Welcome to the Read Aloud Classroom where we’re making picture books work for you even with a packed schedule. Hi, I’m Sarah, an educator who believes in the power of read alouds to transform your teaching without adding to our already full plates.
Happy first Thursday of the month, everyone! You know what that means—it’s time for our monthly roundup of new picture book releases that I’m absolutely excited to share with you. I love doing these episodes because I know how busy teacher life can be, and sometimes we just don’t have the mental space to research all the amazing new books hitting the shelves. So consider this your personal picture book shopping guide for September!
Now, before we dive in, I want to remind you that all of these titles will be available in the show notes, so no need to frantically take notes while you’re folding laundry or driving to school. Just sit back, enjoy, and you can always come back to grab those titles later.
Alright, let’s get to what you came for—some fantastic new picture books that are going to make your September classroom discussions richer and your students more engaged!
First up, we have something really special—”A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke, with stunning illustrations by Nikkolas Smith. Now, you might be thinking, “Wait, isn’t that a song?” And you’d be absolutely right! This picture book brings Sam Cooke’s legendary civil rights anthem to life for the first time in book form.
The immortal lyrics from 1964 are paired with Nikkolas Smith’s breathtaking artwork—and if that name sounds familiar, he’s the award-winning illustrator of “The 1619 Project: Born on the Water.” The illustrations guide young readers through pivotal moments in American history, referencing civil rights milestones and Black freedom fighters. What I love about this book is how it makes such an important piece of American history accessible to young readers. And here’s a bonus—it includes a QR code that links to Sam Cooke’s iconic recording! Talk about multimedia learning in action.
Next, let’s talk about “Dia de los Muertos” by Jaque Jours. This book is like getting an invitation to celebrate with Pancho and his family! You’ll follow along as they prepare for the festival—setting up the ofrendas, finding photographs of beloved family members, decorating with flowers, and cooking tamales together.
But here’s what makes this book extra special—it’s packed with interactive elements. There are instructions to make your own papel picado, a recipe for delicious pan de muerto, and even a fun quiz to test your knowledge. I’m already imagining the cross-curricular possibilities here! You could easily tie this into social studies, art, and even math when you’re measuring ingredients for that bread recipe.
“The Echo People” by SD Youngwolf is going to give you chills in the best way. This thoughtful story follows two young children who go on a journey with their grandfather, a great chief. After offering prayers to Creator, Grandfather leads Aiyanna and Little Wolf to meet the Echo People at the river gorge, where they learn a profound lesson about how the energy we put out into the world comes back to us.
This book won Lee & Low’s New Voices award, and it gently teaches young readers that if we meet the world with love and kindness, that kindness echoes back to us. Perfect for those social-emotional learning discussions about how our actions affect others!
Now, if you’re looking for something that combines poetry with powerful storytelling, “Harriet Tubman, Force of Nature” by Caroline Brewer is absolutely incredible. This book celebrates Harriet Tubman’s life through hip-hop-style rhythm and rhyme, accompanied by luminous collage artwork.
What sets this apart is how it focuses on Harriet’s deep connection with nature—how she found her way by the stars, moved through the woods as silently as an owl, and heard God speaking to her in trances. The poetry is perfect for reading aloud, and there’s even a glossary, index, and map included. This would be amazing for Black History Month units!
“The Moon Lantern” by Ha Dinh is such a beautiful story about cultural traditions and making them your own. It centers around Tết Trung Thu, the Moon Festival, which is one of the most popular holidays in Vietnam. Huy and his family celebrate in America with mooncakes, lion dances, and homemade lanterns.
This year, Huy wants to enter the lantern-making contest, but instead of making the traditional star shape, he plans to honor the moon itself. Working with his Ba, he creates something special that shows how new twists can help old traditions shine even brighter. I love books that celebrate both honoring tradition and personal creativity!
For all my STEM-loving teachers out there, “Me and the Magic Cube” by Daniel Fehr is going to be a hit! When a child finds a colorful cube in a dusty box and starts turning it, all the colors get mixed up. Sound familiar? Three friends set out to discover how the Rubik’s Cube works and whether it can be solved.
This book takes us on a journey through the fascinating world of the Magic Cube, with bright, colorful illustrations that pop off the page. Did you know that since 1974, over 500 million Magic Cubes have been sold worldwide? This would be perfect for math units on patterns, problem-solving, or even just celebrating persistence!
“Brown Girl in the Snow” by Yolanda Marshall is going to tug at your heartstrings. When Amina moves from the Caribbean to a snowy new home, she misses growing her favorite foods so much. There are no coconut trees to climb, no gardens full of sweet potatoes and callaloo—just ice and snow everywhere.
