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!

Best Reads of Winter 2026

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.

Best Reads of Fall 2025

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

Everyday Bean by Stephanie Graegin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So stinking cute!
I can use in a fiction/nonfiction lesson re: hedgehogs.
And then slide into "Not a Box" the next week.

 

The Wombats Go Wild for Words by Beth Ferry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My students' vocabulary has become smaller every year. They need more words.

 

Aggie and the Ghost by Matthew Forsythe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The ghost is a brat ... but he did come with the house. But then, most ghosts are content to just float around the attic rather than stealing socks and EATING THE CHEESE!! Unforgiveable.

My pedantic side questioned the tic tac toe game, but I think I will add this to the Mock Caldecott list and let the kids cut out their own game pieces from this printable from the publisher.

Go, Sloth, Go! by Toni Yuly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not sure that I will use for Mock Caldecott, but will definitely add to my sloth lessons. And it's short and rhyming and has a chorus, so a good PreK readaloud as well.

Early Readers

A Great Fall: Three-and-a-Half Stories by Ame Dyckman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In the words of our characters, I love it! It's perfect! Exactly the kind of book I need more of in my library. A "chapter book" for early readers with repetition and sweet silliness. I want to buy them all.

 

Kat & Mouse: I Like Cheese! by Salina Yoon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Early reader graphic novel with a sweet message about friendship. Lovely.

Chapter Book

 

Troubling Tonsils! by Aaron Reynolds
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Yes yes yes yes!!!! Exactly what we need!!!

Twilight Zone for the elementary set.

Fantastic vocabulary, tons of illustrations, creepiness and grossness and I cannot wait to get it and share with the students!

 

Nonfiction

  

When Tree Became a Tree by Rob Hodgson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just as good as "When Cloud Became a Cloud."
Factual, adorable, love it.

 

This Book Bubbles Over: From the Ocean to Mars and Everywhere In Between by Nora Nickum
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So much cool information!

 

Meanwhile Back on Earth by Oliver Jeffers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Definitely for older kids or even adults ... could be a great kickoff to a history class. Sobering. I often say that I can't believe in this day and age, we are still killing each other as a way to decide who wins.



Rewriting the Rules: How Dr. Kathleen Friel Created New Possibilities for Brain Research and Disability by Danna Zeiger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Really good portrayal of a person's life and purpose ... although I would like to know a little more detail about her experiments and discoveries.

 

Butt or Face? Volume 3: New York Times Bestselling Series by Kari Lavelle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pretty disgusting facts this time around - reminded me of Haiku, Ew! Like so disgusting I don't know that even I who laughs at poop jokes would be able to read it out loud. I did mention it to some 2nd graders as we kicked off our Mock Sibert unit, and they begged me to bring it in. I'll let them be the test readers. And will still definitely buy.

For Grownups

   

The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just don't overthink the details.

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

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