The Night Giant by Lorenzo Coltellacci, illustrated by Lorenzo Sangió. Kids Can Press, 2025. 9781525314032.
This giant plays tricks on the villagers at night. He seems to be having a great time! But not everyone is sure he’s real, and no one knows where he comes from. What does the giant think of himself?
Another strange and beautiful picture book about giants.
The Pie Reports by Hayley Lowe. Orca, 2024. 9781459838079.
Noor and her granddad love pie! After she returns home at the end of summer, they hold Friday Pie Reports online to stay in touch about pie and everything else. But then her grandpa doesn’t appear. (Noor’s mom explains it’s because he’s having “more blue days than usual…”) This is the first picture book I’ve seen about a kid dealing with an adult who’s having a tough time. Well done.
Worm and Butterfly Are Friends Always (Ready to Read Graphics) by Kaz Windness. Simon Spotlight, 2026. 9781665966498.
In the winter, Butterfly flies to Mexico while Worm sleeps underground. They need different things, but they also need each other! A lovely little comic for early readers.
Bad Banana (Ready to Read Level 2) by Michael Rex. Simon Spotlight, 2026. 9781665962124.
This banana’s friends couldn’t wait to be eaten, but no one ate it. And then he got spots and turned brown and squishy. (Minor spoiler: don’t worry, someone does what we all do with rotting bananas in the end.) Rex’s absurd, low self-esteem banana really made me laugh.
