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Bears, bees, and a twist on ‘Goldilocks’ enliven latest children’s books

The picture books that caught our reviewer’s eye this season offer lively images and food for the imagination.

“Gold,” an imaginative retelling of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” challenges readers’ assumptions about who belongs in a family. 

Why We Wrote This

When young people feel like part of the community, they develop confidence in who they are and what they have to give others. Five recent picture books nurture feelings of belonging and connection.

In “Namaste Is a Greeting,” a girl, her mother, and the entire village share the benefits of reciprocal kindness and caring, which is signified in the word “namaste.” 

With her mother traveling for work, a girl relies on a range of women in her life to help parent her in “Mama’s Home.” Each caregiver helps her try something new, see a different facet of herself, and feel loved in a unique way. 

In “Clover,” a child who loses their way in the forest learns to trust in nature, and in what they know, until help arrives. 

Emerging readers will love to sound out the simple words in “A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree,” about a bear determined to steal honey from a hive in a tree, and a bee equally determined to keep him away. 

These books each provide reassurance and delight. They’re sure to become favorites at your house. 

Picture books give children, families, and caregivers more than just precious read-aloud time.

Tales of love, courage, and kindness provide reassurance and nurture a feeling of connection. The ripples of shared laughter and joy spread out into the community, enriching whatever they touch.

We’ve rounded up five outstanding children’s books that touch on these themes. They’re sure to become favorites at your house. 

Courtesy of Creston Books

Why We Wrote This

When young people feel like part of the community, they develop confidence in who they are and what they have to give others. Five recent picture books nurture feelings of belonging and connection.

Gold (ages 4-8)

Written and illustrated by Jed Alexander 

This wordless retelling of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” challenges readers’ assumptions. The main character is a human girl who makes herself at home in a sunshine-colored San Francisco row house after Mama, Papa, and Baby Bear head out for a bike ride. The illustrations are black and white except for pops of gorgeous gold – the girl’s clothes, the checkered kitchen floor, and the tantalizing soup the girl makes.   

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