Putting a lid on it

We Found a Hat By Jon Klassen (Candlewick; 56 pages; $17.99; ages 3-7)

Morality is what you do when nobody is looking. A Caldecott medalist explores this adage in his justcompleted picture book trilogy. Remember the first two books — “I Want My Hat Back” and “This Is Not My Hat”? Their sarcasm, even cynicism, gives way to sweetness in this grand finale, which unfolds in three mini-chapters as two desert turtles together find one 10-gallon hat. Both covet the rather absurd accessory. (Let’s just say that it is not a great fit.) So the question is: What to do? And for one in particular, to swipe or not to swipe? Longing is conveyed with expressive eyes, the monotone palette, a wonder of understatement and the spare text, a measured guide to dilemma and dreams. In the end, the turtles go with restraint over temptation in a vote for civility and friendship.

They All Saw a Cat By Brendan Wenzel (Chronicle; 44 pages; $16.99; ages 3-6)

The latest social studies standards recommend that students consider multiple perspectives to get the whole picture. Thanks to this stylish picture book, preschoolers can get an early start. The story begins: “A cat walked through the world, with its whiskers, ears, and paws.” The cat is viewed by a boy plus 11 animals, each with a unique point of view. On bright-white pages, a fish sees a fuzzy giant, a mouse sees a huge monster, and a bee sees a pixelated presence. A bird looks on from on high, and a flea sees just fur. They all see the same cat in different ways. The multimedia illustrations reference different schools of art — abstract, Pointillism, realism, Impressionism and Expressionism, to name a few. What rich artistic exposure to go with modern messaging about why multiple perspectives matter.

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark By Debbie Levy; illustrations by Elizabeth Baddeley (Simon & Schuster; 40 pages; $17.99; ages 4-8)

You can disagree without being disagreeable. This almost forgotten truism threads through a picture biography about the Supreme Court justice known as RBG. Adults can read her just-out book of writings. Here kids can know her, too. Ginsburg herself reviewed the manuscript for this book, presumably then approving the many on-point examples. From the start, she is shown to be keenly aware of prejudice. Society expects girls only to marry, and minority groups face open discrimination. She never forgets the sting of signs proclaiming “No Jews Allowed.” How Ginsburg turns that sting into a passion for justice makes for an inspiring tale of ups and downs, struggles and successes. Caricature propels bold art that plays up her iconic persona (Harry Potter glasses and lace collars) and her dogged persistence in the fight for equality.

Juana & Lucas By Juana Medina (Candlewick; 90 pages; $14.99; ages 5-8)

Juana likes Astroman, Brussels sprouts, her native Bogota, books and her dog, Lucas. She dislikes her itchy school uniform and learning English. And therein lies the conflict in this spirited chapter book. As the pigtailed Juana explains: “I don’t either need or want to learn English.” Others in her life disagree, and a surprising incentive changes everything. Comical watercolors bounce through the book, with special pages devoted to key characters — Lucas, Juana’s grandfather (a neurosurgeon), her mami (a young widow), her best friend, neighbors, shopkeepers and a special teacher. Bold fonts and Spanish words pop up for punch and context respectively. The author-illustrator grew up in Colombia and draws on fond memories to lend energy and heart to the many vignettes. Juana expands a sometimes limited view of South America.

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn By Kenard Pak (Holt; 32 pages; $17.99; ages 3-7)

This lyrical picture book by a San Francisco author-illustrator follows a brown-skinned girl as she walks through town and country and toward a new season. With a cheery “hello,” she greets the flora and fauna along the way, noting preparations for the coming cold and dark. Squirrels gather food, beavers build nests, and blue jays fly south. Then the trees shed leaves, the air chills, the wind comes up and sweaters come out. Digitally enhanced watercolor and pencil art is at once realistic and magical, well able to capture both the regularity and awe of it all. As the palette moves from green to orange, the paintings add detail to that ongoing conversation between the girl and the signs of fall that together add up to now — late October.

Tek: The Modern Cave Boy By Patrick McDonnell (Little, Brown; 40 pages; $15.00; ages 4-8)

Unplug! Ugh! That could be the call and response in this Flintstone-style cautionary tale about a cave boy named Tek, totally obsessed with tech toys. Yep, the prehistoric and modern get smooshed to make his parents’ point: Enough screen time is enough. The hairy Neanderthal-looking boy resists, never leaving his cave, even to play outside. He misses evolution and the Ice Age, and he never learns the dinosaur names. It is only a local, erupting volcano that rousts Tek from a virtual world and into the real one. The book design cleverly signals that change. Thick pages look like a tablet, until the moment when Tek’s gadget goes dark, thrusting him into nature, friendship, and “THE BIG BEAUTIFUL WORLD!” This savvy package offers an alternative to nagging. Kids might see for themselves that digital is not enough.