For families who love to read, there is always a plethora of newly published books to check out. Candlewick Press has been publishing vibrant children’s books for over two decades.
Check out this list of lyrical and beautifully illustrated picture books that are perfect for your 2024 TBR pile!
The Princess and the (Greedy) Pea by Leigh Hodgkinson
There was a green pea that swallowed a sprout. Without a doubt, a brussel sprout. What’s that about?
This little pea is hungry! So hungry it swallows a sprout, slurps up some soup, munches the bread, gobbles the cake, noshes the pickle, guzzles the cheese, drinks all the tea, and even chomps down the table it’s all served on. After all that, it needs to sleep. But whose dinner did it steal? And whose mattress is the now-humungous pea resting under?
With bold, delightfully detailed illustrations and a bouncy verse perfect for reading aloud, this wickedly funny mash-up of “The Princess and the Pea” and “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” will have little listeners clamoring for multiple helpings.
My Mother’s Tongues: A Weaving of Languages by Uma Menon
In a sparkling debut authored by a sixteen-year-old daughter of immigrants, this ode to the power of multilingualism gives voice to the lasting benefits of speaking with more than one tongue.
Sumi’s mother can speak two languages, Malayalam and English. She can switch between them at the speed of sound: one language when talking to Sumi’s grandmother and another when she addresses the cashier. Sometimes with Sumi she speaks a combination of both. Could it be she possesses a superpower?
With awe and curiosity, young Sumi recounts the story of her mother’s migration from India and how she came to acquire two tongues, now woven together like fine cloth. Rahele Jomepour Bell’s inviting illustrations make playful use of visual metaphors. At the same time, Uma Menon’s lyrical text told astutely from a child’s perspective, touches lightly on linguistic diversity and accent discrimination (“no matter how they speak, every person’s voice is unique and important”).
This welcome debut, penned when the author was still a teenager, is an unabashed celebration of the gift of multilingualism—a gift that can transport people across borders and worldwide.
Today Is for You! by Sally Lloyd-Jones
Where will you go on those traveling feet?
Who will you love? Who will you meet?
Be a little seed. Get carried away!
Go WILD into the brand-new day.
From the bustle of the morning to the quiet of bedtime, every new day is filled with possibility. Follow a group of children as they find fun at every turn—dancing, playing games, picnicking, reading a book, climbing a mountain, or just shouting out their enthusiasm to the world. Sally Lloyd-Jones’s upbeat text integrates with Kevin Waldron’s high-energy mixed-media illustrations for a story that exudes unabashed joy.
How to Be Brave by Karl Newson
Join a child and their animal friends as they learn the importance of trying new things in this heartfelt story from the creators of How to Help a Friend.
Wherever your adventures take you, lead with your heart and your smile!
This uplifting picture book empowers children to explore a world of possibilities. Join a child and their animal friends as they tackle new experiences and discover that it’s OK to try things without knowing how they will turn out. And even though it can be a little scary, trying something new can also be rewarding when it means making memories, and even new friends. The important thing to remember is to always try your best and be yourself.
One Sweet Song by Jyoti Rajan Gopal
In an ode to the power of music and community, this vibrantly illustrated picture book steps out on the balcony for a shared moment of spontaneous joy and celebration.
In a quiet neighborhood, a single note trills through the air. Another note joins, and then another. One by one, curious people are drawn to their windows, doorways, and balconies to support the medley. Professional musicians play instruments from around the world, while others bang pots and pans. All are welcome as the notes swirl and dip and crescendo, coming together to make one sweet song. And when the music fades and this diverse neighborhood is once again silent, the reverberations of unity remain.
Written by a kindergarten teacher and inspired by the balcony singing in Italy during the pandemic—with a countdown from one to ten and back gently woven in—this rhythmic synergy of text and art is a buoyant, global-minded celebration of how music connects us, even in the darkest of times.
Happy Reading!
