15 Picture Books To Get Your Friends With Kids

When someone asks me for a picture book recommendation, this is nearly always the first title out of my mouth. I truly think it is one of the best picture books of all time. A determined little girl, camera in tow, sets off to find a fox. The illustrations are absolutely charming, and kids will love finding the sneaky fox along the way.

Daniela’s best friend Evelyn Del Rey lives just across the street. But today, Evelyn is moving away, so the girls are playing amid the moving boxes, promising to keep in touch. A beautiful story about friendship, written by Newbery Medalist Meg Medina and stunningly illustrated by Sonia Sánchez.

You might remember The Wonky Donkey because of that amazing viral video of a grandmother cracking up as she read it aloud. Well, the creators are back, this time with a grinny granky plunky-plinky swanky clinky-clanky zonky dunky-drinky clunky donkey!

“They say that matter is all things that make up the universe: energy, stars, space…If that’s the case then you, dear child, matter.” This book, written with stunning lyrical text from Tami Charles, is a beautiful affirmation for kids, especially Black kids, that they matter. With art by one of the best illustrators of our time, Bryan Collier, this book is a must have.

Mama and Me follows a mother and daughter spending a rainy day together, after the latter heads to Mama while the rest of the family is still sleeping. With beautiful illustrations (seriously, just look at all that detail!) and a sweet and loving story, it’s a perfect book to gift!

There’s a bunch of things that Gustavo is good at (ghost-y things like walking through walls and glowing in the dark, and also playing music on his violin) but making friends with other monsters isn’t one of them — whenever he gets close, they can’t see him. With Day of the Dead approaching, Gustavo wants to be noticed and share his passion, but he’s not sure how.

Ptolemy the pterodactyl, star of P is for Pterodactyl is back, this time with homonyms and sound-alike sentences. Though “Sir Francis Bacon” and “Sir, France is bakin’!” sound the same, the meanings are illustrated within the pages, leading to a whole lot of chaotic fun.

June’s father is away for long periods of time, like a goose, but June is always happy when Father comes home. After the family plants a tangerine tree together, Father tells him, “Next time I am here, this tree will be bigger, and so will you.” But when an accident happens and the tree topples, June, who has been taking care of the tree very seriously, worries that it will change his family forever.

It’s a beautiful day for a picnic, but Worrysaurus has a fluttering in his tummy. What if he gets lost? What if he didn’t bring enough food? What if it rains? This sweet tale of an anxious little dino brings feelings to the forefront, and provides a doorway for how to talk about mental health with young kids.

It’s Faizah’s first day of school, the start of a brand new year, and her older sister Asiya’s first day of hijab, which is a beautiful blue color. Written by Olympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad, with author S K Ali, and illustrated by Hatem Aly, this lovely book is a great addition to all shelves.

Sulwe has skin the color of midnight. She’s darker than the rest of her family and everyone else at school. But one magical journey will change everything, a journey in the night sky. Written by Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o and illustrated by the spectacular Vashti Harrison, Sulwe stuns in every way.

A beautiful pairing to the Oscar-winning short of the same name, Hair Love follows Zuri, whose hair has a mind of its own, and her dad. Though Zuri’s mom is usually the one who does Zuri’s hair, when mom is away, dad has to step in. And since dad will do anything to make Zuri happy, their bond leads this story as he learns how to style her hair.

The winner of the 2020 Stonewall Award, When Aidan Became a Brother follows Aidan, a young trans boy who has settled in happily after he and his parents fixed the parts of life that didn’t fit. Now, after his parents announce they’re having another baby, Aidan is hoping to make everything perfect from the start for them. And as it turns out, Aidan already knows the most important part of being a big brother: how to love with his whole self.

A young boy visits his grandfather, but since they don’t have a common language between them, they are mainly just silent. But when the two sit down and draw together, a bond, and a communication method, forms through their love of art.

Dreamers tells the story of author Yuyi Morales’s immigration to the United States from Xalapa, Mexico in 1994. With passion, strength, dreams, and stories, Morales’ picture book is a modern masterpiece.