c.2026, Various publishers
$19.99 each
Various page counts
Pretty soon, you’ll want to add another blanket to your bed at night.
You’ll want a jacket or sweater when you go outside, and your shoes won’t be sandals pretty soon. Fall is coming, and you’ll be staying indoors a little bit more, which means you’ll have time to read and these books are great for your fall …
Have you had a good summer? Most people have — but some kids are sad this fall, and in the new book “Love Lives On” by Dorena Williamson, illustrated by Ana Latese (Magination Press, $19.99), Will’s family has experienced a tragedy and it’s pretty scary.
How the adults around him react, dealing with loss and gun violence, grief and healing are at the heart of this book. Beware of that before you hand it to a sensitive child — but if your 4-to-7-year-old needs a book like this, here’s a helpful story for you all.
Determination. That’s what you want for your child, and “Better Than a Touchdown” by Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, illustrated by Nneka Myers (Flamingo Books, $19.99) will get your child in the right direction.
When Jalen arrives for his first day of school, his friends break the bad news to him: there won’t be any school football this year. What? Jalen was sure that this year, the perfect touchdown was within his grasp. He tried other activities, but nothing compared to football — and then he thought of an idea that just might work. Was it possible, with teamwork, to have a football season of their own? Your 3-to-7-year-old will want to find out.
So your child is a little bit different. Big deal. In “Simply Winnie” by Supermodel Winnie Harlow, illustrated by Sawyer Cloud (Penguin Workshop, $19.99), that difference is actually a benefit.
Willie is an artist, a painter, a designer, a glam-girl, and she’s fabulous! But Winnie doesn’t fit in sometimes, and she hates looking like everybody else. Even her new best friend likes to go along with the crowd, so Winnie wonders which is better: to be like other kids or to just be Winnie? How can a one-of-a-kind girl be true to her one-in-a-million self? Kids ages 3-to-7 will love this book, especially if they’re uniquely beautiful, too.
And finally, for the kid who wants a story with meaning and lots of pictures, look for “Black Hands: Builders of Our Nation” by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (Crown, $19.99). Black history isn’t just a once in a year thing, as this book shows. Its powerful but spare narrative is great for quiet times, and the words are such that you can read them every day. For your 2-to-5-year-old, they’ll sink in quickly.
If these books are not exactly what your child will enjoy, then head to your favorite bookstore or library and ask to be directed to the kids’ section. There, you’ll find lots to read, and access to even more books for kids of any age. Find these four books or more, and sit down pretty soon.
