Tag: sweet picture book

Cover shows a mole in a scarf hugging a tiny thing, a dandelion seed
Posted in PB, Read-aloud, So Many Good Books

The Tiny Thing

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Perfect Picture Book Friday

The first time I read The Tiny Thing* (Beach Lane Books, 2026) by Ellen Tarlow and Lauren Stringer, I wasn’t sure I liked it. But then I reread it. And paid more attention to the illustrations. Now I love it!

It’s fall and Mole befriends a tiny thing (images show it is a dandelion seed) and brings it home. The tiny thing gives Mole someone to talk to, someone to confess fears to, and best of all someone to tell stories to. His storytelling skills grow over the winter, and in spring he and the tiny thing go outside where Mole puts pieces of plants, sticks, rocks, feathers together to make new things. This causes change for both of them.

See all of the author’s books here and read about Ellen here.

Read about the illustrator/author here. See Lauren’s books here and some of her illustration process here.

*I received a copy of the book from the publisher for review. Opinions my own.

Cover of Courage Hats - Two characters looking out a train window, a child in a paperbag bear hat, and a bear in a paperbag human hat.
Posted in PB, So Many Good Books

Courage Hats

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Perfect Picture Book Friday

Courage Hats (Chronicle Books, 2022) by Kate Hoefler and illustrated by Jessixa Bagley is a fun read about courage and making friends.

Some don’t like train travel…
Mae is afraid because “the train went deep into bear places.”
Bear is afraid because “the train went deep into people places.”
They both create courage hats to wear. Guess where they each end up sitting?

I love the innocence of each character. And especially the phrase “…when you take your hat off, someone else will, too.”

Read about the author here and check out her books here. Kate’s newest book is The Couch in the Yard.

Jessixa is an author and an illustrator. Read about her here, see her books here, and illustration samples here.

cover of At Night, they Danced - boy dancing with Mom and girl dancing with Dad (black family)
Posted in PB, So Many Good Books

At Night, They Danced

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Perfect Picture Book Friday

At Night, They Danced (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2025) by Victoria Scott-Miller and illustrated by Toni D. Chambers is a sweet story with a touch of humor. It reminded me of how our children practically pushed us out the door when we had a babysitter.

Date night for their parents makes for a fun night for the kids. Langston and Emerson look forward to helping their parents get ready and their favorite babysitter arriving. Then there’s cheese pizza, popcorn, and fruit leather. No bedtime and pillow fights, and even jumping on the couch. But tonight, their parents are staying home. Has a monster disaster happened? Emerson and Langston come up with a master plan–their parents must go out.

Read about the author here. She also has another book out: Miss Edmonia’s Class of Wildfires.

cover of I Wish You More
Posted in PB, So Many Good Books

I Wish You More

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Perfect Picture Book Friday

I Wish You More (Chronicle Books , 2015) by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld is such a sweet book with deceptively simple text and lovely illustrations. It’s a great gift book. The pages make me smile.

Each spread shares what “I wish you more” of. So many good lines. One of my favorites is: “I wish you more we than me.” My favorite illustration is on “I wish you more treasures than pockets.”

Amy is a prolific author. A bonus on Amy’s website is that you get to choose the ambiance and see what the umbrella does. Very fun. I had to play with them all. Click on the links on the right for her children’s books, bio, etc.

Tom is an author/illustrator. Read about him here and see all his books here. Below is the story behind the story.

The Story of I Wish You More, as told by Tom Lichtenheld
cover of Nancy Bess Had a Dress
Posted in PB, So Many Good Books

Nancy Bess Had a Dress

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Perfect Picture Book Friday

Nancy Bess Had a Dress (Gnome Road Publishing, March 2024) by Claire Annette Noland and llustrated by Angela C. Hawkins is a lovely picture book set in the 1930s and shows how a dress is reused for many projects.

Nancy Bess goes to town with her parents and chooses a flour sack because of the pattern. She makes a dress and when it’s too small she makes an apron. When it tears…

This is such a sweet story and the theme of recycling and reusing is great for today’s readers.

Read about the author, Claire, here and check out her other books here. Update: an interview with Claire was recently posted here.

Angela is an author/illustrator. Read her bio here, check out her portfolio here and her other books here.