Ms. Moore reads more than 100 new picture books each year, and chooses about a dozen to share with grades K and 1 during second trimester. After each readaloud, the students discuss what they liked, what they didn't like, and whether the book should remain in the running. In February, they cast ballots for the winner out of our short list. Then we compare our winner to the American Library Association Caldecott Award winner.
2022: Off-Limits
2021: Snail Crossing
2020: Who Wet My Pants?
(second GC win in a row for Zachariah!)
2019: Niblet and Ralph
2018: Creepy Pair of Underwear!
2017: School's First Day of School
(second GC win for Christian Robinson!)
2016: I'm Trying to Love Spiders
2015: Gaston
2014: Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great
2013: This is Not My Hat (ALA Winner!)
All book summaries courtesy of Goodreads.
Kat Hats - Illustrated by Aaron Renier, written by Daniel Pinkwater
Thermal Herman 6-7/8 is the top Kat Hat in Matt Katz’s company. A trained cat who is able to form himself into specialty hats, Thermal Herman is world-renowned for his warmth and agility. When a friend wanders off with a brain freeze and finds themself in peril, Thermal Herman must rush in to save the day.
I Cannot Draw a Horse - Illustrated and written by Charise Mericle Harper
The cat wants a horse. The book cannot draw a horse. The book CAN draw a squirrel, a beaver, and a bunny. Fun . . . but the cat still wants a horse. Can the quick-draw book appease the horse-obsessed cat with an impressive collection of horse-y alternatives (all created from the same “nothing shape”)? Or will the cat finally get a horse? The cat REALLY wants a horse.
A Seed Grows - Illustrated and written by Antoinette Portis
To understand how a seed becomes a sunflower, you have to peek beneath the soil and wait patiently as winding roots grow, a stalk inches out of the earth, and new seeds emerge among blooming petals. Life cycle sequencing activity from Portis.
Where Is Bina Bear? - Illustrated and written by Mike Curato
Tiny is having a party, but Bina Bear is nowhere to be found. Is that Bina hiding under a lampshade? It looks like Bina . . . but it must be a lamp. Is that Bina beneath the fruit bowl? It could be . . . but it's probably just a table. Searching for Bina, Tiny realizes something is wrong—and sets out to make it right. Activity sheets from Curato.
Show the World - Illustrated by Daria Peoples-Riley, written by Angela Dalton
From painting, music, and slam poetry, to engineering, protesting, and photography, a young narrator journeys through her neighborhood, encouraging readers to explore all the many ways they can express themselves. A gorgeously illustrated and powerful celebration of self-expression shows children that there are so many spaces and opportunities to use their voices--and show the world exactly who they are.
Endlessly Ever After - Illustrated by Dan Santat, written by Laurel Snyder
Grab your basket and your coat. Put on some walking shoes. Turn the page and begin: Which story will you choose? Award-winning creators Laurel Snyder and Dan Santat transform a crowd of classic tales into an ever-changing, fascinating, laugh-out-loud choose-your-path picture book, in which you may find a sleeping maiden, waste away in a sticky licorice cage, discover the gold at the end of a wild goose chase, or maybe (just maybe) save yourself—and the day!
If You Find a Leaf - Illustrated and written by Aimee Sicuro
In this story a young artist draws inspiration from the leaves she collects and every leaf sparks a new idea. She imagines turning a Japanese Zelkova leaf into a boat to sail far away, a Honey Locust leaf into a swing to sway in the gentle breeze, and an American Basswood leaf into a hot air balloon to float high above the trees. Any young reader who turns the pages of this beautiful book will be inspired to use their own imagination as they hunt for leaves this fall. Activities from Random House Studio.
Rupert, Thistle, and Nibbs, the fun-loving mice in Bruce's begrudgingly expansive family, guide readers on a quest for a fun reading experience, with Bruce the ever-reluctant star. As readers turn the page, flip the book, and follow the mice's increasingly silly instructions, Bruce is sent flying and tumbling—all as he looks right up the reader's nose! How will you interact with Bruce? Coloring page from Disney-Hyperion.
