This standalone follow-up to The Proudest Blue is a lovely story about kindness, friendship, and family. Two big things are happening at school today: it’s picture day, and Ms. Ramirez wants the students to create their own worlds and draw pictures about their worlds. Faizah wears a special red dress passed down from her mother and sister for school pictures. For the school assignment, she draws a world full of kindness, where everyone is a friend and helps those around them. When Faizah realizes she and her sister aren’t matching for their school pictures, her imaginary world of kindness inspires her friends at school to help out.

Best-selling novelist Emma Straub makes her picture book debut in this adorable and funny read-aloud about hats. Hats can be many things: the roof of houses, leaves that fall just the right way on top of heads, perfectly balanced books, ice cream bowls. All it takes is a little imagination for a whole new world of hats to open up. Gómez’s delightfully cute illustrations are a perfect companion for Straub’s simple and funny prose. This picture book is sure to inspire a lot of hat play for kids.

This is a super sweet intergenerational picture book centering an Indigenous grandmother and granddaughter with warm and tender illustrations from one of my all-time favorite illustrators, Julie Flett. Becca wants to be just like her grandma, whether she’s watching her grandma dance in a powwow, bead moccasins, or play basketball. With Grandma’s help, Becca learns how to do these activities and more, and in the process, finds out some things she never knew about her grandma. Kim Rogers, Wichita, writes a lyrical and playful homage to the special relationship between grandmothers and granddaughters in this picture book.

This heartwarming picture book reminds me of my own quiet, shy childhood. Stanley dreams of tap dancing in front of an audience, but he’s too shy to tell anyone about his dreams beyond his two pet mice. Instead, he practices tap dancing after school in empty classrooms and hallways as he helps the janitor clean. However, his secret is discovered when the school installs security cameras. The principal thinks he should participate in the school talent show, but how could he share his dancing with the world? Accompanied by energetic, retro-style illustrations, this picture book encourages readers to express themselves and share their talents.

Author Anne Wynter bases this gorgeous, intergenerational picture book on her childhood experiences growing pecan trees. Wynter seamlessly integrates two parallel timelines: that of the grandmother as a child planting a seed and a future where grandchildren gather around and in the pecan tree that seed becomes, watching birds hatch and having picnics in its shade. It’s a lovely, poetic read that feels like a classic. Daniel Miyares’ illustrations are warm and rich.

7th-grader Henrietta Weldon, or Henri for short, has dyscalculia, a learning disability that makes math especially hard. Previously, Henri attended a private school to get more one-on-one tutoring for her disability. However, her mom is starting a PhD program, and with the family strapped for cash, Henri will now attend public school, where her older brother and sister also attended. She’s excited about going to a new school and soon makes friends. However, Henri’s sister Kat hates her new friends for good reasons, and Henri is finding her new schedule — which includes soccer and poetry — overwhelming. How can Henri balance new friendships, her passions, school, and a sister she fights with constantly? Her mom thinks she should concentrate on school and drop everything else, but Henri disagrees. This is a fantastic new middle grade novel that is funny and super relatable.

This wrenching and beautifully written middle grade novel entwines two timelines. In the present, 13-year-old Matthew begrudgingly moves in with his 100-year-old great-grandmother to ride out the Covid-19 pandemic while his journalist father works in France. While helping his great-grandmother, he discovers more about her past, and the novel switches to the perspectives of three Ukrainian cousins during the 1930s, revealing devastating details about the Holodomor — a Soviet government-created famine that killed millions of Ukrainians. While it sounds like a complicated narrative — with multiple points of view and timelines — Marsh seamlessly integrates the alternating viewpoints and timelines. It’s a moving, relevant story about an important historical event largely unknown in the U.S., inspired by Marsh’s family history.

12-year-old Trevor, or Trev for short, is a talented artist. However, when his stepdad is imprisoned for hitting his mom, Trev decides he needs to be able to use his hands for a different purpose — to protect his mother and sisters. Trev begins taking boxing lessons, but with his emotions spiraling with all the stress he’s under, the physicality of the sport has him reacting in too-violent ways. Maybe he should return to art and help his family and community that way, but how will art protect his loved ones? This brief but packed novel explores toxic masculinity and Blackness in a nuanced, moving way and packs both a literal and metaphorical punch.

