Favorite Books of 2024 - Picture Book Edition

Look, it's well into February and I'm finally getting around to writing about my favorite books of the previous year! Let's just say that already 2025 is... a lot, and as someone with several mental illnesses, including depression, it's been especially challenging to find the energy to do things I don't HAVE to do. But when I write about books I always feel better, which I need to remember. Books. I love books. I love talking about books - especially books for kids. I love writing stories.

ANYWAY, I won't pretend that I read a lot of books in 2024. I miss MANY every year - and I'm just now catching up on some that just won big awards. But I do have a few that I really loved, and here they are.

I think it will be clear to anyone who reads this that I gravitate most to silly humor - that's probably why that's the kind of story I write. Many of my faves fit into that category. But you'll find a few other sweet surprises here.

AHOY by Sophie Blackall

A child and their parent have a big adventure - without even leaving their living room! At first the grown-up doesn't want to play, as they're busy vacuuming the rug. But the rug isn't a rug at all - it's the ocean! This story is a celebration of imagination and invites caregivers to take the time to play with their littles. Winner of a Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy Bell award in the category PLAY! - visit the website for a handy activity guide to go along with the book!

BEAR IN A BATHROBE by Maddie Frost

Bear is happy to stay inside, in his bathrobe, where it's safe and warm and he has snacks. But his friends are outside skating - and that looks fun too. But what if? What if he falls? What if he falls through the ice? But Bear's friends are ready to help him face his fear and join them outside - still in his bathrobe. This is a great story for anyone who gets stuck in the "what ifs" and avoids trying new things. The cartoonish illustrations (and the bear in the bathrobe, let's be honest) make the heavier topic accessible and approachable.

BEAR'S LOST GLASSES by Leo Timmers

More silly bears! Bear can't find his glasses - so he goes looking for them. He doesn't find them right away, but does find - or so he thinks - an elephant, a crocodile, and various other animals. When giraffe helps him locate his glasses, he discovers that what he THOUGHT were animals were actually something else entirely. This is a hilarious story that will be appreciated by anyone with bad eyesight who has mistaken one thing for another, and kids who like to feel smarter than the main character (which is all of them, really). I love a good silly story like this.

COME OUT, COME OUT, CHAMELEON by Jonty Howard

An older man can't find his pet chameleon because, of course, it's so good at hiding! Oh, that, and the fact that he's never actually seen the chameleon! Kids will love being able to find the pet on each page. Warm, colored pencil-style art adds to the playfulness of this silly story that demands to be read AGAIN!

DRAWN ONWARD by Daniel Nayeri and Matt Rockefeller

This is a picture book in a style not seen since, I think, Anne Jonas's ROUND TRIP. As we begin the story, graphic novel-style illustrations depict a boy and his father, mourning the loss of the boy's mother. But the boy has an important question to ask, and so he ventures forth on a treacherous journey to find the answer - and then return home. This will appeal to children preschool through early elementary, who will pore over the illustrations of the fantastical worlds Nayeri and Rockefeller have created. Simply gorgeous.

IN THE GROVES by Andrea Cruz Floren

Clara has heard about the her abuelo's orange groves in California but hasn't been allowed to visit them. So she stows away on his truck to see for herself how magical they really are. She comes away with stories to tell and a new connection to herself and her family. In English with Spanish words sprinkled throughout. Soft illustrations in warm colors are a perfect complement.

NO MORE SEÑORA MIMÍ by Meg Medina and Brittany Chicchese

Mimi is excited when she finds out her abuela is coming to live with her family. But when she realizes that means no more before- and after-school time with Señora Mimí, her neighbor, she becomes sad. This is a sweet celebration of the people in our lives who care for us who may not be family, but love us just the same. Brittany Chicchese's illustrations provide just the right warm background to this lovely story.

PAVLO GETS THE GRUMPS by Natalia Shaloshvili

This is a sweet, gentle story about a day when nothing feels right. Pavlo is grumpy, and doesn't want to do any of the things mom suggests. She convinces him to leave the house anyway, and slowly his grump washes away. I love that Pavlo is never told to "cheer up!" and it's okay that today, he's just grumpy. The soft-focus illustrations feel like a warm hug.

A PINECONE! by Helen Yoon

Helen Yoon's books portray the best and silliest parts of childhood in such a delightful way. In A PINECONE!, a girl on a walk with her dad discovers, what else? Pinecones. As dad's distracted by the dog, the girl fills her pockets and secretly starts squirreling the pinecones away in the house. When they're finally discovered by dad, they find a mutually satisfying solution. I love how these books celebrate a child's delight and excitement in the everyday.

THE PLANT RESCUER by Matthew Rivera

A boy, proud to come from a long line of gardeners, is given his own plant to care for by his father. At first, he's an attentive caregiver, but, as is often the case, he becomes distracted and the plant begins to droop. Not wishing to tell his father what happened, he tries a number of things to perk up the plant. When those don't work, he does what any smart kid would do - he goes to the library! The illustrations are bursting with bright shades of green.

