Board Books | Fiction Picture Books
BOARD BOOKS
Barn in Spring: Out to Explore on the Farm – A Beautiful Story of Togetherness, Adventure and Love (Barn In Seasonal Series)
Griffith, Chambrae, illustrated by Morley, Taia, Cottage Door Press (Editor)
Cottage Door Press
Nominated by: Angie
This sturdy board book will be the perfect story to share over and over again as the seasons move towards spring.
Barn is personified as the caring and protective caretaker. Now that spring has arrived she ushers her animals out to experience the beauty outdoors.
The text has a rhythmic rhyme to it, but the language used is far from simple. Young readers and listeners will soak in rich phrases and words that will have them wondering and learning as they take in the beautiful layered illustrations. But be warned, reading this book out of season will make you yearn for spring!
Eye Guess: A Forest Animal Guessing Game (Who Am I?)
Tildes, Phyllis Limbacher, illustrated by Tildes, Phyllis Limbacher
Charlesbridge
Nominated by: Cindy Mitchell
Interactive board books are sometimes the most fun for our youngest readers, and this book begs readers to play along!
Readers are shown an up-close image of a single eye, in gorgeous detail. The readers job? To guess which animal the eye belongs to! What clues will they use to narrow down their responses? Colors, feathers, shape? They will feel so proud when they call out an animal name, reveal the full image, and see they were correct! A wonderful book for caretakers and children to experience together!
Group Hug!
Sophie Aggett / Anna Terreros-Martin
tiger tales
Publisher/ Author Submission
Have you ever felt alone or scared? There is no better cure than a Group Hug! In this adorable board book, we visit animals around the world that are cheering each other up with… a group hug! The cut out flaps in this book are sure to engage your littles ones and bring a smile to their faces.
My Busy Noisy Day
Sophie Aggett / Malgorzata Detner
tiger tales
Publisher/ Author Submission
Young readers can enjoy pushing up to 26 sound buttons while experiencing a rhyming story about everyday activities familiar to them. From packages arriving at their door to cutting the grass and so much more, there are questions and discussion prompts provided along the way. The illustrations are bright and engaging in this interactive board book. Perfect for the youngest readers.
Our Galaxy: A First Adventure in Space
Lowell Gallion, Sue, Feng, Lisk (Artist)
Phaidon
Nominated by: Nicole
Our Galaxy is a standout in the board book category because it spans a wide range of readership. We often think of board books as texts for our youngest readers, the ones that delight in listening to a story read to them. And while those earliest of readers will be captivated in a journey through space by the stunning artwork and the simply rhyming text, we see there is so much more to the book that will also entertain and inform our elementary readers!
Each spread displays artwork that appears both soft and vibrant at once. Below the picture we see the simply rhyming story one on page, and on the next we find a more complex nonfiction passage full of facts and questions, making this book perfect for a variety of readers. Learn about planets, astronauts, rockets, asteroids, and more! When the book is not being enjoyed in the hands of a reader it can stand on a shelf fanned open to create a beautiful globe.
Teeny Tiendas: The Fruit Shop/La frutería
Heuer, Lourdes, illustrated by González Hoang, Zara
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Joana Pastro
Whether you’re bilingual or not, you’ll love meeting the diverse cast of Teeny Tiendas: The Fruit Shop/La frutería. Bilingual English/Spanish on each page, our littlest kids can learn their fruits!
Who Laid These Eggs?: A Lift-the-Flap Book (An Animal Traces Book)
Gehl, Laura, illustrated by Lora, Loris
Harry N Abrams
Nominated by: Christopher Helton
Curious readers can discover different animal nests and lift the flaps to discover the eggs in them. Also included are simple facts about each of the eight creatures, that are not just birds, featured in this beautifully illustrated nonfiction board book. This lift-flap-book is the perfect size for little hands that will love lifting and closing the flaps over and over again. A great introduction to animals and science for the youngest readers.
FICTION PICTURE BOOKS
Freedom Braids
Duncan, Monique, illustrated by Moses, Oboh
Lantana Publishing
Nominated by: Katy Manck
Based off of historical events, this beautiful fictional story tells about the journey of young Nemy. Nemy is a child slave working in the fields until one day she joins up with Big Mother. Big Mother and some of the other women are planning an escape and using their braids to communicate their plan. They weave in roadways, obstacles, and even seeds to plant when they reach freedom. This incredible book teaches our young readers about one of the most fascinating ways that slaves were able to reach their own freedom.
