Recently two books (one due mid April 2026, the other late February/early April 2026; both read via an online reader) I read did not “grab me” in the way I had hoped. They were nice, but I was not the audience for them. I figure that probably a toddler to about six or so would be a good reach. They would be good bedtime stories or just relaxing stories. Both have interesting concepts and deal with self-confidence and imagination. Both have their own distinct style of illustrations and both could become your child’s favorite.
Especially if you have an inquisitive child like Emily in Emily Saw a Door. Mel Rosenberg’s story is about “finding the door” that “fits” you. Or finding where you belong. The doors Emily finds are all types for all different types of people and even animals (one is for people who talk so softly you can’t hear them, one is for animals, beings and plants that would love to have Emily for lunch). This book is illustrated by Orit Magia. They are simpler, but not simplistic, images. They are colorful and while there are not a lot of details to each scene, they have fun tidbits to fill things out, move the story along and to enjoy. We will root for Emily to find the place that is Goldilocks “just right” for her. And we might be inspired by her very delightful solution to his issue at hand.
But maybe your child has a unique imagination and likes to play with things that might not really be what you’d expect, like Robin in Robin and the Stick. Robin has a stick for everything for this room and that, to go to bed with, to play with here and there. Robin always has a stick by their side. They also have a loving mother who is by their side encouraging them. But one day Robin finds a stick they cannot pick up. Mother says it is a limb, if you can’t pick it up, but someday maybe they can. The idea is how Robin does things to then grow up. They might not look a lot bigger, but that imagination and patience will come in handy when they are ready. And E. B. Goodale combines text and sparsely illustrated images to show this. We have mostly black and white sketch looking pictures that occasionally have a color to pop off the page, that draws attention to the situation.
