2020 Favorite Picture Books

All Because You Matter
by Tami Charles and illustrated by Bryan Collier
Lyrical, poetic, beautiful, powerful, timely, and timeless–this brilliant book affirms that black lives matter. If you haven’t already added this to your library shelves, buy a copy immediately.

Antiracist Baby
by Ibram X. Kendi and illustrated by Ashley Lukashevsky
An overview of how to be antiracist in nine steps. Personally, I prefer the picture book to the board book–while the content is excellent, it is a bit dense for the smaller format (and not really meant for actual babies). A great read between a caregiver and preschooler (or older child).

The Best Worst Poet Ever
by Lauren Stohler
Pug and Cat are both determined to become the world’s best poet–though they have vastly different poetic styles. A battle of wits and words ensues, with rapidly increasing hilarity, until the two realize that maybe they would work better as a team. Lots of laughs and an excellent book to adapt into a reader’s theater script.

Boys Dance
by John Robert Allman and illustrated by Luciano Lozano
Travel through a day of ballet practice for a group of young boys. This book stands out by focusing on diverse, male ballet dancers, including highlighting real male ballet dancers from throughout history.

Catch That Chicken!
by Atinuke and illustrated by Angela Brooksbank
Lami is the best chicken catcher in her Nigerian village, but when she hurts her ankle, her speed won’t help her succeed anymore. Can she figure out another way to prove her skills?

Danbi Leads the School Parade
by Anna Kim
Danbi just moved to America from Korea, and she is thrilled to start school! Except, when she gets there, she doesn’t understand what her teacher or classmates say. Danbi is sure that she knows what to do at lunch, but even her food is different than everyone else’s. Can Danbi figure out how to make new friends?

Evelyn del Rey Is Moving Away
by Meg Medina and illustrated by Sonia Sanchez
Best friends Evelyn and Daniela have always done everything together until today–today is the day that Evelyn moves away. A beautiful story about friendship, family, and goodbyes.

Everything Naomi Loved
by Katie Yamasaki & Ian Lendler
Naomi loves her street from the bodega to the big tree outside her building. One day, that tree is cut down because “They’re building something new. Something fancy.” Soon lots of things start to change–her best friend’s building is torn down. The stores close one by one. Naomi figures out a way to hold onto her home even while everything changes around her.

Freedom, We Sing
by Amyra Leon and illustrated by Molly Mendoza
Lyrical words and beautiful illustrations inspire conversations about hope and freedom around the world.

Grandmother School
by Rina Singh and illustrated by Ellen Rooney
In Phangane, a remote village in India, grandchildren walk their grandmothers to a special grandmother school. As children, these grandmothers watched their brothers go to school. As mothers, they sent their own children-sons and daughters-to school. Now, as grandmothers, they are finally learning to read and write themselves.

Grandpa Grumps
by Katrina Moore and illustrated by Xindi Yan
Daisy is so excited to meet her Yeh Yeh (grandfather), visiting from China for the first time. She has so many great ideas for all of the ways they will have fun together…but he seems really grumpy.

How to Solve a Problem: The Rise (and Falls) of a Rock-Climbing Champion
by Ashima Shiraishi and illustrated by Yao Xiao
To a rock climber, each new mountain is a problem to be solved. Shiraishi’s methods to approaching each new problem can be applied to kids’ everyday challenges–both small and big–to give them the courage to move forward.

I Am Every Good Thing
by Derrick Barnes and illustrated by Gordon C. James
A beautiful book emphasizing the creativity, strength, courage, smarts, humor, and kindness of our main character–and Black children everywhere. Gorgeous illustrations and a wonderful message.

I Will Dance
by Nancy Bo Flood and illustrated by Julianna Swaney
Eva longs to dance. But Eva is in a wheelchair because she has cerebral palsy. While she stares longingly at professional dancers on stage, she can’t imagine she will ever be able to join them. But one day, she finally can, when she learns about the Young Dance Company, a dance studio for young people of all abilities (and a real organization).

Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea
by Meena Harris and illustrated by Ana Ramirez Gonzalez
Kamala and Maya want to turn the empty courtyard in their apartment complex into a playground. They are told no, again and again, but after a lot of teamwork and persistence, they finally get that no changed to a yes.

The Little Mermaid
by Jerry Pinkney
Mermaid princess Melody loves catching glimpses of the world above. When she finally breaks the surface, she discovers a girl standing on the beach. After a tempting offer from the sea witch, Melody agrees to give up her voice for a chance at legs and making a new friend.

Magnificent Homespun Brown
by Samara Cole Doyon and illustrated by Kaylani Juanita
Poetic language paired with an inspiring message and amazing illustrations. A bit more for adults than kids, this is still a beautiful book to be shared as a family.

My Maddy
by Gayle E. Pitman and illustrated by Violet Tobacco
A fun, adorable story about the love between a child and their parent–made all the more powerful by featuring a nonbinary parent. Back matter gives caregivers suggestions for ways to talk to kids with a transgender or nonbinary parent.

My Rainbow
by Trinity and DeShanna Neal and illustrated by Art Twink
During playtime, Trinity realizes that she is a girl–and she wants beautiful long hair like her dolls. Her family accepts Trinity and works to find her the perfect wig. A beautiful own voices story depicting intersectionality–Trinity is black, autistic, and transgender.

Nana Akua Goes to School
by Tricia Elam Walker and illustrated by April Harrison
Zura is nervous about bringing her Nana Akua to school for Grandparent’s Day. Nana Akua is Zura’s favorite person in the world, but Nana Akua has tribal markings on her face from a family tradition from her childhood in Ghana. Sometimes, those marks scare strangers when Zura and Nana Akua go to the park or the store. What will her classmates think?

The Noisy Classroom
by Angela Shanté and illustrated by Alison Hawkins
A child is nervous about her new classroom. She has heard about this room. While the rest of the classes are quiet, Ms. Johnson’s class is noisy. The kids sing and talk and aren’t always in their seats. Can she get out of joining this new class? Or will she discover she likes her new experiences after all?

The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read
by Rita Lorraine Hubbard and illustrated by Oge Mora
Mary Walker was born into slavery. While she was free at 15, life kept her busy–getting married, having children, and working many, many jobs. When she was 114, she was the last remaining member of her family–and she finally learned to read.

Overground Railroad
by Lesa Cline-Ransome and illustrated by James E. Ransome
An African American family travels via the “Overground Railroad” from the south to New York City as part of the Great Migration in the 1930s. A combination of free verse poetry and vivid watercolor illustrations gorgeously makes Ruth’s journey jump off the page.

Papa, Daddy, & Riley
by Seamus Kirst and illustrated by Devon Holzwarth
Riley’s classmates have all kinds of questions about Riley’s two dads. Where is you mom? Who is your REAL dad? Riley is upset–she doesn’t want to choose between her two dads. Papa and Daddy lovingly explain that families can look different because families are all about love.

Peanut Goes for the Gold
by Jonathan Van Ness and illustrated by Gillian Reid
Nonbinary guinea pig Peanut does things their own way. When Peanut decides to be a rhythmic gymnast, no one is surprised when Peanut comes up with a unique routine that is uniquely them. By a nonbinary author.

Salma the Syrian Chef
by Danny Ramadan and illustrated by Anna Bron
Salma misses her mom’s smiles. Ever since they moved from Syria, her mom seems busy, sad, and lonely. Salma decides to create her mom’s favorite Syrian meal–but nothing goes according to plan.

Too Sticky!
by Jen Malia and illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff
Holly loves science class, but she is nervous when she finds out her class is making slime. Holly is autistic and has sensory issues–she doesn’t like anything sticky, and slime is made with glue. Does she want to give slime a try? By an own voices autistic author.

We Are Water Protectors
by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade
So beautiful! An Ojibwe author and Tlingit illustrator create a breathtaking book calling for activism to protect the world’s water from oil pipelines. A sharp reminder that Native people are still here and standing for what is right.

You Matter
by Christian Robinson
A lovely reminder that everyone matters–whether you are old or young, small or large, pesky (or even gassy).