Homegrown

Detailing a day in the life of a small community, this upbeat board book follows a growing group of children from morning to night. Starting with an early wake-up (“The sun is bright and shining./ It’s a wonderful day”), text from Burton reveals the joy of communing with pals (“Good friends at the door./ Let’s go out and play”) and with neighbors (“If there’s family, friends, and good times,/ then always count us in”). Landazábal’s illustrations maintain a sweet, dreamlike quality, portraying children of varied skin tones coming together over a day—riding bikes and skateboarding, climbing trees, and lounging on the grass. Via carefree narration (“Not a worry in the world./ We grow wild. We grow free”) and frequently adult-free images, the creators hint at the comfort and safety the characters feel as they go about a routine day in a tight-knit slice of neighborly paradise, actions that shine a light on the characters’ love of home. Ages 1–5. (Sept.)