I Am La Chiva!: The Colorful Bus of the Andes
Hernández, Karol, illustrated by Alvarez Gómez, Lorena
Dial Books
Nominated by: Alexandra Alessandri
If you’re looking for a fun adventure, I Am La Chiva! is for you. Bilingual with a glossary, readers get to ride along with the many people (and their many stories) on the colorful bus.
I am a Masterpiece!
Mia Armstrong; Illustrated by Alexandra Thompson
Random House Books for Young Readers
Publisher/ Author Submission
In this semi-autobiographical story, we get to see the world through the eyes of Mia, a girl with Down syndrome. Readers will enjoy the day-to-day fun and artistic thinking that leads Mia to realize, “I Am a Masterpiece!”
Millie Fleur’s Poison Garden
Mandin, Christy
Orchard Books
Nominated by: Melissa Fox
As Millie arrives into Garden Glen she sees house after house that look exactly the same! Some would argue that this town is perfect, but Millie knows better. Millie knows that this town is missing uniqueness. At her ramshackle home on the hill, Millie decides to plant a garden, but this is no ordinary garden. This Tim Burton-esque garden is like nothing the town has ever seen. Sneezing Stickyweed, Fanged Fairymoss, and Grumpy Gilliflower are just a few plants to be named. At first the towns people are scared and want Millie to get rid of her garden, but then one by one they start to see the beauty in this weird and wild place.
This book is a fantastic reminder that being unique is what truly makes us beautiful.
The Last Zookeeper
Becker, Aaron, illustrated by Becker, Aaron
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Nicole
In this sweeping, breathtaking artistic masterpiece, NOA, a robot with a huge heart for creatures, steps up to save what is left of the world. There has been a catastrophic flood or tsunami that destroyed everything but an abandoned zoo. A few buildings still stand, but the only life seems to be the animals. NOA plans to save them somehow and take them to dryer and better land. The Last Zookeeper has no text, no words, and none are needed. The gorgeous watercolor art tells the story, and readers are able to make the story up for themselves. There is so much to discuss about NOA’s behavior: he, a robot, who has empathy and feelings for living, breathing creatures, so much so, he risked hurting himself to save them. He has hope of finding a better place, of saving all of them, of discovering what is still “out there.” He works tirelessly, using his skills to plan and design a boat capable of bearing the weight of all the zoo animals. He is thrilled to see a new land where the animals can thrive. Genius storytelling through art has never been so masterfully done! Kudos to Aaron Becker for a true WIN.
The Little Red Chair
Ogren, Cathy Stefanec, illustrated by Thompson, Alexandra
Sleeping Bear Press
Nominated by: Hilary Margitich
Little Mia spots a tired little upholstered chair in the widow of an antique store. And while Mia’s mother isn’t as enamored with the chair, she agrees to purchase it. Mia and her mother lovingly restore the chair with new upholstery and a coat of polish. This little red chair becomes a warm and safe space for Mia to read and play and eat and dream. The chair feels bliss in its new-found life with Mia. But as time does, it marches on and changes Mia along with its passing. The little red chair finds itself no longer holding Mia, just the items she places there as she moves about her life. The little red chair is ultimately retired to the attic, to collect dust as a mere memory.
With a beautiful circular ending, one day a young girl, looking an awful lot like little Mia, finds the red chair in the attic. And wouldn’t you know it, she falls in love with it. This sweet story was inspired by a real life little red chair, an antique salesman’s sample that was found in a New England antique shop. Brought to life with detailed, gentle illustrations, this story will be a hit with those that see the beauty within.
The Little Regent
Yewande Daniel-Ayoade/Ken Daley
Owlkids Books
Publisher/ Author Submission
Drawing on Yoruba tradition, The Little Regent tells the story of Abioye, the 8-year-old daughter of a West African king who is made regent of the village after her father’s death. During the mourning period, while her advisers talk taxes and titles, Abioye heeds her father’s teachings that the best rulers are those who first learn to serve. Under her ideas and with her support, the village flourishes, leading the people to elect Abioye as the village’s first female king despite her youth. This uplifting feminist fable reminds us that actions speak louder than words, that true leaders do what is best for their people, even if it is not refined or glamorous, and that even the smallest among us can make valuable contributions.