Fun Pick: Bad Banana

 

Bad Banana 

Ready-To-Read, Level Two 

by Michael Rex

Illustrations by the author

Simon Sportlight

an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division 

3036

32 pages

ISBN: 9781665962124

An overripe banana is sad because all of his friends in his banana bunch have been claimed and eaten. He's getting spots and the kids call him a bad banana. He is so sad until the mom has an idea: banana bread! 

You'd think a banana would not want to be devoured, but the bad banana revels in his unpeeling, mixing and baking. He's happy to be a good banana! 

The facial expressions on the banana are hilarious and capture the banana's moods from sad and depressed to excited, giddy and thrilled. He's not a bad banana after all. 

Sheer fun for ready to read learners. Silly enough to keep kids entertained and may even cause an uptick in the making of banana bread!

Highly recommended ages 2 and up. 

Picture Book Pick: A Black Girl and Her Braids

 

A Black Girl and Her Braids

by Jaylene Clark Owens

Illustrated by Brittney Bond

Penguin Workshop

An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

2026

32 pages

ISBN: 9780593889732

Based on a viral poem, Jaylene Clark Owens celebrates braids and their importance, in her words, "...of my culture, my nwighborhood, of my family background..." Braids not only protect the hair, they are considered a crown. Sadly, some schools do not allow students to wear braids or afros. The author mentions the CROWN Act which stands for Creating and Respecting an Open World for Natural Hair, an act that passed in the House but failed in the Senate. It will ban race-based hair discrimination in workplaces and schools allowing afros, braids, locs and twists. 

A young black girl revels in her braids--they are her identity and give her strength and power. With braids, her hair is always protected and easy to care for. The book says it best,"Rooted in Africa, it's a style that never fades. Ain't nothin' in this world like a black girl and her braids!" 

Illustrations celebrate the close mother/daughter relationship as mother cares for her daughter's hair and insures frequent trips to the shop to have her daughter's hair braided by professionals. Cover art is welcoming and appealing and sure to attract readers. 

Highly recommended grades 1-up. 

Beginning Reader Pick: I Am a Big Fish!

 I Am a Big Fish

Ready-to-Read, Level One

Simon Spotlight

An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division

by Susie Lee Jin

Illustrations by the author

2026

32 pages

ISBN: 9781665983396

A little fish claims, "I'm a big fish." The other sea life disagrees as they are all clearly bigger than him. The surprise at the end proves the little guy can be dangerous! 

Colorful, comic-like illustrations capture the fun of the wordplay (puns) that will make kids giggle and parents LOL "Fin-tastic" and saying, "That sounds fishy" will captivate young readers. Speech bubbles--a comic book staple--are used throughout and each character's personality shines. 

I Am a Big Fish! is a great starting book for young readers. The use of simple words and using illustrations to further the storytelling allows the reader to enjoy the story without thinking about LEARNING to read. Readers will feel a sense of accomplishment for reading a book...an entire book! 

Highly recommended ages 2 and up. If your child sits on your lap while reading, it's never to early to show them letters and sight words. I am a HUGE fan of the Reader-To-Read books. They are well-done and guide parents how to read/present the book at each level. 

Farts Are Funny!! I'm Trying to Love Farts

 

I'm Trying To Love Farts

by Bethany Barton

Illustrations by the author

Viking

an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC

2025

40 pages

ISBN: 9780593l773

Funny and fact-filled, this new picture book is hilarious and filled with laugh out loud illustrations and text. Bethany Barton knocks it out of the park for capturing the giggling first grade student in all of us (Well, some of us have that first grade student deeply buried, but I bet this picture book will make them grin, smirk and maybe guffaw). Cute illustrations by the author depict a loving and joking relationship between the two siblings. 

A girl explains farts, scientific name flatulance, to her younger bother who thinks farts are hilarious! ( I, too, think farts are hilarius). The girl explains the source of farts which is from swallowing air and eating foods. Did you know each fart is different? 

The average person farts between ten and twenty times a day, and yes, beans do make us fart more because they are fibrous and take longer to digest. The large intestine can digest them. Did you know termites are responsible for up to three percent of methane emissions? Tiny little bugs that cause so much damage to wood also are damaging our ozone. 

I'm Trying To Love Farts is a fun read especially for reluctant readers. It would be a great addition to story time with this caveat: don't expect children to be calm listening to the reading. They will laugh, joke, and even demonstrate farting! 

End pages are illustrated with types of farts defined by the author inlcuding the Little Ripper and The Eggy One. 

Highly recommended ages four and up. 

A Celebration of a Life of Joy and Activism: One Day in June

 

One Day In June

by Tourmaline

Illustrated by Charlot Kristensen

G.P. Putnam and Sons

Penguin Random House 

2025

40 pages 

ISBN: 9780593525371

This oversize picture book truly represents the oversize life and activism of Marsha P. Johnson, a striking, unforgettable, and yes, larger than life individual who embraced their own life and used their personality, wit and joie de vivre to unit people, to show love and acceptance for all and to embrace their situation no matter how tough it was. 

Marsha ignored cross dressing laws and rules. They were authentically them. 

A true actor, singer, dancer, entertainer and a friend to all, stranger to none, Marsha became known as Saint Marsha. They knew that accepting all people as they are is the  key to love and acceptance and HAPPINESS. Times Square became Marsha's living room. It was not a beautiful place back then. Tourmaline paints it as a, "hustle bustle place. git and grime. Shimmer and shine." Known for their loving personality and crowns made of flowers, Marsha decided since the whole world was her stage, they should get their message out. Accept all others no matter what "package" they come in. They believed and fought for Black trans lives and equality. The author writes, "The legacy of Marsha's life is a gift." 

End papers are illustrated with flowers signifying Marsha's many crowns of flowers. Unforgettable Marsha helped change the way people accept others. The back cover statement, "The spirit of Marsha has never been more alive and present in what we do." Perhaps we all need a bunch more Marsha in our lives. Let's accept each other as we are. 

Additional information and helpful numbers to The Trevor Project, Trans Lifeline and GLAAD are included after the story. 

Highly recommended grades 2 and up.