2022 Picture Book Nominees

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Bookmarks
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Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story From the Border by Mitali Perkins (2019) 
IL: K-3  RL: 2.3

Curriculum: social studies
Subjects:  family, Christmas, brothers and sisters, grandmothers, sharing, holidays and celebrations

Near Christmas, Maria, her mother and her brother Juan travel to the Mexico border south of San Diego, California to visit their grandmother who they have not seen in a few years.  It is a bittersweet reunion; the fence separates them and then Juan’s gift of a drawing is too big to fit through the fence.  Maria then comes up with a plan to deliver his gift.

Americas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature (winner)
Golden Poppy Award (winner)
Charlotte Huck Honor Book
ALSC Notable Children’s Book
NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book pick
Junior Library Guild selection

Lesson Ideas:
Lessons with Books
​Authors Website
Lesson Idea from Jilanne Hoffman
Kite Crafts for Kids
Book Review (click on check out our full book review and educator link)

Other ideas:
Discuss the Spanish words used in the story
Share how different cultures celebrate/share their special holiday with their family
See activity worksheet

​​Read Alikes:
Carlos, Light the Farolito by Jean Ciavonne
La Posadas by Albert Zabel
Las Posadas by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith
Red Kite, Blue Kite by Ji=li Jiang
Across the Bay by Carols Aponte
Vamos! Let's Go To The Market by Raul the Third
The Christmas Gift by Francisco Jimenz
My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero
Miracle on 133rd Street by Sonia Manzano
I Love You, Baby Burrito by Angela N. Dominguez
The Night of Las Posadas by Tomie DePaola
​Pepe and the Parade by Tracey Kyle

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Dozens of Doughnuts by Carrie Finison (2020)
IL: K-3 

Curriculum: math
Subjects:  bears, hibernation, sharing, friends, baking, stories in rhyme
 
LouAnn is making a doughnut feast preparing for her long winter nap.  But just as she is starting to eat, friends start dropping by.  LouAnn is happy to share, making more and more doughnuts but soon she runs out of ingredients and doughnuts and has had nothing to eat.  But sharing has its own rewards.

Lesson Ideas:
Reading and Discussion Guide
Teachers Pay Teachers Activities $
Teachers Pay Teachers Home Study $
Ideas From Laura Sassi
Donut themed math and Literacy
Boy Mama Teacher Mama donut themed math (could be adapted)
Printable Donut
Donut Coloring Sheet
Decorate Your Own Donuts Craft

​Read-Alikes:
The Doughnut Chef by Bob Staake
If You Give a Dog a Doughnut by Laura Numeroff
Please Mr. Panda by Steve Antony
Donuts: The Hole Story by David W. Miles
Daisy the Donut Fairy by Tim Bugbird
Gator Pie by Louise Matthews
The Cookie Fiasco by Dan Santat
Hello Arnie by Laurie Keller
Arnie the Doughnut by Laurie Keller
Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins
A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker
A Splendid Friend, Indeed by Suzanne Bloom
Blue Corn Soup by Caroline Stutson
Please, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony
Two For Me, One For You by Jorg Muhle
Ribbit! by Rodrigo Folgueira
Bear and Bee by Sergio Ruzzier

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Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard (2019)
IL: K-3 RL: 2.6

Curriculum:  social studies
Subjects:  fry bread, cooking, families, traditions, family life, culture

A celebration of how this no-single-recipe-fits-all community food draws families and friends together and provides continuity from generation to generation.

2020 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal (winner)
American Indian Youth Literature Picture Book (honor winner)
2020 Charlotte Huck Recommended Book
A Publishers Weekly Best Picture Book of 2019
A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2019
A School Library Journal Best Picture Book of 2019
A Booklist 2019 Editor's Choice
A Shelf Awareness Best Children's Book of 2019
A Goodreads Choice Award 2019 Semifinalist
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book of 2019
A National Public Radio (NPR) Best Book of 2019
An NCTE Notable Poetry Book
A 2020 NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
A 2020 ALA Notable Children's Book
A 2020 ILA Notable Book for a Global Society
2020 Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year List
One of NPR's 100 Favorite Books for Young Readers
2022 Pennsylvania Young Readers Choice Award nominee
2022 Illinois Monarch Award nominee
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Ideas:
Students bring in family recipe to share from their cultural background Students bring in samples to share with classroom from their family’s background (older students) Discuss other types of bread associated with different cultures (pita, naan, challah, arepa, chapati, etc)

Lesson Ideas: 
Activity from The Classroom Bookshelf
Activity from Read Across America
Lesson from Native American Education for All
Discussion Guide from Share My Lesson
Fry Bread Book Activity
Book Read-Aloud (YouTube)
​Anti-Defamation League Book of the Month Activity

