Children's Books read in 2025

 PICTURE BOOKS

Catchpole, Lucy and James. You’re so amazing!  Being singled out doesn’t always feel amazing.  

Illus. Karen George. NY: Little Brown, 2023.  (2025 Schneider Family book award)

Coppe, Marianna.       A brave cat.  San Francisco, CA: Chronicle books, 2022.

Engle, Margarita. Eloisa’s musical window. Illus. John Parra. NY: Atheneum BFYR, 2024.

            (2025 Golden Kite illustration award, Notable social studies trade books for young

 people.) 

Jeffers, Oliver.  There’s a ghost in this house. NY and Great Britain: Philomel books/

 HarperCollins, 2021.  (Oversize book with transparent inserts which place ghosts 

onto the illustrations.) 

Kane, Karen and Jonaz McMillon. Monster Hands. Illus. Dion Mbd/ NY: Nancy Paulson Books/

 Penguin Random House, 2024. (2025 ALA Schneider honor book) (sign language)

Kurpiel, Sarah. A little like magic. NY: Rocky Pond books/ Penguin Random house, 2024.

            (2025 Schneider book award)  (wheelchair bound/ Ice show) 

Maclear, Kyo. Noodles on a bicycle.  Illus. Gracey Zhang. NY: Random house studio, 2024.

            (2025 Caldecott Honor book) 

Matias, Carlos.  Emergency Quarters. Illus. Gracey Zhang. NY: Katherine Tegen Books/

            HarperCollins, 2024. (2025 Ezra Jack Keats Honor book) 

McGinty, Alice. Bathe the cat. Illus. David Roberts. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle books, 2021.

MO, Cherry.  Home in a lunchbox.  NY: Penguin workshop/ Penguin Random, 2024.

            (2025 Caldecott Honor book.)

Newman, Leslea. Joyful Song, a naming story. Illus. Susan Gal. Montclair: Levine Querido/ 

Chronicle Books, 2024.  (2025 Sydney Taylor picture book honor award)

Robinson, Casey. Small things mended. Illus. Nancy Whitesides. NY: Rocky Pond Books/ 

            Penguin Random House, 2024.  (2025 Golden Kite award finalist) 

Rogers, Andrea.    Chooch helped. Illus. Rebecca Lee Kunz. Montclair:  Levine Querido,

 2024. (2025 Caldecott Medal)

Rubin, Adam. Robo-sauce. Illus. Daniel Salmier. NY: Dial BFYR/ Penguin books, 2015.

            (Evidently the special part of this book are large fold-out pages, which are missing. The

 last few pages needing to be read back to front and upside down – also confusing.)

Seales, Stephanie. My daddy is a cowboy. Illus. C.G. Espenamza. NY: Abrams, 2024.

            (Darkly illustrated in deep blues, I never did figure out how her daddy is a cowboy.

 Lyrically written, they just take a ride through city streets in the early morning. It’s the 

illustrations that won the award - 2025 Caldecott Honor Book.)

Suddendorf, April. Wacky witches and their peculiar familiars.  Zurich, Switzerland: NordSug

 Verlag, 2023. (NY: NorthSouth Books, 2023.) (2025 Sydney Taylor picture book honor

 award)

Underwood, Deborah. A mouse family Christmas.   Illus. Leah Hong. NY: Little Brown, 2024.

            The man who didn’t like animals. Illus. LeUyen Pham. NY: Clarion books/ HaperCollins, 

2024.  (before there was Old Macdonald, there was…)  (Golden Kite Award)

Wedlick, Seina. Night Market.  Illus. Briana Mukodiri Uchendu. NY: Random House studio, 

2024. (2025  Golden Kite award, author award) 

 

NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS

 

J 560.922        Kurtz, Jane. The Bone Wars, the true story of an epic battle to find dinosaur 

 fossils. Illus. Alexander Vidal. NY: Beach Lane Books, 2023.

(CBC / NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book)

J 629.1            Roth, Jonathan.  Almost Underwear, how a piece of cloth traveled from Kitty

 Hawk to the moon and mars. NY: Christy Ottaviano Books/ Little, Brown and Co, 2024. 

(2025 ALSC Notable Book award, Junior Library Guild nonfiction award)   

J 973.4            Albee, Sarah. The painter and the president, Gilbert Stuart’s brush with George

 Washington. Illus Stacy Innerst. (2025 Golden Kite Award honor)

 

PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHIES:

            

JB Abzug        Aronson, Sarah. Abzuglutely! Battling, bellowing Bella Abzug. NY: Calkins 

Creek/ Astra Books for young readers, 2024. 

JB Baldwin.    Meadows, Michelle. Jimmy’s rhythm & blues – the extraordinary life of James 

Baldwin.  Illus. Jamiel Law. NY: HarperCollins, 2024.

(2025 Coretta Scott King award, and the John Steptoe New talent illustrator award)

JB Googoosh  Westergaard, Azadeh.  The one and only Googoosh, Iran’s beloved superstar. 

