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Best Books

Discover the best books published each year!

Best Books of 2019 Picked by Kids!
Best Picture Books 2019
Best Picture Books 2018
Best Picture Books of 2018 Picked By Kids!
Kid Picks 2018
Kid Picks 2017
Best Books 2017
Best Books of 2016

 

Welcome! I’m Rosie and I’m excited to help you discover the best books for children.

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Our family LOVES learning about history through pi Our family LOVES learning about history through picture books, so we were thrilled to find JONAS HANWAY’S SCURRILOUS, SCANDALOUS, SHOCKINGLY SENSATIONAL UMBRELLA. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This entertaining story describes how a London gentleman named Jonas Hanway disliked rain so much that he traveled the world searching for a dryer place to live. When he arrived in Persia, he discovered the umbrella. When Jonas brought his umbrella back to England, people were shocked and scandalized. Jonas carried his umbrella everywhere he went and eventually it caught on. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ My children love venturing out in the rain with their umbrellas, so we really enjoyed reading Jonas’ engaging story and learning about the history of umbrellas in the author’s note. We were surprised to learn that although they have been around since ancient Egypt, it took centuries for them to become popular throughout the world. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You can read more rainy day stories on our list of BEST BOOKS ABOUT RAIN at LIBRARYMOM.COM (link in bio) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Don’t miss JONAS HANWAY’S SCURRILOUS, SCANDALOUS, SHOCKINGLY SENSATIONAL UMBRELLA by Josh Crute @josh_crute ; illustrated by Eillen Ryan Ewen @eileenryanewen; published by Page Street Kids @pagestreetkids, 2020 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Thank you to Page Street Kids for sharing this outstanding story with our family in exchange for an honest review.
Surgery is scary for anyone, especially children, Surgery is scary for anyone, especially children, but books like SURGERY ON SUNDAY are perfect for helping little ones know what to expect and feel reassured about their visit to the hospital. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ SURGERY ON SUNDAY follows a little girl named Sunday who is preparing for an operation to fix a tear in her eardrum. Sunday’s detailed descriptions of her feelings before, during, and after the surgery will surely resonate with many children. Readers will also feel comforted in learning several helpful tips for hospital visits. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Even though my daughter has never had surgery, she took a special interest in this book and requested repeated readings of this story, asking lots of questions about hospitals. I highly recommend this one not only for children preparing for their own surgeries, but any child who has an interest in the medical field. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Don’t miss SURGERY ON SUNDAY by Kat Harrison @xokat ; illustrated by Shane Crampton @shanecramptonillustrator; published by Warren Publishing @warrenpublish, 2020 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ A big thank you to the author for sharing this special story with our family in exchange for an honest review.
Nothing says summer like dandelions! The magical s Nothing says summer like dandelions! The magical sensation of making a wish and then blowing the seeds never gets old. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ DANDY is the hilarious story of a daddy lion who does everything he can to rid his pristine lawn of the invasive weed while his daughter adopts the dandelion as her new friend. This humorous and heartfelt story is one that both adults and children will enjoy! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I’m working hard to create SUMMER READING LISTS for children in preschool - 2nd grade and DANDY will definitely be making the list. What other books do you want to see? More new books, older books, or a mix of both? Please comment below! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I’m hoping to have the list to you in the next couple of weeks, but in the meantime you can visit LIBRARYMOM.COM (link in bio) for our favorite SUMMER THEMED PICTURE BOOKS. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Don’t miss DANDY by Ame Dyckman; illustrated by Charles Santoso @charlessantoso ; published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers @littlebrown, 2019
It’s HERE!!! WHAT ABOUT WORMS is the latest book It’s HERE!!! WHAT ABOUT WORMS is the latest book in the Elephant and Piggie Like Reading series and might be my favorite yet! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ An adorable tiger brags about his braveness, but admits that his one fear is worms. A comical sequence of events reveal that a group of worms are also scared of tigers until they learn more about them. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This clever story had my son laughing out loud and excited for return readings. We loved it so much, it inspired us to make our own WHAT ABOUT WORMS SUNDAE! With chocolate ice cream, Oreo crumbles, sprinkles, and gummy worms, this sundae is almost as irresistible as the book! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Don’t miss WHAT ABOUT WORMS!? by Ryan T. Higgins @ryan_t._higgins and Mo Willems @mo.willems.studio, published by Hyperion Books for Children, 2020 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ A huge thank you to @disneybooks for sharing this book with our family in exchange for an honest review!
My children are terrified of bees, which really pu My children are terrified of bees, which really puts a strain on our outside adventures. Reading books like THE HONEYBEE, however, have helped them better appreciate bees and the amazing things they do for our environment. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ With its rhythmic text and gorgeous illustrations, THE HONEYBEE is an excellent read aloud for little nature lovers. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ My daughter enjoyed the book so much, she made her own paper bee to fly around the house. Her craft inspired me to create a corresponding learning activity. I drew flowers with cvc (consonant vowel consonant) words inside them and she happily flew her bee to each flower where she read the words inside. Visit today’s Instagram Story to see a video of the activity. I just love when a book organically lends itself so nicely to playful learning! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ How do your children feel about bees? Are they big fans or do they have a big fear of them? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Don’t’ miss THE HONEYBEE by Kirsten Hall; illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault @isabelle_arsenault ; published by @simonkids
