There were a lot of great picture books that were published last year that are great ones for girls to read. Here are some of my new favorites. Happy Reading!
By Vashti Harrison
New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2023. Picture Book.
A young girl was once praised for being a big baby and a big girl…only eventually the word “big” doesn’t seem so good after all. This story takes the young protagonist on a journey of self-discovery and realization as to what words are good, strong, and powerful and what words will need to be disregarded.
Written by Kallie George
Illustrated by Elly MacKay
Toronto: Tundra Books, 2023. Picture Book.
A young girl dreams of adventure and being a mermaid…but she lives in the middle of a prairie with no sign of the ocean. Instead of being glum, she pretends that there are “waves” in the crops and that the “ocean” are the fields. This tale is all about imagination, friendship, and making the best of dreams no matter what the circumstances.
Written by Kim Rogers
Illustrated by Julie Flett
New York: Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2023. Picture Book.
Becca is a young girl who loves to spend time with her grandma. Whenever Becca wants to do something, Grandma willingly shows her what to do. And eventually, Becca and Grandma learn that there are some things that Grandma wants Becca to show her how to do as well. This is a great story to show that everyone can learn from others and that love can span generations.
Written by Anne Wynter
Illustrated by Daniel Miyares
New York: Balzer + Bray, 2023. Picture Book.
The family in this book plants a pecan tree. Then multiple generations come together around this tree. This is a perfect book to show that nature and family are important parts of a girl’s life.
Written by Kao Kalia Yang
Illustrated by Jiemei Lin
Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, 2024. Biography.
This is a real story about the author and how she had to navigate life at home and in school and chose to do that with selective mutism. Yang was a Hmong refugee who didn’t speak English very well and often would see people trivialize her family’s needs or experiences due to not knowing how to speak the language. This is a powerful story that shows that one’s voice —even if it doesn’t know how or what to say—is important and should be listened to and cherished. So powerful.
Comments