 NY: Viking, 2024. (2025 Golden Kite Award for Illustration) 

JB Herschel.    Turner, Pamela. Comet Chaser, the true Cinderella story of Caroline Herschel,

 the first professional woman astronomer. Illus. Vivien Mildenbergr.  San Francisco, CA:

 Chronicle books, 2024. (2025 Golden Kite Award honor)

JB Lewis.        Cline-Ransome, Lisa. Fighting with Love, the legacy of John Lewis. Illus. James

 E. Ransome (her husband who illustrates many of her books). NY: Simon & Schuster

 books for young readers, 2024.    (2025 Golden Kite Finalist)

JB Mills          Mills, Billy and Donna Janell Bowman. Wings of an Eagle. Illus. S.D. Nelson.

            NY: Little, Brown and Co, 2024.   (2025 Robert F. Sibert Honor book, ALSC Notable

 books, and American Indians in children’s literature award.)   

JB Rumi          Khelriyeh, Rashin. Rumi, poet of joy and love. North/South books, 2023, 2024.

            (2025 Golden Kite Award)

JB Tabei.         Vasuda, Anita. Up, up, ever up! Junko Tabei a life in the mountains. Illus. Yuko

 Shimizu. NY: Clarion/ HarperCollins, 2024. (2025 Caldecott Honor book)

JB Wells         Johnson, Dinah. Ida B. Wells marches for the vote. Illus. Jerry Jordan. 

NY: Christy Ottaviano Books/ Little Brown & Co. 2024.      (2025 Golden Kite honor) 

 

I CAN READ

 

 

J – FICTION :

 

Arnold, Elana. Harriet tells the truth.  NY: HarperCollins/ Waldon Books Press, 2024.

            (2025 Sid Fleischman Humor Award.)

Bow, Erin.  Simon sort of says.  NY, CA: Disney/ Hyperion, 2023.

            (2024 Newbery Honor, Schneider family book award honor, National Book 

Award longlist.) 

Fagan, Deva. A game of noctis. NY: Atheneum BFYR, 2024. (Texas Lone Star reading list)

Kelly, Erin Entrada. The first state of being. NY: Greenwillow books, 2024.

            (2025 Newbery award.  A great time travel book, much better than the previous time

 travel Newbery, which was: When you reach me by Rebecca Stead. Keeping in mind that 

different Newbery Award committees have different tastes in books.)

Gardner, PJ.       The Great Zoodini. Illus David Mottram.  NY: Balzer+Bray/

 HarperCollins, 2024. (2025 Sid Fleischman Humor Award.)

Harrier, Ash.   The Deadly Daylight. NY: Holiday House, 2024. 

(first published in Australia in 2022.) 

Knudson, Michelle. Into the Wild Magic. Summerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2025.

Mendez, Yamile Saied.  The Reel Wish. NY: Tu Books/ Lee & Low books, 2025.

Nayeri, Daniel. The Teacher of Nomad Land, a World War II story. Montclair:  Levine Querido,

 2025.  (2025 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.) 

Rundell, Katherine. Impossible Creatures. Illus. Ashley Mackenzie. NY: Knopf, 2023. 

Sepetys, Ruta and Steve Sheinkin. The Bletchley Riddle , a house of secrets, a war of codes. 

NY: Viking/ Penguin Randomhouse, 2024. 

(based on the real breaking of the German codes during WW2.  Jointly written from a

 girl’s and a boy’s point of view in alternate chapters.)

Smith, Cynthia Leitich.  On a wing and a tear. NY: Heartdrum/ HarperCollins, 2024.

            (2025 Sid Fleischman Award for humor.)  (Internet friend from the 1990s, Vermont 

College Faculty member, and Native American writer/editor) 

Underwood, Deborah. The fairy tale fixers – Cinderella. (Graphic Novel) Illus. Jorge Lacera.

            NY:  Clarion/ Harper Collins, 2025. 

Yee, Lisa. The misfits – a copycat conundrum.(book 2)  Illus. Dan Santat. NY: Random House,

 2025.

 

YA FICTION:

 

Collins, Suzanne.  Sunrise on the Reaping. NY: Scholastic Press, 2025

            (Haymitch’s story – how he won the The Second Quarter Qwell, the 50^th year of the

 ‘games’ when FOUR are chosen from each district to kill each other in the arena.)

Springer, Nancy.  Enola Holmes and the mark of the Mongoose. NY:  Wednesday Books/ 

            St. Martin’s Publishing group, 2023.

 

   

J and Y NONFICTION 

 

J 510.92          Wallmark, Laurie. Numbers in motion, Sophie Kowalevski, queen of mathematics.

 Illus. Yevgenia Nayberg.  Berkley, CA: Creston Books, 2020.  

Children's books I read in 2024

 Some years ago a writer friend challenged us to read 100 books in a year.  Well, since I retired, I've been reading more -- this year I actually counted and it was over 300 books.  

Here's the list of Children's books I read in 2024: 

PICTURE BOOKS

             

Bingham, Winsome. The Walk. Illus. E.B. Lewis. NY: Abrams BFYR, 2023. 

Brown, Tameka Fryer. That Flag. Illus. Nikkolas Smith. NY: Harper, 2023.

Cohen, Tziporah  and Yaara Eshet.  Afikomen. Toronto, Canada: Groundwood Books, 2023.

Frazee, Marla. In Every Life. NY: Beach Lane Books, 2023.  (2024 Caldecott Award)

Genhart, Michael. Spanish is the language of my family. Illus. John Parra.  NY: Neal Porter

books/ Holiday House, 2023.

