Once again there are two options for the winner of this year’s challenge. If you are local to Fayetteville, you can come in and choose any 4 picture books under $19.99 straight from our shop.

On the other hand, if the winner is somewhere else in the US and chooses to have their prize shipped, they can choose any 4 picture books from this year’s bracket as their prize. Keep in mind that you’re welcome to fill out a bracket and even officially enter your picks even if you aren’t in the US, but the giveaway will only go to the top finisher that has a US address for shipping.

This year we have shrunk the bracket down to 16 amazing contenders. We took the top 4 books from this year’s Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards, and added the TOP 2 BEST BOOKS of every other year we’ve had the awards. Now that’s the cream of the crop folks! Who will come out on top?

How to Enter

Complete your bracket by clicking on the START VOTING button on the bracket above. Enter your name and email. Then choose the winner of each match-up as they pop up on your screen. Your picks will be saved and we’ll reach out to the top scorer at the end of the competition by email.

Each round grows in value, beginning with 2 point per correct pick in round 1, 3 points in round 2, 5 points in round 3, and 6 points for the championship. Winners of each matchup are chosen by vote in our Instagram stories. So make sure to pay attention to our Instagram stories beginning on March 24th, and vote for your picks! (You can also refer to the full schedule below.)

Keep in mind that the winner must have a US address to ship the books to, and that only 1 entry per person is allowed. Duplicate entries will be deleted. You can also refer to the contest rules for more details. Entries will close shortly before the first round begins - you have until the end of the day on Sunday the 23rd!

Tiebreaker:

• The first tiebreaker is picking the most correct books in round 4, followed by round 3, round 2, and round 1.

• If the first tiebreaker does not break the tie, or if the tie is caused by an identical bracket, the tie will be settled by which bracket was entered first.
  

Voting will begin in our Instagram stories on Monday, March 24th. Simply visit our stories on the day of voting, and vote for your favorite in each matchup. And make sure to tell your friends and try to get them to vote for your picks too! The official bracket and scores will be updated as the winner of each round is decided. And the winner will be contacted at the conclusion of the competition.

Voting Schedule:
Monday, March 24th - Round 1
Tuesday, March 25th - Round 2
Wednesday, March 26th - Round 3
Thursday, March 27th - Championship

Good luck to everyone and I hope you have fun with the picture book madness!

Congrats to The Skull on being the 2025 Picture Book Bracket Champion! And congrats to Bookoholicmom on winning the bracket competition by ONE single point. Thanks for playing everyone, and see you again next year!

And if you’re already a fan of her sweet and amazing Halloween-y books, just you wait until you find out what she’s currently researching for her PhD! I must have missed my calling in school because I didn’t even know this was an option! Suffice it to say I am sufficiently jelly of her spooky calling and the cool path she is on - so without further ado let’s get on with the show and see what she’s up to!

Ryan: You’re currently working on your PhD, right? I already know the very cool thing that you’re researching, but I don’t want to steal your thunder. Could you tell everyone what that is, and why you chose it?

Flavia: Yes, I am currently on my last year of the PhD, I’m finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel –Wahey! I am researching horror in the children’s picture book - which can be counterintuitive because horror wants to scare, and saying that you want to scare children would be taboo, wouldn’t it? Yet, somehow, many characters, tropes, motifs or the aesthetics of horror ended up in many picture books. I chose this topic because some of my most scary picture book projects couldn’t find a publisher, however publishing “The World of Gustavo” got me thinking about how a genre that is supposed to be scary became “friendly” for children – and those that care for them!.

Ryan: That’s so cool! I am a gigantic fan of spookiness in picture books. Is there anything you can tell us about your research, any hints at where your work and interviews have taken you?

Flavia: Recently I have been writing about “happy horror” which is when a picture book maker uses the characters, tropes, motifs, or aesthetics of horror without really intending to scare, but rather to drive narratives, or amuse the audience. Most importantly, in happy horror, monsters are not the enemy or main source of threat, but it’s the main characters who have their own struggles, dreams, and fears - and who we empathize with.

For instance, Gustavo the Ghost is not only the main character, but also a visual metaphor for how shyness can make you feel invisible. In Leila, the Perfect Witch, Hansel and Gretel are not the heroes, but rather, it is implied that they are horrible - stealing and burning witches alive!! So, even if the narrative is not about that, there is a bit of role reversal. And in Vlad, the Fabulous Vampire, because of his bright pink cheeks, he is a bit of a misfit in his own world where everything is black and white - making a character that should be scary, sweet instead.

I have also discovered that when picture books are “scary”, they tend to use ambiguity - so that the reader can create their own interpretation of what happens in the story. Was Alberta turned into a pie and eaten by wolves in Alberta: A Cautionary Tale? Has Dillweed killed his parents in Dilweed’s Revenge? Is the rabbit dead in I Want My Hat Back? I will not spoil the answer!

Ryan: While we’re listing spooky books, are you familiar with What There Is Before There Is Anything There by Liniers? I have it ranked as my number one scary picture book for kids - very quirky but truly scary - and I’d love to hear your professional opinion on it considering your research. What makes this book so scary?

Flavia: Great book! I think that what makes it scary is the fact that the monsters are in the place where you are supposed to be safest: home. The ending reminds be a bit of a scene from Stephen King’s It where a girl called Beverly sees blood coming from the bathroom drain, but her father is not able to see it. Leaving her even more vulnerable and isolated because adults are the ones who are supposed to protect you, not to ignore the monster next to you! Right? I also think that many people are afraid of darkness, which is natural - as not being able to see makes one vulnerable. And lastly we don’t know what the creatures really want, so not knowing can be really scary because then your brain conjures all sorts of unpleasantness.

Ryan: Do you think it’s fair to say that publishers generally seem to shy away from scary picture books? It doesn’t feel to me like they get a truly fair shake in the market. There are a handful of Halloween books every year of course, and a few books about conquering fears. But very rarely do we get picture books that have an intention to actually scare. Why do you think that is - assuming I’m not just imagining things.

Flavia: It seems to me that nowadays we tend to protect children from fear, but it wasn’t always like that. I think that how we understand the idea of childhood and what we consider important changes the books that we make for children. For instance, around the 1700s it was ok to scare children into salvation by threatening them with going to hell if they misbehaved. Then around the 1800s it was ok to scare them into “good behavior,” for instance in books like Struwwelpeter, or Belloc’s Cautionary Tales. And now scary books are perhaps more ambiguous and less overtly moralistic.

I also suspect this trend is also partly motivated by economic interest. For instance, Pinocchio was supposed to die to show that bad behavior has dreadful consequences, but pressured by the public and by his publisher, Collodi resurrected the puppet and gave him a happy ending. The interviews I did, and my own experiences tell me that there are always considerations on whether people will buy a book which simply has scary elements in it. Now imagine making a scary book for kids – crazy idea!

Ryan: Whether we’re still talking about spookiness or not, do you think there’s a significant difference between the types of children’s books published in the US vs other countries?

Flavia: There are fabulous books and publishers in the U.S., but I have found that in France, Italy and in some Scandinavian countries, there are picture books which would be classified as “too sophisticated, scary or unsuitable” for children in other countries like the UK or USA. It seems to me that, in these countries, smaller publishers might allow more freedom, and I speculate that this is particularly true of publishers which are not looking to publish 20 co-editions and have to appeal to a global market - if that makes sense.

Ryan: It’s been 4 years now since Gustavo the Shy Ghost came out, and it’s truly an instant classic for the Halloween season. Could you tell us a little bit about the history of its creation? How long ago did you write it? Is it a story you used to launch your career while you were looking for an agent? Did you have publishers fighting over our favorite shy ghost?

Flavia: Around 2015-2016 – before it became a hellish place – I used Twitter a lot! One day I was randomly thinking about the reason why ghosts wear sheets. “It must be because they are shy,” I thought. I wrote a tweet about it and thought it could make a fun picture book.

Later, in 2018, I finished the MA in Children’s Picture Books at ARU in Cambridge, I didn’t have an agent, but Deirdre McDermott at Walker Books liked my work from the graduation show and asked me to go and have a chat with them. I really, really, really wanted to impress them, but they were not really keen on any of the ideas I had in my portfolio – or they already had similar books – so when they asked me if I had more ideas, I told them that I wanted to make a picture book about why ghosts wear sheets, which fortunately they thought had potential.

So, no one was fighting for the story because it didn’t exist, Walker Books just gave me a chance to develop it, and ever since, they have been the most wonderful and supportive team to work with!

Ryan: The main characters of your friendly monster trilogy (Gustavo, Leila, and Vlad) all teach social/emotional lessons like being yourself and dealing with perfectionism and the importance of community. What was your inspiration in writing specifically about all of these topics for kids?

Flavia: For those books my main inspiration came from childhood memories, my family and my love for the horror genre and fairy tales. I just want to make the books I would have liked to have as a child, and about things I enjoy drawing.

Gustavo and Leila and Vlad are all very friendly and lovable characters right from page 1, and of course that’s what makes them so endearing. They certainly aren’t keeping kids up at night.

Ryan: So, I was curious - would you have any interest in giving my kids nightmares with a book one day in the future?

Well, at the moment I am currently in the process of developing a project that will hopefully be scary! But it’s still early to tell how it will turn out.

Ryan: At some point a few years ago I stumbled upon a display in my local Target that had your face on it - but it wasn’t in the book section. It was in home goods or something of that sort, and it was covered in skulls and beautiful decorations. I said, “Hey I know her!” Do you know what I’m referring to? You must be very busy - what is this other career of yours? Do you have anything else of that sort coming up?

Flavia: Ho ho ho! Honestly making that Day of the Dead collection for Target was such a treat, I am always open to do collaborations. I used to work as a graphic designer before I became a picture book maker, so if anyone invited me to work on a packaging project for chocolate, or design objects, or patterns for clothing I would be thrilled to do it, but I would probably not be able to do it because there’s usually a confidentiality clause which is a shame!

Ryan: I must ask the question on everyone’s mind. Do you have any new children’s books coming up? Is your friendly monster series complete as a trilogy? Are there any cryptic hints you can leave us with?

Flavia: Other than the scary book, there might be more ideas for other characters in the collection. But first, I have to finish the PhD!

Ryan: Now that you’re officially becoming one of the world’s foremost experts on spookiness in children’s literature, can you leave us with a short list of your favorite authors and illustrators new and old who dared to scare kids?

Flavia: I think that the scariest book I came across is Slugs (Greenberg and Chess). This book is a cheerful poem about the many different ways in which you can kill slugs. In the end, a bunch of slugs kill, chop into bits and put a little boy in a bin. I think it would be very hard to get anything like that printed nowadays! I also love Evie and the Truth About Witches by John Martz, and The Garden Witch by Kyle Beaudette. The endings in those books are great! I also love anything made by Taylor Dolan, her collection Ghoul Scouts is ace! I also really like Thornhill by Pam Smy, it’s such a great and original way to tell a ghost story.

Ryan: What are your top 3 scary movies?

Flavia:

• The Mexican cult film called Poison for the Fairies (1986) about two girls, where a girl called Veronica, bullies a girl called Flavia – like me! – into believing that she, Veronica, is a witch. The ending is *chef’s kiss*!

• It, the 1990 mini-series based on Stephen King’s novel. Made me shower for weeks and weeks with my eyes wide open!

• Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) which is really scary, not because there are monsters, but because there are humans!

• Bonus: What We Do in the Shadows (2014) makes me so happy!

Wow! Thanks so much to Flavia Z. Drago for joining us and taking part in this interview! Is that just about the coolest PhD ever? It’s always a real pleasure to talk scary stories and swap spooky book discoveries, and I legitimately can’t wait to see what she gets up to next in her career. Keep an eye out for the spooky book she hinted at, and who do I need to talk to around here to get those scarier projects she mentioned that couldn’t find a home published right away?!

And now, finally, we’ve come out safely on the other side with our list of the best 10 picture books of 2024. These 10 books will go down in history, joining the ranks of previous Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards winners, as recipients of one of the greatest honors a picture book could hope for - the approval of Dad.

As you may already be aware, the annual Caldecott award ceremony is fast approaching as well, although you shouldn’t expect to see many crossover titles between these two very prestigious awards (of course there is some debate out there about which award is more prestigious). That is perhaps because the Caldecott is an award for illustrations and illustrators only, not for the author. So while the pictures of the winners are often very good, the committee is not beholden to the same rigorous rubric and criteria that we are, such as, for instance, how good of a book it is.

In fact, speaking of criteria, the first thing I ask myself during the review process every year is often “is this book good?” I’ve found this to be a very reliable system so far, and it seems to really set us off on the right foot. Other useful questions are “is reading this book at all enjoyable?” and “would a child hate this book?” You’d be surprised at how quickly the piles start to dwindle away!

But the books that remain! These are good piles of books. These books are special. We need to slap a sticker with Dad’s face on these books so that customers know what’s up. And, as an aside, the stickers are truly about to roll out. This year you can expect to see all previous honor books and all previous Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards winners get the official sticker treatment in our bookstore. The people will finally know what’s up and what’s what.

I hope you enjoy learning about our favorite picture books of the year. As always, when you get to the top 5 things become very difficult all of the sudden. But we are extremely satisfied with the results, and I hope you find something new and fun to read.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. Clicking on those links will lead you to view the books’ listings on the website of our affiliate partners Amazon or Bookshop.org, where purchases support local bookstores across the nation.

Honorable Mentions

These are all of the picture books that were in serious consideration this year, and were a part of our debates. At some point during 2024, they were shortlisted and placed in contention for making this list of the best picture books of 2024. Listed in no particular order, these books are certainly among the best of the year.

Ahoy! - Written and Illustrated by Sophie Blackall

If You Run Out of Words - Written and Illustrated by Felicita Sala

Drawn Onward - Written by Daniel Nayeri and Illustrated by Matt Rockefeller

We are Definitely Human - Written and Illustrated by X. Fang

We Go to the Park - Written by Sara Stridsberg and Illustrated by Beatrice Alemagna

Milo the Knight - Written by Gregoire Laforce and Illutrated by Charlotte Parent

When You Find the Right Rock - Written by Mary Lyn Ray and Illustrated by Felicita Sala

The Teeny-Weeny Unicorn - Written and Illustrated by Shawn Harris

The Remarkables - Written and Illustrated by Clotilde Perrin

The Cafe at the Edge of the Woods - Written and Illustrated by Mikey Please

What Makes us Human - Written by Victor D. O. Santos and Illustrated by Anna Forlati

Little Shrew - Written and Illustrated by Akiko Miyakoshi

The Dictionary Story - Written and Illustrated by Sam Winston and Oliver Jeffers

Roy is Not a Dog - Written by Esme Shapiro and Daniel Newell Kaufman and Illustrated by Esme Shapiro

The Grumpus and His Dastardly, Dreadful Christmas Plan - Written and Illustrated by Alex T. Smith

Santa’s First Christmas - Written by Mac Barnett and Illustrated by Sydney Smith

Wolfgang in the Meadow - Written and Illustrated by Lenny Wen

The Top 10 Picture Books of 2024

10. The Last Zookeeper

Written and Illustrated by Aaron Becker

The Last Zookeeper is a wordless picture book - and that’s kind of a funny coincidence because last year’s list had a wordless picture book in last place too! And of course Aaron Becker is no stranger to beloved wordless books.

Out of all of Becker’s highly acclaimed wordless picture books, I think The Last Zookeeper is my favorite one yet. It seems to be a post-apocalyptic tale where a giant robot is still taking care of all the animals from a zoo. That is until things get even worse and the world starts flooding.

I don’t want to give away too much, but what the robot does first is start building a Noah’s Ark of sorts to make sure all the animals can survive. I’ve always enjoyed post-apocalyptic setups for stories - and this book simultaneously speaks to my sense of imagination and adventure and my love for animals. Not to mention that it’s extremely gorgeous with art worthy of hanging on the wall.

9. Pepper & Me

Written and Illustrated by Beatrice Alemagna

Pepper & Me is perfectly and wonderfully absurd. It’s funny, and it’s paired with Beatrice Alemagna’s perfect, unique, offbeat art. Sometimes (most times) kids books just need to entertain, and Pepper & Me entertains us quite a bit.

In case you can’t tell from the cover, Pepper is a scab. The little girl in this book hurts her knee, and of course it’s scary and new to have such a huge scab. But soon she names the scab and starts talking to it.

I don’t know how it possibly turns into a sweet story about missing Pepper when she’s gone, but somehow it manages to do it. So there’s a little bit of loss to deal with there, and I love that thinking about the injury actually brings back childhood nostalgia for her grandparents’ house.

But most importantly this story is just so perfectly and absurdly wacky. There’s dry humor in it - and one line that makes me really laugh out loud. And Alemagna’s art is quite frankly some of our very favorite.

8. Barnaby Unboxed!

Written and Illustrated by The Fan Brothers

I think it’s well documented at this point that we are big fans of the art and stories that The Fan Brothers create. And The Barnabus Project is one of our very favorite books they’ve ever made. So we were over the moon when we heard that Barnabus would be getting a sequel.

Barnaby Unboxed! does not follow our old beloved Barnabus - it actually follows one of the perfect pets that he was based on. Barnaby is purchased in a store to be given a forever home by a little girl in a very Corduroy-like way - but over time it seems the little girl starts to forget about him in the way that kids do with their toys.

But this is different than outgrowing a toy, because Barnaby and the other perfect pets are living creatures - which we see clearly when Dad has to start taking Barnaby on his walks. But Barnaby feels unloved when the little girl sees a new rainbow Barnaby on TV, so he runs away from home. It’s interesting that Barnabus felt less than the perfect pets, while Barnaby the perfect pet feels less than the new-and-improved rainbow perfect pet.

At the end of the day I just love the full package that we get from a book by The Fan Brothers. It’s a sweet story, it’s fantastic art, and the details are just wonderful. Great secret cover, great endpapers, a beautiful final page including what I think might be a very sweet Easter egg. A lot of care went into this book, and quite simply it’s just fun to read.

7. As Edward Imagined

Written by Matthew Burgess and Illustrated by Marc Majewski

A biography in the top 10! Now this is a rare sight - but well-deserved in every way! This biography of Edward Gorey is magnificent. It’s a very heartfelt tribute, and I have to say I’m just very impressed with the whole thing.

The art is perfect for this story, and the words are much more than the straightforward biographical information that usually puts kids to sleep in your average picture book biography. This biography has been woven into a very engaging story of Gorey’s life.

We get to follow along as his childhood passions turn into an inspiring life’s work. It’s a story of imagination and creativity - and a story about being yourself. It’s got Dracula, it’s got cats, it has ballet, and it has just one of the coolest and sweetest and most heartfelt two-page spreads at the end to wrap up the whole thing.

You don’t even have to be a fan of Edward Gorey and his books to be a fan of this biography. Interestingly enough, I think this book would be a wonderful book even if Edward Gorey was a made up character, and that’s going to be my new criteria for judging picture book biographies going forward.

