June’s Best New Picture Books

Baby Loves Coding, by Ruth Spiro and Irene Chan
Technically accurate, but with accessible language and storyline, this board book provides the perfect way to introduce coding to your littlest reader (and we KNOW you’ve been awaiting your opportunity!). Illustrations are bright and interactive, and complicated concepts are straightforward enough for children and parents alike. Add this one to your “learning is fun” shelf tonight!

Pop-up Peekaboo: Baby Dinosaur, by Dorling Kindersley Publication Staff
If you have a little reader who can’t dig up enough dinosaur tales, this pop-up board book will be the perfect addition to your collection. Prehistoric life springs from every page, and dino facts (presented in simple rhymes) will educate and entertain during repeated readings.

Neck & Neck, by Elise Parsley
Parsley has brought us many hilarious read-alouds, and this new animal-centered story is no different. Leopold the giraffe is used to being the center of attention at the zoo. His fans gaze adoringly, and he has no shortage of snacks and photo opps. So when a giraffe-shaped balloon threatens his hero status, Leopold doesn’t respond quietly—it’s time for a face-off! We don’t believe it’s a stretch to guarantee that readers of all ages will fall in love with Leopold by the time this action-packed tale concludes.

We Don’t Eat Our Classmates, by Ryan T. Higgins
Penelope Rex can’t wait to start school and begin learning, but all of her human classmates look like snacks! Uh-oh! Will Penelope be able to make it to lunch AND make some new friends along the way? This story strikes just the right balance between humor and encouragement, and all the readers at your next storytime will be immediately engaged!

LEGO Animal Atlas: Discover the Animals of the World and Get Inspired to Build, by Dorling Kindersley Publication Staff
If your little builder also happens to be an animal fact hound (and we find this to be a common intersection), this will be a wonderful book to introduce during the summer, when there can be lots of indoor hours to fill. Inspiring, imaginative, and FUN—this is one atlas you won’t want to miss!

Fancy Nancy: Meet Fancy Nancy, by Nancy Parent and Imaginism Studios
At long last, Fancy Nancy, who has entranced young readers for years, is going to star in her very own Disney Junior animated show! Long-time fans and new admirers will probably all agree that this engaging, tabbed board book is a veritable Who’s Who? of all the characters in Nancy’s fabulous life—you’ll definitely want to take time to get to know every single one!

Cooking with Sam-I-Am, by Courtney Carbone and Tom Brannon
Your beginning reader will love getting silly in the kitchen with Sam-I-Am and all his friends in this all-new rhyming story! Green eggs and ham are on the menu, and so are a lot of absurd antics—let your reader tell you all about them at your next storytime.

Hello Baby Animals, by Lorinda Bryan Cauley
Today’s the day! All the baby animals have put on their snappiest clothes and gathered to say hello to your youngest reader. Every page is a surprise and a delight, and you’ll find yourself poring over this adorable book over and over again!

Drawn Together, by Minh Lee and Dan Santat
When a young boy visits his grandfather, it’s more than generations that separate them—they don’t even speak the same language! Frustrated and desperate, the pair finally discovers a mutually agreeable activity: drawing. What starts as a diversion, however, quickly turns into something much more. Captivating and inspiring, this is a meaningful story your family will treasure.

Dear Substitute, by Audrey Vernick, Liz Garton Scanlon, and Chris Raschka
Told from the point of view of several exasperated students in brief epistolary poems, this quirky story perfectly illuminates the issues common with substitute teachers. More specifically, Miss Pelly, who has stepped in for Mrs. Giordano for the day, does things differently or not at all, and thinks she can dole out punishments haphazardly! Will things turn out differently by the end of the school day? Your little readers will love finding out!