Get an Inside Peek! An Excerpt from Remy Lai’s Chickenpox

And just like that . . . it was over.

I always end with picture books when I do my 31 Days, 31 Lists series because in many ways I feel that they’re the backbone of the children’s book publishing industry. People connect to them in visceral, deeply emotional ways. They have ties to our own youth. The picture book you loved as a child cannot really be replaced by any other book in your lifetime. Now I cannot say I read every picture book this year, but I am far more confident with saying that these are the best of the best. The cream of the crop. You’ll see titles here you missed in 2024. You’ll not see some titles here that you adore, and you’ll wonder what’s wrong with my head that I didn’t include them. As is right. For now, enjoy what is inarguably a lovely list of books. And thank you for reading my lists this month!

Here’s to more good reading in 2025.

You can find a full PDF of today’s list here.

Curious to see what the previous years’ lists of picture books looked like? Behold the fruits of my past labors!

• 2023
• 2022
• 2021
• 2020
• 2019
• 2018
• 2017
• 2016

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Best Picture Books of 2024

All That Grows by Jack Wong

Thanks to his older sister, a boy learns cool plant facts, like that magnolias smell like lemon cake and dandelion greens can be eaten with spaghetti! A moving sibling tale on how much there is to learn in the world. Maybe I’m just a sucker for any books that remind me of spring right now, but I thought that this informative little title hit all the right sweet spots. This is kind of a foraging picture book and it’s doing things with the art that I found very interesting. Look at that spread where the boy lies in bed in the dark, and how Wong is doing fascinating things with the faint amount of light and the black lines on the deep navy background. It’s real gentle and quite nice. 

A Bear, a Fish, and a Fishy Wish by Daniel Bernstrom, ill. Brandon James Scott

One bear. One fish. An empty tummy. Prepare for gentle rhymes amid ensuing hijinks as our hungry hero gets in over his head (literally). Brandon James Scott has a way with pupils, man. The eyeballs on this bear are incomparable. And you can tell that Scott worked in animation because he has this sense of timing worthy of the best Looney Tune cartoons (Bear is essentially the spiritual soulmate of Wile E. Coyote). Bernstrom keeps the gentle rhymes ah-coming, and though I don’t usually truck with books where the predator lets the prey go out of the goodness of his golden glorious heart, you can’t but give this book a pass. Plus, it nails the wordless ending. Previously seen on the Funny Picture Books List.

Being Home by Traci Sorrell, ill. Michaela Goade

“Today is moving day!” A happy tale of one indigenous family’s relocation from the city to their ancestral lands. Oh, absolutely. This is what you want to see in a book. First off, I’m fairly certain I’ve never even encountered a cheerful moving day book before. Most picture books that tackle moving are instructional, or trying to get the kids on board with a major life change. This book takes an entirely different tactic, and I think it works wonders! I’m so glad a co-worker of mine pointed out to me the use of the fluorescent pink in the art, else I might have missed it. I truly feel like Goade is just becoming more and more accomplished as an artist with every book she does. Here, the art seems to be all about juxtapositions. The mesh of the city life and people and then, later, the very different crush of friends and family outside. Those images of the kids running in the twilight should be sold as framed art. Gotta love this. 

A Better Best Friend by Olivier Tallec, translated by Anthony Shugaar

Having a best friend is great! A little red squirrel has just made friends with Pock, a somewhat awkward little mushroom, and things are great. That is, until a third friend comes along. Can someone have TWO best friends?!? Look. Look DEEP into the eyes of this anxious little mushroom on the cover and tell me you’re not intrigued by this book. This little French translation taps into the anxiety of having a best friend. Not acquiring one (though it makes it clear how that can be hard too) but what to do when you have two of them! I dunno. It’s the little details in this that just slay me. The way the squirrel crosses its legs, just so. The rings under Pock (the mushroom guy)’s eyes. I also kind of love that it makes it clear that a quiet person who doesn’t say much can be a very good friend, and that it’s okay to have more than just one. It’s small, slight, subtle, and unmistakably French. Previously seen on the Translated Picture Books List.

Big Bear and Little Bear Go Fishing by Amy Hest, ill. Erin E. Stead

“ONE DAY Big Bear says to Little Bear, I’m just in the mood for fishing.” Between getting ready to fish and waiting for the fish to show, two bears have a lovely day in this quiet book sporting a classic feel. This is kind of a funny book to kick off a readaloud list with, since it is definitely a read-aloud-in-hushed-tones kind of book. There is a place in this world for such books. Titles that exude coziness without dripping sentimentality. As it turns out, Amy Hest plus Erin E. Stead is an inspired pairing (and since this is a Neal Porter title, this is my surprised face). It’s real gentle, but not cloying. And consider its amazing readaloud potential! Like this line: “Big Bear and Little Bear pull on baggy blue pants for fishing. And boots. They stuff their feet into tall black boots. Their coats are yellow with pockets and hoods.” As a picture book author myself, this kind of thing makes me just want to hang up my hat entirely (or, god forbid, get better). As for Stead, she works in these little moments of affection between the two bears that ring true. Really authentically charming stuff. Previously seen on the Readaloud List.

The Cafe at the Edge of the Woods by Mikey Please

Could someone please talk to Harper Collins about returning once again to sending out physical galleys? I missed SO MANY of their titles this year, and came a hair’s breath away from this being one of them. Thankfully, I caught it in the nick of time. The plot involves Rene, who really and truly wants to be a great chef. When she opens a cafe at the edge of the woods, only Glumfoot applies for the position as waiter. And when they finally do get a customer, it take a handy mix of Rene’s skills and Glumfoot’s smarts to pull the event off. Look, this book is just delightfully disgusting and hilarious and just a tiny bit meaningful as well. An irresistible combo.

The Cat Way by Sara Lundberg, translated by B.J. Woodstein

Usually when the human and the cat go walking, the human decides what they should do and where they should go. When things flip and the cat gets to take the lead, it’s the human who begins to see things in a whole new way. First off, it’s very satisfying to see a book where the main character knows how to hold a cat correctly on the cover. I also am intrigued by the fact that this is the rare picture book where an adult is the main character. There’s a funny surreal quality to this story, while at the same time the emotions are so real to me. It’s both telling its own story straight, while also feeling like it’s talking about a lot more than just the relationship between a woman and her cat. The art is fantastic, I love the gatefold (a rare three-page gatefold, no less!) and the simplicity of the telling. GREAT work by translator B.J. Woodstein, by the way! It really gets the tone of the book down JUST right! Previously seen on the Caldenott List and the Translated Picture Books List.

