National Picture Book Month

Published Wednesday, November 23, 2022

Writing books for children is no easy feat. When it comes to picture books, writers are able to create captivating characters and worlds in just 32 pages (standard length of a picture book). There is magic in a picture book that can make young (and old) readers feel for the characters or laugh out loud or gaze at the illustrations or all of the above! These pictures books, published in 2022, are full of picture book magic perfect for celebrating National Picture Book Month!

Farmhouse
by Sophie Blackall

Step inside the dollhouse-like interior of Farmhouse and relish in the daily life of the family that lives there, rendered in impeccable, thrilling detail. Based on a real family and an actual farmhouse where Sophie salvaged facts and artifacts for the making of this spectacular work, page after page bursts with luminous detail and joy. Join the award-winning, best-selling Sophie Blackall as she takes readers on an enchanting visit to a farmhouse across time, to a place that echoes with stories.

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The Blur
by Min Lê and Illustrated by Dan Santat

From the very beginning, there was something different about this child... An ultrasonic voice. Fantastically elastic limbs. Super-magnetic powers. But it wasn’t until the child took her first steps that she became: THE BLUR! Nothing can stand in her way as she takes the world by storm: always on the move and darting into danger! All too soon, she is zipping through the days, and zooming over the years. Framed as an origin story, here is a fun superhero romp for kids, filled with bold and bright illustrations, that will pull at the heartstrings of every parent.

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Nigel and the Moon
by Antwan Eady and Illustrated by Gracey Zhang

When Nigel looks up at the moon, his future is bright. He imagines himself as…an astronaut, a dancer, a superhero, too! Among the stars, he twirls. With pride, his chest swells. And his eyes, they glow. Nigel is the most brilliant body in the sky. But it’s Career Week at school, and Nigel can’t find the courage to share his dreams. It’s easy to whisper them to the moon, but not to his classmates—especially when he already feels out of place.

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Poopsie Gets Lost
by Hannah E. Harrison

A fluffy, nap-loving cat goes on the (fur-raising!) outing of a lifetime in this funny and gorgeously illustrated adventure about finding your inner tough kitty. Poopsie the cat spends her days licking her paws and rubbing her ears and looking fluffy, until the pushy narrator of this story pressures her to do something a little less boring. Adventure is waiting, after all! Soon Poopsie is lost in a jungle full of menace, from a vine that's actually a snake to a crew of tigers to a river full of crocodiles! All the while the narrator keeps pushing her to keep going. Will fluffy little Poopsie make it out of the jungle in one piece?

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In The Neighborhood
by Rocio Bonilla

A group of neighbors never talk to one another because they've all made assumptions about each other. Camila the chicken's house is too noisy, Mr. Martínez the fox seems so straightlaced, Felipe the mouse is nervous, and Pepe the ogre--well, you know about ogres. But one day, Mrs. Paquita's internet connection goes out. That starts a domino effect of neighbors helping neighbors. And soon everything has changed.

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The Three Billy Goats Gruff
Retold by Mac Barnett and Illustrated by Jon Klassen

Told with pitch perfect timing and pacing, hilarious detail, and Barnett's signature narrator voice, this is Billy Goats Gruff as never before. High-stakes page turns will have readers on the edge of their seats and giggling along, as they join each goat and anticipate the arrival of the hungry and terrible troll living under the bridge. With Klassen's brilliantly restrained scenes, arresting characters, and celebrated artistic style, this first of three fairy tales is destined to be a true publishing event!

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Song In The City
by Daniel Bernstrom and Illustrated by Jenin Mohammed

A charming and irresistibly fun picture book about a young blind girl and her grandmother who experience the vibrant everyday music of their busy city. A young girl, filled with the sounds of her beloved city, shares a song with her grandmother that changes the two forever. After helping Grandma realize that the city makes music as beautiful as the sounds they hear in church on Sunday morning, the two sit down and take in all the sounds of the city…together. Song in the City bridges the gap between generations of music and family, while centering love, understanding, and joy.

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The Velveteen Rabbit
by Margery Williams and Illustrated by Erin Stead

Celebrate the 100th anniversary of The Velveteen Rabbit with a stunning new edition of the timeless classic, with illustrations by Erin Stead, Caldecott Medal winner of A Sick Day for Amos McGee.

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Field Trip to Volcano Island
by John Hare

A wordless picture book adventure takes a group of students to visit a thrilling volcanic island. The same students we met in Field Trip to the Moon and Field Trip to the Ocean Deep travel to a volcano island on a yellow school bus helicopter. When they get there, one student picks flowers as they hike to the top and then accidentally slips down a crater and can’t get out. The student isn’t too worried--especially when he meets a lava monster and its children who are fascinated by the flowers.

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Telling Stories Wrong
by Gianni Rodari and Illustrated by Beatrice Alemagna; translated from the Italian by Antony Shugaar

Grandpa playfully recounts a familiar fairytale to his granddaughter, and try as she might to get him back on track, he keeps on adding things to the mix, resulting in an unpredictable tale that comes alive as it is being told.

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About the Author

Megan is the Head Librarian of Youth Services at Edwardsville Public Library and she loves reading stories to children, seeing kids get excited about books, and learning new board games. Megan has worked at EPL since 2014.