Staff Picks

When Spring Comes
Written and Illustrated by Ekaterina Trukhan

Recommended by Rita Mayer from Miami Springs Branch Library

Simple things can be the most meaningful, and this book embraces that idea beautifully. When Spring Comes by Ekaterina Trukhan is a sweet, straightforward storybook for young readers — delightful and entertaining without ever feeling busy or ornate. Its minimalist text and gentle illustrations create a calming tone, helping young readers focus on the quiet beauty of nature through the eyes of a young girl.

Together with her family and their dog, she enjoys the small pleasures of spring: planting seeds, riding her bike and helping to tidy up. Readers join the family as they notice blossoms, greet a friendly groundhog and find comfort inside during a soft rain. The story celebrates the joy found in simply being present, such as touching cool grass, feeling the rich earth or spotting lambs and ducklings. A warm family teatime beneath a beautiful rainbow adds an extra moment of peace and comfort.

Trukhan’s illustrations are equally charming in their simplicity, using a soft color palette and minimalistic style that invites children to take their time exploring each scene. The quaint artwork also provides opportunities for counting, and the book concludes with a seek-and-find activity featuring items hidden throughout the pages, such as a snail on every page, a pitcher of flowers and a busy bee.

When Spring Comes is one of four books in Trukhan’s seasonal celebration series. A QR code on the back cover links readers to a free audio version of the book for children, complete with charming sound effects and a gentle chime to signal when to turn the page.

Ekaterina Trukhan is an author and illustrator known for her work in children’s books, magazines and product design. A graduate of Camberwell College of Arts in London, she now spends her time traveling the world with her husband and their dog. (Ages 2 – 5)

Bunny Made Tea
Written and Illustrated by Amanda Baehr Fuller

Recommended by Ana Barreto from Edison Center Branch Library

One rainy day, just as Bunny is about to enjoy a warm, fragrant cup of tea, an unexpected visitor arrives in need of comfort. First Opossum—and then her babies—happily drink every drop of Bunny’s freshly made brew, leaving Bunny without any tea by the end of the day. The next morning, one of the baby opossums appears at Bunny’s door with a steaming cup of tea made especially for Bunny.

With just a handful of words, author Amanda Baehr Fuller creates a warm and cozy tale about kindness, sharing, reciprocity and gratitude. Her gentle illustrations carry the heart of the story, showing Bunny gathering flowers in the rain, returning home to brew a new pot of tea and repeating the ritual with quiet emotion and charm.

Amanda Baehr Fuller is a writer and illustrator living in New York City with her husband and daughter. Inspired by her daughter’s imaginative "tea‑making" play and by a real‑life neighbor who often arrived unannounced, she crafted a humorous, comforting story perfect for rainy‑day reading, bedtime snuggles or classroom sharing. Bunny Made Tea is her debut picture book, published in February 2025. (Ages 3 – 6)

The Colors of Spring
Written by Danna Smith, Illustrated by Jessica Gibson

Recommended by Rose Spector from Coral Reef Branch Library

Part of the beloved Little Golden Books series, The Colors of Spring is a joyful celebration of the season’s beauty. Through lively rhyming text, readers follow a boy and his grandfather as they spend the day gardening together, discovering bright blooms, fresh greens and all the colorful wonders that make spring so special. 

The playful rhythm makes this an inviting read-aloud book for children of all ages, while the soft, detailed illustrations beautifully capture the sights of the season. Gentle, joyful and accessible for even the youngest listeners, this book celebrates nature, family and the simple pleasures that make spring feel new again. 

Danna Smith is the award-winning author of many picture books, including Two at the Zoo, A Brave Spaceboy, Pirate Nap: A Book of Colors and Swallow the Leader. Her most recent books are Bunny’s Easter Basket and Zenguin. She currently lives in Northern California with her family and dog Peanut, where she enjoys painting, gardening and playing with words. 

Jessica Gibson is a freelance illustrator from the riverfront area of Detroit, Michigan. She started her career after graduating from Wayne County Community College and has produced illustrations for a number of publishers and brands.  Her books include Acorn was a Little Wild by Jen Arena, Can I Keep It, Please? by John Sullivan, Someday, Maybe by Dianna Murray and Twins, but Different by Porsche Thomas, among many others. (Ages 2 – 5)

Grace Lee Boggs: Gardens of Hope
Written by Songju Ma Daemicke, Illustrated by Lin

Recommended by Joanna Boone from Main Library

"You don’t choose the times you live in, but you do choose who you want to be." Grace Lee Boggs wrote these words in her autobiography Living for Change and they are central to this beautiful children’s story.

