Book Finder

A sweet and playful bedtime and read-aloud picture book that reminds young readers just how loved they are. “I love you like yellow. I love you like green. Like flowery orchid and sweet tangerine …” Love comes in many forms. It can feel tart as lemonade or sweet as sugar cookies. Slow as a lazy morning or fast as a relay race. Love is there through it all: the large and small moments, the good times and bad. And at the end of the day, love settles us down to bed with a hug and kiss goodnight.

A celebration of family love and Black joy, told through gentle rhyming text and colorful illustrations. “The sun is calling us outside. Mama cheers me down the slide! We wish on puffs and sift through sand. We hike together hand in hand.” This book showcases the special role Mama plays in children’s lives and explores the many ways love can be shown!

This warmly-told story teaches us that love really does grow everywhere, in all shapes, forms, and sizes. Through gentle, rhyming text and vibrant illustrations, feel the love in a close-knit family who grow plants and sell them in their local market, and discover the types of love that exist in the many homes of their diverse community. There are kisses from Dad, songs with Grandma, charity from neighbors and playtime with friends. There’s old love, new love and everything in between! But there’s a new kid who is not quite so sure… Can the gardeners’ daughter be brave and extend the love to him?

Introduce your little ones to the colorful ways we see love around us in both English and Spanish! Amor de colores will introduce your little ones to all the colorful ways we see love in the world around us, through the colors of the rainbow and more.

There is nothing more important to a child than to feel loved, and this wonderful gathering of poems celebrates exactly that. The illustrations add a flourish of color, shape, and movement, and a visual layering that helps impart the most important message of all to young, old, parent, child, grandparent, and friend alike: You are loved. One page is mirrored, so children reading the book can see exactly who is loved — themselves!

“I love you” may sound different around the world, but the meaning is the same. From China, to France, to Russia, to Brazil, and beyond, this charming board book features “I love you” in 10 different languages. Tapping into the emotions that parents feel for their children, the rhyming text is accompanied by sweet artwork that depicts different cultures around the world.

An Asian American girl shares how her family expresses their love for one another through actions rather than words. How do you tell your family that you love them? For Hana, love is all around her: Mom stirs love into a steaming pot of xifan. Dad cheers with love at her soccer game. Hana says good night with love by rubbing her grandma’s feet and pouring her grandpa his sleepy tea. And as the light fades, Hana’s parents tuck her into bed and give her a good night kiss. So many families express their love in all they do for one another, every day. Here is a book that wraps you in a hug and invites your family to share their own special ways of showing love.

Middle school is just around the corner for Ryan Hart, which means it’s time to start thinking about the future — and not just how to prank her brother, Ray! During Black History Month, Ryan learns more about her ancestors and local Black pioneers, and their hopes for the future, for her generation. She wonders who she wants to be and what kind of person her family hopes she becomes. Drawing on the ambitions of those who came before her and her own goals, Ryan is determined to turn her dreams into reality.

Get ready for Lunar New Year, following a little girl and her family as they get ready for and celebrate the Lunar New Year festival. With information about the significance of certain rituals, told through the excited eyes of a child. Each spread includes 12 lift-the-flaps to see traditions such as decorating the house with lucky red decorations, watching a special firework display, making festive dumplings with Nainai (grandma), reading a story about the zodiac with Yeye (grandpa), watching a lion and dragon dance in the town square, and exchanging lucky red envelopes with family.

Sohee’s favorite part of Seollal (Lunar New Year) is tteokguk — the special Korean rice cake soup traditionally only enjoyed on New Year’s Day. Each bowl is said to make the person who eats it one year older. This year, Sohee wants to eat as many bowls as she can to finally be an eonni, or “big girl,” to her younger siblings and cousins. This funny story of a child’s journey to discover what it really means to be a big girl explores the traditions of the Korean Lunar New Year and the value of family and helpfulness. 

Jin wishes his family would ask him to help prepare the Lunar New Year feast. But boys, or Babas, never get asked ― only Nyonyas, the girls. It’s the eve of Lunar New Year, and Jin can’t wait for the big family reunion dinner. He loves the aromas and the bubbly chatter coming from the kitchen. His grandmother, Mamah, is cooking up a storm! As his aunties dice, slice, and chop, there’s nothing Jin wants more than to learn about the history of his family’s cooking and to lend them a helping hand. But his aunties shoo him away, claiming he’ll just get bored or be in the way. Luckily, Mamah steps in and asks Jin to help her prepare their special meal. Soon, Jin is squeezing, slicing, and stirring, too! This loving picture book about a young Malaysian boy who defies gender expectations will make hearts warm and stomachs hungry. 

This story follows a brother and sister on their way to Grandma’s house to celebrate Lunar New Year. Protected and guided by the 12 magical animals of the zodiac, they’ll travel through the city into a vast tea garden, a serene bamboo grove, and across an ancient stone bridge to gather special treats for their big, celebratory family dinner. Young readers will delight in the clever die-cut surprises throughout and the dramatic quadruple gatefold at the end that reveals a special, festive surprise complete with dragon dancers and fireworks. 