This fantasy retelling of “Sleeping Beauty” is perfect for kids who love the movie Brave. When Princess Harbor Rose was born, one of her fairy aunts cursed her. To keep her safe from the prophesied war and death that she’s been cursed with, Harbor’s mother whisks her away to a remote island where more of Harbor’s magical aunts live. No children live on the island, and Harbor has both a magical and lonely childhood. When the prophecy’s time arrives, and the boy Peter — the prophesied hero — arrives, Harbor realizes that to save her people and her family, she’ll need to love herself, curse and all, and become her own hero.

After a school shooting leaves Simon as the only surviving member of his classroom, his family decides to move to a place where no one knows him and where he can have some peace and quiet — the National Quiet Zone in Grin and Bear It, Nebraska. The internet is banned in Grin and Bear It so scientists can better study space, and Simon can return to a somewhat anonymous childhood. Simon wants to start a new life and leave the past behind him, but, of course, there’s no way to leave that kind of trauma behind. His friends Kevin, who is Filipino American, and Agate, who is autistic, try to help Simon. But the three get into mischief when they fake alien signals to fool the scientists. Bow tackles really tough topics in this novel with grace and empathy while also threading in laugh-out-loud humor throughout.

This rhyming picture book explains different New Year’s traditions through the eyes of young Shante Keys. When her grandmother forgets the black-eyed peas that her family eats on New Year’s Day for luck, Shante visits all her neighbors to see if she can borrow some. Instead, she learns about all the different ways people in her neighborhood celebrate the new year. Like her Mexican neighbor Señor Ortiz who eats grapes. Or her Chinese American neighbor who celebrates in an entirely different month. The book also offers a black-eyed pea recipe for readers who want to join in this New Year’s ritual.

Rafa lives in Spain and is excited to be staying up until midnight for the first time. He knows there will be fireworks, delicious food, and music. But he learns about a New Year’s Eve tradition that he didn’t know about: eating 12 grapes right at the chime of midnight. Now he just has to figure out how to stay up late enough to participate. Told in a mixture of English and Spanish, this rhyming book is a delight!

This rhyming picture books introduces the character Amanda Dade, who gets to lead the New Year’s Eve Parade this in her tutu and feather crown. Behind her are a cast of unique and memorable characters ranging from her grandma riding a scooter to the fire chief in his truck. It’s a simple story, but one that kids will have a fun to reading along with because of the repetition and colorful illustrations.

On New Year’s Day, Ti Gran teaches Belle how to make their family’s traditional Freedom Soup and tells her the history of the Haiti and the Haitian Revolution. This story is about celebrating a new year, but also the heritage of a family and nation. There is even a recipe in the back of the book!

It’s New Year’s Eve and the whole family is determined to stay up until midnight. They are stocked up with streamers, noise makers, cupcakes, and party hats. But as they get closer and closer to 12 a.m., some of the family members start getting sleepy. Will they all make it to midnight awake? You have to read this cute book from Natasha Wing’s Night Before Series to find out!

This nonfiction book prepares young readers for the ins and outs of different New Year’s celebrations. It explains different ways people celebrate the holiday and what a New Year’s resolution is. And it helps young readers build excitement for the holiday while knowing what to expect. There isn’t a lot of plot or story with this book. But it is a very straightforward description of the New Year’s for children.

The story personifies the month into the character of January, who loves coziness and hates feeling cold. There are several clever details about the month of January worked into the story. While this book isn’t solely about the New Year’s holiday, it’s a great book to read on January 1 to prepare young readers for the month ahead.

Musa isn’t sure if he will like the other kids on his first day of school. They are all so different. But then the teacher asks each of them to describe their favorite days of the year. The answers vary from Christmas to Black History Month to Pi Day. And, of course, the New Year (in many different cultural iterations) is mentioned. Not only does this book celebrate New Year’s Day, but it provides a calendar of diverse holidays throughout the year for young readers to get excited about.

I’m a huge David Tennant fan, which puts this audiobook right at the top of my list. Finding narrators you know from other parts of life is an audiobook bonus and an additional hook for many kids. This book is very different from the movie adaptation, so even those familiar with the popular film have an entirely new plot to enjoy!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid continues to have a hypnotic hold on elementary students everywhere. I’ve included the most recent release, but there are a 17 books and several accompanying novels, all narrated by Ramon De Ocampo. Follow Greg and his friends and family as they navigate middle school and all its ups and downs.

