New York Times Best Sellers

 

Woodson, J. (2018). The Day You Begin. Nancy Paulsen Books. 

This heartwarming story is about the first day of school and all the worries that go with it.  A little girl is going to school and worries about the fact that she may not see anyone who looks like her.  When she goes in she discovers that everyone is different and that is ok.  The illustrations in this book are vibrant and inviting.  The illustrator also used collaged patterns and textures that add interest to the pictures.  These illustrations compliment the author's lyrical writing style.  This book could be used on the first day of school to promote empathy and inclusion.  

Other books by Jacqueline Woodson include: Brown Girl Dreaming, Each Kindness, and Before the Ever After. 

Rosenthal, A., & Rosenthal, P. (2017). Dear Girl,. HarperCollins. 

This beautifully written book is a letter to the special girl in your life.  Each page is filled with encouraging and inspirational thoughts to lift the spirit of any girl in any situation.  The illustrations are simple yet effective mixed media creations.  This book could be used to promote confidence in young girls and makes a great gift book.  

Other books by Amy Rosenthal include: That’s Me Loving You, I Wish You More, and Uni the Unicorn.  

Higgins, R. (2018). We Don’t Eat Our Classmates. Disney-Hyperion.

This hilarious picture book follows dinosaur Penelope Rex on her journey to make friends.  Penelope tries very hard to be friends with the humans but they are so delicious!  Soon Penelope gets a taste of her own medicine.  This plot twist ending is sure to have you laughing.  The illustrations are bright and entertaining.  This book is perfect for discussing friendships and self reflection of behavior.  This delightful and amusing picture book is perfect for any library or collection.  

Other books by Ryan T. Higgins includes: Mother Bruce, BE QUIET!, and Hotel Bruce. 

John, J. (2017). The Bad Seed. Harper Collins.

This story is about a bad seed and how he became that way.  When the story starts the bad seed tells you of his many faults: cutting in line, littering, and being late to everything.  Over the course of the book the reader discovers that the bad seed is changing and isn’t so bad anymore.  The watercolor illustrations are simple but effective in telling the story.  This book is a great way to teach students about kindness, manners, and reputations.  It can also show students that everyone makes mistakes and everyone can change for the better.  

Other books by Jory John include: The Good Egg, The Cool Bean, and The Couch Potato.

Penfold, A. (2018). All Are Welcome. Knopf Books for Young Readers.

This inclusive picture book follows a group of children through a day at their school.  Every student that is present is different but included.  This book celebrates the students and their different cultural backgrounds.  The illustrations are colorful and show a wide array of cultures and abilities.  The text is poetic and includes the refrain “all are welcome” on each page.  Every child is going to see themselves represented in this book.  This story could be used on the first day or week of school to build a classroom community.  This book could also be used to promote inclusivity and diversity in the classroom.

Other books by Alexandra Penfold include: Big Feelings, The Littlest Viking, and Food Truck Fest!

Ho, J. (2021). Eyes that Kiss in the Corners. HarperCollins.

In this book a little girl notices that her eyes look different from her friends.  The other girls have large, round eyes with long lashes.  She has eyes that kiss in the corners.  She then realizes that her eyes look like her mother, grandmother, and sister.  As she observes the women around her she begins to appreciate her differences and the stories that her eyes tell.  The lovely, detailed illustrations show the beauty of the Asian culture and the love of this family.  This book is perfect to promote diversity and inclusion in the classroom.  This would also be a good conversation starter for self love and confidence.  

Other books by Joanna Ho include: Eyes that Speak to the Stars and Playing at the Border: A Story of Yo-Yo Ma. 

Cherry, M. (2019). Hair Love. Kokila.

This story is about a little girl named Zuri who has hair with a mind of its own.  She wakes up one morning and wants a special hair style because it is a special day.  Her father tried several styles with no success until finally creating “funky, puff buns”.  When her mother arrives home to see her beautiful hair she is impressed.  In the end Zuri realizes that her hair is a part of her parents and she loves it, it is “hair love”.  The illustrations are appealing and brightly colored.  They depict the loving relationship between a father and his daughter.  This book could be used to teach diversity and self love.  A perfect addition for any library.  

Lang, S. (2018). Grumpy Monkey. Random House Books for Young Readers. 

In this story a monkey named Jim wakes up and discovers that nothing is going right.  As he sees each of his friends they bring attention to his body language and ask him why he is grumpy.  He tells them he is NOT grumpy.  Then his friends try to give him advice on how to not be grumpy and tell him he should be enjoying the beautiful day.  Ultimately Jim gets upset and storms off.  His friend has a run in with a porcupine and is having a grumpy day too.  The two characters meet and sit quietly thinking about their grumpy day and find comfort in their shared experience.  The bright watercolor illustrations show the animals enjoying their day.  This book could be used to teach feelings and having empathy towards others.  Students can also use this text to share their connections to grumpy days.  

