Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman, illustrated by Caroline Binch: A favorite from my theater-loving childhood, about a girl who loves playing make-believe. She wants to audition to be Peter Pan in an upcoming play but her classmates tell her she can’t because she’s a black girl. But with the encouragement of her grandmother, she goes for it. -- AK (Save on Goodreads)
Annie and the Wild Animals by Jan Brett: First off, Annie and the Wild Animals is a very important lesson on animal domestication. Don’t treat that raccoon like a pet, it is a wild animal. Let it be a wild animal and do its wild animal thing. Secondly, this is Jan Brett, so the art is amazing -- from its textured watercolors to the borders that decorate each page and show what’s happening in other parts of the forest. Thirdly, this is about a little girl who lives by herself in the woods and is totally self-sufficient. Finally, the main character’s name is Annie. These are all the reasons this is the greatest picture book of them all. -- AK (Save on Goodreads)
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett: This one has a Caldecott Honor attached to it, but I love to show this book to customers who are looking for something unique with gorgeous pictures. It’s a story about kindness, told through a box of rainbow yarn that never runs out. Little by little, a girl knits until her gray town becomes vivid with color. I love Barnett’s other funny stories, but Extra Yarn is perfectly whimsical with just the right amount of sweetness. --MK (Save on Goodreads)
Imogene’s Antlers by David Small: Small is a local author who has written and illustrated some of the best picture books out there. If I had to choose one, it would be this book about a little girl who wakes up with antlers. While she is totally unperturbed, most of the adults in her life are sent into a tizzy, looking for an explanation. I’ll also throw Paper John out there, too, about a man who outsmarts the devil. -- AK (Save on Goodreads)
King Baby by Kate Beaton: I feel like I should have picked The Princess and the Pony as the best Kate Beaton picture book, with its message of empowerment and sweaters, but there’s something about how we all start out as demanding mess-makers that I love. Like all good stories, there needs to be conflict, and for King Baby, it is learning how to do things himself to become...a Big Boy. Thanks to the internet, I was able to find the original inspiration for King Baby, a joke that started in a coffee shop. --AK (Save on Goodreads)
Life by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Brendan Wenzel: I cried the first time I read this! In a good way. I know that’s not saying much, because I cry a lot, but still! The book begins with, “Life begins small, then grows…” Its simple message of persistence during adversity and enjoyment of the little things is accompanied by gorgeous illustrations of animals and nature. Life is perfect for kids who need something meditative, and adults who are struggling and need a little piece of warmth and light. -- MK (Save on Goodreads)
Ooko by Esme Shapiro: Ooko is a fox who has a stick, a rock, and another stick, but is really lonely. She sets out to make herself look like the dogs she sees playing with humans, but after a while, she realizes it’s better to be yourself when making friends. The illustrations in Ooko are quirky and lush, and there’s a lot of subtle humor that kids can still grasp on to. --MK (Save on Goodreads)
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka: It was hilarious when I was a child, and it’s still hilarious now. This was my first discovery of fairy tale retellings, and after it was read to me, I couldn’t think of the original stories the same way. Especially the Little Red Hen. Ugh, so annoying. -- MK (Save on Goodreads)
Pig the Pug by Aaron Blabey: Kids love this book. Yeah, it’s short and easy and goes by a cute rhyming scheme, but what makes Pig the Pug so amazing is the bug-eyed, tongue lolling depictions of Pig losing his shit over having to share. Every theme in Pig the Pug books are easy for kids to relate to, but what is most important is Pig always gets what he deserves in the end, usually in the form of a body cast. -- MK (Save on Goodreads)
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