Picture books are so much fun to read! Here’s what I like and love about my favorites. I hope it’ll help you add tons of awesome books to your must-read pile. Which books are you most excited to read?
If you have a new PB releasing, check out how I’ll consider it for a future PB Buzz at the bottom of this post. 🙂
I hotlinked the covers to Goodreads, so you can easily search for your favorites in various stores and in some libraries.
In addition to discovering amazing new books, you can also enter to win prizes! If you’re a teacher, media specialist or parent and win a critique prize, I’d be happy to try to hook you up with a Zoom chat with a book reading & Q&A instead.
Bella’s Recipe for Success by Ana Siqueira, Geraldine Rodríguez (Illustrations)
Bella wants to find out what she’s good at. But she quits everything she (barely) tries because she’s a disaster at it. Her somersaults are like clumsy jirafas rolling downhill, her piano playing like elephant feet. When she decides to learn how to bake with her wise old abuela, her first attempt at dulce de leche frosting looks like scaly cocodrilo skin. She must learn it’s okay to try again or she won’t be good at anything. Peppered with Spanish vocabulary and set in an intergenerational Latinx home, Bella’s Recipe for Success will show all kids the value of practicing to learn a new skill, and that it’s okay to make mistakes along the way.
A recipe for Polvorones con Dulce de Leche is included at the back of the book so kids can have fun making their own.
I love this encouraging story of a girl who doesn’t think she’s good at anything…until she bakes with her supportive abuela who shows by example that if you don’t succeed at first, you can always try again. And again. This should inspire children to figure out what they’re good at.
It’s sprinkled with Spanish words, humor, and a recipe that looks delicious.
Bloop by Tara Lazar, Mike Boldt (Illustrations)
Bloop, the little green alien, must conquer Earth, and his first step is figuring out who’s in charge. The answer? Dogs! This adorable picture book about an alien who looks like a pug is laugh-out-loud funny—and full of heart, too!
In his quest to become the next Emperor of Planet XYZ, Bloop makes too many bloopers. So he’s sent to Earth to conquer that crazy planet first. Who’s in charge there? One visit to the park and Bloop knows: dogs, of course! Bloop tries to master these maddening mutts and prove that he’s top dog. But once Bloop gets a taste of the good life on Earth, what will he do when he’s summoned back to XYZ? Readers will cheer as the little puglike alien realizes the love of family makes Earth his real home.
Tara Lazar’s hilarious text perfectly pairs with Mike Boldt’s vibrant art in this picture book about an alien who finally finds where he belongs.
Clever text and adorable illustrations will have you laughing your way through this fun book. It’s a treasure overflowing with humor and heart.
I love the way Bloop sees our world. You’ll never look at dogs the same way again.
When Grandfather Flew by Patricia Maclachlan, Chris Sheban (Illustrations)
In this moving evocation of love and loss by a Newbery Medalist, a grieving boy remembers his grandfather by thinking of the hobby they shared.
Milo’s grandfather is fascinated with birds. He admires their freedom and never loses an opportunity to point out the things that make them special. He can’t see like he used to, so Milo helps him spot and take care of some of his favorites: hovering Kestrels, fragile Chickadees, and the soaring Bald Eagle. One day when Milo comes home, Grandpa isn’t there, but when he sees a Bald Eagle swoop through the sky above, he knows Grandpa got his wish of being reborn in the skies.
With When Grandfather Flew, acclaimed author Patricia MacLachlan brings readers an honest, reflective, and deeply moving portrait of grief and memory.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Such a stunning, powerful book. It made me cry and hit me on such a deep level, I had to wait a while to write this review.
I love the grandfather’s connection to his grandkids…and how he shared his incredible love of birds. The chickadee encounter and ending painted such vivid images in my mind, it felt like I was there. So heartfelt and memorable.
Listen by Gabi Snyder, Stephanie Graegin (Illustrations)
In the tradition of Tomie dePaola’s Quiet and Scott Magoon’s Breathe comes this lyrical, meditative picture book about listening and mindfulness.
BEEP!
WOOF!
VROOM!
Isn’t the world a noisy place?
But what if you
stop, close your eyes,
and LISTEN?
Can you hear each sound?
Can you listen past the noise
and hear the quiet, too?
Beautifully illustrated and poignant, this lovely picture book follows a girl through her school day as she listens to sounds across the city: caws of crows, shouts across the playground, and finally, the quiet beating of her heart and whispered goodnights.
I love how this book encourages everyone to listen…no matter what is going on. Listen through the noise. Listen past the quiet. Listen when a friend is in need of support. And something I wish I learned when I was much younger—listen to yourself.
