100 Scope Notes

Predictions! New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Books 2026

Travis Jonker — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 04:01:00 +0000

Perhaps my favorite “best of” book list is the New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books. Every year I try to predict the winners, which is tough because any book published in English in the United States is eligible.

These are the 10 books I think will end up on the list. And, to paraphrase The Dude: These are just, like, my opinions, man.

Navigating Night by Julie Leung, illustrated by Angie Kang

While this list often favors non-American illustrators, there are always a couple that can’t be denied – I’m guessing Angie Kang is one of those illustrators this year, with a book that has already collected some awards.

Kiki & Me by Leo Timmers

The Belgian author/illustrator is back with this book that is made for the best illustrated list. Featuring scratchy ink vignette’s interspersed with epic full-color painted vistas, this book is one of the most dynamic of the year.

Mia’s Cheetah by Amelia Bothe

This fantastical roadtrip has the illustrations to match.

The Night by Mariachiara Di Giorgio

The selection committee will have a conundrum on their hands, because Mariachiara Di Giorgio has two books this year that could make this list. While her book with Chris Priestley, Who Knows the Way to Mr. Grimly’s Classroom?, is one of my favorite picture books of the year, my bet would be on this eerily illustrated wordless fairy tale.

Things I Learned From My Dog by Victor D. O. Santos, illustrated by Dena Seiferling

Seiferling appeared on this list in 2022 with Night Lunch (written by Eric Fan), and I’m guessing she’ll be back again with this ode to man’s best friend.

Goodbye, Koi by Jack Wong

Betsy at A Fuse #8 Production has already lamented the fact that this book about endings and new beginnings can’t win Caldecott recognition, and I agree. But I do think it will make an appearance on this list.

Her Muddy Majesty of Muck by Beatrice Alemagna

Here’s a tip for all the NYT Best Illustrated predictors: if Beatrice Alemagna has a new book, it goes on this list (and same with Sydney Smith). But it’s not just a rubber stamp – with this book about magic and big feelings, Alemagna once again shows she’s one of the best illustrators going.

Ocean of Stars by Azita Ardakani, illustrated by Rebecca Rebouche

Not since Sophie Blackall’s Farmhouse has a NYT Best Illustrated nod gone to a book that pulls all its art from a single piece, but that’s what this book does.

Hometown by Shaun Tan

Leave it to Shaun Tan to surprise us all with one of the most unique and beautifully illustrated picture books of the year.

The Dream Keeper by Anna Walker

An Aussie import by an illustrator who’s been on the list before, this book about a dream-delivering turtle might just get her back.

Which books do you predict will make the 2026 Best Illustrated list?

Giveaway! THE VERY LAST CASTLE is 8

Travis Jonker — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 04:01:00 +0000

Eight years ago this month, The Very Last Castle (written by me, illustrated by Mark Pett) was published (click here for 16 Randomly Random Facts About The Very Last Castle). Since then it’s been a play, it’s been published in South Korea, and it’s been smelled deeply:

"Hey Mrs. Routledge can I smell The Very Last Castle?" @MrSchuReads @100scopenotes pic.twitter.com/2J8qYvhb8f
— Kari Routledge (@runningteachmom) December 14, 2018

What better way to celebrate than to give away a signed copy? Enter by midnight TONIGHT for a chance to win:

ENTER THE VERY LAST CASTLE GIVEAWAY!

My Thoughts on The Science of Reading

Travis Jonker — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 04:01:00 +0000

Did I say “Science of Reading“? My apologies, I meant to say “reading about science”. Here’s a collection of 2026 books with a science focus.

Books on Film: When Children’s Books and THE SIMPSONS Collide

Travis Jonker — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:00:00 +0000

The season premiere of The Simpsons had a children’s book storyline that I think you’ll like.

In THE CHILDREN’S BOOK JOB, Springfield Elementary brings in a reclusive children’s book author (whose work has to be a Lucy Cousins homage) to their annual book fair, in hopes that it will save their failing school. There are about a million children’s literature references and jokes, and I had a great time watching.

