picture books

Picture books for Hispanic Heritage month

Posted on September 3, 2021 by Lindsay Books

September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month! We’ve loved reading books from Hispanic writers and illustrators and learning more about their rich culture. Here are some picture books for Hispanic Heritage month your kids will love.

Digging for Words: José Alberto Gutiérrez and the Library He Built by Angela Burke Kunkel and Paola Escobar. I included this in my list of the 10 best books of 2020 for good reason. It’s the amazing story of a garbage collector in Colombia who picked up discarded books along his route and started a library. I seriously got chills even thinking about this book and bought it for our own home right after we read it.
Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln by Margarita Engle and Rafael Lopez. The illustrations in this book are so vibrant and beautifully complement the text. I had never heard the story of Teresa Carreño, a girl from Venezuela who fled with her family to the United States and later played the piano at the White House. It’s so inspiring.
Across the Bay by Carlos Aponte. This wonderful author and illustrator paints a gorgeous story of a boy who travels across San Juan, Puerto Rico, in search of his father. I love books that mix Spanish and English words to help you learn Spanish, and this one is really sweet.
Dreamers by Yuyi Morales. Every time I see this book on a shelf or on a site, I remember the stunning illustrations and the lyrical way it was written. Dreamers is the true story of Yuyi Morales, who came to the United States in 1994 when her son was a baby. It reminds you that dreamers are important and that they bring wonderful gifts with them when they enter the United States.
Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré by Anika Aldamuy Denise and Paola Escobar. Well, if it’s not obvious already, I LOVE everything Paola Escobar illustrates. I also loved this story about New York’s first Puerto Rican librarian and the way she encouraged others to tell stories and stocked shelves with bilingual books. This one will touch your heart.
My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero and Zeke Peña. On the surface, this looks like a simple story about a girl who’s enjoying a motorcycle ride with her dad through a small town in California. It’s also about how a city is changing and how some favorite shops have closed as a result of gentrification. This is a great way to engage kids in discussions about what they like about their hometowns and about building roots.
Miguel and the Grand Harmony by Matt de la Peña and Ana Ramírez. I am the LAST person to ever recommend a book that’s based on a movie, but this one is wonderful. If you and your kids like Coco, you’ll love this beautiful story that complements the film and focuses on Miguel’s love of music. The illustrations are gorgeous, too.
Tito Puente, Mambo King by Monica Brown and Rafael Lopez. This is another book that brilliantly mixes Spanish and English words while telling the story of the musician Tito Puente. I absolutely love the pictures and the way Lopez brings the characters to life. You’ll want to listen to Puente’s music after reading this.
Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier and Sonia Sánchez. We are big fans of retold fairy tales at my house, and my kids often pull this book off the shelf because they love the twist on The Little Red Hen. When Ruby asks her brothers for help building a fort, they refuse. She ends up building a space all her own (with help cutting and hammering from adults, of course). This is a more gentle version of the fable, though, as Ruby does end up sharing with her brothers at the end when they decide to construct a mailbox and help her paint.
Where Are You From? by Yamile Saied Méndez and Jaime Kim. I don’t think I can even describe how much I love this book. A little girl is asked “Where are you from?” at school and is discouraged when the classmate isn’t satisfied by her response. Her grandfather tells her about the land where she is from, which includes pampas and mountains. I am so impressed with books that help kids understand microaggressions and racism in a positive way. This would be a great addition to any library, and I need to order a copy for our own home. I always end up buying more books when I put these lists together!
Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border by Mitali Perkins and Sara Palacios. Oh, man. This book had me in tears. I’m not sure why it isn’t as well-known as some of the other titles on this list. It’s the story of two kids who visit their grandmother along the border of California and Mexico for Christmas because she can’t enter the U.S. The little boy wants to give his grandmother a gift but isn’t allowed to pass it through the border. Then he figures out a creative way to get it to her. We had a great talk about immigration laws, and this book helped my kids understand them a little better.
Frida Kahlo and her Animalitos by Monica Brown and John Parra. I will admit that I did not know a lot about Frida Kahlo before reading this. I definitely did not know she had so many pets, including a fawn, an eagle, and two turkeys! This is a fun way to introduce kids to an important figure in Mexican culture and talk about her influence on art.
Federico and the Wolf by Rebecca J. Gomez and Elisa Chavarri. Yes, it’s another fairy tale, but this time it’s the story of Red Riding Hood. Federico gets the ingredients to make pico de gallo and encounters the wolf dressed as his abuelo. Fortunately, he can use the spicy ingredients to defeat him. This is told in rhyming text and has a bunch of Spanish words throughout. It’s so fun to read aloud!
Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal. I bought this book for my kids because I love the message about the importance of names and of heritage. The illustrations are SO sweet (look for Swashby and the Sea by the same illustrator), and it’s a great conversation starter about your own name or your children’s names.
Jovita Wore Pants by Aida Salazar and Molly Mendoza. I had never heard of Jovita Valdovinos, a Mexican revolutionary who fought for religious freedom during the early 20th century, before reading this book. She also defied cultural norms by wearing pants (which my daughter found fascinating) and cutting her hair short to lead the Cristero Revolution. This was an incredible story about an important woman from history.
Plátanos are Love by Alyssa Reynoso-Morris and Mariyah Rahman. Plantains are a big part of Latin culture, and this book about a grandmother and her granddaughter highlights how important they are to cuisine but also to their ancestors’ history. The illustrations and Spanish words throughout make this book sparkle.
La Mala Suerte is Following Me by Ana Siqueira and Carlos Vélez Aguilera. We all really enjoyed this story about Miguel, who believes he brought La Mala Suerte (Mrs. Bad Luck) upon himself because everything keeps going wrong in his life. How can he get rid of the bad luck for good?
A Flicker of Hope: A Story of Migration by Cynthia Harmony and Devon Holzwarth. I adored this story about a family whose papá travels north from Mexico to find work, just as monarch butterflies also migrate each year. Our family learned so much about butterflies from this book, and we also had a great conversation about migration and the people who work so hard in the United States. This is a gorgeous book that I bought for our library.
The Ofrenda That We Built by Jolene Gutiérrez, Shaian Gutiérrez, and Gabby Zapata. Technically this is a story about Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, so you could probably include it in your Halloween books as well. But I loved this homage to The House That Jack Built so much and loved all the information about this beautiful tradition. I’m also getting a copy of this story for our home.
A Crown for Corina by Laekan Zea Kemp and Elisa Chavarri. Corina is celebrating her birthday, and her abuela allows her to choose flowers from the garden for a special crown to wear. She adds flowers that remind her of her family and also symbolize the person she wants to be. The illustrations are so pretty, and I love the message of family and self-actualization.
Three Pockets Full: A story of love, family, and tradition by Cindy L. Rodriguez and Begoña Fernández Corbalán. On the surface, this is a story about a little boy who is refusing to wear a traditional Mexican shirt to a wedding. I sometimes have this battle with my son about collared shirts for church, so I can empathize. What the story is really about, though, is a boy grieving the loss of his father. I adored this book.
A Girl Named Rosita: The Story of Rita Moreno: Actor, Singer, Dancer, Trailblazer! by Anika Aldamuy Denise and Leo Espinosa. You will admire the incomparable Rita Moreno even more after reading this fantastic picture book biography. I didn’t know much about her outside of her starring role in West Side Story, and this book does a great job of highlighting this remarkable woman’s life.