George, Karen.  What happened to you?  NY: Little Brown and Co, 2021.

            (2024 Schneider Book Award.  This has an excellent page in back that helps an adult

 handle it when their child asks that question)

Giddens, Rhiannon. We could Fly. Illus Briana Mukodiri Uchendu. Sommerville, MA:

            Candlewick Press, 2023. (2024 Corretta Scott King Award)

Gilbert, Frances. Can you hug a forest? Ills. Amy Heuron. NY: Beach Lane books, 2003.

Harrison, Vashti.  BIG. NY: Little Brown and Co, 2023.  

(2024 Corretta Scott King Illus. honor, Corretta Scott King Illus. author Award,

 Caldecott Award.)

Hedlund, Julie. Song after song – the musical life of Julie Andrews. NY: Little Bee books, 2023.

HO, Richard. Two New Years. Illus. Lynn Scurfield. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2023.

            (2024 Sydney Taylor Award)

Hopkinson, Deborah. Cinderella and a mouse called Fred. NY: Anne Swartz books/ Random 

House, 2023. 

Lazar, Tara. Flat Cat. Illus. Pete Oswald. NY: Flamingo/ Penguin, 2023. (2024 

Leung, Julie. The Truth about Dragons. Illus. Hanna Cha.     NY: Henry Holt and Co, 2023.

            (2024 Caldecott honor book & Asian American Picture Book Award)

Que, Joanna and Charina Marquez. Dancing Hands, a story of friendship in Filipino sign

 language. Illus. Fran Alvarez. Translated by Karen Llagas. San Francisco: Chronicle

 books, 2023. (2024 Schneider Book Award) 

Reynolds, Jason. There was a party for Langston, king o’ Letters. Illus Jerome and Jarrett

 Pumphrey. NY: Atheneum Books for young readers, 2023. (2024 Corretta Scott King

 honor award for illustrators, 2024 Caldecott honor award.)

Rogers, Kim. A letter for Bob.  Illus: Johathan Nelson. NY: Heartdrum/ HarperCollins, 2023.

            (2024 American Indian Youth Honor Book.  Bob is the family car)

    ….   Just like Grandma. Illus. Julie Flett. NY: Heartdrum/ HarperCollins, 2023.

            (2024 – Ezra Jack Keats Award)

Sotomayer, Sonia. Just ask! Be different, be brave, be you. Illus. Rafrel Lopez. NY: Philomel 

books/ Penguin, 2019. Each disadvantaged child talks a bit about their disability with

 their last sentence leading into the next child’s part.

Subramaniam, Suma. The runaway Dosa. Illus Parvati Pillal. NY: Little Bee books, 2023.

Tabor, Corey R.  Simon and the better bone. NY: Balzer + Bray/ HarperCollins, 2023. 

            (unusual placement of words and pictures. Based on Aesop’s ‘The dog and his reflection”

 by holding the book sidewise you realize that the bottom page actually shows a 

reflection of the dog on each double page spread. 

Thompkins-Bigelow, Jamilah. Salat in secret. Illus. Hatem Aly. NY: Random house studio, 

2023.  (2024 Golden Kite) 

Trejo, Jesus. Papa’s magical water-jug clock. Illus. Eliza Kinkz. (no address): Menerva/ Astra 

BFYR, 2023. (2024 Pura Bel Pre Award)

Wallmark, Laurie. Rivka’s presents. Illus. Adelina Lirius. NY: Random house, 2023

Weissman, Elissa Brent.  Hanukkah upside down. Illus. Omer Hoffmann. NY: Abrams Books for

 young readers, 2023. (2024 Sydney Taylor Award)

Wynter, Anne. Nell plants a tree. Illus. Daniel Miyares. NY: Balzer + Bray/ HarperCollins, 

2023.   (2024 Ezra Jack Keats Award) 

 

NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS

 

J 306.362        Alexander, Kwame. An American story.  Illus. Dare Coulter. NY: Little Brown &

 Co, 2023. (2024 Corretta Scott King picture book award)

J 551.09          Fox, Janet. Volcano Dreams a story of Yellowstone. Illus. Marlo Garnsworthy. Berkeley, CA: Web of Life Children’s Books, 2018.

J595.77           Heavenrich, Sue. 13 ways to eat a fly. Illus. David Clark.  Watertown, MA: 

Charlesbridge, 2021.  (too many spiders for me)

J595.78           Burns, Loree Griffin. One long line, marching caterpillars and the scientists who 

followed them. Illus. Jamie Green. Sommerville, MA: MIT kids press/ Candlewick press,

 2024. 

J597.92           Montgomery, Sy and Matt Patterson.  The book of turtles. NY: Harper Collins,

 2023.  (2024 Robert F. Sibert award.) 

J598.42           Salas, Laura Purdie.  Finding Family, the duckling raised by Loons. Illus. 

Alexandria Neonakis. Minneapolis, MN: Millbroook Press/ Lerner, 2023. 

(2024 Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book.)

J813.54           Kunkel, Angela Burke. Make Way – the story of Robert McCloskey, Nancy Schon, 

and some very famous ducklings. NY: Random house studio, 2023.

