Archives for May 23, 2026

Looking for the perfect spring/summer reads for young readers? These heartwarming children’s books deliver adventure, imagination, and meaningful life lessons all in one lineup. Hannah Bear and Lulu’s Southern Sneak Party by Julie Hooks brings cozy fun and friendship to life with a touch of southern magic, while Hop’s Tales: The Kind Bunny by Evelina Ruimy offers a playful, rhyme-filled journey that encourages confidence, kindness, and staying true to yourself. Rounding out the collection, The Lost Locket on the Golden Gate Bridge by Scott Sollers is a touching story of love, loss, and hope that reminds readers what truly matters. Together, these stories make the ultimate feel-good summer reading list—perfect for families, classrooms, and anyone looking to inspire empathy, imagination, and joy.

Hannah Bear and Lulu’s Southern Sneaux Party by Julie Hooks

https://a.co/d/087Nyy5E

Hannah Bear and LuLu are off on another adventure!

The air is crisp in the Honey Hollow Woods, and the sister cubs are busy getting ready for their big winter party. Excitement is everywhere―but not for everyone. Magnolia, the newest resident of the woods, is feeling homesick and missing her favorite part of the season: sneaux! Determined to make their new friend feel welcome, Hannah Bear and LuLu spring into action with a heartwarming plan―and one magical ingredient that could make all the difference. Will they solve the conundrum and bring a little southern sneaux magic to the celebration? This cozy picture book is a joyful tale of friendship, creativity, and the magic of the season―with a sweet surprise ending that’s sure to warm hearts of all ages.

Hop’s Tales: The Kind Bunny by Evelina Ruimy

https://a.co/d/07QRKKWJ

Meet a bright and curious bunny who loves to learn, read, and play with friends. But when one pup gets in the way, this little bunny discovers something important about kindness, courage, and staying true to who you are. This charming, rhyme-filled story takes young readers on a heartwarming journey about friendship, confidence, and what it really means to be “cool.” Through playful rhythm and an uplifting message, children will learn that kindness and being yourself are the greatest strengths of all. Perfect for storytime at home or in the classroom, this delightful tale encourages children to build empathy, celebrate differences, and believe in themselves. 

The Lost Locket on the Golden Gate Bridge by Scott Sollers

https://a.co/d/0aNZXQux

What is your most prized possession? For Katherine, her most prized possession is the locket given to her on her seventh birthday. On a trip to San Francisco, California, the locket goes missing on the Golden Gate Bridge. Heartbroken, Katherine must come face-to-face with the reality that the locket is lost forever. When a seagull spots the missing locket, he quickly retrieves it and takes it back to his nest, hoping to return it to its rightful owner. Will the locket ever be reunited with its owner? Read along to find out and discover the greatest gift of all.

A girl who’s used to battling the monster of her own mind discovers there’s a sinister evil lurking in her small town in this atmospheric paranormal novel that’s perfect for fans of Tracy Wolff and Maggie Stiefvater.

Stories of dark magic and even darker creatures have always swirled about Mina Murray’s town of London, Georgia. Mina knows they aren’t true—and are likely perpetuated only to drive the quirky tourist-trap ghost tours of downtown—but that doesn’t stop her from collecting the stories and drawing them in her sketchbook. Something about the possibility of real monsters helps her deal with the monster in her own head: her OCD, which convinces her danger lurks everywhere.

But when a body is found drained of blood and a classmate goes missing, Mina is thrust into a tangled web of London secrets…that she seems to be at the center of.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Before embracing her love of monsters and sneaking into Mina’s fictional world, Melanie Dale published a bunch of nonfiction books, shambled around as a zombie on TV, and survived cancer. She’s written episodes for the anthology horror television series Creepshow and over a decade of essays for Coffee + Crumbs. While she has won no awards for literature, she won a Halloween costume contest one time and still feels pretty stoked about it. When she’s not writing, she’s teaching yoga or battling her own brain. She lives in the Atlanta area.

A middle schooler navigates the challenges of feeling invisible—literally and figuratively—as she comes to terms with her asexual identity in this poignant speculative novel perfect for fans of Ellie Engel Saves Herself and Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone.

It’s an interactive, oversize board book created to help young kids slow down and work through big emotions using simple breathing exercises and calming, textured paths they can trace with their fingers. Each spread invites children to breathe in and out as they follow shapes like flower petals, ocean waves, butterfly wings, rainbows, stars, and hearts, helping their minds turn to something tactile and approachable.

Mindfulness books for kids continue to resonate with families, teachers, and caregivers, but what makes BREATHE A RAINBOW stand out is its format. Calming strips and breathing boards are already popular tools in classrooms and therapy spaces, yet there aren’t other books that bring these elements together in one sturdy, read-aloud-friendly package. It works just as well for quiet moments at home as it does in a classroom or playroom.