With sparse text, this book says so much! I lost 75% of my hearing and wearing hearing aids helps. When they’re in, I treasure every sound. I love that this book encourages children to be mindful about all the sounds around them. They’re truly magical—and can be a source of joy or comfort.
Tiny Barbarian by Ame Dyckman, Ashley Spires (Illustrations)
When Tiny and his family walk by a retro movie theater poster, Tiny realizes he wants to be:
“A BARBARIAN!” Just like ’80s fantasy movie character BOB THE BARBARIAN!
Tiny doesn’t have Bob’s shining helmet, sturdy club, fuzzy cape, etc. But Tiny does have: A colander. A paper towel tube. That little rug that goes around the toilet. And a MIGHTY imagination!
Tiny puts them all together, looks in the mirror, and… He is TINY BARBARIAN!
With his Battle Kitty by his side, Tiny Barbarian defends his realm, protects his family, and defeats “A DRAGON!” “A TROLL!” And even, “GIANT BROCCOLI!”
But at bedtime, our brave Tiny Barbarian meets his most challenging foe of all: “THE DARK!”
Can Tiny conquer THIS?!
Ame Dyckman (You Don’t Want A Unicorn!, etc.) and Ashley Spires (The Most Magnificent Thing, etc.) share the hilarious origin story of a relatable little hero and the importance of embracing imagination, facing fears, and discovering one’s own inner conqueror.
A tiny boy with a huge imagination is ready to take on any challenge when he transforms into Tiny Barbarian—with a home-made club and other cool tools. But a club can’t conquer the dark.
A creative, funny, and empowering book with adorable illustrations.
Frankenslime by Joy Keller, Ashley Belote (Illustrations)
A young slime scientist is surprised when her latest slime comes to life in this funny and clever picture book twist on Frankenstein.
Victoria Franken is a slime scientist.
Her experiments lead to amazing slimes. Until, one dark and stormy night, her latest experiment goes awry and her newest creation COMES TO LIFE!
Joy Keller’s clever text and Ashley Belote’s humor-filled art combine to create a fun picture book twist on horror movies like Frankenstein and The Blob, that also explores the scientific method and the importance of recording observations and results. The author has also included a couple of Victoria’s best slime recipes, although you’ll notice the secret formula that brought her slime to life is missing.
Such a fun and funny book that encourages young scientists to record their observations and results…in order to learn how to succeed. There’s a bunch of awesome and unique slime recipes, too. Make sure you take the time to read all the fun slime names and notes throughout.
Not Little by Maya Myers, Hyewon Yum (Illustrations)
Dot is the smallest person in her family and at school; even her name is small! People often mistake her for being younger than she is, but not when she tells them the square root of sixty-four is eight, nor when she orders from the grown-up menu at restaurants or checks out the hard books at the library. She may be small, but she’s not little.
When a new boy named Sam joins Dot’s class, she wonders if he’s even smaller than she is. When she sees him getting bullied by a mean kid twice his size, she knows she has to do the big thing and stand up for him.
Maya Myers’s debut picture book has a pitch-perfect voice that captures the inimitable Dot in all her fierceness, and Hyewon Yum’s delightful pastel-hued artwork is its perfect complement.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
A little girl with a BIG, spunky personality. I remember what it’s like to feel smaller than everyone else, and love how Dot refuses to be little, even if she’s the shortest one in her family and at school. So relatable, with touches of humor and lots of heart.
How to Be Cooler than Cool by Sean Taylor, Jean Jullien (Illustrations)
The creators of Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise show that dark shades and daring antics don’t necessarily lead to instant coolness in a giggle-worthy send-up of trying too hard.
Look what Cat found on the playground! Sliding backward down the slide in these sunglasses is sure to make her look cool with extra cool on top…uh-oh! Of course, Cockatoo’s dancing on top of the seesaw wearing the glasses will definitely make him too cool for school…oh no! How about Pig’s standing up on the swing in the coveted shades? Drawn in by the silly story and the bold, graphic illustrations, kids will laugh out loud at the comeuppance of the animal poseurs and cheer for the savvy little chick who shows that coolness comes from just having regular old fun.
Adorable, bright illustrations and funny, unique characters. Such a fun read-aloud! I giggled my way through this book.
Brave in the Water by Stephanie Wildman, Jenni Feidler-Aguilar (Illustrations)
Are you afraid to put your face in the water? So is Diante. He would like to play in the pool with other children. He’s not afraid to hang upside down, though, and he’s surprised to learn his grandma is. Can Diante help Grandma and become brave in the water?
It’s great how Diante and his grandmother help each other overcome fears. Readers can gain new skills to help overcome their own fears.
The cover is absolutely stunning!
Marty by Rachel Noble, Zoey Abbott (Illustrations)
Marty is a tiny green Martian who lives here on Earth. You’ve never noticed him before, because he is undercover…Marty wears disguises and studies human behavior in order to fit in. He is always watching, learning, and laughing.
