Newly Released Picture Books About Family and Friendship

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in order to provide an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Spring time seems to mean gatherings with family and friends. There is Mother's Day, Father's Day, graduations, showers and weddings. Today we are sharing three new picture books about special ties with family and friends. The first book is about friendship. It is Sheep & Goat Climb the World by A. C. Paolini and illustrated by Monica Arnaldo. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7.

About the Book: 

A rip-roaring, action-packed story about two fierce rivals and the competitive spirit that launches them on a trip around the world!

Sheep and Goat know right away they are rivals. From their first encounter, they each do what they can to best the other by climbing on stuff! And they don’t just climb–they LEAP! Higher and higher, from buses to statues to mountaintops. But when they reach the highest point in the world, they get stuck! What do they do now? It’s hasta la vista for their rivalry, as they discover that sometimes, working together is the only way out.

Join Sheep and Goat on this action-packed, zany journey, where they’ll learn that friendship can be even more exciting than winning! Get ready for heart-pounding action, hilarious moments, and the ultimate twist in the climb of a lifetime.

From Me:

In this fun book rivals sheep and goat travel the world to prove they are the better climber. When they get to the top of a very high mountain, neither knows how to get down. After some time, they realize they can get down by working together and become friends.

This book is fun! We see rivals doing crazy things but also get to see some famous places all over the world. It has a bit of culture and a bit of silliness. The overall message is wonderful. Kids are going to love this book and ask to have it read over and over. Each time I hope there is a discussion about what is seen in the illustrations. This is a great book for kids to learn about the various sites of the world. It includes the pyramids, Brazil, Peru, England, Italy and more! What a fun book to introduce a lesson on different cultures and countries. Or just to read for fun to teach them about the world while staying home!

Our next book is all about the special relationship between a Bengali girl and her Nani (grandmother). The book is Ritu in the Sun by Moniza Hossain and illustrated by Mercè López. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8. 

About the Book: 

A lyrical picture book about one little girl’s experience with colorism—and a celebration of that which can make us see things anew: light and love.

Ritu loves the sun. She loves it in the morning when it slants in through the kitchen window; in the afternoon when it makes the pool sparkle; and in the evening when it lights up the sky with splashes of orange and pink. But her Nani is worried the sun will give Ritu a tan.

Can Ritu convince her that all skin colors are beautiful—including Nani’s own?

With poetic text and stunning illustrations, this poignant story is sure to inspire children to embrace their own unique beauty—and it includes the author’s grandmother’s own aloo bhaji and roti recipes at the back.

From Me:

This book is sweet. Ritu loves the sun and being in the sun, but her Nani worries she will get too dark in the sun. Her Nani thinks of herself as too dark from the sun. The book summary talks about colorism but as someone with pale skin that burns easily and with skin cancer in my family history, I thought right away that Nani was trying to protect Ritu from causing skin damage. For Ritu the sun is fun activities with Nani and her family. For Nani it is worries of Ritu getting too dark like she did. The book shares that for Ritu the sun is fun but the most fun is spending time with Nani.

The book shares a bit of the Bengali/South Asian culture with the meals Nani prepares for Ritu. At the end of the book there are recipes for some of the food that Nani prepares. In the Author's Note Moniza shares a bit of her own experience and what inspired this book. I love that for her it is about loving all skin colors and the importance of time with loved ones. For more posts featuring Bangladesh check here. 

Our final book is a special message from a mom to her child about her love for the child. This book is perfect for Mother's Day as well as just any day. The book is Can You Grow a Striped Banana? by Jill Santopolo and illustrated by Momoko Abe. It is recommended for ages 2 to 5.

About the Book:

In this cozy read-aloud—with an irresistible mix of humor and tenderness—a mom assures her daughter that while mothers may not be perfect, they’ll always be full of love. The first picture book by the bestselling author of The Light We Lost and The Love We Found.

Vibrant, adorable illustrations accompany a mother’s explanation to her daughter, who makes outrageous requests that simply can’t be met. “I can’t grow a striped banana. I can’t stretch like a giraffe. I can’t hear an earthworm’s whisper or make a spider laugh,” Mom admits. But the girl’s requests just get sillier, until the funny and touching moment the next day when Mom shows her daughter that she might have to disappoint her sometimes, but she’ll always find a way to demonstrate just how much she loves her.

From Me:

When kids are young, they believe their parents can do anything. In this fun book a young girl asks her mother to do crazy and impossible things. The mom tells the girl she can't do these things after all who can blow a snow tornado or trade their feet for fins to be a mermaid. The mom however tells the girl she will find a way to show her how much she loves her. In the end she paints stripes on a banana.

This is a fun book for Mother's Day or just for mom to read aloud. It is a fun story about the craziness of kids' requests and the love a mom has for her kids. The requests get sillier and sillier, so kids are going to enjoy hearing this book. The illustrations are fun too. For more books to read or gift for Mother's Day check out these posts.