2020 Favorite Picture Books

"There were just a few signs that Imogene was different. First, there were the antlers growing from her head -- a spectacle that her mother could not bear. Then came the peacock's tail, the long neck, and ... oh dear, what will Mother say to that? Thirty-five years after David Small brought the inimitable Imogene to life, she's back -- with a new set of features that kids everywhere will see for what they really are : the things that make you utterly,...

From the award-winning and bestselling creators of Drawn Together comes the fantastic tale of a magical elevator that will lift your spirits--and press all the right buttons! Iris loves to push the elevator buttons in her apartment building, but when it's time to share the fun with a new member of the family, she's pretty put out. That is, until the sudden appearance of a mysterious new button opens up entire realms of possibility, places where she...

"Terrance the turtle was born without a shell, so he uses a cardboard box instead. Terrance loves his box. It keeps him dry on soggy days, safe from snooping strangers, and is big enough to cozy up with a friend. But when another turtle points out that Terrance's shell is, well, weird, he begins to wonder whether there might be a better shell out there..."--

Illustrations and easy-to-read text remind the reader that no matter what happens or how one feels, he or she matters.

"On a small family farm, an old truck falls into disrepair and lies nearly forgotten, except by the family's daughter. The truck is been part of her daydreams as she grows up and develops strength and independence. As an industrious young woman, she pulls the rusted and overgrown vehicle from its almost-grave and restores it" --

Fuzzball is queen of her home, where her "subjects" do her bidding and make sure she is groomed, fed, and entertained, calling her name "nooo Fuzzball" all day long--but one day they leave the house, and when they do not return promptly Fuzzball starts to worry, and finally, in a panic, she resolves to be a more benevolent queen, and maybe redecorate the house to show her feline approval of her staff.

Little Bear feels the world around him. He feels the floor shake when someone stomps to get his attention - but something is missing. Little Bear is not sure what is happening. All around him he hears the familiar refrain: "Can bears ski?" Then Dad Bear takes him to see an audiologist and they learn that Little Bear has been experiencing deafness. With new hearing aids, he discovers that "Can bears ski?" is actually "Can you hear me?" His new world...

Illustrations and easy-to-read text express a child's awareness of being filled with deep emotions, from joy to sorrow and anger to compassion, but above all, love.

"A visual and rhyming celebration of African-American girls' hair" --

When Llewellyn, a little rabbit who collects ordinary things in jars, meets a young girl named Evelyn, he joins with her to capture the extraordinary.