2025 Picture Books

Back in 2023, I made a post about picture books, highlighting two really good picture books I had read and noting that I'd add more throughout the year. Well, I didn't end up adding any more, but I figured I'd try that again this year. I have 2 to start, and maybe I'll actually add more this round. :)

[Adding later: I am adding more! Basically I'm adding any picture book that I read and think, Wow, I loved that!]

The Yellow Bus by Loren Long. I saw this on a possible Caldecott short-list, and it didn't end up winning anything, but I thought the story was clever and beautifully written, and the pictures were beautiful.

Touch the Sky by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic. I also saw this on a possible Caldecott short-list, but it also didn't win. I thought the illustrations were beautiful, and I really loved the message of the book (trying something hard, not giving up, helping others). The book also had some really good humor in there (Gretchen and the things her mom says to her).

This won the Caldecott Honor this year. The illustrations are beautiful, and I just love how they tell the story even on pages with very few words. The book got me a little choked up and was really sweet.

This won a Sydney Taylor Honor (for outstanding books for kids that authentically portray the Jewish experience), and I just loved the story! Just a super cool guy that really made an impact.

This won the Caldecott this year, and I think it was well deserved. Really nice pictures and just a sweet, relatable story.

This is an older book (2010), but I'm not limiting this list to books that are brand new but rather brand new to me in 2025. :) I read this for a preK storytime, and the kids enjoyed it. It's just a fun book to read aloud with hilarious pictures and just a funny/silly vibe the whole way through. And bonus, it practices counting!