Read-Alikes:​
The Bagel King by Andrew Larsen
Bread Around the World by John Serrano
Everyone Bakes Bread by Norah Dooley
Sun Bread by Elisa Kleven
Tony's Bread by Tomie DePaola
Hooray for Bread by Allan Ahlberg
​Bread, Bread, Bread by Ann Morris
My Day With the Panye by Tami Charles
Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park
​Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji by Farhana Zia
Freedom Soup by Tami Charles
We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
Swift Fox All Along by Rebecca Thomas
Bowwow Powwow by Brenda J. Child
Hot Pot Night! by Vincent Chen
​You Matter by Christian Robinson

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How I Trained My Dog in 10 Days by Norma Lewis (2020)
IL: K-3 

Subjects: dogs, pets, obedience training

A boy promises to show readers how he trained his dog in 10 days—but Scamp seems to have his own plans.

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Lesson Ideas:   
Books About Pets
Book Review and Summary

Students come up with 10 rules for training their “human” (see activity sheet)


Read-Alikes:
The Perfect Pet by Margie Palatini
Not Norman: A Goldfish Story by Kelly Bennett
Lola Gets a Cat by Anna McQuinn
​I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff
Bad Dog, Marley! by John Grogan
The Stray Dog by Marc Simont
May I Pet Your Dog? by Stephanie Calmenson
Tiny Goes Back to School by Cari Meister
Picking Pickle by Polly Faber
Scruff by Alice Bowsher
Picture Book by Dog by Michael Relth
A Tale of Two Dogs by Steven Kroll
​Chewy Louie by Howie Schneider

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Jasper & Ollie Build a Fort by Alex Willan (2020)
IL: K-3 

Curriculum:  STEM
Subjects:  foxes, sloths, building, STEM, friendship, friends

Best friends decide to build forts in the yard.  While Jasper’s enormous fort goes up in minutes, its Ollie’s humble fort that has what the pair needs most – a place to share.

Lesson Ideas: 
STEM activity
Booktalk
Book Connections
Indoor Forts for Kids
Read-aloud (YouTube)
My Writing and Life by the author
Teachers Pay Teacher Stem Activity using the book

Students design their own fort​

Read-Alikes:
Tortois and the Hare
If I Build a House by Chris Van Dusen
Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty
The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier
Uma Wimple Charts Her House by Rolf Larsen and Ben Gibson
Jasper and Ollie by Alex Willan
Pigs Make Me Sneeze! by Mo Willems
A Pig, A Fox, and a Box by Jonathan Fenske
Cyril and Pat by Emily Gravett
Stick and Sstone by Beth Ferry
You Are (Not) Small by Anna Kang
A Splendid Friend Indeed by Suzanne Bloom
Dill and Bizzy by Nora Ericson
​Pig Kahuna by Jennifer Gordon Sattler

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No More Naps!: A Story for When You're Wide-Awake and Definitely Not Tired by Çhris Grabenstein (2020)
IL: K-3 RL: 1.7
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Subjects: naps, sleep

It’s time for a nap, but stubborn toddler, Annalise Devin McFlece, won’s have anything to do with bedtime.  Her dad tries to encourage sleepiness by pushing her around the park.  Each of the people they pass think taking a nap is a good idea and one-by-one they all fall asleep except Annalise.  But when she is finally ready, there are no naps left for her.

Lesson Ideas:
Sleep Education
The Importance of Sleep

Read-Alikes:
The Napping House by Audrey Wood
No Nap! Yes Nap! by Margie Palatini
Everybody Sleeps (But Not Fred) by Josh Schneider
No Go Sleep! by Kate Feiffer
Pet The Cat and the Bedtime Blues by Kim Dean
Naptastrophe! by Jarrett Krosoczka
Beep! Beep! Go to Sleep! by Todd Tarpley
No More Diapers for Ducky! by Bernette G. Ford
Sleep Train by Jonathan London
Good Night, Sleep Tight by Mem Fox
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Oltis P. Oliver Protests by Keri Boyle (2020)
IL: K-3 

Subjects: protests, notes, family, problem solving, compromise

Otis P. Oliver is taking a stand.  He is not taking another bath – ever.  No one in his family listens to his opinions so Oliver gets serious and rouses the neighbor children to protest against baths.  But finally through compromise, a solution is reached.
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Lesson Ideas:
Book Connections
Read-Aloud
Book Review

