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Without much to look back on and not yet understanding the concept of “at the moment,” children spend most of their childhood solely looking forward and trying to age up into the next thing, ultimately leaving behind what they now view as “babyish” or “childish.” It’s a thing I’ve been thinking about ever since I started reading picture books again (as a very grown adult) for fun: maybe we shouldn’t age out of everything but instead just add to our piles of things we enjoy.
To be clear, picture books are, and need to remain, written for children. But that doesn’t mean that adults—who don’t have to read the same one 50 times in one night—can’t also enjoy them and benefit from them. With kids first in mind and adults second in thought, I wanted to share some upcoming 2025 picture books that I absolutely love and should be on everyone’s radar. It’s going to be a hard year for things like a book’s release day to break through all the political chaos to come, so jot these down, add them to your TBR, let your library know you’d like them, and/or preorder them!
Kai Po Che: Mini’s Perfect Kite by Suhasini Gupta and Devika Oza
Determination, action, triumph, sibling relationships, and a festival that I absolutely want to see in person are paired with gorgeous and vibrant illustrations! Everything about this picture book is a winner.
Faruq and the Wiri Wiri by Sophia Payne and Sandhya Prabhat
The artwork is especially gorgeous—I even found myself admiring the lettering!—and the colors are vibrant. I am always in for any story with an abuelita (in this case, Ajee!) and Faruq and the Wiri Wiri adds in food, curiosity, and letting children be who they want (a cook!) which captured my heart and stomach.
Bear by Natalia Shaloshvili
An excellent story with animals that will help children navigate the difficulty between what they feel, want, and say, and the consequences of keeping things bottled up. Many adults are gonna feel dragged and may be reminded of how often they’ve heard people say “’No’ is a complete sentence” because sharing doesn’t mean not having boundaries. Bonus: the illustrations look like animals feel when you pet them—I don’t know how else to explain it!
Good Morning, Space by Linda Bondestam, translated by A.A. Prime
Trippy fun art takes you through a day with Sweetie—an outer-space-loving young child— and their very tired parents. Blending Sweetie’s love for outer space (aliens!) into the family’s daily routine makes this feel imaginative and fresh for children and parents.
My Dear Sea by André Carrilho
With illustrations that could hang on a wall, this picture book is a love letter to the sea through the eyes of a little girl who has been taught to love and respect the ocean. I could hear the ocean and feel its breeze while reading!
The Baby Who Stayed Awake Forever by Sandra Salsbury
This one is for readers who want a funny book about a thing that can be very stressful: getting a baby to sleep. In this case, Mama, Papa, and even Big Sister try very hard—with all kinds of methods—to get Baby to sleep. But Baby has many other plans to exhaust the family and remain awake! The layout of the illustrations changes throughout the book and includes full-page art and individual drawings spaced around the text, adding a fun reading experience.
Today My Brain Is a Dinosaur by Jedidiah Mora, Kyla Mora and Mette Engell
With whimsical rhyming, readers are plunged into what it’s like for a young boy to have a brain that gets away from him and ultimately gets him into trouble. The illustrations give a nice balance of conveying emotions (angry, overwhelmed, distracted, etc.) while feeling like adventures as he learns to navigate days when his brain feels like a dinosaur, submarine, hurricane…It’s the kind of book that might help some people be seen while also helping others understand that brains work differently.
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