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Best Books

Discover the best books published each year!

Best Picture Books Picked By Kids 2020
Best Picture Books of 2020
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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“Love will make a brighter world.” I just ador “Love will make a brighter world.” I just adore these words from the brilliant new book LOVE GROWS EVERYWHERE. Gentle rhymes and warm, colorful illustrations follow a family of gardeners who demonstrate that similar to nurturing a plant, love can blossom anywhere when we cultivate our relationships with kindness. The vibrant illustrations not only beautifully capture the affection among family members, but spills over into the different types of love in their diverse community. Many children will especially relate to the budding friendship between the gardener’s daughter and a new neighbor that flourishes after a simple act of kindness. With its theme of compassion, this joyful celebration of love is perfect for sharing on Valentine’s Day and all year long! Don’t miss LOVE GROWS EVERYWHERE by Barry Timms @barrytimmsauthor; illustrated by Tisha Lee @tishalee_art; published by ‎ Frances Lincoln Children's Books @franceslincolnpub, 2022 A big thank you to @quartokids for sharing this special book with our family.
I’ll never forget reading my first Steve Jenkins I’ll never forget reading my first Steve Jenkins book and my second and every book after. Every one of his books left me in awe of his talent of creating the most eye-catching illustrations with cut and torn paper while weaving in fascinating facts about animals. Last year my son discovered his EXTREME ANIMALS series and our entire family enjoyed learning about the world’s deadliest, speediest, stinkiest, and trickiest creatures. With over 80 books, this award-winning author and illustrator will be deeply missed, but I am grateful for his lasting legacy of stories that will excite and educate little learners. What is your favorite Steve Jenkins book? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Can you figure out what all these books have in co Can you figure out what all these books have in common? They are all Caldecott winners or Honor books! On Monday, January 24th, the American Library Association will announce the Youth Media Awards honoring the most prestigious books from the year before. While I love all of the awards that focus on children’s literature, the Caldecott is my favorite. This annual award is presented to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. Pictured here are some of my favorite past winners. As soon as I brought this haul home from the library, my kids went bananas and wanted to read ALL of them! Do you spot any favorites here? Do you have any predictions for who will win this year?
I read (and listened to) 52 books in 2021. My favo I read (and listened to) 52 books in 2021. My favorites included several suspenseful thrillers that kept me on the edge of my seat, captivating historical fictions with intriguing characters, a witty romantic comedy, and one science fiction story that was absolutely out of this world! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It was a fantastic year for books and I’m thrilled to share my top ten on my blog today at LIBRARYMOM.COM (link in bio @librarymombooks). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What was your favorite book you read in 2021? See any that you love here? What books did I miss that I need to read?
One of my goals for 2022 is to help my children le One of my goals for 2022 is to help my children learn more about money. More specifically, how to earn, save, and spend their money wisely and generously, which is why I am so excited about the MONEY BUNNY book series. Each book stars an adorable bunny who learns financial responsibility. Cartoony illustrations and simple text skillfully explain economics in a child-friendly way. We found SAVE IT! to be particularly helpful in learning how to earn money, make tough decisions regarding how to spend it, and ultimately save for something you really want. I’m also very excited for the newest in the series GIVE IT!, which focuses on using money, not just for yourself, but also to benefit others. I’m creating a book list of books that teach children about money and would love to hear your recommendations. Please comment below with any favorites you have! Don’t miss EARN IT! (2017) SAVE IT! (2019) SPEND IT! (2019) and GIVE IT! (2021) by Cinders McLeod @cindersmcleod; published by Nancy Paulsen Books @penguinkids
It’s a new year and that means new books! Here a It’s a new year and that means new books! Here are a few that I’m looking forward to checking out this January. A couple are even being released tomorrow! Which books are you looking forward to reading this year?
I managed to squeeze in one last library book haul I managed to squeeze in one last library book haul of 2021, and, wow, is it a great one! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Spot any of your favorites or any you’re excited to read? 2022 here we come! Wishing you all a very happy new year! 🎉🎉🎉
So many books and so little time! Unfortunately, t So many books and so little time! Unfortunately, this was especially true for me this year. I am so grateful and appreciative of all the authors, illustrators, and publishers who shared their wonderful stories with me in 2021. I wish there were more hours in the day so that I could spotlight all the stories I receive and love. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Pictured here are several of the books that I really enjoyed, but ran out of time to review. If you’d like an inside peek of any of the books in the picture, please comment below and I will do my best to post one in my IG Stories or possibly highlight in 2022. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Again, a big THANK YOU to everyone who shared their special books with me. I am truly thankful and honored.
Want your kids to read over winter break? Here’s Want your kids to read over winter break? Here’s a tip. Give them books that are fun! My son is seriously obsessed with graphic novels, so I added a ton to our recent library holds and voila, now he has a giant book haul of graphic novels to dive into over the break. I always get a variety so that my son feels empowered to pick one he thinks looks interesting. He’s already gotten into a few and especially loves CRANKY CHICKEN, SIMON AND CHESTER, CAT KID COMIC CLUB, and AGENT MOOSE. We can’t wait to read the rest! Do your children or students love graphic novels? Have they read any here? Visit LIBRARYMOM.COM (link in bio @librarymombooks) for more GREAT GRAPHIC NOVELS FOR 2nd and 3rd GRADERS.
I am fairly positive that most of you reading this I am fairly positive that most of you reading this have spent the last few weeks furiously searching for the perfect gift for others. This holiday season, I hope you remember to give yourself the gift of time. It is so easy to get caught up in all the holiday hubbub, but I hope you find the time to enjoy the quiet moments with your family and yourself. Last weekend, I gave myself 30 minutes to read a book by the fire and it was glorious! Sitting and reading during the day is something I NEVER do, but it was the perfect way to recharge my batteries and also model to my kids how much fun reading can be for adults. So, do yourself a favor and in the midst of making sure everyone around you has an incredible holiday, make sure you take a little time for yourself too! Here’s wishing you a very Merry Christmas to those who celebrate and a wonderful weekend to all!