Now it’s your turn! What are your favorite books for Hispanic Heritage month?

10 books for Jewish-American Heritage Month

Posted on May 27, 2021 by Lindsay Books

Jewish-American Heritage Month picture books

May is Jewish-American Heritage Month. Saddened by the wave of anti-Semitism in part due to the conflict in Israel, I checked out a bunch of books featuring Jewish characters and traditions to read to my kids. I am a firm believer that the more open you are about current events, the more you can understand and empathize with many types of people. Here are 10 books for Jewish-American Heritage Month.

The Bagel King by Andrew Larsen and Sandy Nichols. This is the SWEETEST book about a boy and his grandfather who bring bagels to their friends every Sunday morning. Then when his grandfather falls and is ordered to rest for two weeks, the boy decides to carry on the tradition on his own. I guarantee this book will make you crave bagels (I am craving them just writing this). More importantly, though, it has Yiddish words sprinkled throughout and is a great way to talk to your kids about Jewish culture.

A Scarf for Keiko by Ann Malaspina and Merrilee Liddiard. I actually included this in my list of picture books featuring AAPI characters last month. However, what’s unique about this book is that the boy, Sam, is Jewish and realizes when his friend Keiko is forced to relocate to a Japanese internment camp, it’s similar to what people of his own faith are experiencing in Europe. I love the way this story helps kids connect to the world around them.

Just Like Rube Goldberg: The Incredible True Story of the Man Behind the Machines by Sarah Aronson and Robert Neubecker. You’ve probably heard the term Rube Goldberg used to describe a complex machine meant to perform a simple task (like buttering bread). You might not know that Rube Goldberg was actually a Jewish engineer-turned-cartoonist. I’ve shared this book before, but it’s an amazing story of perseverance.

A Hat for Mrs. Goldman: A Story about Knitting and Love by Michelle Edwards and G. Brian Karas. In this cute book, a Jewish woman, Mrs. Goldman, knits hats for everyone in the neighborhood. Sophie thinks knitting is too hard, so she makes pompoms for the hats instead. Once winter comes and Mrs. Goldman is still serving everyone else, Sophie decides to try to make a hat for Mrs. Goldman herself. I love the Yiddish words like mitzvah (kind deed) and keppie (head) in the story and how it also shows kids that knitting is for everyone.

It Could Always Be Worse by Margot Zemach. I first discovered this book last year at the height of the pandemic when I was feeling particularly sorry for myself. It’s a Yiddish folk tale about a man who comes to his rabbi complaining that he and his wife and their six children live in a one-room hut. The rabbi keeps giving him advice that makes the situation worse and worse (like adding animals to the mix), and he realizes that the cure for most ills is gratitude. It may have been the time in which I read this book, but it has stuck with me ever since. I even bought a copy of it for my family.

Here is the World: A Year of Jewish Holidays by Lesléa Newman and Susan Gal. If you’re unfamiliar with Jewish holidays and traditions (I was really only aware of Passover and Hanukkah), this is a great introduction to them. It has simple rhyming text and also includes more in-depth explanations of the holidays at the end.

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy and Elizabeth Baddeley. There’s SO much I loved about this book: nontraditional gender roles (Marty Ginsburg cooked dinner for the family every night), perseverance in the face of anti-Semitism, and a dedication to equal rights. RGB is my hero. The book even explains Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s collars and why her Supreme Court decisions were so important.

Chik Chak Shabbat by Mara Rockliff and Kyrsten Brooker. This story reminds me a lot of Thank You, Omu! (another favorite) but with a Jewish twist. Goldie cooks cholent, a type of stew, every Friday for shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath day), and all the neighbors in her apartment building join her despite not sharing her faith. One Friday, Goldie gets sick and doesn’t have time to make the cholent in time for shabbat. Luckily, her neighbors help her feel better by bringing their own specialties to her home to eat on shabbat. Note: Several Amazon reviews point out that Goldie does not observe the Torah because the neighbors bring non-kosher food. If you are Jewish or want to teach your kids more about shabbat, this might not be the best book for your family.

Something from Nothing by Phoebe Gilman. If you’ve read Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree, this story will seem familiar. Joseph’s grandfather makes him a beautiful blanket when he’s a baby. As Joseph gets older, the blanket is worn, so his grandfather makes it into a jacket for him. Then it becomes a vest, a tie, a kerchief, and a button. The illustrations are endearing, with a little family of mice making clothes, tablecloths, and blankets from the scraps of Joseph’s blanket each time Grandfather cuts it down. I like the moral of using what you have until it’s gone, and the message that you help others when you reuse things, too.

The Polio Pioneer: Dr. Jonas Salk and the Polio Vaccine by Linda Elovitz. While this book focuses much more on Dr. Salk’s work creating vaccines, it does touch on Salk’s heritage. He was born to Jewish immigrants who had nothing, and he determined to spend his life helping others. I also had no idea that Dr. Salk helped to create a flu vaccine in response to the 1918 flu pandemic. This book is especially timely given our current pandemic. It also helps kids understand why vaccinations are important.

