Best Picture Books of 2025Like this list

30 items

• Broken

  Fang, X.,

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  When Mei Mei accidentally breaks her ama's favorite cup, she's convinced it's the end of the world. What if Ama is angry? What if she yells? What if she kicks Mei Mei out of her house? Mei Mei can't face it. But when Mimi, the innocent cat who…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Aggie and the Ghost

  Forsythe, Matthew, 1976-

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  Aggie is very excited to live on her own--until she finds out her new house is haunted. But no fear, the situation is nothing that can't be fixed with a carefully considered list of rules: No haunting after dark. No stealing socks. No eating all the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Scarecited on the First Day of School

  Agostini, Alliah L.,

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  It's the first day of school for Afua! There's no one word to name her feelings. Is she scared? Excited? Oh wait, she's scarecited! Her own combination of both. Why should she have to choose?

• I Know How to Draw An Owl

  Hippely, Hilary Horder,

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  A homeless girl, who lives in a car with her mother, draws a lifelike portrait of an owl based on firsthand experience.

• Whoa Panda!

  Jennings, C. S.,

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  An excited, affectionate young panda learns to navigate his friends' personal boundaries.

• This Book Is Dangerous!

  Clanton, Ben, 1988-

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  While everything seems to come sunny-side up for Narwhal on their adventures, Jelly has more than a few worries about the many dangers out there in the ocean: sea serpents, pirate crabs, circus cannons, lost porcupines, and spiky things of any kind…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Interpreter

  Abtahi, Olivia,

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  A sharp and heartfelt picture book about a young soccer-loving girl who's an interpreter for her Spanish-speaking parents.

• I Have Three Cats...

  Sumovich, Michelle,

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  Over the course of a year, a stray cat becomes part of a young girl's family.

• Every Monday Mabel

  Awan, Jashar,

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  Every Monday Mabel takes her breakfast outside and waits for her favorite part of the week: the garbage truck.

• The Bear Out There

  Hannigan, Jess,

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  The signs are clear--there's a BEAR OUT THERE! You're lucky to be safe in this cabin in the woods, with a host who is levelheaded, trustworthy, and smart about bear safety. There's certainly no need to worry about any dark shadows or sneaky schemes…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Otter Carries on

  Tatsukawa, Maya,

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  Otter loves floating and collecting pretty, heavy rocks all by themself. When a storm comes, Otter has so many rocks that they can't swim home--and soon, they're lost at sea. But when a few rocks accidentally slip away, Otter feels--lighter. And…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Littlest Drop

  Alper, Sascha,

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  When a forest fire attacks their home, one brave hummingbird attempts to extinguish the flames, inspiring the other animals, paralyzed by fear and doubt, to do their part.

• Ada and the Goat

  Aubrey, Heidi (Heidi Christine),

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  Ada seeks a peaceful, solitary life in a remote fixer-upper cottage, but her plans are disrupted by a capricious goat.

• Pop! Goes the Nursery Rhyme

  Bird, Betsy,

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  The sensible Secretary Bird wants nothing more than to get on with their job of properly narrating a classic nursery rhyme book. But something is afoot in the orderly land of nursery rhymes . . . a zippy little Weasel has entered the scene! As the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Here Is a Book

  Cooper, Elisha,

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  The life of a picture book begins in the artist's studio, journeys through the world of publishing, finds itself on a bookshelf, and lands in the home of a young reader.

• To See An Owl

  Cordell, Matthew, 1975-

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  Inspired by her teacher, Mr. Koji, a girl begins bird watching in the hopes of seeing an owl.

• All the Stars in the Sky

  Coulson, Art, 1961-

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  A young boy learns the Cherokee lesson of gadugi from his grandmother and how working together and helping each other makes the whole community stronger.

• The Wombats Go Wild for Words

  Ferry, Beth,

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  Evergreen Forest is a very nice forest, with very nice trees and very nice animals. It's a rather dull place, but no one says a word about it. In fact, no one says very many words at all! And therein lies the problem. Until the word-loving wandering…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Backwards Alphabet Book

  Friedrich, Paul (Cartoonist),

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  When the alphabet starts with Z instead of A, Zebra and Yak make their way through a mixed-up alphabet in search of Apple.

• No More Chairs

  Gill, Dan, 1947-

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  From art to science, history to math, there are so many things to learn at school! But Mr. Gill's students are most interested in learning about the empty chair that sits in the front of their classroom. He tells them a story from his childhood…Read moreRead more of this annotation