Best Reads of Summer 2026

Of the 39 books I read, these were my favorites. Click on the titles to read plot summaries. If you'd like to see all of my books, you can follow me on Goodreads. 

Picture Books

Toad on the Go by Jashar Awan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Love the message. Hoping it will resonate with my students.

 


Invisible Things by Andy J Pizza
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Awww, SEL with a totally cool delivery. This could work with the older kids.

 

The Animals Would Not Sleep! by Sara Levine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This had more action and more sophisticated illustrations than "Cat Show," and I loved the connection at the end to classifying animals, which is a lesson I have considered doing with the older kids. Will plan to use.

 

3 Little Firefighters: An Award-Winning MathStart Story About Sorting for Kids (Ages 4-8) by Stuart J. Murphy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Could pair with Pete's belly button showing, and totally reminded me of the lost button Frog and Toad story (which is referenced in the back matter). As much as I would like to have actual buttons for the kids to sort, they are likely to disappear into pockets. Ooh, wait, I am finding 50-100 button sets on Etsy for $5.

 

My Tiger by Joy Cowley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Loved the clean and simple writing.
Screamed at the ending.

 

 

Trouble Talk by Trudy Ludwig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Realistic situations presented in a kid-friendly, matter-of-fact manner without being too preachy.

Nonfiction   

Formula Fast: Your Ultimate Guide to Formula One Racing! by Matt Ralphs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As someone whose partner watches F1 and puts up with my zillion questions while I'm also in the room, I think this is an excellent intro with a ton of information presented clearly and succinctly. Too bad I had to look at Max Verstappen's avatar on one page. Gross.

 

Fourteen Ways of Looking at Jellyfish by Carole Boston Weatherford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Full of facts, and I love that Ibatoulline changes up his illustration style on the different spreads. But I cannot read the word "sperm" to my students. Just can't do it.

For Grownups

The Digital Delusion: How Classroom Technology Harms Our Kids’ Learning -- And How To Help Them Thrive Again by Jared Cooney Horvath
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

PREACH!!!!!!

 

Pictures of You by Emma Grey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A well-constructed flashback story ... and just a really good STORY. Even if some of the characters are despicable. There are a few weeks left of beach season ... bring this!

Best Reads of Spring 2026

Of the 48 books I read, these were my favorites. Click on the titles to read plot summaries. If you'd like to see all of my books, you can follow me on Goodreads.

Picture Books

Towed by Toad by Jashar Awan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's got some rhymes (but is written in prose), it's got vehicles, it's got a message ... what's not to like?

 

Your Truck by Jon Klassen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Has this man won a genius grant yet?

 

Is It Spring? by Kevin Henkes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Don't be fooled, kids!

I shall be reading this book to my students going forward. Stupid April snow and frost!

 

While We’re Here by Anne Wynter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I LOVE Archers's style, and I really liked the spirit of the story. But did nobody text to ask why they missed the party?

 

Loops by Jashar Awan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Adorable, but not sure if my 1st graders - with whom I do Mock Caldecott - will find it too babyish. That being said, half of them still can't tie their own shoes, so ...

One issue: the narrator doesn't tie his shoes the way I learned!

Nonfiction

  

Talking Books: Audiobook Inventor Dr. Robert B. Irwin and a New Way to Read by Jenny Lacika
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you, Dr. Irwin, for your invention!!!!

This would have been 5 stars but for the cover of LADY CHATTERLY'S LOVER that is included in the illustrations. These days, teachers can be crucified for anything, and I am almost reluctant to read this to my students for Mock Sibert because you never know. Maybe I can stick a fake other cover on the page?


The Ocean's Heart: The Tiny Creatures Essential to Life by Jilanne Hoffmann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lyrically written ... I wish Le were American so I could use it for Mock Sibert! I'm thinking of doing some kind of ocean unit next year, and if so, I'll use this. In the meantime, I will be today years old when I learned that jellyfish are zooplankton.

 

The Secret World of Seahorses by Nicola Davies
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This would have been perfect for Mock Sibert if the creative team was American. I may still use it as a readaloud ... nice clear presentation of facts and conservation efforts.

 

 

Houdini's Library: How Books Created the World's Greatest Magician by Barb Rosenstock
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Books make life better!

For Grownups

  

A Deadly Episode by Anthony Horowitz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm still a bit perplexed as to the murderer's motive, but a good listen that gives a few more clues about Hawthorne's past. Well, maybe not so much clues as a few scraps of information. Give me more!

Mock Caldecott Winners - 2013-2026

 

2026: This Book is Dangerous!

 

2025: The Squish

 

2024: 100 Mighty Dragons, All Named Broccoli

 

2023: I Want to Be a Vase

 

2022: Off-Limits

 

2021: Snail Crossing

 

2020: Who Wet My Pants?
(second GC win in a row for Zachariah!)

 

2019: Niblet and Ralph

 

2018: Creepy Pair of Underwear!

 

2017: School's First Day of School
(second GC win for Christian Robinson!)

 

2016: I'm Trying to Love Spiders

 

2015: Gaston

 

2014: Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great

 

2013: This is Not My Hat (ALA Winner!)

AASL: I.B.3 - Generating products that illustrate learning; II.B.1 - Interacting with learners who reflect a range of perspectives; II.C.1 - Learners exhibit empathy with and tolerance for diverse ideas by: 1. Engaging in informed conversation and active debate. 2. Contributing to discussions in which multiple viewpoints on a topic are expressed.; III.B - Learners participate in personal, social, and intellectual networks; III.D.1 - Actively contributing to group discussions; V.A.1 - Reading widely and deeply in multiple formats and write and create for a variety of purposes.

