What a Map Can Do by Gabrielle Balkan, illustrated by Alberto Lot

Published by Rise x Penguin Workshop

My wish for a really good map book for young kids finally came true this year. This one covers all the basics and is super interactive in a way that will greatly appeal to early elementary students.

Glitter Everywhere! Where It Came From, Where It’s Found & Where It’s Going by Chris Barton, illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat

Published by Charlesbridge

All the fun (and science, history, and art) of glitter with none of the mess.

Stranded! A Mostly True Story from Iceland by Ævar Þór Benediktsson, illustrated by Anne Wilson

Published by Barefoot Books

Truly one of the quirkiest nonfiction books I’ve ever read, this would make a fun read-aloud for older elementary kids. I enjoyed the running gag that there was one untrue thing in the story, demonstrating that truth really is stranger than fiction.

The Indestructible Tom Crean: Heroic Explorer of the Antarctic by Jennifer Thermes

Published by Viking Books for Young Readers

I’m a huge fan of Jennifer Thermes’s art, and she successfully combines it here with the riveting story of Irish explorer Tom Crean. This book inspired me to see a one-man show about Crean when I was in Dublin this summer, which I also highly recommend.

Cut! How Lotte Reiniger and a Pair of Scissors Revolutionized Animation by C. E. Winters, illustrated by Matt Schu

Published by Greenwillow Books

I’m always up for a biography of an interesting woman, and I enjoyed learning about Lotte Reininger, whose extreme perseverance and dedication to her art revolutionized the world of animation.

Dogtown by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko, illustrated by Wallace West

Published by Feiwel and Friends

Readers will take Chance to heart as he valiantly strives to help his friends at the dog shelter. A perfect read-aloud for any elementary grade, as well as a good first chapter book for new-ish readers.

Will on the Inside by Andrew Eliopulos

Published by Quill Tree Books

Andrew Eliopulos drew on his own middle school experiences of dealing with a Crohn’s diagnosis and figuring out his sexuality to create Will, one of my favorite fictional characters this year.

Not an Easy Win by Chrystal D. Giles

Published by Random House Books for Young Readers

Racism, multigenerational living, incarcerated parents, and bullying are all deftly handled in this story about a middle school chess team. Definitely a contender for a Coretta Scott King or Newbery award.

The Firefly Summer by Morgan Matson

Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

The lakeside setting, a newly discovered extended family, an intriguing treasure hunt, and a mystery or two made this a perfect summer read.

The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island, book 1) by Christina Soontornvat, illustrated by Kevin Hong

Published by Scholastic

It wouldn’t be an end-of-the-year roundup without at least one book by Christina Soontornvat. Her Thai-inspired fantasy series is perfect for those not quite ready for Harry Potter.

I’m the first to admit that my taste in picture books is a bit quirky and heavily influenced by what my students are drawn to. 

The Umbrella by Beth Ferry, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

Published by Clarion Books

I read this book to preschoolers, and both the kids and their teachers were happily surprised by the final twist in the story. An homage to hope and perseverance.

Watch Out for the Lion! by Brooke Hartman, illustrated by Anna Süßbauer

Published by Page Street Kids

This was another favorite read-aloud. It’s funny and interactive, a double win as far as I’m concerned.

The Voice in the Hollow by Will Hillenbrand

Published by Holiday House

Kids are always looking for scary stories, and this one offers a nice dose of creepiness, as well as a cozy ending and an ode to the power of stories.

Little Land by Diana Sudyka

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Diana Sudyka’s striking illustrations make this a powerful introduction to ecology, while encouraging kids to make a difference.

Mole Is Not Alone by Maya Tatsukawa

Published by Henry Holt and Company

One of the most affirming books for socially anxious introverts that I have ever read, with an ending that encourages readers to seek quality over quantity in friendships.

I found the Caldecott pickings a little slim this year, but here are a few that I think could be contenders. I’m selling my mock Caldecott slideshow over at Teachers Pay Teachers if you want to see more choices.

The Tree and the River by Aaron Becker

Published by Candlewick

As with Aaron Becker’s Journey trilogy, you will continue to discover new details each time through this wordless masterpiece that chronicles the rise and fall of a civilization and offers a tiny hope for renewal in the last few pages.

Evergreen by Matthew Cordell

Published by Feiwel and Friends

Divided into six parts, this is a long book to read aloud, but the engaging story and incredibly detailed illustrations keep the pages flying by. 

An American Story by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Dare Coulter

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Kwame Alexander’s powerful poem tells the story of American slavery, making the case that this history must be taught to children. Dare Coulter’s incredible illustrations combine sculpture and paintings and are equally powerful. I will be shocked if this doesn’t win a bunch of awards.