The episode is available on Hulu (and probably some other streaming services that I don’t know about).

Where Are All the Caldecott Winner Sequels?

Travis Jonker — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 04:01:00 +0000

A while back I was curious about how many Newbery Medal winning books have sequels or prequels, so I made a post about it. I looked at all the Newbery Medal books since 2000 and at that time (2019), 40% had a sequel or prequel. Since then, that number has ticked up slightly, to 44.4% (of the 27 Newbery Medal winners since 2000, 12 now have sequels or prequels).

I decided to apply this idea to Caldecott Medal winners, and I was surprised by what I found. I was assuming that there would be more Caldecott Medal winner sequels than Newbery Medal sequels over the same time period, but I was wrong.

Of the 27 Caldecott Medal winners since 2000, only 6 have sequels or prequels (and I’m going to throw in companion books as well), which works out to 22.2%.

Let’s take a look:

2000: JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT – NO

2001: SO YOU WANT TO BE PRESIDENT – YES (SO YOU WANT TO BE AN INVENTOR (companion))

2002: THE THREE PIGS – NO

2003: MY FRIEND RABBIT – NO

2004: THE MAN WHO WALKED BETWEEN THE TOWERS – NO

2005: KITTEN’S FIRST FULL MOON – NO

2006: THE HELLO GOODBYE WINDOW – YES (SOURPUSS and SWEETIE PIE)

2007: FLOTSAM – NO

2008: THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET – NO (While THUNDERSTRUCK and MARVELS have a similar format, they don’t have a narrative connection to HUGO)

2009: THE HOUSE IN THE NIGHT – NO

2010: THE LION & THE MOUSE – NO

2011: A SICK DAY FOR AMOS MCGEE – YES (AMOS MCGEE MISSES THE BUS, A SNOW DAY FOR AMOS MCGEE)

2012: A BALL FOR DAISY – YES (DAISY GETS LOST)

2013: THIS IS NOT MY HAT – YES (Tough call on this one, but since Klassen’s WE FOUND A HAT is very different from this book, it does have the hat connection, which I think puts it in the companion category)

2014: LOCOMOTIVE – NO

2015: THE ADVENTURES OF BEEKLE – NO

2016: FINDING WINNIE – YES (WINNIE’S GREAT WAR)

2017: RADIANT CHILD – NO

2018: WOLF IN THE SNOW – NO

2019: HELLO LIGHTHOUSE – NO

2020: THE UNDEFEATED – NO

2021: WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS – NO

2022: WATERCRESS – NO

2023: HOT DOG – NO

2024: BIG – NO

2025: CHOOCH HELPED – NO

2026: FIREWORKS – NO

One Star Review, Guess Who? (#237)

Travis Jonker — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 04:01:00 +0000

Can you guess the children’s book by its scathing one-star review on Goodreads?

I read this book to my nephew and he didn’t like and neither did i it was a cheesy book. he didnt like it because they keep on picking on number 0. He doesnt like when someone gets picked on.

Click here for the answer.

Why do I share these? Click here.

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What’s Your Chaos Tolerance Level? or When the Read Aloud Works TOO WELL

Travis Jonker — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 04:01:00 +0000

I read the fantastic nonfiction book Butt or Face? by Kari Lavelle with my second grade classes last week. Well, I tried to. For some of the groups, we just couldn’t make it through due to general pandemonium.

Has this ever happened to you?

Every school librarian has a different chaos tolerance level when it comes to storytime, and I’ve seen them all. From very strict “There must be silence!” types, all the way to Storytime as Circus, where chaos reigns and no one actually even hears the story.

Personally, I’m more on the quieter end of the spectrum when it comes to students talking to each other during a story. I want everyone to have the chance to hear the book, so I always try to make sure that happens. But I’m all for getting loud when the story calls for it. I’ll do call and response, I’ll do “repeat after me”, I’ll stop short and let students finish a line or rhyme, and I’ll have kids stand up or drum on their knees or any other thing when/if the book calls for. So controlled chaos.