Brave Every Day - Illustrated by Patrice Barton, written by Trudy Ludwig
Most kids love hide-and-seek, but Camila just wants to hide. Hiding is what she does best when she worries, and she worries a LOT. What if... I can't... I'm scared! A class trip to the aquarium causes her worries to pile up like never before. But when an anxious classmate asks for help, Camila discovers that her heart is bigger than her fears.
Lou - Illustrated and written by Breanna Carzoo
Meet Lou. Lou has an important job . . . as the neighborhood toilet for dogs on their walks. Useful as he may be, he gets the feeling that deep down inside, there might be more to him than that. He just doesn't seem to know exactly what yet. When disaster strikes, will Lou find out what he's made of and save the day?? Coloring pages from Harper Collins.
How to Eat a Book - Illustrated and written by Mr. and Mrs. MacLeod
One by one, Sheila, Gerald, and Geraldine are eaten . . . by their books. This peculiar turn of events flings them far and wide. Sheila escapes the weight of the world entirely, while Gerald braves the wonder of seeing it up close. And Geraldine, well, Geraldine turns as terrifically terrible as she possibly can. Coloring page from Mr. and Mrs. MacLeod.
I Want to be a Vase - Illustrated by Julian Glander, written by Julio Torres
Shapes. You’ve heard of them. You might have even interacted with a few. But do you really know them? From plucky Plunger, who wishes to defy his shape and become a beautiful vase, to other household objects with dreams of a life beyond their predestined roles, I Want to Be a Vase takes readers on an essential and visually stunning journey through the lives and intimate dramas of often-overlooked household appliances.
Every Dog in the Neighborhood - Illustrated by Matthew Cordell, written by Philip C. Stead
Louis wants a dog, but his Grandma insists, "There are enough dogs in the neighborhood already." But how many dogs are in the neighborhood? Surely a sternly worded letter to City Hall will clear this up. When it turns out that City Hall doesn't keep an official count of this essential demographic, Louis and his Grandma do their civic duty and take matters into their own hands.
One Sky - Illustrated and written by Aaron Becker
Within the pages of this elegant book is the entire sky. Lyrical text moves readers through the day, from dawn to dusk, while ink- and die-cut lines resembling stained glass arc across the pages like birds in flight. An encounter with the translucent, jewel-colored panes in this special board book offers a luminous reminder that, no matter the hour or the hue, we all dwell together under one magnificent sky.
To Make - Illustrated by Mags DeRoma, written by Danielle Davis
To make . . . a cake, a garden, a song, you first gather, then make—and wait. To make a story (like this one), you gather, make, wait. To make anything—big or small—it will take some time. You may have to gather more, make more, and wait a little more, but you can create wonderful things if you just gather, make, and wait.
Moonlight - Illustrated and written by Steven Savage
I'm a Unicorn - Illustrated and written by Helen Yoon
AASL: I.B.3 - Generating products that illustrate learning; II.B.1 - Interacting with learners who reflect a range of perspectives; II.C.1 - Learners exhibit empathy with and tolerance for diverse ideas by: 1. Engaging in informed conversation and active debate. 2. Contributing to discussions in which multiple viewpoints on a topic are expressed.; III.B - Learners participate in personal, social, and intellectual networks; III.D.1 - Actively contributing to group discussions; V.A.1 - Reading widely and deeply in multiple formats and write and create for a variety of purposes.
Common Core: SL.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1/2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups; SL.2 Ask and answer questions about/recount or describe key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media; RL.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text; RL.7 Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events; W.1 Write opinion pieces in which they name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure
Rhode Island Cross-Curricular Proficiencies: Collaboration - Incorporate diverse perspectives to promote an exchange of ideas with reasoning and evidence; Communication - Organize information to communicate ideas and responses when using any mode of communication
Rhode Island School Library Curriculum Priority Skills: 1.1 - Develops own opinion about a topic with evidence to support the opinion; 3.2 - Participates in collaborative conversations with peers and adults to share ideas and information
