, and Novita Elisa. 

Curly Cat. The Acrobat.

Written by Jennifer Somervell.

Illustrated by Zerika van Jaarsveld.

Landing Lights Press, 2025.

Picture book.

Aotearoa New Zealand.

A bit meh. A cat who wants to be an acrobat, and is discouraged by friends.

Possible read-alikes:

• Jeff goes wild by Angie Rozelaar.
• Another by Christian Robinson.
• Not a cat: a memoir by Winter Miller and Danica Novgorodoff.  

Welcome to our table.

Written by Laura Mucha and Ed Smith.

Illustrated by Harriet Lynas.

Nosy Crow, 2023.

Illustrated nonfiction.

Food traditions from around the world.

Possible read-alikes:

• Our favourite food: taste 20 delicious dishes from around the world by Valerie Wilding and Åsa Gilland.
• World of food by Sandra Lawrence and Violeta Noy.
• History is delicious by Joshua Lurie and Laura Foy.
• Chews your own tasty adventure: a cooking journey where YOU get to choose the ingredients!: vegetarian recipes from around the world by Dr Sai Pathmanathan and Lucia Vinti. 

Weekend reads roundup: 10 May 2026, part four

No, I'm a... shark!

Written by Mike Henson.

Illustrated by Ana Gomez.

Happy Yak, 2026.

Picture book.

The perfect answer to “What do you want to be when you grown up?”

Possible read-alikes:

• No, I'm a... flamingo! by Catharine Robertson and Ana Gomez.
• I'd rather be a shark by Laura Bunting and Philip Bunting.
• Hack and Whack by Francesca Simon.
• No, David! by David Shannon.
• When I grow up by Tim Minchin and Steve Antony.

 

This letter says I love you.

Written by Lucy Rowland.

Illustrated by Sharon Rentta.

Includes a letter by Matilda Handy.

Scholastic, 2025.

Sophisticated picture book.

Based on a real thing. A young girl writes letters to her late grandmother.

Possible read-alikes:

• Sylvester's letter by Matthew Burgess and Josh Cochran.
• Sora's seashells by Helena Ku Rhee, Stella Lim, and Ji-Hyuk Kim.
• Mum's jumper by Jayde Perkin.
• Fox and the mystery letter by Alex G. Griffiths.
• Dear Mr. G by Christine Evans and Gracey Zhang. 

What will my story be?

Written and illustrated by Nidhi Chanani.

Viking, 2021.

Picture book.

A wonderful group of aunties inspire a young girl to imagine her future.

Possible read-alikes:

• What will you be? by Yamile Saied Mâendez and Kate Alizadeh.
• I promise by LeBron James and Nina Mata.
• What are you waiting for? by Marcy Campbell and Shelley Johannes.
• The story house by Vikki Conley and Jennifer Falkner.
• The whale child by Elizabeth Pulford and Jane Smith.
• Mae among the stars by Roda Ahmed and Stasia Burrington.

 

We are all one.

Written and illustrated by Britta Teckentrup.

Little Tiger, 2026.

Picture book.

Peek-through pages.

Connection to nature.

Possible read-alikes:

• I am the universe by Vasanti Unka.
• A river running through you by Amy-Jane Beer and Elin Manon.
• My friend Earth by Patricia MacLachlan and Francesca Sanna.
• Nature knows by Yvette Farmer and Chloe Jasmin Harris.
• Earthspeak = Boodjar Wangkiny by Sean McCann and Jade Goodwin.
• Nature trail by Benjamin Zephaniah and Nila Aye.
• The stuff of stars by Marion Dane Bauer and Ekua Holmes. 

Storm.

Written by Claire Saxby.

Illustrated by Jess Racklyeft.

Allen & Unwin, 2026.

Picture book.

Wild weather with the build-up of a storm.

