Spring Board Book Round-up, Part II
New Original Board Books
Almeras, Chloe. Josephine. Gecko Press, 03/2026. [24]p. $9.99. 979-87-6567-304-1.
Originally published in French, this is a sweet story about a giraffe who enjoys exploring nature. She walks across the area and meets up with other animals at the waterhole, all while viewing the sky, water, and land. The charming cartoon artwork uses pastel colors. A warm hug of a book, one hopes for more adventures from Josephine.
Ampaah, Celeste, Abby Bediako, and Katie Delcid. When You Feel. Illus. by Shurjo Mukhi. Shout Mouse Press, 03/2026. [24]p. $10.99. 978-1950807895.
Shout Mouse Press is a nonprofit that publishes diverse voices, with headquarters in Washington, DC. In their newest board book When You Feel, various children talk about their feelings, with advice for coping offered by the adults in their lives. The deeply saturated illustrations, done in a folkart style, show racial diversity, and one child in a wheelchair. This can help young children articulate their feelings.
Dautremer, Rebecca. Jacomini. Post Wave, 03/2026. [48]p. $18.99. 979-88-950904-2-8.
This oversized board book focuses on a small rabbit and his friends, using a repetitive text that affirms you can never be too cute, too kind, too gentle, and so on. The characters all wear clothing but have animal heads, and the artwork as a soft-focused quality on off-white backgrounds. Useful for social and emotional learning, this will appeal to children who are just learning to read.
Dexet, Hector. Slide and Peek Santa. Post Wave, 09/2025. [12]p. $12.99. 979-88-950905-9-6.
Heavy-duty board pages slide out, extending each spread featuring Santa Claus. Each animal receives a wrapped gift; the present is revealed when the reader slides out the page. Full color graphic artwork adds charm to this simple story, that features a repetitive text.
Edwards, Nicola. Moo Deng Says No! Illus. by Joseph Moffat-Pena. Tiger Tales, 08/2025. [20]p. $8.99. 978-1-6643-5199-X.
Based on a real pygmy hippo that became a sensation on the internet, this describes Moo Deng’s habits. She has traits similar to human infants, including her love of play, bathtime, and avoiding bedtime. The full color artwork adds humor, and fact bubbles appear every few pages. Fun for young children, who can relate to Moo Deng.
Hickman, Jessica. Happy Hanukkat. Illus. by Elissambura. Kar-Ben, 10/2025. [10]p. $9.99. 979-87-6564-401-0.
Cats wearing clothing are the main characters of this comedic celebration of Hanukkah, playing with dreidels, lighting the menorah, and making latkes. They also hear the story of the Maccabees, which could inspire readers to seek out a version of that historical incident at the library. A fun supplementary book for toddlers, who can follow it up with more factual information on the holiday.
Orrelle, Michelle A. Todah – I Am Grateful. Illus. by Ailie Busby. Kar-Ben, 02/2026. [10]p. $9.99. 979-87-6564-935-0.
The title is repeated in each spread of this simple celebration of gratitude, with some Yiddish phrases. The cartoon artwork shows toddlers of various racial groups and their family members describing things they are grateful for, making this relatable for both Jewish readers and those of other faiths.
Strasser, Susanne. Stop the Ball! Gecko Press, 04/2026. [24]p. $12.99. 979-87-6568-915-8.
A cumulative text and large, bold illustrations make this a great board book for storytimes. Duck is playing soccer by himself when he runs into an owl, then a spider, and several other animals in the park. The repetitive text, park setting, and surprise ending combine to tell an entertaining and relatable story that will appeal to a wide audience and hold up to repeat reading.
Board Book Adaptations of Picture Books
Griffin, Molly Beth. Ten Beautiful Things. Illus. by Maribel Lechuga. Charlesbridge, 07/2026. [20]p. $8.99. 978-1-62354-682-3.
Originally published in 2021, this warm story involves Molly and her grandmother driving to what we later learn is their new home. Just the two of them appear in the story, and the illustrations show they could be Latinx, Asian, white, or biracial. The story also includes both the ordinal number and the word for that number, as they count from “1st first a bright sunrise” to the tenth thing they see – home. This balances the counting with a solid story for a wide age range.
Wagley Copp, Mary. Sometimes We Pray. Illus. by Felishia Henditirto. [20]p. Charlesbridge, 02/2026. $8.99. 978-1-62354-641-0.
Simultaneously published in both hardback and board book formats, this celebrates prayer around the world. Both the simple text and the full color illustrations describe praying in various ways and many places, including “…in a mosque. In a meeting house. In a temple. In a synagogue. In a church. Around a table.” The artwork avoids being overly cute and is more realistic in depicting the many cultures depicted. A nice message of unity and brotherhood.
Penny Peck, San Jose State University iSchool
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