Chooch Helped by Andrea L. Rogers, ill. Rebecca Lee Kunz

Lot to love in this one. Written and illustrated by a Cherokee author and artist, respectively, I hope we see more from them in the future. This is an exceedingly simple text, but one that packs a big punch. Sissy has had it up to HERE with her little “baby” brother (she would be quick to inform you that he’s actually two-years-old) Chooch. As far as she’s concerned, the kid gets away with murder. She then recounts all the times that Chooch has “helped” their various relatively, never effectively. When Chooch attempts to “help” Sissy as she makes a bowl, she explodes at him. This leads to a rather clever part of the book where it reads, “My parents yelled, ‘Shouting is no help!’” This is one of those under-the-radar titles that may well win things come award season. The art is an incredible mix of Cherokee iconography and traditional motifs and symbols, all worked seamlessly into the story. Part of the reason this book works as well as it does is that everything about Cherokee life is built into both the text and the art without having to tell rather than show. It’s an elegant book when you get right down to it. Previously seen on the Simple List.

Dance Fast by AR Cribbins

Bizzy cannot WAIT to make her own dance regalia dress for an upcoming ceremony. But what happens when a mistake in it is evident to everyone? A great Pomo tale on how perfection is the enemy of good. We’ve just seen so many picture books about dancing this year, and that’s wonderful! From Jam Too to Soul Step to Why We Dance, it’s been a dancing year! But looking at all these books, I find that the ones I like best are the ones that are about more than just dancing. I like the dancing to be worked into a bit of a storyline. AR Cribbins is a Pomo author/illustrator and this story about Bizzy wanting to have her own regalia for an upcoming ceremony probably appeals to me because the art is just so charming. I love how Cribbins does faces and emotions. I love the sheer levels of frustration at work here, and how this author/artist cleverly highlighted the idea of purposefully leaving in imperfections so that you can strive for quality and not perfection. It’s a fantastic lesson for kids out there. I just have a lot of affection for this little book.

The Day Moon and Earth Had an Argument by David Duff, ill. Noemi Vola

Meet the book that officially made me a Noemi Vola fan. This is one of those titles where I read it and liked it, and then as time went on and I kept showing it to other people, I didn’t just like it. I LOVED it. Maybe that’s just because I think the story is a funny take that I’ve never really seen before. Or maybe it’s because illustrator Noemi Vola is a certified nutjob. How else to explain art that seems to have crawled out of an Underground Comix hole circa 1969? The basic premise is right there in the title. Moon and Earth have an argument (we never really know why) and the Moon takes off in a huff. I mean, why shouldn’t it just hang out with one of the other planets instead? So it goes to them one-by-one and if you EVER wanted to get kids to know the differences between the planets, this book is my #1 recommendation for drilling that information home. That’s how you’re going to find out that Venus is toxic, Mercury moves too fast, Mars already has two moons, Jupiter has ninety-five of the darn things, Saturn has even more but also has cool rings, Neptune is really cold, Pluto isn’t really a planet and likes solitude, and Uranus is . . . . a lot man. In fact, you should pick up this book for Uranus alone. Something is wrong with that dude. Seriously. The colorful art includes things like Spielberg’s E.T.s running about, and who can resist the knee socks the Moon is sporting? Seriously, you’ll have seen nothing like this before and nothing since, but it’s a trip and a delight and well worth remembering. Previously seen on the Funny Picture Books List.

The Dictionary Story by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston

Why should books with stories get all the fun? A jealous dictionary attempts to tell a tale, with incredibly disastrous results. A truly original delight of a story. The sheer SHEER amount of work that went into this book just leaves me dumbfounded. When I worked out that every single solitary definition wasn’t just original but hilarious… jaw on floor, folks. Jaw. On. Floor. And then to top the whole thing off the art is amazing AND the story is good and funny? This is the best book Jeffers has worked on since Stuck (my personal favorite and, as far as I’m concerned, the peak of his career). Would love to know more about what the Jefferson/Winston collaboration consisted of. Did Winston make the physical book itself? I loved how tattered it looked by the story’s end. This is pretty amazing. Previously seen on the Funny Picture Books List.

Drawn Onward by Daniel Nayeri, ill. Matt Rockefeller

Show of hands. Who here is getting Steven Universe vibes from this one? Anyone? Just me? That’s cool. So having captured a Newbery Honor of his very own, Nayeri plunges onward to try his hand at an entirely different kind of book for kids: The epic adventure (with graphic novel elements) picture book. Now I initially (and mistakenly) tried to slot this book into my Wordless Book category, before I remembered that it does indeed have words. In point of fact, it has a narration that carries the reader on throughout the book. But the story, the one that kids are going to consciously pay attention to (the narration will work its way into the nooks and crannies of their own gray matter, don’t you worry) is of a visual storytelling nature. Does his style look familiar to you? That’s probably because he worked on First Second’s 5 Worlds series for quite a while. Here, however, he gets to shine with only a single other collaborator. It must be freeing. He certainly is having a ball with repeated objects (check out how the shot of the house in the beginning compares with the shot of the house at the end), colors, thematic elements, and more. Hand this one to the kids who went goofy for Aaron Becker’s Journey series. Previously seen on the Fantasy List.

Emma Full of Wonders by Elisha Cooper

Do dogs dream? Emma does. Little dreams that culminate in a great big dream she can share. A quiet book, and quiet books always have a little bit of difficulty getting onto end of year lists. It almost feels like Cooper by way of Kevin Henkes, if nothing else. And me? I went into this thinking it was going to be another dead dog book. This isn’t that nutty a thought considering how many dead dog picture books we see in a given year (though admittedly in 2024 there was a dead chicken book that was my top favorite), and the fact that previously Cooper created what might be the greatest dead cat book of all time. So you can understand how unprepared I was for the twist. Definitely a book for dog lovers, and for dog tolerators as well.

Exactly As Planned by Tao Nyeu

Moose and Fox are about to have tea together and each wants to make something special for the other. Read one story two different ways, showing how things don’t always go according to plan (and that’s okay). To put it plainly, Nyeu has gotten all complicated on us. This book, surprisingly enough, reminded me of David Macaulay’s Caldecott Award-winning Black and White in the ways in which it plays with the linear text. Ostensibly, this is two stories about the same two characters, each from the other’s p.o.v. The thing is, when you start to compare them, you notice all kinds of clues linking the two stories together. I was particularly fond of the basket’s origin’s and the fate of the crow’s sweater. Far cleverer than its seemingly simple and sweet storyline would have you believe.