 (2024 SCBWI Golden Kite award finalist) Although the book does mention several other

 places in the world where Schon’s sculptures of the famous ducklings march, it doesn’t mention my favorite – Just outside the Westview Mall in Baltimore County, MD, near the White Marsh branch of Baltimore County Public Libraries.  

J940.548         Boxer, Elisa. Hidden hope, how a toy and a hero saved lives during the 

Holocaust. Illus. Amy June Bates.  NY: Abrams BFYR, 2023. (2024 Sydney Taylor 

Honor book award, 2024 Junior Library Guild)

 

I CAN READ

 

Bailey, Jenn. Henry, like always. Illus. Mike Song.  San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 2023. 

            (2024 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, 2024 Schneider Book Award.)

Tabor, Corey R. Fox has a problem.  NY: Balzer & Bray, 2023. (2024 Theodor Seuss Geisel

 Award)

Windness, Kaz. Worm and Caterpillar are friends.  NY: Simon Spotlight, 2023.

            (2024 Theodor Seuss Geisel honor book)

 

J – FICTION :

 

Anderson, M.T. (Tobin)  Elf Dog & Owl Head. Illus. Junyi Wu. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick 

Press, 2023.  (2024 Newbery Honor Book)

Bow, Erin. Simon sort of says. NY: Disney/ Hyperion, 2023. (2024 Newbery Honor book,

 Schneider Book Award)

Bell, Cece.  El Deafo, superpowered edition. NY: Amulet books, 2023.

            (Graphic novel.  Won the 2015 Newbery honor medal and Eisner Award. Also 2024

 Odyssey Recordings Award) 

Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker. The Night War. NY: Dial books/ PenguinRandom House, 2024.

            (Two times Newbery honor winner – and this one might get her a third.)

Brockenbrough, Martha. To catch a thief. NY: Scholastic press, 2023. (2024 Sid Fleischman 

Award for humor.  Unfortunately, it’s not funny, It’s a good read. It’s a good mystery,

 but it’s not funny. I really don’t understand what humor the committee saw in this.)

Choldenko, Gennifer. The tenth mistake of Hank Hooperman.  NY: Alfred A Knopf, 2024.

            (excellent, although it ends positively, it made me cry = twice.) 

Clayton, Dhonielle. The memory Thieves, a conjuror novel. (book 2) NY: Henry Holt & Co., 

2023. 

Coe, Victoria.  Fenway and the loudmouth bird, Make way for Fenway series. Illus. Joanne 

Lew-Vriethoff. NY: Putnam/ Random, 2023.  (2024 Golden Kite) 

Durst, Sarah Beth.  The spellshop, it takes a village to open a heart, and just one man to steal it.

NY: Bramble Book/ Tor, 2024.  (Catalogued as Adult Fiction in San Diego, but it read 

like a nice, clean young romance/ fantasy and I would have put it in either Youth (middle 

school) or YA)

    ….   Spy Ring, can two friends find the treasure hidden by George Washington’s female spy?

            NY: Clarion Books/ HarperCollins, 2024. (Catalogued as J Fiction)

Ecton, Emily. The great vandal scandal, companion to the Great pet heist. Illus. David Mottram.

            NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2023.  (2024 Golden Kite) 

Eggers, Dave. The eyes & the impossible. NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 2023.

            (2024 Newbery honor Award)

Hopson, Nasugraq Rainey. Eagle drums. NY: Roaring Brook Press, 2023. (2024 Newbery Honor

 Book, American Indian in youth literature Award Honor, Notable book for a global

 society, and more.  Based on an Alaskan folktale by a Native American Inuplaq)

Magoon, Kekla. The Secret Library. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick, 2024.
            (I predict lots of awards for this book, along with some controversy from the book

 burners.)

Nayeri, Daniel. The many assassinations of Samir, the seller of dreams.  Illus. Daniel Miyares. 

Montclair: Levine Querido, 2023.  (2024 Newbery Honor book)  

Noah, Trevor. Into the uncut grass. Illus. Sabina Hahn.  NY: One World/ Random House, 2024.

Phlean, Matt.  A snow day for Plum!  NY: Greenwillow books/ HarperCollins, 2023.

Pla, Sally. The fire, the water, and Maudie McGinn.  NY: HarperCollins childrens, 2023.
            (2024 ALA Schneider Book Award, and The One Book San Diego 2024)

Springer, Nancy.  The case of the peculiar pink fan, an Enola Holmes Mystery. NY: Philomel

 books, 2008.  (now a movie along with the other Enola movies)

Strange, Lucy.  Sisters of the lost marsh. NY: Chicken House/ Scholastic, 2021.

Valentine, Nicole.  A time traveler’s theory of relativity.  Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books, 

2019.  (A great read for time traveling fans)

Yee, Lisa. The Misfits – a royal conundrum. (book 1) NY: Random House, 2024.

 

 

YA FICTION:

 

Boyce, Kristy. Dungeons and Drama. NY: Delacourt Press/ Random House, 2024.

            (Even if you never have played D&D and never have participated in running a Play,

 you’ll love this.) 