6. John the Skeleton

Written by Triinu Laan and Illustrated by Marja-Liisa Plats

If there was an award for strangest book of the year, I think there’s no doubt I’d be giving it to John the Skeleton. But you know I like strange, original, and quirky - so obviously John the Skeleton was a very big hit around here.

John is a skeleton, and he is brought home from a school’s science room by an old man who lives with his wife in a cottage in the woods. John, the actual skeleton, becomes a companion. And from beginning to end the narrator just describes his actions and feelings and even his words as if he’s just another character.

It’s a mysterious book, and it’s also a beautiful story about life and love and loss. It’s the type of book where you could enjoy entirely because of it’s absurdity, or you could spend some time thinking about if there’s some sort of enlightened meaning behind the whole thing. In some ways it reminds me of another favorite - Duck, Death, and the Tulip - because it seems this skeleton might be around to help Grams and Gramps accept and deal with mortality as a friend.

5. Into the Goblin Market

Written by Vikki VanSickle and Illustrated by Jensine Eckwall

Just recently I read Diane Zahler’s interpretation of the Goblin Market story - and I loved it. So I was ready instantly excited when I saw that there was going to be a picture book interpretation this year by Vikki VanSickle and Jensine Eckwall.

It’s an old tale about a market run (secretly) by goblins, with the intention of luring away young girls with magic. It seems the story is also consistently about two sisters - one who is lured away and one who is tasked to be the hero and rescuer.

What I like about the story is the fantasy elements and slightly spooky atmosphere - very similar to the reason I love the movie Labyrinth so much. It’s an adventure story, and it has sisterly love at its core too which is nice.

Now this particular version of Goblin Market is done in rhyme, which I could honestly do with or without. I think the story could flourish without it, but it’s not completely out of place in an old Grimm’s Fairy Tale type of world - and of course it’s still slotted into the top 5 of the year after all.

It’s not everyday you get a picture book for kids about a little girl being stolen away by goblins. Quite frankly that’s all you need to know. It’s a spooky and high stakes framing and setup for the story - and that deserves a lot of appreciation and love I think.

2024 Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards Medal Winners

Honor Books

There is no hard rule for exactly how many books in the top 10 can be medal winners in a given year. The following books made the final cut, and were actually part of our discussions for winning the 2024 Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards. If the winning book didn’t exist, any one of these books might have won. And they are all awarded with a 2024 Honor Medal.

4. Hekla & Laki

Written and Illustrated by Marine Schneider

Hekla & Laki is inspired by two Icelandic volcanoes by the same names - but the story has almost nothing to do with volcanoes, other than the fact that Laki is no longer active.

It does, however, perhaps explain why Hekla & Laki are so abnormal looking, and why the story is so magical - because it’s almost like they are gods and this is a mythological story.

But that’s not to say that there isn’t a lot of humanity to be found in this story. It’s very easy to interpret Hekla and Laki’s relationship like a parent and child. It’s actually extremely moving and touching - and it makes me feel a lot of different feelings during a reading.

There are moments of humor, moments of loss and sadness, and moments of love. But my favorite part is the exploration of that moment when children need to break off from their parents and discover themselves. It really taps into that bittersweet feeling of watching a child grow that parents will understand. And all of these very powerful feelings are delivered in an extremely beautiful package with characters that are easy to fall in love with.

3. Spider in the Well

Written and Illustrated by Jess Hannigan

Spider in the Well is a heck of a picture book - and one that has put Jess Hannigan on my shortlist for creators to keep a sharp eye on. In any other year, it may very well have been the picture book of the year.

Hannigan’s style is fresh and engaging and I don’t even know what I can compare it to - maybe the delightfully quirky Katamari video games? The character design is spectacular and endearing, and the aesthetic is just a real joy all around.

And the story itself is very funny. It features untrustworthy characters, and on future readings, their lies are a big source of the humor. Hannigan displays mastery of this type of humor, much like the dry humor of the rabbit lying to the bear in I Want My Hat Back.

It’s billed as a fable, and that’s a big part of why I like it. It’s structure is very similar to something like a Grimm’s Fairy Tale - and that’s always something that really speaks to me. Basically, a boy is tasked to figure out why the town’s wishes aren’t being granted, and he discovers that a spider has been catching the coins. The spider, however, got to hear the town’s wishes first hand, and this changes everything.

Spider in the Well is original in more ways than one, and it’s truly fun. It has all the qualities of a kids book with a lot of staying power.

2. Godfather Death

Written by Sally Nicholls and Illustrated by Julia Sarda

Speaking of my love for Grimm’s Fairy Tales - Godfather Death is literally a retelling of a story from the Brothers Grimm. Say no more! Why isn’t every picture book a retelling of a Grimm’s Fairy Tale?

And not only is this a spectacular story, but it’s illustrated by one of our very favorites (and former Dad Suggests Picture Book Award Winner) Julia Sarda. The art perfectly matches the story and truly makes this one of my favorite picture books in a long time.

Now I don’t want to spoil this book, so feel free to skip the rest of this recap. But I have to point out that this story is so beautifully tragic. In true Brothers Grimm fashion, mistakes are made, and lessons are learned - and things get dark and scary.

The story follows a fisherman who wants to find an honest godfather for his son. He says no to God, he says no to Satan, but he says yes to Death - the theory being that Death is equal to all men and the most honest of all. It’s magnificent. It’s the type of story that will haunt you and sit with you for a while. And it has that touch of darkness and spookiness that will have a kid sitting on the edge of their seat.

And I just can’t say enough about the work of Sally Nicholls and the aesthetic of Julia Sarda. They truly take this wonderful story and give it new life - crafting it into one of the best picture books in years.

2024 Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards Winner

1. Bog Myrtle

Written and Illustrated by Sid Sharp

Bog Myrtle is a revelation. Who knew picture books could be this good? This book is hysterical. The whole family adores it, and they hung on every word when I read it out loud. Spooky, side-splitting, endearing - Bog Myrtle has it all.

The story follows two sisters, one very sweet and naive and one quite rude and selfish. Through happenstance the nice one bumps into Bog Myrtle, the protector of the forest. And although Bog Myrtle is quite scary, the innocent sister is so polite and kind that they actually become friends, and Bog Myrtle gives her some magic silk to knit a sweater for her cold sister.

The sister, however, sees only opportunity and wants to start a magic sweater store. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg with how bad this sister is. She’s comically nasty and rude to her kind sister - which makes her fate quite acceptable to the reader by the end.

Similar to The Lorax, Bog Myrtle has a bit of an environmental message to it - which of course is a nice touch. But it certainly doesn’t bop you over the head with it. More than anything it’s a quirky character tale - and it’s about being a good person and perhaps standing up for yourself.

But I’m realizing that it’s impossible to put into words the joy of this book. The art is amazing and the details are delightful. The dialogue, the facial expressions, the humor - it’s all top notch and needs to be experienced by yourself. It’s so original and so much fun that it simply had to be the Dad Suggests Picture Book of the year - no doubt about it.

* Bog Myrtle is not currently available on Bookshop.org as of the time of writing.

Thanks for stopping by! What was your favorite picture book of the year? Did we include yours? Let us know in the comments!

And don’t forget to check out all of the past winners of the Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards!

2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023

For the Christmas list, as always, there are a few key things to keep in mind. First of all, I play pretty fast and loose with the word Christmas. Some might even call it a winter list, because if you’re drinking hot cocoa and playing in the snow and building a snowman, I’m calling it a Christmas book. It’s a state of mind.

With that said, there are still bonus points for being very clearly a holiday book and capturing the magic of the season. If there are two books I like the same exact amount and one has Santa - then that might be as good a tiebreaker as any. I’m also pretty partial to original stories. I’m not against well known characters being milked for more stories - but originality is often my preference.

But ultimately we’re just looking for our favorite books of the holiday season. And in case you didn’t notice, we always choose the number 12 for the 12 days of Christmas. Much of the same criteria exists that we use on our list of the best books the year. They just need to be special and make us happy. Don’t forget that all of our old lists are still available if you need more ideas! And without further ado, let’s get to the Christmas books!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. These links will lead you to view the books' listings on Bookshop.org.

12. The First Snow

Written by Marie Stumpfova and Illustrated by Radek Maly.

The First Snow is a very beautiful book, and that’s what drew me to it immediately. And this is a good example of the wintery kind of book that makes this list despite not exactly being a Christmas book.

I mean, a polar bear built out of snow comes to life, so I think we can all agree this one has a bit of the magic of the season in it. And I have to admit I’m a sucker for books about playing in the snow - there’s lots of nostalgia there.

The story follows two siblings on their winter adventure, and the plot isn’t exactly the point here. It’s more of a feeling that the book elicits, and the style of art is extremely nostalgic too - like something that reminds me of the 1950s perhaps. This one is like a work of art to display on your shelf.

11. Little Hare Finds a Gift

Written and Illustrated by Oleksandr Shatokhin

The illustrations in Little Hare Finds a Gift really stand out to me for their unique quirkiness. It also contains one of those aforementioned cameos from Santa himself, and that’s always a nice surprise.

It follows a little rabbit as she tries to figure out who lost this mystery present. The structure works as a way to introduce us to her friends - fox, pigs, owl - as she asks everyone about the gift. And I think the character work is probably my favorite part.

It’s a very cute book from top to bottom, and Red Comet press did a great job publishing this one. It’s cover is fantastic and contains a special texture on the snow - and it contains a secret cover too which is always nice. You can tell a lot of care was put into it.

My daughter enjoyed this story as a read aloud, but I think the highlight and what will be more memorable is moreso the unique artwork. I remember the author/illustrator Shatokhin from his Yellow Butterfly, and will definitely keep my eye out for what comes next.

10. It’s Winter!

Written and Illustrated by Renée Kurilla

It’s Winter! is a wonderfully illustrated book. Kurilla is knocking it out of the park with these seasonal books - and she does a great job capturing the feelings and nostalgia. Winter crafts in the classroom, snowball fights, hot cocoa and blankets - it’s all here.

There is great detail in the artwork - and the cartoony aesthetic is just incredibly cheerful and fun. It simply looks great. Plus it’s not just a playing in the snow book. There are wonderful two page spreads for both Hanukkah and Christmas as well.

If you’re looking for a book that celebrates the spirit of the season without being real specific about any one holiday - this is definitely the book to grab this year. It’s handsome and fun and full of details that make me smile.

9. The Winter Wish

Written by Helen Mortimer and Illustrated by Rachael Dean

This is one of the books that make me remind you of one rule about this Christmas list - these are all books published in the US in 2024. The Winter Wish was previously published in the UK but now we finally get the US release.

This beautiful book is not just a holiday book, it’s also a celebration of bookstores - and you know I can’t argue with that! William’s family lives about their bookstore called Words of Wonder, and it’s a very special small town bookshop on the edge of town. But they’re worried they might have to close up shop because of a lack of customers.

Williams decides to build a very special Christmas display of books in the front window - featuring a reindeer crafted out of sticks. A bit of magic takes place, the reindeer comes to life, and the whole town gets sprinkled with that little bit of holiday spirit that not only makes you cheerful but also apparently gets you to go shop in local bookstores too. I’m fuzzy on the details of how it all works but I’m not arguing with Christmas magic that gets people into bookshops!

8. One Foggy Christmas Eve

Written and Illustrated by Kerilynn Wilson

I’ll give this book one thing - okay I’ll actually give it lots of things - it has a fantastic title. Very clever I must say, and gives it a bit of that oh-so-important staying power in the world of Christmas picture books.

And on top of a very smart title, it’s a beautiful book. I like Wilson’s a lot - particularly when the little girl is using her imagination and seeing the worst in the fog. And it has the best secret cover of the year hands down. I adore it.

The book has a simple hook - they’re supposed to go to the grandparents’ house, but it’s too foggy. The girl has a present she really wants to deliver, and the family has to come up with a solution for getting through the fog.

It’s a book full of magic and imagination - and it’s a champion of storytelling too at the end of the day. And at the end of the day, it’s hard not to love a book that has a focus on love, imagination, and storytelling - right? Especially when everything is executed so well.

7. Paddington’s Christmas Post

Based on the Stories by Michael Bond and Illustrated by R. W. Alley

I have a confession to make. Paddington was never a big part of my childhood - nor have I seen a single one of the very popular Paddington movies. But I am still not immune to the charm of this immensely beloved bear.

This is another book that was previously published in the UK but we are finally receiving in US bookshops this year. And the hook here is that it’s one of those clever books that has actual letters to open up and actual letters to pull out and read.

The whole thing is beautifully crafted, and the hook of having letters to pull out and read is one I’ll probably never tire of. Kids obviously love the concept too. It’s very engaging for sure. And one of the pullouts is actually a little Advent calendar you can use!

I think it’s safe to say Paddington fans will adore this book - and I am proof positive that even those of us who are not yet indoctrinated into the world of Paddington worship will still find a lot to love here.

6. Yours, Befana

Written by Barbara Cuoghi and Illustrated by Elenia Beretta

Talk about originality! This beautiful picture book from Italy is off the charts with both original, standout art and a very unique story. Yours, Befana is about a Winter Witch who I can only assume is more well known in Italy and perhaps elsewhere in Europe - but who is completely new to me.

Apparently, and trust me I am no expert on the details here at all, Befana comes to deliver presents or coal 12 days after Christmas - and she knows if you’ve been naughty or nice.

It all sounds pretty familiar doesn’t it? But we also hear about being able to talk to animals, soups that make you invisible, and sowing seeds that will herald in the eventual coming of spring fruit.

And perhaps my favorite part of the book is actually in the back, where we get a crash course on the myths being discussed in the story. Apparently there are lots of famous witches active this time of year, and I love learning about all of them and which country they are from. Super cool all around.

5. Letters from the North Pole

Written by Anne Atkins and Illustrated by Fia Tobing

This is second book of the year with the novelty of pulling out real letters from real envelopes - only this one gets bonus points for originality and presentation. This book is A+ handsome - just an absolutely gorgeous book.

And the letters you pull out are incredibly good-looking as well. Each envelope has a type-written letter from Santa, and a very detailed blueprint/patent for one of the creative gift inventions that the children in the book keep writing and asking Santa for. And the letters are so detailed, with beautiful envelopes and beautiful details all around the frame of the letters themselves.

The details really highlight the magic of this book - making it look as authentic as possible. Reading this book with children it’s really easy to treat the envelopes and letters as actual artifacts sent from Santa himself. It’s just a lot of fun and I’m so impressed with the work done by both the artists and the publisher.

4. Mr. Santa

Written and Illustrated by Jarvis

Jarvis makes some very aesthetically pleasing books, and he’s one of the author/illustrators I always have my eye on for what they do next. I knew Mr. Santa is a book I had to have, and that it would very likely make this list, before I even looked inside.

Mr. Santa is a story written in rhyme, and Jarvis manages to pull it off incredibly well despite the immense challenges of writing a rhyming picture book that feels natural. You know heading into the book that it’s going to be drop-dead gorgeous, but it’s a very welcome surprise to discover that the adventure is funny and sweet as well.

A little girl comes face to face with Santa and starts pestering him with lots of questions one after another. In many ways the story is told through the pictures, as they function as the clue ground the reader in what is happening. And what’s happening is that Santa is basically taking this little girl on a Christmas adventure - including a trip up into the clouds on his sleigh, and even a visit to the North Pole.

I also very much enjoy the ending. I adore children’s stories that emphasize childhood wonder and imagination, and I never tire of the gray area that leaves us questioning if something really happened or not.

3. Christmas at Hogwarts

Written by J. K. Rowling and Illustrated by Ziyi Gao

From the moment this book was announced, I figured it would be the top-selling Christmas book of the year. And, at least in the case of our bookshop, it certainly was. Were you one of the many people that chose this book as your new addition to your Christmas collection?

What’s not to like, really? It contains text pulled straight out of the Christmas chapter in book one, and it features spectacular art that makes it seem Harry Potter was turned into a very handsome anime movie. I love the look of this book.

Other than that, you pretty much know what you’re in store for. All of the text is pulled from Harry Potter, but it bounces around a little. Harry and Ron getting their Weasley sweaters, Hagrid carrying the Christmas trees, the decoration of the Great Hall, and of course opening the mysterious gift of the invisibility cloak - all the best bits are here.

Very much like the beautiful, illustrated versions of the original books that have been gradually releasing, this picture book is something special for collectors. We already know the words, so what’s special here is the interpretation from the illustrator, who does a really magnificent job bringing this world to life. I really love the anime-inspired style, and I think it’s something really special. It honestly makes me want to see the whole thing animated like this.

2. The Grumpus and His Dastardly, Dreadful Christmas Plan

Written and Illustrated by Alex T. Smith

Another Christmas book written and illustrated by Alex T. Smith, and another absolute Christmas classic. Just like his previous two books about Winston the mouse, The Grumpus can be used as an Advent book - reading one chapter a day in December.

You might notice there are 27 chapters instead of 25, but I think if you take into consideration that the first two chapters kind of humorously backtrack and give you a bit of background information, you realize the story perhaps really starts on chapter 3.

The framing and heart of the story may sound familiar, as The Grumpus is remarkably similar to The Grinch - but I think we’ll never tire of Grinchy, Scroogey stories around Christmastime. And I think it’s safe to say this is the most humorous read aloud of all of them.

There is tons of humor infused by Alex T. Smith into this book, with much of it very subtly and expertly coming from the narration. Perhaps one of my very favorite small details is when The Grumpus is referred to as “Mr. The Grumpus.” But really there’s just too much humor to describe - it’s fantastic.

Of course it must be mentioned that this is much larger than your normal picture book, and is quite a bit of text as well. Some may consider it more a chapter book of course, but it’s heavily illustrated, so it gets you into that interesting conversation of what makes a picture book. Just like Winston before it, there are very few pages that aren’t illustrated. You may get 4 pages in a row at most without an illustration, and I’m ruling in favor of picture book in this case - but just keep in mind this is really a month-long read aloud.

As far as the story goes, even though it sounds a bit Grinch-y, it’s actually incredibly original with lots of characters and humorous and exciting side adventures on The Grumpus’s main mission - going to the North Pole to stop Christmas once and for all.

1. Santa’s First Christmas

Written by Mac Barnett and Illustrated by Sydney Smith

Mac Barnett has teamed up with another all star illustrator to create a Christmas picture book for the second year in a row. Last year we got the instant classic How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? - illustrated by Jon Klassen - and this year he teamed up with the extremely talented Sydney Smith for Santa’s First Christmas.

I think if I was to compare these two Christmas picture books by Barnett, I’d have to say How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? is funnier while Santa’s First Christmas is more heartfelt. It’s a sentimental story and full of heart, and that really makes Sydney Smith a spectacular choice. It’s a beautiful book and really full of love.

That’s not to say that Santa’s First Christmas isn’t funny, but it’s the kind of humor that’s sweet and endearing and makes you smile instead of laugh out loud. The funniest part of the book is when they tell Santa to go to bed because “you know who” is going to come soon. Santa of course is thinking “wait a second, you-know-who is me.” And then a polar bear shows up dressed as Santa.

