Best, Most Giftable Picture Books of the Year
After the delight that was Matt Pett’s I Eat Poop, my hands-down favorite picture book of 2021, I feared 2022’s offerings wouldn’t be able to hold a candle to my beloved dung beetle story. But the bounty of beautiful, witty, and outright hilarious pictures books that made their way into our store this year leaves me with a VERY LONG “best of the year” list.
Two Dogs by Ian Falconer
Welcome back, Ian Falconer!! Falconer created an iconic children’s book character in Olivia – a pig none of us have ever met but one he portrayed with such intimate accuracy and boldness, it was as if we’d known her all our lives. When Olivia’s star took off with licensed shows and products via Nickelodeon, our children’s book genius flew under the radar until the surprising debut of “Two Dogs.” According to interviews he’s given, just as Olivia was inspired by a niece, Augie and Perry capture the personalities of the children of another of his siblings – boys who juxtaposed a bold, adventurous personality against a cautious, nervous one. And while Falconer has modeled this dachshund duo after real-life boys (now men in their 20s), he also has returned with his magic of distilling the stark and true essence of something – in this case, two dogs left to their own devices when their human departs for the day (Falconer’s family has owned these weiner dogs for generations, and his dachshund expertise is on full display). As the owner of three dogs, I find there to be something so recognizable in the way Augie and Perry play off of one another, taunting each other with stolen toys, finding ways into mischief, delighting in barking as squirrels they’ll never catch, and managing to get away with it all. I also thrill at seeing the return of Falconer’s unique illustration style – mixing realistic photographic elements with color and black and white illustrations. Much of what made me love the Olivia series is evident in this new book, and it has me hoping Falconer’s back in the children’s book game.
Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall
Oh, Sophie, how I love thee! There is no children’s book maker out there who so masterfully combines both truthful, beautifully-moving stories with the most intricate and captivating illustrations. Please, please, please watch her YouTube story about this book’s creation, told in her hypnotic Aussie accent. For those who haven’t followed Sophie’s journey as closely as the maybe-over-the-top fan that I am, she purchased a farm in the Catskills of New York State and converted the once-functioning dairy barn into the most beautiful retreat for writers and illustrators. The farmhouse depicted in this book, and the family whose life she chronicles, existed on what is now Sophie’s farmstead – 12 children were born and raised there and, before the farmhouse was demolished, Sophie collected scraps from the site which are incorporated in this stunningly collaged illustration, which is actually one giant art piece seen in glimpses on each page spread. Sophie says: “This is a book about a particular farmhouse and the family who lived there, but it’s also about any house and any family and the passing of time and about the things we leave behind and how stories are the things that remain, stories that we pass down through generations, stories that outlast us all.” There is something transcendently hopeful in her reminder that real homes, real lives, can live on in the stories we tell and the stories we make.
Big Truck Little Island by Chris Van Dusen
Author/illustrator Chris Van Dusen has a legion of fans, and rightly so. His illustrations are wonderfully detailed, with vibrant color and unique perspectives. Is prose is smart and rhymes without being forced. And his stories are always unique and engaging. But I would argue that Big Truck Little Island is his best project to date. What makes it SUPER COOL is that the idea for the book sprang from a real life event on the island of Vinalhaven off the mid-coast of Maine. A truck carrying a wind turbine blade blocked the island’s main through road, so islanders just switched cars for the day. Van Dusen said he was inspired by the ingenuity and community camaraderie. In his story, a big truck is pulled to the island by a steamboat, and once offloaded at the dock, it sets off to carry its mysterious load to the far side of the island. Halfway there, the truck gets stuck, bringing the entire island to a standstill. How will Meg get to her swim meet? How will Barry get to ballet class? The stranded kids put their heads together and decide to swap cars for the day, illustrating the trust, teamwork and sense of community Van Dusen wishes to see more of in our broader American society. Vehicles, rhymes, intricate images, and a big-reveal ending – what more can you ask for in a kid’s book?