As she looks out her frosted window, she sings a traditional Caribbean children’s song with her own twist: “There’s a brown girl in the snow, tra la la la la, where none of her plants will grow.” But Amina doesn’t give up! She discovers a library book about greenhouses and finds a way to make her favorite plants grow in her new climate. This book beautifully captures themes of adaptation, persistence, and finding home in new places.
“Clovis Meets His Match” by Katelyn Aronson is perfect for those classroom discussions about competition and community. When a buzzing drill announces a new, modern china shop opening right across from Clovis’s cozy shop, he’s not happy. Especially when the charismatic elephant Alastair seems to be stealing all his customers with trendy events!
Clovis tries everything—from intimidation to sabotage—but when old family connections are revealed between the two shop owners, can they see that they have more in common than they thought? This is a wonderful story about how rivals can become friends and how community spirit wins over competition.
“Hank Meets Frank” by Maudie Powell-Tuck brings back our lovable antihero Hank the goose! Cousin Frank seems like the perfect little angel—or is he? When Frank pulls a prank and Hank gets blamed, it’s game on! The two try to one-up each other with hilarious consequences.
Kids are going to giggle at their silly antics while learning about friendship and being considerate of others. If your students loved “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus,” they’ll get a kick out of Hank’s adventures!
“Snow Kid” by Jessie Sima, from the creator of “Not Quite Narwhal,” introduces us to Twig, a snow kid made from snowflakes, twigs, stones, a carrot, and a very fine hat. But when a strong breeze blows away their hat, Twig starts wondering—are they still Twig if things keep changing?
This gentle story explores identity and change, showing that there’s more than one way to be yourself. It’s perfect for those deep conversations about what makes us who we are, even as we grow and change.
“The Trouble with Giraffes” by Lisa Mantchev is a tender companion to the beloved “Strictly No Elephants.” A girl and her pet giraffe face challenges because of their size differences—like taking walks together with very different leg lengths! And when the giraffe can’t fit through the Pet Club door, the members work together to find a way for everyone to be included.
This book beautifully celebrates both inclusivity and accessibility, showing that real friends find ways to make everyone feel welcome.
“What Makes YOU Happy?” by Nedra Tawwab tackles people-pleasing in such a relatable way. Avery loves making people happy so much that she ignores her own wants and needs. She gives friends the markers they want, shares her lunch when someone else prefers PB&J, and is even considering a birthday party she won’t enjoy just to please others.
Thankfully, her friends help her realize it’s okay to do what makes you happy—especially on your own birthday! This is such an important message for kids who struggle with boundaries and self-advocacy.
“Dasher and the Polar Bear” by Matt Tavares gives us a new Christmas tale where Dasher the reindeer meets George, a sweet polar bear who dreams of flying. When their flying lesson doesn’t work out, it becomes a story about witnessing wonder and the gifts of friendship that can’t fit in Santa’s bag.
Speaking of winter magic, “A Snow Day for Amos McGee” by Philip and Erin Stead brings back our beloved zookeeper! When the forecasted snow doesn’t arrive, Amos heads home hoping it’ll come another day. But when surprise snowfall blankets the town overnight, his animal friends decide to visit him and play in the snow together. It’s pure cozy winter joy!
“A Dragon Called Spark: A Hanukkah Story” by Lily Murray is perfect for your Hanukkah celebrations. Eva has moved to a new town and feels lonely, but she has her imaginary dragon friend, Spark. When she makes a Hanukkah wish for a miracle, she meets Charlie from next door, and their friendship helps bring Eva’s wish to magical life.
Finally, we have “If I Built a Town” by Chris Van Dusen—the companion to the classic “If I Built a Car!” Jack describes his plans for improving their community to the mayor, and what a town he’s dreamed up! There are fantastic zoo creatures, hover van mail delivery, traveling health clinics, weekly parades, and the most amazing beach you can imagine. Jack’s creativity and enthusiasm will absolutely inspire your young inventors.
And that wraps up our September new releases! What an incredible collection, right? From civil rights history to cultural celebrations, from STEM concepts to social-emotional learning—there’s truly something here for every classroom need and every teaching moment.
Remember, all these titles will be listed in the show notes. I’d love to hear which ones you’re most excited about—drop me a message on Instagram @thecolorfulapple and let me know which books end up in your classroom library!
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Next week, we’re diving into strategies for managing those exciting classroom discussions that picture books inspire—because we all know that great books can lead to very enthusiastic responses from our students! You won’t want to miss it.
Thanks for joining me today in the Read Aloud Classroom. Come connect with me on Instagram @thecolorfulapple and find all the links and resources mentioned today at thecolorfulapple.com. Until next week, keep making those read aloud moments magical!