Julie Koon, the author and illustrator of BREATHE A RAINBOW, is a former preschool teacher and school counselor, and she brings a lot of warmth and real-world experience to the page. Her goal is simple: help kids learn positive ways to cope with feelings like anxiety, frustration, and overstimulation before they even have the words to describe them.

This is also the start of a new series, with future titles planned to focus on specific childhood anxieties, including the first day of school.

There’s no such thing as superpowers – or is there? From influencer and best-selling author Roxie Nafousi comes Manifest for Kids: 4 Steps to Being the Best You, a combination guide and journal to help young readers harness a hidden power of their mind: manifestation.

An expert in manifesting, self-development coach, and inspirational speaker, Nafousi walks young readers through the practice of manifesting their best and happiest self, broken down into four easy-to-follow steps: understanding their feelings, growing their confidence, appreciating what they have, and reaching for their goals.

Manifest for Kids: 4 Steps to Being the Best You shares interactive tools for tweens such as guided and daily journaling, exercises to try alone and with loved ones, and supportive advice, allowing readers to tackle the evergreen hurdles of growing up by developing healthy routines, building confidence, and processing big emotions in a healthy and productive way.

Kirkus Reviews called it, “An uplifting guide for kids to cultivate positivity, handle tough emotions, and pursue big dreams.”

Now, middle graders can join the global conversation on manifesting and evolve their own superpowers of mindfulness and self-reflection with Manifest for Kids: 4 Steps to Being the Best You.

Roxie Nafousi (she/her) is a self-development coach, inspirational speaker, manifesting expert, and two-time Sunday Times bestselling author. Her debut book, Manifest: 7 Steps to Living Your Best Life, has become a global success, and her much-anticipated follow-up book, Manifest: Dive Deeper, debuted straight at number five in the charts, receiving acclaim from the UK’s top publications. Hailed as “the manifesting queen” by Forbes and the Financial Times, Roxie brings her unique approach to self-development across the world, hosting corporate workshops for the world’s largest companies. 

I’m excited to share the newest addition to our board book series by bestselling creator Lee Wildish. With engaging text and adorable illustrations, My First Milestones: Ready for Bed (on sale 5/5/26; $8.99) is guaranteed to be a nighttime favorite for little ones. Familiarize babies and toddlers with their evening routine, from washing up to snuggling into bed.

Lee Wildish is the New York Times bestselling illustrator of award-winning books such as How to Babysit a Grandpa. His iconic and humorous art style is beloved by both parents and kids. His My First Milestones series celebrates exciting developmental moments for the youngest reader. Check out the previous book, My First Milestones: Ready to Walk, which received a starred review from School Library Journal! 

A buddy comedy about a small woodland creature (voiced by Michael B. Jordan) and a majestic bird (voiced by Juno Temple)—natural sworn enemies of The Valley—who suddenly swap bodies and must team up (while walking in each other’s feathers and fur) to survive the wildest adventure of their lives.

ABOUT THE BOOK: Based on Skydance Animation and Netflix’s upcoming feature Swapped (sure to be a beloved children’s movie for years to come) Ollie’s Big Adventure is a gorgeous and fun-filled board book! Filled with friendship, these two natural competitors have to learn to work together to survive in a world that is both awe-inspiring and very dangerous. In fact, both of their species’ survival depends on it. Come along for a soaring adventure that will delight readers and fans of the film.

After being diagnosed with leukemia in the sixth grade, spending a year in the hospital, and now officially in remission, twelve-year-old Deepa is ready to unpause her life and take on the seventh grade. But getting back to normal is a little harder than she thought. Her parents still treat her like she’s made of glass, there’s a mean girl out to get her, and she doesn’t belong in any of the cliques at school. Even her best friend Renée forgot to mention she got a whole new life while Deepa was out. Luckily, she can always rely on her Uncle Jai to bring some excitement into her life. Uncle is a house-call doctor, and the self-proclaimed Sherlock Holmes of medical mysteries. His people skills, however, leave much to be desired. That’s where Deepa comes in. Uncle offers the facts, and Deepa offers the feelings–and convince his patients to take his advice. After all, doesn’t she know better than anyone what it’s like to be sick? But when Deepa’s first official patient is her bully’s brother, she can’t keep her personal feelings from affecting her professional work. Then her illness flares up again–putting the case, her relationships, and her life in jeopardy. To recover and solve the mystery, she may need to diagnose what’s really going on inside herself first.

About the author: Priya Swaminathan lived the dream of making movies and TV shows for twenty years before deciding to become a children’s author. In addition to writing, she is embarking on a new journey into medicine by studying nursing at UCLA. She lives in Los Angeles with her family and hopes that someday she’ll convince her husband to get a dog.

Self Disclosure: I received free copies of the above books to feature. Information and cover images were also provided. I only feature books that I recommend.