   

J and Y NONFICTION 

 

            

J 152.14          Perron, Lisa Varchol. Patterns everywhere. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press, 

2023.  (2024 Golden Kite award, finalist)

J 364.16          Day, Nicholas.  The Mona Lisa vanishes - a legendary painter, a shocking heist, 

and the birth of a global celebrity.  Illus. Brett Helquist. NY: Random House Studio, 

2023.  (2024 Robert F Sibert Informational book award, Notable Children’s Books 

award, Boston Globe/ Horn Book Award.)

J 614.518        Hopkinson, Deborah.  The deadliest diseases then and now (true stories in focus).

 NY: Focus/ Scholastic, 2021.  

J 910.452        Sandler, Martin. Shipwrecked! Diving for hidden time capsules on the ocean 

floor. Astra Young Readers, 2023.  (2024 Robert F Sibert Informational book award)

J 940.64864    Fleming, Candace.  The Enigma girls, how ten teenagers broke ciphers, kept 

secrets, and helped win World War II. NY: Scholastic Focus, 2024. 

(2024 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Robert F. Sibert honor book, Los Angeles Times book prize for Young Adult literature.)

 

PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHIES:

 

JB Abzug        Aronson, Sarah. Abzuglutely! Battling, bellowing Bella Abzug. NY: Calkins 

Creek/ Astra Books for young readers, 2024. 

JB Baker.        McDaniel, Breanna. Go forth and Tell – the life of Augusta Baker, librarian and

 master storyteller. Illus. April Harrison. NY: Dial Books/ PenguinRandom, 2024.

JB Bartali        Hoyt, Megan. Bartali’s Bicycle, the true story of Gino Bartali, Italy’s secret hero.

 NY: Quill Tree Books / HarperCollins, 2021. 

JB Cage           Rogers, Lisa. Beautiful Noise, the music of John Cage. Illus. Ill Sung Na. 

            NY: Anne Schwartz books/ Penguin Random, 2023. (2024 Golden Kite Honor)

JB Caldecott   Markel, Michell. Tomfoolery! Randolph Caldecott and the rambunctious 

coming-of-age of children’s books. Illus. Barbara McClintcock.  San Francisco: 

Chronicle books, 2023.  (2024 Golden Kite Award)

JB Child,         Prudhomme, Alex. Julia Child becomes ‘The French Chef.’ Illus. Sarah

 Green. NY: Calkins Creek/ Astra BFYR, 2022.

JB Cox            Weatherford, Carole Boston. How do you spell Unfair!, MacNolia Cox and the national spelling bee. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick, 2024.

            (2024 Coretta Scott King author honor book)

JB Kumar        Gopal, Jyoti Rajan. Desert queen. Illus. Svabhu Kohli. Montclair: Levin Querdo,

2023. 

JB Mitchell.    Wallmark, Laurie.  Her eyes on the stars, Maria Mitchell, Astronomer. 

Illus. Liz Wong. Minneapolis, MN: Creston Books, 2023.

(backmatter extends onto the endpapers. NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book.)

JB Ormes.       Todd, Traci N. Holding her own, the exceptional life of Jackie Ormes.

Illus. Shannon Wright. NY: Orchard/ Scholastic, 2023. 

 (2024 Corretta Scott King Award.)

JB Polgar.       Wallmark, Laurie. The Queen of Chess, how Judit Polgar Changed the Game. Illus. Stevie Lewis.  NY: Little Bee Books, 2023. 

JB Valdovinos.      Salazar, Aida. Jovita wore pants, the story of a Mexican freedom fighter.

            Illus. Molly Mendooza. NY: Scholastic Press, 2023. (2024 Caldecott Honor)

Books read 2023 - Children's Books

  Booklist of Books Read in 2023

 

Picture Books

             

Appelt, Kathi. Counting Crows.  Illus. Rob Dunlavey. NY: Atheneum books for young readers/

 Simon & Schuster,  2015.

Bagley, Jessixa. Boats for Papa. NY: Roaring Brook Press, 2015. 

Baker, Keith. L M N O peas. NY: Beach Lane books/ Simon & Schuster, 2010.

            (Alphabet book)

Blackall, Sophie. Negative cat. NY: Nancy Paulsen Books/ Penguin Random, 2021.

Bledsoe, Josh. Hammer and nails.  Illus. Jessica Warrick. NY: Flashlight press, 2016

Boynton, Sandra. Woo Hoo! You’re doing Great! NY: Little Brown & Co, 2023.

Brown, Peter. Mr. Tiger goes wild. NY: Little brown and Co., 2013.

            (2014 Boston Globe/ Horn Book illustrator award, and others)

Celenza, Anna Harwell. Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite. Illus. Don Tate. Watertown, MA: 

Charlesbridge, 2011. (Music CD included) 

Charles, Tami. All Because you matter. Illus. Bryan Collier. NY: Orchard/ Scholastic, 2020.

Cohen, Paula. Big dreams, small fish. Montclair, NY: Levine Querido, 2022.

            (2023 Sydney Taylor Honor award)

Cronin, Doreen. Click, clack, Moo, cows that type. NY: Simon & Schuster, 2000.

            (2001 Caldecott Honor book)

De La Pena, Matt. Last stop on Market Street. Illus. Christian Robinson. NY: GP Putnam sons/

 Penguin group, 2015.   ( 2016 Newbery Medal, Corretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, 

and a Caldecott Honor) 

De Seve, Randall.  This story is not about a kitten. Illus. Carson Ellis. NY: Random House 

Studio, 2022. 