I’ve been a fan of this series since I discovered it a few years ago. An amazing mix of fantasy and science, the Zoey and Sassafras stories include mystical creatures with problems that can only be solved using very real scientific method–based solutions. This is a great entry to audiobooks for beginners — the slim books have short running times without sacrificing any of the interest!

Kenneth Branagh reads this so damn well. His voice perfectly brings to life the various characters, and the magic of being there at the beginning of Narnia is undeniable. A great kick start to an exciting series.

This is the first audiobook I ever read with my kids. They were only 2 and 3 when I first started playing the CDs while we drove around town, and I was sure they had no idea what was going on. When my oldest started asking for “the mouse” whenever I buckled him in his carseat, I cried with joy. The book alone is gorgeous; the audiobook, breathtaking.

I actually have not listened to this one yet, but it is getting rave reviews from friends and students in my circle. Amari plunges into a previously unknown world of paranormal magic, frantically pursuing her lost brother.

The Vanderbeekers are the new American sweethearts. This vast and still growing series follows the family as they adventure on their beloved block in New York City. Add in pets, neighbors, and a brownstone that is a character of its own, and you have a charming set up guaranteed to provide hours of pleasant reading.

This is a bonus recommendation in that you should also read the science fiction classic A Wrinkle in Time to truly flesh out the magic of this book. When You Reach Me is about middle school growing pains and family strife, but it’s also a mystery about time travel, complete with ominous letters and dangerous strangers. It’s hard to explain without giving anything away, but it is beautiful.

I’ll be singing the praises of this series until I’m gone. Funny and engaging for people of all ages, with rich character development and equally stunning, layered world building, Aru Shah will make you wonder why you settled for certain middle grade powerhouse surprise-you’re-a-chosen-one series in the past. I love Soneela Nankani’s voice. I love the Pandavas. I love that Roshani Chokshi rejects bland “good and evil” narratives. If you read one audiobook from this list, make it this.

This is one of the best audiobooks I’ve ever read. It’s not flashy or highly produced. The story is the same slim classic that has been delighting readers for decades. The cover art remains the same. But something about it is just perfect. Rainn Wilson’s delivery of the absurd pilgrim’s journey that is The Phantom Tollbooth is delightful. I’m so glad my family was introduced to the book in this format — it was a huge hit.

This gorgeous picture book is an illustrated version of a poem by Margarita Engle about the Drum Dream Girl. The poem is inspired by the childhood of a Chinese-African-Cuban girl Millo Castro Zaldarriaga who broke Cuba’s traditional taboo and became the first female drummers.

At age 10, she performed with her older sisters as a part of an amazing all-girl dance band. She even played her bongó drums at a New York birthday celebration for U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Her love, courage and skill has led to a lot more female drummers in Cuba. The illustrations are as bright as her dreams, urging us to go after ours.

Jabari Jumps is the story of a young Black boy learning to dive from a height. The first time he tries, he looks down to the water, and is filled with fear. He climbs down the ladder and heads home. Later, with his father’s encouraging words and renewed hope, he tries again and really enjoys it. The story is inspired by the Olympic swimmer Cullen Jones and the author’s childhood memories of conquering the diving board.

This picture book is warm, inviting, and relatable. Bella, our young protagonist, goes around her house and admires her siblings for what they are good at. She thinks about how she doesn’t try much because she’s a disaster at everything anyway. Her abuela notices this and decides to bake a dulce de leche with her. Little Bella gets it wrong a few times but continues trying till she finally gets it right. Soothing illustrations that explore the self-doubt, confusion, and joy of learning something new are this book’s recipe for success.

In this picture book, the author shares his own story about his struggle with words. As a little boy, he loved drawing, but reading didn’t come naturally to him. He could manage to read one word at a time, but things got harder as the sentences got longer. He started to feel lost and alone in the world of too many words.

So he did what he calls “painting with words.” He drew the words on a paper to make himself a path to follow. He also learnt that a lot of great people were slow readers as well. Hudson honoured the act of taking his time, and became the fabulous storyteller he is today!

