You know when reading time comes around with your kid(s), there are books that make you scream, “NOOOOOO, not that one again!” and there are those books that make you say, “Yesssss, my favoriteeeeee..my kid obviously loves good illustration and literature!”

I have been wanting to do a quick roundup of those very special children’s books that I genuinely love to read and look at, so here it is if you’re looking for some wonderful new books for your kids or a great present to another family. I decided not to include any links because they are of course available on Amazon but I think it’ll be even greater to grab one from a used bookstore site. Enjoy!

If you need to know my reasons, here they are:

Last Stop on Market Street - A book about a little boy and his nana who volunteers at the local food share after church every Sunday. It’s about seeing beauty where most would not. I cheer every time the kids pick it out.
The Day the Babies Crawled Away - A really entertaining and beautifully written story about a little boy who went on an adventure wrangling little babies who crawled away. The illustrations are OUT OF CONTROL neat.
A Sick Day for Amos McGee - The story of the relationship between Amos and his friends from the zoo. A book about being caring and I LOVE Erin Stead’s illustrations.
Lenny & Lucy - Love this story about a little boy and his dog who move to a new house and build imaginary friends for security. I love the little subtle details in the story and in the illustrations. Another book illustrated by Erin Stead.
Penguins Don’t Wear Sweaters - A funny, silly story based on a true event after an oil spill impacting penguins
Sky Color - A beautiful story to make you think outside the box.
The Dot - I love how this story encourages kids to keep trying and creating even if they think they aren’t very good at it.
Little Owl’s Night - A great board book for a younger kiddos. I love the adorable illustrations and love the sweetness of the story.
Day Dreamers - All about day dreaming and imagining…beautiful illustrations of mythical creatures, SO COOL.