I read over 125 books in 2018, and most of those books were picture books. Since most of my professional work is with teachers and students in PreK through second grade, I read a great many picture books. Listed alphabetically by the author's last name, here are my absolute favorite picture books of the year. (Not all of these books were published in 2018, but I read them this year.)
- In A Bike Like Sergio's by Maribeth Boelts (illustrated by Noah Z. Jones), Ruben will do just about anything to own a bicycle just like the one owned by his friend, Sergio. This is a great and relatable story about the importance of honesty and doing the right thing.
- The second book on my list created by author and illustrator team Boelts and Jones, Those Shoes, is another story with which many children (and adults!) can relate. Jeremy wants nothing more than "those shoes" that seemingly all of the other kids have. Over the course of the story, Jeremy begins to realize that he although he wants those shoes, he doesn't necessarily need them. This sweet story contains important themes about family and selfless giving.
- Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall is the story of a young boy who goes to the pool with his dad and younger sister. Will today finally be the day that he jumps off the high dive? Cornwall's illustrations completely immerse the reader in the story.
- Written by one of my favorite authors, Matt De La Pena, and illustrated by Loren Long, I pre-ordered Love months before it was released. De La Pena originally wrote what he envisioned as a poem, wondering how, as a father, he was to transition from watching the news to being with his young daughter. He wondered, "Is it my job to protect my child from adversity or to teach her how to deal with it?" He describes the main character as the "contemporary, collective American childhood." This beautifully written and illustrated book is the one that I plan to give each of my children upon their high school graduations.
- Santa Bruce is Ryan T. Higgins latest installment in the Mother Bruce series. All of Bruce's family members want him to celebrate Christmas, but Bruce is not exactly full of fun or cheer. What will happen when the animals volunteer Bruce to fill in for Santa but Bruce just wants to hibernate? (I got to meet Santa Bruce and get his autograph at NCTE in November!)
- We Don't Eat Our Classmates, also by Ryan T. Higgins, is the hilarious story about what happens when Penelope Rex goes to her first day of school and has difficulty refraining from eating her classmates. Penelope learns about the Golden Rule in this book that is guaranteed to make readers of all ages laugh. My third grade daughter says that this is her favorite book of the year!
- Yuyi Morales tells her story of how she and her infant son, Kelly, crossed the border into America in her book, Dreamers. Together, they have very few possessions, and the language and culture are so different from what they know. They finally find a sense of belonging when they visit some local libraries. Picture book enthusiasts like me will delight in finding the books they love in Morales's illustrations.
- Classrooms and schools should be inclusive places, and Alexandra Penfold's book, All Are Welcome, exemplifies that idea. Suzanne Kaufman's bright and colorful illustrations detail students and families of diverse races, abilities, faiths, and cultures, gathering together harmoniously.
- Peter H. Reynold's book, Say Something, has not yet been released. However, I am one of the lucky few who received the book months before its birthday at the NCTE conference in November. (I also got to have it autographed!) Say Something is the sequel to the next book in this list. The message of the book is simple but profound--once you have words, you must use them. The world is listening!
- Collectors collect things. Jerome, the main character, loves words, so that is what he collects. In Peter H. Reynold's The Word Collector, we see the power of words--they can be moving or hurtful. I connected deeply with Jerome because of our common love of words. The end of the story made me cry. This might be one of the most perfect picture books ever written.
- I was introduced to Annie Silvestro's Bunny's Book Club by my friend and colleague, Dr. April Larremore. Bunny loves toast outside the library and listen to stories being read aloud, but when story time moves inside, what's a bunny to do? Bunny then figures out how to get into the library (through the book drop, of course!) and begins "borrowing" books to read and share with his friends. Tatyana Mai-Weiss's illustrations are delightful and charming, and I cannot wait to see what happens in the next installment, due to be released in June.
- There are times in all of our lives when we feel like we just don't belong--whether it is because we are the new kid in school or because we perceive our lives to be so different from our peers. Jacqueline Woodson's book, The Day You Begin, is about the power of connection and how we sometimes have to be brave enough to share our stories and find those common bonds with one another. Rafael Lopez's illustrations are bright and beautiful.
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