Other books by Suzanne Lang include: Grumpy Monkey Party Time, Grumpy Monkey Up All Night, and Hooray for Kids.  

Byers, G. (2018). I Am Enough. Balzer + Bray.

This lyrical picture book tells of self love and positivity.  This simple yet powerful text gives examples of being your best in your daily life such as: singer, fighter, and helper. It also talks of joining together when things are hard and helping each other.  The characters are diverse and female.  The illustrations have detailed pictures of the girls with simple crayon lined backgrounds.  This book could be used to teach self esteem and kindness.    

Other books by Grace Byers include: I Believe I Can.

de la Pena, M. (2021). Milo Imagines the World. G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young 

Readers.

In this story a boy named Milo is taking his monthly subway journey to an unknown location.  As he rides the subway he imagines the lives of the subway riders around him and draws their imaginated lives.  He imagines a group of break dancers being followed around in a high end store.  A wedding dress lady getting married to a man at a glamorous location.  Then he notices another young boy with a suit on and imagines him living a perfect life in a castle.  Then Milo reaches his destination and sees the same boy getting off at the same stop.  Milo has arrived at a prison where he is visiting his mother and the boy is visiting someone too.  Milo then realizes that you can’t know who someone is just by looking at them.  The illustrator uses cut-paper collage artwork and childlike crayon drawings to depict Milo’s imaginated stories.  This picture book could be used to teach students about empathy and compassion for the hardships that others may face.  

Other books by Matt de la Pena include: Last Stop on Market Street and Carmela Full of Wishes.

 

Caldecott Winners

Klassen, J. (2012). This Is Not My Hat. Candlewick. 

This humorous picture book is about a small fish who thinks he has gotten away with taking another fish's hat. This story follows the small fish on his getaway journey and the large fish on the hunt for his hat. This book tells its tale through the two page spread artwork which makes it easy for all to enjoy. The ending is inferred through the pictures and the facial expressions of the big fish. This book would be a great tool for teaching inferring. The short simple sentences allow the reader to infer what is happening in the story. A great read for any age.

2013  Caldecott Medal Winner

Other books by Jon Klassen include: I Want My Hat Back and We Found a Hat.

Wiesner, D. (2006). Flotsam. Clarion Books.

In this wordless picture book a boy goes to the beach to collect things that have been washed ashore. There he discovers an old barnacle covered camera. He decides to have the film developed and discovers a whole new world in the pictures. Then he sees a picture of a child holding a picture of another child, and another, and another and so on. He finally gets a microscope and discovers the children go far back into time to the turn of the century. The boy then takes his own picture with the picture of the other children and returns the camera to the sea. This incredible picture book has intriguing pictures that can be studied for clues to tell the story and let your imagination take over. This book is wonderful for teaching inferring and allows children to explore the pictures and interpret the story on their own. This story should not be missed and is perfect for children and adults alike.

2007 Caldecott Medal Winner
Other books by David Wiesner include: Tuesday, The Three Pigs, and Hurricane.

Briggs Martin, J. (1998). Snowflake Bentley. Houghton Mifflin.

This story is about a Vermont farmer's son who is curious about snow and snowflakes. This story follows Wilson Bentley on his quest to take a picture of a snowflake before it melts. He begs his parents for a special camera with a microscope that can catch the image of a snowflake before it melts. He spends much of his time out in the snow taking pictures despite the amused stares from his neighbors. He ultimately discovers that no two snowflakes are alike and his images are put into a book that is still used today. This beautifully illustrated picture book also includes sidebars with additional facts about Bentley’s life. The lyrical text is a wonderful tribute to the Vermont farmer who taught us so much about snow. This biography is perfect for teaching that persistence pays off and to do what you love.

1999 Caldecott Medal Winner
Other books by Jacqueline Briggs Martin include: Begin with a Bee, Bim, Bam, Bop, and Creekfinding: A True Story.

Bunting, E. (1994). Smoky Night. Harcourt.

This story is set during the riots in Los Angeles, and follows a young boy and his mother through their journey that night. Daniel and his mother have to leave his apartment where it is not safe because of a fire and go to a shelter in the middle of the night amidst the chaos around him. Daniel witnesses stealing and burning of the neighborhood he lives in. Along on the journey with Daniel and his mother is Daniel’s cat. Mrs. Kim, their neighbor, who Daniel says is mean also has brought her own cat to the shelter. At first the cats do not get along but then they are friendly. This shows Daniel how he too can be friendly with others even amid the anger and violence around him. The artwork in this book consists of collages made out of items that you may find in the street in the aftermath of the riot. This adds interest to the darkly outlined pictures throughout the book. This book is a great segway into important discussions with our children about the L.A. riots. This book can also be used to teach kindness and empathy for others.