There Must Be More Than That shows us exactly what the title suggests. A young girl is told by her brother that humanity is doomed. She reaches out to her grandma in confusion and panic. Her wise grandma tells her that no one can accurately predict what the future holds, and that adults don’t always have the right answers. The rest of the book explores the randomness of the universe in fun and vibrant illustrations. Pick up this book for a good laugh and an important reminder.

Beatrice Bottomwell is a 9-year-old girl who has never made a mistake. She wakes up with paparazzi outside her window. She is constantly admired by everyone at home and at school. She’s the girl who never makes mistakes.

Until one time, at the school talent show, she makes a huge mess on stage during her juggling act. Her audience and her go quiet in absolute shock. But Beatrice bursts into laughter and everyone laughs along with her. Her life goes back to normal and no one is in awe of her anymore. But she is free to live, learn, fail, laugh and start over. As she lets go of her perfectionism, she rediscovers her humour and joy. This wonderful story is captured in illustrations that do it justice.

Gerald the giraffe wants to dance, but his legs are too skinny and his neck is too long. At the Jungle Dance, all other animals showcase their awesome moves. But when it’s Gerald’s turn, they sneer “Giraffes Can’t Dance.” He heads back home all sad and meets a cricket on the way. The cricket urges him to find his sound in the way the leaves sway. Gerald listens close and his body moves in ways it never has before. All the other animals gather around and cheer him on. The illustrations are rich with color and we are left with the message: We all can dance when we find music that we love.

The illustrations in this picture book are beyond stunning. You can pick it up for the art alone, though the story is heartwarming as well. It’s about a little girl who enters a classroom where no one seems to be quite like her. She finds it hard to fit in. She shares something about herself and finds that she has it in common with another student. We go on to explore the inner conflicts of children who don’t look like or act like the majority of the class. We also see how we still come together and bond, while still celebrating our unique differences. So the day you begin to share your story is the day you invite connection. I love the message the book ends with (and it’s also one I want to leave you with):
“every new friend has something a little like you
and something else so fabulously not quite like you at all.”

This title is full of silly jokes that bring the culture of Judaism to life. Kopitnikoff includes a glossary of terms to make the jokes pop, and cartoon illustrations to add to the hilarity.

A joke book for kids WRITTEN by a kid? Yes please! This little author started creating her joke books while bored during quarantine. Definitely check her out!

Nothing gets a child chuckling more than gross humor, and it’s sprinkled in among the scores of jokes in this book. Broken down into categories like family, animal, one liners, and puns, this book guarantees hours of fun.

Need a break from silly knee-slappers? This book of puzzles and riddles will bring triumphant smiles as kiddos and their adults solve their way through!

This latest trend in kids’ humor is everywhere right now. Would You Rather books set up scenarios where people choose between two similar options. Fun enough as a conversation starter, the book can also be played as a game where contestants try to correctly guess which scenario their teammate would choose.

Pick this one for your youngest budding comedians! Simple jokes and bright pictures help develop that punch line structure. Tons of giggles await!

Once your kiddo has graduated from the basics, this engaging book is a great next step. Puns, riddles, and tounge twisters are presented alongside fun facts and illustrations. It even includes information on the basics of joke writing!

Knock-knock jokes can be the trickiest for young jokesters to land. This book could potentially save you from little hours of repeating “orange who?”

The followup to Stacey’s Extraordinary Words follows a young Stacey Abrams as she shares her joy of the library with a new student who is still learning to read English. During recess, Stacey loves to read books, and that’s where she meets Julie for the first time. Julie loves reading, too, but can’t join in with Stacey. Stacey can’t wait to show Julie the library on Thursday, during library time, and their librarian Mr. McCormick is very welcoming. Together, Stacey and Julie explore the magic of books, and soon, more kids from their class join in. This is a lovely ode to books, libraries, and friendships; one every book-lover will adore, no matter their age.

Caldecott medalist Jason Chin follows up his big-picture nonfiction Your Place in the Universe with a microscopic journey into the minute building blocks of life. It opens with the calliope hummingbird, the smallest bird in the United States. Each page moves smaller as Chin explores microns, cells, atoms, elementary particles, and so much more, ultimately connecting it all to the universe. Anyone familiar with Chin’s work will be unsurprised by the gorgeous illustrations. The book also has extensive back matter to learn more. While not part of the narrative, the main child character is a Brown wheelchair user, which is refreshing to see.

