Marco Polo Brave Explorer

Written by: Cynthia Lord and Stephanie Graegin

Why you should read this book: This short easy chapter book tells of the adventure of Marco Polo, a mouse-shaped Christmas ornament who is repurposed as a children's toy that can be checked out of the public library, except that no kid ever checks him out because he's so small every adult is sure that he will be lost. Finally, a little boy named Seth overcomes his father's objection to Marco Polo because he has a secret: Seth is afraid to attend his first sleepover, and also afraid that his friend will make fun of him if he brings his primary love object, an old gray bunny, for comfort. Marco Polo, being small enough to hide in Seth's sleeping bag unnoticed, does indeed go on a tremendous adventure, and Seth learns that your real friends don't make fun of you, and are probably afraid of the same things you're afraid of. 

Why you shouldn't check out this book: You wouldn't let your child play with a plushie that every other kid in town had played with.

Yoshi and the Ocean: A Sea Turtle's Incredible Journey Home

Written by: Lindsay Moore

Why you should read this book: There's something quietly stunning about this nonfiction picture book, which recounts the story of an injured sea turtle who is rescued by Japanese fishermen and taken to an aquarium in South Africa for rehabilitation. Her injury healed, Yoshi spends twenty years on exhibit at the aquarium before marine biologists recognize that she should be released back into the ocean. By gluing a tracking tag to her shell, scientists are able to track her journey from Capetown back to the Australian beach where she was born, and the author recreates this underwater journey in beautiful detail.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You are wholly unconcerned with the plight of sea turtles, you monster. 

Ada and the Galaxies

Written by: Alan Lightman, Olga Pastuchiv, & Susanna Chapman

Why you should read this book: Living in a big city, Ada can barely see any stars at all, and looks forward to visiting her grandparents in Maine, where the night sky is easily visible. All day Ada enjoys the coastal life and learns about nature, but the entire time she's just thinking about when she can see the stars, and when the sun finally sets, the fog rolls in and Ada still can't see the stars. Instead, she continues learning astronomy from her grandfather and his books, and finally, just before bed, realizes that the fog has lifted and she can see the stars after all. 

Why you shouldn't read this book: The premise seems a bit far-fetched but I guess it takes all kinds.

Nigel and the Moon

Written by: Antwan Eady & Gracey Zhang

Why you should read this book: This intensely sweet and relatable picture book shows little Nigel, who wants to be an astronaut, a superhero, and a dancer when he grows up, speaking his truth every night to the moon, while finding himself utterly incapable of sharing these secrets with his class in the daytime. It's career week at school, which makes his shyness about the subject (and fear of ridicule) even more intense, and the fact that all his classmates' parents seem to have more important jobs than his doesn't help. When his postal-worker mother and truck-driver father show up to present to the class and are accepted by the other students, Nigel finds the courage to finally speak up about his own dreams without fear. 

Why you shouldn't read this book: You already know who you are, and who you're supposed to be, and you've never had any self-doubt.

I'm a Neutrino: Tiny Particles in a Big Universe

Written by: Dr. Eve M Vavagiakis & Ilze Lemesis

Why you should read this book: In heroic couplets, this book discusses the general qualities and behaviors of tiny particles known as neutrinos, while also explaining that we don't know very much about them and encouraging children to pursue careers in physics to solve some of the mysteries presented. The text itself is extremely basic, suitable for very young readers, and the illustrations are likewise dynamic and appealing. Three pages of notes at the end actually explain all the concepts and illustrations much better than the book itself manages.

Why you shouldn't read this book: It's cute but insubstantial; I'm not sure kids in the intended age group could possibly get anything out of it, and once you're old enough to grasp subatomic particle physics, this book might be a bit young for you.