10 Great Picture Books from the Last 10 Years
I’ve been wanting to start a blog since I started writing picture books. And finally, after a handful of years, here we are!
I talk a lot about my own book on my website, which is a great read for those gaining a new sibling! But in this post, I’m making the space to talk about other picture books. These are part of the reason why I remain inspired and proud to be a part of this industry.
Presenting 10 picture books that are, what I believe, to be some of the best to have hit the market in the last decade.
While studying the picture book market, I have been floored by the number of thoughtful, compelling, and even prolific picture books out there – works that respect their young readers, keep us curious about the world, expand our perspectives, and at their core are works of art.
It has been said that we are currently living in the Golden Age of Picture Books, and with the breadth of works like this out there, I believe it.
I hope this list helps you and your little one find a new book to check out on your next visit to your local library. Or, even compel you to buy a copy of what’s below! You won’t be disappointed.
Before She Was Harriet |
Written by Lesa Cline-Ransome. Illustrated by James E. Ransome. 2017. Publisher: Holiday House.
The dynamic husband-wife duo (Cline-Ransome and E. Ransome) have collaborated on many award-winning books for children. I had the privilege of attending a live read aloud of this book by Lesa Cline-Ransome at the 2024 SCBWI Handsprings conference in Santa Fe, NM.
This story follows the life of Harriet Tubman in a reversal timeline. Cline-Ransome takes us through a lyrical, poetic journey that’s sound and succinct. As Harriet is introduced to us in her twilight years, we are immediately drawn into her story.
With each page turn — from Suffragist, to General Tubman, to Union Spy, and before — Harriet Tubman’s biography materializes. E. Ransome’s poignant and detailed illustrations keep us delightfully immersed.
The Rabbit Listened |
Written and illustrated by Cori Doerrfeld. 2018. Publisher: Dial Books.
A boy is devastated when something happens. The chicken wants to talk about it. The bear wants to shout about it. The elephant wants to fix things… None of which are things the boy is interested in doing (yet). Sometimes, all one needs is for someone to just listen.
This story is deeply sweet and the illustrations are heartmelting. Cori Doerrfeld finds an accessible way to talk about sadness and grief; processing these emotions is difficult and complicated and not a one-size-fits-all experience. This book is one of the best expressions of empathy on this list.
Itty-Bitty Kitty Corn |
Written by Shannon Hale. Illustrated by LeUyen Pham. 2021. Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers.
This book is adorable. A kitty believes she’s a unicorn. Enough said — Cuteness overload!!!
But what comes next is Kitty getting hit with doubters (looking at you, Parakeet and Gecko). With comments on how she looks, sounds, walks, and acts like a cat, not like a unicorn. But does that stop Kitty..?
This is a beautiful story about being proud of who you are. Told through Pham’s bright, cuddly, and colorful animals that urge readers to feel the range of feels. With a genius twist at the end.
Can’t get enough of Kitty-Corn? Happy to share that there’s a series of Kitty-Corn books!
I Talk Like a River |
Written by Jordan Scott. Illustrated by Sydney Smith. 2020. Publisher: Neal Porter Books and Holiday House.
Told from the experience of a boy who stutters, this story is a touching and compelling experience that’s digestible to its readers in its sights, sounds, and words.
The narration is ripe with senses that articulate the boy’s struggle with speech. And when frustrations reach their boiling point at school, his father takes him to the river. There, he makes the space to respect its (and his) tumbles, whirls, flow, and calm.
Waiting |
Written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes. 2015. Publisher: HarperCollins.
Ah, one of my favorite children’s authors! Kevin Henkes’ stories were some of my favorites as a kid (Chrysanthemum). All the better that I can say his work still warms my soul in adulthood.
Waiting is a story about five friends waiting for things to happen. Most of the characters have things they love and are waiting for. One character just loves looking and waiting.
There’s a magnetic charm to Henkes’ adorable characters and the scenes in which he sets them.
As time passes and waiting happens, Henkes’ story shows that the time spent with friends and the unexpected surprises found along the way make the waiting all worthwhile.