1995 Caldecott Medal Winner
Other books by Eve Bunting include: One Green Apple, Gleam and Glow, and A Day’s Work.

Yolen, J. (1987). Owl Moon. Philomel.

In this story you will follow a father and his little girl through the late night woods to go owling. The little girl talks about how to call the owls and hopes for a reply or even a sighting. As they are looking for an owl she describes the beautifully cold landscape around her. The illustrator uses a cool watercolor palette of blues and browns to give the reader a feeling of a cold winter night in a rural community. This story is perfect for teaching about family relationships and exploring the world around you. This poetic story is delightful for readers of all ages and not to be missed.

1988 Caldecott Medal Winner
Other books by Jane Yolen include: Crow Not Crow and the How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight series.

Santat, D. (2014). The Adventures of Beekle. Little, Brown.

This story starts in a faraway magical place where imaginary friends are born. We see an imaginary friend who is patiently waiting for his kid. Over and over he gets passed up and decides to take matters into his own hands. He sets off for the city in hopes of finding a friend. Surrounded by the drab city background he comes across a brightly colored place filled with children, a playground. There he meets his new friend and gets his very own name. This story includes brightly colored mixed media illustrations to delight your imagination. This book could be used to teach children about friendship and how to reach out to make new friends. A perfect addition to any library.

2015 Caldecott Medal Winner
Other books by Dan Santat include: After the Fall, Are We There Yet?, and Drawn Together.

Lindstrom, C. (2020). We Are Water Protectors. Roaring Brook Press.

This beautifully written story from the indigenous tribes tells of protecting the earth’s water. In this picture book the author explains how we must protect the water from the “black snake” that threatens to destroy it. The black snake is inferred as the pipelines that threaten native lands in the United States. This lyrical story is a cry for help in the fight to protect the earth who cannot protect itself. The author includes people from all walks of life and concludes that we are all protectors of the water. The illustrator uses watercolor pictures to depict the flow of the water throughout the story. This story could be used to teach about conservation as well as learning about indigenous people. This book is a must read for all who care for our earth.

2021 Caldecott Medal Winner
Other books by Carole Lindstrom include: Girls Dance, Boys Fiddle and Cuthbert Grant.

Levine, E. (2007). Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad.
        Scholastic Press.

This incredible story is about a man named Henry “Box” Brown who mailed himself to the north to escape slavery. This story starts with Henry as a boy whose owner dies and instead of granting his freedom leaves him to his son. Henry then grows into a man who watches his wife and children sold out from under him. He then makes the courageous decision to escape the south and slavery. Henry, with the help of his friends, loads himself into a large crate and embarks on a 27 hour journey on a train and a steamboat to reach Philadelphia and freedom. The illustrator uses crosshatched pencil lines layered with watercolor and oil paints to convey a look of old age. These powerful images give you a peek into the life and journey of Henry Brown. At the end of the story is a brief note from the author confirming facts about the story. Also it gives the reader more answers to questions they might have after reading this story. This book could be used to teach about the underground railroad and the many lives effected by slavery.

2008 Caldecott Medal Winner
Other books by Ellen Levine include: In Trouble and If You Lived with the Iroquois.

Pilkey, D. (1996). The Paperboy. Orchard Books.

This story is about a boy and his dog waking early in the morning for his paper route. The boy goes through his morning routine of dressing, preparing the papers, and loading his bag. He then takes off on his route with his dog at his side to deliver the papers in the cool morning air. Along his route that he knows by heart he thinks of big and little things. When he is finished with his deliveries he returns home to his still warm bed and goes back to sleep. This story has short simple sentences and lovely illustrations. The illustrator portrays the darkness of night in the dark colors of his pictures which slowly brighten as the paperboy's morning goes on which gives the illusion of the sun rising. This beautifully written story can be used to teach about community, the importance of work, and responsibility.

1997 Caldecott Medal Winner
Other books by Dav Pilkey include: Dogzilla, Kat Kong, and the Dog Man series

Rylant, C. (1993). The Relatives Came. Aladdin.

This heartwarming story tells of the summer when the relatives came to visit. It starts with the long journey from Virginia when the relatives grapes were just starting to ripen. The relatives stay all summer eating all the melons and helping tend the garden. The author talks of people crammed into the house and loving the time that they spend together playing games and musical instruments. The story ends with the relatives packing up their car and heading back home. The illustrations are simple, classic pencil drawings that depict happy times with the relatives. This book could be used to teach connections students may have to families, love, and visits with extended family.

1986 Caldecott Medal Winner
Other books by Cynthia Rylant include: Dog Heaven, When I was Young in the Mountains, and the Mr. Putter and Tabby series.