Bollywood Beat is a brightly illustrated story of two sisters preparing for a dance recital. It’s told through a series of onomatopoeias and two-word phrases that capture the motion and emotion of the busy celebration. Young readers will be drawn to the joyful illustrations, and this title is a great option for pre-readers, as the entirety of the story can be understood through the vibrant artwork. There are a few key words explained in the back, making this a great story for caregivers to read with younger children as well. This would be a hit with preschool and kindergarten-aged kids.

The Cities Through Time series offers a glimpse at key moments in different cities’ history. The text features in these books are perfect for beginning readers or for a teacher/caregiver looking to introduce features of nonfiction texts. Each book begins with three goals for the child as they read. The table of contents then clearly outlines the topics in the book, and each two-page spread features bright illustrations and a variety of labels, bolded words that can be found in the glossary, and even “Jimmy Says” features that allow the books’ guide, Blastoff Jimmy, to share facts or offer comprehension support throughout.

A timeline, glossary, and index, along with post-reading questions and ideas for where to learn more, round out the features of this series. This is a great introduction to timelines and key moments in history, though, of course, the length and target audience of these books leave gaps in discussions about colonialism and key events that might be difficult for young children to understand without more historical and cultural context. Still, this is an excellent series for young learners to learn a bit about history, geography, and a lot about nonfiction text features.

Benjamin Grows a Garden is the follow-up to Benjamin’s Thunderstorm, and it’s another beautifully crafted realistic fiction story by Melanie Florence. While the previous book followed Benjamin as he enjoyed a rainy day and thought about the Thunderbird, this story follows him as he plants, cares for, and eventually harvests fruits and vegetables from his garden. The book includes Cree words throughout, with a pronunciation guide in the back. Pichette’s illustrations are eye-catching and unique, and kids will be drawn to the bright colors and beautiful depictions of the natural world. It feels like a celebration of the garden and all it provided. This will be an excellent addition to any elementary library.

John Parra’s This Moment Is Special is a sweet story celebrating the small moments of Día de los Muertos. The boy in the story shares each activity and explains how it makes him feel or helps him grow. The final sentence on each page is repeated in Spanish, and I found this more impactful than the single-word translations more commonly found in children’s books. The illustrations are beautiful. Parra creates richly textured backgrounds and fills each image with symbols of Día de los Muertos. It’s a lovely book, and I look forward to displaying it in the fall.

Lazar’s follow-up to the Sasquatch Award-winning Flat Cat sees Flat Cat attending school with a neighbor. Kids will love seeing the familiar structure from the beginning of the first book but will be treated to an entirely different type of story as Flat Cat is used for things like a paper airplane and a homework assignment at the school. Flat Cat poofs up again by the end of the story, and kids will love seeing him rolling around the classroom. Fans of the original will enjoy seeing Flat Cat in this new setting, and everyone will love the moment when Flat Cat transforms into his poofy version.