The basic story here is that Santa always delivers Christmas to the whole world, and then goes home and falls asleep. He basically doesn’t get Christmas himself - and the residents of the North Pole decide one year that that’s not fair. They take it upon themselves to make Christmas magic for Santa too - complete with storytelling and gift-giving and eating a Christmas meal with loved ones.

If you think about it, the book starts with a simple question that has never really been addressed before - does Santa celebrate Christmas too? And - much like when years ago Dasher addressed how Santa actually got his reindeer - I think that’s the perfect way to set the stage for a new modern Christmas classic. Barnett and Smith have ultimately made a very beautiful Christmas book, and, in my opinion, it’s the most likely one this year to stand the test of time, and it’s well-deserving of the title of best Christmas picture book of 2024.

Have you read any of these great, wintery, Christmasy books yet? What’s your pick for best Christmas picture book of 2024? Let us know in the comments!

And don’t forget to check out our past Christmas picture book lists!
The Best Christmas Picture Books of All Time
The Best Christmas Picture Books of 2019
The Best Christmas Picture Books of 2020
The Best Christmas Picture Books of 2021
The Best Christmas Picture Books of 2022
The Best Christmas Picture Books of 2023

Candido’s inspiration and his motivation to share creativity with his son is awesome to witness - and his thoughts about fatherhood and childhood have always made me feel like we’re kindred spirits in our ventures! It’s an honor to help spread the story of the creativiDAD project, and I hope you enjoy learning about it.

Maybe you’re in his area and can take part in some of his parent/child workshops - or maybe find a virtual one. And perhaps some of you might even be inspired to do something similar in your neck of the woods!

The essence of creativiDAD is spending quality time with your kids while being creative - but Candido can explain it WAY better than I can! Let’s let him do it!

Hey Candido! Thanks for agreeing to do an interview with us! First of all, tell us about the creativiDAD project.

Candido: The creativiDAD project aims to encourage parents, specifically fathers and male guardians, to add creativity to their parenting toolbelts. This initiative was developed as a result of becoming a father and attempting to seek time to remain creative yet ensuring I was spending quality time with my child. Since staying up late every night is not sustainable, I experimented with combining both in order to find balance. The result was incredible and has led to a very strong bond between my son and I rooted in shared experiences and a variety of methods of communication. I was enthusiastic about sharing this knowledge with other fathers, so in partnership with the Huntington Arts Council and multiple public libraries, creativiDAD project became a community initiative.

The concept took shape in the form of 1 hour long free visual art workshops, in which families are asked to use their imagination and critical thinking skills to not only create a work of art, but also a memory. To date, I have hosted 7 of these workshops virtually and at local libraries. My 4 year old son has also assisted in hosting, creating and sharing examples, and engaging with families, really making the project come full circle. The experience is truly communal as families interact with their art as well as the other families.

That really sounds like an amazing thing that you're building, and it sounds like it's growing from very beautiful intentions. Could you talk more about your personal history with art and being creative, and why it was actually important for you to find time to keep that a part of your life after becoming a dad - and to share it with your son?

Candido: My story isn’t one of “I’ve been an artist since I was 5,” but I did become interested in art through comic books. In addition to reading them, I used to collect them so I could try to draw the super heroes from observation. My favorite was Spawn by Todd McFarlane (I was fortunate to meet him at New York Comic Con a few years back). 

I truly enjoyed drawing and being creative in general. I took as many art classes as I could in grade school and joined art clubs and mural committees. However, I didn’t want to be an artist. I really wanted to be a teacher. So I merged the 2, and started teaching Art in 2007.

Creativity, outside of being a favorite past time, has always been a superpower. It’s allowed me to feel empowered and given me the strength to feel like I belonged in spaces I’d otherwise be excluded. So it was a nonnegotiable when I became a father.

I wanted to make sure I remained creative as much as possible. However staying up late every night isn’t sustainable so I decided to try to include my son. The result was incredible! I got to continue do what I love while my son and I shared quality time. He learned a new tool for communication, and now it’s one of our favorite things to do. I’ve also witnessed how he challenges himself to try harder subjects or media. Oh, and it really helps to extend the discussions and learning from children’s books we read!

We’ll definitely have to talk about those books later! I remember McFarlane had a big influence on my brother as well - and my family had to track him down at a comic con as well! I particularly like the part of your origin story where you decide to include your son in your creative journey, and the way you describe his confidence and communication skills growing as well. Do your workshops feature activities you and your son have enjoyed together? Could you describe some examples of what a creativiDAD workshop might include?

Candido: Prior to launching the initiative, my son and I tried a bunch of different projects and materials. When I decide on the project we'll share, we work on 2 examples. I create one alone and then we collaborate on another. This allows the participating families to get an idea of what different versions of the same project could look like. We have shared our Earth Day project that combines found materials with family portraits and a painting of the Earth. We've also shared our clay insect sculpture project with a paper sculpture environment. The families seemed to really enjoy both. Occasionally the collaborating library may request a seasonal project which is always fun as well.

You mention doing workshops virtually as well as in person. Were the virtual workshops a pandemic solution - or is that a permanent part of your offerings to reach a larger audience? And do you have a home base for creativiDAD project workshops, or do you travel around?

Candido: I mainly travel. I have my bins of supplies and a handcart always ready. The virtual workshops were definitely a result of the pandemic. Our first was in person in 2021, and then one of the many strands forced us to stay home again. During that time, I asked the library to register families and have them pick-up the needed supplies that I packaged from the library and it went very well. The difficulty with the virtual workshops is ensuring that the families have the needed materials. Otherwise it's just as successful in ultimately meeting the goal- getting fathers/male guardians to create with their children. I guess it could work if I made a group where participants can get informed about the next project, maybe shop for the supplies in advance, and then meet me at a scheduled time online for a livestream - I'm using our interview to come up with new ideas!

I heard recently that the CreativiDAD Project was awarded a grant for your work. Congratulations for that! Is there a specific opportunity that those funds supported or will make possible? And do you have any other specific wishes for the future?

Candido: And thank you! The newest round funding will increase our hope for accessibility tremendously. I attended a workshop at the Adding Voices Conference in Philadelphia in October 2022. During the workshop, William Estrada introduced us to his Mobile Street Art Cart. The cart is designed like the Tamale Lady's food cart. He parks the cart in public places and invites people to create free art. I was blown away by this idea, so I applied for funding to create my own cart and do something very similar. I'm hoping to get that in the streets this Summer.

My wife always asks, "what's the end goal?" And I think I don't have an answer because I keep thinking about new possibilities. Recently, because of this work, I have been invited to present to mental health providers on how art can be healing and help with re-connecting or strengthening families. That's been special because I never saw that opportunity coming. So ultimately, I hope that the initiative continues to grow and the vision continues to spread.

(Update: We checked in with Candido months later to see how the growth plans are shaping up!) Following up now that we’re heading into the end of 2024. Has the creativiDAD cart been born? What new possibilities for the creativiDAD project have you and your son come up with?

Candido: As much as I would have loved to create the cart, and still plan to in the future, having the art cart would've directed me away from working specifically with fathers and male guardians. I would have been offering my services to a broader community. However, fathers are my intended target audience and I want to stay on task. 

As my son grows older and more confident with his artistic and public speaking skills he will be joining and leading additional workshops with me. We want to continue working with public libraries. Those facilities have been so good to and for us. Additionally, we are looking to partner with other local organizations striving to make change within their community. Lastly, I would love to lead workshops in which I could share my experiences with other fathers looking to lead similar initiatives in their communities.

Allow me to dream big here for a moment because I would really like to start a podcast and maybe even a television mini-series exploring the topic of parenting and creativity. I'll be sure to have you as a guest!

That sounds great - and I’d be honored! You mentioned earlier learning from the children’s books you read together. Can you let us know a few of your favorites? Do you and your son have different favorites?

Candido: Yes! We love to use books as inspirational material. After reading we create a craft that not only allows us to be creative, but helps to solidify learning and review the theme or moral of the story.

A few Crespo favorites to use include Skater Cielo by Rachel Katstaller, Samurai Scarecrow by Rubin Pingk, and of course the Creepy books Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown. Oh, we created a LEGO stop motion video based on Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen's The Three Billy Goat Gruff.

Regarding personal favorites, I'm a Where The Wild Things Are kind of guy. Initially he didn't like that one because the monsters were scary, but now we have similar interests so we like a lot of the same books. Exploring new books together is part of the journey so thanks for all of your suggestions!

Whoa I need to see that Billy Goats Gruff movie! For everyone out there interested in following your journey with the creativiDAD project (including purchasing one of those awesome t-shirts I saw you share), where are the best places to keep up with what you are doing?

Candido: We love the simplicity and efficiency of Instagram. Everyone can connect with us @creatividadproject.

Thanks a ton for taking the time to talk with us about your amazing passion project. Kudos to you for being such a great dad and helping other families out there explore creativity together and spend quality time together.

Candido: Thank you!

I hope you enjoyed that interview as much as I did. What a cool project! I love to see the passion, and I wish them all the luck in the world for continued success and fun together. Any dads out there feeling inspired?

I consider Justin a digital friend through the magic of the internet, and you may also remember him from his previous role as the one person who likes my tweets. I like to imagine it’s because Twitter is dying and not because I’m not funny, but I digress.

So without further ado, let’s get to the interview. We’re going to be discussing his first books, his process, and whether it’s more fun to make kids laugh or scream. Hope you enjoy the read!

Ryan: Thanks for being willing to do an interview about your new picture books, Justin! For those that don’t know, The Quacken just came out in July and Impossible Possums came out in October. And The Quacken was your debut right?

Justin: Thanks for having me, Ryan! It’s always fun to connect with people who are equally passionate about children’s literature, especially picture books. I look forward to the recommended reading lists you assemble, as they’ve inspired some of my own book buys. Speaking of books, The Quacken (illustrated by Pablo Pino) is indeed my debut picture book.

Ryan: Thanks, Justin - that’s nice of you to say! Tell us about your history with writing. When did you decide this is what you wanted to do? How long have you been writing children’s books before your debut this year? And did you always know it was going to be The Quacken, or do you have other finished stories up your sleeves and ready to go?

Justin: I began writing during the final weeks of 2017, but I prefer to say I began writing in early 2018 (makes it easier for my brain to do the math). From there, I spent a few years perfecting my craft and connecting with the community, one of my favorite parts of being an author. I didn’t seek an agent until the end of 2020, and we signed in early 2021. While The Quacken was the first manuscript we went on submission with and sold, my upcoming picture book, Impossible Possums, is actually the book I wrote first. I was worried, it would be a harder sell because it’s super silly and more playful with the format. But, I’m happy to say, the voice in my head was wrong and Disney swooped in and scooped the story up.

Ryan: Hey congrats on that! Now I already know you have an upstanding and discerning sense of humor since you are one of the few who like my dad jokes on Twitter - so is it safe to say that comedy is your comfort zone for kids books?

Justin: This is a great question, one I’ve been mulling over for a minute now. And, if I’m being honest, it’s one I still don’t have a definitive answer to. I want to say comfort, confidence, and the idea of a challenge all play a part in my creative process and how I approach and work with humor. At times, their influence varies, with many factors playing into that ever-changing pendulum. I am certain, though, that crafting comedic stories for children brings me a sense of joy and bringing children laughter is something that drives me as a creator.

Ryan: Of course it’s silly and all in good fun, but The Quacken ventures into being slightly spooky for kids too - since it’s dealing with a big beast that eats everything up and is basically hunting a kid. I think it’s very fair to consider it part of the Halloween book season even. Do you have any interest in scaring kids with your stories in the future? Or do you prefer laughs?

Justin: I’m a big fan of scary stories, whether it be a book, tv series, movie, etc. Given my audience with picture books, though, I err on the side of spooky rather than scary. I’m not looking to give little ones nightmares or fuel their fears. However, I’ve been drafting a middle grade novel that I would say is pretty dang scary. Of course, I’ll always love eliciting laughter, too.

Ryan: Scary middle grade is something to look forward to! Let’s talk about Impossible Possums that came out in October. What can you tell us about the story? What’s the official elevator pitch?

Justin: Impossible Possums is my second picture book, and it’s illustrated by the incredible James Rey Sanchez (jamesreyart.com/illustration). Disney Hyperion is the publisher, and it hit shelves on October 22, 2024. I would say it’s perfect for fans of Despicable Me, Minions, Lilo and Stitch, Phineas and Ferb, Llama Destroys the World, and The Bad Seed. Here’s the pitch:

Life as an aspiring villain is lonely for Carl the possum, so he’s on a mission to create a like-minded conspirator. But when his Possum Populator arrives, it requires assembly (and villains don’t have time for that). So, Carl tosses the instructions, leading to a series of outlandish mishaps and mounting frustration as the contraption pops out all the wrong creations. Hilarious and imaginative, this picture book will have readers laughing and eager for more diabolical misadventures with Carl at the helm.

Ryan: Do you remember how and when you came up with the idea for Carl and this story?

Justin: I wrote this story about a month before the pandemic began. An agent posted a photo of a pangolin to Twitter and said she would love to see a pangolin story in her inbox. For those who might not know, a pangolin is a critically endangered animal that could one day face extinction due to habitat loss and humans hunting and trafficking them. They look like scaly anteaters, or Sandshrew from Pokemon.

At the time, I didn’t have an agent, and I thought, I can write a funny story starring a pangolin! After doing research online, I saw that a lot of people said pangolins always look like they’re plotting something nefarious because of how they walk hunched over with their paws together, like Igor.

It wasn’t long before I came up with a story about a villainous pangolin plotting to take over the world. When Disney bought my book, we changed the pangolin to a possum.

*Oh, and the agent I signed with is not the agent who wanted a pangolin story.

Ryan: What is it about lovable bad guys that is so appealing to kids? What’s up with that?

Justin: Well-done villains are often such rich characters—compelling and complex. Villains are the heroes of their own story, and they often have such strong convictions and will do whatever it takes to achieve their objective. And many times, their attitudes and actions are not just black or white. Crafting a villain feels like getting free reign at some metaphorical playground.

With Carl, I knew I wanted to craft a character who is misunderstood and, perhaps deep down, has a very good heart. I wanted to craft a character that has these big, villainous plans but doesn’t actually cause any harm—someone who, instead, causes funny chaos that is lighthearted for readers. We often see these types of villains in cartoons and animated movies like Pixar’s Despicable Me and Minions. They’re always up to no good, yet, for some reason, we like them, and even root for them at times. I’m a fan of stories with this sort of light-hearted mischief.

Ryan: I have to say both of your picture books have great illustrations. The Quacken was illustrated by Pablo Pino and Impossible Possums is illustrated by James Rey Sanchez. Were you matched up by the publishers or did you know them beforehand? I’m always curious how involved the author gets in illustration notes and ideas, so what can you tell us about the process of these books?

Justin: I map out all of the visual humor and jokes of my stories via art notes within the manuscripts. Of course, this requires the right balance of knowing just how much to convey so that you’re sharing your vision and ensuring the joke lands while giving the illustrator creative freedom and room to play instead of micro-managing their process. I’ll often share an idea in an art note and then right something afterward like “GO WILD!” I want the illustrators I work with to have as much fun as possible.

Once a book sells, I share an illustrator wish list. Sometimes I get to share this wish list immediately after selling the book, sometimes it’s a few weeks or months before that dialogue commences, and sometimes it’s even longer, once we’ve wrapped up edits to the text. The timeline and order of events varies according by editor and imprint. Either way, they’re having internal discussions with their art director and/or creative director. Then they get back you with a list they’ve agreed upon. Sometimes the editor enthusiastically signs off. Sometimes they present me with an entirely differently [yet incredibly skilled] list of potential illustrators for the project.

With The Quacken and Impossible Possums, I suggested both Pablo Pino and James Rey Sanchez to my editors after finding and reviewing their portfolios online. I love the illustration and design process of making a picture book, so my wonderful agent and I express my desire to potential editors to be an active player there earlier in the process. I’ve provided feedback on everything from character designs to cover samples, initial sketches, final art, the book jacket, and more.

Ryan: I really hope you’re enjoying these well-deserved, exciting months with your first books coming out, and very big congratulations to you! But of course I must ask about the future too - do you have any future projects lined up? Any hints?

Justin: I’d be happy to share. Below are some of my announced projects:

The ZomBees
Illustrator: Kaly Quarles (kalyquarles.com)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Publication Date: Summer 2025
A swarm of zombie bees invades an unsuspecting town on Halloween night in this delightfully spooky and highly charming picture book from the author of The Quacken—perfect for fans of Creepy Carrots and Los Gatos Black on Halloween.

Impossible Possums for Mayor
Illustrator: James Rey Sanchez (jamesreyart.com/illustration)
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: Fall 2025
When the city announces an emergency election, villainous possum Carl launches an ambitious campaign and a devious strategy to become mayor and take over the world. But shenanigans ensue when his new hench penguin Philbert brings the wrong diabolical device for their mission, leading to hilarious chaos in this highly imaginative sequel to Impossible Possums.

Vampurr
Illustrator: Lenny Wen (lennywen.com)
Publisher: FSG/Macmillan
Publication Date: Spring 2026
In this heartwarming, atmospheric picture book, a vampire kitten longs to find a loving home like her adopted siblings, but her unusual appearance and abilities send visitors fleeing her cemetery residence in fright, until an eerie fog rolls in, and with it a unique and unexpected creature of the night.

Ryan: Nice! Vampurr sounds like it will be right up our alley for sure. How about this - other than your own books, what are your top 3 picture books so far from 2024? And give us one kids book you’re really looking forward to.

Justin: That’s tough, and I don’t want to let anyone down. So, I’m going to cheat and, instead, share two picture books I’m looking forward to. The first is Pig Town Party by Lian Cho, publishing October 9th with HarperCollins. Lian has crafted an absurdly silly that’s fun and fresh. The other is Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka con la Papa: Join the Quest with Peru’s Famed Scientist and Potato Expert, written by Sara Fajardo and illustrated by Caldecott Honor Juana Martinez-Neal. It’s a nonfiction picture book biography about Peruvian agronomist Alberto Salas and his hunt for wild potatoes before they go extinct. Sara’s text storytelling is top-notch, and Juana’s illustrations elevate the text of this true tale even further.

Ryan: Tough one, but in your opinion what’s the best picture book ever made?

Justin: I feel like I’m on a game show and the questions are getting increasingly difficult here. There are so many incredible picture books out there. In a way, it feels like comparing apples to oranges. I have picture books I love purely for the art, the page turns, the characters, the humor, the heart, the language, the themes and takeaway, etc. Plus, there’s all different genres of picture books, too. While the format remains the same, each might utilize it differently to tell the story. And those stories are all so different and special in their own way.

But I know that’s probably not the desired answer here. So, I’ll share a book that I admire, and that’s Sam and Dave Dig a Hole. It has the perfect interplay of text and art, utilized in a way that creates suspenseful scenes and page turns that keep readers on the edge of their seat even with such a simple plot.

Of course, I have a bunch of favorites, and if you visit justincolonbooks.com, I have an image on the site that, when found, links to a list of some of my favorite picture books.