I Don’t Care, written by Julie Fogliano and Illustrated by Molly Idle and Juana Martinez-Neal
This is the picture book, girl power, dream team I could have only hoped for in my wildest dreams. Julia Fogliano is a true poet who can write from the inner mind of a young child as if she still was one herself. Molly Idle and Juana Martinez-Neal are BOTH Caldecott Medal Honorees and happen to be real-life best friends!! And this book is all about best friends – what they care about and what they don’t. “I really don’t care what you think of my hair or my eyes or my toes or my nose”... “but mostly I care that you’re you and I’m me and I care that we’re us and I care that we’re we.” This is what first friendship is at its purest – it’s not social status or cool toys or the prettiest clothes; it’s loyalty and love and a half to make a whole. For those who know the work of Idle (Flora and the Flamingo) and Neal (Fry Bread), it’s a thing of beauty to see their two styles meld together. Idle has illustrated a child version of herself in graphite, highlighted by her favorite color teal, while Neal illustrates a young Juana, highlighted in yellow. Is the title color purple Julie’s favorite color? All I know is this book is a treasure!
The Christmas Book Flood written by Emily Kilgore and illustrated by Kitty Moss
If you buy one Christmas-themed book this year, I hope it’s this one! The Christmas Book Flood is a book about the Icelandic tradition of Jólabókaflóðið (or Joloabokaflod), in which books are universally gifted and read on Christmas Eve while eating or drinking chocolate in front of the fire. The author’s note explains that the tradition began during WWII when paper was one of the few things not rationed, allowing publishing to continue full speed ahead and making books a readily available gift for the holidays. Even after war rationing was a thing of the past, Icelandic publishers continued to print the majority of their books during October through December (U.S. publishers also push big titles to this fall shopping season). Emily Kilgore’s book, rendered is Kitty Moss’s absolutely magical scenes of winter merriment, celebrates the joy of searching out just the right books for the loved one in your lives and the anticipation of the night during which you lose yourself in that book, nestled among family and friends, reading into the wee hours with hot cocoa nearby. It’s Kilgore’s wish that this book flood spreads across continents and cultures, and I can’t imagine anything more wonderful.
Pizza!: A Slice of History, written and illustrated by Greg Pizzoli
Greg Pizzoli is the coolest – every book he puts out is perfectly funny, fabulously designed, and written in a way that makes the story as entertaining for the child listener as it is for the adult reading it aloud. Pizza! is juvenile nonfiction at its best – as fun and informative to pore over as Dave Eggers and Shawn Harris’ Her Right Foot. In America, Pizzoli writes, we eat 350 slices of pizza every second – it’s certainly among one of the country’s most beloved foods. But how did this combination of crust and sauce and cheese come about – when was it invented, where did it originate, and how did it end up in America? That’s was Pizzoli has to offer, and how perfect for it to come from an author with a surname like his. A few of my favorite highlights? Learning tomatoes are not native to Italy, one who makes pizza is called a “pizzaiolo,” and an appearance by the nefarious New York Pizza Rat.
Mina by Matthew Forsythe
Matthew Forsythe made a big splash in the children’s book world with the publication of Pokko and the Drum in 2019 – his stunning colored-pencil illustrations create a mysterious, jewel-box world populated by intelligent and interesting woodland creatures. Forsythe’s remarkable art is matched with the driest sense of humor, at times the tiniest bit dark (he credits Roald Dahl as an influence). In Pokko, the many mistakes of Pokko’s witless parents are on full display, but it’s revealed that the biggest mistake they’ve ever made was giving Pokko a drum. The little frog plays a little too enthusiastically and is, thus, sent outdoors where she is soon joined by a forest full of new bandmates. Mina is a companion book of sorts – Mina’s father is a xylophone player in Pokko’s band, and that small connecting thread indicates Pokko and Mina’s families occupy the same world, a miniscule fact I ADORE. Mina is the story of a young mouse with a dimwitted but well-meaning father, a character Forsythe opening admits is a reference to his own father, a comedian and musician who was always bringing home unusual, sometimes dangerous things. Mina’s father brings home tin cans to make his jokes louder and stamp art he thinks will be “worth something” someday. He crosses the line, though, when he brings home a “squirrel” that’s actually a cat. Mina’s instincts tell her they’re in for trouble. There’s a fun twist to how Mina and her father save themselves from the “squirrel” and its friends. Best yet, Forsythe has promised a third book in the “band animal” series – I can’t wait to find out whose story we’ll hear next!
The Sour Grape, written by Jory John and illustrated by Pete Oswald
This author/illustrator duo created something exceptionally special with their Food Group picture book series – to date, my favorite has been The Cool Bean, a story about a chickpea trying to fit in with the popular kids at school. But The Sour Grape is right up there at the top with its ridiculous number of puns and solid message on compassion and forgiveness. The Sour Grape was once as sweet as they come, inspired by his close-knit family, including wise and “raisained” grandparents. But a misunderstanding turned that sweet grape bitter, snappy, and sour, and he’s known never to forgive a grudge. But when the tables are turned and Lenny the Lemon has cause to hold a grudge against him, the Sour Grape’s eyes are opened to the necessity of patience and consideration. Lessons like these can be heavy handed, but John and Oswald’s non-stop jokes make this a story you won’t mind reading again and again.