Born in 1915 in Providence, Rhode Island, Grace was an advocate for civil rights, workers’ and women’s rights and the environment until her death 100 years later. This children’s book biography begins when a young Grace receives a copy of the novel The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett from her teacher. The novel became inspiration for little Grace’s lifelong passion for building and growing gardens. When Grace’s family moves to New York City, she never abandons her dream of creating a secret garden and as an adult, Grace kept this central to her life’s work.

The book follows Grace’s life, from a young adult earning a doctorate in philosophy to moving to Chicago, where she learned about the Worker’s Party. Grace later returned to New York City and became a party leader, before moving to Detroit to help autoworkers in the 1950s. With her husband and fellow activist James Boggs, Grace became an advocate of the Civil Rights movement. Throughout her time working for human rights in Detroit, Grace watched as the city became more of a concrete jungle. Together with her husband, Grace created organizations that provided children and young adults with opportunities to create community change—like growing a garden. Her passion as a little girl grew Detroit into a stronger and more vibrant place.

Songju Ma Daemicke is a Chinese American computer scientist and author. One of her first books written for children was Tu Youyou’s Discovery: Finding A Cure for Malaria. She also wrote a book simply titled China, which helps young readers connect with her home country. Lin is a Chinese illustrator with a background in Environmental Art Design. She also illustrated Tu Youyou’s Discovery: Finding a Cure for Malaria. (Ages 4 – 8)

The Flower Thief
Written by Alice Hemming, Illustrated by Nicola Slater

Recommended by Dan Jones from Naranja Branch Library

It’s springtime in the forest — the leaves are back; the cuckoos are calling and a new flower is blooming. Squirrel, coming out into the new warm weather, spots the flower and wants to take care of it. But Squirrel must learn what it means to protect a flower. At first, Squirrel tries to keep the wind, rain, and the bees and other animals away while Bird gently and patiently teaches Squirrel that flowers need all those things to survive.

The Flower Thief shines as a celebration of spring, full of color and expressive characters, with a simple but powerful message about our relationship to the natural world – “I know you love this flower, but it doesn’t really belong to you. Your flower is a wildflower…It’s there for everyone to enjoy.” This book is a great conversation-starter for families about our responsibility to care for the world around us and the line between care and control in many parts of our lives. A brief author’s note at the end of the book provides more information about how flowers grow, their role in the ecosystem and ideas for further learning and being a “friend to flowers.”

Alice Hemming is the author of more than 50 children’s books. In addition to The Flower Thief, she’s the author of The Leaf Thief, and the fairy-tale-inspired Dark Unicorn series of chapter books.

Nicola Slater is an award-winning children’s book illustrator. Her other collaborations with Alice Hemming include The Leaf Thief and The Sun Thief. Some of her other illustrated books include Don’t Say Elephant! and Jonathan the Magic Pony written by Stuart Heritage and How Many Dinosaurs is too Many by Lou Peacock. (Ages 4 – 8)

André: André Leon Talley-A Fabulously Fashionable Fairy Tale
Written by Carole Boston Weatherford and Rob Sanders, Illustrated by Lamont O’Neal

Recommended by Joanna Boone from Main Library

This true-to-life fairy tale tells the story of one of fashion’s most impactful icons. Readers will learn about the life of André Leon Talley, from birth to fashion king. No good fairy tale can be shared without its collection of dark forces. Life in 1950s Durham, North Carolina presented young André with the realities of segregation under Jim Crow laws. His loving grandmother, whom he called Mama, taught him about dignity, values and striving for excellence. Together, the two of them cleaned and cared for their home and their style.

André was a young, voracious reader. One day he found a copy of Vogue Magazine at the Durham Public Library, and it forever changed his life. His eye for style was acutely aware of all artistic beauty, including architecture, antiques, entertainment and new languages. Although he was bullied and harassed for his love of fashion and entertainment, André went on to earn a degree in French literature and moved to New York City. While in New York, he met Diana Vreeland from Vogue Magazine, worked for Andy Warhol, and grew in recognition for his fashion writing.