Ryan: Since we just celebrated the Halloween season, I have to ask you the most important question of the season. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown or Garfield’s Halloween Adventure?

Justin: I have a terrible, terrible confession. I never got behind Charlie Brown or Garfield. So, I’m not familiar with either of these. That said, Halloween for me comes down to one title and one title only: The Nightmare Before Christmas.

I was a little nervous there for a second with that whole no Charlie Brown or Garfield thing, but he stuck the landing with The Nightmare Before Christmas! And you know I love that Sam and Dave Dig a Hole shoutout. Great pick!

Big special thanks to Justin for taking the time to answer a few questions for us. Make sure to check out his first two picture books available now!

Halloween is my favorite holiday, and scary books for kids are my favorite books - so this annual list of the 13 (get it?) best Halloween picture books is a meaningful tradition for us to keep alive. It’s a lot of fun to bring in every single Halloween and Halloween adjacent picture book we can get our hands on, and sort through them choosing our favorites, and now we’re ready to pass our findings on to you!

Literally being about Halloween - and by that I mean mentioning the holiday by name, talking about trick or treating, or getting the house decorated - is obviously worth bonus points to me, but it’s not exactly a prerequisite for this list. If it’s a book about ghosts or monsters or just generally a bit spooky or creepy, then it’s going to qualify. I basically follow a “I know it when I see it” rule for Halloween books.

The funny thing about this year is that we’re extremely light on picture books that are genuinely scary. I think that’s a shame, because I like being scared, and I liked being scared as a kid too. I often give bonus points for being genuinely spooky, and there wasn’t much of that going on this year, but that’s not to say we don’t have some great books this year. In fact there’s at least one in consideration for best picture books of the year, and it’s not very common for those books to come from our holiday lists!

I hope you enjoy looking through our favorite Halloween picture books of 2024, and I hope you and yours have a very spooktacular Halloween. It’s the best day of the year after all!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links that will lead you to view the books on Bookshop.org. On Bookshop.org, your purchase can directly support a chosen independent bookstore like ours - with more than 30% of the sale passed along to stores.

13. Trick-or-Treating in the City

Written by Tiffany D. Jackson and Illustrated by Sawyer Cloud

As is the case every year, there were several books in the running for this final spot on our Halloween list. Trick-or-Treating in the City got the nod because of the bonus of being purely Halloween focused. The whole thing is about Trick-or-Treating and costumes, and different ways to celebrate the big night - and that put it over the top.

In particular I really enjoy the festive illustrations going on here. Every page is full of detailed decorations - at school, on the street, at home - and that makes for a great Halloween atmosphere. I’m nothing if not a sucker for a good illustration of trick-or-treating on Halloween night.

The little girl in this book is basically collecting ideas for different ways to celebrate on Halloween in the city - and she struggles a bit with choosing which one to do. In the end I think it’s a very nice reflection on the kind people in our lives who go through the trouble to organize events that make holidays like Halloween special and available to everyone.

12. 5 More Sleeps ‘Til Halloween

Written by Jimmy Fallon and Illustrated by Rich Deas

The first of two celebrity books on this list belongs to Jimmy Fallon. And believe me I don’t go easy on the celebrities - if anything I approach them with hesitation. But it seems like all the Jimmy Fallon books have a pretty good team behind them to me.

This one is the second in a series now I suppose, because we had a very similar one for last Christmas. And ultimately I feel just about the same way about this book. The illustrations are great, and generally speaking that’s the highlight of the book. It’s well constructed and looks great - and that means it gets the vibes of the holiday right.

I do enjoy the concept of the anticipation of the big day. I think kids can relate to that, because I certainly remember that feeling. So the countdown is a nice frame for the book, but the real highlights here are the haunted houses, the costumes, the spooky creatures in the shadows, the pumpkins, the cats, and more.

11. M is for Monsters

Written and Illustrated by Greg Paprocki

These Babylit board books by Greg Paprocki are really spectacular. I love every single one of them. They’re all alphabet books with an amazing illustration for each letter, and I just think they’re fantastic.

There’s no story to speak of since it’s really just an alphabet book, but the art is just so good, and they really capture the spirit of whatever holiday they’re made for. And since spooky things make me so happy, this is one of my favorite books from Paprocki yet.

This is naturally a good example of how important art is for picture books. And I think it’s interesting how much time we can spend on a book with very few words. There’s so much detail in the art that I might take longer reading this than other books on this list!

A few of my favorite pages including B is for Boogeyman, M is for Monsters, T is for Troll, and Z is for Zombie. Just great Halloween feelings all around!

10. Skeletown: Más. ¡Menos!

Written and Illustrated by Rhode Montijo

Rhode Montijo is one of our favorite artists, particularly because he shares a similar affinity for Halloween culture! He’s the author of one of our favorite Halloween books of all time - The Halloween Kid, and he always has a store open for Halloween art and goodies.

Skeletown is a new series for him, and this is book 2 in the series. It’s a town of skeletons inspired by the Day of the Dead - and it’s full of some great atmosphere. It’s not exactly spooky - because it’s so delightful and cheery. But of course a town of skeletons has a certain Halloweeny ambiance to it.

It’s a book of very few words - two words in fact. And it’s a very fun and simple structure, as two little skeletons run through the town and experience a string of ups and downs - alternating the words más and menos. It’s very chaotic and funny, and of course extremely cute. Naturally lots of the story is told through the art, so it’s a great one for reading together with little ones and talking about what you see.

9. How to Be a Witch

Written by Gabrielle Balkan & Shana Gozansky and Illustrated by Carmen Saldaña

This one is a very interesting one, because it really caught me off guard. I ordered it thinking it was just a handsome looking Halloween book - and didn’t anticipate it being anything more than a cute book about pretending to be a witch for Halloween. Boy was I wrong!

This picture book is actually presented more like a non-fiction book, and talks about being a witch not in the Halloween sense, but in the literal/metaphysical kind of sense. And while that surprised me, I actually think that’s pretty cool. I’ve definitely never seen anything like it, and I think it will be of interesting to plenty of adults and kids out there.

It’s a very sweet and thoughtful tribute to being a witch too - focusing on connections with nature and helping others. It also talks about casting spells with poems, songs, and potions. And you know full well that potion talk is going to intrigue kids. There’s even a potion recipe in the back. And I haven’t even mentioned the section on animal familiars - certain to be a big hit.

8. Feeling Boo

Written by Alex Boniello & April Lavalle and Illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller

It’s pretty obvious why this new Halloween book caught my eye - just look at that amazing cover art! Very cute ghosts, wonderful overall design, and a cat! This is going to be great, right? Right!

I’m happy to report there are also wonderful endpapers inside as well. This is really just a very thoughtfully constructed book. And the illustrations are incredibly endearing - I’m going to have to keep an eye out for Olivia Chin Mueller’s work!

The story is about two ghost friends, and one of them is basically feeling down and depressed. Ollie is feeling boo, and Ellie wants to help him feel better. In the end it’s very similar to the big question in “The Rabbit Listened” - where friends struggle with how to help. But the whole thing is set on a backdrop of a haunted house, which is definitely my kind of setting!

7. Trick or Treat on Scary Street

Written by Lance Bass and Illustrated by Roland Garrigue

No offense to all the celebrities out there, but it’s not incredibly often I enjoy their books. But this Halloween picture book from NSYNC’s Lance Bass is pretty cool! It actually focuses a bit on the scary side of Halloween, and you know I love that!

And I absolutely ADORE this art style from Roland Garrigue. It’s full of tons of details and it’s so unique and special. What a beautiful looking book. It truly captures the Halloween spirit.

The text is rhyming and it tells of a trip down scary street and all the spooky houses you’re going to visit. One looks like a gingerbread house, one is a pumpkin, one is a witch, and one is a run down haunted hotel. It’s all great and of course they’re all full of monsters. I’m not usually a huge fan of rhyming at all, but I’ll forgive it because of the insanely good atmosphere going on here.

6. Griselda Snook’s Spectacular Books

Written by Barry Timms and Illustrated by Laura Borio

I have a very big soft spot for illustrations full of details to discover, and this book is the most detailed of all the books on this list. It’s glorious.

Griselda Snooks is opening a bookstore - a bookstore for monsters it seems. And a little boy named Henry is on the hunt for a special book just for him. It’s a a celebration of both Halloween and bookstores, and what’s not to like about that?

Laura Borio’s art style is amazing and Barry Timms has built a wonderful new world here. It’s incredible what a sense of place is developed in such a short book. The characters and the scenery are all great, and the celebration of spooky things and bookstores at the same time makes me very happy.

5. Spooky Poems Aloud: 25 Poems to Frighten and Delight

Written by Joseph Coelho and Illustrated by Daniel Gray-Barnett

Joseph Coelho and Daniel Gray-Barnett is a pretty great combination, and I’m a real big fan of poetry collections for kids - so of course I’m extremely excited about a Halloween-themed collection!

In a way this book reminds me of the book It’s Halloween by poet Jack Prelutsky, because that one did a great job of celebrating Halloween too and genuinely had some spooky moments.

Inside you’ll find skeletons, vampires, werewolves, and more - but most importantly you’ll find lots of originality and imagination. One of my favorites is Down the Deep Dark which starts out like an homage to In a Dark, Dark House but ends in a sudden and unexpected twist. And another is definitely It Woke Me from a Dream - which describes a creepy thing sitting in the corner of a bedroom, and has perhaps the scariest illustration. Truly I’m just so happy that this collection of spook poems exists now.

4. Little Ghost Makes a Friend

Written and Illustrated by Maggie Edkins Willis

This is undoubtedly one of the best Halloween covers of the year. Just look at it! Little girl and a ghost sitting on a park bench, fall leaves, jack-o-lanterns, spider - this quite simply looks fantastic.

And the story inside doesn’t disappoint either. It’s a very sweet story about a shy ghost that doesn’t feel brave enough to say hello to the neighbors. But when a new girl moves in he writes her a letter inviting her over for a Halloween party.

The illustrations really are spectacular in this one. Little Ghost going through costumes and baking cookies and hanging decorations - all of the details are very cozy and soothing and beautiful. There’s also a wonderful two-page spread of trick-or-treating - which is one of my very favorite things to find in a Halloween book. Nothing captures the spirit of the season better.

3. Into the Goblin Market

If this book was just a little more overtly “Halloween”, it may have ended up in the number one spot. It does feature a witch, a wolf, and goblins - so it qualifies for the list, but was barely edged out by books just a touch more Halloweeny. But, with that being said, it may actually end up on our list of the best picture books of the whole year. That’s how much we like this one!

I love the old folk tale about the Goblin Market, and just read a great chapter book version last year where a sister was enchanted and stolen away to marry a goblin prince. This version features two sisters as well, and one of them wanders off into the goblin market, but it isn’t exactly the same story about what happens to the sister. And I don’t want to spoil it by telling you what happens to her!

Now I must admit that this story is written in rhyme, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I wondered if that was necessary. But the tale itself and the art is so strong that my personal quarrel with rhyming a story is easily forgotten. It’s also the type of book with important details in the art you might miss on your first reading, so you need to go back to read it again, and I think that’s wonderful. It’s just a great book with a really classic fairy tale feel about it and a spooky atmosphere - and that all adds up to something pretty special.

2. ¡Vamos! Let’s Celebrate Halloween and Día de los Muertos

Written and Illustrated by Raúl the Third and Colored by Elaine Bay

First and foremost, this is an EXTREMELY good looking book. I’m obsessed with Raúl the Third’s art - and the ¡Vamos! series is spectacular. His attention to detail and his aesthetic really speak to me. I’m not sure the name of it, but it’s like the video game Cuphead in a way, and it’s just beautiful.

This book is basically split in two. First the kids celebrate Halloween for half the book, and then the celebrate Día de Los Muertos. Likewise the also flip a bit back and forth between English language and Spanish. The concept of the series has always been a great one, and this one is probably my favorite out of all of them.

Special shout out to the Happy Halloween endpapers in the front of the book, because that’s something I would purchase a giant poster of! And I think Raúl the Third has to win the award for best trick-or-treating two-page spread of the year as well (a very prestigious prize). There is so much detail in this art that you could easily spend 4 or 5 times longer than normal just staring at the pages together. And without a doubt the spirit of these two holidays was captured in a really beautiful way with a lot of love.

1. Wolfgang in the Meadow

Written and Illustrated by Lenny Wen

On top of being the best Halloween picture book of the year, Wolfgang in the Meadow definitely receives the award for best endpapers and secret cover on this list. Wonderful stuff! I love thoughtful details like that, and it always makes a picture book a little more special to me as a work of art.

Wolfgang reminds me of another favorite ghost book - Gustavo the Shy Ghost. That book really grew on me a lot and has true staying power, and I always regret not choosing it as our favorite Halloween book of its year - and I’m not going to make the same mistake again! Both are great examples of world-building, and both are full of SPOOKTACULAR little background characters that fill up the world and bring it to life.

I particularly like Wolfgang’s hero - The Mighty Hubert. He’s about to retire from haunting the dark castle and he’ll pick a successor - and Wolfgang hopes it will be him. The two-page spread where The Might Hubert is introduced is a great one, and it’s just one great example of the imagination on display here.

What you have here at the end of the day is a tale about being true to yourself, but the book doesn’t just bash you over the head with the moral. There’s enough story and detail here to make you care about Wolfgang and get invested in more than just a lesson. There are some magnificent two-page spreads in this book, great enough to hang on the wall, and I have no doubt this ghost book is going to have serious staying power in our Halloween collection.

Happy Halloween, everyone! Did you enjoy this list? Make sure to check out our past spooky lists as well:

The Best Halloween Picture Books of 2023
The Best Halloween Picture Books of 2022
The Best Halloween Picture Books of 2021
The Best Halloween Picture Books of 2020
The Best Halloween Picture Books of 2019
The Best Halloween Picture Books for Kids

And, if your kids really liked to scary stories, check out:

The Best Scary Picture Books for Kids
The Best Scary Stories for Kids

What was your favorite spooky book of the year? Let us know in the comments!

Our children’s bookshop is very honored to host this great event again, and we’re proud to once again be joined by several fantastic local businesses around town. I think families had a lot of fun with the hunt last year, so I’m excited it’s happening again.

Waldo will be hiding around town in several of your favorite local businesses, and it’s going to be your job to track him down at every stop. One big change this year is that each Waldo will have a QR code with him for you to scan and submit your entry. This is how we’ll know you found every Waldo and that you’re eligible for the Grand Prize!

Taking photos for social media and using the hashtag #WheresWaldoFayetteville2024 will give you an entry for runner-up prizes and you can do this once at each store you visit!

It’s a citywide Waldo manhunt, and you’ll have 2 weeks to complete your mission this year. The contest runs form July 17th - 31st. And if you want the grand prize, you gotta find them all!

I hope you’re as excited as I am about this fun event, and I hope you plan on joining us during these last 2 weeks of July while we run around town hunting Waldo and supporting local businesses at the same time.

Check below for your complete list of all 13 locations this year!

Rules!

To Enter:

1. Find Waldo at all of the locations listed below.

2. Scan the QR code and enter your information for each entry (find them all to be eligible for grand prize)

3. Share your photo on social media (Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter) for runner-up prize entries

4. Tag the store or location where you found Waldo.

5. Include the hashtag #WheresWaldoFayetteville2024

*Note: Please ensure that your entry posts are set to PUBLIC so that they can be seen for the drawings.

• 1 bonus entry per location

• 1 grand prize winner will be drawn by random number generator on August 2nd, 2024 and contacted through social media

• Duplicate entries for locations or other violations of the rules will result in disqualification

• Winners must be local and available to pick up the grand prize pack at Dad Suggests Books (no shipping).

• Additional sweepstakes details can be read here.

Waldo Locations!

You can find Waldo at the following Fayetteville locations during the last 2 weeks of July. Thank you for showing love and shopping local at all of these amazing places.

• Dad Suggests Bookstore (Located inside The Shops at BrickCity)

• Fayetteville Public Library

• Dickson Street Bookshop

• Rick’s Bakery

• Freckled Hen

• Pearl’s Books

• Rush Running

• Kindness and Joy Toys

• Arkadia Retrocade

• Learning Oasis and Toy Zone

• Lokomotion Family Fun Park

• Sensory Phonics (Located inside The Shops at BrickCity)

• Gear Gaming Fayetteville

And make sure to keep up with the event on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Grand Prize!

1 lucky winner will win:

A very exciting family prize pack basket full of gifts and gift cards from the participating locations in Where’s Waldo Fayetteville!

Are you planning on joining in for Where’s Waldo Fayetteville 2024? Do you have any questions about the event? Let us know in the comments!

This is the second year of the Dad Suggests Picture Book Bracket since we’ve opened our bookstore in Fayetteville, AR, and we’re going to stick with the same alternative prize if you are a local winner! If the bracket winner this year is local to Fayetteville, they can come in and choose any 4 picture books under $19.99 straight from our shop.

On the other hand, if the winner is somewhere else in the US and chooses to have their prize shipped, they can choose any 4 picture books from this year’s bracket as their prize - just like usual. Keep in mind that you’re welcome to fill out a bracket and even officially enter your picks even if you aren’t in the US, but the giveaway will only go to the top finisher that has a US address for shipping.

This year’s bracket features 32 amazing picture books published within the last 6 years. We took the top 5 from the first 5 years of the Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards - and we used the winners from this year’s awards to fill out the rest of the top 32. For reference, here are the winners of the past 6 years:

2023 Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards
2022 Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards
2021 Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards
2020 Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards
2019 Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards
2018 Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards

As the years go by, the competition only gets harder as books that finished lower in their respective years are dropped from the tournament! It won’t be long until we’ll have a tournament featuring only picture books that finished in the top 3 of their respective year!

How to Enter the Dad Suggests Picture Book Bracket

Scroll down to the image of the 2024 Dad Suggests Picture Book Bracket and click on the image to save it, print it out, and fill out your picks. After you have your picks in hand (trust me this makes it much easier!), head to the following link to access the Google form for the competition:

Remember! The Google form is the most important step! Completing the online form is how you enter the competition. Make sure to enter your email correctly and don’t forget to hit SUBMIT at the end!

Complete the form by choosing the winner of each match-up. The game numbers for each match-up are in parentheses on your bracket. (Note: it’s much easier to fill out your picks if you have a completed paper bracket filled out in front of you.)

Each round grows in value by one point, beginning with 1 point per correct pick in round 1 match-ups and ending with 5 points for choosing the correct overall champion. Winners of each matchup are chosen by vote in our Instagram stories. So make sure to pay attention to our Instagram stories beginning on March 25th, and vote for your picks! (You can also refer to the full schedule below.)

Keep in mind that the winner must have a US address to ship the books to, and that only 1 entry per person is allowed. You can also refer to the google form and our contest rules for more details. Entries will close shortly before the first round begins.

Which picture book will be crowned champion of the 2024 Dad Suggests Picture Book Bracket? It’s up to you! Voting will begin in our Instagram stories on Monday, March 25th. Simply visit our stories on the day of voting, and vote for your favorite in each matchup.

