Kaija Langley · Denene Millner Books / Simon and Schuster · 2025
A great-grandma imparts the wisdom gained over her 100 years to an eager little girl in this tender picture book tribute to family and living a long, purposeful, beautiful life.
Subject
For young readers
Picture books and middle-grade stories from the Institute community, for the youngest shelf.
7 books · 6 authors · across 4 lists · 2021–2025
Taylor Perron · Penguin Random House · 2024
It's no secret that children love rocks: They appear in jacket pockets, on windowsills, in the car, in their hiding places, and most often, in little grips. This book is an appreciation of rocks' versatility and appeal, paired with the presentation of real types of rocks and their play-worthy attributes.
Lindsay Bartholomew · Stillwater River Publications · 2024
How much can you love someone? Higher than you can reach? Longer than a river? Bigger than the sky? The real answer - bigger than everything that's big!
Sally O. Lee · Self-published · 2023
Who hasn't been left out at one point or another? Were you ever not invited to a party, or left out of an occasion? What do you do about it? How do you feel? Who do you talk to? This book follows a kitty as he navigates through his feelings and thoughts and decides what to do next.
Kaija Langley · Nancy Paulsen Books · 2023
"The Order of Things" is a heart-rending and layered novel-in-verse for middle-grade readers. Eleven-year-old April Jackson loves playing the drums, almost as much as she loves her best friend, Zee, a violin prodigy. They both dream of becoming professional musicians one day. When the unthinkable happens and Zee suddenly passes away, April is crushed by grief but begins to learn it is possible to go on even after a great loss.
Alan Lightman · Candlewick Press/MIT Kids Press · 2021
Lightman and Pastuchiv, with help from the Hubble Space Telescope, light up the night sky for children, bringing galaxies close in a picture-book tribute to the interconnectedness of the natural world. Layering images taken by the Hubble telescope into charming and expressive art, Chapman zooms in on one child's experiences.
Thomas Moya · Hand Press Ink · 2021
A picture book that teaches about uncommon foods and introduces readers to children's names from different cultures. Using alliterative text and aspirational vocabulary to encourage discussion of body image and healthy eating, characters represent fruits and vegetables that highlight differences and imperfections.