Years later, André became the first Black man to work as a fashion news director, creative director and editor-at-large of Vogue Magazine. Among his titles and recognitions in his life, he was also knighted as a Chevalier in the French Republic.

This story is beautifully co-authored by Carole Boston Weatherford and Rob Sanders. Weatherford is a highly recognized writer, poet, and critic who won the Coretta Scott King Award for Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre (2022) as well as several other awards for her more than 50 children’s book publications. Her books include Crowning Glory: A Celebration of Black Hair, All Rise: The Story of Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Family Feast!. Rob Sanders is known to be “a teacher who writes and a writer who teaches.” Some of his books include Book Comes Home, Peaceful Fights for Equal Rights, and Stonewall: A Building, An Uprising, A Revolution.

Lamont O’Neal is a New York-based design and fashion illustrator. Over his 30+ year career he has been published in most fashion magazines. This is his first children’s picture book illustration. (Ages 4 – 8)

An American Story
Written by Kwame Alexander, Illustrated by Dare Coulter

Recommended by Dan Jones from Naranja Branch Library

An American Story is an intense book, in its text and its visuals. It is set in a classroom as a teacher struggles to explain the history of American slavery to her young students. “How do you tell a story this hard to hear, one that hurts and still loves?” Author Kwame Alexander’s text doesn’t dance around the horrors of slavery – from the tearing of people from their homes and communities to the Middle Passage across the Atlantic and the harshness of plantation labor. Throughout the book, Alexander also highlights the resilience, courage and leadership of enslaved and oppressed Black people. As an internal dialogue, the story’s main character asks “How do you tell a story about strength and pride and refusing to be broken?” In the end, it’s the students themselves who answer the teacher’s question – pointing out the importance of facing and telling difficult truths about the past in order to build a better future.

Dare Coulter’s illustrations, which won a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award, are far outside the usual for children’s picture books. She uniquely uses a combination of sculpture, charcoal drawing, acrylic and spray paints to create dramatic, arresting and impactful scenes, and to weave the past and present together.

A significant, beautifully rendered, and challenging book – for Black History Month or any time of year – An American Story is an essential choice for caregivers ready to begin having difficult but necessary conversations about our nation’s history with their children.

Kwame Alexander is the author of numerous award-winning and bestselling books for all ages. His 2019 picture book, The Undefeated, was awarded the Caldecott Medal and Newbery Honor. His work has also been recognized with a Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award and Coretta Scott King Author Honor, among other awards. In addition to his writing, he is a regular contributor to National Public Radio’s Morning Edition and is the co-founder of the international literacy program – The Literacy Empowerment Action Project (LEAP) for Ghana.

Dare Coulter is an award-winning sculptor, artist, muralist and illustrator. In addition to An American Story, she has illustrated the picture books Zora, the Story Keeper by Ebony Joy Wilkins, Your Crown Shines: For Ketanji Brown Jackson and You by Jessica Care Moore and Bountiful Red Acres by Eileen Heyes, among others. She also served as Raleigh, North Carolinas first ever artist-in-residence. (Ages 6 – 10)

Crowning Glory: A Celebration of Black Hair
Written by Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by Ekua Holmes

Recommended by Ana Barreto from Edison Center Branch Library

This exquisite book opens by recalling the historic moment when five Black women simultaneously held titles in major global beauty pageants. With passion and pride, it honors the beauty, creativity and cultural significance of Black hair. Beyond the allure of its many styles lies a rich tapestry of heritage, identity and affection. Black hair is fierce, versatile, communal and endlessly imaginative.

The author celebrates the many ways hair can be styled: braids, intricately patterned cornrows, sweet pigtails, space buns, Bantu knots, braided mohawks, twirly twists, sleek styles, beautiful hijabs, headwraps and hats.

Ekua Holmes’ illustrations capture vivid, textured images that blend collage and drawing. Her artwork brings to life the diversity of hairstyles and skin tones, making the book both vibrant and visually stunning. It is a joy to read and to behold.

A detailed glossary at the end enriches the book’s educational value. Although written for young readers, it resonates just as strongly with adults.

