Format: Picture Book Nonfiction

Thank You For Being a Friend

Thank You For Being a FriendThank You for Being a Friend by Andrew Gold, Sanne Dufft
Published by Random House ISBN: 0593903099
Genres: Fiction in Verse/Poetry, Inspiration, Juvenile Fiction / Social Themes / Friendship, Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Celebrate friendship of all ages with this sing-along picture book written in 1978 by Andrew Gold and made popular in the theme song for The Golden Girls. The words are familiar (at least to those over 40) and the variety in Dufft’s gouache and colored-pencil art captures racially and generationally diverse friendship in many different forms. The illustration of the four “golden girls” is a delight as are the colorful friendship bracelets on the end pages. Unlikely to be a story time hit with preschoolers as it is a bit repetitious, but it is good retro fun for adult readers. It would be a fun lap book to talk about the pictures with young children and pull up the song on Spotify to listen to and sing together.

Barb Rehmeyer,  Liberty Library

four-stars

Sing the 50 United States

Sing the 50 United StatesSing the 50 United States! by Dr. Seuss, Tom Brannon
Published by Random House on June 2, 2026
Genres: Informational, Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

Newly discovered and never-before-seen picture book by Dr. Seuss . From Alabama to Wyoming, learn the names of all 50 states with the infamous Cat in the Hat. I don’t think it is singable but it is fun. The states are introduced by what names are similar or rhyme and not by region. This makes it a bit more challenging to learn them. The rhyming structure is typical Dr. Suess style. The book is colorful and the geography is fairly accurate. Kids, especially those who love maps, will enjoy it. A resource for the celebration of  the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. At the end of the book is a Publisher’s Note about how this project came to be, including  images of the original text and sketches by Ted Geisel.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

three-stars

Black Hands: Builders of our Nation

Black Hands: Builders of our NationBlack Hands: Builders of Our Nation by Carole Boston Weatherford, R. Gregory Christie
Genres: Cultural / African American, History
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

“Black Hands: Builders of our Nation” is a non-fiction picture book about how Black people helped build the United States, written by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. Readers see as Black hands survived the Middle Passage and arrived as slaves in the Americas and then as they build the White House and Capitol, and then through the Civil Rights movement and beyond as lawmakers, astronauts, scientists, athletes, and doctors. The painted illustrations are bright and beautiful and the information is presented in a simple and rhythmic way. Historical references are included in the back of the book for more detailed information about the illustrations. A must-buy for non-fiction picture book collections. This book is recommended for ages 4-8.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME.

four-stars

Melodies of the Weary Blues

Melodies of the Weary BluesMelodies of The Weary Blues: Classic Poems Illustrated for Young People by Langston Hughes, Various
ISBN: 0063327058
Genres: Cultural / African American, Poetry
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

This poetry picture book is a stunning anthology of Langston Hughes’ poems collected by the editor, Shamar Knight-Justice. Each page is a different illustrator’s work, working with different moods and themes all the way to the end. A total of 23 poems, and 23 of the most talented Black artists in the industry. Highlights include: “The Negro Speaks of Rivers (To W.E.B. DuBois)” and “Aunt Sue’s Stories” which speak so powerfully of the African American experience. Knight-Justice’s Author’s Note at the beginning of the compilation is a great explanation of why the picture book was created, as well as Hughes’s small biography in the back with additional timeline. Surprisingly, one of his most popular poems, “Harlem,” was absent.

Highly recommended for all poetry collections and Black history curriculum. Ages 6-10.

Reviewed by Gia Charles, Patten Free Library, Bath

five-stars

Lulu and the Others

Lulu and the OthersLulu and the Others: A True Story―A Charming Picture Book about a Bonobo Monkey for Kids (Ages 4-8) by A.G. Ford, Eliot Schrefer
ISBN: 0063205378
Genres: Animals, Emotions & Feelings, Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction, Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

We are introduced to Lulu, a bonobo who lives very similarly to her human family members. Lulu can look at comic books, play with her “sister,” get food out of the refrigerator, and use the bathroom just like her family. But after some time, Lulu seems sad and uninterested in life. The parents realize it’s time for Lulu to meet the apes on the island where she came from.

Based on a true story of bonobo rehabilitation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the apes are raised in safe places until they’re ready to go to the island Lola ya Bonobo (Paradise for Bonobos). When the apes are reintroduced back into the wild, there is always a unique transitioning period to where the bonobos learn who they actually are. Lulu’s story is one of those stories and shows readers how bonobo rehabilitation can be done.

A sweet and educational story about our close relatives, the bonobos.

Recommended for ages 2-6.

Reviewed by Gia Charles, Patten Free Library, Bath

three-stars

Galaxy Mapper

Galaxy MapperGalaxy Mapper: The Luminous Discoveries of Astrophysicist Hélène Courtois by Allie Summers, Sian James
on November 18, 2025
ISBN: 1536228974
Genres: Biography/Autobiography, Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

If readers haven’t already heard of Hélène Courtois and her marvelous contributions to astrophysics, this picture book biography illuminates her amazing life. This picture book, through mit Kids Press, starts at Courtois’ early years mapping her French countryside and onto her experiences being a woman in the sciences. Allie Summers writes a compelling tale of how she discovers Laniakea in 2013, a special supercluster of galaxies that includes our Milky Way.