Keyana is a girl with lots of ideas and the drive to tackle them. She decides to host a family movie night and immediately gets to planning so everything is perfect. However, when her twin cousins cause a raucous during the movie, everything is ruined. The screen falls, popcorn and cookies go flying, and the projector breaks. How will Keyana fix everything? Thankfully, her love of family and big ideas helps her find a different way to celebrate movie night with her family. This is a super fun picture book about familial love and addressing disappointment.

This delightful series of hugs written by a father/son team is part picture book, part gift book for parents. Each page illustrates a different type of hug, from “The Necklace,” where a child hangs from an elderly man’s neck while he attempts to drink coffee and look at his phone, to “The Rolling Hug,” where a child perches on a motorized wheelchair’s arm hugging a male caregiver while another child runs beside them. Each illustration is tenderly drawn with splashes of color and minimal to no background, focusing instead on a diverse array of caregivers and children sharing special, cuddly moments. The back lists even more hugs for children to try out.

In this delightful picture book, Mina shares with her class Korean customs for the Lunar New Year, Seollal. She wears her hanbok, shows the class sabae (a respectful greeting for elders), plays Korean games, and her mom brings in Korean candies for everyone’s bokjumoni — their lucky bags. But when Mina’s little brother shows up and throws a temper tantrum because his hanbok is too itchy, Mina worries the day is ruined. However, the other students in class help cheer up her brother, and they continue celebrating Seollal. The end pages show how to fold a paper bokjumoni. This is an excellent book for classrooms to use during the Lunar New Year, and great for home, too! I will definitely be making a bokjumoni with my daughter.

This is Serena Blasco’s second graphic novel compilation based on Nancy Springer’s popular middle grade historical mystery series. It contains three stories: “The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan,” “The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline,” and “The Case of Baker Street Station.” In these stories, Enola investigates tea shops, saves kidnapped women, tries to find her mother, and receives many cryptic messages that need deciphering. Oh, and she dodges her pesky brothers Mycroft and Sherlock, of course. Blasco’s illustrations are vibrant and colorful, and it’s such a fun read, whether you’ve read the original novels or not.

Middle grade readers who like the dark and disturbing will love this biography collection of 16 of the cruelest and deadliest people from ancient and contemporary history. From Attila the Hun to Hungarian serial killer Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed, these profiles, though brief, draw a disturbing picture of evil. Karl James Mountford illustrates each biography with black and white portraits.

The real joy of this book is Robinson’s art, which I remain a steadfast and true fan of. His mix of acrylic paint and collage illustrations are somewhat muted in colour, but their calm allows the smiling faces of characters to really glow. Overall, this book has no concrete story, just Fogliano whimsically imagining excited pre-birthday chatter between a kid and, well, anyone who will listen. As a self-professed b-day lover, I have definitely pestered people with some of these questions.

This is the English translation of Mas que festa!, a picture book about a party that just keeps getting wilder and wackier. Its story is about a little boy inviting too many friends to his birthday party, each one encouraged to bring whoever they want and their favourite food. There is a lot of dancing and eating at this neighbourhood party, and the music and food represent the multiculturalism of the partygoers.

Our hero, Mouse, has baked a special treat for Little Bird’s birthday. Off Mouse goes to make his birthday delivery, but everyone he passes wants a piece of cake — offering to trade it for some weird, unbirthday-like gifts. Mouse can’t say no to anyone and ends up without any cake left for Little Bird — will his friend be mad? Or can Little Bird figure out a way to fix their problem? This is an adorable story about kindness, creativity, and friendship.

Anita loves baking with Abuelita. One day, they are making flan for her abuelo’s birthday when Anita accidentally breaks her abuelita’s treasured flan serving plate from Cuba — should she tell the truth and admit she broke it? This is a well-written, warm and lovely story about intergenerational bonding.

This is an absurd, comical tale about Moira, a girl who invites the whole first, second, third, fourth, sixth grade, aaaand kindergarten to her birthday party. Munsch is excellent at writing absurd picture books, and this is definitely one of his wackiest. Published when I was a teeny tiny myself, it’s the ultimate comic birthday party picture book. It’s devastating to realize I now relate more to the beleaguered, tired adults than the fun-loving, pizza-chomping kiddos though.

