2021 in Review: Ms. Christina’s Favorite Books This Year for Your Storytime Next Year!
By Ingrid Christina
Friends, colleagues, caregivers, we made it another year! Give yourselves a big high-five and self-hug. Under difficult conditions, we found ways to nurture our little ones and fill our libraries, classrooms, and homes with warmth and joy.
For me, 2021 was a year of teaching early literacy online and reading a lot — a lot! — of picture books. I am excited to share a selection of the best picture books from my class this year, arranged into my top five overall and top five in the categories of biography, humor, mindfulness, inclusion, and science. These books were not published in 2021, they were the ones that made my young learners — across time zones and hemispheres — lean in and light up. These were the books that made us all feel connected and better about the world around us.
So next year, when you’re looking for that perfect book for your storytime, circle time, or anytime together with your kids, look here!
Different kids brought this book to my class in different languages. The illustrations are quiet and lovely, depicting a friendly full moon and a tower of animals trying to reach it to take a bite out of it.
Not only is the concept humorous and appealing — with the opportunity to teach animal identification — the concept of the moon in general was a hit with my kids.
Fun Fact!
Did you know the phase of the moon is the same wherever you are on earth? For example, when the moon is full, it’s full for everyone, no matter what time zone or hemisphere you’re in.
Top Five Picture Book Biographies
MAE AMONG THE STARS by Roda Ahmed and Stasia Burrington – Biography, Mae Jemison, astronaut, first African American woman to travel in space
THROUGH MY EYES by Ruby Bridges – Autobiography, Ruby Bridges, civil rights, segregation, school integration.
BUNHEADS by Misty Copeland and Setor Fiadzigbey – Autobiography, Misty Copeland, ballet.
MARTIN’S BIG WORDS by Doreen Rappaport and Bryan Collier – Biography, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights.
WHAT WOULD SHE DO? 25 True Stories of Trailblazing Rebel Women by Kay Woodward – Women’s history, biography
Don’t let the spooky smiling skull on the cover of this book scare you! Creepy cover notwithstanding, or maybe because of it, the kids in my class could not turn away from this book.
They loved the idea of peeking under their own skin and seeing the 27 bones in each of their little hands. Even more fascinating was seeing the bones of the human arm compared to the paw of a monkey, wing of a bat, and fin of a whale — with striking similarities!
Center spreads unfold to reveal complete human and python skeletons! Seeing the bones of humans and animals depicted in this way fostered a feeling of commonality among all of us bone-carrying creatures.
Fun Fact!
Did you know a python has 200 pairs of ribs?
Top Five Funny Fiction
COWBOY AND OCTOPUS by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith – Friendship, wry humor
SOME DINOSAURS ARE SMALL by Charlotte Voake – Dinosaurs, size, perspective, bullying, love, humor
MY TEACHER IS A MONSTER! (NO, I AM NOT.) by Peter Brown – Humor, different perspectives, understanding others
POKKO AND THE DRUM by Matthew Forsythe – Music, determination, starting a band, wry humor
THE FISH WHO CRIED WOLF by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler – Sea animals, imagination, storytelling, humor
All kids just learning to speak — whether a first or second language — intrinsically know what a language barrier is. They confront situations, feelings, and people every day they don’t have the words for. What better way to overcome a language barrier than with art?
The boy and grandfather in this story are stuck in silence until they begin drawing together. The boy draws playful figures in colorful markers while the grandfather wields his traditional brush dipped in black ink to unleash his inner warrior.
Together they craft stories of action and adventure and eventually teach each other their techniques, forging a deep inter-generational and cross-cultural connection. Kids are shown that drawing can be a tool for communication without or beyond words.
Fun Fact!
It’s no wonder kids love drawing — humans have been at it for a very long time. The first known drawing by a human being was found in South Africa and is believed to be 73,000 years old!
Top Five for Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence
WHILE WE CAN’T HUG by Eoin McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar – Social distancing, friendship, love
SLOTH TO THE RESCUE by Leanne Shirtliffe – Rainforest animals, kindness, overcoming anxiety
HOW DO I FEEL? A little guide to my emotions by D.K. Publishing – Identifying feelings, emotional intelligence
BIG BREATH, A Guided Meditation for Kids, by William Meyer and Brittany R. Jacobs – Mindfulness, meditation, calm
HI, KOO! A YEAR OF SEASONS by Jon J Muth – Poetry, seasons, mindfulness
Is the baby laughing yet? No. How about now? No. Now? No! Until the baby finally did laugh and my kids cheered.
This book portrays a Navajo family preparing for their baby’s First Laugh Celebration —it celebrates family, babies, and Navajo language and culture in the present day. Back matter gives fascinating details about the Navajo-Diné author, Diné illustrator, and the First Laugh Celebration in the Navajo, or Diné, tradition, as well as similar celebrations for welcoming new babies in different cultures around the world. And babies were something all of my kids connected with and over this year.
Fun Fact!
Whoever gets the Navajo baby to laugh first, gets to host the party where the baby is officially welcomed into the family and clan. And yes, that also means getting the bill!
Top Five for Celebrating Inclusion and Diversity
HOT POT NIGHT! by Vincent Chen – Food, culture, Chinese-American family, community.
SNOW GLOBE WISHES by Erin Dealey and Claire Shorrock – Multiracial family, winter, peace, mindfulness, community.
THE BIG UMBRELLA by Amy June Bates – Inclusion, making room for others.
THE SUITCASE by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros – Understanding others, compassion for refugees, immigrants, foreigners.
EVERYBODY COUNTS, A counting story from 0 to 7.5 billion by Kristin Roskifte – Math, counting, acceptance of others, human family.
Old Rock doesn’t do anything but sit there all day long doing nothing. Boring! That is, until Old Rock starts telling its life story. The kids in my class laughed out loud at the images of Old Rock flying out of a volcano, riding on a glacier, and being sat on by a dinosaur.
This book provides a whimsical introduction to geology, deep time, and the history of the earth. It also delivers an important message about making assumptions and how well we really know our friends. The present is put into perspective against the sheer span of Old Rock’s lifetime. Your kids will never look at their pet rock the same way again.
Fun Fact!
Did you know that some of the oldest rocks on earth can be found in Canada?
Top Five for Science and History
THE FIRST DRAWING by Mordicai Gerstein – Historical fiction, cave paintings, art, daring to be different.
HOW BIG WERE DINOSAURS? by Lita Judge – Science, dinosaurs, size.
GUESS WHAT IS GROWING INSIDE THIS EGG by Mia Posada – Science, different kinds of eggs.
THE SUN IS KIND OF A BIG DEAL by Nick Seluk – Science, solar system, humor.
VIVALDI AND THE INVISIBLE ORCHESTRA by Stephen Costanza – Historical fiction, anonymous women in history, Antonio Vivaldi, classical music.
Thank you for this fabulous list! I love how you included books in each category. Very helpful. I can’t wait to check them out!