This brilliant book teaches children the differenc This brilliant book teaches children the difference between facts and opinions in a playful, entertaining way. They will learn that facts are things that can be proven while opinions represent what we think and feel. The amusing robots demonstrate that ignoring or belittling others’ opinions can lead to arguments while listening and respecting someone else’s opinion is a valuable trait. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ My son was learning about facts and opinions in school last week and this timely read aloud was perfect for reinforcing this important concept. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ For more great #picturebookoftheday recommendations check out @growingbookbybook. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Don’t miss FACTS VS. OPINIONS VS. ROBOTS by Michael Rex @fangbone_rex ; published by Nancy Paulsen Books @penguinkids, 2020
Anyone else in need of a good laugh? This large-sc Anyone else in need of a good laugh? This large-scale book of jokes has helped our family turn some serious frowns upside down and completely elevate our moods. With its vivid colors and hilarious jokes, it’s hard not to become engaged in this humorous book. It even has tips for telling a joke and an area where kids can write their own jokes! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Scroll through to see a few of our favorite jokes from the book and let’s help people start off this weekend with a smile by commenting below with YOUR favorite joke! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Looking for more books to make your children giggle? Check out my Amazon Storefront (link in bio) for my list of favorite FUNNY BOOKS. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Thank you @weesociety for sharing WEE HEE HEE: A COLLECTION OF PRETTY FUNNY JOKES AND PICTURES with our family in exchange for an honest review.
✨GIVEAWAY AHEAD! ✨With themes of resilience, p ✨GIVEAWAY AHEAD! ✨With themes of resilience, perfectionism, and self-validation, you are not going to want to miss IT IS (NOT) PERFECT. I love this series by @annakangbooks and @christopherweyant and I’m thrilled to partner with @amazonpublishing and @storygramkids for a giveaway tour of this outstanding story. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When two adorable bears put the finishing touches on their sand castle, onlookers advise them to add more elements to make it better. The friends fastidiously build more and more components until they have a massive palace that while beautiful, can’t withstand the power of a giant wave. The bears reevaluate the flattened version of their sand castle and realize it is indeed perfect just the way it is. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ With its spare text and amusing illustrations, this engaging book makes complex topics of self-assurance and handling disappointment more accessible to children. It is also a great tool for starting a conversation on how much value we should place in the opinion of others. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF IT IS (NOT) PERFECT 1️⃣follow @librarymombooks, @amazonpublishing, @annakangbooks, and @storygramkids 2️⃣Tag a friend who might also love this book 3️⃣BONUS: For an EXTRA entry, visit @Canxdancexreads tomorrow and repeat these steps. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The Giveaway ends on May 18th at midnight EST. Open to US residents only (sorry international friends!) You must be 18+ or have your parents’ permission to win. Instagram is in no way affiliated with this Giveaway. You must be a public account, so that the entries can be verified. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Best of luck! If you want to learn more about this adorable book, check out the link in my bio. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ A big thank you to @amazonpublishing and @storygramkids for sending me a copy of the book and teaming up with me for this great giveaway!
Anyone else compiling a TO READ LIST while waiting Anyone else compiling a TO READ LIST while waiting for their library to open? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ There are so many great books being published right now and I don’t want to miss any of them! If you are looking to add books to your TO READ LIST, visit LIBRARYMOM.COM (link in bio) to view the stories I can’t wait to share with my family. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I’d love to hear what’s on your list. Please comment below with any recently published books you are excited to read. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This is one of the best ABC books I’ve seen in a This is one of the best ABC books I’ve seen in a long time! ABC WITH JILLIE BEE introduces both uppercase and lowercase letters inviting the child to trace the uppercase letters by following colored arrows and opening a tab to feel the outline of the lowercase letter. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What makes this book a standout is its engaging nature and the fact that it includes both the short and long vowel sounds. This is a great introduction or review to letters and a book that my preschooler absolutely LOVES. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ My daughter adores opening the tabs and running her hands over the letters. Her favorite is “z” because she gets to play with the zipper. I have even found my daughter using this book to teach her stuffed animals their letters. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Visit LIBRARYMOM.COM (link in bio) to view our full list of ALPHABET BOOKS. Did I miss any that you love? Please comment below with your favorite ABC book! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Thank you to the author for sharing this book with our family in exchange for an honest review. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
❤️Our Mother’s Day Giveaway is ❌Closed❌R ❤️Our Mother’s Day Giveaway is ❌Closed❌Randomly selected winners are @natureisyourbff and @parentingnotperfection 😁Congrats! Thank you to everyone who entered! I hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day!!!😘 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ GIVEAWAY AHEAD! Wow, the last few months have been really tough! Moms everywhere have been working harder than ever to care for their families. I know I personally have had many ups and downs trying to help my son with remote learning, preparing my preschooler for kindergarten, and running a small business. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It’s been A LOT for everyone! That’s why this Mother’s Day, I want to celebrate the moms out there with TWO $50 AMEX GIFT CARDS FOR TWO LUCKY WINNERS! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Reading with my children every night helps me feel more grounded and with so many libraries closed, I’m hoping this giveaway will help families purchase more books to share with their children (or buy something nice for yourself if you prefer!) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This is just my way of saying thank you for your support and thank you for being such awesome moms! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ HERE’S HOW TO ENTER: 1. Like this photo 2. Follow me @librarymombooks 3. Tag another amazing mom or more in separate comments for more chances to win! 4. BONUS: Comment with a book you can’t wait to share with your children. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The Giveaway ends on Sunday, May 10th at 9:00 p.m. EST. Open to US residents only (sorry international friends!) You must be 18+ to win. Instagram is in no way affiliated with this Giveaway.
