Welcome to Perfect Picture Book Friday, Everyone!

Can you believe it’s Memorial Day weekend already?

Once Memorial Day has been celebrated with proper gratitude and solemnity and thanks to our veterans, it’s just a matter of moments before pools and ice cream stands open, and shorts and flip-flops, bathing suits and sunscreen are everywhere you look!

Woo hoo!

Hello, Summer!

But we’re still in May, and May is Asthma Awareness Month. So today, our Perfect Picture Book is about what it’s like to be a child with asthma.

Author Jake Lockett is offering a signed copy of his book, My Life As An Asthmanaut, to one lucky winner! To qualify to be the randomly selected winner, please leave a comment on today’s post by Thursday May 28th at 3 PM Eastern!

Title: My Life As An Asthmanaut: A Book About Asthma (Disability Books for Kids)

Written By: Jake Lockett

Illustrated By: Adriana Predoi

ISBN#: 979-8885547970

Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing, April 14, 2026, informational fiction

Suitable For Ages: 5-9

Themes/Topics: coping with asthma, empowerment, empathy

Opening:

“So many things make me me.
My curiosity.
My passion for adventure.”

text copyright Jake Lockett 2026, illustration copyright Adriana Predoi 2026, Free Spirit Publishing

Brief Synopsis: [from the publisher] “When an asthma attack occurs, Jacob feels like an astronaut floating off to outer space― with an empty air tank. Sometimes outer space is lonely―Jacob can’t always join his family and friends when they exercise or play outside during allergy season. But he has tools to manage his asthma. And when Jacob sees someone else who’s low on air, he helps them find solid ground too.”

Links To Resources: Straw Asthma Experiment – designed to demonstrate the effect of air pollution, but also to allow kids to experience and appreciate how difficult breathing can for an asthmatic; Pom-Pom Maze – use a straw to blow pom-poms through a maze, to simulate the difficulty of breathing when you have asthma.

text copyright Jake Lockett 2026, illustration copyright Adriana Predoi 2026, Free Spirit Publishing

Why I Like This Book: Asthma can be very scary, and this book makes it accessibly to children in a way that is not scary. In very down-to-earth language, it talks about the experiences of a boy who has asthma – how it sometimes prevents him from going places and doing things he wants to do, makes him feel different from others, and a little distant. It talks about the sensations he feels of being unable to draw in enough air, putting it in the context of an astronaut whose air tank is running low. But he has his tools to manage his asthma attacks and he uses them effectively. Not only that, he keeps an eye out for others who might be in his situation so he can offer help, reassurance and comfort until an adult arrives. A nicely written book that will be reassuring to children with asthma, and help children without asthma to better understand their friends who have it. A note from the author about his own experience with asthma, and a helpful glossary round out this much-needed book. A great choice for school and library shelves and for anyone who has asthma (or knows someone who has it!)

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend, everyone! 😊

And remember – leave a comment on today’s post by 3 PM Eastern on Thursday May 28th and put yourself in the running to be the randomly selected winner of a signed copy of today’s Perfect Picture Book – My Life As An Asthmanaut!