Preparing for a party doesn’t often go without drama. Aimed at slightly older kids, this story is about two cousins preparing for their grandmother’s birthday party. The two girls are like “soybeans in a pod,” different but complimentary, but hijinks ensue when they are asked to collaborate on a birthday cake. It’s a lovely, flavour-infused story about finding balance in differences.

Gertrude has forgotten Alice’s birthday! Or has she? Alice goes out and tries to fill her day with a pleasant walk around Paris, while Gertrude attempts to bake a delicious surprise cake. When Alice returns home to find that Gertrude has half-prepared a party before becoming entwined in writing a poem for her, Alice chips in to help make their shindig go smoothly. The really cute art complements an adorable, playful story, although it’s disappointing that a book about Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas refers to them as simply “friends.” C’mon now.

For the slightly older picture book reader, this rhyming birthday tale about a shy hatmaker will put a smile on everyone’s face. Beaty and Roberts are the powerhouse creators behind the Questioneers series, and as always they pair whimsy and education, and the rhymes are clever enough to make adults chortle along. Plus, it portrays a not-so-happy birthday, a concept that all kiddos gotta learn sometime!

These alphabet books by BabyLit are always fun for little kids and they come in a variety of topics and holidays. Whether you celebrate Hanukkah or not, this alphabet with things like “E is for eight nights” and “R is for rabbi” is a really cute addition to your holiday book roundup.

In this story, Li’l Rabbit finds out the real meaning of Kwanzaa: coming together to help other people. Granna Rabbit is sick, and so Li’l Rabbit isn’t really having a great Kwanzaa, especially because his family isn’t celebrating his favorite part of Kwanzaa — a feast called Karamu. He decides to help make Granna Rabbit feel better, but is he too little to do it by himself?

This is such a beautiful book about the simple things about the winter holidays and Christmas that Baby loves: snow, candy canes, jingle bells, and more. The rhythm of the rhymes is great for younger toddlers, and the artwork will keep their attention without being overwhelming.

If you’re looking for a fun, interactive Christmas read for you and your toddler, this one is perfect. This counting board book depicts a group of little kids who are neighbors, helping to trim the Christmas tree in their building’s lobby. Kids will love counting the number of objects they see in the picture and matching it with the text, and overall, it’s a cute Christmas read. (Note: there are multiple formats available, but for toddlers the board book format would be my choice.)

Who doesn’t love Santa? This fun rhyming board book takes toddlers into Santa’s workshop, showing them what happens behind the scenes. It’s a thick, chunky smaller board book, so it’s perfect for little hands. The illustrations are joyful and the rhymes are catchy, making for a really cute book that you won’t get tired of reading.

This heartwarming tale of a Latinx family getting ready for Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) is one you’ll want to read over and over. Modeled after “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” this story describes them making tamales, decorating the house, and drinking champurrado (hot chocolate). The illustrations are warm and friendly, and it’s a delightful story that you’ll want to bring out each year.

If your family celebrates Christmas and Kwanzaa, you’ll want to add this one to your list — heck, if you want to introduce your kids to the holidays in general, you’ll want this one, too. Kids can learn about the meaning of Kwanzaa while hearing about the food, songs, and decorations, along with the celebrations of Christmas. This is an inclusive book that’s a great addition to any holiday collection.

This fun board book has cutouts and shapes that toddlers will love to feel and explore. Marshall writes a sweet story about loving a child while talking about jelly donuts, dreidels, gelt, latkes, and more. It’s an enjoyable rhyming tale that’s perfect to get everyone in the mood for some Hanukkah treats — just don’t read it on an empty stomach!

Hall, a chef and TV host, has written a nostalgic story inspired by her childhood that makes for a wonderful holiday read. When young Carla accidentally eats some of the sugar cookie that’s meant for Santa, she’s convinced she’s ruined Christmas. How will Santa know to stop at her house if he doesn’t see his snack? Granny has just the answer. While the story might be a little old for young toddlers, for older ones and their older siblings, this is a sweet holiday story highlighting the relationship between a grandparent and a grandchild.

Green Crayon says he’s the only color for Christmas, which is news to other crayons like red, silver, white, and tan. It’s only by all the colors coming together that Christmas can be what it fully is, in all its colorful glory. The crayon books are always full of joy and humor, and this one is no different.