I would love more recommendations to teach my kids about Jewish culture! Please share your favorite books for Jewish-American Heritage Month with me.

Picture books featuring AAPI characters

Posted on April 9, 2021 by Lindsay Books

I’m so sad about the hate crimes and racism against Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) over the past year. While we need far more than books to heal our country, I firmly believe that learning about a culture and people helps you to be more understanding. You can’t hate someone once you’ve walked in their shoes.

If you’re like me and want to help your children learn more about Asian-American and Pacific Islander culture, this list will help you start. Read on for my favorite picture books featuring AAPI characters. Asian authors and artists wrote and illustrated almost all of them, too!

Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho. I saw this new release on Amazon as a preorder months before it was published and should have bought it then. It nearly brought tears to my eyes the first time I read it. This beautiful story is about a little girl who notices she and the other women in her family all have “eyes that kiss in the corners.” She learns to love and accept herself even though she looks different from her friends. I adore the empowering messages of this book, and the illustrations are stunning, too. Every time I see this book on our shelf, I smile.

Ohana Means Family by Ilima Loomis. The lyrical text and illustrations in this picture book will blow you away. It’s written in a “House That Jack Built” style and explains how a Hawaiian family harvests taro to make poi for the village luau. I seriously wanted to go back to Hawaii when I read this. I also better understood the culture of family there. This book also reminds me a bit of the film Moana (and that is one of my favorites).

A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin. All of Grace Lin’s books are great (I also love the Ling and Ting series), but this one is so magical. It tells the story of Little Star, who can’t resist taking nibbles of the giant mooncake she made with her mother. As she nibbles a little bit more every night, the pictures also clearly show the mooncake in different phases of the moon. I love that this is a simple, cute story that also helps kids explain how the moon changes.

The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee by Julie Leung. I was so inspired by this book and can’t stop gushing about it! Hazel Ying Lee was the first Chinese-American woman to fly for the U.S. military. She got her chance to be a pilot after years of discrimination when the military hired Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) during WWII. We loved reading her story, and my son, who wants to be a pilot himself, was SO impressed. I’ll probably be buying this one.

Ocean Meets Sky by The Fan Brothers. I loved this so much when I first read it with my kids that I immediately bought it. The illustrations are steampunk-inspired and very different from the art you normally see in children’s books. In the story, which the authors say nods to their Asian heritage, a boy named Finn is devastated to lose his grandfather. Fortunately, he can imagine their world together (in ships in the sky) and find comfort in that.

Bee-Bim Bop by Linda Sue Park. This is SUCH a fun book to read out loud. It’s all about a Korean-American girl who’s making bee-bim bop (a traditional Korean dish with rice, meat, and vegetables) with her family. The text rhymes and has a great rhythm to it, and it’ll make you want to cook with your kids. It has a recipe, too!

A Scarf for Keiko by Ann Malaspina. We first read this about a year ago, and when I talked to my kids about the racism currently happening to Asian-Americans, they both remembered the book. That says volumes about its impact on them. In this story, a Japanese-American girl is forced to move to a camp during WWII and leave her school behind. I especially love that the book includes facts about the mistreatment of Japanese people during the 1940s. In fact, because of this book, I learned about Japanese-American camps in both Idaho (where I grew up) and Utah (where I live now). It’s a sad but important part of American history kids should learn about..

It Began With a Page: How Gyo Fujikawa Drew the Way by Kyo Maclear. I have read several of Kyo Maclear’s picture book biographies and loved all of them. This one is about Japanese-American illustrator Gyo Fujikawa, who broke racial barriers by drawing children of all races in her children’s books. The illustrator paid homage to Fujikawa with her depictions of diverse kids, and it’s really cool to read more about Fujikawa’s life at the end and see a timeline.

Our Favorite Day by Joowon Oh. Books about grandparents’ relationships with their grandchildren always warm my heart, and this one is adorable. The grandfather follows a specific routine every day (which is reminiscent of Mr. Rogers’ routines). On the day his granddaughter comes to visit each week, everything changes. The illustrations are adorable, and I love the simple text and the love you can feel through the pages. Such a cute book!

Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zhang. We all loved this cute story about a girl who keeps trying to make bao with her family but gets frustrated when it doesn’t turn out perfectly. My son is also frustrated when he can’t draw something the first time. This was a good message for him (and all of us) about perseverance. As an added bonus, it includes a recipe (and it will make you crave bao).

Maya-Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines by Jeanne Walker Harvey. Did you know that a Chinese-American architect designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1981? I did not know anything about Maya-Lin until I read this book with my kids, and it’s quite the story. Despite racism and sexism, Maya-Lin achieved her dreams, and her beautiful monument is now an icon in Washington, D.C.

The Empty Pot by Demi. This is a classic fairytale that lots of kids hear in elementary school, but somehow I never did. The emperor of China is growing old and has to choose an heir. He decides to give each child in the kingdom a flower seed and see who can grow the prettiest flowers. A little boy named Ping tries his best but can never get the flowers to grow — and he learns that everything is not as it seems. I love fables, and this one has a great message about honesty.

My First Day by Phung Nguyen Quang. I just read this brand-new release to my kids a few days ago, and it is stunning. It begins with a Vietnamese boy embarking on a journey alone in a wooden boat. He encounters huge waves, a creepy forest, and lots of rain but finally reaches the destination: his school. This book is absolutely beautiful and definitely fun to page through. It also helped me start a conversation with my kids about what it would be like to ride a boat to school every day.

Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuko Ando by Andrea Wang. I asked my husband to walk to 7-11 (it’s around the corner from our house) to get me some ramen noodles after reading this book last year because we did not have any and I desperately wanted some. Even if you don’t like ramen, you will love this true story about the man who invented the instant noodles.

Danbi Leads the School Parade by Anna Kim. When Danbi starts at a brand-new school in America, she is understandably nervous. She feels even worse when she doesn’t know the language and can’t seem to get anyone to play with her. Fortunately, she comes up with a new game that brings everyone together. This is such an important and sweet story about acceptance and love. Everyone has been the new kid at one point, and this one just warms your heart.

Do you have favorite books featuring Asian-American and Pacific Islander characters? Please share!

