I have found so many picture books this spring, that I want to share with you! In fact, due to my long list, I will be publishing a post with more titles within the next few weeks! I learned about many of these titles through a wonderful group I’m proud to be a part of, @kidlitexchange.com. We are a group of parents, teachers and librarians who share a love of children’s literature. I hope you’ll check out our blog, as well as look for us on Instagram,  @kidlitexchange and on Twitter @kidlitexchange.

     What If… by Samantha Berger; illustrated by Mike Curato.

There are people in the world who MUST create. They might write stories, paint pictures, knit sweaters or hundreds and thousands of other things, but in order to survive, to be themselves, they know they must create. That is what this delightful picture book is all about. We follow a little girl who imagines that her pencil disappears and what she might do to solve that problem. How would she continue to create the stories that she knows she must express? The mixed media illustrations by Mike Curato bring her journey alive for us as she folds a sheet of paper, chips and peels the paint and tears up the floorboards to create the story she must share.

I especially enjoyed the notes from the author and the artist which help us understand how both the story and the pictures in this imaginative book came to be, as well as tell us about the special friendship between Samantha and Mike. This story will lead to so many wonderful discussions with your children. 

 The Backup Bunny by Abigail Rayner; Pictures by Greg Stones

When my boys were toddlers they each had their special comfort toy – one a “blankie” and one a large stuffed raccoon, “Rick”. My husband and I knew that wherever we went with the kids, the most important thing was to NEVER FORGET BLANKIE AND RICK!! We would have definitely appreciated having a backup blankie or Rick! Why didn’t we ever think of that??

Backup Bunny tells the sweet story of what happened when he was pressed into service after Max loses his real, true Bunny. And it didn’t go well! Greg Stone’s illustrations bring Bunny to life and help us to understand exactly how both Max and Bunny are feeling. This is a fun book to share with your little ones, especially if they have a special someone in their lives.

Wild One by Jane Whittingham; Illustrated by Neal Tuazon  

This padded book with sturdy pages is one that is well suited to be read again and again, which is exactly what I think will happen in your home. It is the story of a little girl’s joyful trip to the playground and her adventures as she explores every activity.  

I loved this delightful book for so many reasons.

• The joy I found on every page – especially on the little girl’s face
• Children spending a day outside and being a “wild one”
• The delightful illustrations
• The similes. For example:  “stretching like a cat”, “slipping like an eel” and “gulping like a whale”. Oh, the discussions you can have as your little one acts out each description!
• The opportunity to discuss vocabulary like “snuggling” and “bounding”
• The coziness on the last few pages as mom and dad tuck her in after her exhausting day

This charming story deserves to be on every child’s bookshelf. It’s definitely on my shopping list!

What Does a Princess Really Look Like?  by Mark Loewen; Illustrated by Ed Pokoj

Thank you to @kidlitexchange for sharing the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Chloe loves pretending to be a princess or a ballerina. She loves dancing with her two dads and dressing up with a crown and a beautiful skirt. But when she decides to create a picture of her very own princess ballerina she realizes being a princess is more than pretty clothes and fancy parties. She creates a princess with eyes that notice people who need help and ears to help her understand what she can do to assist them. Her princess has a mouth that utters kind words and speaks up when she sees something that is wrong.

I really like this story, which is illustrated with colorful cartoon type drawings. Chloe demonstrates a deep understanding of the characteristics we truly value in a princess ballerina or in a little girl. This is a great picture book to share with your little princess to open up a conversation about how she can develop these characteristics. It also includes the fact very naturally into the story that Chloe has two dads, rather than pointing it out. This very simply offers another example of how families are all different. This title will be released July 1, 2018.

What Do You Do With a Chance? by Kobi Yamada; Illustrated by Mae Besom

This is the third book from this creative duo. I loved What Do You Do With an Idea? And What Do You Do With a Problem? However, this is definitely my favorite! This exquisite picture book once again follows a little person as he wanders the countryside but on this adventure he is visited by a chance. He wants to grab the chance, but has his doubts. Does he have the courage? What if he misses the chance? Would he feel foolish?

The charming illustrations, as well as the questions the little guy asks on every page, provide so many opportunities to begin some wonderful conversations with your little ones. The story concludes with a thought we all need to remember, no matter what our age. “So what do you do with a chance? You take it…because it just might be the start of something incredible.” In fact, with graduations approaching, this would make the perfect gift!

My advice is to run to your nearest bookstore or library and get your own copy of this special book.  It’s certainly one you’ll want to add to your family’s library!

Who Will Roar If I Go? by Paige Jaeger; Illustrated by Carol Hill Quirk

Thank you to the author, @authorPaigeJaeger, for the free copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This story gently introduces the idea of endangered species and animal extinction through rhyming verse and soft, intriguing watercolor illustrations. It includes thirteen animals from around the world through the touching stories which are charmingly related by the animal’s own voices. We learn both the reasons for their threatened existence, as well as how we can help them survive. Some of the animals included are the snow leopard, the elephant, the tiger and the quetzal, but my favorite was the North American Blue Karner butterflies. The illustrations are beautiful and it should be especially meaningful to the children, because they might actually see one in their neighborhood!

There are so many facets of this book that I really like. The rich vocabulary will prompt discussions as the story is shared, no matter if it is with your little who’s curled up in your lap or during a storytime with children, ages 3 – 8.  The stories about about what can be done to help the animals survive, provide a good introduction to researching endangered species. The inclusion of the animal’s home continents adds a geography lesson to the reading experience. And finally the glossary at the end of the book is especially complete and very helpful.

I highly recommend this very special book be added to both public and elementary libraries, as well as to your home bookcase. This title will be released on June 1, 2018.

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More about Susan

Hi! I'm Susan, a wife, a mom and a recently retired elementary school librarian with 22 years of experience. One of my greatest joys is to connect kids with a perfect book, which then leads them to a lifelong love of learning. Through my blog, I'm hoping to reach parents, their children and teachers to help them find those special books. I’m also hoping to offer some tips and techniques to use with your children as you read aloud.