The First Week of School by Drew Beckmeyer

When something unexpected happens on the first day of school, nobody realizes that the new kid who arrives soon after is going to be quite as… interesting as they are. Ho ho! You know what this is, don’t you? This is a science fiction first day of school book. Now I have a working theory that each year there is always one first day of school book that stands apart from the pack. I think we’ve found the one for 2024. It kind of feel like a Wes Anderson book brought to life (even the cover has that feel), and I am down for that. Definitely on the upper end of the comprehension scale for picture book readers, there’s a lot to keep up with and notice when you read it. Plus, I like the sheer variety of Beckmeyer’s books. You just never know what that dude is gonna do next. Previously seen on the Science Fiction List.

The Gale by Mo Yan, ill. Zhu Chengliang, adapted by Gu Xiaoxiao, translated by Ying-Hwa Hu

Having just turned seven, a boy is finally allowed to accompany his grandfather to work, cutting grass for their livestock. But when a massive wind hits them, will they both survive the trip? So the question we lay before you is this: Is this book by Mo Yan, a winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, appealing to kids at all? I can tell you this much, this book sticks in your brain. I mean, it’s an interesting tale I’ve never really seen before. It reminds me of that old Reading Rainbow book about the farmer whose plow accidentally falls into a hole that becomes an active volcano. Like that book, a farmer must face head on a natural disaster. Only in this case, it’s a real man vs. nature situation, and you don’t know who’s going to win. You might spend a fair amount of time yelling at this book, “It isn’t worth it, man!!!” Still, it doesn’t read like a translation, or even an adaptation, at all. It’s exciting and beautiful to look at. We get a lot of grandparent books in a given year but NONE of them are like this one. Previously seen on the Caldenott List and the Translation List.

Harriet’s Reflections by Marion Kadi, translated by Marion Kadi and Abram Kaplan

One day a lion’s reflection decides to become the reflection of a little girl named Harriet. Initially she’s delighted, but what happens when she wants her old reflection back again? I’m just all about the French translations this year. Maybe that is because I love a book that works by its own illogical logic. The metaphor is strong with this one, no question. I think we’ve known more than one kid in our lives that had a lion inside themselves from time to time. I love fierce little Harriet and how she slowly comes to realize that it’s not a great idea to be wild all the time. I also love shots like the lion reflected in the teacher’s glasses. The solution is unexpected but if we’re carrying this metaphor to its logical end then I think it works rather beautifully. And, of course, it’s hard to resist the beautiful acrylic colors all over these pages. A book unafraid to roar a little. Previously seen on the Translation List.

Heatwave by Lauren Redniss

Can a book burn you? Can you actually feel waves of heat emanating off the pages? Here’s my advice to you on how best to read Redniss’s Heatwave. Find yourself the chilliest, coldest, nastiest day in winter. Maybe one of those days where the damp and the dank just seep into your bones from the moment you wake up. Next, take this book. I’ve rarely seen a title this adept at really showing you how it feels to be infused with summer heat. The red in this book is inescapable. So much so that when those clouds start rolling in you’re cheering them on like a fan in the stands. Then you get that one blue raindrop on the page, its incredible liquid blue almost vibrating against the sea of red. By the time everything cools down the world is infused in blue, but it’s not a cold blue. It’s just that warm blue you get on a hot night. This book feels like a European import, but is 100% American to its core. I expect it’s going to do VERY well overseas, just the same. A cool story that I’m so pleased we get to experience. Previously seen on the Unconventional List.

Home in a Lunchbox by Cherry Mo

A completely wordless tale tells the story of one little girl who has immigrated from Hong Kong to America and the ways that food ties her to her memories. Evocative, engulfing art tells a tale of empathy and delicious dumplings. See, this is what I mean when I say that you can take any subject, even one that’s been done a hundred times before, and put an entirely new spin on it. This book has a lot of similarities to others we’ve seen before (Gibberish by Young Vo comes to mind) but Cherry Mo is so good at changing her illustration style throughout the story that the emotions of the reader are completely guided by how she switches from one kind of art to another. I actually had to look at the book again right now to remember whether or not it was wordless, because honestly it’s so good that you kind of put your own words onto it. A standout of the year. Previously seen on the Wordless List.

A Home That Means the World by Victoria Turnbull

When a small ant family loses their home and must search for another, they find unexpected kindnesses amongst strangers. A gentle story of displacement and found family. This little beauty is about being displaced from your home and finding kindness amongst strangers if you can. I don’t think I’ve seen anything by Turnbull before (she’s British) so this is quite the treat. It has both a classic feel and a very contemporary message. Honestly, it would pair very nicely with We Are Definitely Human, since both picture books involve strangers taking in immigrants and helping them along. It’s hard not to fall for this title. It’s a treat.

How We Share Cake by Kim Hyo-Eun, translated by Deborah Smith

The logistics that go into fairness, particularly when you have multiple siblings to contend with. Kim Hyo-eun doesn’t just understand this concept. She’s able to render it on the page with so much verve and humor than even if you grew up an only child you’ll find yourself laughing in recognition time and time again. I particularly loved the logistics of sharing food following by a consideration of how one “shares” an uncle. You do not want to miss this. Previously seen on the Funny List and the Translation List.

If You Run Out of Words by Felicita Sala

A young girl’s father uses a LOT of words in a given day. What if he runs out of them? When she asks him that very question, he spins for her a magnificent reassurance that involves elves, pirates, rocket ships, and more! Touching and incredibly fun. This is a pretty good example of a book slowly growing on you over the course of a week or so. First off, I adore Felicita Sala’s art, but so rarely is she paired with an author who can match her style with words that blaze with the same intensity. I guess she just needed to write and illustrate her own book, then. The beginning of the book is very much in the key of My Parents Won’t Stop Talking, and then it plunges into this rather delightful combo of a child’s fears of abandonment and a father’s comfort and sheer creativity. The colors and art are out of this world and the ending just sticks the landing (not always a given). I didn’t mean to, but I think I fell in love with this book. 

I’m Sorry You Got Mad by Kyle Lukoff, ill. Julie Kwon

Jack knocked down Zoe’s block castle and now has to write an apology. At first it doesn’t go all that well. What happened and will Jack ever learn how to write a real apology? Touching and hilarious by turns. I like an epistolary picture book that justifies its format completely, right from the start. Lukoff’s book is also rather brilliant. It’s a series of apologies, but it’s also a mystery at its heart. Why did Jack knock down that castle in the first place? This is the first book I’ve seen from Julie Kwon where I felt like she could really lean into her comic timing skills. Plus Lukoff’s story just felt so real to me. It’s the kind of book you wish you could force adults with their sorry-not-sorry apologies to read themselves. Love that the teacher is clearly guiding all of this from behind-the-scenes, and this may have my favorite post-titles sequence on the publication page of the year. Unique. Previously seen on the Funny List.

