1. A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin
After making a big mooncake with her mother, Little Star wakes up in the middle of the night hungry to eat some mooncake, conveniently forgetting that her mother told her not to. She nibbles on a few crumbs, sure that Mama won't notice. This continues each night until the once full mooncake is only a slim (waning) crescent, and then it disappears all together. Trails of crumbs sparkle like stars on each page of black expanse. Distinctive and luminous, this memorable picture book does absolutely everything just right.
2. Thank You Omu by Oge Mora
When Omu makes a big pot of red stew, its "scrumptious scent waft[s] out the window," and lots of people from the neighborhood are drawn to her apartment where she happily shares her stew with them. Soon the pot is empty and she hasn't actually had dinner, but the community comes back to give and share with her, leaving everyone's hearts and tummies full. Beautifully illustrated in collage by debut author/illustrastor Oge Mora, Thank You Omu delivers what all of us could use a little more of in our lives: warmth and kindness.
3. The Visitor by Anje Damm
With an expertly lit 3D diorama, Antje Damm tells the story of a woman so scared of everything, she never leaves her drab, colorless house. "Then one day something unbelievable happened." That is, an airplane flies through the window, which leads to a boy knocking on the door in search of it, who then runs up the stairs to use the bathroom, leaving a trail of color in his wake. Before she knows it, he's asking questions about her photos and her books and asking her to read to him and play games with him. Wherever he goes, he leaves splashes of color that gradually spread across the pages until Elise's house (and life) are bursting with color.
4. Crunch the Shy Dinosaur by Cirocco Dunlap, illustrated by Greg Pizzoli
If you're not careful, you might scare Crunch the shy dinosaur away. Fortunately, if (when) you do scare him off, there are instructions to coax him out of hiding. You might have to sing Happy Birthday or introduce yourself. I liked this one from the start, but it was when my young cousin started following these instructions that I really began to appreciate the brilliance of this fun, interactive picture book. Plus, there's some humor to make the adults chuckle, too.
5. Quiet by Tomie dePaola
Two children notice what a busy place the world is, but grandpa encourages them to sit down, rest, and take time to appreciate the quiet moments in life. "To be quiet and still is a special thing." A peaceful book with illustrations to match.
6. Baby Monkey Private Eye by Brian Selznick & David Serlin
Have your jewels gone missing? Baby Monkey can help! But first, he must look for clues, write notes, eat a snack, and put on pants (often with significant difficulty). Once ready, he goes out to face the world, giant magnifying glass in hand. All of this is presented with Selznick's wonderful pencil illustrations, as well as pacing and page turns that create both drama and humor. It was a bit surprising to see this thick book labeled "beginning reading," like Elephant and Piggie books. But indeed, the words are simple and sparse, and the mysteries are easily solvable by youngsters.
7. Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall
A day in the life of a lighthouse, or rather, a few days in the lives of the people who run the lighthouse. I had never thought about what went into making a lighthouse work, and what it required of the people who run it. Blackall is meticulous in her beautiful illustrations that animate every detail of lighthouse life.
8. Pie is for Sharing by Stephanie Parsley Ledyard, illustrated by Jason Chin
Pie isn't the only thing for sharing in this book that celebrates summer, Fourth of July picnics, diversity, and, of course, sharing itself. The text itself only addresses sharing: you can share a pie, a book, a towel, even time or a hug. The beautiful watercolor and gouache illustrations tell the story of summer and childhood: running, playing, climbing trees, building sand castles, making friends, and even taking a tumble--all told with a rainbow of skin tones that reflects what I see in the library every day. Together text and pictures make for an idyllic picture book that warms the heart.
9. The Fish and the Cat by Marianne Dubuc
A game of cat and...fish that takes us into the stars and beyond. What can I say? It's weird and wonderful, and even though the cat reminds me of a proboscis monkey, I like more and more each time I read it.
10. The Wall in the Middle of the Book by Jon Agee
As the title says, there's a wall in the middle of this book to protect one side of the book from the other. As a little knight explains why his side must be protected from all the wild and dangerous creatures on the other side, the reader may notice the water starting to rise on the knight's side of the book--and carnivorous animals in that water. The humor is all in the illustrations and the way they hilariously contrast with the text.
Honorable Mention
The Little Barbarian by Renato Moriconi
A Busy Creature's Day Eating by Mo Willems
Hello Hello by Brendan Wenzel
Elmore by Holly Hobbie
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