Best Picture Books Read in 2016

I was going to splurge and share TEN of our favorite picture books read in 2016 because, let’s be honest, that’s most of what’s read around here, and there are SO MANY GOOD ONES that picking five is impossible. But I had the list and then decided to just share the five most recent in detail, and list the other five favorites.

In order from most recently published to oldest:

School’s First Day of School by Adam Rex (2016). Frederick Douglass Elementary is a brand new school, built from the ground up, and he gets used to just having the janitor around keeping him clean. The janitor tells the school that soon he'll be full of children, and school gets very nervous. The school has to learn everyone's names, and how to act, and  how to make friends... Can he do it, or will he be too scared?! Reviewed in detail here.

Monster Trucks by Annika Denise (2016). My son loves monster trucks, but this book is extra fun because the trucks are actual monsters! The monster trucks race each other on a spooky night, but what happens when a new vehicle shows up on the track? This one is included in my Halloween Book Recommendation video.

The Bear and the Piano by David Litchfield (2016). This book is so sweet and touching! I'll admit, I teared up at the end. The story is great, and the artwork is beautiful. Definitely one I'll keep coming back to, whether I'm reading it aloud to my son, or just reading it to myself!

Here Comes Destructosaurus by Aaron Reynolds and Jeremy Tankard (2014). The whole family loved this cute, witty book. Destructosaurus is trashing the whole town, burping fire everywhere, and not listening to the reader, who is trying to keep him in line. When the reader finds out Destructosaurus was just throwing a tantrum because he couldn't find his teddy, the tone changes...but so does the terrifying main character!

Yoo-hoo, Lady Bug! by Mem Fox (2013). This book is SO cute, I can't stand it. It's kind of like Where's Waldo? for kids, but on a simpler scale. There are illustrations of a crowded shelf, or a staircase with toys strewn about, and the reader has to find the ladybug in each. There is a simple rhyme to say before finding the ladybug, and a "solution" with the ladybug zoomed in on the next page. My son and I both enjoyed this book immensely.

The Runners-Up:

Boy + Bot by Ame Dyckman and Dan Yaccarino (2012) was previously reviewed in a What We Read This Week post.

Nothing Like a Puffin by Sue Soltis (2011) is a fun book comparing and contrasting a puffin against other animals and objects. It's a great book to read aloud with your kid and let them point out and name all the things they identify and, depending on age, guess at what qualities are similar to or different from the puffin.

A Balloon for Isabel by Deborah Underwood and Laura Rankin (2010) was previously reviewed in a What We Read This Week post.

Bee-Wigged by Cece Bell (2008) and Unlovable by Dan Yaccarino (2002) are both reviewed in previous What We Read This Week posts.

Best Middle Grade Fiction Read in 2016

Call it middle grade fiction, children’s fiction, juvenile literature - I don't care; I love it all! I’ve gotten really into this age level in the past couple of years, and read so much good middle grade stuff this year! A lot of my “regular” library patrons are in 5th to 7th grades, so I like recommending these titles to them, and reading what they recommend to me.

In order from most recently published to oldest:

The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (2015). Ada was born with a clubfoot, and her mother is ashamed of it. Because of that, Ada has never been out of the house, never learned anything, even though she is…or at least THINKS she is, 10 years old. Her little brother Jamie, on the other hand, is their mother’s favorite, and can play outside and attend school. As the war gets closer to London, Jamie is going to be sent to the country to stay safe. Ada sneaks out with Jamie, and they get on a train with the other children from London. People who live in the country are going to take in children until World War II is over, but what if no one wants Ada and Jamie? This was a very engrossing book, and I don’t usually enjoy historical fiction. The ending of this book is one of the most satisfying I’ve read in a long time, with a perfect last line. Highly recommended! See more raving on A BOOK A MINUTE.

A Blind Guide to Stinkville by Beth Vrabel (2015). I started this book as an audiobook, and it was wonderfully read - I highly recommend it to those who have time to listen to audiobooks! My 2-year-old doesn’t give me much of a chance to listen peacefully, so after trying for a month I checked out the hardback so I could finish it - which I did in less than a day! I loved Pack of Dorks but I think I might have loved this one more… Alice has albinism so she is practically blind. When her family moves from her familiar Seattle to a new town called Sinkville (but it stinks from the paper mill, so it’s totally Stinkville), she has to try and be independent. Alice has always relied on a friend to help her get around, but now she has to make new friends and fit in, which is hard when you have albinism. Alice is a great character with a great voice, and the book is so realistic I’m still wondering how the characters are doing! Highly recommended.

Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman (2015). If you never read any other book I recommend, please read this one. I love this book SO much, I already want to re-read it. Codes, hidden books, visiting landmarks in an historical city - what’s not to love? Emily has been an active Book Scavenger for years, so she’s excited when her family moves to San Francisco, even though she’s tired of moving once a year. Now she’s in the hometown of the man who created Book Scavenger, and he’s about to release a new game! But when he’s mugged in a subway station, no one knows if the game creator will make it, and Emily is worried her family will move again before she can participate in the game.

I Kill the Mockingbird by Paul Acampora (2014). Loved this book! Three best friends try to inspire their classmates to read, specifically To Kill a Mockingbird, by planning a daring project over the summer. I don’t want to give too much away because the plan itself, as well as how they execute it, is of course a major part of the book. But after working in a library and trying to find books that have seemingly disappeared into thin air, I really appreciate how ingenious the kids’ plan really is.

Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin (2009). Great book narrated by a boy with autism as he tries to navigate an online relationship via a writing site. This is another book I can’t really say too much about, not because I’d spoil the book, but just because it’s so brilliantly written to allow the reader to really get into Jason’s head and learn to understand him.