One of my 2026 reading resolutions is to read 48 new to me picture books. I thought it would be fun to take one Friday a month and spotlight a selection of picture books I have read and enjoyed recently. This month I focused on books about books, gardens, poetry and dogs! 

All the Books by Hayley Rocco, John Rocco (illustrator)

I absolutely adored everything about this picture book! Piper Waterstone loves her books. So much so, that she cannot, will not, share them with anyone. But then she gets SO many books that she can hardly carry them. Thankfully she meets a lovely librarian who introduces her to the magic of the public library – a place for everyone. This was charming. From the illustrations to the beautiful library to the darling Piper who learns that the library is the place for all books and all people. Would be such a fun storytime read at the beginning of school or the storytime season. 

A Crown for Corina by Laekan Zea Kemp, Elisa Chavarri (Illustrator)

Today is Corina’s birthday, and she’s excited to wear the biggest crown with the most beautiful flowers picked from her abuela’s garden. Each flower tells a special story about all the ways Corina is rooted in the family she loves. This book is beautiful – simply stunning. I wanted to hang every page up in my house as a painting. And it’s such a sweet story of a girl and her grandmother and a wonderful way for readers to learn about the symbolism behind the Mexican flower crown.

A Garden in My Hands by Meera Sriram, Sandhya Prabhat (Illustrator)

As a little girl sits patiently, her mother tenderly applies henna designs, sharing family stories of weddings, monsoons, and ancestors long gone. Another absolutely beautiful book where readers can pour over each page of illustrations. And the stories the mother tells as she works are beautiful as well. Wonderful author notes in the back. A wonderful celebration of culture and family. 

When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons by Julie Fogliano, Julie Morstad (Illustrator)

I am having so much fun re-discovering my love of poetry collections for kids. This is a beautiful tour of the seasons, with specific dates mentioned so you could easily read one each day. Each poem perfectly captures the uniqueness of the seasons. My favorites was the back to the school one, although I could have dog eared (I won’t, I promise) each page because they were all so well done. Wonderful illustrations accompany each poem. 

Goldfinches by Mary Oliver, Melissa Sweet (Illustrator)

Caldecott Honoree Melissa Sweet gorgeously illustrates the work of Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Mary Oliver for the first time in picture book form, using multi-media artwork. This is a beautiful book to accompany a beautiful poem. Everything about this celebrates both the beauty and power of nature. This would be such a lovely book to curl up with and read together, pointing out something on each page. 

Dog vs. Strawberry by Nelly Buchet, Andrea Zuill (Illustrator)

A dog and a strawberry find themselves nose to stem in this picture book. An epic battle ensues—who will come out on top? This was hilarious and would be such a fun book to read aloud. The illustrations perfectly capture the loveable goofiness of dogs. And I totally snort laughed at the end. Lots of fun.