10 picture books for Easter

Posted on March 21, 2021 by Lindsay Books

Easter is one of my favorite times of year. I adore the pastels, the tulips poking up through the ground, the warmer weather, the newborn animals and, of course, the time to reflect on my Savior, Jesus Christ. I have also begun collecting a few spring- and Easter-themed books to read with my kids each year. They look forward to seeing them on our shelf each spring. Here are nine picture books for Easter you’ll love.

Rechenka’s Eggs by Patricia Polacco. I absolutely love this story about a Russian woman everyone calls Babushka, who is known for the eggs she paints each year for the Easter festival. She rescues an injured goose she calls Rechenka, and unfortunately Rechenka accidentally breaks the eggs Babushka painted for the festival. Luckily, Rechenka has a surprise in store. This is a sweet folk story about kindness, but it really stands out because of the gorgeous illustrations. I always want to paint eggs after reading this.

Hush, Little Bunny by David Ezra Stein. I always smile when I see books from this author-illustrator because of the muted colors he uses and the cute creatures he draws. This one is a play on the classic lullaby “Hush, Little Baby” and focuses on a little bunny and his papa. Though the little bunny is sad that winter is over, the papa tells him all the reasons why spring is wonderful. Such an adorable book, especially if you have toddlers.

The Runaway Egg by Katy Hudson. We bought this book several years ago because my kids thought it was SO funny. They still love this story about a mama hen who asks Chick to keep an eye on his baby brother for a few minutes until she gets back. The twist is that his baby brother still hasn’t hatched yet — but of course he pokes his legs through soon after Mama leaves and runs off, making Chick chase him all over the farm.

The Little Rabbit by Nicola Killen. All of Nicola Killen’s books are adorable and have the most beautiful foil-printed pages. In this gentle story, a little girl sets off to explore with her toy bunny after the rain stops. As they’re walking outside, her bunny comes to life and takes off to follow some other bunnies. Ollie has to catch her bunny and somehow get back home. If you’ve read Nicola Killen’s other creature books (like The Little Reindeer) you’ll love this one.

The Bunny Book by Richard Scarry. This is one of those classics you’ll probably remember from your childhood. When a little bunny is born, all of his family members ponder what he’ll be when he grows up. One family member believes he’ll be a firefighter. Another suggests the bunny will be a policeman, and someone else thinks he’ll be a pilot. As each family member gives ideas about what the bunny will be, he thinks about what he wants to do.

Egg by Kevin Henkes. I say this every time I share a Kevin Henkes book, but I seriously love everything he writes and illustrates. This one is a graphic novel, with the pictures showing how four eggs (pink, blue, yellow, and green) start to crack and hatch. The twist at the end will surprise and delight you. Even though we’ve read this book many times, it always makes me smile.

The Golden Egg Book by Margaret Wise Brown. My mom could tell you that this was one of my favorite books as a kid, and I read it over and over. I’m really not sure why I found it so interesting, but Leonard Weisgard’s illustrations are enchanting. It’s a simple story about a bunny who wants an egg to crack open, so he pushes and rolls it and tries to get it to crack. Eventually, the bunny falls asleep and a baby duck pops out of the egg and starts pushing and prodding the bunny. It’s really simple, but I absolutely loved this when I was about four years old.

The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by Du Bose Heyward. I never read this one as a kid, and I actually think it means more to me as an adult. A mama bunny who has 21 children (!) spends all of her time cooking and cleaning for her family but yearns to be picked as the Easter bunny. When Grandfather Bunny is seeking a replacement, he picks her for the job. She and her family then work together to make sure she can deliver the eggs. This book was published in the 1930s and was seriously ahead of its time.

The Good Egg by Jory John. Who can resist a book full of egg puns that also teaches kids about the dangers of perfectionism? My kids LOVE all of the books in the Jory John/Pete Oswald series (The Bad Seed is my favorite). This one about an egg that starts to crack from the pressure he puts on himself has a great message and really endearing illustrations.

Pick a Perfect Egg by Patricia Toht and Jarvis. We LOVE all of the books from this author and illustrator, and this brand-new book about Easter traditions would be a great addition to your collection.

These books focus on springtime and the secular parts of Easter because I feel the Bible does the best job teaching kids about Christ. However, I’m interested in religious books if you share those with your kids.

Do you have favorite picture books for Easter? I’d love to know what you’re reading!

Picture books for Women’s History Month

Posted on March 20, 2021 by Lindsay Books

I have been reading so many books with my kids for Women’s History Month over the past few weeks and am loving the conversations we’re having. Both my son and my daughter are very interested in women’s achievements and keep asking which book I got from the library that day. Whether you have daughters or sons (or both), taking time to celebrate this month helps everyone understand more about equality. Here are several picture books for Women’s History Month to help you kick off the dialogue.

Dear Girl, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Paris Rosenthal. I’ve raved about this book before and bought it for my kids several years ago, but it’s worth including again. The book focuses on empowering girls and talks about all the things girls can do, including being brave, being kind, being adventurous, and even being emotional. I adore AKR’s books and was so sad when she died (the boy version of this book written after she passed away is not as good).

Bertha Takes a Drive: How the Benz Automobile Changed the World by Jan Adkins. A few weeks ago, I was reading a book about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake that referenced people driving cars and discovered that a German woman, Bertha Benz, was instrumental in helping her husband create one of the first cars. I immediately looked for a picture book about her, intending to write one if it didn’t exist, and found this great one about a 60-mile drive she took with her sons. It was really cool to read this with my kids and talk about how her inventiveness and courage made it possible for cars to continue evolving.

Shirley Chisholm is a Verb by Veronica Chambers and Rachelle Baker. I was completely blown away by this book a few weeks ago when we read it as part of Black History Month. It’s a new release and definitely would have made my list of top 2020 books had I read it earlier. This bio gives tons of details on Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American congresswoman and the first African-American to seek the nomination for president. She was amazing and I loved learning more about her, but the reason this book stood out so much is because it highlights different verbs throughout that describe what Shirley Chisholm accomplished (like learn, negotiate, and accomplish). I have this in my cart to buy. It was so great.

A Girl Like You by Frank Murphy and Carla Murphy. I bought this one for my kids right after we read it, and I also included it in my top 2020 picture books. It’s such an empowering book about not giving up and being yourself, and I think everyone should own this. The illustrations are also gorgeous and so inclusive. You’ll find girls of all abilities, shapes, sizes, and colors in this book, and I love that.