John the Skeleton by Triinu Laan, ill. Marja-Lissa Plats, translated by Adam Cullen

Meet my favorite Estonian picture book of all time. The last time I fell for something from Estonia it was The Ear by Piet Raud, and I stand by my love of that title, but this is something special. First and foremost, I’d like to state for the record that I think the cover is just a touch misleading. I’m not sure why illustrator Marja-Liisa Plats chose to cover John in snails. I think if he was just waving nicely then he’d be fine without them. It sort of gives the impression that the book is going to be creepier than it is. It is not, for the record, creepy at all, but rather a very sweet testament to growing old, friendship, comfort, and routines. John is a skeleton in a school, but over the years he’s lost some of his digits and bones. He ends up in the possession of Gramps who lives in a cottage with his wife, deep in the woods. They both become very fond of John, and as he acclimates to his life as a “retired skeleton” with them, he becomes close not simply with them but with their grandchildren as well. The book is just broken up into all kinds of little interstitial stories, and as we watch, Grams dies and Gramps has to adjust to life without her. It’s sweet, moving, and touching, and there’s this wonderful little moment in the backmatter about the real John where it says, “An ordinary Estonian’s dream is to live in a house where their closest neighbors are at least half a kilometer away. When John got the chance to retire and live on a farm in Vörumaa, which is one of the farthest corners of the country, his dream came true.” Strangely comforting in an all new way. Previously seen on the Unconventional List.

Joyful Song: A Naming Story by Lesléa Newman, ill. Susan Gal

Zachary’s sister is going to her very first Shabbat where she’ll have her first naming ceremony too! As each person asks what her name is, Zachary and his moms invite them to the temple. A gentle tale of a joyful day. You kind of have to see the jewel-like tones of Susan Gal’s art to truly appreciate what’s going on in this story. That moment when Zachary is holding his little sister in the temple, my tear ducts made a break for it. You just never know what’s going to hit you emotionally in a book, but this one does a good job. I think the repetition of 3s both at the beginning and the end of the book work particularly well, and it’s just a really nice story about a big brother. It makes him feel important, even when the focus is squarely on his little sister. Would actually pair very nicely with What a Good Big Brother by Diane Wright Landolf. A class act!

Jump for Joy by Karen Gray Ruelle, ill. Hadley Hooper

Joy’s a kid who wants a dog. Jump’s a dog who wants a kid. Will these two wayward souls ever find one another? Original, eclectic art and genuine heart combine in a wonderful loving tale. This one completely won me over. You just don’t know what you’re getting when you look at that cover. As it turns out, this is one of those books where the text is really strong, and then the artist has brought to in an entirely unique take. I can imagine that had this fallen into another artist’s hands the final product would be rote and dull. Instead it just springs to life. I feel like I need to pay much closer attention to what Hadley Hooper is up to (and apparently she’s done eleven picture books already). Collaging art from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries is such a cool idea. And that moment of joy at the end where Joy finds Jump and Jump finds Joy and the colors explode on the page? This is top notch work. Brava!!

The Last Stand by Antwan Eady, ill. Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey

People rely on Papa to bring them the fresh farm fare they need. But when Papa can’t do his route anymore, can his grandson do it alone? A tribute to strong Black farming communities everywhere. Marvelously done! Just watch what Eady’s doing with this storytelling. The book is split into thirds, and the Pumphreys are so clever in figuring out precisely how to echo each section without repeating them exactly. First you have the grandfather and his grandson prepping for market, Then the grandson alone (and messing things up), then the grandson alone but confident. The larger issues focused on Black farming communities is great for the adults, but the important thing is that it’s still a strong book for kids, even without the additional information. It’s really nice seeing the Pumphreys getting to do these meaningful (and really well-written!) projects these days. A marvelous immediate follow-up to their Caldecott Honor win!

The Last Zookeeper by Aaron Becker

In a flooded world, a single giant robot works hard to save all the animals it can find. Wall-E meets Noah’s Ark in this magnificent, wordless tale. If you found yourself recently wondering, “Gee, has Betsy found her favorite post-apocalyptic picture book of 2024 yet?” consider this your answer! Again with the Becker. Is the book wordless? Of course. Does it have an ecological message? You bet it does! And is there a grandiose storyline involving storms and cute tiny rhinos and a happy ending? Yes and yes again. Now am I just reading too much into this, or doesn’t this also kind of feel like it starts out like Noah’s Ark and ends like the story of Adam and Eve? Knowing Mr. Becker, I suspect that this isn’t just me. This is for those older kids that love their picture books when their picture books are full of adventure and epic storytelling. Previously seen on the Wordless List.

Let’s Go! haw êkwa! by Julie Flett

From a window every day, a child sees the big kids skateboarding and wants to give it a try too. It isn’t instant. It isn’t easy. But sometimes with friends it can be a lot more fun. I could be wrong about this, but I do believe that this is the first picture book that Julie Flett (Cree-Métis) has both written and illustrated, and it’s good! I like how she’s come up with the sound “Cacussh! Cacussh! Cacussh!” to describe the sound of a skateboard’s wheels on the ground. This book actually pairs really well with Touch the Sky by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic. In both cases you’ve a kid who has to learn something new (in this case, skateboarding) and isn’t instantaneously good at it. And even when they get decent, there’s that fear that comes with being around the big kids who might make fun of you. I thought the integration of Cree words into the text was really well done.

Little Shrew by Akiko Miyakoshi

Three small stories follow a little shrew as it takes small pleasures in everyday living. A gentle reminder to make time for the things you love. The fact that the world does roll out a parade every time Akiko Miyakoshi comes out with a new picture book will never not be baffling to me. If you haven’t read The Tea Party in the Woods or The Way Home in the Night, then you may not quite know what I am talking about. Let this book be your guide then. Miyakoshi excels in furry animals living very calm, contemporary, city-based lives. This may be the most extreme version of that, since Little Shrew literally has a bank job (exchanging foreign currency, if I don’t miss my guess) but also gets this deep satisfaction out of little things like having friends from out of town over once a year or staring at a poster of Hawaii. I’m just charmed by this. And, judging by the fact that it won a NYPL/New York Times Best Illustrated Award, I’m not alone.

