Picture Book Picks

Bev Humphrey
Literacy & Digital Media Consultant
www. Bevhumphrey.com
Social media – https://linktr.ee/BevHumphrey

I have just checked my home library app and apparently, I have 560 picture books on my shelves… so you can probably guess that I do love an illustrated story! I don’t think that picture books are just for young children either, I’ve taught some very popular lessons with 14 year olds using picture books to focus on inference and prediction etc so it certainly isn’t just primary schools I would like to find picture books in. There are so many published each year it’s hard to keep up however so I hope this collection of recent picture books that I love will be useful:

The Midnight Mitzva, Ruth Horowitz

This gentle story that encourages children to think of others is a retelling of a 2000-year-old story from the Jewish book of law, the Talmud. Included at the end of the story are some educational endnotes about the Jewish value of tzedakah (helping those in need) as well as information about similar traditions in other faiths.

We Can! – Make a Difference, Alexandra Strick and Steve Antony

We Can! Is the second book written in this style, the first being You Can! and both are unique in that they were written with a team of children, for children, and both are empowering and fun reads. This story is about activism and making a positive change in your world.

The Language of Flowers, Shyala Smith & Aaron Asis

I’m not ashamed to say that this beautifully written and illustrated picture book brought a tear to my eye, the story is poignant and explores how a child copes with grief and finds a way to pay tribute to a lost friend.

The Story Orchestra – The Planets, illustrated by Jessica Courtney-Tickle

The Planets is one of a series of stunning picture books that explore classical music , with a play aloud sound on each page. I only have two at the moment (this one and the Nutcracker) but all of the rest of them are on my wishlist.

Are You A Hungry Monster?, Guilherme Karsten

As this is one of my granddaughter’s favourite books at the moment, I just had to include it – it’s such good fun to read! This is the third in the series about a small bespectacled monster and it would be wonderful as a read aloud with a group of children. Plenty of gross out moments – dried bogies in a sandwich anyone?! – and wind references.

Cloud Boy, Greg Stobbs

Bobby has a very vivid imagination and struggles to focus which is a little inconvenient as whenever his mind takes flight so does he and he floats up into the clouds. Hi family and friends try to help him by tethering him to the ground but by the end of the story we discover that Bobby’s way of thinking isn’t so bad after all and that we should all celebrate our differences.

Dance Just Like So, Annemarie Anang & Natelle Quek

Dance Just Like So tells the tale of Kwesi who every week dances with his grandmother and her neighbours until Gran has an accident and cannot dance standing up. Together they find a way round this however and their happiness in being together just shines off the page. Such a joyful, family centric story.

Colours of Home, Miriam Latimer

In Colours of Home we meet young Ana who has been forced to leave her home by war and is feeling very sad about it, to the extent that she no longer sees any colour in her world. The young girl she now lives with, Olive, wants to help Ana feel better and slowly the colours come back. A great book to introduce the subject of refugeeism to young children.

A Story of the Seasons, Anna Wilson & Carolina Rabei

This sumptuous large format picture book is a factual one and leads us through the seasons in nature. The full page illustrations are gorgeous and the text is full of so many facts that it would keep any nature lover occupied for ages.

Me and My Hair, Kimberley Kinloch

Young Kyla loves her afro hair but her friends don’t always understand everything she does to look after it , and she’s curious about other people’s hair, her friend Mia’s who has ginger hair for example. I learnt so much from this book and it’s interesting, fun and promotes understanding and individuality.