Denise, Christopher. Knight Owl.  NY: Little, Brown and Co, 2022. (2023 Caldecott Honor)

Diterlizzi, Angela & Tony. A very cranky book. NY: Quill tree books/ HarperCollins, 2023.

Doerrfeld, Cori. The Rabbit Listened. NY: Dial books/ PenguinRandom, 2018.

Donaldson, Jula. The Gruffalo. NY: Dial Books, 1999.

Dyckman, Ame. Dandy. Illus. Charles Santoso. NY: Little Brown & Co., 2019.

Ferneyhough, Liza. Nana, Nenek, & Nina. NY: Dial Books for young readers, 2022.

            (2023 ALA Asian Pacific American Award.)

Ferry, Beth. The Scarecrow.  Illus. The Fan Brothers. NY: Harper, 2019.

Fraser, Lu. The littlest Yak. Illus. Kate Hindley. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree, 2020.

Gehl, Laura and Tom Lichtenheld. One big pair of underwear. NY: Beach Lane Books/

 Simon&Schuster, 2014. 

    ….   One big pair of underwear, (board book) NY: Little Simon. 2018. (contains full text)

    ….   Peep and Egg, I’m not hatching. (board book) NY: Little Simon. 2016.

    ….   Peep and Egg, I’m not Trick-or-treating. NY: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2016.

Goade, Michaela. Berry song.  NY: Little, Brown and Co, 2022.

            (2023 Caldecott Medal Honor book, Notable Children’s books)

Going, K.L.  Dog in Charge. Illlus. Dan Santat. NY: Dial books, 2012.

Gordon, Gus. Herman and Rosie. Neal Porter books/ Roaring Brook Press,, 2013.

Hennessy, B.G. The once upon a time Map Book, take a tour of six enchanted lands. Cambridge, 

MA: Candlewick press, 1999.

Hobernam, Mary Ann. The seven silly eaters. Illus. Marla Frazee. NY: Browndeer Press/ 

Harcourt Brace & Co, 1997.

Higgins, Carter. Big and small and in-between. Illus. Daniel Miyares. San Francisco, CA: 

Chronicle Books, 2022.  (2023 Geisel Award)

Knudsen, Michelle. Library Lion. Illus. Kevin Hawkes. 2006.  (many awards) 

    ….   Marilyn’s Monster. Illus. Matt Phelan. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2015.

Lindstrom, Carole. We are water protectors. Illus Michaels Goade. NY: Roaring Brook Press,

             2020.  (2021 Caldecott Award)

McGinty, Alice B. Bathe the cat. Illus. David Roberts. San Francisco, Chronicle Books, 2021.

Messner, Kate. Once upon a book. Illus. Grace Lin. NY: Little Brown and Co., 2023.

            (Caldecott Honoree Illustrator Grace Lin forces you to read the book twice – once for the

 story and twice for the illustrations, to find the rabbit she put on every page and to 

appreciate how the girl’s dress changes on each page.)

Morales, Yuyi. Dreamers. NY: Neal Porter Books/ Holiday House, 2018.

Munsch, Robert. The paper bag princess.  Illus Michael Martchenko. Toronto, Canada: Annick

 Press Ltd., 1980.

Noll, Amanda. I need my monster. Illus. Howard McWilliam. Brooklyn, NY: Flashlight Press,

 2009.

Oliver, Carmen. Bears make the best reading buddies. Illus, Jean Claude. North Mankato, MN: Picture window books/ Capstone, 2016.

Nambi, Shoshana. The very best Sukkah, a story from Uganda. Illus Moran Yogev. Moosic, PA:

 Kalaniot Books, 2022. 

(2023 Coretta Scott King author award, National Jewish book award)

Nickel, Sandra. Big bear and the little fish. Minneapolis, MN:  Carolrhoda Books, 2022.

            (2023 Charlette Huck Award)

Petty, Dev.  I don’t want to be a frog. Illus. Mike Boldt. NY: Doubleday, 2015.

Portis, Antoinette.  A seed Grows. NY: Neal Porter books, Holiday House, 2022.

            (2023 Sibert honor award, Geisel honor award)

Rinker, Sherri Duskey. Goodnight, goodnight, construction site.  Illus. Tom Lichenneld. 

            San Francisco, CA: Chronicle, 2011. (I read the board book version)

Salati, Doug. Hot Dog. NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 2022. (2023 Caldecott Medal Award)

Savage, Stephen. SuperTruck. Neal Porter books/ Roaring Brook Press, 2015.

Scanlon, Liz Garton. Noodle & Lou. Illus. Arthur Howard. NY: Beach Lane Books/ Simon &

 Schuster, 2011.

    ….   One dark bird.  Illus. Frann Preston-Gannon. NY: Beach Lane Books, 2019.

Shea, Bob. Chez Bob. N: Little, brown and Company, 2021.

Smalls. Irene. My Nana and me.  Illus. Cathy Ann Johnson. NY; Little Brown and Co., 2005.

Stein, David  Ezra.      Interrupting Chicken. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2010.