Looking for Peppermint, or, Life in the Forest by Maxwell Eaton III

Where is Peppermint the dog? Learn about what it’s like in the forest as a young girl goes searching for her lost pet in this hilarious tale. I had a devil of a time figuring out if this should go in the Nonfiction picture book section or a fictional one, and ultimately with its story about Peppermint the dog I decided the safer route was to opt for fiction. Even so, this book is so packed with information about the forest of the Adirondack Mountains that you’d have a difficult time not learning something from it. Eaton has, by this point, kind of sunk into the beauty of teaching nonfiction with humor that he’s practically a Yankee Phil Bunting. In this particular story, you get the facts, you get the overarching story of our heroine searching for her dog, and you also get flashbacks. With a lesser book creator this could all have ended up a hopeless jumble, but here it plays out more like a symphony. I absolutely loved the storytelling, the art, and now I wanna see a fisher too! Previously seen on the Funny Picture Books List and the Informational Fiction List.

The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals by Deborah Underwood, ill. LeUyen Pham

I’m one of those picture book fans who gets super excited when two of her favorites get paired together on a project. Underwood + Pham? Yes and please!! So this one’s pretty cute, and while I understand why there’s a leading line on the cover that gives away the surprise ending, I kind of wish the part that says, “Before there was Old Macdonald, there was…” had been left off. Even so, this is so cool to watch. The front endpapers concern our hero, a middle-aged man who studiously avoids any and all contact with the local animal population. His house is (at the start) utterly immaculate (and we are giving Pham extra points for the clever inclusion of just E, I, and O Scrabble tiles on his coffee table). Then, one day, a cat shows up and the man is not only unable to shoo it away, he grows fond of it. It is joined by a second cat. Then a dog. Then a second dog. As time goes on the man starts to accrue more and more animals, the book tipping nicely from the believable to the point where a herd of cows show up. The man’s neighbors, who started by being indulgent about his newfound love of animalia, eventually call upon him to put an end to these hijinks. That twist I alluded to? He moves to the country and starts Old MacDonald’s Farm. The text? Fun. The art? Pham’s usual extraordinariness, of course. Just try not to be charmed by this one.

My Block Looks Like by Janelle Harper, ill. Frank Morrison

“My block looks like a collision of cultures / a melting pot of cool.” A young girl pays homage to her city as the pages spring to life. A book with heart, heat, and energy crackling on each page. It’s just been so much fun watching the progression of Frank Morrison’s art over the years. Not that his style changed beyond recognition or anything, but when he’s feeling a book you get this incredible elastic energy on each one of his pages. Trouble is, you never know if he’s truly into a book that he’s illustrating or not until you’re reading it. This one? Frank clearly connected with the material. There’s this image early on of the young female lead doing this leap, head thrown back, bubble gum bubble above her mouth, that just perfectly captures the LIFE on these pages. And, as ever, Morrison is also at his best when the writing he’s paired with can match his style. I was surprised to see that this is Janelle Harper’s debut. She just knocked this text out of the park with its celebration of what it looks like living in New York City (though it’s rarely named, so I think kids from a lot of other cities could relate easily). An electric pairing of art and text.

My Daddy Is a Cowboy by Stephanie Seales, ill. C.G. Esperanza

When everyone’s asleep, before the sun has even risen, a girl and her daddy ride their horses through the city. A beautiful father/daughter story infused with some serious horse-love. Ooooooo! This IS interesting. It feels like a Cowboy Carter-era inspired take on My Papi Has a Motorcycle. The two would definitely pair beautifully together. The text on this one is great, with this really lovely and touching daddy/daughter storyline going on. But of course it’s Esperanza’s art that’s going to be what draws people to this book. You cannot tell me that the illustrator didn’t base these characters after real people. That daddy feels like someone you could meet tomorrow, he’s so realistic. Love the dynamic, the horse facts, and the whole feel of this book. This one’s a keeper.

Noodles on a Bicycle by Kyo Maclear, ill. Gracey Zhang

Who can make towering piles of noodles and deliver them with acrobatic speed and agility every day? The demae of Japan, of course! A love letter to the skilled workers of the past. I just want to state for the record that I have heard folks say that Gracey Zhang’s art in this book is exaggerated. But all it takes is a single Google search to prove such statements wrong. Now I was already a huge fan of Kyo Maclear and Zhang’s The Big Bath House a couple of years ago, so seeing them together again just makes my heart sing. And again, Maclear is drawing upon something she saw or experienced when she was a kid in Japan and turning it into just a killer picture book. In anyone else’s hands this would be an “Oh, what a neat thing” type of book, but Maclear adds this ending that really grabs you by the heart. Warning: You cannot read this and not want to eat noodles afterwards. Not at all. 

Not a Smiley Guy by Polly Horvath, ill. Boris Kulikov

Wow. I hereby award the Best Last Sentence in a Picture Book Award to (drumroll please) POLLY HORVATH! In this tale, a little boy named Ernest just, as the title says, is “not a smiley guy”. Nothing wrong with that except it freaks the heck out of other people. I love the description of what happens when baby Ernest gives smiling a try. “But aside from the interesting stretchy face sensation it was not for him.” When pressed by his parents to explain what would truly make him happy he confesses that what he really wants is an elephant. When he gets one (named Marcia, no less) his parents are baffled. Why isn’t he happy now? Ernest has to explain that he’s actually happy most of the time. His parents then ask if there was some way that he could show it. So the occasional jig is decided upon. And as the book concludes, “You don’t have to change, but for the people you love you do what you can.” I may have that line embroidered on something someday, it’s such an incredible message. Kulikov, for his part, has a lot of fun working elephant silhouettes into the art long before Marcia’s appearance. This one’s a joy. Previously seen on the Message/SEL List.

Pasta Pasta Lotsa Pasta by Aimee Lucido, ill. Mavisu Demirag

Incredibly bouncy cooking energy infuses this delightful tale of a girl and her pasta loving family. Guaranteed to make you hungry! Surely SURELY this cannot be the first pasta-related picture book to realize the rhyming potential of Italian foodstuffs. And yet, I say that I can’t come up with anything to compare to this. It has all the rhythm and bouncy energy of Bee Bim Bop (and that’s the highest compliment I can bestow). We always need books that would work well in a storytime. This book earns your respect. I think we just found a readaloud winner! Previously seen on the Readaloud List.