Activity Sheet

Read-Alikes:
Bathtime for Biscuit  by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
How Do You Take a Bath by Kate McMullan
Small Elephant's Bathrime by Tatyana Feeney
I'm Not Taking a Bath by Laura Gehl
Pig the Stinker by Aaron Blabey
Pirates Don't Take Baths by John Segal
The Pigeon Needs a Bath by Mo Willems
Who Needs a Bath by Jeff Mack
10 Reasons Why I'm Not Taking a Bath by Stacy McAnulty
​Belly Button Boy by Peter Maloney
Pigs Make Me Sneeze! by Mo Willems
I'm Not Hatching by Laura Gehl
Please, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony
Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang
Enough is Enough! by Barney Saltzberg
There's a Bear on My Chair by Ross Collins
Feminist Baby by Loryn Brantz
Little Brown by Marla Frazee
​How to Cheer Up Dad by Fred Koehler

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Ronan the Librarian by Tara Luebbe (2020)
IL: K-3 

Subjects:  barbarians, Vikings, books, libraries, reading, treasure

Ronan was a great barbarian; he invaded, he raided, and he traded.  He always found the best treasure until one day, Ronan found something no one wanted – a book.  But as Ronan becomes hooked on books, how can he convince his fellow barbarians to read.
Amazon.com Best Books of the Year

Lesson Ideas:
Let's Draw Ronan the Librarian (YouTube)
How to Make Printable Bookmarks
Bookmark Template

Read-Alikes:
Pirate Nell's Tale to Tell: A Storybook Adeventure by Helen Docherty and Thomas Docherty
Lyric McKerrigan: Secret Librarian by Jacob Sager Weinstein
No Pirates Allowed Said Library Lou by Rhonda Gowler Greene
The Snatchabook by Helen Docherty
The Book Hog by Greg Pizzoli
The Book No One Ever Read by Cornelia Funke
​The World Pirates by Susan Cooper
The Storybook Knight by Helen Docherty
Splat the Cat and the Late Library Book by Cari Meister
​Hooray for Hat by Brian Won
Dory Fantasmagory by Abby Hanlon
Duncan the Story Dragon by Amanda Driscoll
Froggy Goes to the Library by Jonathan London
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There Are No Bears in This Bakery by Julia Sarcone-Roach (2019)
IL: K-3 RL: 2.5

Subjects: bears, cats, unlawful entry, bakeries, sweet treats, detective story, figurative language

When Muffin, a cat, hears a suspicious noise at the Little Bear Bakery, his investigation reveals a very hungry bear cub.

South Carolina Children’s Book Award nominee, 2021
Chicago Public Library Best Books selection, 2019
International Literacy Association selection, 2020
New Hampshire Ladybug Picture Book nominee, 2020

Lesson Ideas:
Teachers Pay Teachers $
Another Teachers Pay Teachers $
Activities from the New Hampshire State Library
Books For Learning
Lesson from Knowledge Quest
Ringling Read Aloud Activity
Paper Bag Bear Puppet
Bear Cookies
Activity from Publisher

It's National Bake for Family Fun Month (February)

Read-Alikes:
Betty's Burgled Baker: An Alliteration Adventure by Travis Nichols
William and The Missing Masterpiece by Helen Hancocks
Bodega Cat by Louie Chin
Agent Lion by Jacky Davis
Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds
The Chicken Squad by Doreen Cronin
King and Kayla and the Case of the Missing Dog Treats by Dori Hillestad Butler
The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake by Robin Newman
Murilla Gorilla, Jungle Detective by Jennifer Lloyd
​Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins

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Tomorrow Most Likely by Dave Eggers (2019)
IL: K-3 RL: 2.0

Subjects:  bedtime, stories in rhyme, imagination, dreams, poetry

Told on rhyme, a little boy, tucked into bed, thinks of all the wonderful simple things he will see and do tomorrow until his imagination goes into overdrive.
 
Brightly’s Most Exciting Picture Books, 2019
Book Pages Most Anticipated Children’s Books, 2019

 
​Lesson Ideas:
Teachers Pay Teachers Book Study $
Activity Kit
Teacher Guide
​Read aloud
Teaching Books

Read-Alikes:
Three Little Dreams by Thomas Aquinas Maguire
Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg
Pickles to Pittsburg by Judi Barrett
​Wish Upon a Dream by Margaret Wise Brown
Tomorrow I'll Be Brave by Jessica Hische
Just Because by Mac Barnett
Sleep Like a Tiger by Mary Logue
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen
When I Grow Up by Julie Chen
All the World by Elizabeth Garton Scanlon
Dream You'll Be by Joseph T. Garcia
All the Awake Animals Are Almost Asleep by Crescent Dragonwagon
Not a Box by Antoinette Portis


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