The World Is Not a Rectangle: A Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid by Jeanette Winter. My kids and I read this a few years ago and loved Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid’s unique style. Did you know she designed the London Olympic Aquatic Centre to look like a huge seashell? If you google her work, you’ll be absolutely amazed by the many buildings she brought to life and her love of curved lines. The book has illustrations of many of her most famous works, too.

The Only Woman in the Photo: Frances Perkins and her New Deal by Kathleen Krull and Alexandra Bye. I love discovering books about women that changed American history, and I had never heard of Frances Perkins until a week ago when I read this book. She was the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet and also the mastermind behind President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal! She also created many of the factory and safety regulations we still have in place today. We all learned so much from reading this book.

Code Breaker, Spy Hunter: How Elizebeth Friedman Changed the Course of Two World Wars by Laurie Wallmark and Brooke Smart. You’ve probably heard of Alan Turing, cryptanalyst who helped to break the Nazis’ Enigma codes during WWII. However, you probably haven’t heard of Elizebeth Friedman, an American cryptanalyst who also broke the Enigma codes and deciphered hundreds of coded messages during both WWI and WWII. This book made me want to read more about the women who were part of this effort now that we know about them (the government classified this information until 2015).

Anything But Ordinary Addie: The True Story of Adelaide Herrmann, Queen of Magic by Mara Rockliff and Iacopo Bruno. I will read anything Mara Rockliff writes, and this one about Adelaide Herrmann, one of the first women magicians, is so fun. If you’re interested in performing magic yourself, the book also includes the steps to do one of Herrmann’s famous tricks at the end.

Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment by Parker Curry and Jessica Curry. I considered including this in my Black History Month list, but I think it also fits well with Women’s History Month books. It’s the true story of a little girl, Parker, who went with her family to the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., and stood mesmerized at a portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama. This is such a gorgeous story about how important representation is.

Anybody’s Game: Kathryn Johnston, the First Girl to Play Little League Baseball by Heather Lang and Cecilia Puglesi. This book both infuriated me and inspired me. I had no idea that until 1974, girls were not allowed to play baseball in the United States. Kathryn Johnston joined a team in the ’50s pretending to be a boy, and when they discovered her true identity at the end of the season, organizers wrote a rule blocking girls from the game. I’m so glad that Kathryn paved the way for girls to play, because 50 years ago, that wasn’t an option.

She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger. Normally I am not a huge fan of picture books that have biographies about several people because they don’t go into enough detail or are TOO long and my kids lose interest. This one is a great length and highlights some important women I hadn’t heard of previously. We own it (I’ve found several copies at thrift stores!), and I love that it features Senator Margaret Chase Smith, who stood up to Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s when few people did.

Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Youszafai and Kerascoët. I was so inspired by Malala’s biography a few years ago, and I love this picture book that makes her story more accessible to kids. It doesn’t shy away from the fact that she was shot by the Taliban for encouraging girls to get an education, but it doesn’t go into detail about the violence and instead focuses on what kids can do to be activists in their own communities.

There Goes Patti McGee!: The Story of the First Women’s National Skateboard Champion by Tootie Nienow and Erika Medina. Skateboarding legend Patti McGee passed away in 2024. I had never heard of her and was excited to find this excellent picture book about her life and how she persevered even when people didn’t believe women should skateboard.

Abzuglutely! Battling, Bellowing Bella Abzug by Sarah Aronson and Andrea D’Aquino. This book has just the right amount of cheek and tells the story of outspoken Jewish activist and politician who fought fiercely for women’s rights. It’s a perfect complement to the book about Shirley Chisholm, as they were contemporaries, and so inspiring. My whole family loved it.

Trudy’s Big Swim: How Gertrude Ederle Swam the English Channel and Took the World by Storm by Sue Macy and Matt Collins. WOW. Gertrude Ederle was an impressive person, and this book details the years it took for her to be able to swim the English Channel back in 1926. I don’t even like to get my face wet when I’m swimming, so I’m always in awe of women who are powerful swimmers.

Princess Diana: A Little Golden Book Biography by Sonali Fry and Hollie Hibbert. One of my good friends from high school illustrated this book and did an amazing job! Beyond the illustrations, though, this is an excellent biography of Princess Diana that details her humanitarian efforts and her personality.

The Queen of Chess: How Judit Polgár Changed the Game by Laurie Wallmark and Stevie Lewis. I admittedly know nothing about chess, and yet I was captivated by this story of the youngest chess grandmaster in history, Judit Polgár. Laurie Wallmark is also one of my favorite authors and often writes about women in STEM, so any books by her are a great addition to your library.

I could keep going with picture books for Women’s History Month. We’ve read so many awesome books that celebrate amazing women over the past few years. Tell me your favorites!

11 picture books for Black History Month

Posted on February 2, 2021 by Lindsay Books

I recently shared 10 favorite picture books for Martin Luther King Day, and many could also work for Black History Month. However, I think this is such an important month and worth highlighting with even MORE books. My kids love learning about these amazing men and women from history.

Don’t have kids? I promise they’re interesting even for adults, and this is a great way to learn about black history when you’re short on time. Check out these 11 picture books for Black History Month.

Young, Gifted and Black: Meet 52 Black Heroes by Jamia Wilson and Andrea Pippins. I got this from the library for my kids last week, and we are still making our way through it and absolutely loving it. The amazing people spotlighted in this book include legends like Harriet Tubman and current heroes like Serena and Venus Williams. It’s really colorful and easy to digest, even for 6-year-olds.

Ready to Fly: How Sylvia Townsend Became the Bookmobile Ballerina by Lea Lyon, Alexandria LaFaye, and Jessica Gibson. This was one of my all-time favorites from 2019. It’s the true story of a girl who taught herself ballet by reading books from the bookmobile since she wasn’t allowed to take dance classes. My own ballerina daughter adored this one, and so did I.

All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson and E.B. Lewis. I didn’t know what Juneteenth was until 2020. Not sure what it is either? The holiday, celebrated June 19, commemorates the day slaves in Texas were finally freed from slavery. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect more than two years earlier, many slaves weren’t free because there weren’t enough Union soldiers to enforce the law. This lyrical picture books shows a family learning they are no longer slaves.