The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale by Jon Klassen

Published by Candlewick

It’s not often that a group of jaded fifth graders spontaneously burst into applause at the end of a read-aloud, but that’s what happened when I read them this book. Funny, creepy, and slightly disturbing, this early chapter book is sure to become a classic. Don’t miss the author’s note at the end for an interesting take on folklore.

Jumper: A Day in the Life of a Backyard Jumping Spider by Jessica Lanan

Published by Roaring Brook Press

It may come down to the number of arachnophobes on the Caldecott committee as to whether or not this book wins an award.

As I’ve done in years past, I’ll be posting some end-of-the-year book lists each day between Christmas and the first few days of January before taking my annual break for the first half of January. 

Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow

Published by Disney Hyperion

Erin Bow takes the grimmest of premises and turns it into a funny, moving story filled with memorable characters. 

The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, A Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity by Nicholas Day, illustrated by Brett Helquist

Published by Random House Studio

It’s pretty rare for a nonfiction book to win a Newbery, but this incredibly engaging whodunit that deftly moves between the fifteenth and twentieth centuries should definitely be a contender.

The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers, illustrated by Shawn Harris

Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers

I would love to see this book get Newbery recognition, not only because of the funny narrator, engaging story, and impeccable writing, but also because it’s the only book on this list that’s really for an elementary audience.

The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh

Published by Roaring Brook Press

Expertly moving between the early days of the pandemic and 1930’s Ukraine, this well-researched historical fiction has possibly the biggest plot twist of any book I read this year and kept me turning the pages until the very end.

A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat

Published by First Second

Dan Santat’s graphic memoir about his life-changing trip to Europe the summer before high school has already won the National Book Award and could easily be considered for a Caldecott as well as a Newbery.

Once again, time has run out for the year. As I look at best books lists from 2023, I see some that I almost reviewed or that I thought about reviewing or that I would have reviewed if I had known about them. Here are a dozen of them.

Cat on the Run in Cat of Death! by Aaron Blabey

Published by Scholastic

The Bad Guys are popular with my students, especially since the movie came out last year. I gave this book a try, but it was too low brow, even for me. I’m sure the kids will love it, though. 192 pages; grades 2-5.

Dust by Dusti Bowling

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

I’ve enjoyed other Dusti Bowling books, and this one looks really good, featuring a girl with severe allergies whose community experiences severe dust storms around the time a mysterious new boy named Adam arrives at her school. 352 pages; grades 4-7.

A Walk in the Woods by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney and Brian Pinkney

Published by Neal Porter Books

Normally I would enthusiastically embrace a book written and illustrated by this team, but when I saw that it was about a boy dealing with his father’s death, I felt like I couldn’t deal with one more picture book about grief. 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Alebrijes by Donna Barba Higuera

Published by Levine Querido

Dystopian sci-fi isn’t my favorite, so I gave this one a pass, but given how much I enjoyed the Newbery Award-winning The Last Cuentista, I’m sure I would have liked it. It looks like a great one for middle school. 416 pages; grades 5-8.

A Crown for Corina by Laekan Zea Kemp, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

I’ve seen this on some Caldecott prediction and other best books lists, but it somehow never got enough on my radar to review it. A birthday celebration for Corina brings a crown with flowers that celebrate her family connections. 40 pages; grades K-3.

Tiger Daughter by Rebecca Lim

Published by Delacorte Press

This book looks right up my alley (first-generation Chinese-Australian girl dealing with family and friend issues), but I don’t remember hearing about it until I saw it on an end-of-the-year list. It may be because it’s an Australian import, originally published in 2021. 192 pages; grades 5-8.

The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri, illustrated by Daniel Miyares

Published by Levine Querido

I tried to read this story of a journey along the Silk Road but didn’t get past the first few pages. It’s been popping up on a lot of Newbery and best book lists, though. 224 pages; grades 4-7.

Darwin’s Super-Pooping Worm Spectacular by Polly Owen, illustrated by Gwen Millward

Published by Wide Eyed Editions

I feel real regret that I never heard about this book when it came out at the beginning of the year. Looks like a great nonfiction book about how Charles Darwin discovered earthworms’ superpower: pooping. 32 pages; grades 1-4.

Wish Soup: A Celebration of Seollal by Junghwa Park

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

This book came out on December 5, and I had it on hold at the library, but the year ran out before I got my hands on it. A story of the Korean holiday Seollal. 40 pages; ages 4-8.