2024 Dad Suggests Picture Book Bracket Schedule

Monday March 25th - Games 1-8
Tuesday March 26th - Games 9-16

Wednesday March 27th - Games 17-20
Thursday March 28th - Games 21-24

Friday March 29th - Games 25 - 26
Saturday March 30th - Games 27 - 28

Sunday March 31st - Games 29-30
Monday April 1st - Game 31 - 2024 Championship Round!

What Can You Win?

The person with the winning bracket can choose:

• 4 free picture books from this year’s bracket to be shipped to their US address

OR

• The chance to pick 4 free picture books (priced under $19.99 each) from our store in Fayetteville, AR for local pickup

Round 1 Update

The tournament is off to a great start. I think it’s fair to say the favorites won in just about every single first round match-up. But the closest competition was definitely between Julia’s House Goes Home and Small in the City - which actually ended in a tie. We had to go to our tie-breaker bracket which is the bracket I filled out and entered into the contest before the tournament started. If you’re wondering how your bracket is doing - I’ll tell you that there is currently a 3 WAY TIE for first place at 12 points. No perfect brackets this year!

After Round 2 Update

We’ve narrowed down this year’s field to the elite 8! The big stories this year are the Cinderella runs of Carmela Full of Wishes and The Midnight Fair all the way to the 3rd round. Did anyone have that in their bracket?

And the big news is: we are definitely going to have a new champion this year! 2021’s champion was Extra Yarn, 2022 was Milo Imagines the World, and last year the champion was The Rabbit Listened. And with Milo and the rabbit getting knocked out - we’re officially guaranteed a new champion.

The leader in the bracket competition is sitting ALONE in first place - with 18 points. But there are quite a few people tied for a close 2nd! Make sure to vote in round 3 today and tomorrow!

Pre-Championship Update

There’s only one vote left. Today we vote for the champion of the 2024 Dad Suggests Picture Book Bracket. Three - count them, THREE - picture books from The Fan Brothers made it into the final 4 this year. And one of them advanced to the championship. The final pairing is The Barnabus Project by The Fan Brothers vs The Skull by Jon Klassen. Great work, voters. Amazing books both of them!

The leader in the bracket competition is sitting pretty with 31 total points, but anything can happen with the championship round being worth the most! Make sure to get your votes in until about 3:00 p.m. of April 2nd.

And the winner of the 2024 Dad Suggests Picture Book Bracket is… The Barnabus Project! Congratulations to The Fan Brothers on coming out on top in this gauntlet!

Good luck in this year’s tournament everyone - and I hope you have fun filling out your picks. If you fill out a paper bracket to play along, I’d love to see them! Tag us in the photos and use the hashtags #dadsuggests and #picturebookbracket so we can see who’s competing this year!

One of the books on this month’s list is a picture book that releases on March 5th from one of our favorite publishers - and it’s written by our friend Victor D. O. Santos. I’m excited about this book - not just because it’s a beautiful and wonderful picture book, but because it also seems to be solid proof that Victor is really an author to keep your eyes on!

I think the books we have on display this month are an interesting combination of sincerity and whimsy, and I suppose that’s a pretty good description of my taste in kids books. It just depends on the day if I’m looking for more quirkiness or more thoughtfulness, but luckily we have a bit of both for you this time around.

I hope you enjoy discovering the kids books we’re loving recently, and I’d love for you to let me know what children’s books you’ve been enjoying in your house recently.

Dad’s Bookshelf is a continuing, monthly series featuring the kids books we are most excited about each month. The series is named after the real life bookshelf we have in our home, where I keep all of my favorite picture books of all time. While the books we share on Dad’s Bookshelf are often brand new releases, it’s also not uncommon for us to be excited about an older book we just discovered or rediscovered.

Disclosure: Some of the books on this list were shared with us by their creators. All thoughts and opinions are our own. Links in this article are affiliate links that will lead you to view the books on Bookshop.org and Amazon.

What Makes Us Human

Written by Victor D. O. Santos and Illustrated by Anna Forlati

What Makes Us Human is a beautiful book written kind of like a riddle. Victor didn’t spoil the ending for me, so I suppose it’s best form not to spoil the ending for you either. You’ll have to read the book to find out what makes us human!

Suffice it to say that this is a beautiful book from top to bottom. Anna Forlati, who also illustrated Santos’ My Dad, My Rock, was the perfect choice for this aesthetic of kind of a dreamy exploration of mankind.

Children will enjoy the riddle structure, and will most certainly enjoy trying to guess the ending the first time you read it together. And what I really like about this book is that it’s really a book for book lovers. It’s full of thoughtfulness and empathy - like a bird’s eye view of what makes our lives special and how to unlock more understanding and enjoyment.

Let’s Find Yaya & Boo at Home!

Written and Illustrated by Andrew Knapp

Let’s Find Yaya & Boo at Home! gets the honor of being the first board book on Dad’s Bookshelf. And luckily it’s a part of a running series - so if you love it you can find Yaya and Boo (and Momo!) many more times.

To be 100% honest, the first time I saw a cover of this series I just didn’t get it. I didn’t realize the potential. I didn’t know what differentiated it from other colorful board books for little ones that are a dime a dozen. But now I see the light. This is pure genius.

The book features real photography of the dogs Yaya and Boo hiding the best they can. The genius is not just in the concept, but in the execution. Yaya and Boo hide in some truly silly locations. I think my personal favorite is on top of the kitchen cabinets! This is basically the perfect introduction to seek and finds. I can’t imagine a much better option for little dog lovers, or a much better quick activity for you and your little one. Even my 7-year-old liked looking through this wonderful book with me. What a fantastic creation.

Where Can We Go?: A Tale of Four Bears

Written by Dai Yun and Illustrated by Igor Oleynikov

If this month has a mix of whimsy and sincerity, this book is decidedly in both camps. If you are so inclined, you can certainly interpret this picture book through the lens of serious topics such as global warming and refugees.

But - and I personally consider this quite important for children’s literature - you can also read and enjoy the entire thing without the need to go very deep into those conversations at all. This could also serve as a quirky fish-out-of-water/goldilocks kind of story, and kids will be the none the wiser. It’s also a very beautifully illustrated book, and that never hurts the enjoyment around here.

The bear family in this story needs a new home because food is getting scarce - so they wander into a human city. There’s subtle and dry humor in this book that kids will definitely pick up on. It’s hard for the bears to make friends because the “neighbors are weird” - but of course the humans are just running terrified because there are polar bears going into houses looking for food.

At the end of the day, despite opening the door to some optional thoughtful conversations, I’d say this book is ultimately much sillier than it is serious. Honestly one of my favorite parts is just the wonderful illustrations of these bears playing in the city - like the little cub on the playground. It also thankfully has a happy ending with an ideal location for the family’s new home.

What books are you loving this month? Let us know in the comments!

It wasn’t hard to find three books I’m excited about, primarily because we just got a new shipment of several books to sell in our store from Eerdmans. Up until this point they’ve been criminally underrepresented in our store, but I won’t be making that mistake going forward! They make some very beautiful books.

One thing I like very much about Eerdmans is how many collections of poetry they make for kids. I love when good poems are accompanied by good art, so I definitely had to include one of those in this article. It will be a very welcomed addition to our poetry section.

And, speaking of things I love, this edition of Dad’s Bookshelf features a picture book about chess too. I think there are far too few stories for kids featuring chess, particularly with its booming popularity. Maybe this wonderful one will be the start of more to come!

I hope everyone’s year out there has gotten off to a great start. And I hope you enjoy learning about these three new picture books that we’re loving in our house. Hopefully at least one of them is something you’ll be tempted to track down at the local library!

Dad’s Bookshelf is a continuing, monthly series featuring the kids books we are most excited about each month. The series is named after the real life bookshelf we have in our home, where I keep all of my favorite picture books of all time. While the books we share on Dad’s Bookshelf are often brand new releases, it’s also not uncommon for us to be excited about an older book we just discovered or rediscovered.

Disclosure: Some of the books on this list were shared with us by their creators. All thoughts and opinions are our own. Links in this article are affiliate links that will lead you to view the books on Bookshop.org and Amazon.

A Pond Full of Ink

Written by Annie M. G. Schmidt, Illustrated by Sieb Posthuma, and Translated by David Colmer

I’ve always had a soft spot for illustrated poetry collections for kids - ever since I grew up reading the great Shel Silverstein. I can’t resist them at all when I see them - the weirder and wilder the better.

A Pond Full of Ink is a great collection. The poems were written by the late Dutch writer Annie M. G. Schmidt in the 1970s - but the illustrations are from 2011. It’s worth pointing out however, that the pictures have a very 70s picture book feel to them. I don’t know what to compare them to exactly, but just picture three fancy otters riding bicycles in a quirky 60s/70s art style and you’ll have the right idea.

The poems feature the aforementioned the otters, a man who writes fairy tales using the titular pond full of ink, more than one extremely naughty child, and some robbers who want to steal the moon. It’s all over the place which is exactly what I want out of a book like this. If you like poetry collections for kids as much as I do, this is definitely one to add to the collection. A real classic as far as I’m concerned.

The Queen of Chess

Written by Laurie Wallmark and Illustrated by Stevie Lewis

There were quite a few picture book biographies released in 2023, particularly about women changing the world or dominating their field, but I think The Queen of Chess is my favorite of all of them. I might be a little biased because of my deep love for chess, but that’s beside the point.

The Queen of Chess tells the tale of Judit Polgar. When she was born, no woman had ever achieved the title of grandmaster in chess. Judit became the youngest grandmaster of all time, and she reached as high as the eighth best player in the world.

This is truly a very good picture book, and not just for people who love chess or people who love biographies. This is simply a well made book. The art is great and the storytelling is top notch. I’d love to know more backstory on this one, because I’m very curious how involved Polgar was with the details, and how familiar with chess the author and illustrator are. Because the chess seems to be spot on - both in the illustrations and the descriptions. Even the endpapers have real chess puzzles to solve!

Based on what I see, I have to imagine the descriptions as well as the pictures themselves feature accurate chess positions from Polgar’s games, and, if so, I have to commend that attention to detail! Her story is a wonderful and inspiring one, and it’s not just because I’m a chess fan that I think this is one of the best picture book biographies I’ve ever read.

Harriet’s Reflections

Written and Illustrated by Marion Kadi

The cover of this book caught my eye and instantly made me want to know more about it. It gave me a good feeling that this was going to be a quirky one, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s really quite beautiful and original.

The story starts out with a lion dying and leaving his reflection all alone. And a little girl named Harriet spots the reflection and swaps it out for her own reflection. Pretty weird and great so far right?

Harriet’s personality changes a lot when she has the lion reflection. As you can probably imagine, it gives her a lot more confidence and she’s a bit wild too. Sometimes that can be a good thing, but eventually she tires of it a bit and realizes she misses her old reflection too.

In many ways a book like this has everything I could want. On the surface it’s like an old fairy tale or legend with a far-fetched premise we simply accept for the sake of the story. I love stuff like that. And on top of this it explores self-confidence and happiness and personality too. Plus, as I’ve mentioned before, it looks pretty great too.

Have you read any of these books? What stories are you loving lately? Let us know in the comments!

All year long I’m taking notes and making stacks and thinking about which picture books are my personal favorites - and which might end up on this list in January. If a good book was published all the way back in last January, that’s like a millions years ago, so I really need those notes to re-track down all my favorites and make the ultimate, definitive stack of candidates.

At that point we re-read lots of books and slowly start making a definite top 10 pile - until the top 10 is completely full and we’re satisfied. But the fun isn’t over there. That’s when we get to argue about placement and flip flop the books and swap 7th place with 8th place and so on, until we’re feeling very confident and settled.

I’m proud of this yearly awards show tradition of ours, and I stand by the picks. It’s obviously a very good representation of our personal tastes at Dad Suggests and the type of curation that takes place at our bookshop too. But more than anything it’s a pleasure to honor (in our own small way) these artists that make incredibly beautiful books like the ones on this list.

I can’t believe it’s been 6 years already that we’ve had the Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards. Shockingly, no publishers have put our award sticker on any of the winners yet, but I’m sure they’re getting around to it soon. Probably a hold up in the sticker factory. You should probably call your local mega publishing house and let them know.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. Clicking on those links will lead you to view the books’ listings on the websites of affiliate partners such as Bookshop or Amazon.

Honorable Mentions

These are all of the picture books that were in serious consideration this year, and were a part of our debates. At some point during 2023, they were shortlisted and placed in contention for making this list of the best picture books of 2023. Listed in no particular order, these books are certainly among the best of the year.

Moving the Millers’ Minnie Moore Mine Mansion by Dave Eggers and Júlia Sardá

Mulysses by Oyvind Torseter

What You Need to Be Warm by Neil Gaiman

Very Good Hats by Emma Straub and Blanca Gómez

Ning and the Night Spirits by Adriena Fong

The Little Book of the Little Brontës by Sara O’Leary and Briony May Smith

My Very Own Special Particular Private and Personal Cat by Sandol Stoddard Warburg and Remy Charlip

Begin Again by Oliver Jeffers

The Amazing and True Story of Tooth Mouse Pérez by Ana Cristina Herreros and Violeta Lópiz

Robot, Unicorn, Queen by Shannon Bramer and Irene Luxbacher

Beneath by Cori Doerrfeld

Vlad the Fabulous Vampire by Flavia Z. Drago

Bruce and the Legend of Soggy Hollow by Ryan T. Higgins

How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

Book of Questions by Pablo Neruda and Paloma Valdivia

The Magic Cap by Mirelle Messier and Charlotte Parent

Invisible Things by Andy J. Pizza and Sophie Miller

Afterward, Everything was Different by Jairo Buitrago and Rafael Yockteng

The Top 10 Picture Books of 2023

After much debate, the following books made it into our top 10 picture books of the year. On with the show!

10. Bunny & Tree

Written and Illustrated by Balint Zsako

Bunny & Tree is a wordless picture book made by Balint Zsako and published by the wise book connoisseurs at Enchanted Lion. It’s an extremely beautiful book, with lots of art to explore together, and it’s certainly bigger than your typical picture book at 184 pages.

But it’s still easily a one-sitting read since it’s wordless, and I remember how my 7-year-old sat by my side and flipped through every single page with me the day it came out. It’s a wonderful experience talking about the pictures and asking questions and telling the story together like that.

This is an adventure story about a rabbit separated from their family (because of a very spooky wolf), and a friendship made with a tree. And it’s full of a bit of magic and wonder too - because the tree can turn into trains and boats and planes to help with the search for Bunny’s family.

And this story is also about family and friends and finding a place to call home. It’s a sweet tale that my daughter and I enjoy quite a bit. Wordless books can be a great experience, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen one take us on this big of an adventure before.

9. The Magicians

Written and Illustrated by Blexbolex

The Magicians is an unconventional picture book - not just because of its length, but also because of its construction. It’s split into chapters for one thing, although it feels more like a picture book than a chapter book.

The pages themselves are also interesting, because they’re folded over and doubled up, perhaps to prevent bleed-through of the images. Even the way the words are situated on the page below the art is different from the norm.

And I think the fact that it feels and looks different is a perfect compliment to the fact that this story is actually very different than what we usually get in a picture book. It’s a fabulous original fantasy adventure - like something straight out of a family-friendly anime film from the 80s.

A young huntress chases down 3 trouble-making magicians that have the power to shapeshift and turn into animals. It’s incredibly engaging and different, and the plot most definitely subverts your expectations in very interesting ways. Fantasy lovers will simply get a kick out of this book.

8. Evergreen

Written and Illustrated by Matthew Cordell

Evergreen is another book on this list that defies the normal conventions of picture books, and I’m starting to see a trend here. Evergreen is also broken into chapters, and I suppose I’m starting to think that adds a certain je ne sais quoi to a picture book, if you can pull it off.

Evergreen captures my heart primarily because of the feeling it gives me while reading it. Matthew Cordell’s art style and colors chosen for this book remind me Frog and Toad, so the whole book just gives me vibes of a beloved 70s classic.

The story follows a little squirrel who is afraid of everything, but who is sent on a mission through the scary forest to deliver an acorn full of soup to Granny Oak. So there are certainly undertones of lessons about facing your fears and being independent and coming into yourself - but mostly it feels like an adventure story which is very nice.

And the cast of characters that Evergreen meets along the way is fantastic. It’s kind of set up in a way that Evergreen meets someone new in each chapter, and my personal favorite is Grandpa Sprig the toad. This is also perhaps the funniest moment in the book, because we get the hilarious understated line “I will take this soup with me” coupled with an illustration of wide-eyed Grandpa Sprig freaking out over how good the soup smells.

7. Ten-Word Tiny Tales

Written by Joseph Coelho and Illustrated by Various Amazing Artists

This book is super cool, and I would love to have dozens more just like it. That’s because it’s a fantastic concept and the possibilities are simply endless.

The concept is 10-word, self-contained tales on each page - much like the two-sentence horror stories you’ve probably heard of before. And, speaking of two-sentence horror stories, the vast majority of these tales are unsettling as well. Which of course I love!

But perhaps the very coolest thing of all, is that each 10-word tale is illustrated by a different artist, and the lineup of illustrators is absolutely phenomenal. It’s almost a who’s who of our favorite illustrators. Júlia Sardá, Flavia Z. Drago, Alex T. Smith, Nahid Kazemi, Shaun Tan - I can’t believe how wonderful and beautiful and creepy this book is.

If you like good art and you like imagination and storytelling and slightly creepy things - this is an absolute 100% no-brainer, and I think it’s criminally under-the-radar. It’s also exactly the type of project that can really inspire kids to try their own stab at creating art, and you gotta love that.

2023 Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards Medal Winners

Honor Books

The following 5 books made our final cut, and were actually part of our discussions for winning the 2023 Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards. If the winning book didn’t exist, any one of these books might have won. And they are all awarded with a 2023 Honor Medal.

6. A Daydreamy Child Takes a Walk

Written by Gianni Rodari and Illustrated by Beatrice Alemagna

This is an incredibly original story about a young boy with his head in the clouds - so much so that he misplaces a body part from time to time. I know - it’s absolutely bananas. But this boy very much reminds me of my own daydreamy boy.

It’s also spectacularly beautiful and brought to life by the incomparable Beatrice Alemagna. And it’s just the sweetest story about parenting and childhood that I’ve read in the longest time. And I absolutely cannot do justice to Alemagna’s surreal art.

It’s almost heartbreakingly sweet the way the boy comes home at the end of the day and asks his mom if he’s been a good boy that day. There’s so much meaning in that one sentence - it feels like something he worries about and asks every day. And we all know good and well he’s been walking around town accidentally losing his legs and hands and nose.

But the chorus of the book is “that’s just the way children are.” And the mother let’s her boy know he’s a most wonderful boy, without mentioning a word about how townsfolk have been showing up all day to return his body parts. It’s really the most beautiful display of unconditional love in the wildest package imaginable.

5. Twenty Questions

Written by Mac Barnett and Illustrated by Christian Robinson

This is a special picture book crafted by two very talented artists. Mac Barnett and Christian Robinson together is one of those super team situations that we are lucky to witness.