With lyrical words and dreamlike, atmospheric writing, this picture book about the seasonal berry-picking of the Tlingit people in Sheet’ká, Alaska is a delight! Throughout the year a grandmother and her granddaughter take gifts from the Earth while singing songs to help show their gratitude, and keep the bears away while they are berry-picking. This is a beautiful story about gratitude and appreciating the Earth. It is also an amazing way to learn more about the Tlingit culture, especially through a poignant author’s note at the end of the book.

This book has a long title and explores an even longer history of the color blue. It goes over all the ways blue pigment has been made throughout centuries, from snails in Eurasia to crushed sapphires in Afghanistan to indigo grown and harvested on American plantations by enslaved African people. The gorgeous illustrations showing a variety of blue tones augments the fascinating history of one of the world’s most popular and sought out colors.

Calling all construction-obsessed young readers! This picture book takes a fairly mundane topic and breathes life into it. From the creation of concrete through the many applications of the material in the world around us, this nonfiction picture book dives deep into the subject. Not only is the engineering and science of concrete explored, but also the building and architectural history. Concrete is so ubiquitous, it’s easy not to think too much about it. But reading this beautifully-illustrated, informative picture book will change that for readers.

This book pitches itself as Dr. Seuss meets Everyone Poops. I found that to be a pretty apt description. This rhyming story follows a precious child walking to school with their father asking one question over and over and over again: does it have a butt? From scarecrows to crayons and sheep to bulldozers, they debate what does and doesn’t have a butt. A hilarious story that will have younger readers dissolving into laughter, but one that never devolves into gross out humor. Prepare for a lot of giggle breaks while you’re reading this one!

When Elephant gets ship wrecked, he ends up on an island that’s comically small. One by one, his friends come to try to rescue him. And one by one their vessels are destroyed as Elephant tries to escape. But instead of giving up, Elephant and his friends use the wreckage to expand the tiny island so there is enough room for all of them to live there. Soon, there is even a ferris wheel and a waffle maker. Why would they ever want to leave? There are important messages about perseverance and friendship in this picture book. But the physical comedy portrayed through the illustrations is what will truly delight readers.

Inspired by a pair of real-life birds, Klepetan and Malena are storks who do everything together. Even when Malena is injured and must heal under the care of a helpful human, they find ways to stay with each other. But when fall comes, it’s time for Klepetan to leave Croatia and migrate to South Africa. Malena is still too injured to make the journey. The two storks must try to find a way to remain close while being separated for the first time.

If you want a book guaranteed to fill the room with zany, chaotic absurdity, then this is definitely the right picture book to read. It breaks the fourth wall by speaking directly to the readers, in the same vein as The Book With No Pictures or There’s a Monster at the End of this Book (one of my personal favorites). By demanding that readers don’t laugh but then filling each page with silly art, funny names, and hilarious concepts, the book practically ensures giggles. This might not be a favorite for bedtime, but it makes an incredibly fun read-aloud.

There are so many negative messages kids (and adults) receive about their bodies. This book combats those pervasive cultural messages with a celebration of all bodies. It discusses different ways we can show love to our bodies like playing, hygiene, and friendship. It also acknowledges that sometimes our bodies don’t feel good. The book also isn’t just about accepting and loving our own bodies. It also emphasizes loving and respecting children with bodies that are different from ours. This is represented through a variety of races, genders, disabilities, body sizes, hair types, religious garments, birthmarks, and more. The sheer amount of diverse representation within this book is a triumph that supports its core message.

Unicorn stories are plentiful in the picture book world. But the kids I know are still enchanted by them. And this unique, humorous take definitely stands out. A one horned calf, perhaps feeling self-conscious about being different from the other cows, decides they are a unicorn after reading about the magical creatures in a book. After all they have just one horn. And even if they don’t poop rainbows or shimmer under the moonlight, they still want to feel like they belong. A chance run in with some “real” unicorns will decide the issue one way or another. Along with some big laughs (did I mention the rainbow poop?) this book has a powerful message of openness and acceptance of differences.

Owl dreams of becoming a knight one day, even though he’s a bird and a tiny one at that. With fun medieval details and lots of humor, the story shows him finally getting his chance when lots of knights go missing. After knight school, where he is adorably too small to wield weapons and has trouble staying awake in the daytime, he’s assigned to the night watch. Other human knights underestimate him. But his small size and cleverness save the day when a dragon attacks one night.