Starstruck: The Cosmic Journey of Neil deGrasse Tyson by Kathleen Krull, Paul Brewer, and Frank Morrison. Everyone has heard of Neil deGrasse Tyson. However, most of what I knew about him came from Big Bang Theory episodes and hearing people gushing about his books. This beautifully illustrated story was SO well-done and really captured deGrasse Tyson’s passion for science and his amazing life.

The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist by Cynthia Levinson and Vanessa Brantley-Newton. Want to wow your kids? This one will do it. My kids were fascinated to learn that a nine-year-old marched to protest segregation and was held in jail for several days. This would be a great one to read in a classroom and inspire other kids to help where they can.

Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton and Don Tate. This is a really fun story about the man who invented the Super Soaker water gun by accident when trying to cool fridges and air conditioners. The illustrations really make this one shine, and it’s a lighter story among many that focus on segregation and racism.

The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read by Rita Lorraine Hubbard and Oge Mora. I have shared this book several times before, but I still think about it often. Born into slavery, Mary Walker worked many jobs throughout her life, raised a family, and didn’t learn to read until she was 116. Keep a box of tissues close for this one. It’s an amazing story.

Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine and Kadir Nelson. What a ride! This boy literally mailed himself in a crate to the north so he could escape slavery. It’s both heartbreaking and inspiring. I especially love Kadir Nelson’s illustrations (he often graces the cover of the New Yorker).

When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson by Pam Muñoz Ryan and Brian Selznick. Maybe it’s because I’m a singer myself, but this book absolutely blew me away. It’s about famed opera singer Marian Anderson’s 1939 performance at the Lincoln Memorial, where an integrated crowd gathered to hear her sing. Keep in mind that this was a BIG deal, since it was years before the civil rights movement.

Hammering for Freedom by Rita Lorraine Hubbard and John Holyfield. Yes, I’m including two books by the same author because I LOVE her work. This one is about a blacksmith who saved enough money through his work to save not only himself but his entire family from slavery. I still can’t fathom earning money to buy freedom that should have been yours all along. Such an inspiring story.

Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly and Laura Freeman. Read this rather than watching the film. Seriously. The part where Kevin Costner rips down the bathroom sign is completely fabricated and makes me mad. This tells the same story but focuses more on the four female mathematicians who worked at NASA and helped make space travel possible.

There are so many great books out there about amazing black people in history, and I’ve loved reading these with my kids. Did I miss one of your favorites? Any new releases I should know about?

The 10 best picture books of 2020

Posted on January 26, 2021 by Lindsay Books

I recently shared my list of the best 2020 books, including young adult, fiction, and nonfiction. Now I have to share my 10 favorite picture books from last year!

It was hard to get new releases for most of 2020, since every library but our tiny local one shut down for months. I’m hoping this list will help you find books you missed that are worth checking out!

Digging for Words: José Alberto Gutiérrez and the Library He Built by Angela Burke Kunkel and Paola Escobar. I gushed about this on Instagram a few weeks ago when I finally got a copy of it from our library. Then I immediately bought it. It’s the true story of a trash collector in Colombia who rescued books from the curb and started a library for kids. I get chills even thinking about it. SUCH a great book about the importance of learning.

The Next President: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of America’s Presidents by Kate Messner and Adam Rex. Since 2020 was an election year, I was looking for books I could read with my kids to help them understand our government. This one was SO good and packed full of facts. It tells lots of facts about former presidents and then connects them to future presidents. For example, it explains how many future presidents were alive when George Washington was president and connects all the presidents who were related to each other. The illustrations are great and help make this book even more interesting. I would actually recommend this to adults who want to brush up on history and don’t want a dry presidential biography. I learned so much.

A Girl Like You by Frank Murphy, Carla Murphy, and Kayla Harren. Remember when I cried reading the same author’s A Boy Like You when it came out in 2019? This one geared for girls is just as good. It’s empowering and teaches them to be brave and smart and not to apologize for everything (something I still do). I think what I love best about this, though, is the illustrations. They’re so inclusive and diverse, and one of the girls even has vitiligo. I have never seen that in a children’s book before. Go buy this one.

Sugar in Milk by Thrity Umrigar and Khoa Le. I love folk tales because of the culture and the lessons woven in, and this Persian story is just beautiful. It’s the story of a young immigrant girl feeling alone in America. Her aunt tells the tale of a king who refused to allow immigrants into his kingdom, holding a glass of milk to signify that the country was full. The immigrant leader then dissolved sugar in milk to show that new people add sweetness. I’m making the story sound trite, but the illustrations are stunning, and the overall message about diversity and kindness is wonderful.

The Little Mermaid by Jerry Pinkney. This retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s original not only has gorgeous illustrations but a girl-power message about never giving up your voice. I love the African characters and the lack of romance (there’s no prince to fall in love with in this story). This is a fairy tale I’d be proud to have on my shelf. As I’m writing this, I’m realizing I probably need to buy a copy of this, too.

No Reading Aloud: The WORST Read-Aloud Book Ever by Raj Haldar and Chris Carpenter. If you love wordplay and puns, this is the book for you. It’s called “the worst read-aloud book ever” for a reason. Each page has sentences that sound the same when read aloud but have different meanings. “The hero had super vision” and “The hero had supervision” is just one example (in the second sentence, the “hero” is a sandwich). The illustrations make the differences clear. I laughed so hard reading this one with my kids and also learned several new words I’d never even heard before. Younger kids will not appreciate it, but I think it’s perfect for the 6-and-older crowd.

Goodnight, Veggies by Diana Murray and Zachariah OHora. This is the strangest concept for a bedtime book, and yet I loved it so much. It has a perfect rhyme scheme, and you learn about vegetables as they get tucked into the soil for the night. Zachariah OHora’s illustrations are colorful and cute, and the whole effect is soothing. My son just saw a picture of this book and asked if we could get it again from the library. Clearly they loved it as much as I did.

If You Come to Earth by Sophie Blackall. One of my very favorite illustrators, Sophie Blackall always turns out gorgeous books. This one is both beautifully illustrated and written. She explains what happens if you come to earth, how you’ll meet lots of different people and may not get along with everyone. The book is full of diversity and lots of life lessons. It’s similar to Oliver Jeffers’ book Here We Are (though I liked this one better). This would be a great baby gift or really a good gift for any child (or teacher or grown-up).

