For me, and I imagine for many people, my love of books and reading started at an early age. Children’s books are magical, instilling life lessons and literacy skills with beautiful illustrations and captivating stories. Often, children don’t even realize how much they’re learning when they get lost in a book. It’s a fun thing for them, and that’s all they need to know.
Luckily for those who have been lucky to love children’s books, whether it’s one title or a thousand, April 29 marks the beginning of Children’s Book Week. This week is the longest-running celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading. In fact, the 2019 celebration marks the 100th anniversary of Children’s Book Week.
It sounds so simple, but the best way to honor this week is to pick up a children’s book you love and share it with a child in your life. Or even just enjoy it yourself, readers of all ages can enjoy a good children’s book. Come to the library to pick up an old favorite, or better yet, ask a librarian to help you find a new favorite. We certainly have something for every reader!
Here are some great children’s book titles to get you started.
• “Olive & Pekoe: In Four Short Walks” by Jacky Davis. A collection of four stories starring wise, elderly dog Olive and large, boisterous puppy Pekoe. There’s plenty of gentle humor to be found in comparing this unlikely pair of canine companions: while Pekoe loves playing with sticks and chasing chipmunks, Olive prefers resting in the knowledge that the forest is full of sticks and chipmunks. At least both dogs agree on the importance of snack time!
• “Not Your Nest!” by Gideon Sterer. An industrious yellow bird builds a series of comfortable nests, only to find them usurped by other animals — each one larger than the next. What’s a frustrated little bird to do? The absurdity of big animals in tiny nests will provoke gales of giggles, while the cooperative conclusion will smooth ruffled feathers and appeal to kids’ sense of justice.
• “The Midnight Library” by Kazuno Kohara. Welcome to the Midnight Library (evening hours only), where the librarian might be a little girl in pigtails, but she knows just what each animal in the library needs. Contrasting cool blues and blacks with a deep, warm yellow, The Midnight Library’s illustrations are whimsical, inviting, and perfect for bedtime.
• “Sal and Gabi Break the Universe” by Carlos Hernandez. After middle school magician Sal Vidón tears a hole in time and space in order to plant a raw chicken in the school bully’s locker, he draws the attention of ambitious classmate Gabi Reál. Together, Sal and Gabi might be able to change things for the better…assuming they don’t destroy the universe in the process.
• “CatStronauts: Mission Moon” by Drew Brockington. Blanket, Pom Pom, Waffles, and Major Meowser, four brave cat astronauts who blast off on a mission to build a solar power plant on the moon. Equal parts silly and smart, this cartoon-illustrated graphic novel is the 1st in a series, followed by CatStronauts: Race to Mars.
• “The Cardboard Kingdom” by Chad Sell. A bright, exciting graphic novel about a group of kids who create imaginary alter-egos and build an epic fantasy world out of cardboard, while also dealing with family problems, fighting with friends, or feeling misunderstood.
