I have been highly anticipating sharing this awesome list of books for women's history month! There are so many impressive, brave, & impactful women in our world's history, that it was a real treat to read & research about more of them in order to share this list with you. I love learning so much! 
I tried to pull in women who influenced us in art, sports, aviation, science + other careers & in promoting women's rights & suffrage. There were so many women to learn from & I hope this list serves as a great resource for you as you celebrate women this month & always!

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH PICTURE BOOKS: 
1. Finish the Fight: The Brave & Revolutionary Women Who Fought for the Right to Vote
by: Veronica Chambers
(We don't know as much about some of the women from other backgrounds who fought at the front lines for women's suffrage. Yankton Dakota Sioux, Mary Eliza Church Terrell,  Mabel Ping Hua-Lee & others' stories are told in this picture book.) 
www.amazon.com/Finish-Fight-Brave-Revolutionary-Fought/dp/035840830X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=finish+the+fight&qid=1614707482&sr=8-1

2. Fantastically Great Women
by: Kate Pankhurst
(Picture & link below, this awesome book contains the biographies of 12 influential women who changed the world. It includes biography summaries of: Coco Chanel, Amelia Earhart, Frida Kahlo, Gertrude Ederle, Agent Fifi, Sacagawea, Anne Frank, Rosa Parks, Mary Anning, Jane Austen, & Emmeline Pankhurst, who is the author's relation.) 

3. Shaking Things UP: 14 Women 
by: Susan Hood & Sophie Blackall & Emily Winfield Martin
​(14 revolutionary young women are introduced in this poetry book with mixed art from various artists. You will meet Ruby Bridges, Nellie Ply, Malala, Angela Zhang, Frida Kahlo, Jacquelin & Eileen Nearne, Mae Jemison, Frances Moore Lappe, Annette Pullerman, Molly Williams.) 
www.amazon.com/Shaking-Things-Up-Young-Changed/dp/0062699458/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=shaking+things+up&qid=1614837902&sr=8-1​​​

4. Sojourner Truth
by: Ann Turner & James Ransome
(A picture book biography of a religious black woman, who after escaping an abusive slaveowner, felt called to preach. Her name was Isabella Baumfree, but it becomes Sojourner because she traveled far & spoke truth in the meetings.)   
​www.amazon.com/My-Name-Truth-Life-Sojourner/dp/0060758988/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=sojourner+truth&qid=1614707919&sr=8-8


5.  Amelia Earhart (Little People, BIG Dreams)
by:Maria Isabel Sanchez Vergara & Maria Diamantes
(A huge name in aviation, but specifically one of the first successful female aviators, the story of Amelia Earhart is fascinating. She set a new female record for flying up to 14,000 feet & was a regular daredevil!) 
www.amazon.com/Amelia-Earhart-Little-People-DREAMS/dp/1847808883/ref=sr_1_9?crid=2E71SQEUTJ3Q0&dchild=1&keywords=amelia+earhart+book+for+kids&qid=1614837279&sprefix=amelia+earhart%2Caps%2C250&sr=8-9

6. The Voice That Won the Vote: How One Woman's Words Made History
by: Elisa Boxer
(Set with the backdrop of America in the 1920s, when the Tennessee legislature still hadn't ratified the 19th amendment, Febb Burn wrote a letter to her son Harry & reminded him to "vote for suffrage & be a good boy...." a letter that gave all women a voice.)
www.amazon.com/Voice-that-Won-Vote-History/dp/1534110496/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+voice+that+won+the+vote&qid=1614739559&sr=8-1

7. Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark
by: Jess Keating & Marta Alvarez Miguens
(Eugenie Clark fell in love with sharks when she saw them at the aquarium as a young girl, & she went on to prove to people that sharks were not bad or scary...& that women could be scientists too! A great STEM & nonfiction book to share with your kids!) 
www.amazon.com/Shark-Lady-Eugenie-Fearless-Scientist/dp/1492642045/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1614838393&sr=8-2

8. I Am Marie Curie (Ordinary People Change the World series)
by: Brad Meltzer 
(This is the story of Marie Curie, told in a friendly & conversational way, almost like a graphic novel for very young readers.  Marie Curie is one of the few female scientists who emerged in the 19th century & although she faced many difficulties, it never dulled her love of science.) 
 www.amazon.com/Marie-Curie-Ordinary-People-Change/dp/0525555854/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=i+am+marie+curie&qid=1614900570&sr=8-2

9. A Computer Called Katherine 
by: Suzanne Slade
(Did you know people used to be nicknamed "computers" before actual PC's really came around? She was the first African-American woman to work for NASA during the space race & her mathematics were so impressive, she was relied on heavily for success in those crucial missions.)
www.amazon.com/Counting-Katherine-Johnson-Saved-Apollo/dp/1250137527/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=a+computer+called+katherine&qid=1614902545&sr=8-2