This wordless picture book is beautifully-illustrated and has an important message. Panels show a monster dragging a stick down the beach and creating a line in the sand. A group of other monsters who were playing on the beach now wonder what this line that divides them into different sections means. They debate if they can cross the line and even physically stop each other from doing so. But the arrival of a bee leads to the line being erased and their friendship restored. The metaphor inherent in this story is subtle, but a great way to start meaningful conversations with adult guidance.

This beautiful love story is intriguing for children and adult readers. It is based on the the true love story of the author’s grandparents who met and fell in love in the library of a Japanese Internment Camp during WWII. The story shows the extreme injustice of this time in American history where just being Japanese American became a crime. But it also shows the power of books to get people through unimaginably hard times and the optimism of finding love in the middle of extreme hardship.

This multicultural book takes place in a kindergarten English as a second language class. To combat the quiet classroom, 5 year old Luli decides to host a tea party. She calls the yummy, hot drink “Chá!” and her classmates respond with the words for tea in their languages ranging from Russian to Arabic to Swahili. While they all speak different languages and many come from different countries, tea is something they can all recognize and enjoy.

In this beautiful picture book, Kendi adapts a short story Hurston wrote in 1925 to make it accessible to young readers. In the book a river tells a story to a brook about a young Afro-Indigenous girl named Magnolia Flower. She is the beloved daughter of an escaped enslaved person and a Cherokee woman who escaped the Trail of Tears. She craves the freedom to love whoever she wants and makes the brave choice to follow her heart. The story is gripping and a unique love story to see in a picture book. And notes at the end give context to the elements of Black folklore preserved in this adaptation and the importance of stories showing Black and Native resistance from American History.

The young girl in this story loves being sandwiched between her two mothers. When Mommy has to go on a work trip, she stays with Mama who takes care of her. But it’s still hard for the girl and for Mommy to be apart from each other. Luckily, at the end of the week there is a happy reunion of the trio. Even though there are a few weird feelings at first when Mommy returns, eventually things feel just right again.

This book was always going to be a slam dunk for me. Firstly, because I love Kate Messner and Christopher Neal’s previous Over and Under picture books. And secondly, because I grew up near Monterey Bay, where this book is set. Stunning illustrations mixed with scientific information about the biodiversity and interdependence of ecosystems. From sea kelp to sardines and whales to wolf eels, this book covers so many interesting organisms!

A nonfiction picture book on the history of pizza narrated by an adorable mouse! From just the premise alone, I knew I’d fall in love with this picture book. There are theories on where and when pizza was first invented, including a fanciful one featuring Queen Margartia. The book also includes fun facts about how pizza is eaten in different parts of the world, like how green peas are a common pizza topping in Brazil. Vivid and bright illustrations accompany this lively text. This is a longer picture book, coming in at 56 pages. But for pizza loving young readers, the pages will fly by.

Cat wants to make Sunday pancakes, but realizes they don’t have any eggs or milk. To get these must-have ingredients, Cat invites Rabbit and Bear to join the breakfast making fun. Luckily, together they have everything they need to make a steaming, tall stack of pancakes. Even if there are a few mistakes made along the way, making breakfast together is the most delicious way to spend a Sunday morning.

Noa wonders why Teddy is always so tired. Teddy’s eyes are always in the same sleepy curve. And Noa is getting frustrated that Teddy never has enough energy to play. But it turns out there is a reason Teddy is so sleepy. He spends his nights protecting Noa from unwanted visitors like a tickle monster and the Boogeyman. Noa doesn’t know about Teddy’s nightly service in helping him sleep. But readers will have so much fun being let in on this secret and appreciating Teddy for all the work he does. There is also a Spanish language version of the picture book, El peor Teddy del mundo, for interested readers!

A brother and sister learn to fight boredom by following their grandmother’s advice to use their imaginations. Now, sibling bickering and gray days can be solved with their powerful, colorful imaginations. This contrast between their internal world and the drab external conditions are portrayed brilliantly through illustrations. Particularly poignant is the grandmother’s descriptions on how she learned to use her imagination to fly from her ancestors who used the same ability from her ancestors who were forcibly brought to America and enslaved.