This is a great contribution to any picture book biography section. The graphic design illustrations are bright and eye-catching and the writing is full of new science terms for kids to learn in tandem with Courtois’ life story. End papers include her Timeline, a Glossary of Galactic Terms, “Other Fiercely Intelligent Women in Astronomy,” and a guide to putting your telescope in the right location. Recommended for Ages 5-9.

Reviewed by Gia Charles, Patten Free Library, Bath

four-stars

Houdini’s Library

Houdini’s LibraryHoudini's Library: How Books Created the World's Greatest Magician by Barb Rosenstock, Mar Delmar
on February 17, 2026
ISBN: 0593570138
Genres: Biography/Autobiography, Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars
This engaging picture book of the world’s most famous magician also affirms the magic of  books, reinvention, and determination. Author Barb Rosenstock relates the story of Harry Houdini’s life and his passionate connection to the written word. This love of literacy was inherited from his father, a rabbi whose impressive library was sadly diminished and sold when the family fell upon hard times after emigrating to the United States from Hungary.  Rosenstock posits that books and Houdini’s reverence for them, are precisely what helped Harry become the world’s greatest illusionist.
As a self-educated lover of knowledge, Houdini’s every escapade is tied back to his desire to learn and his devotion to collecting volumes “thick and thin, small and tall, older and newer.” Keys serve as both a visual and literary theme, appearing on the endpapers and throughout the story to symbolize how books unlock knowledge.
The narrative brings Houdini’s era to life alongside stunning illustrations made from incredibly detailed, three-dimensional miniature paper scenes that match the text’s dynamism. Back matter includes an author’s note on the vast breadth of Houdini’s real-life collection and an illustrator’s note explaining the deep historical research required to create the artwork.
Highly recommended for public and elementary school libraries.

Deanna Contrino, SLMS/MLIS
K-2 School Resource Librarian, Scarborough Public Schools

 

 

five-stars

The Big Bang and Beyond

The Big Bang and BeyondA Comic Book History of the Big Bang and Beyond by Anna Claybourne, Rikus Ferreira
Published by Kids Can Press on May 5, 2026
ISBN: 152531503X
Genres: STEM
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

The Earth was born 4.5 billion years ago and this book allows us to follow along until the extinction of dinosaurs 66 million years ago. Formatted in comic book, graphic nonfiction styling with funny yet on point speech bubbles throughout, this book is highly accessible and easy to read. The quick bits of informational text and highly-detailed, colorful illustrations enable kids, and adults, in the evolution of Earth including how our solar system formed including the sun and moon, the beginning of lifeforms on Earth and the dinosaurs.

Backmatter includes a comprehensive glossary and an index.

Ages 8-12
Reviewed by MaryAnn Lopes, Elementary Librarian. Lewiston Public Schools, Lewiston, Maine.

five-stars

Seven Million Steps

Seven Million StepsSeven Million Steps: The True Story of Dick Gregory's Run for the Hungry by Christian Gregory, Derrick Barnes, Frank Morrison
ISBN: 0063357526
Genres: Biography/Autobiography, History, Inspiration, Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
three-stars

Seven Million Steps: The True Story of Dick Gregory’s Run for the Hungry

Written by: Derrick Barnes and Christian Gregory

Illustrated by: Frank Morrison

 

This non-fiction picture book for ages 4-8 tells the story of activist Dick Gregory’s remarkable 1976 Food Run- his two-and-a-half month run from Los Angeles to New York City to raise awareness about the epidemic of hunger and poverty in America. Mr. Gregory underwent this run while sustaining himself with only water, juice, vitamins, and some seeds. His goal was to raise attention and compassion to those who go days without food. The end contains a direct quote from Dick Gregory, as well information about the persistent reality of hunger and food insecurity today. Although the author mentions that individuals can support organizations like Feeding America and No Kid Hungry, inclusion of practical and child-friendly strategies (i.e. giving to a local food pantry, volunteering at soup kitchens) is lacking. This may have helped inspire activism and volunteerism in young readers by providing ideas for small and meaningful ways they can impact their communities. The underlying issue of wealth inequality remains relevant and deserving of attention.

3 stars

Reviewed by Lindsey Hopkins, Jay-Niles Memorial Library, Jay

three-stars

Two Artists, Grandad and Me

Two Artists, Grandad and MeTwo Artists, Grandad and Me by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow
Published by Doubleday Books for Young Readers on January 20, 2026
ISBN: 0593571231
Genres: Arts, Family
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

Art and music move hand in hand throughout this story featuring a granddaughter with her artist grandfather. The book is the depiction of memories the author has with her artist grandfather, Jerry Pinkney.
In his music-filled studio this young girl is given the creativity to explore her artistic side with the guidance of her grandfather’s skills and love.
The cadence of this book and liberal usage of onomatopoeia moves the reader along much as the music carries the author through her paintings with her grandfather.

Ages 4-7
Reviewed by MaryAnn Lopes, Elementary Librarian. Lewiston Public Schools, Lewiston, Maine.

five-stars