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Read Across America 2026: This Is U.S.
Announcing Our 2026 Caldecott Award Winners!
Native American Heritage Month #BOOKADAY Recommendations
A #BookADay for Native American Heritage Month 2024
Picture Books for the Spooky Season
Honoring Names at the Start of the School Year
An Inclusive Look at Author/ Illustrator Studies
2024 READ ACROSS the Diverse Regions of AMERICA
Black History Month & Beyond – A Virtual Picture Book Read Aloud Library – Newly UPDATED for 2024
Pride Month Picture Book Recommendations 2023
Some Favorite Picture Book Dads
Updating the Grad Gift
#cbadSpotlight April & May 2023
#cbadSpotlight March 2023
2023 March Picture Book Madness
2023 READ ACROSS the Diverse Regions of AMERICA
What’s New in KidLit: Inclusive Picture Books You Should Know (2023 WEMTA Preso)
Picture Books for Lunar New Year
#cbadSpotlight February 2023
2022 Favorite Reads
#cbadSpotlight January 2023
#cbadSpotlight December 2022
A #BookADay for Native American Heritage Month 2022
Happy Diwali!

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Less than 48 hours in Phoenix to see @ladygaga's M

Less than 48 hours in Phoenix to see @ladygaga's Mayhem one more time. Thanks to my mom for the much better seats with the crystal clear view of all of the theatrics, staging, & choreography! I will never say no to Gaga & the message of empowerment & acceptance she sends at her shows & the genuine love you can feel in that space. 🫶🏻 Not a bad way to spend a Valentine's Day! ❤️
#LadyGaga #MayhemTour #LittleMonsters

If it's gonna be in the news, why not use some pic

If it's gonna be in the news, why not use some picture books to add context & give a broader perspective. #BadBunny #SuperBowl
🇵🇷 #PuertoRico in picture books.
Embrace children's literature as a way to support conversations with young people.
#ClassroomBookADay #KidLit

Finding micro joys in the midst of the macro grief

Finding micro joys in the midst of the macro grief of the world at large is keeping me going. I loved seeing @minhlebooks' annual #ExtremeCaldecottPlacement post & was inspired to try my own versions to hold onto the excitement about this celebratory moment a bit longer.
Because these distinguished books deserve more than just one sticker. As Minh says, "with such a noteworthy achievement, why stop at placing the Caldecott sticker on the book's cover? Why not go all in and insert it into the book itself??" Here's my contribution. Grasping for all the joy in all the places we can find it.
#LibraryLife #Caldecott #ClassroomBookADay

Things in the world are such a mess, so I'm holdin

Things in the world are such a mess, so I'm holding onto bright spots of joy when I can. And today I got to put those shiny Caldecott award stickers on our committee's winning books in my library. It was surreal to go from the long days of deep discussion to the excitement of the awards announcements to a regular work day today. And it was quite an emotional moment knowing I was a part of the process that led to these books getting these stickers I was putting on them. A full circle end to the last 14 months of work & especially the last few weeks as we wrapped it all up.
I'm proud to have been a part of the 2026 Caldecott Committee that took this task to heart to meet this moment. A champagne toast & a sparkler to celebrate at the end. 🍾🎆 🩷 Congratulations to the 2026 #Caldecott illustrators!
Art matters & literature matters. Because empathy is developed through books & goodness gracious this country needs a lot more empathy right now. And in my heart of hearts I know picture books are one of the very best, most accessible ways to help young people develop empathy. I learned that with #ClassroomBookADay & see it more every time I'm in conversation with others about picture books.
And now I can start talking publicly about books again!🎉
#LibraryLife #HeiseReads

The 2026 Caldecott Medal goes to 🎆FIREWORKS🎆 @cat

The 2026 Caldecott Medal goes to
🎆FIREWORKS🎆 @catia_chien (words by @matthewburgessj)!
The 2026 Caldecott Honor books are:
Every Monday Mabel @jasharawan
Our Lake @anqiekanq
Stalactite & Stalagmite @drewbeckmeyer
and Sundust @zpvisual
The biggest CONGRATULATIONS to all of these illustrators!!!
Serving on the 2026 Caldecott Committee has been the highest professional honor of my career as well as being one of the most exhilarating, exhausting, & rewarding growth experiences. I am so proud to have been part of the deep work this committee of 15 people came together to do in analyzing children’s book illustrations and selecting these distinguished winning books.
#LibraryLife #Caldecott #ALAYMA #ClassroomBookADay #HeiseReads

The big awards announcements are tomorrow! The wor

The big awards announcements are tomorrow! The world is a mess, so this spot of brightness & joy is much needed. Because art matters. And even if you haven't gotten a call that will bring that sticker, that doesn't mean your art matters less. Because empathy is developed through books & goodness gracious this country needs a lot more empathy right now. (And competent leadership, but that's another issue all together.)
#LibraryLife #Caldecott #ALAYMA

^{Views expressed within these pages are personal &}
^{do not represent my professional role or my employer.}

© 2026 Heise Reads & Recommends · Becca Paro Design Co.

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