Common Core: SL.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1/2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups; SL.2 Ask and answer questions about/recount or describe key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media; RL.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text; RL.7 Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events; W.1 Write opinion pieces in which they name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure

Rhode Island Cross-Curricular Proficiencies: Collaboration - Incorporate diverse perspectives to promote an exchange of ideas with reasoning and evidence; Communication - Organize information to communicate ideas and responses when using any mode of communication

Rhode Island School Library Curriculum Priority Skills: 1.1 - Develops own opinion about a topic with evidence to support the opinion; 3.2 - Participates in collaborative conversations with peers and adults to share ideas and information

Options 

Best Reads of Winter 2026

My favorites of the 33 books I read. Click on the titles to read plot summaries. If you'd like to see all of my books, you can follow me on Goodreads.

Picture Books

Your Forest by Jon Klassen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

LOVE. Although will some kids be scared of the ghost? Too bad. Wondering if there is one in the farm and island books as well, which I just ordered.

 

Your Farm by Jon Klassen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was a bit unsettled that the hay had eyes. And was going to be eaten.

 

The Monster in the Lake by Leo Timmers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I would have loved to use this for Mock Caldecott, but alas, Timmers is Belgian. Could spark good discussions about rumors, judgements, and the fact that 95% of our oceans are unexplored ... who KNOWS what "monsters" we have yet to find!

 

The Future Book by Mac Barnett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I believe we have our first Mock Caldecott 2027 contender here.

And the kids can make up their own phrases to use in the now.

Forgive me, Susan!

Making Art by Diana Ejaita
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The art teacher needs this in her collection!

Chapter Books / Graphic Novels
 

Johnny Boo and the Silly Blizzard by James Kochalka
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

How have I never heard of this series before? Discovered it while searching for blizzard-related books on Sora to have my kids look up information during distance learning due to a blizzard. So cute. I want all of the books for our collection!

 

Busted by Dan Gemeinhart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ludicrous situations, but I laughed and I cried. What a ride! Would definitely buy if I taught at the middle school level.

Nonfiction

 

Jim!: Six True Stories about One Great Artist: James Marshall by Jerrold Connors
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I adored the format ... oh, how I loved George and Martha. Maybe I need to get new editions of them. We do have some of his fairy tales. Oldies but goodies.

 

Extreme Places: The Most Remote Homes on Earth: A stunning cut-paper picture book touring Siberia, the Sahara, Socotra & more―for young explorers ages 4-8 by Giles Laroche
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The amount of research and paper-cutting that went into this is staggering. Now I need to look up photos of all of these places. And be glad I don't live there.


Look and Cook Sweet: A First Book of Recipes in Pictures by Valorie Fisher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I kind of want to make jiggle jar ice cream, but I don't know that I can shake it for an entire 10 minutes. I mean, I'm working on lifting heavier weights for longer, but that's a LONG time. Anyways, the kids are always asking for dessert cookbooks, and I'm wondering if they'll be more likely to actually make the recipes when they are in this format.

The Big Empty: A Sagebrush Survival Story by Kirbi Fagan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lovely, but I don't think my 2nd graders will appreciate it. They have already voted down "Zero" and "This Book Bubbles Over."

For Grownups  

My Husband's Wife by Alice Feeney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wheeeeeee! Absolute page-turner. A friend and I read it over two days, texting each other constantly and then listening to the last few chapters via Spotify together. And now we want to reread it, knowing what we know. Such fun!

 

Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fun/poignant twist on a road trip plot. I want to see Tom's movie.

 

Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy by Mary Roach
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I would love for Mary Roach to write books for the elementary set so I could read them to my students! Learned a ton, laughed often.

Mock Newbery 2026 - December Meeting

I didn't attend the first meeting of the season, because every book I started on the list - even if it was phenomenal writing - made me think "None of my students would read this." The second list has some slightly more kid-friendly titles, although none of them blew me away. Posted with results from the meeting. 

All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Excellent portrayal of grief and the guilt that can come with it.

Verdict: KEEP

 

The Experiment by Rebecca Stead
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It was so good until it wasn't! I just reread a bunch to see if I had missed anything, but no, it doesn't seem clear at all as to why (view spoiler)[everyone ran out of the ship ... wouldn't they want to stay on it because they thought their mission was over and they were going home? (hide spoiler)]

I may still buy it for the library because kids ask for sci fi every so often and maybe they won't be as nitpicky about it. Because the first 75% or so was quite engrossing.

Verdict: KEEP

 

Is It Real?: The Loch Ness Monster by Candace Fleming
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I loved the setup and the way that Fleming walks the reader through assessing the evidence ... but after she asks you to make your decision 2/3 of the way through, she then presents decades more of research.

Verdict: KEEP

 

The Trouble with Heroes by Kate Messner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It was fine.

Some lovely turns of phrase.  
Even if I found the original premise a bit ridiculous.
And then rolled my eyes at the end.
I am jaded.

Verdict: KEEP

 

The Secret of Honeycake by Kimberly Newton Fusco
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

No real surprises, except for how they were able to afford so much sausage and so much sugar.

Verdict: DROP

Outside by Jennifer L. Holm
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Heart surgery? Dog memories? I kind of guessed the big twist, and wasn't going to mind it too much because the target audience hasn't encountered as many stories like this yet, but the Wind/Poppy subplot took me out of it. Just silliness.

Verdict: KEEP

 

Please Pay Attention by Jamie Sumner
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Too much going on, and it also suffers from the "stick some returns in the sentences to make it look like poetry" syndrome.

Verdict: DROP