My Top 10 Picture Books From 2024!

fun

What was your favorite picture book of 2024? While I didn't read every single picture book released, I did read hundreds upon hundreds and these were the best of the picture book releases I read. From what I read, these are the books that were the best from either a supportive standpoint or as a unique, fun read. Do we have any in common? If there are some you haven't read yet, be sure to add them to your holds at your local library!

I'm looking forward to seeing what 2025 has in store for us for another year of wonderful books.

Happy reading!

Want to see what made the top ten cut in 2023? Check out this list!

If you want to see even more of my favorites from 2024, check out my Instagram page or my Amazon Storefront, where I have my top 24 of '24 for supportive picture books, unique, fun picture books kids love, and a mix of my top picks for board books and middle grade.

Without any further ado and in no particular order, I present my top picture book picks of 2024!


Top 10 Picture Books of 2024


Absolutely adorable, and with such sweet illustrations comes one of my favorite read-alouds from 2024! Ember, a tiny dragon, wants more than anything to have her very own gold stash. When things don't work out as planned, he soon discovers something even better than gold.

Interactive reads are some of the best for making smiles happen and this inventive story will not only have readers smiling, laughter will be bursting out as well! The rule is simple in this story: all the reader has to do is answer "No!" to Mr. Fox's questions to beat him at his game. If you say "yes," readers have to return to the beginning of the book and start over. I can't tell you how many repeated readings of this book I did with my five-year-old, but there were smiles and laughter every single time!

When a brother works hard to make a rhyming story, his sister interrupts at every rhyme, throwing off the flow of the book. Or is it missing the rhymes? I love the pauses in this for readers to interject the rhyming word only to find out the sister chooses something they think makes no sense. Super silly and fun, a great read-aloud.

It's true! This book can read your mind! This one is terrific interactive fun that will leave readers puzzling just how did a book read my mind.

In the Hawaiian language, pau means lost to us forever, which is now what the ‘o’o bird is now. This haunting read follows the history of the ‘o’o bird up to the present day, where it is now extinct. Opening up conversations on extinction, biodiversity, and more, this read makes a moving environmental read, especially with the QR code in the back to hear a field recording of the ‘o’o’s song.

Have you ever heard about braided messages being used as maps to freedom for enslaved people? I loved this inspired fictional story about an enslaved girl working together with other enslaved women to weave maps through braiding and eventually escape to freedom.

A moving read, this one will open up conversations about loss, grief, resilience, displacement, love, hope, and more. Based on a true story, Lost Words is about an Armenian boy who has to leave behind his home and loved ones to seek refuge while fleeing the Armenian Genocide, eventually growing up to have a family where he eventually finds some of the words to tell about his home. Thoughtfully executed, this well-done story tells of both survival and hope.

From the first moment I read this one, I knew it would be included in my top books of 2024. It tackles an environmental topic, balloon releases, and their effects on wildlife, in a way I didn’t foresee coming at the start by being more about the story of a young sandpiper preparing for his first flight. I love this because the message is so subdued, the story is captivating and draws readers in, and by the end, you are left with a perfect spot to lead into some great conversations about the effects of balloons on wildlife.

I adore the cutouts and thoughtful color usage throughout this read to help convey emotions. Today is a “gray” day for the child in this story. There’s no glossing over it and suddenly feeling happy; it’s just a long and tough gray day. I love the connection and acceptance by the caregiver at the end of the day.

Rarely do books about love make it onto my top lists, but this one is an exception. Simple and sweet, the reader is reminded of all the ways nature shows love to them, leading to the end, where it's shared that the reader is most loved by the person reading this book with them. I love the tie-ins to nature, leading to possibly some new perspectives and take-aways by the reader on wind, insects, rain, and more.


Top 2 Runner-Ups


The soft illustrations and adorable flaps in this story sucked me in. Readers get to join Mouse on his journey on the river through nature. Along the way they can glimpse inside the homes of various woodland creatures and spy animals along the banks. When the story is over, readers can learn more about the woodland wildlife shown in the story.

Twenty true rewilding stories from around the globe make up the pages of this sweet read. This read will have little environmentalists feeling hopeful and inspired before drifting off to sleep.

Happy Reading!

~ Holly

Holly

I’m an early childhood educator and currently a stay-at-home mama to my own three little readers. Discovering and sharing excellent kid lit has been a long-time passion of mine. Check out my book lists to help your reader love reading and grow to help make our world an even better place. Thank you for supporting the little readers in your life!

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