Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Yo – serie

A young girl looks out on the world from her favorite chair in this “quiet meditation on the sweet delight of simply observing the changing world” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) by award-winning poet and New York Times bestselling author Rio Cortez.In the morning, a young child opens her eyes, and, after one biiiiig streeeeetch, heads straight for her favorite place in the house: the blue velvet chair. Perched from the chair set by the living room window, the child daydreams about each season of the year and the changes that come with them. A now-snowy roof was once pelted by the slick rain of spring showers. Icy windows will once again transform into conveyors of sunshine and warmth against her skin. And just as the seasons change, the child will continue to change too. But one thing will always remain the same: the coziness of the blue velvet chair.

On Saturday walks with her grandfather, a young girl connects with her Cabo Verdean heritage while learning about the true meaning of home in this moving debut picture book.Papa always speaks of someday bringing his granddaughter back home to Cabo Verde. But the young girl has never set foot on their ancestral island’s faraway shores. And each time Papa urges her to speak Kriolu, the Portuguese creole native to the West African country, the girl’s tongue betrays her, and she stumbles over her own words. If she can’t even get the language right, can her grandfather’s home ever truly be hers, too? But each Saturday afternoon when she helps guide her sight-impaired grandfather through their close-knit Massachusetts community, the girl swears she can smell, hear, feel Kriolu. And each Saturday she comes closer to discovering where home truly lies.

A young boy calls on his loving uncles for a much-needed boys’ day in the wake of his father’s death in this touching debut picture book about grief and healing that’s a heartfelt homage to strong men who step in as loving role models for the children who need them.Lil’ Kev is the only boy in the house now that Daddy is gone. Momma and his sisters try to fill the void as best as they can, playing video games, racing cars, and even shooting hoops sometimes. But it’s not the same. Then Lil’ Kev gets an idea to ease his longing—he calls...the Uncles! The foursome scoops up Lil’ Kev and they spend the day capturing memories that’ll keep Daddy close at home and heart.

Getting caught in the rain at the park leads a little girl to discover a remarkable umbrella and, with it, the magic of friendship and community in this charming picture book inspired by Jan Brett’s classic The Mitten.Zora’s fun day in the park is interrupted by a sudden rain shower, and she finds just the thing she needs to stay dry: an umbrella big enough for one. When another child on the playground asks if he can join her, and then another and another still, Zora makes room for them all—and the umbrella does too! But suddenly, a gust of wind blows the umbrella away, and Zora and her new friends must work together to find it, a search that helps them discover the true value of friendship and collaboration.