September in Library Books

ft. books for Grandparents Day, navigating new friendships, and firetrucks.

I’ve mentioned in a few previous newsletters that September is one of those in-between months for us. The kids have been back in school since the end of July and we’re not looking forward to much until Halloween rolls around. Our September picture book selections from the library may seem a bit random but I had a few loose themes in mind: Grandparents Day (back on September 10th), navigating new Kindergarten friendships with my daughter, and all things firetrucks for my son. When we visit next month, I’m planning a Fall book haul so be on the lookout for that recap. Onto the book recommendations…

Grandparents Day picture books

A Gift for Nana by Lane Smith — A thoughtful little Rabbit sets out to find the perfect gift for his Nana. He knows she will love anything he brings her but Rabbit wants this gift to be extra special. As he travels on his quest, Rabbit encounters an assortment of creatures-a crow, a smiling full moon, a stickler (whatever that is), a big fish, and a volcano. Each is certain they offer the best advice but nothing they suggest seems right for his Nana. It's not until Rabbit reaches the highest peak, that he finds exactly what he's been searching for. I highly recommend this cozy story for Grandparents Day!

Nana in the City by Lauren Castillo — In this magical picture book, a young boy spends an overnight visit with his nana and is frightened to find that the city where she lives is filled with noise and crowds and scary things. But then Nana makes him a special cape to help him be brave, and soon the everyday sights, sounds, and smells of the city are not scary--but wonderful. There’s nothing quite like Fall in the City. While my kiddos grands don’t live in the big city, we can still celebrate what it’s like to experience new things through this book. A cute selection for Grandparents Day.

Books about friendship

Lift by Minh Le— The cover of this book is so striking I had to pick it up. Iris loves to push the elevator buttons in her apartment building, but when it's time to share the fun with a new member of the family, she's pretty put out. That is until the sudden appearance of a mysterious new button opens up entire realms of possibility, places where she can escape and explore on her own. But when she's forced to choose between going at it alone or letting her little brother tag along, Iris finds that sharing a discovery with the people you love can be the most wonderful experience of all. Perfect for siblings who need a little help getting along.

With a Little Help From My Friends by John Lennon and Paul McCartney — When I saw this illustrated version of a classic Beatles song, I couldn’t help but pick it up. Are any other readers fans of The Beatles?

Nothing Rhymes with Orange by Adam Rex — We all know nothing rhymes with orange, but how does that make Orange feel? Well, left out, obviously! When a fruit parade gets together to sing a song about how wonderful they are--and the song happens to rhyme--Orange can't help but feel like it's impossible to ever fit in. I love that this book uses humor to teach about friendship and celebrating differences. It’s the perfect read-aloud for Kindergarten students where everything is still feeling sort of new.

A fall preview

Donut Feed the Squirrels by Mika Song — Norma and Belly would really really really really really like a donut. With a burned breakfast and a cranky donut seller at the local food truck, they may be stuck with only nuts to eat… unless they can steal the biggest, most delicious donut of their tiny lives! This is a really funny graphic novel for kids. I’m still learning where to start with graphic novels but I think this is a great pick for Fall. It’s broken into chapters and light on words.

Skulls! by Blair Thornburgh — This smart, skull-positive story cheerfully dispels any fears kids might have about their skeletons, flipping our view of skulls from a spooky symbol to a fascinating, cool, and crucial part of our bodies. Such a cool way to present an anatomy lesson to kids! It’s a little silly and twisted but my daughter loves Halloween and wants to be a doctor so this was the perfect mix for her.

Firetruck picture books

Fire! Fire! Hurry! Hurry! by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemsha — Originally published in 2003, this is an older pick from our library that is filled with colorful depictions of animals personified as firefighters. I loved all of the sound words in this book and the way the fire station is presented as a close-knit community. I found a video if you’d like to incorporate a virtual storytime into your week.

Lou by Breanna Carzoo — Meet Lou. Lou has an important job… as the neighborhood toilet for dogs on their walks. Useful as he may be, he gets the feeling that deep down inside, there might be more to him than that. He just doesn't seem to know exactly what yet. When disaster strikes, will Lou find out what he's made of and save the day? Read this to explore themes of self-reliance and resilience.

Fire Truck by Peter Sis — Matt loves fire trucks, and one morning when he wakes up, he is a fire truck--right down to his hoses, hooks, and ladders! A great book for exploring counting concepts and pretend play.

Have you read any of these books with your kids? I’m always curious to see what selections are available in different areas!