It was another incredible year in the world of children’s literature. There are so many new protagonists that are now “friends” of ours and so many new stories that touched our hearts. It was so hard to narrow it down to just our top favorites. In fact, originally I wanted to do a top 10, but I soon determined that to be absolutely impossible for me. Instead, here are our top 20 picture book releases of this year. Each one is exceptional in both illustrations and text and impact the reader in different, yet significant ways. This list includes everything from a few incredible nonfiction books to books deceptively simple in their imaginative stories. They are listed below in no particular order. If you see any that you don’t recognize, I would strongly encourage you to check them out. They really are “winners” in our mind.
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“There’s a Tiger in the Garden” by Lizzy Stewart- This is a story about the power of imagination and the many adventures it can lead you on.
“Peace and Me” by Mikael El Fathi and Ali Winter- This beauty explains the history of how the Nobel Peace Prize was founded and then features 12 of its recipients from around the globe.
“Petra” by Marianna Coppo- Petra is a little pebble with enough heart and confidence to reach the sky. So inspiring and so up-lifting.
“Shaking Things Up” by Susan Hood and Sophie Blackall- Mini biographies on 14 young women who changed the world. Inspiring and wonderfully done.
“Tiny Perfect Things” by M. H. Clark and Madeline Kloepper- This book pays tribute to all the beautiful little details in the world around us as well as beautiful relationships. Sentimental and heart-warming.
“I Walk with Vanessa” by Kerascoët- A wordless wonder that is out on a mission to promote empathy and inclusion. This one will have a big impact.
“The Reindeer Express” by Maudie Powell-Tuck and Karl James Mountford- Stunning illustrations, an endearing story and cut-outs and flaps placed with intent. This one takes you on a magical journey.
“Trevor” by Jim Averbeck and Amy Hevron- This little bird has taken-up permanent residence in my heart with his sweet story about friendship.
“Pearl” by Molly Idle- Visually stunning and richly executed, this book reminds me of an incredibly well done short film.
“Be Kind” by Pat Zietlow Miller and Jen Hill- What exactly is kindness? This book addresses that topic in an exceptional way that makes it a must for all bookshelves!
“Whale in a Fishbowl” by Troy Howell and Richard Jones- A deceptively simple book that inspires thoughts of boundary breaking, attempting the new, the power of change, perspective, hidden capabilities and self-confidence.
“The Dog That Ate the World” by Sandra Dieckmann- A giant metaphor for how community can unite and overcome anything. Together we have the power to create a beautiful and positive world despite any darkness there may be or any circumstances.
“Fort Building Time” by Megan Wagner Lloyd and Abigail Halpin- A beautiful celebration of a timeless past-time for children. One every person can relate to in some way with the child-like aspects of their heart.
“Me and My Fear” by Francesca Sanna- A beautiful and accepting look at fear, our relationship with it, and how we all have it. Liberating and possibly even cathartic.
“We Don’t Eat our Classmates” by Ryan T. Higgins- This book twists humor with the classic message of “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.” So entertaining and positively brilliant.
“The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson and Rafael López- This addresses the deep need in our heart to find connections with others as well as owning our own story and beauty. A masterpiece in it’s own right.
“Twig” by Aura Parker- Auras insightful story and detailed illustrations are really fantastic in this charming book about inclusion and standing out.
“Perfectly Norman” by Tom Percival- This book has a strong and important message about embracing our differences and has a spectacular, “big finish” ending that is sure to stick with you.
“Eye Spy” by Guillaume Duprat- This oversized, nonfiction book takes the topic of vision and explains it in a highly effective format and design. It seriously couldn’t have been done any better.
“Zola’s Elephant” by Randall de Sève and Pamela Zagarenski- A stunning book! I love how beautifully emotion is conveyed through the text and illustration. Also, the display of human nature shown is so insightful and thought-provoking.
If you are looking for past lists here is 2017’s list and 2016’s list!
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