Some of the Year's Best Picture Books from our 2018 Winter Newsletter

David Ezra Stein has a beautiful sense of comic timing (Pouch, Interrupting Chicken) that has not deserted him in his new picture book, in which a bear waking from hibernation—“It was his second year. ‘I’m back!’ he said.”—remembers the terrific taste of honey. Warm and whimsical for the toddler set. Ages 2–5. - Ga

Almost without any effort, it seems, They Say Blue reminds us to start paying attention again to this beautiful world. From the spray of water off a wave to an explosion of crows launching from a field, this jubilant celebration of color and seasons just feels fresh. Caldecott Honor winner Jillian Tamaki has created a picture book that is poetry in motion, with exuberant art that splashes across the page. Lovely. Ages 3–6. - Tera

The masterful art and writing of Caldecott Medal winner Sophie Blackall makes Hello Lighthouse a delight all the way through. Imagining the life of a keeper of a lighthouse, we tend the light, trim the wick, and write letters to a distant wife—who arrives then by ship! Brimming with seaside joy, foggy warnings, and even a shipwreck, this picture book is one I would have loved dearly as a child and do as an adult. One of my favorite books of the year. Ages 3–7. - Tera

Life sparkles in Carmela’s world. It’s her birthday, and she lives in a world full of wishes. Her biggest wish is to finally accompany her brother as he does family chores in the neighborhood. As we follow Carmela’s journey, both in her imagination and on her scooter, we see the reality and cultural richness of her family and neighborhood. It’s a neighborhood where “old women wave smiles” and men “stand around weekend mornings, waiting for work” like her father used to do. Matt de la Peña’s sensitivity to Carmela’s world, and Christian Robinson’s paintings and cutouts of papel picado, make this book one I will read over and over. Ages 3–7. - Noreen

This Duck and That Duck are trying to make sense of their Big Puddle and the ever-changing world around them. And we can’t help but root for them as they learn to swim (“‘How do you know?’ That Duck asked. ‘It just feels like swimming,’ This Duck answered.”) and dip and dunk, and then to run and hop and fly. Once the restless itching sets in, they know it’s time to fly South, wherever that is. By paying attention to others that are “Like us, only not us,” these two duck friends do so much more than just waddle in a line. A kindhearted ode to figuring things out. Ages 3–7. - Michelle

In a dirt field, amidst the cows, a wild and passionate game of soccer (fútbol!) commences, only stopping when the mamas’ calls to dinner become insistent. Full of energy and life, this fun picture book is a tribute to play in all its variations, obstacles, and satisfactions. Baptiste Paul lets us know the field is calling in this vibrant story, set in the Caribbean and relevant everywhere. Ages 3–7. - Tera

Yuyi Morales relates her own immigrant story in this love song to her child, who came with her on the journey to America. We feel the young mother’s wistfulness for the familiar she has left behind, her fearful steps into a brand-new place, the longing that she might be able to belong here too. Morales’s colorful and passionate multimedia art imbues this picture book with the tentative hope of the immigrant. A gorgeous tribute to the bravery of those who cross borders. Ages 3–7. - Tera

Good friends—a frog, a porcupine, and a skunk—go fishing (or at least they call it that) in one of these sweet short stories from award-winning picture book writer and artist Philip Stead. Emotional, sensitive creatures populate this lovely, slower-paced world, which is imbued with a gentle humor. If you liked Frog and Toad, these charming tales will make you feel right at home. Ages 3–7. - Tera

A small, slim child swims at a community pool with his grandmother and her friends. We see the friends (gorgeously illustrated in watercolor, gouache, and ink on brown paper), rotund and dignified and socializing by the side of the pool while Julián swims about. Returning from their ablutions, Julián and his grandmother board a bus. Three dazzling people dressed as mermaids board as well; they are on their way to a parade. Julián is entranced. At home, Julián’s grandmother heads for a bath and Julián has a good idea: he dons feathers, flowers, lipstick, and gauzy curtains. He knows he’s a mermaid and his grandmother, barely pausing, knows it as well, enhancing his joy by giving him her necklace of pearls, a sea-thing gift to complete his transformation. Together, hand in hand, they head out into the world to join a crowd of mermaids, rays, and crustaceans as they parade down the street to the beach and across the sands. Quietly underplayed, a brave and joyous book about unconditional love and acceptance. Ages 4–8. - Ga

In this collection of 20 poems, each placed on oversized pages that can barely contain their dinosaur subjects, David Elliot gives us rollicking species-specific rhymes with just enough information to entice a budding dino-expert-to-be. As if that weren’t fun enough, Matthew Trueman’s lush and earthy illustrations expose every wrinkly fold, spiky tooth, and feathery dinosaur hair. A delight from start to finish, with cool endnotes and a thoughtful chronological organization. Echoes of Jack Prelutsky’s fabulous Tyrannosaurus Was a Beast but for the slightly younger set. Ages 3–7. - Michelle