The Blur, written by Minh Lê and illustrated by Dan Santat
Step aside “Oh, The Places You Will Go,” there’s a new graduation/baby shower pinch hitter in town. Rendered is Santat’s unmistakable, vibrant, energetic, and expressive illustrations, the story depicts that grand arrival of a baby girl, nicknamed “The Blur” – a baby who causes upheaval but delight in the lives of her doting parents. From sleepless nights, to chaotic toddlerhood, to near adulthood, the memories stack one on top of anothe: “The Blur flew into life, zipping through days, blazing through weeks, and zooming over the years until … TIME STOPS AGAIN.” And her parents are left wondering “How did we get her so fast? It’s all a blur.” This is a beautiful tribute to a parent’s love, a more honest representation of “the days are long, the years are short,” and I can’t make it through without a good cry. This is a meaningful book for every stage of childhood.
Bathe the Cat, written by Alice B. McGinty and illustrated by David Roberts
For a “cat book” to make the “best of” list at a dog-themed bookstore, with a children’s section curated by a reader who can’t pet a cat without her lung seizing up and her eyes swelling shut, the book has to be something pretty special (Fluffy McWhiskers: Cuteness Explosion! was last year’s feline winner). Bathe the Cat takes the crown this year for so many reasons – its excellent rhyme and hilarious plot, its one-of-a-king vintage-vibe illustrations and the beautiful diversity of this cat owning family. Author Alice B. McGinty is a midwestern (born in Minneapolis, now calls Illinois home) and her silly story of a mixed-up chore list. A frantic family (biracial and headed by two dads), is in a rush to straighten the house before Grandma arrives. Daddy sets the troops in motion, using classic fridge magnet letters to list the tasks ahead: mop the floor, scrub the dishes, vacuum the rug, feed the fishes, mow the lawn, sweep the mat, rock the baby and bathe the cat. The family’s marmalade cat doesn’t like the sound of that, so a sneaky paw makes a few edits resulting in a fed floor, swept dishes, rocked rug, scrubbed fishes, and many more mishaps. As the clock ticks down to Grandma’s arrival, the list is straightened out but, alas, there’s no time to bathe the cat, and it’s rocked instead. The author’s silly verse will have young readers laughing, and David Robert’s illustrations make this a visual delight, not to mention a valuable contribution to diversity in family representation. Bonus: this one has a great cover reveal below the dust jacket.
Patchwork, written by Matt De La Pena and illustrated by Corinna Louyken
Matt De La Pena is the Newberry Medal-winning author of Last Stop on Market Street and Corina Luyken is a New York Times bestselling illustrator of at least six outstanding books, so Patchwork is a project that was a must-read before it event hit the presses. Luyken’s illustrations do, in fact make this a stunning piece of art, and her use of color is essential in communicating the book’s core message: not a one of us can be defined by a single interest or characteristic – we are never just a single color. Instead, we are a patchwork, or a masterpiece, or a great symphony of unique characteristics and interests and talents, As a child, we may do nothing but dance, or play ball, or get into trouble for causing a ruckus in class – but we all evolve, we all grow – we pick up new skills, or harness old ones for new purposes. “You are more than a single note – played again and again. You are a symphony . You are sounds plucked from all the places you’ve been and all the people you’ve met and all the feelings you’ve felt. You are blues and pinks and loneliness and laughter, mismatched scraps accumulated over time and stitched together into a kind of patchwork. And even when our pattern loses its design, when it grows lopsided or tangles or is hard to follow – it will be beautiful.” What a beautiful message De La Pena has offered us – readers of all ages; a reminder that we’re all evolving, always; we’re never stuck – it’s certainly a truth I’ve seen played out in my own life, and if only each young child could learn this truth, hold onto it and carry it with them through life, remembering their evolving patchwork as the world around them tries to label them as just one thing, or when they feel stuck or lost.