Carole Boston Weatherford, an award-winning and New York Times bestselling author and poet, has garnered wide recognition for her prolific work, including honors such as the Newbery Honor and the Coretta Scott King Award. Among her recent titles are Grind: An Ode to Skateboarding and a biography of legendary fashion journalist and Vogue editor André Leon Talley.

Ekua Holmes has illustrated numerous celebrated children’s books, including Carole Boston Weatherford’s Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement. She is also a two-time recipient of the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. (Ages 7 – 10)

Black Girl, Black Girl: Celebrate the Power of You
Written by Ali Kamanda and Jorge Redmond, Illustrated by Amanda Quartey

Recommended by Ericka White-Harden from Miami Springs Branch Library

Black Girl, Black Girl: Celebrate the Power of You is a powerful picture book that shows the reader female role models who have represented them throughout history. Little brown girls everywhere will be inspired to dream big and be inspired to achieve all the ambitions they have. The book encourages little brown girls to embrace their spirit and recognize their potential for greatness. It uplifts their self-esteem and draws on the strong women who came before them and shaped their presence in history. It is a mirror to greatness for future brown girls to see and reflect upon for inspiration.

Ali Kamanda is an award-winning filmmaker and social entrepreneur from Sierra Leone, West Africa. He runs Biko Studios, a cross-cultural film production company, and he is the President of Salone Rising, a non-profit organization that provides micro-financing and mentoring resources to small business owners in rural Sierra Leone.

Jorge Redmond currently works as an attorney for the Sheriff's Office in Buncombe County, North Carolina and as an adjunct professor in South College's Legal Department.

Amanda Quartey was born in London, England. At the age of 14, she moved to Ghana and studied art at school, later returning to the United Kingdom to study graphic design. Her artistic path deviated slightly when she studied classics in college and then started working in finance, but in a bid to return to her artistic roots, Quartey has since built a professional illustration portfolio and is now loving every bit of her illustration career. (Ages 3 – 7)

CeeCee: Underground Railroad Cinderella
Written by Shana Keller, Illustrated by Laura Freeman

Recommended by Rose Spector from Mobile Library

CeeCee: Underground Railroad Cinderella is a powerful retelling of the classic Cinderella story, set during the era of slavery and the Underground Railroad. In this version, CeeCee is an enslaved young girl forced to care for the Townsend children, expected to meet their every demand without question.

CeeCee longs to learn how to read, but her attempts to teach herself are met with harsh punishment. When she is locked away for merely looking at books, Binty, the family cook, offers her comfort and quiet support. Binty shares stories of a secret network of helpers — the Underground Railroad — who risk everything to guide enslaved people to freedom. CeeCee also hears the familiar tale of Cinderella while sleeping in Georgina Townsend’s room.

Inspired by these stories, CeeCee dares to dream of a different life. With determination and courage, she secretly fashions a dress from scraps and asks Binty to help her carry out a carefully planned escape. Will CeeCee’s plan succeed? Who is the mysterious savior who helps her along the way? Discover the answers in this imaginative and moving story of hope, resilience, and the pursuit of freedom.

The illustrations enhance the story with expressive, full-color artwork that captures both the hardship and the hope of the era. Detailed scenes bring CeeCee’s world to life—from the plantation setting to the quiet moments of kindness and courage—while the artwork emphasizes emotion, movement and the journey toward freedom.

Author Shana Keller began her studies of African American history at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, and she has been delving deeper into her diverse past ever since. She is the author of Bread for Words: A Frederick Douglass Story, Fly, Firefly, Do You Know Them?: Families Lost and Found After the Civil War, and The Sole Man: Jan Matzeliger’s Lasting Invention, among others. She writes lost-and-found tales of courage and commitment from her home in North Carolina.

Originally from New York City, Laura Freeman now lives in Atlanta with her husband and their two children. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts and began her career working for various editorial clients. She has illustrated over 35 children's books, including Do You Know Them?: Families Lost and Found After the Civil War written by Shana Keller, Ketanji: Justice Jackson’s Journey to the Supreme Court written by Kekla Magoon, For You I Will written by Elle Duncan and This is Tap: Savion Glover Finds His Funk written by Selene Castoville. She also wrote and illustrated the book Natalie's Hair Was Wild! (Ages 4 – 8)