SO MUCH SNOW by Hyunmin Park

I love a good wordless (or almost wordless) book, and this one is one of the best I've seen! The author/illustrator essentially uses all of the white space on the page as snow, and uses color to represent a couple of people digging their way out from a snowstorm. Die cuts and a surprise ending add to the fun. Pick it up before Colorado's traditional big March snow storm!

STOPPING BY JUNGLE ON A SNOWY EVENING by Richard T. Morris and Julie Rowan-Zoch

And now for something completely different - a reworking of a Robert Frost poem by a boy and the poet himself! This is a silly negotiation that at begins as an attempt to add some excitement to a quiet poem and ends in chaos and an escape! Such fun! Julie Rowan-Zoch's cartoony illustrations are just the right silly match.

THANK YOU by Jarvis

Honestly, Jarvis is a master when it comes to simplicity - both in words and image. A small child says thank you to all kinds of things in their life, in a way that reminded me very much of the classic A HOLE IS TO DIG by Ruth Krauss and Maurice Sendak. They thank their hat for keeping their thoughts from flying away. They thank Tyrannosaurus Rex for being the biggest word they know. I can see this being an amazing prompt for young writers - what would you thank? And why? I thank words every day for the stories they tell.

THE THREE LITTLE TARDIGRADES: A SLIGHTLY SCIENTIFIC FAIRY TALE by Sandra Fay

This retelling of "The Three Little Pigs," but with microscopic water bears as the main characters, is thoroughly delightful. Gavin, Colin and Doug live in a drop of water with their tardigrade mama until it's time for them to set out on their own. One finds the perfect home inside a volcano, while another chooses an icy cave. The third goes even farther afield - to the moon! Each of them must avoid that scariest of threats - the HAIRY WOLF SPIDER! Sprinkled throughout the story (which doesn't talk down to children AT ALL) are scientific facts sure to keep the most curious science-hungry kids entranced. This is silly, smart humor at its best.

THERE ARE NO ANTS IN THIS BOOK by Rosemary Mosco and Anna Pirolli

Really, seriously, there are no ants. I promise. Okay, maybe one. Or... a hundred. But ants are cool! Did you know how many kinds of ants there are? And that some of them have some REALLY interesting abilities? Young bug enthusiasts will love learning about the many varieties of ants in the world and others will be drawn in by the colorful illustrations and... okay, the ants. Because while there ARE ants in this book, they're pretty cool. As long as they stay away from my picnic.

TOWED BY TOAD by Jashar Awan

Toad tows all the vehicles on the road when they have trouble. But who tows toad? Toad rushes around helping everyone, with no time to stop and take care of himself. But when his truck breaks down, will he finally accept help? This is a quick, fun read, appropriate for toddlers and up, and when combined with bright, sharp illustrations is sure to be a hit with the "things that go" fans.

WE ARE DEFINITELY HUMAN by X. Fang

When some DEFINITELY human creatures (they're from Europe!) crash in Mr. Li's field, instead of being wary or chasing them away, Mr. Li invites them in and offers to help them fix their "car." While it's clear to the reader that these new arrivals are probably NOT human (at least according to what we know), the townspeople welcome them just like any other new friend. What a lovely way to show how easy it is to show kindness to others. X. Fang's colored pencil illustrations are in primarily dark blue and yellow, with pops of neon pink for dimension. This would make for a wonderful read-aloud and conversation about what it means to be kind to those who are different from us.

WHAT LOLO WANTS by Cristina Oxtra and Jaime Bauza

Every night, Maria and her Lolo draw together. Lolo can draw anything, but one day, things begin to change. He begins to feel tired more often, and starts to forget people's names, and then, more words. Maria looks for a way to help him communicate and soon realizes that their shared love of drawing might just be the answer. This book is a lovely way to introduce children to dementia or dyspraxia in older family members, and serves as a good reminder that there are always other ways to communicate besides words. Tagalog words are sprinkled throughout and the pencil, watercolor and marker illustrations are joyful and colorful.

WHEN YOU LOVE A BOOK by Kaz Windness and Heather Brockman Lee

This is a sweet ode to the power of books and stories told through rhyming text and colorful, cheerful mixed-media illustrations. The text takes us from the moments we begin learning about books as babies and through to those long-time favorites that stay with us. See if you can spot all the references to classic picture books that have been included!

Bonus: this book recently won a CLEL Bell Award in the READ category!

WONDER AND AWE by Annie Herzig

This book, despite the fact that it's set in a snowy outdoors, feels like a warm hug. A girl makes a snowwoman, names it Wonder, and it becomes her best friend. The snowwoman, who finds wonder in everything, shows her how to spot all the wonderful things in the world. When her friend inevitably melts, though, the girl becomes sad and her world somber. Until she manages to find her wonder again - and awaits the return of her friend. Annie Herzig's soft illustrations in purples and pinks reflect both the snowy cold and the sweet warmth of this story.