Out of a Jar, written and illustrated by Deborah Marcero
Deborah Marcero is a talented illustrator whose distinctive watercolor and pencil work has brought numerous authors’ works to life, but she has demonstrated a special talent for honoring the emotional life of young children in her solo works about a bunny named Llewellyn. In a Jar featured Llewellyn’s cherished friendship with a bunny named Evelyn, a friendship cut short when Evelyn’s family moves away. Out of a Jar is a story about how Llewellyn chooses to handle unpleasant emotions – by shoving them in a jar, screwing the lid tight, and hiding them in a closet where he doesn’t have to deal with them. Fear, sadness, anger, loneliness – each illustrated as different colored ink blots – get bottled up and hidden away. But Llewelyn is left feeling numb, and eventually the pressure of those contained emotions spills over. Through Llewellyn, Marcero encourages young readers to face their emotions head on, share what they’re feeling with others, and then let the feeling move on. Not only has Marcero created a gorgeous work of art with this book, but she’s also offered a truly sophisticated yet easy-to-understand way for children to understand their complex emotions.
How Old is Mr. Tortoise? written by Dev Petty and illustrated by Ruth Chan
This duo doesn’t come with fancy children’s literature accolades (although Petty was a painter on the set of the Matrix films!), but they sure earn some cred with this hilarious story about a birthday tortoise desperate for cake but stalled by some very complicated math. When Mr. Tortoise announces it’s his birthday and invites a menagerie of friends to partake in cake, they get hung up on their determination to know Mr. Tortoise’s true age. Mr. Tortoise can’t remember, “oh, any number will do. I just want to celebrate a good life with good friends and…” possibly, most importantly “…good cake.” But the friends are fixated on deducing his age to determine the correct number of candles to put on the cake, and each uses their own methods of deduction to make a guess. The numerically inclined can follow along when facts start to align, arriving at what the birthday guests hope is an accurate number. Readers will love Mr. Tortoise and the fun mystery of determining his age. Fun fact: the world’s oldest tortoise is 190, named Jonathan and lives on the South Atlantic Island of St. Helena.
Lou, written and illustrated by Breanna Carzoo
If my favorite pick from last year (I Eat Poop) didn’t give you a clue, we love a little “toilet humor” at Dog-Eared Books, and Lou is right up that alley. Lou is a neighborhood fire hydrant, and it’s his understanding that he’s a toilet because, “all day, every day, one by one, [the neighborhood dogs] SNIFF and TWIRL and TWIST and LIFT and … well, you know.” Lou knows his role as toilet target is useful, but he has a sense he’s capable of something more, he just doesn’t know what that is. Until the day he’s put to use in a new way. Carzoo’s comedic timing is perfect and her illustrations are not only adorable but offer a fun build-up to the story’s heroic moment.
That’s My Sweater, written and illustrated by Jessika von Innerebner
The age-old problem of hand-me-downs. Younger siblings can often resent them, while older siblings can be reluctant to let some of their favorite things pass on. This is the crux of Innerebner’s fabulous book. As the oldest of four sisters, I can recall scenes quite similar to the cover of this book – I’d discover one of my younger sisters donning a favorite shirt and demand its return to my rightful ownership. The protagonist of this story is Olivia, and her favorite sweater in the entire universe, the one that’s been through EVERYTHING with her, has just been handed down to her baby brother. Olivia does all that she can to reclaim the sweater, but there’s a twist to the story – Olivia has an older brother, and that same sweater was once HIS favorite. It seems what goes around comes around. Innerebner’s illustrations are expressive and fun, in tones of red, teal, black and white, reminiscent of author Scott Campbell’s (Hug Machine) style. And the story is one any child with a sibling will relate to, as will their adult readers, reflecting on those awesome multi-colored, diamond-patterned jeans they grew out of in sixth grade and had to hand down. Insert tear-face emoji. P.S. I love when children’s authors use childhood photos as their author photos for the author bio! Jessika was stinkin’ adorable.
