Independent Reading (Drop Everything and Read)

Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R.) Day is April 12th in honor of Beverly Cleary’s birthday. This tribute to a beloved children’s book author is perfect for celebrating the love of reading by relaxing with a book. Partake in the fun this year by reading one of the books reviewed below or an old favorite on April 12th and throughout the year.

Because of a Shoe. Julie Fogliano. Illus. by Marla Frazee. (2026). Knopf Books for Young Readers.
Because of a Shoe is a realistic story of how “even when…/ because of a shoe/ (a too-tight shoe/ a too-loose shoe)” leads to a child’s tantrum, mother and child are still their sweet and funny selves who love each other. Fogliano uses words to paint a picture of the increasing absurdity of a child’s ongoing tantrum and the growing frustration of the parent coaxing that child to pull it together so they can leave. Marla Frazee uses colored pencil and vinyl paint to create dark illustrations representing the fury of the tantrum and anger followed by more colorful illustrations as they come out on the other side of the tantrum. Together, Fogliano and Frazee tell a humorous and relatable tale of the impact of dealing with big emotions. Children and parents alike will love this one. (PreK-Gr 2)\

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Chronicles of Whetherwhy: The Age of Enchantment. Anna James. Illus. by David Wyatt. (2025). Flamingo Books.
In the first book of Anna James’s new fantasy series, readers are introduced to the island of Whetherwhy in which all people have magic inside them related to one of the four seasons. The few that can command the magic of all four seasons are known as Enchanters. Children officially learn their inclination at the age of 13 through an enchantment inspection. Juniper learns that she is an Enchanter, while her twin, Rafferty, establishes that he is a spring. As an Enchanter, Juniper is expected to leave her family and begin her studies at Thistledown Academy in the capital city of Stormgrove. Adventure and new friends await Juniper as she makes her way to Thistledown. Rafferty misses his twin so he moves to Stormgrove to be nearby and works as an apprentice to a bookbinder. Soon, he is caught up in his own adventure. James writes a captivating fantasy in words that are supported by David Wyatt’s detailed sketches of key places and events in the story. The second book in the series, The Season of Flames, is set to release at the end of April. (Gr 3-7)

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Each and Every Spark. Claire Swinarski. (2026). Quill Tree Books. 
Swinarski conveys the stories of two girls in Paris – one during the present day and the other during the Nazi occupation in the 1940s. In the present day, Penny Marks has recently moved from Wisconsin to Paris so her mom can work her dream job, and she deeply misses her old life. Although Penny is with her parents and brothers in Paris, she feels alone because the rest of her family seems to have adjusted easily to their new life. Then a mysterious painting is discovered and she comes up with a plan to get her old life back. Decades earlier, thirteen-year-old Marie Bonnet only had her sister, Heloise, with her in their Paris apartment during the 1940s. Like Penny, Marie missed her old life before the Nazis invaded and made day-to-day life so uncertain. With all the injustice surrounding her, Marie feels the need to fight back. Once she learns that Heloise is helping the French Resistance, she joins the cause. This captivating story highlights an often-overlooked aspect of history in which women and children played a significant role in the French Resistance during the 1940s. (Gr 3-7)

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Forty the Fortune Teller. Drew Daywalt. Illus. by Kevin Cornell. (2026). Philomel Books. 
Forty is a paper fortune teller who was left on the playground at the end of recess in this hilarious picture book written in the style of a graphic novel. Soon, Forty meets Chip, an actual potato chip with a bite taken out of its head, and together they begin a quest to repair the slide after finding its missing bolt in the grass. Through a series of comical encounters with a squirrel, basketball, dark gray rain cloud, and gum wad gang, Forty and Chip make their best effort to fix the slide before the next recess. Between Daywalt’s witty dialogue and storyline, as well as Cornell’s expressive illustrations, readers are sure to laugh out loud repeatedly. (PreK-Gr 3)

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I'm So Happy You're Here: A Celebration of Library Joy. Mychal Threets. Illus. by Lorraine Nam. (2026). Random House Books for Young Readers. 
In his first picture book, Mychal Threets uses simple language to declare that everyone belongs at the library and deserves to enjoy all it has to offer. He highlights the opportunities available, like playing games, reading stories, meeting new friends, and getting to know the librarian. Lorraine Nam’s vibrant illustrations complement the wording showing the experiences of characters of varying ages, races, and abilities spending time in the library. In the end papers, Threets notes his love for the library started when he was a child and continues to this day. He encourages readers to visit the library, engage with the librarian, and come back soon. This book highlights the value and delight that libraries bring to the community. (PreK-Gr 2)

