Another Tongue by Yevgenia Nayberg (Neal Porter Books). “This is your tongue. This is your mother’s tongue. The first language you learn is also called a mother tongue!” But learning a second language? That’s tricky! As the author — a native Russian speaker who learned English as an adult — playfully points out, though, it can be done. It just takes time, patience, and a tolerance for getting words wrong once in a while!

The Greatest Bedtime Story Ever by Jessie Sima (‎Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers). “Oh, hello there! It’s wonderful to see a friendly face. Let me guess, you have come in search of…THE GREATEST BEDTIME STORY EVER. Well then, come sit by the fire and make yourself comfortable. I have just the tale for you.” True, the clever elf is a master yarn-spinner, but can he conjure a tale good enough to send a cranky, sleep-deprived dragon off to slumberland?

Milo and Twig by Liz Brizzi (Post Wave). “The day I fell from my nest, I met a boy,” recalls Twig, a tiny bird. “The boy brought me into his nest. He gave me water and food. He wrapped me in a blanket. He told me his name was Milo.” The boy and the bird become fast friends as Milo protects Twig and nurses him back to health. But birds are meant to fly, and the one thing Twig can’t find in Milo’s house is what he wants most: the wide-open sky.