Pepper and Me by Beatrice Alemagna

When a little girl gets a scab on her knee it is NOT beautiful. Even so, she names it Pepper and she and her scab learn to live with one another, for a time. An oddly touching tale. I like ‘em weird, sure, but I also like ‘em to have an honest connection to what it’s like to be a kid. And a talking scab? Tell me more! I don’t think I’ve had a significant scab since I was a kid, but I had them ALL the time back then. A child really does have a whole relationship to their scabs too. When I first heard about this book I worried that it would have a whole friendship aspect right from the start, but instead this is much more interesting and talks about the love/hate relationship kids have with their wounds. Fun Fact: In the French edition I believe the scab’s name is “Bertha”. Utterly original. Utterly bizarre.  Previously seen on the Unconventional List.

Pretty Ugly by David Sedaris, ill. Ian Falconer

You know that old saying not to make faces or one might stick that way? Anna Van Ogre finds it out the hard way, but fortunately comes up with a truly disgusting solution, in this twisted take on finding beauty within. This is a weird one and no question. You probably know Ian Falconer best as the guy behind the Olivia books. He died last year in 2023 and it makes me kind of sad to read this book. In it, he goes so completely off the rails that I can only imagine what other fun and wackadoodle books he probably had in his future. This book actually elicits gasps from its readers, it is so beautifully twisted. I imagine it’s going to become quite the cult hit. If you read it, don’t say I didn’t warn you… Previously seen on the Unconventional List.

Ride Beside Me by Lucy Knisley

A child and mom hop on their bike when “the morning is bright” and join countless other cyclists on the streets. Gentle rhymes bring the fun of bicycling home. It sort of feels like Lucy Knisley, knowing as she does that the bicycle is second only to the horse in terms of illustration difficulty, set herself up for the ultimate challenge. And won! This could have simply been a basic we-like-bikes type of tale, but there are lots of little elements to elevate it above the pack. I loved the mom getting incredibly tired going up the hill. I like the seek and find aspect of trying to spot her with her kid in the big groups. I adore the endpapers, the different kinds of bicycles, and the fact that this is one of the few moments when bicyclists can all work together. A lovely little book paying homage in a way I’ve never really seen on this level before.

Simone by Viet Thanh Nguyen, ill. Minnie Phan

When Simone and her mom have to flee a wildfire threatening their home, she learns about  her mom’s long ago flight from Vietnam and considers how people can help one another.  I interviewed the author of this book earlier in the year, and did a kind of quick read of this book beforehand. I think I did it a bit of a disservice, or maybe I just needed to see a physical copy in my hands. Whatever the case, something about this story and its writing hit a lot harder this second time around. It isn’t just the fact that it centers Vietnamese people who’ve had to flee war (in the past) and forest fires (in the present), though that’s a powerful connection for any picture book creator to make. There were just these little moments that stuck with me so hard. Like when the girl finds out that prisoners fight fires and asks if they did bad things. The mom’s answer is, “Maybe, but now they’re doing good things.” This is just a deeply caring book.

Sister Friend by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, ill. Shahrzad Maydani

Sometimes it takes the right text for you to be able to see an illustrator in a whole new light. Shahrzad Maydani has illustrated a slew of picture books in the past already, but there’s something about her work on SISTER FRIEND that feels completely different. And not gradually throughout the book but right there at the start. That initial sequence of Ameena playing hopscotch by herself just has so much zip and personality to it! It’s an incredible introduction to a story that’s unafraid to touch on pain. Ameena’s the only Black girl, and certainly the only Muslim girl, in her class. When a new classmate arrives named Sundus, Ameena is delighted. But this isn’t a story of instant friendship or anything. Misunderstandings and miscommunications plague the two girls, keeping them from connecting. And what Ameena takes as rudeness eventually resolves itself as an embarrassment over Sundus’s inability to speak English fluently. Did I tear up at the end? I bloody well did tear up at the end yep. Previously seen on the Message/SEL List.

The Spaceman by Randy Cecil

Talk about traveling a lot for work! A tiny spaceman has worked for who knows how long at “collecting samples, labeling and filing them, and moving on to the next planet.”But what happens when he finds a planet that he doesn’t want to leave? Anyone else notice the significant uptick in space-related children’s books in 2024? Maybe all that talk in the news about UFOs and UAPs has filtered into our children’s literature. Whatever the reason, if that means we get more books like The Spaceman then I’m all for it! I could recognize Randy Cecil’s style, but as far as I’m concerned this is his breakout hit. The subtlety of the Spaceman’s little tiny expressions is worth the price of admission alone. I love his tiny smiles and the oh-so-casual way with which he “accidentally” tips his spaceship into the pond. This book is an absolute delight. More of this, please! Previously seen on the Science Fiction List.

Spider in the Well by Jess Hannigan

Oh no! The town’s wishing well is broken and no one is getting their wishes anymore? But what’s this? Is the sneaky spider behind it the villain or is there more than meets the eye? A hilarious tale of clever kids and riches galore. Okay, this works particularly well. I mean, any book where a spider engages in side-eye this spectacular is well (ha ha!) worth considering. Is it strong? It is! Hannigan happens to be a hilarious writer, and her artistic style reminds me of nothing so much as a sneaky Byron Barton (which, obviously, would be the BEST Byron Barton). Love its twists and its turns. And love that little spider. They’re sure having a heyday in picture books, aren’t they? Previously seen on the Funny Picture Book List.

A Star Shines Through by Anna Desnitskaya

“We left for another country. It’s not like home here.” A girl and her mother leave everything behind to start a new life. A beautifully wrought tale of immigration and finding home. Also, a perfect pairing of art, tone, and writing. The scenes of the empty apartment that the girl and her mother enter are just pitch perfect. I was particularly taken with the acknowledgement that neither the mom nor her daughter are the same after their move, but they find ways to make it work. The fate of the girl’s father (left behind in the old country) is left unclear, which I also kind of appreciated. This is a hard one to forget.

The Table by Winsome Bingham and Wiley Blevins, ill. Jason Griffin

One table, two families. Lyrical and funny and touching all at once, a single table connects two entirely different groups of people, sharing their lives over the years. And the award for Best 2024 Book With the Worst Cover goes to . . . The Table, everybody! Yay! Okay so I was handed this at an ALA lunch and was distractedly skimming through it while other authors spoke and EVEN THEN it hit me so hard. When I finally had a chance to give it my full attention it hit even harder. Jason Griffin won a Caldecott Honor for that YA GN he illustrated for Jason Reynolds a couple years ago. In this book, however, he makes this conscious decision not to show any faces in the book. Hands at most, and bodies, if they have to be seen, are far away. But there were other choices as well. That shot of the dog under the table, for example. And then there’s the text. I’m tempted to yell, “The EARTH done SPUN ‘Round!!” at my kids to wake them up every day now (or maybe I have to wait to be a grandmother). In any case, this one’s memorable and different. 

