I read at least 500 picture books to my kids in 2019, mainly because I was trying to meet the 1,000 books before kindergarten challenge I discovered about a month before they started kindergarten.
While I don’t plan to replicate this in 2020, I do try to keep an eye on new releases and check them out from the library. 2019 had some fantastic new releases, and some even made their way to our bookshelf (a big deal, since I don’t buy a lot of books). Here are my picks for the 10 best picture books published in 2019.
Saturday by Oge Mora. I have loved Oge Mora’s illustrations since reading Thank You, Omu! in 2018, and this book is just as beautiful. It’s about a girl and her mom who have a special routine on Saturday, the only day the mom doesn’t work. When everything goes wrong, they find a way to be optimistic and still have a great day together.
Just Like Rube Goldberg: The Incredible True Story of the Man Behind the Machines by Sarah Aaronson. I am not always a fan of nonfiction picture books, because some of them include way too much detail and simply aren’t in a good format for kids. This book was AMAZING. My kids and I loved looking at the hilarious machines Goldberg came up with and learning more about his life. I had no idea he was a cartoonist!
A Boy Like You by Frank Murphy. Yes, I included this in the list of books I gave my kids for Christmas, but it’s definitely in my 2019 top 10 list. There are far too few empowering books for boys out there, and I love the messages and illustrations in this one. Buy it for your kids!
Unicorn Day by Diana Murray. I have been on a quest to find unicorn books for my daughter, who absolutely loves them. This one is SO great. It has fun, colorful pictures of unicorns and a fantastic rhyme scheme that begs to be read aloud. It’s also a story of friendship and acceptance when the unicorns discover an impostor at their party.
The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family by Ibtihaj Muhammad. I saw this on Amazon as an upcoming release and waited for months for it to come to my library. It was worth the wait. This story about a girl who watches her sister wear her hijab to school for the first time beautifully illustrates a part of Islam. It also shows the relationship between siblings and students. I really loved this book.
Maybe: A Story About the Endless Potential in All of Us by Kobi Yamada. You have probably seen other inspiring Kobi Yamada books out there, but I think this is his best. It’s about how each person is here at this time for a reason and that we all have limitless potential. The illustrations are also stunning and go along perfectly with the text.
Tallulah Plays the Tuba by Tiffany Stone. Somehow this book escaped notice when it was published. It only has four reviews on Amazon! I laughed and laughed while reading this story about a tiny girl who really wants to play the tuba and won’t take no for an answer when everyone keeps telling her she is too small to hold it. It’s hilarious, but it’s also got a great message about determination.
Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival. Have you noticed a theme for this year? Apparently I really like books that help kids understand and process feelings. I LOVED this story about a little girl and the Worry (who looks like a colorful blob) that follows her around until she learns to talk about it. This would be such a great addition to any classroom.
Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border by Mitali Perkins. There were so many diverse books released this year, and I loved reading them with my kids! This one tells the story of a family visiting their grandmother on the border of California and Mexico for Christmas. Apparently there is a celebration that allows families to meet for a few minutes along the border when they can’t pass into each others’ countries. When the kids realize they can’t give their grandma their gift through the border, they find a unique way to get it to her. This is a sad story but also a hopeful one. It’s a great way to start talking to your kids about immigration.
How to Walk a Dump Truck by Peter Pearson. If you have a vehicle-lover in your house, this quirky book about kids that have a dump truck for a pet will be delightful. My son kept looking at this over and over when we got it from the library, and I ended up buying it for Christmas. Who doesn’t like pictures of dump trucks on a leash and eating nuts and bolts for dinner?
Give me your favorite picture book recommendations! We’re headed to the library this week for something new now that Christmas is over.
