Next up on my list of heavy hitters for potential Caldecott recipients is Artivist and film concept artist Nikkolas Smith. If you’re familiar with Nikkolas’s previous books and social media posts, you know that his art advocates for global change and justice for all. Typically, Smith approaches his illustrations digitally. However in his most recent title, The History of We, Smith took...

If you’re looking for a colorful, whimsical picture book that celebrates community and features a confident little lead, look no further. In Every Monday Mabel, written and illustrated by Jashar Awan, Mabel can’t wait to look out her window each week to see her favorite thing: the garbage truck.  Immediately, readers...

Caldecott Honoree and Coretta Scott King Book Award winner Ekua Holmes wows readers with her meticulous illustrations in Black Is a Rainbow Color, written by Angela Joy. The story starts with a young African American girl coloring a rainbow and notes that her color, black, is not in the rainbow.  From the...