Big new titles perfect for the littles.
The Bright Side by Chad Otis (Rocky Pond Books). “We live in an old school bus now. At least until we can get a normal house again.” Okay, so it’s not ideal, but the young boy is determined to make the best of it — and to look for the positives. “The bright side means…when you move all the time, you get to do school on the bus. And when you have mostly just bread and ketchup, you get to make ‘pizza toast’ instead of real pizza.” Is it an easy life? No. (Bathing with a garden hose isn’t fun.) But with Mom and Dad by his side, he’ll make the best of it!
My Dog Just Speaks Spanish by Andrea Cáceres (Candlewick). “When Aurora came to the United States, she learned to speak English.” But her playful pup, Nena? She only understands Spanish. “She doesn’t know SIT, but she knows SIÉNTATE. She doesn’t know WAIT, but she knows ESPERA.” Luckily, it’s not a problem. The little girl is happy to teach her new friends the right words to use. And it turns out that lots of people in the city speak Spanish, too. Besides, even if Nena never learns English, she’ll always be Aurora’s mejor amiga!
Repeat After Me: Big Things to Say Every Day by Jazmyn Simon and Dulé Hill (authors) and Shamar Knight-Justice (illustrator) (Random House Books for Young Readers). The world is a scary, unforgiving place, so take the time to remind baby bookworms that they’re safe and loved. “I am WORTHY. You are filled with goodness, knowledge, and worth — more precious than all the diamonds found here on earth.” Honestly, all-grown-up bookworms will probably appreciate these warm, gentle affirmations, too!
