Top 10 Picture Books of 2011

This took longer than expected. As I mentioned in my last post, selections this year were hard. In addition, I discovered I needed to segregate picture books for little kids (babies, toddlers, preschoolers) from those for school-age children. While some books could overlap between the two age groups, there was no way for me to compile a fair list if I lumped them all into one group. For books where I couldn’t find an age listing, I put them where I felt they fit best. I’ll start off with my Top 10 for the youngest category and then list the Top 10 in the older category.

Top 10 Picture Books for Preschoolers and under

• Ricky’s Christmas Tree by Guido van Genechten
• A Cat’s Alphabet Book by Sally O. Lee
• My Daddy by Guido van Genechten
• Going to the Beach with Lily and Milo and Going to the Zoo with Lily and Milo by Pauline Oud (I reviewed these together, so I am counting them as one.)
• One Little Blueberry by Tammi Salzano
• Oops! by Leo Timmers
• 1-2-3- Count with Me and A is for Apple by Georgie Burkett (Again, I reviewed these together and count them as one.)
• Ricky is Brave by Guido van Genechten
• Thankyouplease by Pierre Winters and Barbara Ortelli
• Ian’s New Potty by Pauline Oud

There are repeat names on this list, but I felt these authors and publishers truly knew how to create books attractive to this market.

Top 10 Books of 2011 for Ages 3 and up

• A Dog is A Dog by Stephen Shaskan
• My Mom Has X-Ray Vision by Angela McAllister
• Will & Kate: A Love Story by Ink Robin
• Sea Monster’s First Day by Kate Messner
• The Butt Book by Artie Bennett
• Not Fat Because I Wanna Be by LaNiyah Bailey
• The Dancing Clock by Steve Metzger
• Humbug, A Christmas Carol by Lee Baker
• My Name is Not Alexander by Jennifer Fosberry
• Fifo “50 States” by Hayley Rose

Honorable Mentions

• A Christmas Secret by Candace Hall
• Frederico, The Mouse Violinist by Mayra Calvani
• The Ice Cream King by Steve Metzger
• Marta’s Gargantuan Wings by J. Aday Kennedy
• Every-Day Dress-Up by Selina Alko
• Freckleface Strawberry Best Friends Forever by Julianne Moore
• Limelight Larry by Leigh Hodgkinson
• Don’t Worry Douglas! by David Melling
• Cinderfella and the Furry Godmother by Dixie Phillips
• Tumbleweed Christmas by Beverly Stowe McClure
• Secret Service Saint by Janet Ann Collins
• Seven Miles to Freedom by Janet Halfmann 

Every-Day Dress-Up by Selina Alko

Do you remember how much fun it was to play dress-up? This fabulous new book by author-illustrator Selina Alko captures that joy and adds in some history.

Every-Day Dress-Up opens with the young girl narrator telling her reader that she used to only play princess until her mommy told her stories of “real, great women.” Every day she gets to be a “daring new dame.” From Amelia Earhart to Elizabeth Cady Stanton, from Eleanor Roosevelt to Marie Curie, and from Julia Child to Alice Neel and more, this delightful playtime adventure story will inspire girls to reach for their dreams. With a blend of imagination and inspiration, Every-Day Dress-Up by Selina Alko will captivate your young reader.

Alko’s illustrations are charming. From the cardboard box airplane that the girl flies in when she is Earhart, to the colorful robe she dons when she becomes Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, the illustrations make this book come alive.  

Short biographies of the eleven historical figures featured are found in the back of the book, and there is a short list of “Books That Inspire.”

I highly recommend Every-Day Dress-Up by Selina Alko.

Rating:  🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

• Publisher:Knopf Books for Young Readers
• ISBN-10:0375860924
• ISBN-13: 978-0375860928
• SRP:  $16.99