In a Jar |
Written and illustrated by Deborah Marcero. 2020. Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers.
Llewellyn loves to collect things and stuffs them into jars. One evening, he collects the “cherry syrup sunset” and meets Evelyn. Together they collect things like rainbows and the sound of the ocean.
Happily, their menagerie of memories covers wall-to-wall. But sad news breaks when Evelyn has to move away. With a broken heart and empty jar, Llewellyn gets a grand idea during a meteor shower.
This is an endearing friendship story that I couldn’t forget after my first read. And extra points for its creativity! Marcero’s illustrations offer vivid and lively visuals.
Check out the continuation to Llewellyn’s story in Out of a Jar!
The Boy and the Elephant |
Written and illustrated by Freya Blackwood. 2024. Publisher: Random House Studio.
This picture book says a lot for a book with no words.
On a piece of land stuck in the middle of a cityscape, a world of thick foliage thrives. A boy makes regular visits to his friend there: A tree that looks an awful lot like an elephant. And so, it is an elephant. That’s what he believes, anyway.
The boy feels lonely and misplaced in the city, and finds refuge with the elephant in the little forest. But when the lot is purchased and the trees are marked for removal, the boy resolves to save his friend and the other trees on the lot.
This is a tender and compassionate story rendered in stunning illustrations. Readers will be left with hearts full and readily satisfied by the ending.
Watercress |
Written by Andrea Wang. Illustrated by Jason Chin. 2021. Publisher: Neal Porter Books.
Wang paints a beautiful story from childhood memory, which begins as she and her family make an abrupt stop along a dirt road for watercress.
Mom and Dad are thrilled for the find. She, not so much. The narrator shares her initial resistance to the dug-up watercress, equating it to her hand-me-down clothes and furniture that’s been picked up on the side of the road.
But as the story progresses, her mother reveals more about her early years in China, including a time of famine. All of which expands our narrator’s perspective and inspires a new relationship with her heritage and with watercress.
This book is powerful and thought-provoking, and unpacks how one may relook at their own connection with family history. Chin’s chosen color palette and illustrations — painted/drawn with both Chinese brushes and western media — creates scenes that are tangible and empathetic.
The Longest Letsgoboy |
Written by Derick Wilder. Illustrated by Cátia Chien. 2021. Publisher: Chronicle Books.
Told from the perspective of an aging dog, Wilder creates a convincing narrator, using descriptions that are playful and authentic.
The dog and his “Little” (a young girl) embark into the forest. During which, he remembers when he was an “awwpuppy”, runjumping and tailchasing. But now he’s dogtired and must slowstep. We follow them as they disappear into bigwild.
Wilder’s words and Chien’s skilled sketch-like illustrations create a warm, emotional, and heartrending portrait of a dog on his last hurrah with his favorite person. This story captures the powerful friendship between an animal and their human, and how, despite change and time, that bond will last forever.
This is an especially great read for those who have lost a cherished fuzzy friend in their family. And is one of my favorite reads from this list.
The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown |
Written by Mac Barnett. Illustrated by Sarah Jacoby. 2019. Publisher: Balzar + Bray | HarperCollins.
You may not know Margaret Wise Brown by name, but I can almost guarantee you’ve read one of her books. Does Goodnight Moon or The Runaway Bunny sound familiar?
Barnett unfolds the life of Margaret Wise Brown in the second person, keeping his readers engaged from the very first page.
This picture book biography feels like a conversation with facts sprinkled though, and readers quickly become invested in discovering the “most important” facts about Margaret Wise Brown.
In the observer’s chair, we learn about Brown’s qualities and quirks. Barnett cleverly chooses what to include in his story so that by the end, we as readers receive a well-rounded idea of who she was and what she contributed to children’s literature.
Barnett’s narration pays its own tribute to Brown’s work in voice and tone. So, in the undercurrent of the story, we’re understanding her personality as a writer. Jacoby’s illustrations offer a layer of whimsy and nostalgia, which made a great pairing to this book.