But some books test my chaos-controlling skills, and for a couple classes, Butt or Face? bested me last week. The nice thing is, I can regroup and try again – either with next year’s second graders or a different class. The book is so much fun (and the interactive “voting” element is so strong), that’s what I plan to do.

Is there a book that was so much fun it derailed your storytime?

The Most Popular Books in Our School Library RIGHT NOW

Travis Jonker — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 04:01:00 +0000

Here it is, the unfiltered, up-to-the-second look at the most popular books in our school library. For context: our school serves kindergarten through third grade.

In this popular titles list you’ll find some Jasper the Rabbit, some American Girl and Ripley’s, and of course, a solid showing from Dav Pilkey (with a sprinkling of Dory, Minecraft, and Who Would Win?).

I can’t imagine you’d not have any of these books on your shelves, but if you don’t, here’s your sign to add them:

Cover Reveal Q&A: Gennifer Choldenko’s LAST NIGHT AT THE CARNIVAL GRAVEYARD

Travis Jonker — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 04:01:00 +0000

Newbery Honor winner Gennifer Choldenko has a new book out next summer with an intriguing title: Last Night at the Carnival Graveyard. Today we’ll take a look at the cover for the first time. But before we get to that, I had a few questions for Gennifer.

Travis: What was the inspiration for LAST NIGHT AT THE CARNIVAL GRAVEYARD?

Gennifer Choldenko: Sometimes it’s easy to trace a book’s origin. Other times, not so much. Here’s my best guess of where Last Night at the Carnival Graveyard came from. My younger daughter gave me a stuffed dinosaur to celebrate a novel I wrote during the pandemic — a novel I am unlikely to publish. I put the dinosaur on the top shelf of a bookshelf in my office and every once and a while I’d glance up and see him staring down at me. He seemed to be saying try again. One day out of the blue I began writing from the point of view of Crusher, an audio animatronic dinosaur who had been left behind at a now defunct toy store.

A few pages later Noah, an eleven-year-old boy who had been home sick from school for nine long months, appeared on the page. Noah’s best friend was on the verge of ghosting him, and Noah was desperate to get him back. I don’t really know where Noah came from. It may be that I’d been thinking about a friend who had recently received a difficult diagnosis. Whenever I talked to her, it felt like my life was moving a hundred miles an hour and her life had come to a virtual standstill.

Travis: What was the trickiest part of writing this book?

Gennifer Choldenko: The trickiest part of writing Last Night at the Carnival Graveyard was figuring out how the themes of Crusher’s story wove together with the themes of Noah’s story. The breakthrough came when I realized that weaving together was not the same as replicating.

Travis: What’s your favorite carnival ride or game?

Gennifer Choldenko: When you asked my favorite carnival ride or game I immediately thought of my favorite carnival food. Banana flavored snow cones!

Often you can get snow cones but banana flavored? That is a rare delicacy. Walking around a carnival while eating my banana flavored snow cone. Simply sublime.

Travis: Thank you, Gennifer! And now, a first look at the cover. Last Night at the Carnival Graveyard comes out August 24, 2027. Published by Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan). Tom Cole is the cover artist. Neil Swaab is the designer.

(Click to enlarge)

About the book (from the publisher)

Noah has missed the first semester of middle school, while he and his anxious parents wait for signs his leukemia is in remission. On a night he can’t sleep, he spies an unusual procession when he looks out his window: A T-rex pulling a wagon full of toys. Are his eyes decieving him?

When he shares this news to his best friend, Jerad, he worries that Jerad will think he’s making it all up. But Jerad remembers the T-rex, named Crusher, that used to stand in the local toy store. The store had to close and the owner retired, but could some toys, even Crusher, have been left behind?

Told from the points of view of Noah, a kid who wants to put illness behind him, and Crusher, a mechanical T-rex with a gentle heart who wants to find homes for the toys left behind, Last Night at the Carnival Graveyard is part mystery, part adventure, and all heart.