There is so much anticipation leading up to the bi There is so much anticipation leading up to the birth of a baby, but even after eagerly awaiting months, nothing can quite prepare you for that earth-shattering joy of first meeting your child. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ WELCOME TO THE PARTY by New York Times bestselling author, Gabrielle Union, is a sweet love letter describing the special moment of bringing a baby home. The upbeat rhymes make this a fun story to read aloud to little listeners and the ending reminding children that they will be loved for infinity is sure to result in lots of hugs. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ With its timeless message of a mother’s love, this sweet story is sure to resonate with many and be enjoyed on Mother’s Day, as a baby shower gift, and while reading with a loved one all year long. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Don’t miss WELCOME TO THE PARTY by Gabrielle Union @gabunion; illustrated by Ashley Evans @ash_mcfly ; published by HarperCollins, 2020 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Thank you to @harperkids for sharing this book with us in exchange for an honest review.
It’s TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK and I’d like to It’s TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK and I’d like to celebrate the many hardworking teachers out there by compiling a list of the many reasons why we love them. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Please take a moment and comment below by finishing the following sentence from Todd Parr’s book, TEACHERS ROCK. I love my teachers because….. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Here is my answer: I love our teachers because even though they have been displaced from their classrooms, they have risen to the occasion and continued making my children feel connected, valued, and excited to learn new things. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I also want to thank ALL the educators on social media who are sharing resources to help parents and caregivers better help their children at home. I cannot tell you enough how grateful I am for all of your creative ideas! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Spread the love by tagging a teacher you know to remind them how much they are appreciated! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #teachersrock #thankyouteachers #teachersareawesome #weloveteachers #weloveourteachers ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The rain in New Jersey has finally stopped and it The rain in New Jersey has finally stopped and it is starting to feel like spring again. My world always feels better with sunshine and new books and these standout stories from @harperkids are bringing our family some serious joy. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ THE BOLD, BRAVE BUNNY by @bethferry1 ; illustrated by @flyingmouse365: Teetu the Bunny lives with his brothers, sisters, parents, aunt, uncle, and cousins in a small burrow. In need of some alone time, he ventures into the forest where he has a thoughtful journey resulting in a new perspective about the importance of family. I think a lot of children and adults will relate to Teetu and this timely book! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ READY TO FLY: HOW SYLVIA TOWNSEND BECAME THE BOOKMOBILE BALLERINA by Lea Lyon, A. LaFaye; illustrated by @jessiedrawz: There is so much to love about this inspirational picture book biography! Sylvia Townsend was born with a passion for dancing, but when her family couldn’t afford lessons, she found another way to learn. After checking out books from her local bookmobile, she taught herself how to dance and then taught her friends! With her determination, grit, and ability to overcome obstacles, Sylvia Townsend is an incredible role model. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ NESTING by Henry Cole: Calling all nature lovers! This stunning book uses Henry Cole’s signature pen and ink artwork to showcase a new family of robins making a nest, protecting their babies, and preparing for winter. This informative book is an excellent read aloud for introducing animal science to children. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Thank you @harperkids for sharing these outstanding new books with our family in exchange for an honest review.
It’s been a cold and rainy April in New Jersey, It’s been a cold and rainy April in New Jersey, but we are hoping the old adage is true and that those April showers will bring May flowers. And if not, at least we can still enjoy them in some gorgeous picture books! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ How’s the weather where you are? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Thank you @the.book.report for inspiring this photo with your beautiful Earth Day post.
Creating our garden is one of our favorite springt Creating our garden is one of our favorite springtime activities. Our family is currently deciding what we want to plant this year and reading books like IN A GARDEN is getting us even more eager to start working! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Brightly colored illustrations and lyrical rhymes introduce children to the variety of life existing in a garden. From earthworms to bees, every organism plays a role in the success of the lush ecosystem. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The elegant rhymes gently touch on many aspects of the natural world such as insects’ ability to camouflage and the life cycle of animals and plants all while sharing a delightful story about a community garden. With its charming pictures and rolling rhymes, this is an excellent spring read aloud. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Do you have a garden? What are you planting this year? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Don’t miss IN A GARDEN by Tim McCanna @tmccanna ; illustrated by Aimée Sicuro @aimeesicuro; published by @simonkids , 2020 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Thank you @simonkids for sharing this special book with our family in exchange for an honest review.
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