11 New Standout Picture Books July 2025

The Wombats Go Wild for Words written by Beth Ferry, illustrated by Lori Nichols
WORDS / VOCABULARY
Evergreen Forest is very boring until the wombats arrive with their splendid words. The words zing through the air; words like splendiferous and refreshing, and hullaballoo, revitalizing all the animals. The woodland animals taste and embrace new words. Soon, the littlest duckling declares she will be a verbivore and the wombats know their work is done! Don’t miss Little Duckling’s Duck-tionary in the back with all the wonderful words used in the story.

Polecat Has a Superpower written by Jill Esbaum, illustrated by Bob Shea
ANIMALS
Can you guess the superpower of Polecat, a spotted skunk with a big personality? Polecat shares factual information while dialoguing with the scaredy Porcupine which is both hilarious and informative. This might be my new favorite in the series because of these two character’s interactions and arguments! I also love the purple color palette and expressive artwork.

Pencil’s Best Story Ever written and illustrated by Carly Gledhill
STORYTELLING
Funny and fun, this will be a read aloud that cracks up your readers…and inspires them to invent their own stories. Pencil invents a story about Peanut’s adventure. After a bird and sock mishap, Peanut enters the scary forest where he finds…Jelly? And Bear. Pencil must do a bit of rewriting because Bear doesn’t want to eat Peanut because they’re friends…and also, Bear has a nut allergy. But there’s even more to Peanut’s silly adventure including a crocodile-infested river, a gigantic octopus, and a giant snowball.

Axolotl and Axolittle written by Jess Hitchman, illustrated by Sarah Rebar
SIBLINGS
Rhyming books aren’t generally my thing because I’m very picky about rhythm, meter, and scansion. That said, I can see preschool age readers enjoying the silliness of the word play in this story about a siblings who are opposite personalities who have an axo-squabble. Dad sits with them while they have big feelings and axo-pologize. Then he gives them an axo-tickle and all is well.

Diego Fuego The Firefighting Dragon written by Allison Rozo and Farael Rozo, illustrated by VAnessa Morales
DRAGONS / INDIVIDUALITY
Poor Diego, he’s a dragon who is allergic to smoke — it makes him sneeze! But, he has a very loving family who help little Diego avoid fuego (fire) by changing their lives. No roaring, no fuming, no candles on the birthday cake. Until one day, when Tia Lucia forgets and accidentally lights the house on fire. And that’s when Diego roars ICE and becomes the firefighter in the family. Filled with Spanish words and adorable illustrations.

Scary Shark A Jaw-Some Halloween written and illustrated by Mike Lowery
HALLOWEEN / FACING FEARS
Edgar is scared of Halloween so Lotta gives him smaller pieces/tasks like making jack-o-lanterns, decorating, and costumes. This helps Edgar embrace parts of Halloween so when his friends arrive, he agrees to go trick or treating. I love the whole concept of breaking something scary into smaller pieces!

The Book of Hands written by Fatima Fernandez Mendez, illustrated by Violeta Cano
IMMIGRATION
Stunning artwork show a boy and his mother leaving their burning home and traveling through bad weather, sleeping under the stars, building a home, and making friends. Each page features hands that do different things like heal, greet, create, talk, listen, and share. Lovely.

To Catch a Ghost written and illustrated by Rachel Michelle Wilson
PROCEDURE / KINDNESS
Show-and-tell stinks if you don’t have anything to share so the narrator (which is written in second person) decides to catch a ghost…and explains the steps. Part one is to find, part two is to observe, part three is to catch…and let the ghost go. Expressive illustrations, sweet directions for bravery and success, and a warmhearted ending of releasing the ghost.

Jinx written by Evelyn Bookless, illustrated by Anna Sussbauer
4TH WALL
A fun breaking-the-fourth-wall interactive book about JINXing! When you jinx with the pink creature in the book, the creature explains that you must be absolutely quiet or the creature will win…so this creature does everything to get you to talk, giggle, and scream. Its silly fun that will probably make you talk, giggle, and scream with the perfect ending.

Big Boy Joy written by Connie Schofield-Morrison, illustrated by Shamar Knight-Justice
GROWING UP
A Black boy at the park narrates all the things he can do as a big boy, many of the actions are onomatopoeia words. He can climb high, slide, speak nicely, crash, crunch, splash, bump, and kerplunk. Perfect for the preschoolers who are proud of their independence.

Before You written by Anne Sawan, illustrated by Karen Obuhahych
NEW BABY
Oozing with love, the narrator compares and contrasts before and after the arrival of a new child in the family, whether by birth or adoption or fostering, where everything after is better. Now the sun is sunnier, the birds are chirpier, and the bees are buzzier, the bath is sudsier, the book is sillier, and the stars are twinklier. (Among other hyperbolic moments.) Enchanting, saturated illustrations of a mixed-race family. Gift this lovely picture book to a family with a new baby or child.