2010 Best Picture Books
Each year, Austin Public Library youth services librarians read hundreds of books and we gather together lists of our favorites. Some of these win awards and are placed on official reading lists. . . and some aren't. If you're looking for great books that you might have missed last year, here are a few to try.
Recommended for toddlers through grade 2.
Book List Category:
By Lemony Snicket ; [illustrated by] Maira Kalman.
A dog attempts to cheer up his friend, a despondent bird, in a tale that introduces a series of words from "baby" to "haberdashery."
By David Wiesner.
Max wants to be an artist like Arthur, but his first attempt at using a paintbrush sends the two friends on a whirlwind trip through various media, with unexpected consequences.
By by Rukhsana Khan ; illustrated by Sophie Blackall.
Having to take her younger sister along the first time she is invited to a birthday party spoils Rubina's fun, and later when that sister is asked to a party and baby sister wants to come, Rubina must decide whether to help.
By Emily Gravett.
Big dogs, small dogs, stripy dogs, spotty dogs. There are so many different kinds of dogs. How can anyone pick one type of dog to love the most?
By Cecil Castellucci ; illustrated by Julia Denos.
When her grandmother, a devoted gardener, dies, a little girl inherits her gardening gloves and feels closer to her memory.
By written by Deborah Underwood ; illustrated by Scott Magoon.
Granny Gomez's pet pig grows too big to live in the house, so she builds him his own barn but discovers that she is lonely without him.
By written by Jonah Winter ; illustrated by Red Nose Studio.
In the spring of 1987, the town of Islip, New York, with no place for its 3,168 tons of garbage, loads it on a barge that sets out on a 162-day journey along the east coast, around the Gulf of Mexico, down to Belize, and back again, in search of a place willing to accept and dispose of its very smelly cargo.
By written and illustrated by Ami Rubinger ; translated from the Hebrew by Ray Baitner.
Elephants of many colorful shades are described in couplets that invite the reader to complete the rhyme using color-themed clues.
By Emma Dodd.
Easy-to-read text celebrates the many kinds of bugs that can be found in a backyard.
By Jeannie Baker.
In Sydney, Australia, and in Morocco, two boys and their families have a day of shopping. Readers are invited to compare illustrations in two wordless stories that are intended to be read one from left to right and the other from right to left.
By Bob Shea.
A young hippopotamus shows his father the right way to do things, such as getting dressed, watering the flowers, and especially giving big hugs.
By Jacqueline Woodson ; illustrated by Sophie Blackall.
When Mama's pregnancy draws attention away from Gia, she worries that the special bond they share will disappear forever once the baby is born.
By by Deborah Underwood ; illustrated by Renata Liwska.
From the quiet of being the first one awake in the morning to "sweet dreams quiet" when the last light is turned off, simple text explores the many kinds of quiet that can exist during the day.
By written and illustrated by James Rumford.
The children arrive on the first day of school and build a mud structure to be their classroom for the next nine months until the rainy season comes and washes it all away.
By by S.J. Fore ; illustrated by R.W. Alley.
A little boy who wants to read his book keeps being distracted by a tiger who is busy chomping on gum, growling, and practicing karate kicks.
By Nina Crews.
Jack likes to play with his "friend" Guy without the interference of his little brother Gus, but when Guy gets stuck in a tree, Gus is the perfect companion to help Jack rescue him.
By by Karma Wilson, bestselling author of Bear Snores On ; illustrated by Marcellus Hall.
While all the other animals on the farm enjoy eating their regular food, the cow chooses to eat the one thing that she loves best.
By Il Sung Na.
An elephant finds a "thingamabob" and experiments until he discovers what to do with it.
By words by Michael Rosen ; pictures by Kevin Waldron.
With a tramp and a roll and a swat, Great Big Elephant, Great Big Hippo, and Great Big Tiger try to capture Tiny Little Fly as he teases each one in turn.
By by René Colato Laínez ; illustrated by Tom Lintern.
When Miguel loses a tooth, two legendary characters come to claim it--one who is responsible for collecting teeth in the United States and one who has collected the teeth of the boy's parents and grandparents.
By Elisa Kleven.
Stanley the elephant, who's very clumsy, accidentally smashes Mouse's house, then promises to try to make a new one.
By Richard Torrey.
A young boy asks a lot of questions, including "Why does everyone think I ask too many questions?"
