(“Hi Honey!” — photo by Nancy Ellen Row Rawley)

“The Seasons Within Me,” by Bianca Pozzi, is a thoughtful new picture book about moods, friendship, weather and finding peace. (Penguin Random House, 2023, ages 4 and up, $18.99.) I’m glad that we’re finally teaching kids coping strategies, encouraging them to identify their emotions, all of it. This book does a nice job of that. Pozzi is a designer and writer from Brazil; I hope we see more of her work in the future.

“How to Eat a Book,” by Mrs. and Mr. MacLeod (Union Square Kids, 2022, $17.99) introduces us to the Grunions. There is nutty, there is unique, there is kooky… and then there are the Grunions. Sheila, and her siblings, twins Gerald and Geraldine, are welcome additions to the world of children’s literature. And you know I’m crazy about drawings layered with collage and paper art. The art in this book is BIG and amazing. (Additionally: Can you really be eaten by a book? The thought hadn’t occurred to me before…)

“When I Talk to God, I Talk About You,” by Chrissy Metz & Bradley Collins, illustrated by Lisa Fields (Flamingo Books, 2023, ages 4-8, $18.99), is a new picture book about relationships with God. Rabbit, skunk, otter, fox, bear and other families illustrate love in this rhyming tale. The art is dreamy and lovely and will charm the littles. 

“Mama Shamsi at the Bazaar,” by Mojdeh Hassani & Samira Iravani, with illustrations by Maya Fidawi. Set in Tehran, this title is a welcome addition to the bookshelf. (Dial Books for Young Readers, 2022, ages 4 and up, $18.99.) A mother-daughter team wrote this exquisite, loving book about a grandmother and granddaughter. The illustrations contain so many details; they’re fun to pore over. Look for the kitty cats! And don’t overlook the note from the authors in the back of the book

Bon appetit, my friends. Happy reading!

WM