My Parents Won’t Stop Talking!, written and illustrated by Emaa Hunsinger and Tillie Walden
I’m verbose, if you can’t tell by this excessive list of books that I refuse to edit down to a smaller number because I have JUST SO MUCH TO SAY about HOW MUCH I LOVE THEM! I can also be hard to shut up when I’m on a roll with a good friend, a fellow booklover, or someone I’ve just met. Thus, my children have struggled over the years, standing by my side, doing their best to wait my conversation out but more often interrupting, tugging on my hand, and getting the “1-minute” finger in return (which never met one minute). This is the point of tension around which Emma Hunsinger and Tille Walden’s book centers – a young girl named Molly can’t wait to go to the park – she’s going to make mud pies, daringly run between people swinging on the swing set, and climb her favorite tree. But when she, her brother, and her moms head out the door, they’re waylaid by THE CREDENZAS, their friendly across-the-street neighbors who want to catch up on everything from growing tomatoes, refinishing antique furniture, spiritual baths, and car maintenance. Molly is doing her best, using every technique she can think of, to maintain her patience, including “groaning loud enough that my moms can hear but not loud enough that they tell me to stop being rude.” Just when she’s given up hope that she’ll be stuck listening to her parents blab on and on to the Credenzas forever, the conversation ends, and they’re off to the park. I appreciate this comical representation of a common childhood frustration, and I suspect young readers will find solidarity with poor Molly.
I Love You Because I Love You, written by Muợn Thị Văn and illustrated by Jessica Love
Elizabeth Barrett Browing said is best when she wrote the opening verse to “Sonnet 43,” “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” There are never enough words or minutes in the day to express the full extent of our love for the children in our lives. Muợn Thị Văn’s book, with the aid of Jessica Love’s award-winning artistry, paints a picture of the simplicity but deep depth and breadth of our love for the important people in our lives. Written in a call-and-response type verse, we see the reciprocal nature of love: “And I love you because you’re here. Because I love you, I am here.” Love gives and returns and it is powerful. Together, Thị Văn and Love offer a beautiful representation of the myriad relationships that can fill a child’s life with love.
The Eyebrows of Doom, written by Steve Smallman and illustrated my Miguel Ordóñez
Together Steve Smallman and Miguel Ordóñez have created a one-of-a-kind hilarious story about a pair of hairy Eyebrows of Doom (or are they just two slugs all covered in hair?) who are on a mission to wreak havoc in the lives of all they encounter. The Eyebrows of Doom, once attached to poor Dave the bear, take over his mind and leave him with the urge to do something unkind. Subsequent victims include a seagull, a young girl building a sandcastle, a porcupine at the zoo, and countless others. Nothing can stop them until they make their way into the snout of an elephant, who sneezes them, all covered in snot, out into the sea. The crowd of tortured animals celebrates in victory: “The eyebrows are gone!” But they realize they may have spoken too soon – the eyebrows have latched on to an angry octopus. The book is primarily a ridiculously funny and original story about a couple of troublemakers, but it also hints at how the physical manifestation of an unhappy face (furrowed brow, frowning mouth) can have a chain reaction effect on interactions with others. Readers will love delight in the ruckus but are sure to also love Ordóñez’s gold, geometric illustration style (praised in our board book reviews in regard to Eat Together). Ordóñez lives and worries in Madrid, and I love the international influence on his imagery.
Rock That Vote, written by Meg Flemming and illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins
I want to introduce you to one of my new favorite children’s book writers: Meg Flemming. A Voice teacher and former music educator and performer, she knows how to write rhythm like nobody else. Her books with Lucy Ruth Cummins, Sounds Like School Spirit and Rock That Vote, are two of my favorite read-alouds of all time, thanks to their perfectly rhymed call-and-response formats. Sounds like School Spirit is all about the routines of school – name tags, taking turns, finding seats, raising hands. Rock That Vote, smartly timed with its October release in advance of the election, is about a classroom of kids using the election process to vote on the species and name of their new classroom pet. Lucy Ruth Cummins illustrations are rendered in saturated primarily colors, adding rich detail to the stories.
I Was Born a Baby, written by Meg Flemming and illustrated by Brandon James Scott
Fleming’s talent for rhythm and rhyme is at play in I Was Born a Baby, as well. A diapered boy shares that he was born a baby, and a host of animals pipe up with their baby animal names: colt, piglet, billy goat, kit, and lamb. Things get confusing, though, when groups of animals realize they share the same baby names. Baby penguins, chickens, flamingoes, blue birds and ostriches are all called chicks. Similarly, baby camels, cows, giraffes, whales, and hippos are all called calves. Joeys and cubs and pups all run into the same problem. The conversation circles round when the diapered boy notes that, while he was born a baby, he grew into a kid, a name that’s also shared with a baby goat. The book is successful in educating readers on baby animal names, but it does so in an incredibly amusing way and could lend itself to conversations about kids today who share popular names like Emma and Charlie and Jack and Charlotte. And each of the illustrated animals is irresistibly cute. Watch for more from Meg Flemming in the future – she’s a sure bet with her “sick beat” approach to children’s book writing.