This bilingual English and Mandarin Chinese book introduces children to Lunar New Year traditions — from buying new clothes to special foods and decorations. Children will enjoy seeing different family members preparing for and celebrating the holiday together, and the included family tree is a great visual for teaching the names of different family members.

Days after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Hitler declared war on the U.S., unleashing U-boat submarines to attack American ships. Suddenly the waves outside Louisa June’s farm aren’t for eel fishing or marveling at wild swans or learning to skull her family’s boat — they’re dangerous, swarming with hidden enemies. Determined to help her mama and aching to combat Nazis herself, Louisa June turns to her quirky friend Emmett and the indomitable Cousin Belle, who has her own war stories — and a herd of cats — to share. In the end, after a perilous sail, Louisa June learns the greatest lifeline is love.

Sam is trying to figure out what he’s thankful for. He’s also working on a special project to share at the Thanksgiving feast— his own version of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! Parents and teachers will find inspiration for other Thanksgiving crafts and projects, and a section at the back includes fun Thanksgiving facts.

This middle grade historical novel set during the Great Depression is a moving tale of the spirit of American persistence, found family, and the magical partnership between girl and horse. Bea wakes to Daddy’s note in a hayloft, where he abandoned her with her little sister after the stock market crash took everything: Daddy’s job at the bank, their home, Mama’s health and life. How is Bea supposed to convince the imposing Mrs. Scott to take in two stray children? Mrs. Scott’s money and Virginia farm are drying up in a drought and the Great Depression, too. She might have to sell her beautiful horses, starting with a dangerous chestnut that has caused tragedy in the past and injures her stableman shortly after Bea arrives. Bea understands the chestnut’s skittish distrust. She sees hope in the powerful jumper — if he can compete at horse shows, they might save the farm, and maybe Bea can even win a place in Mrs. Scott’s heart.

Little Ren looks forward to the preparation for and festivities of Lunar New Year, but she is always too little to help make the delicious pineapple cakes that are her favorite. She watches family members rolling out the dough and loves the mouth-watering smell. Watching and waiting, when will Ren be old enough? Celebrate the Lunar New Year through a young girl’s family traditions in this charming picture book that includes a recipe for pineapple cakes! 

The new year festival lasts for 15 days full of preparation, celebration, and symbolism. Join Ling, her sister Mei and granny Po Po as they clean the house from top to bottom, pick fresh flowers from the garden, visit friends and family, and carry red lanterns through their neighborhood. Ling invites the reader into her home and family, allowing the reader to experience this special celebration first-hand. Discover more details about how the festival is celebrated in China and beyond in the backmatter plus activities such as guess the riddle, make your own red envelope, and a recipe to make delicious Lunar New Year ‘pot sticker’ dumplings. 

Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year, is Mina’s favorite day of the year. Mina can’t wait to share the customs of Seollal with all of her friends at school. She will show her classmates her colorful hanbok, demonstrate how to do sebae, and then everyone will make tasty tteokguk in the cooking room. Yum! Her little brother may even join in on the fun … if he can find a way out of his bad mood. A glossary of Korean terms, with pronunciation guide, is included.

A retelling of the Nian legend follows the experiences of a young girl who takes action when her village is threatened in the spring by a dragon. But Mei must defeat the dragon within 15 days or it will be free forever. This retelling with a twist explains the origins of Chinese New Year traditions.

On Chinese New Year’s Eve, a poor man who works for the richest businessman in Beijing sends his son to market to trade their last few eggs for a bag of rice, but instead he brings home an empty — but magic — wok that changes their fortunes forever. With spirited text and lively illustrations, this story reminds readers about the importance of generosity.

From dazzling dragon dances to scrumptious steamed dumplings, celebrate the Chinese New Year with this bilingual alphabet book in English and Mandarin Chinese. Lunar New Year is here! It’s time for acrobats to perform, Grandma and Grandpa to make cut paper decorations, friends to share oranges with one another, and so much more! Follow along as two siblings prepare for the festivities and later have a feast with their whole family

It’s the night before Lunar New Year, and a little girl is excited for all of the celebrations to come. She’s prepared dumplings with her mom, bought a new dress in Chinatown, and even helped scare mythical beast Nian away with her cousins and brother. There’s only one problem: she’s a bit nervous about all of the loud noises at the upcoming Lunar New Year Parade. Will she overcome her fears? Written in the style of The Night Before Christmas.

A bilingual board book introducing Chinese characters through the animals of the Chinese zodiac. The adventure loving Dragon, the carefree Horse, and the artistic Goat are just three of the 12 Lucky Animals to be found in the Chinese zodiac, rendered here in bright illustrations. Use the wheel on the back cover to help little readers discover who their lucky animal is and how to pronounce its name in Chinese and English.