Why Do We Cry? by Fran Pintadera and Ana Sender. I’ve mentioned probably a hundred times how much I adore picture books that teach kids to express feelings. I love how this one literally explains the different reasons people cry. It’s written in such a poetic way that helps you understand and empathize, and the lush illustrations complement the text so well. Teachers, this would be especially good to read in your classrooms.

Your Name is a Song by Jamilah Bigelow-Thompkins and Luisa Uribe. I don’t know what it’s like to have a unique name people always mispronounce. I do know how frustrating it is to have people misspell it. This book is a great reminder about how important and meaningful names are and a gentle way to help people try harder to pronounce them. The illustrations are joyful, and there’s even a pronunciation guide to ensure you can say the names in the book correctly.

I seriously love putting these lists together because I remember all the wonderful books we read over the year! Did I miss any of your favorites?

10 picture books for Martin Luther King Day

Posted on January 13, 2021 by Lindsay Books

Martin Luther King Day picture books, including "Be A King," "Sit-In," "I Have a Dream," and "Choosing Brave"

Martin Luther King Day is a chance to teach your children about the civil rights movement and America’s continued battles with racism. Have the day off? Pick up one of these books from your library (or buy it from a local shop) and take a few minutes to read it. Here are 10 of my favorite picture books for Martin Luther King Day.

Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by Doreen Rappaport and Bryan Collier. It can be really hard to get kids to pay attention with picture book biographies, especially for a larger-than-life person like Martin Luther King. I like this book because the text is simple and clear. The illustrations are heartfelt but don’t distract from the message. Even little kids will listen to this and understand Martin Luther King’s life and passion and why we should continue to learn about him.

Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Dee Romito and Laura Freeman. A restaurant cook in Alabama organized a group of women to cook and bake and raise money to help those participating in the bus boycott. Martin Luther King later trusted her enough to hold civil rights meetings at her home. We hear many stories about Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King (and rightly so). However, this focuses on other people who made a big difference in their communities.

A Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech That Inspired a Nation by Barry Wittenstein and Jerry Pinkney. My family and I really enjoyed this book about how Martin Luther King worked with other advisors and speechwriters to craft the “dream” speech he is known for. Interestingly, he did not originally intend to give the speech he did.

Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney. WOW. I cannot say enough good things about this book. It tells the true story of the college students who sat peacefully at a “whites only” section of a North Carolina Woolworth’s and waited to be served lunch. Their courage continued the civil rights movement and spurred many other people across the country to sit in restaurants and protest. This is a great book for teaching your kids about doing the right thing even if it seems small.

Rosa by Nikki Giovanni and Bryan Collier. I have read my kids several books about Rosa Parks, but I like this one best. It explains what happened when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus, but it also gives more of a biography and explains what led up to her decision. Bryan Collier’s illustrations are also stunning.

Unstoppable: How Bayard Rustin Organized the 1963 March on Washington by Michael G. Long and Bea Jackson. Like me, you may not have heard of Bayard Rustin until now. This book tells the story of the openly gay civil rights activist and how he organized the largest protest in civil rights history despite facing immense prejudice himself.

Be a King: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream and You by Carole Boston Weatherford and James E. Ransome. As the title suggests, this book encourages readers to be like Martin Luther King Jr. and continue to stamp out hatred and fight for equality. I appreciate that it offers specific ways to help others and can spark some great conversations.

We March by Shane W. Evans. All about the 1963 march in Washington, D.C., where Martin Luther King delivered his famous “I have a dream” speech, this book is about a family’s experience during that time. I love the diversity in the illustrations and the simple text that makes you wish you could have been at the march yourself.

Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement by Angela Joy and Janelle Washington. I was in COLLEGE when I first heard about Emmett Till and read the phenomenal book Getting Away With Murder. This story focuses on Till’s mother, Mamie, and her courage after her son was brutally murdered. BUY THIS ONE.

I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King Jr. and Kadir Nelson. Introduce your family to King’s well-known speech in this book that includes an abridged version and beautiful illustrations. Kadir Nelson’s artwork is so powerful and complements the text well—and the book also comes with an audio CD of King’s speech so you can listen to it.

Share your favorite picture books for Martin Luther King Day with me! I’d love more ideas, including civil rights and Black History month picks.

Want more? Check out 10 books about white privilege and racism.

10 Thanksgiving picture books to read with family

Posted on November 20, 2020 by Lindsay Books

I shared a few Thanksgiving picture books last year, and I’ve plowed through even more with my kids trying to find good options. It’s not easy to find books that represent Native Americans fairly or aren’t focused solely on turkeys. When my kids are a bit older, I’d love to read this History Smashers book about The Mayflower with them. Right now, though, we focus on gratitude, family traditions, and Native American culture.

Ready to tuck into some pumpkin pie and turkey next week? Here are some books to ring in the season with your family.

Peyton Picks the Perfect Pie by Jack Bishop. This brand-new America’s Test Kitchen picture book is darling! Peyton is a “particular” eater (not “picky”) and sticks to a limited selection of foods. Anything lumpy, sticky, gooey, or flaky is out — which means she has never tried pie. Peyton decides to be more adventurous at Thanksgiving, and her family and friends bring lots of pies to sample. What really makes this stand out is all the cultures and ethnicities. Peyton herself is part of a mixed-race family, and they have friends from France, India, and all different parts of the United States. I love that each person describes why their pie is special, too.

Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora. I never really thought of this as a Thanksgiving book until my mom (an elementary school librarian) suggested it, but it’s a wonderful story about generosity. Omu (“queen” in the Igbo language) makes a big pot of stew, and everyone in the neighborhood keeps knocking and asking for a bowl. She happily serves everyone and never gets to eat a bowl of stew herself. Luckily, the people come back with food and surprises of their own. I adore everything Oge Mora does, and this is so heartwarming.

One Family by George Shannon. Maybe it’s because COVID-19 makes it really hard to be with families right now, but this book had me a bit teary. As it counts from one to 10, the beautiful illustrations show how different families look. Some kids live with their grandparents. Others live with one parent or with lots of siblings. It’s very inclusive and features characters of many skin colors. One page shows an old woman holding a basket full of puppies, and my kids LOVED that. This is a great book for showcasing all the different families who celebrate together.

