Children's Book Week
This week, folks around the country are celebrating Children’s Book Week (Nov. 9-15) – an initiative of the nonprofit literacy organization, Every Child a Reader. Established in 1919, this celebration is the “longest-running national literacy initiative in the country” according to their website. You can learn more about this event and other resources here!
In honor of Children’s Book Week, here are some favorite picture books published this year (with added categories just for fun)!
Storytime Favorite: Zip Zap Wickety Wack: A Story About Sharing written and illustrated by Matthew Diffee. In this funny read aloud, sheep and goat have a problem. They both make the “baaa” sound, and they don’t want to share. Chaos ensues as they struggle to find their own unique sounds.There may or may not be an alien involved.
A New Bedtime Classic: The God of Sleep written by Lev Grossman and illustrated by Huynh Kim Liên. The bestselling author of The Magicians series has created his first picture book for children that introduces readers to a magical world that will have children dreaming of the god of sleep, the god of sun, and all their friends in the sky. The illustrations are colorful and beautiful, and the rhyming story offers an original tale to add to your bedtime book collection.
The WOW! Factor: Songbird in the Light written by Billy Porter with Chris Clarkson and illustrated by Charley Palmer. This book reads like poetry – it’s based on the childhood experiences of Broadway Star, Billy Porter, and how music helped see him through challenging times of being bullied in school. “They’re going to hear me. They’re going to see me. And I’m going to siiiiiing.”
Best Book to Use in a Classroom: Story Rug written by Sophie Blackall and illustrated by Phoebe Wahl. The kids in Class 203 learn about the power of storytelling by working together to create a rag rug. This Caldecott contender could inspire teachers to create and craft stories of their own together!
Celebrate Native American Heritage Month: Indigenous from A to Z written by Traci Sorrel and illustrated by Natasha Donovan. In recent years, there has been a rise of children’s and teen stories written by Indigenous voices that are being published. Author Traci Sorrel (citizen of the Cherokee Nation) has contributed to this area with popular titles such as Powwow Day, We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga, and Being Home, just to name a few. In her newest picture book, she takes readers through the alphabet to learn about the important histories of Indigenous people in this country while introducing us to new tribal names and languages children may not be familiar with (or adults). This kids’ book is also a great example of how a picture book written for children can be educational for anyone!