            (2011 Caldecott honor book)

Sullivan, John. Kitten and the night watchman.  Illus. Taeeun Yoo. NY: Paula Wiseman book,

 Simon & Schuster, 2007.

Underwood, Deborah. Bearnard’s Book. Illus Misa Saburi. NY: Henry Holt and Co, 2019.

Vischer, Frans.  A Very Fuddles Christmas. NY: Aladdin/ Simon & Schuster, 2013.

Wallmark, Laurie. Rivka’s presents. Illus. Adelina Lirius. NY: Random house, 2023.

    ….   Her eyes on the stars – Maria Mitchell, astronomer. Berkeley, CA: Creston

 Books, 2023. 

Watt, Melanie. Scaredy squirrel makes a friend. Tonowanda, NY & Toronto, ON, 2007.

Wheeler, Lisa. Someone builds the dream. Illus Loren Long. NY: Dial books for young readers/

 Penguin Random, 2021.  (heavy construction of the plans others make)

White, Dianne. Dark on Light. Illus. Felicita Sala. NY: Beach Lane Books/ Simon & Schuster, 

2022.

    ….   Green on Green. Illus. Felicita Sala. NY: Beach Lane Books/ Simon & Schuster, 2020.

Willems, Mo.  Goldilocks and the three dinosaurs. NY: Balzer + Bray/ HarperCollins, 2012.

Windness, Kaz. Bitsy Bat, school star. NY: Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2023.

Yoon, Salina. Be a Friend. NY: Bloomsbury, 2016.

 

Nonfiction Picture Books

 

J 620.136     Theule, Larissa. Concrete from the ground up. Illus Steve Light. Sommerville, MA:

     Candlewick Press. 2022.  (2022 ALSC Notable Children’s Books)

 

 

I Can Read

 

Emberley, Michael.  I did it!  NY: Holiday House, 2022. (2023 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award

 winning Book)

Dubois, Liz Goulet. That egg is mine! Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2022. 

            (2023 Crystal Kite Award, New England Region)

Iwai, Melissa. Gigi and Ojiji.  NY: Harper, 2022. (2023 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book)

Madan, Vikram. Owl and Penguin. NY: Holiday House, 2022. 

(2023 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book)

Ruzzier, Sergio. Fish and Wave.  I Can Read Comics. NY: Harper/Alley, 2022. 

(not a graphic style.  Not a comic.) (2023 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book)

 

J – FICTION :

 

 Anderson, M.T. (Tobin)  Elf Dog and Owl Head.   Illus.  Junyi Wu. Somerville, MA: 

Candlewick Press, 2023. 

Bramucci, Stephen. Race for the Ruby Turtle. NY: Bloomsbury children’s books, 2023.

Christmas, Johnnie. Swim Team- small waves, big changes. NY: HarperAlley/ HarperCollins, 

2022.  (graphic novel) (2022 National Book Award Long list) 

(2023 Coretta Scott King Honor book)  

Clayton, Dhonielle.  The Marvellers. NY: Henry Holt and Co, 2022. (Texas Bluebonnet winner)

Holm, Jennifer L.  The lion of Mars. NY: Random House, 2021. 

Jordan, Anna.  Shira & Esther’s double dream debut. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books,

2023.  (told in present tense by a narrator who keeps inserting his own amusing comments, explaining what’s happening and translating parts to English for the reader.)

King, Amy Sarig. Attack of the black rectangles. NY: Scholastic Press, 2022. 

            (She is an ALA Margaret A. Edwards award winner. I happen to have met both her and

 the author she features in this story – Jane Yolen. Based on a true story about what

happened to Jane’s book The Devil’s Arithmetic. Sure to be banned in Florida

 because “Attack…”  features censorship of books.)

Lowry, Lois. The Winderby puzzle, history and story. NY: Clarion Books/ HarperCollins, 2023.

Luqman-Dawson, Amina. Freewater.  Boston: Little Brown and Co, 2022.

            (2023 Newbery Medal)

Nash, Mary.  Mrs. Coverlet’s magicians. Boston: Little Brown and Co, 1961. (I was surprised to

 find this at my local library. Their copy is 47 years old and still in good shape.)

Soontornvat, Christina.  The Last Mapmaker. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2022.

            (2023 Newbery honor book, plus other awards) 

Sutanto, Jesse o.  Theo Tan and the fox spirit. NY: Feiwel and Friends, 2022.

    ….   Theo Tan and the Iron Fan. NY: Feiwel and Friends, 2023.  

            (The author of the fun adult book, Dial A for Auntie, this delves into Asian based

 fantasy.) 

Van Draanen, Wendelin.  Mr. Whiskers and the shenanigan sisters. NY: Alfred A. Knopf/

 Penguin Random House, 2023. 

(I’ve tried writing several stories from the viewpoint of a dog, but this one is the best!)

Wrede, Patricia. The dark lord’s daughter. (possibly book 1) NY: Random House, 2023.

            ( I can’t wait for the next book in this series.)

Yang, Kelly. Front desk. NY: Scholastic, 2018.  (2019 Asian Pacific American Award)

    ….   Three Keys, a front desk novel. NY: Scholastic, 2020.

    ….   Room to Dream. a front desk novel. NY: Scholastic, 2021. 