And then one day, after much preparation, Marty gets a job! He loves to watch his customers, and he even makes some friends. But Marty knows he can never reveal his secret. Humans are terrified of Martians.
When his cover gets blown, Marty needs somewhere safe to go. Who will see beyond his strange, green looks to show him kindness?
This adorable story of an outsider with a good heart reminds readers that everyone needs a place to call home—and a friend for company. Zoey Abbott’s colorful art, full of elaborate costumes and whimsical details, pops against Rachel Nobel’s spare, sweet text. With its charming way of promoting inclusivity, the book makes for a perfect companion to All Are Welcome.
The creative costumes are so much fun. I love stories where a child sees how amazing someone with a big heart is (no matter what they look like or where they come from) and welcome them.
Little Medusa’s Hair Do-lemma by Jennifer Buchet, Cassie Chancy (Illustrations)
Little Medusa comes from a long line of snake-loving, serpentine-wearing Gorgons. When she receives her very first snake, Little Medusa discovers that having a snake slither and slide through her hair isn’t so great after all. And to make matters more difficult, she begins questioning if she really wants to scare her friends to stone with her new forever friend. Using her imagination and heart, Little Medusa tries her best to please her family, her best-pet snake, and herself.
Based on Greek Mythology, Little Medusa features Common Core Connections and explores the universal themes of following family tradition and staying true to oneself.
Adorable story based on an Ancient Greek myth. It’s always great reading books about thoughtful children who find a way to be true to themselves. I especially love the illustrations of Medusa’s hair and the snake’s expressions. I’m not a huge snake-lover, but I want to hug both Medusa and her cute snake.
Shhh! The Baby’s Asleep by JaNay Brown-Wood, Elissambura (Illustrations)
Celebrate the silliness that comes with a big family in this playful read aloud about a big brother, a sleeping baby, and a very noisy family.
Baby is finally asleep. But everyone is much too loud! Can Mom, Daddy, Grammy, Pop Pop, Shae, Dante, Rover the dog, and even the neighbor keep quiet? Just when they think they can rest—oh no. The baby’s awake. One savvy little narrator knows just the way to make his baby sister fall back asleep: by reading her a good book!
A hilarious cast of characters will keep readers laughing throughout this amusing celebration of early literacy and intergenerational family relationships.
Kids with younger siblings (and their exhausted parents) should enjoy seeing how a large family attempts to stay quiet so they won’t wake the baby. The illustrations are fun and vibrant and there’s lots of fun read aloud sounds, too.
Thanks so much for reading PB Buzz! And a huge thanks to everyone who generously donated a prize on the two Rafflecopters below to help celebrate all of these amazing new books. All prizes are on this Rafflecopter (you can view them by clicking the arrow under each prize). You have the opportunity to win:
PB critique or 30 minute Zoom chat with me [Winner: Danielle Rae]
PB Critique with Zoom meeting to discuss feedback with Ana Siqueira, author of BELLA’S RECIPE FOR SUCCESS [Winner: Melanie Adkins]
PB critique, query critique or 20-min Zoom chat with Jennifer Buchet, author of LITTLE MEDUSA’S HAIR DO-LEMMA [Winner: Robin Wiesneth]
*Everyone can enter the giveaways on this first Rafflecopter!*
a Rafflecopter giveawayThis Rafflecopter has awesome new books you can win…and is open only to those in the US.
Signed copy of LISTEN by Gabi Snyder, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin [Winner: Hannah Roy LaGrone]
Hardcover of BRAVE IN THE WATER by Stephanie Wildman, illustrated by Jenni Feidler-Aguilar [Winner: Amy Benoit]
***Check out my tweet for a chance to win the Spanish version of BRAVE IN THE WATER (VALIENTE EN EL AGUA) by Stephanie Wildman, illustrated by Jenni Feidler-Aguilar [Winner: Dedra Davis]
*Everything you do for the first Rafflecopter can count for this one, too. So if you leave a blog comment, you get credit on both Rafflecopters. Just click that you did it on each Rafflecopter and enjoy the extra entries.*
a Rafflecopter giveawayWinners will be shown on this post and shouted out on Twitter on Sunday, August 8. Good luck!
I can’t wait to share more amazing books with you next month!
If you have a recently released or upcoming picture book with a publisher on the SCBWI PAL list and would like me to read and consider it for PB Buzz, click here to fill out a Google form. I’m excited to read all of your books…but can only share a limited amount each month.
*The next PBParty New Draft Challenge & Critique Train will be Thursday, August 19. I hope everyone who writes (or hopes to write) picture books will join in the fun.
44 Comments
Leave your reply.