Rebecca Reads: The Watcher -
Jane Goodall's Life with the Chimps

Follow Jane Goodall from her childhood in London watching a robin on her windowsill, to her years in the African forests of Gombe, Tanzania, invited by brilliant scientist Louis Leakey to observe chimps, to her worldwide crusade to save these primates who are now in danger of extinction, and their habitat.

By Jeanette Winter
Illustrations by Jeanette Winter

Rebecca Reads: The Way I Feel by Janan Cain

Feelings are a normal part of life for children as well as adults, believes author Janan Cain, who wanted kids both to understand the concept of emotions and be able to express their feelings with words. Feelings are neither good nor bad, they simply are.

Great for Pre-K, K, 1st grade, 2nd grade

By Janan Cain
Illustrations by Janan Cain

Rebecca Reads: Rox's Secret Code

A coding adventure about a brilliant inventor and her runaway robot, Rox's Secret Code aims to inspire the next generation of female leaders in STEM!

Great for Pre-K through 2nd grade

By Mara Lecocq and Nathan Archambault
Illustrations by Jessika von Innerebner
Tech led by Rodolfo Dengo

Rebecca Reads: Margaret and the Moon

A true story of one of the Women of NASA! Margaret Hamilton loved numbers as a young girl. Soon math led her to MIT and then to helping NASA put a man on the moon! She handwrote code that would allow the spacecraft’s computer to solve any problems it might encounter. Apollo 8. Apollo 9. Apollo 10. Apollo 11. Without her code, none of those missions could have been completed.

By Dean Robbins
Illustrations by Lucy Knisley.

Rebecca Reads: Malala's Magic Pencil

Nobel Peace Prize winner and New York Times bestselling author Malala Yousafzai's first picture book. As a child in Pakistan, Malala made a wish for a magic pencil. She would use it to make everyone happy, to erase the smell of garbage from her city, to sleep an extra hour in the morning.

As she grew older, Malala saw that there were more important things to wish for. A world that needed fixing. And even if she never found a magic pencil, Malala realized that she could still work to make her wishes come true.

By Malala Yousafzai.
Illustrations by Kerascoët.

Rebecca Reads: Ella Sarah Gets Dressed

Ella Sarah Gets Dressed is a fantastic book about an independent girl with a sense of style all her own. Caldecott Honor Book.

Written and illustrated by: Margaret Chodos-Irvine

Rebecca Reads: My Very Own Space

A little rabbit is trying to read a book in peace, but there's so much going on around them! Maybe they need some space just for themselves. . . This picture book explores ideas of personal space and sharing in a way that even very young children can enjoy.

Great for 3-5 year olds

By Pippa Goodhart
Illustrations by Rebecca Crane

Rebecca Reads: My Travelin' Eye

Jenny Sue's eyes are not the same as other people's eyes. Her right eye looks in one direction, while her left eye sometimes wanders. Jenny Sue has a travelin', lazy eye. Although it makes her different, it also helps her see the world in a special way.

A 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

By Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw.
Illustrations by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw.

Rebecca Reads: I Hate Everyone

"I hate everyone." In your worst mood, it's a phrase you might want to shout out loud, even if, deep down, you don't really mean it.

Set at a birthday party, this disgruntled, first-person story portrays the confusing feelings that sometimes make it impossible to be nice, even—or especially—when everyone else is in a partying mode. A worthy successor to Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

By Naomi Danis
Illustrations by Cinta Arribas

Rebecca Reads: The Invisible String

Specifically written to address children's fear of being apart from the ones they love, The Invisible String delivers a particularly compelling message in today's uncertain times that though we may be separated from the ones we care for, whether through anger, or distance or even death, love is the unending connection that binds every person on the planet to everyone else.

By Patrice Karst
Illustrations by Geoff Stevenson

Rebecca Reads: One Lonely Seahorse

In a counting book by the creators of 'How Are You Peeling?' where everything is sculpted from food, one lonely sea horse, Bea, is sad that she doesn't have underwater friends. She learns that she has a lot of friends as each page turns - friends she can really "count" on. Great for 2-6 year olds

By Joost Elfers and Saxton Freymann

Rebecca Reads: The Tree Lady

Katherine Olivia Sessions never thought she’d live in a place without trees. But after becoming the first woman to graduate from the University of California with a degree in science, she took a job as a teacher in San Diego, where there were almost no trees. So this trailblazing young woman singlehandedly started a massive movement that transformed the town into the green, garden-filled oasis it is today.

Themes include following your dreams, using your talents, girls in STEM, and staying strong in the face of adversity.

By H. Joseph Hopkins
Illustrated by Jill McElmurry

Rebecca Reads: In My Heart

Celebrate feelings in all their shapes and sizes in this read aloud of the bestselling picture book from the Growing Hearts series! Have you ever felt happiness, sadness, bravery, anger or shyness? Our hearts can feel so many feelings! In My Heart explores a full range of emotions, describing how they feel inside, and empowering young readers to practice identifying their own emotions.

By Jo Witek
Illustrations by Christine Roussey

Rebecca Reads: Mindful Bea & the Worry Tree

Bea is anxiously waiting for her friends to show up for her birthday party. The worries start to grow around her like tree branches. Her stomach flip-flops and she feels shaky. She tries to run away from the thoughts in the worry tree, but it doesn't work! Bea uses deep-breathing exercises and visualization techniques to calm herself down.

By Gail Silver
Illustrated by Franziska Höllbacher

Rebecca Reads: Mary Wears What She Wants

A charming picture book inspired by the true story of Mary Edwards Walker, a trailblazing 19th-century doctor who was arrested many times for wearing pants.

Once upon a time (but not that long ago), girls only wore dresses. And only boys wore pants. Until one day, a young girl named Mary had an idea: She would wear whatever she wanted. This bold, original picture book encourages readers to think for themselves while gently challenging gender and societal norms.

By Keith Negley
Illustrations by Keith Negley

Rebecca Reads: Miss Rumphius

Alice made a promise to make the world a more beautiful place, then a seed of an idea is planted and blossoms into a beautiful plan. This beloved classic and celebration of nature—written by a beloved Caldecott winner—is lovelier than ever! Miss Rumphius was inspired by the real life "Lupine Lady," Hilda Hamlin, who spread lupine seeds along the Maine coast. The National Education Association named the book one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children" in 2007.

By Barbara Cooney
Illustrations by Barbara Cooney

Rebecca Reads: I Don't Want Curly Hair!

All Curly Haired Girl has ever wanted is straight and luscious locks, but when she meets a little girl with the smoothest, silkiest hair, who says all she's ever wanted is spirally, squiggly hair, they are BOTH confused! A hilarious tale about loving what we have. And hair, lots and lots of hair.

You can find this book in your local library or bookstore!
Great for ages 1-7.

Written and Illustrated by Laura Ellen Anderson

Rebecca Reads: The Great Big Book of Families

The Great Big Book of Families introduces children to the fact that not all families look the same. This book celebrates each family in its own unique and wonderful way. Families can be made up of a mom and dad, a single parent, grandparents, two moms or two dads, or any other combination!

What does your family look like? Do any of the pictures remind you of them? You can find this book in your local library or bookstore! Great for ages 3-6.

Written by Mary Hoffman, and illustrated by Ros Asquith