Christmas is just days away and we are in the full Christmas is just days away and we are in the full holiday spirit! We can’t get enough of these 2021 holiday releases! Have you read any of these yet? What books are you currently enjoying with your family or students? Visit LIBRARYMOM.COM (link in bio @librarymombooks) for more of our favorite holiday books!
It’s time for my FAVORITE book list of the entir It’s time for my FAVORITE book list of the entire year! This is the list of picture books my kids (ages 6 and 9) think are the best! After reading hundreds of stories in 2021, they have selected their top choices for the books that kept them coming back for multiple readings. Not surprising, many of these stories are humorous, have engaging illustrations, and are packed with kid appeal! Visit LIBRARYMOM.COM (link in bio @librarymombooks) for the full list of BEST PICTURE BOOKS PICKED BY KIDS 2021! See any books that your kids or students love on the list? Any that you want to check out?
Have your kids ever asked for cookies for breakfas Have your kids ever asked for cookies for breakfast? Well, now you can surprise them and say yes!!!! Inspired by #thefictionfeast, I’m sharing one of our favorite new books INTERRUPTING CHICKEN COOKIES FOR BREAKFAST and one of our go-to recipes for healthy breakfast cookies! The hysterical little red chicken from Interrupting Chicken is back and this time she is hungry! Early one morning, she requests cookies for breakfast, but her dad wants to get a little extra shut-eye. They compromise by snuggling and reading in bed with their favorite nursery rhymes. With each story, however, Chicken interrupts with comical comments about eating cookies for breakfast. This book is pure fun and I wasn’t surprised at all when my kids chose it as one of their favorite books of the year. Hearing my kids giggle at the chicken’s humorous antics made this such a joy to read aloud and made me realize we absolutely needed to eat cookies for breakfast! Here is the quick and easy recipe for our Healthy Breakfast Cookies. - Two mashed ripe bananas - One cup of Old Fashion Oatmeal - Optional chocolate chips. I usually add 3 to each cookie. - Bake at 350 for 15 minutes - Eat and enjoy the satisfaction of giving your family a surprisingly healthy and delicious treat for breakfast! Don’t miss INTERRUPTING CHICKEN COOKIES FOR BREAKFAST by David Ezra Stein @davidezrastein; published by Candlewick Press @candlewickpress, 2021 and be sure to check out the hashtag #thefictionfeast for more fun food and book pairings! A big thank you to @candlewickpress for a review copy of this standout story!
When we adopted kittens, I had no idea how they wo When we adopted kittens, I had no idea how they would completely steal our hearts. Last week was their birthday and I thought it would be fun to celebrate them with a list of our favorite new releases starring cats! Over the summer, we learned that our cat Washington had an aggressive form of cancer in his mouth and that we would most likely have to say goodbye to him in a matter of weeks. We were devastated, but hopeful when we found out the vets were optimistic that a surgery removing the lower half of his jaw would rid him of the cancer. Although the surgery and recovery were extremely stressful, I’m thrilled to say Washington is fully healed and is back to his old self getting into hijinks with his brother Jefferson. We are so incredibly grateful and appreciative to have both of them as part of our family. Serendipitously, our frisky felines are book lovers and join us nightly as we snuggle and read our bedtime stories. Often my children (and the cats) love hearing about other mischievous kittens and the surge of recent stories starring cats have become go-tos in our house. Visit my AMAZON STOREFRONT (link in bio @librarymombooks) for our full list of FAVORITE PICTURE BOOKS ABOUT CATS. Do you have a pet that you are enamored with? I’d love to hear about them in the comments.
Kids who love to laugh will adore these hilarious Kids who love to laugh will adore these hilarious stories with heart! I mean who can resist a giant dragon sporting tighty whities? Both stories star the brave Cole who fulfills his dream of becoming a knight by defeating the fearsome Underwear Dragon with courage and wit. In the sequel, Cole realizes the Dragon is attacking his kingdom because he cannot read. In a series of comical scenes, Cole and the dragon practice their reading and with a little help from a girl named Claire, they finally succeed in their mission saving the kingdom and making new friends in the process. Though the books are completely silly, there are also important lessons in perseverance and helping others. The text has a nice flow, making it a joy to read aloud while the expressive illustrations are laugh-out-loud funny! Expect requests for multiple readings of these humorous tales! We love the Underwear Dragon so much, we’ve added the books to our our HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE. Visit LIBRARYMOM.COM (link in bio @librarymombooks) for the complete guide. Don’t miss ATTACK OF THE UNDERWEAR DRAGON and RETURN OF THE UNDERWEAR DRAGON by Scott Rothman @scottrothmanwriter; illustrated by Pete Oswald @peteoswald; published by Random House Studio @randomhousestudio, 2021 A big thank you to the publisher for a review copy of these special books.
You can only have so many mugs saying #1 Teacher, You can only have so many mugs saying #1 Teacher, but you can never have enough books! Stories have the power to inspire, entertain, and help open up important conversations, making them the perfect gifts for teachers! 2021 has been an incredible year for books focusing on social emotional learning, stories making kids who struggle with reading feel understood, and for empowering books that inspire students to be their best selves. I’m here to make your holiday shopping easier by creating a list of new releases that I think teachers will love having in their classrooms. Visit LIBRARYMOM.COM (link in bio @librarymombooks) for the BEST BOOKS TO GIFT TO TEACHERS 2021. What is your favorite present to share with teachers during the holidays?
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