A Bit of Earth by Karuna Riazi

Published by Greenwillow Books

As I read the description of this retelling of The Secret Garden featuring a Pakistani girl sent to America, I’m kind of shocked that I didn’t read it. It sounds like a book I would have loved. 368 pages; grades 4-7.

The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass

Published by Feiwel & Friends

I’ve enjoyed books by both Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass, and I started to read this one a couple weeks ago, but again, the year ended before I got to finish it. 224 pages; grades 3-7.

Bea Wolf by Zach Weinersmith, illustrated by Boulet

Published by First Second

This has gotten many accolades at the end of the year, but my PTSD from reading Beowulf in college prevented me from getting beyond page one of this graphic retelling. 208 pages; grades 4-7.

As I’ve done the last couple of years, I’ve put together a slideshow with 20 Caldecott contenders to use for a mock Caldecott activity. It includes an introduction to the award, a round-up of last year’s winners, and a slide about each of the books with information about the illustrator and what to notice about the art in each book. The slides are editable so you can take out ones you don’t want to use, add others, or change the information. I’m selling it on Teachers Pay Teachers; if you’re interested, here is the link. If you do buy it, I hope you’ll send me some feedback, or leave a review on TPT!

Published by Top Shelf Productions

Summary:  Shelley Frankenstein is inspired by her famous ancestor, Dr. Frankenstein, and the monsters he created that still live with the family.  Pairing up with her little brother Iggy, she takes apart toys and sews them back together.  But her cronkey (crocodile-donkey) and shark kitty are failures, with the kids at school falling in love with what they consider adorable new animals.  Finally, the Frankensteins make CowPiggy.  When he’s deemed the cutest of all, Shelley gets the monsters to train him to be scary.  Their work pays off, but CowPiggy ends up scaring himself and running away.  When Shelley goes after them, they discover a community of bunnies who teach them a thing or two about being scary–and about being scared.  Returning home, CowPiggy embraces his adorable nature, and Shelley learns to love him exactly how he is.  168 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  Kids who enjoy a creepy atmosphere that has more laughs than screams will get a kick out of this graphic novel that features a cast of cute critters and pays homage to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

Cons:  Those expecting something scarier may be disappointed.

Published by Random House Studio

Summary:  Stickler, an eight-eyed creature who appeared in Lane Smith’s 2022 book A Gift for Nana, loves sticks.  And everything else he sees around him.  “Oh, to see it all anew!”  He gets that chance when he finds a space alien that’s just arrived to Earth (or so Stickler thinks; readers will realize it’s actually a bird with a can stuck on its head).  Stickler gives the creature a tour of all the things he loves: flowers, the ocean, the wind, rocks.  The can finally comes off to reveal Stickler’s friend Crow, who thanks Stickler for opening up her eyes to the wonders of the world.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Lane Smith’s textured illustrations gorgeously celebrate the natural world, and Stickler and Crow humorously present a message of mindfulness and appreciating the beauty all around them.

Cons:  Adults may appreciate the message more than younger readers.

Back to School, Backpack! by Simon Rich, illustrated by Tom Toro

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

How to Get Your Octopus to School by Becky Scharnhorst, illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett

Published by Flamingo Books

Summary: An octopus and a backpack are both dealing with first-day-of-school jitters. The octopus lives with a girl who’s trying to convince him that school is fun. Octopuses are shy, though, and also good at hiding. Once he’s been discovered, the two work together to find him a perfect outfit, a process that’s disrupted when the octopus’s nerves cause him to shoot a cloud of ink. They finally make it to school, and the octopus is excited to be with new friends. When it comes time to say goodbye, it’s the girl who has some trouble letting go. Includes ten facts about octopuses.

The backpack of the second book also has a case of nerves. It has spent the summer chilling in the closet with Hamper and Winter Coat and isn’t excited to have books jammed down its throat and to head off to school backwards, not able to see where it’s going. The backpack feels like it doesn’t fit in, and the illustrations suggest that its girl is having the same experience. A hallway collision leads to a friendship between the humans and their backpacks, and the first day of school suddenly gets a lot better for everyone. Octopus is 32 pages; Backpack is 40 pages; ages 4-8 for both.

Pros: If you’re on the same schedule as I am, you may be looking for books like these tomorrow morning. Each provides a short, funny read with great visuals (I loved the picture of the octopus classroom with all the students camouflaging against various backgrounds). Backpack is a little more laugh-out-loud funny, while Octopus has more of a If You Give a Mouse a Cookie vibe. Both could provide excellent writing prompts, writing from the point of view of your backpack of some other back-to-school object, or a how-to for getting your pet to school.

Cons: I guess this means summer is over.