The Teeny-Weeny Unicorn by Shawn Harris

A miniscule unicorn feels completely overlooked by its giant siblings, until it discovers that it’s only small in one sense. And as the book says, “We are all teeny-weeny. We are all giant. And we are all the right size.”  It almost feels like a dare. I like to think that there’s someone out there confronting Caldecott Honor winners, daring them to write amazing unicorn-related picture books. Harris has broken out what looks like his old colored pencils again to write a book that’s basically about relativity (which means this book would pair beautifully with the Mo Willems titles Are You Big? and Are You Small?). We’ve had books before that tell kids that no matter how small they may feel in one sense, they are absolute giants in another. It’s a good strong lesson, and this book conveys that idea beautifully. I just love the shot of the unicorn fitting its hoof into the thoroughly pummeled roadster, with a look of extreme guilt on its face. No one draws a guilty unicorn better than Shawn Harris. Also, I’m already calling my Halloween costume for this year. I wanna be the gnome. She is going to be a LOT of fun to read aloud. Previously seen on the Fantasy List.

Terrible Horses by Raymond Antrobus, ill. Ken Wilson-Max

A little brother adores his older sister, but when they clash he writes stories of terrible horses and the pony they ignore. An amazing inclusive story of sibling love and frustration. Do you happen to remember the picture book Can Bears Ski? that came out a couple years ago? I only mention it because its author is back with this new picture book, and to my mind it’s even better than his first. Recently a friend of mine reached out and wondered if I could recommend any books where a kid happened to have hearing aids. I had just read this book and I pretty much told her that this not only did I think it was perfect for her, it’s one of my favorites of the year already (I made a list of other titles for her here). Antrobus does so much with so little. He just taps into that little sibling longing to be with the older kids so well. Plus just listen to his language. “… their terrible trampling, their ghastly galloping, their nagging neighing…” And I’ve been guilty of thinking of Ken Wilson-Max as a fairly simply illustrator in the past. I’ll never make that mistake again. This man KNOWS how to draw a horse. You gotta check this out. 

A Terrible Place for a Nest by Sara Levine, ill. Erika Meza

Having lost their home, Juno and his mom find a new place to live alongside a mourning dove nest. But when the birds lose their eggs in an accident, Juno has to determine if this really is a “terrible” place to live. I was about halfway through this book before I found myself thinking, “Why do I like these characters so much? Who is this illustrator?” Lo and behold it was none other than Erika Meza, she of last year’s incredible To the Other Side, which I loved so very much. Meza just has a way with eyes and emotions, but it’s Levine’s text here that just hits home so very hard. I don’t know how much kids are picking up on what’s going on below the surface of our young hero’s initial decision that this new place is a terrible place to “nest”, but this book nails its ending with keen skill. You gotta see this. Previously seen on the Blueberry List.

Time to Make Art by Jeff Mack

What exactly is art? What can it be? As one small child asks these questions, artists ancient and modern make it clear that art is whatever you want it to be. Inspiring and fun! You know, I didn’t think it could necessarily be done, but Jeff Mack has managed to create a book where a ton of artists are visually referenced and it’s actually really very good! This feels like the second in a series that Mack started with MARCEL’S MASTERPIECE. Like that book, this one is helping kids to question what “art” really is. I like any book that breaks down their objections to creation, and this one is brilliant. I’m also giving it extra points for making it clear that photography is art (Cindy Sherman gets a cameo), which is something that most art books ignore (for adults AND kids). Love the message, love the style, and love how damned inclusive it is. Plus there were quite a few folks in here that I want to now discover for myself. Previously seen on the Message/SEL List.

Touch the Sky by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic, ill. Chris Park

Vern loves to swing, but doesn’t know how to pump yet. Why is it so hard to learn? Fortunately, it takes a patient friend like Gretchen to set Vern on the right path.  First and foremost, I’m a little shocked that this is the first picture book I’ve read that focuses on how kids actually have to learn how to pump their legs and how frustrating it can be before you get it. There’s a lot to enjoy in this book too. First there are the fun phrasings (“Gretchen, stop licking your scab!”), and the fact (which I particularly enjoyed) that Vern doesn’t instantly get it after two tries. Plus Chris Park is just going above and beyond the call of duty as well. The colors in this book! When we read playground picture books, they’re rarely this vibrant. An absolutely delightful telling of an everyday occurrence.

Tove and the Island With No Address by Lauren Soloy

Trust the Canadians to bring us an evocative, odd variation on the young life of Tove Jansson. Inspired by the stories she wrote about her childhood, this book is just brimming with Moomin-inspired oddities (though it adheres a little more closely to our own standard storytelling requirements). In this tale, when she is seven, Tove and her family do what they do every year in Finland and spend the summer in a cabin on “an island with no address.” Free to wander the wilds, little Tove has a grotto where a “secret friend” abides. He’s small and shy and has five girls “as tiny as shells with hair as wild as seagrass, and he had no control over them at all.” One day, Tove offers to take the girls for a walk, but no sooner does she set out than the wind picks up and blows the girls away. There are some incredible shots of the sun peeking through the dark clouds in god rays as Tove, who is level-headed throughout, determines to get those girls back. Soloy’s art is just as evocative as her storytelling, and I’m probably not the only one who wishes that she could get some prints of this book to hang on her wall. The sky, man, the sky! Using her smarts and moxie, Tove gets the girls back and to their father (“he was proud of the girls for being so wild, but he did a good job of pretending to be disappointed”) and goes home to her own family where her mother wraps her in a big sweater and gives her piping hot pancakes covered in jam. This is unconventional if only because the combination of elements you find inside are like nothing anywhere else. At the same time, I can see a child getting lost in these pictures. While there is peril, there is never danger (does that makes sense?). A paean that Tove herself would approve of. Previously seen on the Caldenott List.

Trucky Roads by Lulu Miller, ill. Hui Skipp

Think you know trucks? You don’t know ‘em like Trucky Roads. Join him as he takes you through a world of inventive, imaginative truck varieties where this sky is truly the limit. It’s interesting, but I’ve seen European children’s books do something similar to this book, but rarely do Americans go this route. This has a kind of dreamy, creamy rainbow coloring to it, even as it gets seriously silly along the way. It starts out being one kind of book and then definitely goes in another direction entirely. Think Richard Scarry by way of Daniel Pinkwater. It’s hard to resist its weirdness and weird choices. Definitely a book on the younger end of the spectrum. Worth a gander.

