It was an EPIC year in the world of children’s literature and I am here for it! There were so many incredible picture books released and I fell in love with so many of them. It was extremely hard to narrow down all those beautiful books to a top 20 list, but I finally succeeded. Below are our top 20 picks of picture books released in 2021. There are books on this list that will impact your heart and there are others that are sure to make you laugh. There are books with bouncy rhythms for a rollicking read aloud and books with calm and peaceful text that will invite you to ponder. There are books with innovative format that will entertain and delight and there are books with other surprises. There are fantastical fictional stories as well as a couple nonfiction treasures. This list has it all and I am so excited to introduce these gems to you.
We’ll Be Together Again by Lucy Menzies and Maddy Vian- Both sides of this book open up to tell two parallel stories about a grandchild and grandparent that live far away. Then, they join at the end when they reunite. Such a neat format and a sweet story.
There’s a Ghost In This House by Oliver Jeffers- This book isn’t really a story so much as an experience. In the book you get a tour of an old house as a small child guides you from room to room and looks for ghosts. The fun is that as a reader you see them when you turn transparent pages onto of the previous illustrations to discover ghost sillhouettes. So neat!
Jazz for Lunch! by Jarrett Dapier and Eugenia Mello- The text in this book has incredible rhythm and would make the most amazing read aloud. It is a tribute to both Jazz music and food as nephew and aunt make lunch for a crowd.
Nano: The Spectacular Science of the Very (Very) Small by Dr. Jess Wade and Melissa Castrillion- This nonfiction book is a wonderful introduction to children of nano science. It is written in an easy to understand way and the illustrations are simply beautiful.
One Moment in Time: Children around the world by Ben Lerwill and Alette Straathof- In this book we meet 11 different children who live all around the globe and get a glimpse into their life as we see what they are all doing in a single moment in time. Very well done and such a neat way to teach global awareness.
Tomatoes for Neela by Padma Lakshmi and Juana Martinez-Neal – I adore this one! In the story a young girl makes tomato sauce with her mother and is a tribute to heritage, food and family.
It Began with Lemonade by Gideon Sterer and Lian Cho- This book is clever and super fun. In the story a young girl is looking for a place to set up her lemonade stand and ends up by the river where a myriad of fun guests visit from animals to mermaids.
Sloth and Squirrel in a Pickle by Cathy Ballou Mealey and Kelly Collier- Sloth and squirrel are two friends who are very different from each other, but both want to earn money to purchase a bike. They get a job at a pickle processing plant and chaos ensures. So funny and incredibly likable.
The Boy and the Sea by Camille Andros and Amy June Bates- This is a thought provoking story that pays tribute to the journey of life, the choices we make and where they take us. The peaceful color palette and calm text are so inviting and its beautifully done.
When Lola Visits by Michelle Sterling and Aaron Asis- This book features a child’s feelings about summertime with the highlight being that their Lola comes to visit. It is a gorgeous celebration of heritage, culture, family and food in both illustration and text.
Lala’s Words: A Story of Planting Kindness by Gracey Zhang- This new release has an inspiring message about the power of words. We watch as a young girl nurtures a plant and how her kind words help it grow tall and strong. Then, things get even better when we see that she gets to be a recipient of kid words herself.
The Blue House by Phoebe Wahl- In this story Father and son live in a little blue house that they love. Then, they are forced to move when the landlord sells for it to be torn down and apartments to be built in it’s place. It is a hard and sad transition for them to say goodbye and then to feel at home in a new house, but they do and the end is filled with hope.
Bubbles . . . Up! by Jacqueline Davies and Sonia Sánchez- This book is a tribute to the joys of swimming. The text has fantastic rhythms and is one that will have you grabbing a towel and heading to the pool for sure. Plus, the illustrations are full of so much joy!
Out to Sea by Helen Kellock- This book is stunning. In the story it tells of a young girls grief over loosing her grandmother and how it feels like a sea that she is sinking in. However, things take a hopeful turn when she is reminded that she isn’t alone and can still feel connected to her grandmother. She learns too find beauty and hope amidst the grief and work through it. A new favorite of mine.
Be a Tree! by Maria Gianferrari and Felicita Sala- This book is a beautiful tribute to community through the metaphor of trees. Each page spread is positively gorgeous and the message about supporting each other and how we are all interconnected is inspiring and lovely.
Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Griffin and Maribel Lechuga- In this story a child is moving to their grandmother’s house and is feeling nervous and unhappy about it, despite having a wonderful grandmother. The grandmother makes a game where they look for the beautiful along the way and it helps the child with the transition. It’s sweet and lovely. So good
Yawn by Patricia Hegarty and Teresa Bellon- I dare you to get through this book without yawning. Basically as you go through the story you see one yawn that is super contagious and gets spread all the way around the globe and even beyond! It is silly and fun and all the yawning illustrations are a blast.
Hello, Rain! by Kyo Maclear and Chris Turnham- This is one of the most joyful and bright celebratory books that I have seen for a rainy day. It makes me smile just looking through it. All the bright colors and playful text are a treat.
Agnes’s Place by Marit Larsen, Jenny Lovlie and Kari Dickson- Ages loves her apartment complex, but one day things are made a bit more complicated when a new girl moves in and Agnes tries to adjust and tries to make a new friend. Things work out beautifully in the end and the illustrations as well as the text along the way are delightful.
Full Moon by Camilla Pinotonato- The rabbits are up to something special. We see them making and delivering invitations and then in the end discover that they are hosting a full moon party complete with paper lanterns. This is a magical book that feels truly special and memorable.
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