Possible read-alikes:

• To catch a cloud by Elena De Roo and Hannah Peck.
• Yucky weather by B G Barnstormer and Heather LeMay.
• Meet the weather by Caryl Hart and Bethan Woollvin.
• Wonder why by Lisa Varchol Perron and Nik Henderson.
• Safe at last by Richard Jones.
• Storm by Jane Bunn, Zanni Louise, and Dasha Riley. 

Welcome, Uncle Nowruz!: a Persian New Year's story.

Written and illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh.

NorthSouth Books Inc, 2026.

Picture book.

Based on a Persian tale of waiting for spring – and Nowruz / New Year.

Possible read-alikes:

• Celebrate Nowruz!: a Persian New Year holiday to honor spring by Zohreh Ghahremani and Susie Ghahremani.
• Happy Songkran day!: the Thai New Year celebration by Dow Phumiruk.
• Welcoming the Lunar New Year by Lara Lee and Natelle Quek.
• Let's celebrate Matariki by Abel Junior Tutagalevao and Rebecca Gibbs.
• Tāwhirimātea: a song for Matariki by June Pitman-Hayes, Kat Quin, and Ngaere Roberts.

 

Solo.

Written and illustrated by Neil Clark.

Rocket Bird Books, 2026.

Picture book.

When your outside is shy, but your inside is full to bursting.

Possible read-alikes:

• Tiny worlds by Brittany Cicchese.
• Agatha May and the anglerfish by Nora Morrison, Jessie Ann Foley, and Mika Song.
• Wallflowers by Mackenzie Joy.
• Sometimes it's nice to be alone by Amy Hest and Philip Stead.  
• A place just for me by Loredana Baldinucci and Melinda Berti, translated by Monica Meneghetti.
• A quiet girl by Peter Carnavas.
• Too much!: an overwhelming day by Jolene Gutiérrez and Angel Chang.
• A friend for Henry by Jenn Bailey and Mika Song.
• Meesha makes friends by Tom Percival. 

Bracelets for Bina's brothers.

Written by Rajani LaRocca.

Illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat.

Charlesbridge, 2021.

Picture book.

Maths, patterns, problem solving – and a special holiday for siblings. A great mix!

Possible read-alikes:

• Raashi's Rakhis: a new celebration of Raksha Bandhan by Sheetal Sheth.
• Festival of colors by Kabir Sehgal, Surishtha Sehgal, and Vashti Harrison.
• The last marshmallow by Grace Lin.
• Sari sisters by Anitha Rao-Robinson andAnoosha Syed.
• Pitter pattern by Joyce Hesselberth. 

Do you see the tiger?

Written by Philip Ardagh.

Illustrated by David Melling.

Candlewick Press, 2025.

Picture book.

Is there really a tiger on the train?

Possible read-alikes:

• A lion in the meadow by Margaret Mahy and Jenny Williams.
• Milo imagines the world by Matt De Le Peña and Christian Robinson.
• There's a tiger in the garden by Lizzy Stewart.
• Momo sees the sea by Avani Dwivedi.
• How do you hide a hippo? by Rebecca Grant and Jedda Robaard.
• The grizzled grist does not exist! by Juliette MacIver and Sarah Davis. 

Poems to save the world with.

Chosen and illustrated by Chris Riddell.

Macmillan, 2020.

Poetry.

Part of a series, which includes: Poems to live your life by ad Poems to fall in love with.

Possible read-alikes:

• I like this poem: a classic anthology to treasure edited by Kaye Webb; illustrated by Antony Maitland.
• Pick and mix poetry: children's verse chosen by Julia Donaldson; illustrated by Becky Thorns.
• The big amazing poetry book: 52 weeks of poetry from 52 brilliant poets chosen by Gaby Morgan; and illustrated by Chris Riddell; foreword by Roger McGough.
• A poet for every day of the year edited by Allie Esiri.
• A world full of poems selected by Sylvia M. Vardell; illustrated by Sonny Ross.  
• Fire burn, cauldron bubble: magical poems chosen by Paul Cookson; illustrated by Eilidh Muldoon.
• Flights of fancy: stories, pictures and inspiration from ten Children's Laureates.