Two Together by Brendan Wenzel

“Two together headed home. Cat and dog. Bell and Bone.” Join these furry friends as they get distracted by the rain, escape angry bears, and ultimately make it home, ready for even more adventures. Readaloud fun! I don’t want you to think that I’m the kind of person who gets so enamored of an author/illustrator that I am incapable of looking at their work with a studied eye. I say that, because when I tell you that this is the best book that Brendan Wenzel has ever done, I mean it sincerely. I liked his book last year (Every Dreaming Creature) well enough, and the ones before that were fine and beautiful too. However, with this book Wenzel appears to be testing himself. Here’s what I want you to consider when you read this book. Look very carefully at how what the dog sees (and is painted) and how the cat sees (and is drawn). Notice when that splits (when they see their reflections). Notice when their styles merge into one (when they enter the house). It got me thinking about whether or not Wenzel is considering how a dog sees vs. how a cat sees, or is he instead talking about how we perceive ourselves? And what makes that change? Clearly as a kind of unofficial companion to his Caldecott Honor winner They All Saw a Cat, it’s on his mind. On top of that, it’s just a fun story about a dog and cat having adventures, palling around together. Works for everybody!

Ursula Upside Down by Corey R. Tabor

Ursula is a merry little catfish, happily swimming about her day, until other creatures try to tell her she’s completely upside down. A flipped-format picture book with a clever bit of messaging inside. Clearly I have the memory of a goldfish myself. I picked this book up, started reading it, and when it started to utilize all these neat ways of twisting and turning it to keep reading I found myself thinking, “This is really neat! It really feels like a book that Corey R. Tabor would do!” So, I guess, the man’s consistent if nothing else. As with his other science-y picture book titles, he’s unafraid to use animals to make larger points. This one could probably be summed up as “Find your tribe” as well as the more pedantic “Don’t be afraid to be yourself”. I have a feeling that there are a lot of little upside-down catfishes out there that are going to relate to this book. Pair with Robo-Sauce for a truly twisty-turny storytime.

We Are Definitely Human by X. Fang

Someone has crashed in Mr. Li’s field and they are quick assure him that they are “definitely” human. A hilarious and strangely touching story of helping strangers in need. I believe it was last year that I missed X. Fang’s Dim Sum Palace for my library’s 101 Great Books for Kids list, and by gum we’re not missing her again! I love how many alien and science fiction related picture books we’re getting this year. This pairs very well with Randy Cecil’s The Spaceman, and has a not dissimilar message. Of course what I take from this book is a rather progressive call to action for communities, in this case rural, to embrace otherness and help people who need it because that’s what we do. And the fact that it pokes fun at our attitudes towards Europeans? That’s just a bonus. Previously seen on the Science Fiction List.

The Yellow Bus by Loren Long

“There was once a bright yellow bus who spent her days driving.” The life cycle of a familiar vehicle, and the changes she witnesses as her town grows older alongside her. I had seen this book earlier in the year and just sort of thought to myself that it was pretty and kind of cool but just fine. Then I go to ALA and the publisher pulls out all the stops. And darned if hearing Long talk about his process and what went into the book, and then doing a close read of it over and over and over… well, it’s hard not to have a newfound appreciation of this. It carries all the hallmarks of other picture books with anthropomorphized heroes (The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton coming most closely to mind since Long isn’t drawing a face on this bus or anything). The limited colors, the compassion for the unhoused and elderly, and the goats! Tons o’ goats! There’s even seek-and-find elements in the front and back images of the town in the past and present. Darn it. I like this a lot. 

Yumbo Gumbo by Keila V. Dawson

I am so pleased that the Storytelling Math series is coming out in both English and Spanish these days. So remember librarians, if someone comes to you asking for math-based picture books in Spanish, you have at least one resource right here at your fingertips. Warning: Do not read this book on an empty stomach. The “Storytelling Math” series from Charlesbridge is one of the very few from a major publisher to actually focus primarily and exclusively on math. But what makes the series so good is that they cover so much more than counting and subtracting. They delve into pattern recognition, and size comparison and, in this particular case, voting, data, and problem solving. It’s actually one of the cleverer books on the subject I’ve seen, and that’s entirely apart from all the delicious gumbo on its pages. In this story Annabelle is learning to cook gumbo but she wants to make it with okra. Her brother (who, to my mind anyway, is correct) thinks okra is too slimy and wants chicken gumbo. When Annabelle takes a vote from her family, she finds it’s three to three. The introduction of seafood gumbo sounds like the solution, except that then the vote becomes two to two to two. The solution? Annabelle has everyone vote on their least favorite. And when that happens, the vote is split in a good way between chicken and okra. Seafood wins! Backmatter delves into the history of gumbo itself, a glossary of some of the Louisiana Creole terms that pepper the text, info on the math and even a “Try This” section care of Dr. Yvelyne Germain-McCarthy (a Consultant and Professor Emerita of Mathematics Education) on voting with your own family. I never really thought of voting as a math related activity, but this book has definitely convinced me otherwise. Previously seen on the Bilingual List and the Math List.

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If you’d like to catch up on all the lists we did already, here is the total accounting of lists in 2024:

December 1 – Great Board Books

December 2 – Picture Book Readalouds

December 3 – Simple Picture Book Texts

December 4 – Transcendent Holiday Picture Books

December 5 – Rhyming Picture Books

December 6 – Funny Picture Books

December 7 – CaldeNotts

December 8 – Picture Book Reprints

December 9 – Bilingual Books for Kids

December 10 – Math Books for Kids

December 11 – Books with a Message / Social Emotional Learning

December 12 – Fabulous Photography

December 13 – Translated Picture Books

December 14 – Fairy Tales / Folktales / Religious Tales

December 15 – Wordless Picture Books

December 16 – Poetry Books

December 17 – Unconventional Children’s Books

December 18 – Easy Books & Early Chapter Books

December 19 – Comics & Graphic Novels

December 20 – Older Funny Books

December 21 – Science Fiction Books

December 22 – Fantasy Books

December 23 – Informational Fiction

December 24 – Gross Books

December 25 – Science & Nature Books

December 26 – Unique Biographies

December 27 – Blueberry Award Contenders (Celebrating the Environment)

December 28 – Nonfiction Picture Books

December 29 – Nonfiction Books for Older Readers

December 30 – Middle Grade Novels

December 31 – Picture Books