Twenty Questions is a lot of things. It looks great, it’s thoughtful, it’s creative, but, most of all, it’s really funny. It even has a slightly spooky page tossed in for good measure. It’s an experience.

What ties the book together is that most of the questions are utterly and completely open-ended - hilariously so. There are no right or wrong answers, making it a fun opportunity for kids to just interact and unlock their imaginations.

And the set up for that is hilarious, because the first question is pretty normal: “How many animals can you see in this picture?” But the second question is perfectly surprising: “How many animals can you not see in this one, because they’re hiding from the tiger?” This book is spectacular, a perfect choice for read alouds, and something that will have a LOT of staying power.

4. The Bear and the Wildcat

Written by Kazumi Yumoto and Illustrated by Komako Sakai

I suppose it’s no secret that I’m a big fan of picture books that focus on death. Our list of picture books about death is one of my all-time favorite lists I’ve ever compiled on Dad Suggests, and I definitely have to add The Bear and the Wildcat to that list now - easily in the top 10.

This book is about Bear dealing with the death of his bird friend. It’s a very honest and heartbreaking look at his sadness. And it’s a very realistic representation of the absolute depths of despair you can find yourself in when you lose someone close to you. I believe the art may be done with charcoal - at least it appears like it. And it’s really a perfect pairing to the emotions.

I love the focus on memories in this book, and I really love that it’s music that brings the memories flooding in. A wildcat thoughtfully plays a tune on his violin in memory of the bird, and that helps the emotions come pouring out for Bear.

The story is very thoughtfully constructed to gradually teach us more and more about Bear’s love for his friend the bird. And death is handled in a very straightforward and honest way - with the focus being on the emotions of those left behind. I feel like I’m not doing justice to this beautiful book, but suffice it to say that there are moments and images that stand out as some of the best I’ve ever seen in books about death.

3. Manolo and the Unicorn

Written by Jackie Azúa Kramer & Jonah Kramer and Illustrated by Zach Manbeck

Manolo and the Unicorn is probably the sleeper picture book of the year. There is nowhere near enough buzz for this incredible book, so I’ll take it upon myself to shout about it here and now. 3rd place in the Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards is not something just given out willy nilly.

If I had to do one of those picture book pitches using other books as reference, I’d call this Julian is a Mermaid meets Pokko and the Drum. It has messages about being true to yourself, it has messages about magic and wonder, and it’s a damn fine looking book. Manbeck’s art reminds me of Matthew Forsythe a bit in this book, and it pairs perfectly with Kramer’s sweet and inspiring story.

Manolo loves unicorns and wants to be a unicorn for the the school animal parade - but the other kids kind of bully him and tell him things like it’s supposed to be real animals and boys aren’t supposed to like unicorns. It crushes Manolo’s spirit and pulls at your heart as you see a bit of childhood magic leave him. But thankfully he rediscovers it.

Themes about being yourself and using your imagination and promoting childlike wonder have always been some of my favorites in picture books, and this one has it all. And many books try their best to tackle these topics, but they simply don’t have the same emotional impact as a book like this one that’s executed perfectly and paired with the most wonderful and whimsical art.

2. I’m Going to Build a Snowman

Written and Illustrated by Jashar Awan

Two years in a row now Jashar Awan has had a book finish in 1st place for our annual best Christmas picture book list. And I’m Going to Build a Snowman is so fantastic it has finished all the way up in 2nd place for our best picture books of the year overall.

I love absolutely everything about the construction of this book, and I love reading it to others. It’s beautiful and sweet and the comedic timing and visual humor is so well done. It’s also a bit about seeing the world through the eyes of a child. It feels to me like it’s about magic and excitement and the types of things we can lose as we get old and jaded. How can a funny book with so few words make me feel all that?

In that way I’m Going to Build a Snowman is a true feel good book. It makes me feel good to read it and it makes me laugh and it makes me happy. And visually it’s just a joy. The use of color and the decisions about how to use two-page spreads and even how the words look on the page - it just feels like a special project to me all around. I really highly recommend you track this one down and experience it yourself this winter!

2023 Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards Winner

1. The Skull

Written and Illustrated by Jon Klassen

The Skull got a lot of very well-deserved attention this year - even sparking a widespread conversation about the current quality of children’s literature, and the apparent hesitance for US publishers to take chances on weird books for kids. Let the kids get weird indeed, because The Skull is the best picture book of the year.

The Skull defies picture book conventions so much that I even waffled on including it on this list. I even put out a poll asking if people considered it a picture book, and 100% of responses said yes. It’s longer, it’s broken into acts, and it even has the smaller dimensions of a chapter book. But there are pictures on every page, and it’s similar in structure to Klassen’s previous picture book The Rock from the Sky in every way except the dimensions.

But, let’s be clear, once I decided once and for all that The Skull has to count as a picture book, there was no doubt about it. This simply had to be the best one of the year. It’s phenomenal. It’s spooky. It’s different. It’s exciting. It’s gorgeous. It’s an original adventure and absolutely everything that’s good about stories for kids.

Otilla runs away from home (why, we don’t really know), and finds a new home with a skull that lives in a castle. Now how can you not love a crazy plot like that right off the bat? But the story really gets good when the skull tells her about the headless skeleton that comes every single night to try and take him away. It’s just the right amount of scary.

And in the end it’s a story about friendship and standing up for the ones you love. And I personally think it might be about Otilla reaching her breaking point (a nod to why she ran away from home?) and snapping, and standing up not just for her friends but for herself, and saying you will not treat us this way. But perhaps that’s neither here nor there. Because at the end of the day it’s just a spectacularly entertaining, fun, and memorable book.

For more about The Skull, make sure to read our featured article.

Thanks for reading! What was your favorite picture book of the year? Let us know in the comments!

And don’t forget to check out our picks from the previous Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards!

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There are a few artists being featured here that are household favorites for us as well - particularly Oliver Jeffers and Sara O’Leary. Those two authors have a proven track record over the years cranking out picture books that we love every single time. Which of course means I’m very excited to show off and talk about their latest creations.

The three books we’re showing off are Begin Again, The Little Books of the Little Brontës, and Tooth Mouse Pérez - and one thing that makes me very happy about this set of books is their focus on storytelling. The power and importance of storytelling has always been a soft spot for me, and a surefire way to capture my heart and my interest. And these books all highlight that important magic in their own way.

One book approaches storytelling from a global perspective, and ponders how the stories we tell ourselves create our identities and our futures. One explores how imagination and stories can build a happy life, and how vitally important they can be for a magic childhood. And the last book is just a good old-fashioned fairy tale itself, and explores how famous children’s stories can differ from country to country.

I hope you enjoy discovering these new books as much as I did, and that this final edition of Dad’s Bookshelf for 2023 proves to be a fun and useful one. Happy New Year to all of you and see you in 2024!

Dad’s Bookshelf is a continuing, monthly series featuring the kids books we are most excited about each month. The series is named after the real life bookshelf we have in our home, where I keep all of my favorite picture books of all time. While the books we share on Dad’s Bookshelf are often brand new releases, it’s also not uncommon for us to be excited about an older book we just discovered or rediscovered.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links that will lead you to view the books on Bookshop.org and Amazon.

Begin Again

Written and Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

As an artist, Oliver Jeffers sometimes creates for kids and sometimes for adults, and sometimes it’s hard for me to tell who is actually supposed to enjoy the art more.

When he drifts into the realms of geopolitics and climate change and other similar issues (as is the case with Begin Again) it’s tempting to assume that adults will appreciate it more than kids will. But that’s not to say that I don’t think kids will enjoy it or that I don’t think it’s important to share it with them. In fact, I think Begin Again would be a very smart book to share with kids to lead thoughtful classroom conversations.

The book explores where we’ve come from as a species and questions where we are going. It questions our motivations and our relationships with others. And it’s a very thoughtful and moving piece of art - particularly if you want to talk with kids about protecting our planet and motivate them to live a good life.

I also very much enjoy the poem that Jeffers includes in the back of the book, as well as the thoughtful essay that very eloquently describes his motivations as a human and an artist and a dad. This is a well crafted work of art and a must-have for Oliver Jeffers fans.

The Little Books of the Little Brontës

Written by Sara O’Leary and Illustrated by Briony May Smith

I’ve been a big fan of Sara O’Leary ever since I wrote about This is Sadie, and I’ve enjoyed every single picture book she’s made since. Which means at this point I’ll bring in any picture book she puts out sight unseen.

With that said, this is an example of a book I’m not sure would have been on my radar if it weren’t for Sara O’Leary being the creator. What I mean is, I’m not entirely sure a biography of the Brontës would have caught my eye otherwise. But I’m very glad it was O’Leary who wrote it and that I brought it in for my kids and for the shop, because naturally I love it.

And I think it’s still mostly correct to call it a picture book biography, although it focuses on multiple characters and very specifically on one element of their childhood - storytelling. I really love that O’Leary chose to focus the book on the magic of the storytelling and imagination in their lives, despite all of the untimely tragedy they faced. But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to being blindsided by so many tragic deaths!

I certainly learned a lot about the family that I didn’t know, and enjoyed the timeline and the author’s note in the back quite a bit. And the instructions for making your own little books is a very nice touch. That kind of inspiration for kids ties the whole thing together quite well.

And I must point out that the pairing with Briony May Smith as the illustrator is brilliant. The first book that pops into my head when I think of Briony May Smith is perhaps Margaret’s Unicorn - a story of love and loss and imagination about a little girl running around the countryside with a unicorn. And in many ways this book about the Brontës has many of the same feelings.

Tooth Mouse Pérez

Written by Ana Cristina Herreros and Illustrated by Violeta Lópiz

This book is beautifully and whimsically illustrated by Violeta Lópiz, and Ana Cristina Herreros weaves together a fantastically entertaining story about children losing their teeth. And truthfully I don’t know how much of the story she embellished or made up and how much of it is well-known tradition - but it doesn’t matter one bit because it was 100% new to us.

And that’s the funny thing, because apparently the name Tooth Mouse Pérez, who I’ve never heard of once in my entire life, is so well known in Spain and Mexico and other countries that it would be the same as writing a picture book called Tooth Fairy in the US. But I know absolutely nothing about the “history” of the Tooth Fairy, and it makes me wonder if children in Spain are familiar with the actual story of Tooth Mouse Pérez or not.

By far my favorite part of the book is the description of what kids used to do when they lose a tooth - go outside, make a wish, turn around, and throw their tooth onto the roof for the tooth mice to get. I’m desperate to know if anyone still does this, and if kids are familiar with this old tradition. And I love that you have to give your child’s tooth to the mouse so that your adult tooth will grown in.

This book even explains who the Tooth Fairy is and where she came from. Apparently she’s the child of a mouse and an ant, which is why she has the wings of an ant and can fly. Then she moved to the US. Like I said, I know absolutely nothing about the history of the Tooth Fairy, so I’m ready to accept this as fact.

This is a brilliant blend of fiction and nonfiction. In some ways it’s teaching about real cultural traditions, but more than anything it’s like a good old-fashioned fairy tale itself. It’s an entertaining and engaging story, and it looks fantastic. This is the type of book that’s a joy to share with kids - partly because it’s absurd, partly because it’s different, but mostly because it’s fun.

Have you read any of these 3 books? What books have you been enjoying this month? Let us know in the comments!

I like to limit the list to 12 books in honor of the 12 days of Christmas - but it could easily be much longer. So this year I’m going to mention a few honorable mentions as well. For the record, I just following my instincts and pick the books we simply enjoy the most each year.

Technically speaking, the books on this list don’t really have to be about Christmas specifically either. It’s very common for me to choose books about snowmen or sledding as well. My official stance is we’re talking about wintery seasonal books here. All these books were obviously released for the holiday season and you just know it when you see it.

And I have to tell you, this was perhaps the absolutely hardest year yet for me to pick the best Christmas book of the year. Many months ago and up until the very last minute I thought I knew what the obvious number one and number two books were going to be, but I had to follow my gut and make several changes to be honest with my recommendations. It’s important to me that I stick to my instincts and suggest the books I love the most in the right order - and ultimately I’m very proud of this list and I think it’s full of some special ones.

There are some familiar names on this list for certain - both artists and characters. We have sequels to old classics and new classics alike. We have previous Christmas list champions, and some of our all-time favorite authors and illustrators as well. It’s one for the Christmas record books!

I hope you enjoy tracking down all of these new favorites at your local bookshop or library, and I hope you have a very happy holiday season this year. All the best to you and yours, and enjoy reading one of my favorite lists of the year!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. These links will lead you to view the books' listings on Bookshop.org or Amazon.

Honorable Mentions

The following seasonal picture books were in serious consideration for our list this year. If you’re a Christmas completionist, you need to track them down too!

North Pole Village (Set of 3 Board Books)
Otto the Ornament
Decorate the Tree
Just One Flake
Elves are the Worst
Disney Baby: A Christmas Carol
Merry Christmas Strega Nona (Re-Publication)
How to Catch Santa Claus
Santa Yeti
The Santa Book

12. It’s Navidad, El Cucuy!

Written by Donna Barba Higuera and Illustrated by Juliana Perdomo

El Cucuy is a famous bogeyman, but this particular El Cucuy is a gentle star in what I believe is now the second in a series. He’s a friendly monster that lives in Ramón’s bedroom. He’s hesitant to head out and embrace the strange holiday cheer, so Ramón decides to bring Navidad to El Cucuy.

It’s certainly an incredibly original frame for a basic explaining Christmas plot. Not too many Christmas stories out there with monsters in them. It’s funny in a good old-fashioned Christmas curmudgeon, almost grinchy kind of way. El Cucuy doesn’t like the bright lights going up and he’s scared of the snowman in the yard. But he starts to come around towards the end and the book has a very heartwarming and sweet message about family.

11. Merry and Hark: A Christmas Story

Written by April Genevieve Tucholke and Illustrated by Rebecca Santo

Merry is an owl - a small saw-whet owl - that falls asleep in a tree in the woods named Hark, and wakes up in a big city inside a Christmas tree. This might sound a bit like the plot of Red & Lulu but there are a lot of differences in this beautiful book as well. At the heart of this book is a celebration of nature, and it’s very detailed in its description of the various trees in the forest for example.

Conservation is a big part of this story as well, and it even features Merry being rescued and rehabilitated and released into the woods - right next to a new tree planted by Hark’s stump. But I think my favorite part of the story is the creative mythology of the owls. Great imagination is on display in the pages dedicated to tales of adventures taken and wars fought by the heroic owls that Merry looks up to. And it’s sweet when Merry realizes that she’ll be one of those stories now.

10. One Christmas in Our Building

Written by Johanna Lindemann and Illustrated by Andrea Stegmaier

This book is subtitled “A Very Merry Mystery" because the plot follows the story of a missing Christmas turkey in an apartment building. But it’s really about people coming together and caring about each other during Christmas. It’s a very original Christmas picture book, and I truly like the art quite a bit. There’s also a few nice humorous moments and well as honest family portrayals with the squabbling between Dad and Stepmom.

Most of the characters appear only briefly in the story, but the way its crafted as a tour of an apartment complex is unique and enjoyable. There’s a lot of detail in the art, and these quick glimpses of their lives is an effective way to tie the building together - and tie the story together as everyone comes by to share food in the end.

9. A Creature Was Stirring

Written by Heather S. Pierczynski and Illustrated by Skylar Hogan

This is a very clever title for a Christmas picture book - because we all know immediately where it comes from. And you can probably guess what it’s about without even seeing any pictures. Yes it’s about a mouse who is in fact “stirring” very much on Christmas Eve. Visually it’s a very attractive book - and it’s a lot of fun too.

The story uses lots of onomatopoeia to make for a fun read aloud - and I’m a big fan of the cats in this book. They’re wearing very cute jingle bells and they’re very grumpy that the mouse isn’t asleep. It’s nice that it addresses how hard it can be to fall asleep on the most exciting night of the year, because lots of kids can of course relate. Little ones that are already familiar with The Night Before Christmas will definitely enjoy this original twist.

8. Red & Green

Written and Illustrated by Lois Ehlert

This is the last picture book from the famous Lois Ehlert - perhaps best known for Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. The secret dummy copy was discovered and then edited and digitized after her recent death. And it definitely retains its handcrafted feel. It’s a wonderful little Christmas book, and the die-cuts are so fun and engaging. It’s a joy to experience and a beautiful last gift to little readers.

Red & Green is another book based on The Night Before Christmas and its rhyme and structure. And there are lots of very cute surprises in store for you as you turn the pages. The snowflake, the snowman, and Santa’s legs are real highlights for me. This type of creativity is a great display for what kids books are capable of, and it will be a very memorable and interactive experience for lots of little ones this year and many years to come.

7. How to Decorate a Christmas Tree

Written by Vikki VanSickle and Illustrated by Miki Sato

I adore the art in this book. It’s very special and it makes it stand out in a big way. It’s described as 3D art because it’s built with paper and fabrics before being digitized. But it’s not just the art that makes the book stand out. It’s also paired with a very sweet Christmas tree decorating celebration - and nice moments of humor as well. I particularly like the cat sitting in the box, and when the kids tell mom and dad “no kissing in front of the cat!”

There’s a lot of love in this celebration of traditions and family. And I enjoy how it’s structured around memories that are tied to certain ornaments. I think lots of families can relate with memories like that. There are ornaments tied to vacations and to loved ones that have passed away. And this year there’s a new ornament to hang up for baby’s first Christmas. This one does a good job capturing that Christmas spirit.

6. Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas

Written and Illustrated by Matt Tavares

This is the much-anticipated sequel to Dasher - the modern classic that finished 3rd on our 2019 Christmas books list. In Dasher, we learned how Santa got his reindeer. This new explanation that added to the mythos of the Santa story - coupled with beautiful images of course - is what made Dasher feel like a true instant classic. Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas doesn’t have the same mythos-building cachet that its predecessor had - but it’s a beautiful book and a sweet story.

Dasher gets excited about Christmas and goes on a flight by herself looking for Christmas carols, but she gets lost and can’t find her way home. A nice boy lends her his compass to help her find her way back to the North Pole, and Santa repays the kindness with a special gift. The highlights for me this time around are the beautiful landscapes. And I really love the illustrations of the town lit up with Christmas lights that perfectly capture a certain feeling.

5. How the Grinch Lost Christmas!

Written by Alastair Heim and Illustrated by Aristides Ruiz

This one is yet another Christmas sequel - but this one is almost 50 years in the making! The Dr. Seuss company has been making many new books from their famous properties lately, and this is another example that they are doing a very good and very convincing job at it! I think this is a really wonderful sequel to one of the most famous Christmas picture books out there.

The interesting thing, of course, is that at the end of the original, the Grinch found his heart and grew to love Christmas and the Whos. But he still has some valuable lessons to learn. The Grinch pours his whole heart into the annual tree-decorating competition, but he doesn’t win. And he doesn’t understand why Cindy Lou Who beats him at first. It looks great, it sounds great, and it has a great Christmas message. I’d say mission accomplished!

4. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh!

Written and Illustrated by Mo Willems

I’m kind of late to the Pigeon bus, but I understand all the commotion now. This book is hilarious and legitimately fun to read and listen to, and I complete get why kids like these books so much. It has great humor and great timing, and kids will be laughing a lot this Christmas.

I also really love the interactive nature of the book. Santa basically asks you the listener to watch his sleigh, and puts you in charge of not letting the Pigeon drive the sleigh. Then the Pigeon talks directly to you as you read the book - kind of like when Grover yells at you not to turn the page. I also like the Christmas images - the cookies, the fireplace, the present wrapping, the Pigeon’s little elf hat. It’s all very festive, and did I mention it’s funny yet?

3. Kid Christmas

Written and Illustrated by David Litchfield

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I like original mythos-building stories, and this is one of the best of the year for sure. I love the work of David Litchfield, and this one definitely has his characteristic touches of magic and imagination and wonder. He’s the perfect artist to tell this origin tale of Santa Claus.

The star of the book is young Nicky Claus - the future St. Nick. And this is the story of how he and his uncles began the tradition of getting a toy for every child on Christmas. They run the Claus Brothers Toy Store, and Nicky is the one with the idea to get a toy to all the kids in town. We also get hints about magic and workshop helpers and a glimpse of the first sleigh being built. And I absolutely love that Krampus even makes an appearance. I love every bit of it.

2. How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?

Written by Mac Barnett and Illustrated by Jon Klassen

This has to be the most talked about Christmas book of the year, and you’ve probably seen it all over social media recently - including on our recent edition of Dad’s Bookshelf! Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen are my favorite duo in picture books their combination of storytelling and style is consistently near picture book perfection as far as I’m concerned. And the fact that they teamed up on a Christmas book is almost too good to be true. What a special book!

This book is of course very funny. It’s an exploration of ways Santa might be going down the chimney. Does he shrink? Does he turn into taffy? Does he turn into fire? But my favorite line of the book is probably about the key under the flowerpot.

Maybe Santa knows about the key under the flowerpot, even though nobody is ever, ever supposed to mention the key under the flowerpot.

I also like the insinuation that dogs must be quite fond of Santa, because that certainly has to be true, doesn’t it?

1. I’m Going to Build a Snowman

Written and Illustrated by Jashar Awan

This was an incredibly hard decision this year. The second place book is my very favorite duo in picture books. But I had to go with my gut on this one, and Jashar Awan has crafted something just about perfect in I’m Going to Build a Snowman. And it just so happens it’s his second first place finish in a row after last year’s Strum & Drum. I absolutely love this book.

I love everything about it. The style, the color, the pacing, the humor, the misdirection, the expert use of the two-page spreads and the moments of silence. It’s like a masterpiece and it’s a joy to read and to share. It’s a commentary on childhood and innocence and imagination - and kids and adults alike will both just get it. It’s beautiful and it’s very funny and it’s very sweet.

I really don’t want to give away too much at all, but this is a story about a boy who is very excited to build the BEST SNOWMAN EVER. He has very high hopes for this endeavor, and his very specific instructions are a big part of the comedy. Suffice it to say that things don’t seem to go according to plan, but I think this story is very hard to predict. And I really want you to experience it for yourself. I’m in awe of the storytelling here - both in the words and the pictures. And that’s why it’s earned a very well-deserved landing at number one this year.

Have you read any of these wonderful holiday books yet? What’s your pick for best Christmas picture book of 2023? Let us know in the comments!

If you need more Christmas book ideas, don’t forget to check out our other Christmas picture book lists:
The Best Christmas Picture Books of All Time
The Best Christmas Picture Books of 2019
The Best Christmas Picture Books of 2020
The Best Christmas Picture Books of 2021
The Best Christmas Picture Books of 2022

Funko has a magnificent line of Christmas-themed card games at this point. They choose a beloved Christmas film, craft a simple-to-learn family card game around it, and package it into a very cute box complete with a festive Christmas bow. So far, family favorites have included Elf, Frosty the Snowman, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. They’re perfect little stocking-stuffers - and they just keep making more.

I suppose Funko is no stranger to the concept of being attractive to a collector’s mentality either, and I know I can’t resist a single one of these cute little Christmas boxes - even if they aren’t even based off of a favorite movie. It’s a real Pokemon gotta catch ‘em all situation. But, believe it or not, this year they’ve released a game based on my very favorite Christmas movie of all time. It’s the one movie I insist on watching every single year - The Muppet Christmas Carol.

I haven’t been this excited about the property since Luke Flowers illustrated his masterpiece as a passion project. And, best of all, it’s a great game! My wife, my son, and my daughter all love playing it - and that’s by no means a given with games these days. In fact, it’s something not to be taken for granted!

The game is subtitled The Spirit of Giving, and it’s built around the concept that helping others can be an important part of winning. That’s a cute concept considering the lessons learned by Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. But it’s easier said than done building a strategic game around helping others.

How to Play The Muppet Christmas Carol Spirit of Giving

The Muppet Christmas Carol is a set-making game, but you aren’t merely trying to complete a set of 3 cards for yourself. You can also complete the 3-card sets of your opponents. Completing your own set (3 of the same color or 3 of the same character) allows you to draw a random present worth a random number of points.

However, if you complete the set of your opponent, you get to draw 2 presents, and you get to look at their value this time. After this, you can keep the present worth the most points for yourself, and give the other one to the person whose set you finished. This is the clever way that giving is rewarded. It’s certainly the best way to ensure you score the highest points possible, but you still have to be strategic and discerning about who you choose to help.

Both my 11-year-old and 7-year-old picked up on the rules very quickly, and as the game unfolded they began to enjoy it more and more. And the reason for this is that as the game goes along, you are given more and more options on your turn.

In the beginning of the game, you only have access to the Scrooge card, and this corresponds to a certain move. Choosing the Scrooge card allows you to draw from the draw pile, and swap that card with a card in front of any player. But as the draw pile begins to deplete, the cards of the 3 spirits (Past, Present, and Yet to Come) are revealed - and each one provides you with a new move option on your turn.

The “Past” card allows you to draw your card from the discard pile, the “Present” card allows you to swap any two cards in front of players, and the “Yet to Come” card lets you peek at an upside down card in front of someone as a bonus action. I really like the way these rules are gradually introduced, because I think it was a great way for my kids to learn on our first playthrough. By the time the Spirit of Yet to Come came out, my son was visibly excited to learn what his power was.

The game ends when all of the presents have been taken, or when the draw pile runs out. And whoever has the most points from the presents wins the game. It’s a quick game too, especially after everyone is familiar with the rules. You can easily finish in about 15 minutes, and I think that’s great for this type of family card game. It’s nice for all of these Christmas card games to be bite-sized, allowing for multiple rounds or switching to new games several times.

Of course when you’re excited about a game based on a beloved property like this, you’re also hoping the presentation is spot on - and I have absolutely no complaints about the art in this one. Unfortunately I can’t figure out who the artist is who should be getting credit for the cards and box art - but they’ve definitely captured the Muppet Christmas love in a special way.

I’m quite pleased now that we’ve officially completed the trifecta for The Muppet Christmas Carol - the movie, the picture book, and the family game. It has the makings of a yearly Muppet Christmas Carol challenge - and I’m pretty sure we’re up to the task! Do you think you can complete the trifecta challenge?

Are you excited about Funko’s newest Christmas game? What’s your favorite holiday game? Let us know in the comments!

All that means that I have lots of brand-new, high-quality picture books on my mind, and narrowing that down to just 3 that I’m excited about isn’t an easy feat. And I think that means there’s a pretty good chance that if you make Dad’s Bookshelf in November, you must have a pretty fair shot at showing up in the Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards as well!

One thing that I didn’t do this time around is include any holiday books at all. There won’t be any spooky stories or Santa stories in November - just good old-fashioned beautiful books. Our bookshop might be drowning in Christmas spirit, but here I’m going to talk about the neat new books I want to talk about it and that’s just the way it is.

There are a couple of very familiar names being highlighted this time around. Christian Robinson and Sydney Smith are both artists that inspire us often - and definitely capture our attention when they release a new book. But we also have a book on this list that might be more under the radar for you - and it’s an absolute delight.

Hopefully you enjoy this short reprieve from nonstop Christmas carols, and hopefully I’m able to help you find a wonderful new book to enjoy this month. Have fun discovering the books we’re enjoying in our house, and Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

Dad’s Bookshelf is a continuing, monthly series featuring the kids books we are most excited about each month. The series is named after the real life bookshelf we have in our home, where I keep all of my favorite picture books of all time. While the books we share on Dad’s Bookshelf are often brand new releases, it’s also not uncommon for us to be excited about an older book we just discovered or rediscovered.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links that will lead you to view the books on Bookshop.org and Amazon.

Do You Remember?

Written and Illustrated by Sydney Smith

Sydney Smith has crafted some very beautiful picture books - including the spectacular Small in the City. And Do You Remember? is certainly no exception in its beauty - and it shows off Smith’s knack for capturing touching and meaningful snapshots of life.

I wish I knew more about the details of the story here, but I suppose it’s not necessary to the story that I know everything. And perhaps leaving it vague allows more people to relate to what’s happening and interpret it in their own way.

What we do know is that a mother and son have moved homes without dad. I suppose dad is not dead because he is seen helping them pack, so it’s either a divorce or a situation where they had to move towns before dad. And the entirety of the story is a back and forth between mother and son where they reminisce - mostly about dad.

It might have carried more of an emotional punch if there was a hint somewhere that dad definitely wouldn’t rejoin them. And, based on reviews, it seems I’m not the only one distracted by the ambiguity. But, regardless, it’s a beautiful tribute to the relationship between mother and son as they reflect on their life. More than anything else it comes off as a book about love.

Robot, Unicorn, Queen

Written by Shannon Bramer and Illustrated by Irene Luxbacher

I am constantly on the lookout for poetry books for children - and I can be quite picky about their quality. And I absolutely adore Robot, Unicorn, Queen! What an awesome and beautiful book of poetry!

Some of the poems are funny - but not funny in the laugh-out-loud zany way that Shel Silverstein’s work is. On the whole they’re more serious and contemplative, but they still often veer into silly territory - like with “Please Don’t Scream at the Piano.”

I think my favorite line comes from “Poem for My Little Cat, Queen.” It goes:

Queen lived in the wrong house
for a little too long.

I just think that’s a heartbreakingly beautiful beginning to a poem about a cat that was rescued from a bad situation. And there are many other delightful poems in this collection too - and they’re all illustrated in a very special way by Irene Luxbacher. It’s all very quirky and aesthetically pleasing, and I’m not familiar with another poetry book for kids quite like it.

Something, Someday

Written by Amanda Gorman and Illustrated by Christian Robinson

Anytime Christian Robinson illustrates a book it commands our attention - and this time he’s paired with the talented presidential inaugural poet Amanda Gorman. What they have crafted together is quite inspirational, and certainly something special to share with children.

Whether you’re reading to your kids at home or a group of kids in a classroom, this book is an obvious facilitator for conversations on enacting change when there seems to be little hope. The illustrations choose to show a boy building a community garden in a dirty and dilapidated neighborhood. But we could just as easily be talking about climate change or really any humanitarian crisis you can think of under the sun.

I believe it’s probably correct to call this story a poem, and it’s very well crafted lyrically. It flows quite beautifully and you can feel it building upon itself towards a crescendo. And the poem is about tackling problems that seem big, and inspiring others, and finding friends, and making a difference in the world. It’s a familiar message, but it’s a great one, and it’s never been packaged better than this.

Have you discovered any new favorite picture books recently? Have you read any of these 3? Let us know in the comments!

Disclosure: A copy of Toil & Troublez was provided to us by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions remain entirely our own. Links may lead to affiliate partners such as Grandpa Beck’s Games or Amazon.

But wait, isn’t it November already? Yes that’s true, but I’m going to try to figure out how to backdate this article to October 31st - back when we announced October’s Game of the Month on Instagram. I understand that this may cause you great confusion talking about a vaguely Halloweeny game while Christmas music is already playing on the radio, but, I assure you, we can get through this together. And I promise I’ll be much more Christmasy from here on out.

I call Toil & Troublez vaguely Halloweeny because it obviously takes its name from the famous spell of the witches in Macbeth, but other than that it’s not exactly spooky or anything. It has more of a nature-y, wicca vibe - with frogs and mushrooms and crystals and whatnot. But it also features wizards and a spooky witch holding poison, so I think it still makes good sense as a fall and October game.

This is a set collecting game, as well as a press-your-luck game - which I’ve grown to love over the years. Long ago I think I even wrote that press-your-luck was not my favorite element in games, but I’ve long since changed my tune on that. I think the risk and reward, as well as the luck, can actually be the great equalizer in family games. And believe me when I say that this game does indeed offer an equal playing field.

Out of roughly 8 playthroughs, I have won Toil & Troublez a grand total of 1 time. And my 7-year-old daughter has won every single other time. I can’t think of a single other game in our collection with this lopsided of a ratio. And obviously luck alone can’t explain that kind of a record away. She’s legitimately better at the strategy of when to press her luck and it shows. And I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love finding family games where my kids can truly kick my butt.

How to Play Toil & Troublez

As my wife pointed out, one of the great things about Toil & Troublez is that it involves zero setup time. You simply shuffle all of the cards and place them into the middle of the table. She probably pointed this out because we had just played Harry Potter: Defense Against the Dark Arts, which involves much more setup, but the point definitely still stands. You can get Toil & Troublez going quickly, and you can play with up to 6 people to boot.

On your turn you simply draw the top card from the deck, and place it on the table in 1 of 3 rows - if you’re able to of course. You see, this is where the press-your-luck comes in. When you choose to stop drawing cards, you are allowed to take an entire row of cards to add to your collection, but if you draw a card with no legal place to put it, then your turn is over and you get nothing.

There are a few rules you have to follow when placing cards in the 3 rows on the table. First of all, the numbered cards (or talisman cards) must be placed in numerical order. You can skip numbers, but in the future you aren’t allowed to slip numbers that were skipped in between. And only one of each number or talisman can be placed in each row.

Another rule is that you are never allowed to place cards of the same color next to each other. So you can “bust” on your turn if you draw a number that won’t fit anywhere, or if it’s a color with no legal placements. This is what gets me in trouble a lot. I think I get too greedy trying to build as big of a row as possible.

The final major rule is that each row can also only contain one of each special card - summons, poisons, and vanishes. Summons allow you to steal a card from an opponent, vanishes allow you to call out a number that everyone else must discard from their collection, and poisons force you to discard one of your cards.

If you willingly stop your turn before you “bust”, you get to choose one of the three rows to add to your collection. That’s right - the whole row! (And then everyone else playing gets to choose one single card from the table as well.) And that’s when you get to start trying to make sets with your cards.

It takes 4 copies of 1 single number to make a set, or you can also build a set if you have a 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 card. At the end of the game sets are worth 10 points, and extra leftover cards are 1 point each. My daughter not only beats me almost every time, but also often wins by wide margins like 43 to 14.

You can play Toil & Troublez with up to 6 people, which adds the extra excitement and strategy of paying attention to who is winning (and who you want to steal cards from) - but I’m happy to report that it’s still very fun for us to play with just 2 or 3 people as well. It’s also probably my daughter’s current favorite game. And I can’t blame her, considering how dominant of a performance over her dad she’s had so far.

I’m always extremely happy in general when we enjoy a new game from Grandpa Beck’s Games, because they’re a company that’s easy to root for. It’s a family-operated business that specializes in card games that just happen to be perfect for family gatherings.

And, I have to admit, I very much enjoy the small touches - like the inclusion of a themed family recipe from Grandma Beck in every game. Isn’t that sweet? But of course all of that wouldn’t mean much if we didn’t love playing their games a lot too!

Don’t forget, if you use code DADSUGGESTS on Grandpa Beck’s website, you can always take off 15% from your entire purchase. Hopefully that occasionally comes in useful for all of you card-playing families out there.

What’s your favorite press-your-luck game? Have you tried Toil & Troublez yet? Let us know in the comments!

Dad’s Bookshelf for October does feature one spooky book that was released a few years ago, but still deserves an opportunity to be highlighted. It’s called The House of Madame M, and it’s definitely one to track down if you enjoy haunted houses and beautiful art.

The other books we’re showing off this time around are brand new - including one by our very favorite picture book making duo, and one by one of our very favorite publishers. We’re even dipping our toes into this year’s Christmas books already. I know it’s early, but it’s already been released - and it could very well be the best holiday book of the year.

I hope you were able to track down some of the new spooky books we suggested for this October - and I also hope that long list of great new books hasn’t burnt you out on book hunting for the month! Because the 3 picture books we have in store for you today are definitely worth another bonus trip to the library or your local bookstore!

Happy October reading - and Happy Almost Halloween!

Dad’s Bookshelf is a continuing, monthly series featuring the kids books we are most excited about each month. The series is named after the real life bookshelf we have in our home, where I keep all of my favorite picture books of all time. While the books we share on Dad’s Bookshelf are often brand new releases, it’s also not uncommon for us to be excited about an older book we just discovered or rediscovered.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links that will lead you to view the books on Bookshop.org and Amazon. Some of the books in this article were provided to us by the publishers.

The House of Madame M

Written and Illustrated by Clotilde Perrin

Clotilde Perrin has crafted several beautiful and creepy books at this point, and it’s well worth tracking down every single one of them. We’re big fans of Inside the Villains, Gotcha!, and, of course, The House of Madame M.

It’s a wonderful book for the Halloween season, but it honestly works well all year long. I personally grew up loving several spooky-themed popup books that feel very retro nowadays - so this book brings up a lot of nostalgia for me too even though it came out just a few years ago.

It’s full of popups and pull tabs and surprising little trinkets attached to strings. It’s very interactive and full of incredible detail - so it’s really just a joy to explore with kids. Plus it’s full of ghosts and skeletons and monsters, so it’s basically just about everything you could want in a book. They simply don’t make many books like this one. It’s a real spooky treasure.

Good Morning, My Deer!

Written by Mel Amon and Illustrated by Sophie Beer

Scribble has done it again, publishing a truly delightful book featuring the adorable art of Sophie Beer. Mel Amon has crafted a very funny book full of homophones. I honestly didn’t know what was in store for me with Good Morning, My Deer!, but I’m glad I went into it blind.

I was pleasantly surprised when I realized what was going on with this book. Every single page features homophones that change the meaning of basic narration to something entirely unexpected. A couple of my favorites are when “Bear back riding” changes riding on a horse without a saddle to riding on a bear on top of a horse. And I quite enjoy when all of the plants in the nursery are babies.

It’s very difficult to convey the imagination of this book without you experiencing it for yourself. The wonderful thing about it is that some of the homophones are so clever they went over my head, and there are so many more jokes hidden in the illustrations that I couldn’t possibly notice all of them on our first read through. This is definitely a good opportunity for an engaging literacy lesson, and a very fun read aloud to boot.

How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?

