The Best Picture & Board Books I Read In 2023Like this list

45 items

• Papa Brings Me the World

  Kostecki-Shaw, Jenny Sue

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  This is one of those books that needs your undivided attention. It's a bit too wordy for me but worth it for the spectacular illustrations and stories Lulu's papa brings back from his world travels. The Author's Note and map of where Lulu's…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Oskar Loves...

  Teckentrup, Britta

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  A simple exploration of some of Oskar's favorite things. Oskar encourages his readers to think about their favorite things and talk about them with others. Maybe like me, you will find yourself agreeing with Oskar as he lists his favorite things. …Read moreRead more of this annotation

• A Garden in My Hands

  Sriram, Meera,

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  A mom grows a garden of family stories and memories through the henna she draws on her daughter's hands. The reader is invited into their ritual and feels all the anticipation, love, and warmth the daughter feels. The illustrations are radiant,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Ode to a Bad Day

  Wallace, Chelsea Lin

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  Everything wears a frown during this girl's bad day, including her food! This girl's ode to a bad day is poetry at its best and her emotions light up the phenomenal illustrations. The wild blasts of color, especially the colors of today on one side…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• My Baba's Garden

  Scott, Jordan, 1978-

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  Comforting, meditative, bittersweet. This picture book makes a full circle of love and rituals shared between a boy and his Baba. It reads like a poem with stunning illustrations that will worm their way into your being.

• Pool Party

  Duchêne, Amy,

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  It's November in Kansas, so naturally I find the perfect summer storytime book! The rhyming text is a blast to read and there's just the right amount of it. You can feel the sunshine and smell the chorine radiating from the exuberant and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Sometimes I Cry

  Townes, Jess,

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  Wow, what an outstanding way to talk about feelings and acceptance of feelings. The illustrations are soulful, earnest, and tender. The details of the child's life are rich and complex, and the tears don't always solely belong to him but are…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Who I Am

  Words I Tell Myself

  Verde, Susan

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  A beautiful, self-affirming book that encourages us to stand up to the sometimes unkind voice in our heads. It's slightly wordy, but written as straightforward as possible with little fluff to clutter up the important message. The cover radiates…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Leo on a Hike

  McQuinn, Anna,

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  A hiking adventure that explores all the senses, especially touch. Leo and his Dad spend a perfect day outside exploring the woods together. The text is bold and easy to read, the pictures are lovely, especially the picture where the trees tower…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Pond Circle

  Franco, Betsy

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  A beautifully written, meditative, and deliciously terrifying small slice of the circle of life. You won't be able to resist reading aloud phrases like, "skunks shuffle" and "raccoons rummage."

• Save the Cake!

  Coxe, Molly,

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  Kate and Nate have quite the adventure as they make the perilous journey to deliver Grandpa Jake his birthday cake. First there's a snake! Then they miss the train! And we can't forget the sudden rain! You will have so much fun practicing your…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Together We Swim

  Bolling, Valerie,

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  Simple, rhyming text describing one family's pool visit and the adventures of a little boy who is learning how to swim. It begins with "toe dip," and "side grip" as the little boy enters the pool and ends with a family group hug with towels. The…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Bing! Bang! Chugga! Beep!

  Martin, Bill, 1916-2004,

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  Cute cute cute! I was about three words into reading this book when the melody materialized and I realized it was a singing book. A book to sing AND read - one of my favorite things! The language is smooth with zero hiccups. You will sing it like…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Invisible Things

  Miller, Andy J.,

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  A wildly imaginative and exuberant exploration of invisible things. The illustrations simply blast themselves off the page. They are SO bright and crazy. The illustration for melancholy feels so right. The lists for things like echoes and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• How Birds Sleep

  Obuchowski, David,

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  The illustrations are cozy, comforting, soft, and though illustrated at night, illuminated by the moon and stars, which are sometimes only visible in the light emanating from the pages. The content is also interesting too! My favorite nest was the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• My First Learn-to-Talk Book

  Things That Go

  Cohen, Stephanie (Speech therapist)

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  It doesn't get much better than this book. The language is clear, easy to read, and fun to say aloud. The illustrations are of real, adorable toddlers. And, included in the back are two pages about how this book works.

• My First Learn-to-talk Book

  Cohen, Stephanie (Speech therapist)

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• Wings, Waves & Webs

  Patterns in Nature

  Cranfield, Robin Mitchell,

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  Both the illustrations and words do a marvelous job describing multiple complex patterns with simplicity and wonder. After reading this, the world will be revealed in a whole new way. You will find patterns everywhere, and your fingers will itch to…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Bee-bim Bop!

  Park, Linda Sue

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  This is an older gem I stumbled upon recently. The illustrations are beautiful! I enjoyed being a part of the family's ritual of preparing bee-bim bop and sitting down with their multi-generational family for prayer and dinner together. Included in…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Darwin's Super-pooping Worm Spectacular

  Owen, Polly (Children's author),

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  If the title, "Darwin's Super-pooping Worm Spectacular" doesn't make you laugh out loud, reading about Darwin's obsession with worms is guaranteed to bring you much laughter. Weird, utterly captivating, and hilarious are three words that came to…Read moreRead more of this annotation