    ….   Key Player, a front desk novel. NY: Scholastic, 2022.

    ….   New from here. NY: Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2022.

    ….   Finally Seen. NY: Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2023.  (mentions book banning)

 

 

YA Fiction:

   

Springer, Nancy. Enola Holmes and the black barouche. NY: Wednesday Books/ St. Martin’s,

 2021. (this series is now a popular movie series)

    ….   Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade. NY: Wednesday Books/ St. Martin’s,

 2022.    

    ….   Enola Homes and the mark of the mongoose. NY: Wednesday books/ St. Martin’s Press,

 2023. 

Urban, Linda. Talk Santa to Me. NY: Atheneum/ Simon & Schuster, 2022.

            (Excellent, by a graduate and now faculty member of VCFA)

Wrede, Patricia and Caroline Stevermer. The Grand Tour or the purloined coronation regalia – 

being a revelation of matters of high confidentiality and greatest importance, including

 extracts from the intimate diary of a noblewoman and the sworn testimony of a lady of quality. NY: Harcourt Inc., 2004.

   

PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHIES:

 

JB Bartali        Hoyt, Megan. Bartali’s Bicycle, the true story of Gino Bartali, Italy’s secret hero.

 NY: Quill Tree Books / HarperCollins, 2021. 

JB Barton        Friddell, Claudia. To the Front! Clara Barton braves the battle of Antietam.

            Illus. Christopher Cyr. NY: Calkins Creek/ Astra Books, 2022. 

JB Gilmore.    Rockliff, Mara. Sweet Justice, Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomery bus boycott. 

            Illus. R. Gregory Christie. NY: Rando House Studio, 2022. (ALA Sibert Honor book)

JB Heumann   Cocca-Leffler, MaryAnn. Fighting for Yes!  The story of disability rights activist

 Judith Heumann. With a note from Judith Heumann.  Illus: Vivien Mildenberger. NY: 

Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2022. 

JB Heumann   Pimentel, Annette.  All the Way to the Top, How one Girl’s Fight for American

 with Disabilities Act Changed Everything.  Illus. Nabi Ali.   Naperville, IL:  Sourcebooks

 Explore, 2020.

JB Knox          Silvey, Anita. Henry Knox -- bookseller, soldier, patriot. Illus: Wendell Minor.

NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/ Clarion Books, 2010.

JB Ocasio-Cortez        Denise, Anika Aldamuy. Phenomenal AOC, the roots and rise of 

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Illus. Loris Lora. NY: HarperCollins, 2022. 

            (2023 Pura Belpre’ Illustrator Honor award)

JB Winton       Sis, Peter. Nicky & Vera, a quiet hero of the Holocaust and the children he 

rescued. NY: Norton Young Readers, 2021.

GN J B Santat, Dan. A first time for everything. NY: First Second/ Roaring Brook Press,

 2023. (Graphic novel memoir) (National Book Award Winner- young people’ literature) 

 

 

J and YA BIOGRAPHIES:

 

J Butler           Zoboi, Ibi. Star Child, a biographical constellation of Octovia Estelle Butler.

            NY: Dutton, 2022.  

YA-B Heumann          Heumann, Judith with Kristen Joiner. Rolling Warrior – The incredible, 

sometimes awkward true story of a rebel girl on wheels who helped spark a Revolution. 

Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 2021.  (A great Read; better than her adult autobiography.)

J Pinkney        Pinkney, Jerry. Just Jerry – how drawing shaped my life, a memoir. NY: Little,

 Brown and Company, 2023.

 

J and YA NONFICTION: 

 

J 333.9541      O’Connell, Jennifer.  Elephants Remember, a true story. Thomaston, MA: 

Tilbury House publishers, 2022.  

J 362.779        Yang, Kao Kalia. From the tops of the trees. Illus. Rachel Wada. Mn: Carolrhoda

 Books, 2021. 

(2023 Asian/Pacific American Award for picture books. 2022 Notable Award.)

YA 688.7        Stone, Tanya Lee.  The good, the bad, and the Barbie; a doll’s history and her 

impact on us – Unauthorized.  NY: Viking/ Penguin, 2010. 

YA GN 920.72           Anderson, Laurie Halse, editor. Wonderful Women of the World. 

            Crowfordsville, IN: DC Comics, 2021.   

(short, graphic novel type biographies of 24 women)  

 

J 940.5318      Stiefel, Chana.  The tower of life, how Yaffa Eliach rebuilt her town in stories and

 photographs.  Illus. Susan Gal.  NY: Scholastic Press, 2022.  (2023 Sydney Taylor Book

 Award, Robert F. Sibert Honor book, and Russell Freedman Nonfiction Award)

J 940.5449      Stone, Tanya Lee. Peace is a Chain Reaction, How World War II Japanese 

balloon bombs brought people of two nations, together. Somerville, MA: Candlewick 

Press, 2022.     

J 973.0496      Weatherford, Carole Boston. Standing in the need of prayer, a modern retelling of 

the classic spiritual. Illus. Frank Morrison. NY: Crown BFYR, 2022. 

            (2023 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award)

976.6   Grann, David. Killers of the Flower Moon, the Osage murders and the birth of the FBI.

            NY:  Crown books for young readers/Random House, 2021. (the YA version)