Written by Mac Barnett and Illustrated by Jon Klassen

Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen have long been by favorite picture book making duo. When they work together on a project, it’s cause for celebration as far as I’m concerned. And when it’s a Christmas book? Well I simply couldn’t ask for more.

This is a very funny book, and it’s built around a universal questions that kids most certainly always ask. How does Santa get down the chimney? The narrator has plenty of very creative ideas, and that’s basically the entirety of this book - funny things Santa might do to get down the chimney.

Personally, I’m a very big fan of the following line:

Maybe Santa knows about the key under the flowerpot, even though nobody is ever, ever supposed to mention the key under the flowerpot.

I think it’s a good example of the humor and charm of the book - but it’s impossible to do the book justice without you being able to flip through and enjoy Jon Klassen’s art. He’s one of the best in the business, and that makes this the must-have Christmas book of the season as far as I’m concerned.

Have you seen these books in person yet? What books have you enjoyed lately? Let us know in the comments!

My rules for this list are all over the place honestly. The books don’t have to be about Halloween necessarily, and they don’t have to be scary. Lots of publishers shy away from scaring kids anyway. BUT references to Halloween and actual spookiness will get you major extra credit in my book.

But every year around July/August, publishers start releasing their books for “Halloween.” Books that have monsters, books that are scary, or becomes about facing fears. In one way or another, it’s clear that they belong to the spooky season. So whether or not they feature jack-o-lanterns and trick-or-treating, they qualify for this list if it just feels right.

For my part, I do wish that publishers would take more chances on books that are legitimately scary, or on original stories with original characters that are unabashedly about Halloween. And if you’re a kindred spooky spirit, make very sure to support the work of artists who slip through the cracks in the editing offices somehow and are permitted to be weird and quirky and (could it be?) spooky.

But I’m not one to turn up my nose to anything that celebrates my favorite time of year in other ways. The books that made our spooky top 13 this year run the gamut from creepy and creative to baby’s first Halloween book, and they all make me happy. It’s that time of year folks, and I wish you a very spooky October.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links that will lead you to view the books on Bookshop.org and Amazon. On Bookshop.org, your purchase can directly support a chosen independent bookstore like ours with more than 30% of the cost.

13. Suppose You Met a Witch

Written by Ian Serraillier and Illustrated by Ed Emberley

So this book comes with a bit of an asterisk, because it was originally written in 1952, and originally published with Ed Emberley’s art in 1973 I believe. But it was reprinted this year just in time for Halloween, and I’ve never seen it before, so I’m putting it on the list! Just trust me - if this was a newly published book, it would be MUCH higher on this list. It’s spooky, it’s psychedelic, and it’s a fantastic example of what you used to be able to get away with in children’s literature.

Suppose You Met a Witch is scary - and it’s from a combination of the grotesque art as well as the scary story about a battle between two children and a witch that wants to gobble them up. It’s a wonderfully original story that I’ve never heard before - with the kids using her magic wand against the witch in very creative ways.

Honestly I’d classify this as the type of book you need to snatch up for your library while you can if you’re interested in scary children’s stories. And I’ve already heard of adults just buying it for themselves because it’s just so awesome.

12. Roald Dahl Trick or Treat

Written by the Roald Dahl Story Co. and Illustrated by Quentin Blake

I think I preordered this book almost a full year before it released, and that may have been because it was delayed for some reason or another. The publishing date on the book says 2022 but it definitely came out this year. It’s the first board book I saw in this wonderful new series that the Roald Dahl Story Co. is putting out recently. But quite honestly you could just as easily call it the Quentin Blake series as far as I’m concerned, because it’s obvious that Blake’s art is the highlight in these books for little ones.

Quentin Blake has been illustrating Roald Dahl’s wonderful stories for a long time, and I’m delighted to see that continue with this collection of cute board books - particularly this new lift-the-flap Halloween book. Basically it has you exploring a haunted house and peeking behind objects to see what’s there, but it’s absolutely Blake’s art that makes it stand out. His style is synonymous with Dahl at this time for many, and it makes it easy to recommend this for a toddler’s Halloween gift.

11. Skeletown: Sí. ¡No!

Written and Illustrated by Rhode Montijo

Rhode Montijo is the creator of one of my all-time favorite Halloween picture books - The Halloween Kid - so I was over the moon to see that he was publishing a spookyish picture book again. The book isn’t the least bit scary, and it doesn’t make reference to Halloween. In fact, it only includes two words - sí and no. But the fact that they live in a skeleton town (coupled with Montijo’s Halloween credentials) is good enough for me.

Skeletown: Sí. ¡No! is the first book in a series set in Skeletown - a world inspired by the Day of the Dead. I love the characters and I can’t wait to see what Montijo has planned for it. This one functions almost like a wordless picture book, because the illustrations carry a lot of the weight for the meaning and humor. That makes it a fun and interactive read aloud for young ones, and combing over the art for meaning is a pleasure because I’ve always been a fan of his style.

I love these spooky characters, and love imagining the potential of this world. The two-page spread with the front endpaper shows off Skeletown in all its glory and that’s where I see a lot of potential with the universe. With just the words yes and no, we don’t get to know about the characters very much - but maybe that will change in the future.

10. Disney Baby: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Written by Nancy Parent and Illustrated by Jerrod Maruyama

Every year it’s a pretty safe bet that big companies like Disney will pump out some new holiday books. The question is how much effort will be put into them. It’s clear that publishing companies, for whatever reason, prefer to do holiday spin-offs of known properties as opposed to rolling the dice on original stories. So every year I always give extra bonus points to original stories. But with all that being said, I can’t resist a Mickey and Friends rendition of Sleepy Hollow. I’m not a monster.

There are tons of strange choices in this book. For some reason they titled every single page like it’s a new chapter, and every once in a while it veers wildly off course - like the pages dedicated to the colors of fall, or when Ichabod stops to count pumpkins while he’s riding home scared. And each page includes a question to ask your little ones which are incredibly off-topic. But, once again, did I mention it’s Disney characters doing The Legend of Sleepy Hollow?

By no means is it a perfect adaptation, but the art is very cute, and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is one of my very favorite stories of all time. I couldn’t ignore this cute little book despite the flaws. Someone needs to just take the art and rewrite the whole thing - sticking closer to the spooky story while using less words per page. By the way, did I mention you get to see Goofy as Ichabod Crane?

9. Dr. Seuss’s Horton Hears a Boo!

Written by Wade Bradford and Illustrated by Tom Brannon

One thing I’ve been enjoying the last couple of years is what the Dr. Seuss company is up to with writing new holiday books. There was a fantastic new Cat in the Hat Christmas book last year, and this year we get a brand new spooky Horton book. I love it, and I love that they are so professionally done - it feels like they could be original Dr. Seuss classics.

The rhymes flow smoothly and it’s a joy to read - as it should be with any good Dr. Seuss book. And there are moments of that perfect amount of spooky to get the imagination flowing. Horton hears a mysterious boo, and the characters of the story imagine the possibilities - gradually scaring themselves more and more with their imaginations.

I won’t give away the ending for you, but I think parents that grew up with Dr. Seuss and their kids are going to enjoy this new Halloween tale quite a bit.

8. It’s Fall!

Written and Illustrated by Renée Kurilla

Kurilla’s art is fantastic and a perfect fit for celebrating fall. This is a Halloween-adjacent book, because it’s not very scary, and it’s not only about Halloween. But it involves one of my very favorite types of art in all of kids literature - a full page interpretation of kids trick-or-treating down the street. The only thing better than that, of course, is a two-page spread of trick-or-treating. And this trick-or-treat image is a very good one - with beautiful shadows and a perfectly-captured ambiance.

But that’s not all of course. There are other Halloween-adjacent things going on as well. There are pumpkins and scarecrows and corn mazes as well - and I think that’s all essential Halloween atmosphere stuff. I adore books that capture the feeling around Halloween, and this might very well be the best example of 2023.

This book is the first in a series about the seasons, and I certainly hope a future book about winter captures the winter holidays in a similar way!

7. First Night of Howlergarten

Written and Illustrated by Benson Shum

This is a story about werewolves, but ultimately it’s a very original spin on first day of school jitters - and classic concerns about self-confidence. You might already have dozens of social emotional picture books that deal with similar topics of confidence and empathy - but I guarantee you don’t have one about werewolves!

Kids will enjoy seeing what young werewolves study at school, and they’ll empathize with being scared of leaving home or trying new things or not being good enough. For those reasons Howlergarten could very well be used as a first day of school book months before Halloween season, but it’s still monsters season that it will shine the most. And I particularly like the twist/empathy-filled ending because I’m a sucker for lessons on kindness.

6. Every Night at Midnight

Written and Illustrated by Peter Cheong

Coming in at number 6 is another werewolf book - or maybe not exactly. Felix doesn’t exactly follow werewolf rules, because he turns into a wolf every single night at midnight. It’s a very beautiful adventure book with fantastic art. And it really has beautiful commentary on making friends and finding your pack in life.

There are lots of wonderful little details in the illustrations that add to the story and either add foreshadowing or meaning - and my daughter really loved digging into those details with me. She really loved discovering the secret clues in the art and figuring out who was turning into what animals. I really think kids will be enjoying this one a lot.

This is Peter Cheong’s first book as an author-illustrator, and I’ll be keeping an eye on what he gets up to next, because I think this is a fantastic creation.

5. Hazel and the Spooky Season

Written by Kyle Sullivan and Illustrated by Jess Mason

Kyle Sullivan and Hazy Dell Press are always putting out wonderful, monster-loving books for kids - and Hazel and the Spooky Season is basically the only book on this list that is unabashedly celebrating Halloween and only Halloween. In my book that gives it a ton of extra credit points, and that’s one of the reasons it’s so high on my list this year.

I suppose what we have here is a fictional history of the beginning of Halloween, because the main character has never heard of Halloween before a pumpkin-headed creature comes out of the graveyard and explains it to her. It’s really fantastic stuff - perfect for the spooky season. And I can empathize with Hazel wanting more people to share her love of spooky things with. It feels like being a dad who wants more publishers to publish scary books for kids.

I absolutely love the illustrations from Jess Mason. The detail is magnificent - both the town and the spooky creatures truly come to life. And I like the story and the celebration of Halloween of course - but I’m on the fence about the rhyming text. I can’t make up my mind one way or the other, but I think I would enjoy it even more in prose. The story and the art is powerful and original enough to be quite memorable, and I can’t help but feel the rhyming is occasionally distracting. But it doesn’t change the fact that this one is special.

4. Melvina Whitmoore (More or Less a Horror Story)

Written and Illustrated by Faith Capalia

A picture book with the word horror in the title? Count me in - no questions asked! In her author’s bio, Faith Capalia is described as a friend to all ghosts, ghouls and creepy-crawlies - and a spooky story aficionado! Now that’s my kind of artist! With taste like that, consider me a fan, and rest-assured I’ll be keeping a close eye on her career in kid lit!

All of the books in the top 4 this year are impeccably crafted, and Melvina Whitmoore is no exception. This is an extremely good-looking picture book. Capalia’s art style is special and memorable - and I don’t know who is in charge of design and structure and font and all of that, but it’s expertly crafted from top to bottom. I love the way the book makes you turn it to the side halfway through the book. It’s all very unique and makes for a book that won’t be soon forgotten.

I have to credit Capalia with fantastic creature design as well. A good haunted house or scared of the dark story is nothing without good creature design, and Capalia does not disappoint. The slime monster is a highlight for me, but these are all wonderful and imaginative creations in this book.

3. I Will Read to You

Written by Gideon Sterer and Illustrated by Charles Santoso

I Will Read to You is a rhyming book, which, as we know, can be very hit or miss. But Gideon Sterer’s verse is top notch and flows exceptionally well. It adds something to this beautiful bedtime book, and rolls onward at a very soothing and beautiful pace - perfect for a little one falling asleep on an October night.

It’s also a very sweet story, because it features a young boy who is worried that nobody is taking care of all the monsters of the world the way that his mother is taking care of him. His mother comes to tuck him in and read him a story, and all he can worry about is who will do such a thing for the beasts of the world?

So his very understanding and accommodating mother follows him outside into the woods on his mission to read to monsters. Then they come. Vampires, dragons, skeletons, ghosts, witches - they all come one by one. And each group has their own amazing two-page spread. It’s an incredibly special book that some might even put all the way to number one this year. This one has real staying power - original and imaginative and so well executed.

2. Vlad the Fabulous Vampire

Written and Illustrated by Flavia Z. Drago

Flavia Z. Drago is one of my very favorite picture book creators, and a fellow lover of spooky stories for kids. Her books in the world of Gustavo the Ghost (now a trilogy since the 3rd book Vlad the Fabulous Vampire has released) has been entertaining us for years now. And her quirky cast of Halloween characters are second to none. It’s a joy to see that world keep growing.

Even though they’re classic monsters (like ghosts, witches and vampires), the characters are not the least bit scary. In fact, they always have familiar human emotions to deal with. For his part, Vlad is scared to be himself because he has a preconception of what people expect from him as a vampire. And by the end he does figure out how to be true to himself.

The atmosphere and the settings are top notch Halloween-fare. The attention to detail is incredible and every time we read the books we see something cute and creative we hadn’t noticed before in the background. And Candlewick always pulls out all the stops for her books - with great secret covers and endpapers. Drago’s books have basically become a Halloween tradition at this point. And I hope we’re all lucky enough for her to keep entertaining us and scaring us for many years to come.

1. Bruce and the Legend of Soggy Hollow

Written and Illustrated by Ryan T. Higgins

It was an extremely tight race this year, but I mentioned before that The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is one of my favorite stories ever told. So the new Bruce book - Bruce and the Legend of Soggy Hollow - has a pretty special place in my heart already. It also doesn’t hurt that my daughter has been learning to read with a Bruce book recently too, so we’re big fans of the grumpy bear.

As a lifelong fan of Eeyore, there’s just something special about the adorable, perpetual curmudgeon Bruce. He’s always good for a laugh, and you can absolutely count on the very high-quality of Ryan T. Higgins’ books. It’s the type of art that looks like it could be transferred straight into a cartoon, and the humor is exquisite.

It’s hilarious watching the other forest creatures force Bruce to take part in a play - essentially The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. There are also wonderful Halloween feels being given out by the scenery in the story - and you’ll find the perfect twinge of spookiness as well. Bruce actually unwittingly has a run-in with the real “Horseless Horseman”, and it’s one of those “the reader realizes what’s going on but the characters don’t” situations.

This is simply a fantastic Halloween book for kids. It’s 100% obvious it’s going to be beloved for years and be a Halloween staple for many families.

Happy Halloween, everyone! Did you enjoy this list? Make sure to check out our past spooky lists as well:

The Best Halloween Picture Books of 2022
The Best Halloween Picture Books of 2021
The Best Halloween Picture Books of 2020
The Best Halloween Picture Books of 2019
The Best Halloween Picture Books for Kids

And, if your kids really liked to scary stories, check out:

The Best Scary Picture Books for Kids
The Best Scary Stories for Kids

What spooky books are you most excited about? Have you read any of these yet? Let us know in the comments!

Well the answer is some books are going to get a double dip. I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t just be honest about the 3 books I’m most excited about recently - even when they’re about to get tossed into a Halloween roundup as well (maybe as soon as next week!).

But does this mean the spooky books on Dad’s Bookshelf are definitely going to be at the very top of the Halloween list this year? Not necessarily. But definitely maybe. I’m very unpredictable with my top 10 lists, and on that day I’m simply going to go with which book gives me the best Halloween vibes.

And is September 2023 an entirely spooky Dad’s Bookshelf article? No not completely. I’d call one of the books spooky-season-adjacent, and one of them is undeniably non-spooky. But we also have the newest entry in the world of Gustavo the Ghost, and that’s a cause for Halloween celebration if I’ve ever seen one.

Just be glad I was able to stop myself from including any of the wonderful Christmas books starting to come out. Even I know it’s a tad early for that. But next month all bets are off!

Dad’s Bookshelf is a continuing, monthly series featuring the kids books we are most excited about each month. The series is named after the real life bookshelf we have in our home, where I keep all of my favorite picture books of all time. While the books we share on Dad’s Bookshelf are often brand new releases, it’s also not uncommon for us to be excited about an older book we just discovered or rediscovered.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links that will lead you to view the books on Bookshop.org and Amazon.

Vlad the Fabulous Vampire

Written and Illustrated by Flavia Z. Drago

Flavia Z. Drago is one of my very favorite creators in the picture book business. I love her style and her personal love for spooky stories. And I’m a very big fan of the World of Gustavo that she has created - currently a trilogy with the release of Vlad the Fabulous Vampire.

Drago has found a wonderful balance of introducing us to a quirky world of traditional creepy Halloween characters - and infusing sweet and thoughtful lessons into the story as well. And her and Candlewick Press always pull out all the stops with fantastic hidden covers and endpapers and all the icing on top.

Vlad loves fashion - and the color pink - but he’s afraid to express himself because of what others might think. Being yourself has always been one of my very favorite dad lessons to pass on to my kids, so it’s wonderful having a book like this in my arsenal. It’s important to follow our passions and there’s no better way to teach that than with a nice quirky vampire tale.

Ten-Word Tiny Tales

Written by Joseph Coelho and Illustrated by Various Artists

I like this book a whole lot - and part of what makes me like it is that it’s different. And, of course, that it’s a little spooky. It reminds me of the show Two Sentence Horror Stories on Netflix - or perhaps a collection of story starters meant to kickstart your imagination.

And the very best part of this concept is that each ten-world tale is interpreted and illustrated by a different illustrator - including several of our all-time favorites. Among the 21 illustrators are Júlia Sardá, Alex T. Smith, Nahid Kazemi, Shaun Tan, and Flavia Z. Drago. And it’s spectacular.

Joseph Coelho writes in the introduction that these tales came to him from other dimensions - and that it’s our job to let them grow like seeds. I love how he inspires us to expand on these stories, and to tell our own tales as well. And I particularly like that these stories are, as Coelho puts it, not “cutesy tales” but tales with “teeth and claws.” Those are my kind of tales!

Invisible Things

Written by Andy J. Pizza & Sophie Miller and Illustrated by Andy J. Pizza

Invisible Things is one of those books that had me at the cover. I don’t care what’s inside this book, I’m clearly going to purchase it.

But if you insist on knowing what’s inside despite already seeing this fantastic cover, I suppose I’ll tell you. It’s a cute practice in discussing the unseen feelings, ideas, and concepts in our life that are sometimes hard to explain or to talk about. What does a dog bark look like? Or a whisper?

But those are the easy ones! What about nostalgia? Or déjá vu? They all get their very own quirky representations too. And they’re all fabulous. I also particularly enjoy the pages of mystery characters or smells or feelings when we get the chance to come up with what we think they are.

There are tons of books about feelings out there - and it’s an important message for kids to know that feelings are okay and everyone has them. But I think it’s quite possible that this is now my very favorite book about feelings. It’s just so darn cute and creative and I think kids are going to love everything about it.

Have you read any of these wonderful books yet? What books have you enjoyed lately? Let us know in the comments!