Mixed Feelings by Liana Finck. Rise / Penguin Workshop, 2025. 9780593660423.
I love New Yorker cartoonist Finck’s picture books! (I think this is her second.) The kids in it have feelings that can’t be expressed in a single word, and luckily they have Finck’s illustrations to help. It’s complex and beautiful. It has perfect front and back covers, too.
Bearsuit Turtle Makes A Friend by Bob Shea. Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2025. 9781419771552.
A turtle in a bear suit tries to convince his friend (another turtle) that he’s a for-real bear. It’s fun and then it goes off the rails, which leads to a deeper friendship for the two. Amazing little book.
George & Lenny Are Always Together by Jon Agee. Rocky Pond Books, 2025. 9780593857731.
George (a bear) and Lenny (a rabbit) are always together. And that’s awesome. But then Lenny decides to find out if being alone is just as much fun as being together. It’s a bit hard to get George to understand.
Agee is my favorite picture book author. I overuse that f-word, but I absolutely mean it here. The way he draws is as magical as the stories he creates.
