Picture Books

For ages 4-8 but to be enjoyed by all.

Lucky Leprechaun Reads

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated each year for the patron saint of Ireland. What began as a religious feast has now morphed into a celebration of all things Irish and in turn the Leprechaun has become the day’s mascot. In Irish folklore the Leprechaun is a type of fairy who we all know grants wishes […]

The Amelia Bloomer List of Recommended Feminist Literature

AMELIA BLOOMER PROJECT TOP TEN Born in 1818 in Homer, NY, just one town over from where I was born and have been raised, Amelia Bloomer was an American women’s rights and temperance advocate. The appropriately named Amelia Bloomer Project creates an annual booklist of feminist books for young readers, ages birth through 18. Here […]

Pink is for Girls, Blue is for Boys

Long before becoming a parent I read a book that would forever influence how I raise my children, Redefining Girly: How Parents Can Fight the Stereotyping and Sexualizing of Girlhood, from Birth to Tween, by Melissa Atkins Wardy. Essentially it brings to light what we all see on a daily basis; all-pink aisles in toy […]

The 2017 Mildred L. Batchelder Award

The Mildred L. Batchelder Award The Batchelder Award is given to the most outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States, and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States. The award is given to the book’s publisher. Mildred L. Batchelder was […]

Happy Birthday! Celebrating Authors/Illustrators Born in March

March is a big birthday month for children’s authors and illustrators. In March we celebrate Rob Dillon (3/2), Patricia Maclachlan (3/3), Dav Pilkey (3/4), Mem Fox (3/5), Kenneth Grahame (3/8), Ezra Jack Keats (3/11), Virginia Hamilton (3/12), Carl Hiaasen (3/12), Diane Dillon (3/13), Sid Fleischman (3/16), Louis Sachar (3/20), Lois Lowry (3/20), David Wisniewski (3/21), […]

The Cat in the Hat and Chuck Taylors — A Love Story

It started one Christmas just 5 years ago, my husband gave me Chucks, of whose existence I didn’t even know. Cat in the Hat were my first pair and now I have quite the collection, it just doesn’t seem fair. The Lorax, the Grinch, If I Ran the Circus, and more, I have Dr. Seuss […]

Toddler’s Picks — Board Books Your 2 Year Old Will Sit Still For (Sometimes)

It is 8 o’clock in the evening and I marvel at how I find myself here when it seems just minutes ago I woke up at 7 o’clock in the morning. Time flies when you are having fun and time flies even faster when you have a 2 year old. There is never a dull […]

Rowdy Robots — Picture Books With Mechanical Main Characters

Robots are a sure thing to grab the attention of young children. From Rosie, the Jetson’s maid in the 80’s to today’s high-tech droids buzzing airport control towers, robots are certainly intriguing to all ages. Go ahead and share picture books about robots or take it a step further like the librarian in our feature […]

Take a Dive in the Ocean

Ben Clanton is making the narwhal cool again (?). The ocean holds a whole different world, check out these other books full of sea life. Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out! By: April SayreFrom before the time she hatches until she returns to the same beach to lay eggs of her own, a sea turtle is […]

Check Out Charlotte — Another Award!

In the wake of ALA’s announcement of the Youth Media Award winners comes another important if only slightly lesser known award, The Charlotte Zolotow Award. Similar to the Caldecott, the Charlotte Zolotow Award is given annually to the author of the best picture book text published in the previous year. It was established in 1998 […]

15 Children’s Books Featuring Characters with Disabilities

These award-winning children’s books feature characters with disabilities. In many, the central character is a child with a disability. Others feature adults who have overcome disabilities in interesting ways. Some of these stories are even presented from the point of view of service animals!

11 Picture Books about Springtime

The longing for spring is universal. It transcends age, culture, geography, and even species. And it’s just around the corner! These fiction picture books will get young readers excited about the arrival of spring.

From the Editor: The Unstoppable Power of Children’s Literature

Dear Reader, A few weeks ago, I had an epiphany about the power of children’s literature. After reading Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo to my son for what must have been the 10,000th time (and still enjoying it), it occurred to me that by age two

20 of the Best Children’s Books about Trains

It seems like there are a million train books out there, but which ones are the most worthwhile? The following is a list of award-winning books (some classic, some new) that feature the captivating power of the mighty locomotive.

27 Children’s Books about Adoption

November is national adoption month, a time to raise awareness about the more than 100,000 children in the U.S. foster care system awaiting permanent families. Children’s books are a time-honored tool for parents and others to help adopted children process the complex questions (and sometimes difficult answers) associated with their adoption journey. The books below […]

Cookbooks for Kids

Fall means food. When the weather turns cold, cooking together is a great way for kids to have fun, learn, and bond with family members.These award-winning cookbooks are written especially for kids, with recipes that are simple, reliable, and with a little luck, delicious. Contributed: by Andy Spinks The Kids’ Multicultural Cookbook : Food & […]

Diwali: Celebrating Light

Diwali is the “festival of lights,” the most important holiday of the Hindu year. It is a national holiday in India and a number of other countries, and is also celebrated adherents of other faiths. Oil lamps, fireworks, and strings of electric lights are lit to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness, which symbolizes […]

Thematic Reading List: Books Really Are Magical

As an educator, I have always known that books can have a profound impact on a child’s life. There are a few favorites that stand out for me personally. Recently, that impact was studied by a group of social psychologists, and what they found is incredibly encouraging. They specifically looked at the impact the Harry […]

Dot Day

September 15th, 2014 marks the fifth anniversary of “a global celebration of creativity, courage and collaboration,” Today, Dot Day has nearly one and a half million registered participants from over seventy-one countries. Its beginnings were humble. Dot Day began with one teacher, one class full of students and one book, The Dot by author/illustrator, Peter […]

Hispanic Heritage Books for Elementary Grades

Hispanic Heritage Month is September 15 through October 15. The following is a collection of books that highlight the experiences of Latinos in the United States for students in the elementary grade levels. The list includes biography, history, and cultural books, as well as poetry and fiction books that give insight into the everyday life […]