Christmas Gifting: Newer Picture Books

Okay, so let's say your giftee has all the old classics and series already. What is hot and new this year?

I ran a report of books we added this year, published in 2014 or 2015, and sorted by number of check-outs per month. The following titles checked out an average of more than once a month - which is pretty good, since they can theoretically be out for three weeks at a time!

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The cute cover makes it easy to see why this one is snatched off the shelf. Our narrator explains how a bear might, in a string of increasingly improbable events, have ended up in the park where the reader's lunchbox happened to be sitting. The fact that the narrator is revealed to be the reader's dog should, of course, in no way cast doubts upon his reliability. This could lead to some fun exercises in fantastical story telling ("how do you suppose that shoe ended up on the side of the road?")

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Mr. Fish is nervously awaiting his first day of school, and he frets about not knowing how to write his name, how to draw shapes, and how to do math—until he's reassured that school is the perfect place to learn how to master all of these new skills.

I will happily admit we were one of those check-outs. Sheridan came to me in TEARS last month, because she isn't at ALL ready for second grade, AND she doesn't know what she wants to be when she grows up! This is the child who is finishing her first semester of Kinder. I assure you, neither her teacher nor her parents are putting undo pressure on her, this is all her. She got a kick out of all Mr. Fish's grumps and moans, and by the second reading most of my kids were joining in on the 'refrain'. A great gift for a little one who may be starting school next year - perhaps with a backpack, or school supplies to practice with, or even a miniature fish to keep in his pocket to remind him he doesn't have to know it all right away!

I did a quick review of this series a couple months ago:

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and it is still hugely popular. The set of three (so far) would be a perfect gift for a pair of sisters! Maybe even gift with the promise of planting a tree for each in the Spring.

Are owls still big in decor, or did I miss that boat?

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Either way, I think I want this cover stenciled on a nursery wall somewhere. A companion to Little Owl's Night (2011), this beautiful story of a baby owl finding himself awake during the day, introduces little ones to differences they might not have been aware of. Pair both titles with a promise to go on a nighttime walk together, and see how things are the same or different around your home.

Other 2015 titles that have been popular:

The Moon is Going to Addy's House by Ida Pearle

15 Things Not to Do with a Baby by Margaret McAllister

Otter in Space by Sam Garton

A Crow of His Own by Megan Lambert

One Thousand Things by Anna Kovecses

One Word from Sophia by Jim Averbeck

Winnie and Waldorf by Kati Hites

The Nuts: Sing and Dance in Your Polka Dot Pants by Eric Litwin

Janine by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson

Bunnies!!! by Kevan Atteberry

2014 Titles:

One Busy Day by Lola Schaefer

The Book with No Pictures by B. J. Novak

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett

A Perfectly Messed-Up Story by Patrick McDonnell

Bad Bye, Good Bye by Deborah Underwood

The Nuts: Bedtime at the Nut House by Eric Litwin

Fix This Mess by Tedd Arnold

Before After by Anne-Margot Ramstein

Found by Salina Yoon

Duck, Duck, Moose! by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen

The Farmer and the Clown by Marla Frazee

Green is a Chile Pepper by Roseanne Thong

Max and the Won't Go to Bed Show by Mark Sperring

My Grandfather's Coat by Jim Aylesworth

Louise Loves Art by Kelly Light

More Quickie Reviews: New at the Library

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Egg loves Bacon.

Lettuce loves Bacon. 

Waffle loves Bacon. 

Bacon is sizzling with popularity. 

And pretty much everyone thinks he is the best.

That is-until Bacon's fame goes to his head. He's so busy soaking up the attention, that he soon forgets the important things in life, like friendship and family. How will it all pan out for our dashing, delicious hero?

Plot summary: Everyone loved Bacon. And then my husband ate him. The end.

(You could also include some ideas about staying loyal to your friends, not being stuck up, pride goeth before a fork, etc., but that's pretty much the gist of it.)

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Sophia tries varied techniques to get the giraffe she wants more than anything in this playfully illustrated story about the nuances of negotiation.

Sophia has one true desire for her birthday. But she has Four Big Problems in the way: Mom, Dad, Uncle Conrad...and Grand-mama.

Will her presentations, proposals, and pie charts convince them otherwise?

Turns out, all it takes is one word.

While you can probably guess the word that finally works, "accompanied by a particularly compelling pair of eyes", the trip there is a fun one - with a mini vocabulary lesson along the way. Cute!

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Seems like everyone in the world has been talking about this little series, and we finally got them in here. I'll just echo what everyone else in the world has said - sweet little books about welcoming a new sibling, and some of the ups and downs that come after. Plenty for kids to associate with, warmly and beautifully illustrated. I adored the pictures, and Willow would have been part of Shane's name had he not been a Shane. The first has already been translated into Spanish, and I'm sure more titles will be coming.