Duck for Turkey Day by Jacqueline Jules. Anybody else think turkey can be dry and unappetizing? My husband has begun smoking ours instead of roasting it in the oven, and I much prefer it. But who says you have to have turkey for Thanksgiving anyway? In this cute story, Tuyet learns about the holiday and school and tries to convince her family they need to have a turkey for Thanksgiving. Her mom and other Vietnamese-American family members help her realize that their tradition is eating duck. When Tuyet returns to school, she learns that other classmates eat different foods for Thanksgiving, too.

Sharing the Bread: An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Story by Pat Zietlow Miller. Sometimes it’s comforting to look back at American traditions from 150 years ago. This story shows a 19-century family working together to make dinner. The brother and sister make bread together, the father adds wood to the fire, and other family members hold different tasks. I really like the illustrations in this book, and it would be beautiful displayed on a shelf for the holiday.

Thanksgiving in the Woods by Phyllis Alsdurf. I couldn’t find this in any of my libraries, so I bought it last year and really like it. The pictures are stunning and tell the true story of a family in New York that hosts an outdoor Thanksgiving gathering every year. Even though it’s a modern story, I always think of Laura Ingalls Wilder when I read this book. The author makes me want a little cabin in the woods where I can host parties.

Not This Turkey! by Jessica Steinberg. I’m always interested in how people celebrate Thanksgiving if the holiday isn’t part of their culture. When the father of a Jewish family wins a live turkey for Thanksgiving from his work raffle, he has no idea how to get it home (he normally rides the train) or whether to cook it. His son grows to love the turkey, but they discover it’s too old and tough to eat anyway. They also discover that the kugel they normally have for Thanksgiving is just fine.

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard. This is a fantastic story about how fry bread has an impact on Native American culture and brings people together. It also illustrates many Native American tribes and gives a lot of historical context about the food. Juana Martinez-Neal (who wrote and illustrated Alma and How She Got Her Name) does an amazing job on the pictures in this book. I can guarantee you will want a Navajo taco by the end (I want one just writing about the book).

Around the Table That Grandad Built by Melanie Heuiser Hill. There are many iterations of The House That Jack Built, and most of them do not keep the rhythm. This one does and beautifully builds to a family gathering around the table to eat. It also focuses on how everyone plays a part. The cousins pick the sunflowers, the mother makes the napkins, and of course the grandad built the table. I realized this is one I need to buy for our collection.

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell. My family and I took a trip to Mount Rushmore this summer, and the Crazy Horse monument was a highlight. I’m so grateful my kids got to experience Native American culture and watch the beautiful dancers and see exhibits of their artwork. This book captures some of that magic with Cherokee words (including a glossary that explains pronunciation) and traditions. It also has colorful and engaging illustrations that complement the text.

I would love to hear how you’re celebrating Thanksgiving during this weird year. Any new traditions you’re implementing? Any pies I have to try?

More Halloween picture books to enjoy

Posted on September 28, 2020 by Lindsay Books

While I don’t enjoy dressing up for Halloween and am definitely more into the cute decorations than the creepy ones, I do love getting my kids skeleton jammies (this year I got a matching pair) and reading lots of Halloween picture books.

Last year I shared 13 favorite Halloween books, but I’ve discovered a few more books we love. Grab these from your library or add to your collection!

Goodnight Goon: A Petrifying Parody by Michael Rex. I read Goodnight Moon to my kids so many times when they were babies and toddlers that I have it memorized. This parody of the bedtime classic still has the rhyme scheme and rhythm of the original, but I love the illustrations and fun Halloween characters it introduces. Both my kids read this several times before we returned it to the library. I’ll probably buy our own copy this year.

A Tiger Called Tomás by Charlotte Zolotow. Apparently this book was originally written in the 1960s and has been updated a few times, but I’d never read it before. A little boy is afraid to play with his neighbors because he thinks they don’t like him. His mom brings home a tiger costume for him to wear trick-or-treating, and he’s excited to hide behind a mask on Halloween. Tomás realizes that his neighbors know it’s him and that he doesn’t need to be afraid after all. This would be a perfect pick for a school library! Bonus: It uses a mixture of English and Spanish words throughout.

Mother Ghost: Nursery Rhymes for Little Monsters by Rachel Kolar. I found myself singing these spooky nursery rhymes out loud, since they’re parodies of classics like “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” and “Hickory, Dickory Dock.” My 6-year-olds had fun reading them aloud, too, and the illustrations added a scary-but-not-too-scary element. These are great for bedtime.

Winnie the Witch by Valerie Thomas. Last year, my kids came home from kindergarten telling me all about this silly book their teacher had read them. I got it from the library and then immediately bought it. Winnie the Witch keeps bumping into her cat, Wilbur, because everything in her house is black, including Wilbur. She comes up with various ideas to change Wilbur’s color (none that Wilbur like) and finally realizes SHE can change, too. This is such a darling book, and the illustrations make it even better.

Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman. This is another classic Halloween book that’s really fun to read aloud in a classroom (or just at home with your kids). When the witch wants to make pumpkin pie but can’t seem to pull her big pumpkin off the vine, a bunch of friends try to help, including a vampire, a mummy, and a bat. The repetition and rhythm make this one stand out.

Gustavo, the Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago. Technically, this is a Day of the Dead book, but I thought it was adorable. Brand-new this year, the book tells the story of Gustavo, a shy ghost no one seems to notice. When he has trouble making friends, he decides to invite everyone over for a violin concert on Día de los Muertos. The illustrations are so cute, and I love the message of acceptance.

Stumpkin by Lucy Ruth Cummins. We LOVE this book so much and have it in our collection. Poor Stumpkin is a little pumpkin who sits in a store display and watches all the other pumpkins become jack-o-lanterns in homes. Why? Because Stumpkin doesn’t have a stem, which makes it harder to carve him. It’s got a sweet message about rising to your potential even when you’re a bit different.

Tell me about your favorite Halloween picture books and traditions! Do things look different at your house due to COVID-19? We’re still planning on trick-or-treating here, but there’s no costume parade since our kids are currently learning from home. Wishing you a fabulous holiday!

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Lindsay

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