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Just Like Rabbit. Katy Hudson. (2026). Capstone Editions. 
In this charming and entertaining picture book, Katy Hudson demonstrates the significance of friendship and self-acceptance. Spring has sprung and Frog announces that he wants to be like Rabbit. His woodland friends are surprised by his declaration and point out his unique qualities, like swimming underwater and his “perfect shade of spring green.” Still, he requests their help to become like Rabbit, and they oblige. They set out to help him make the necessary adjustments to his appearance, lifestyle, and hopping so he can deliver eggs like Rabbit. When calamity hits, what will Frog determine is most important? Hudson’s rich illustrations enhance the story by exhibiting the amusing efforts of Frog’s friends to help him achieve his goal and the beauty of realizing one’s worth. (PreK-Gr 3)

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The Lions’ Run. Sarah Pennycracker. Illus. by Jon Klassen. (2026). Balzer + Bray.
In this historical fiction novel set in France during WWII, Lucas DuBois is a timid orphan who has grown tired of the Nazis occupying his village and the surrounding areas. He longs to have the courage to stand up for what he knows is right and seizes the opportunity to do so by saving a litter of kittens that two boys from his orphanage are trying to drown. He sneaks the kittens to what he believes is an abandoned barn until he encounters a teenager named Alice, who is hiding her beloved horse there until she can get it safely out of the country. Soon Lucas finds out others in the village, like his employers at the local grocery and the head housekeeper at the Nazi maternity home, are hiding secrets of their own. The more he discovers, the more he feels compelled to rebel. Pennycracker shares a gripping story of uncertainty, bravery, and growth. Klassen’s illustrations include a map of significant locations in the text, along with a lion at the start of each chapter, to complement the story. (Gr 3-7)

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Once for Yes. Allie Millington. (2025). Feiwel & Friends.
Millington’s ability to weave a story told from multiple perspectives, including that of an inanimate object—an old building in this tale— is impressive. The Odenburgh is an old apartment building personified by Millington that acts as the narrator of alternating chapters. In those chapters, the building recalls what it has seen and grapples with the reality that it will soon be demolished and replaced by a more modern building. Prue, a resident in the Odenburgh, has no desire to leave the building since it was the last place she was with her sister, Lina, before she died. What follows is Prue’s attempt to stop the demolition of an old building in hopes of holding on to what she has left of her sister. In her struggle, she finds a new friend, Lewis, and learns more about her own family and the residents in the building. This is a rich story about grief, family, moving on, and honoring the past. (Gr 3-7)

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The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan. Jasmine Warga. Illus. by Vivienne To.  (2026). Balzer + Bray.
This “unlikely tale” is about an anxious cheetah cub named Chase and a heartbroken dog named Finnegan. Chase's mom dies soon after she is born, around the same time that Finnegan is rescued by Ryan from the woods Ryan’s girlfriend, Basma, is Chase’s trainer at the zoo, and she recognizes Finnegan’s potential to befriend Chase and provide her with the support she needs to grow. In time, they are introduced to one another. Given the sorrow Chase and Finnegan have experienced in their short lives, trust does not come easily to either one of them. Can they help each other overcome their fears and learn to trust? Warga’s poignant tale will enthrall readers from the start and have them rooting for Chase and Finnegan until the very end. Vivienne To’s black and white illustrations of Chase and Finnegan give readers a visual to endear them even more to the beloved characters. (Gr 3-7)

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Wiggling Words. Kate Rolfe. (2025). Candlewick.  
Children with dyslexia or any child who struggles learning to read will empathize with the child in this book, who really wants to read the story, but the words keep “wiggling/ jiggling/ jumping.” Rolfe uses minimal text to tell the story of a child frustrated by the continuous movement and complexity of the letters and words on the page. Paired with cyanotype and hand-printed letters in red, Rolfe provides the audience with a visual of the child’s experiences, from seeing the seemingly insurmountable mountain of letters to using them as building blocks to decode the words letter by letter, slowly making sense of the words on the page. This story is a heartwarming ode to the struggles some children face in learning to read and the power of persistence. (PreK-Gr 1)

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Worm and Butterfly Are Friends Always. Kaz Windness. (2026). Simon Spotlight. 
In this Level 1 Ready-to Read-Graphics sequel to Worm and Caterpillar are Friends, Worm and Butterfly are still best friends. Worm says they should stick together, but winter is coming. Butterfly must fly somewhere warm while Worm needs to burrow in the ground. How can they be best friends when they are separated by distance? What about the possibility of making new friends? Windness’s animated cartoon illustrations accompany the simple dialogue between characters to bring the story to life. Following the story, readers will find true information on butterfly migration and worm estivation, as well as bird diet and migration. (PreK-Gr 1)

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Nicole Maxwell is a professor specializing in literacy instruction in the Elementary and Special Education Program at the University of North Georgia