10.  Long-Armed Ludy & the First Women's Olympics
by: Jean Patrick
(Ludy, a tall & skinny beanpole, was a champ at the shotput event in Track & Field. While Ludy didn't have enough money to afford the Olympics, some friends & her college sent her & she won a gold medal at the 1922 Olympics.)
www.amazon.com/Long-Armed-Ludy-First-Womens-Olympics/dp/1623541689/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1614905151&sr=8-1
​
11. A Voice Named Aretha
by: Katheryn Russell-Brown & Laura Freeman
(All about the soul-filled music of Aretha Franklin.)  
www.amazon.com/Voice-Named-Aretha-Katheryn-Russell-Brown/dp/1681198509/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=a+voice+named+aretha&qid=1614908657&s=books&sr=1-1

12. Malala's Magic Pencil
by: Malala Yousafazi & Kerascoet 
(Malala, a huge name in education for women, especially in her country, Pakistan, made a wish for a magic pencil as a girl. With this pencil, she would erase the smell of garbage from her city & use the pencil to make everyone happy. Malala saw a world that needed fixing & she set out to do just that.) 
www.amazon.com/Malalas-Magic-Pencil-Malala-Yousafzai/dp/0316319570/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=malala%27s+magic+pencil&qid=1614913646&s=books&sr=1-1

13. Evonne Goolagang
by: Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
(With a dream to play at Wimbledon one day, Evonne was a young indigenous girl, living in Australia with little prospect of playing tennis someday. But she trained hard & taught herself after the tennis club met each day by her house....she got picked up by Vic Edwards when he heard of a girl who was faster than any other talent, & went to live with his family & train in Sydney; then she went on & won Wimbledon (as well as many other tournaments) several times! 
www.amazon.com/Evonne-Goolagong-Little-People-DREAMS/dp/071124586X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=evonne+goolagong&qid=1614821656&s=books&sr=1-1
​
14. Billie Jean: How Tennis Star Billie Jean King Changed Women's Sports
by: Mara Rockliff & Elizabeth Baddeley 
(A top women's tennis player who  loved sports from the time she was young, Billie fought for fairness in women's sports. She faced off against Bobby Riggs in a Battle of the Sexes, which is the most famous tennis match in history, & reminded everyone that men & women are equal on & off the court.)  
www.amazon.com/Billie-Jean-Tennis-Changed-Womens/dp/0525517790/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=billie+jean&qid=1614922073&s=books&sr=1-2

15. Sisters & Champions
​by: Howard Bryant 
(This picture book is all about Serena & Venus Williams,  who shook up the tennis world & who won Olympic gold medals & becoming the #1 ranked women in tennis.)
www.amazon.com/Sisters-Champions-Story-Serena-Williams/dp/0399169067/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=serena+%26+venus&qid=1614802928&s=books&sr=1-3

16. Wilma Rudolph (Little People: Big Dreams) 
by: Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
(The incredible story of little Wilma, who overcame polio in her left leg as a young girl & went on to win 3 Olympic gold medals & become known as the fastest woman in the world in the 1960s.) 
www.amazon.com/Wilma-Rudolph-Little-People-DREAMS/dp/1786037513/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=wilma+rudolph&qid=1614922410&s=books&sr=1-2

17. Mae Jemison: A Kid's Book About Reaching your Dreams  OR Mae Among the Stars
by:  Mary Nhin Yuliia Zolotova  
(Mae was told often as a young girl that she couldn't be an astronaut, & that she should try to be something else. Women didn't go to space. But Mae worked hard for her dreams, & she was the first black woman in space.) 
www.amazon.com/Mae-Jemison-About-Reaching-Dreams/dp/163731048X/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=mae+jemison&qid=1614922506&s=books&sr=1-6

18. Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning the first Paleontologist 
by: Linda Skeers & Marta Miguens 
(Mary Anning was a girl who loved scouring the beach for fossils in England.  There's a legend that "she sells seashells" was written about Mary. Even though women weren't involved in paleontology, she made some of the biggest contributions to scientists who published her theories, including that dinosaur poop, bezoar, taught us more about dinosaurs & reptiles.)
www.amazon.com/Dinosaur-Lady-Linda-Skeers/dp/172820951X/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2GM0EPU12BO00&dchild=1&keywords=shark+lady+the+true+story+of+how+eugenie+clark&qid=1614838632&sprefix=shark+lady%2Caps%2C280&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyUkZXTjNXUVAxTlk5JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDYwMjMxMjhFS1AxS0JGUUNINyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNDUyNjgzMkJPNjhTTk1UT1A4WSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU= 
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19. That Book Woman
by: Heather Henson & David Small
(If you have read Giver of Stars then you'll recognize the packhorse librarian back story. Cal doesn't like reading, but that book woman keeps coming, rain or shine, to bring books to their family.)  
www.amazon.com/That-Book-Woman-Heather-Henson/dp/1416908129/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=that+book+woman&qid=1614922837&s=books&sr=1-1

20. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls (100 Tales of Extraordinary Women)
by: Francesca Cavallo & Elena Favilli 
(Tons of stories of lesser known women like 
www.amazon.com/Good-Night-Stories-Rebel-Girls/dp/0997895810/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2JVEOM8YX1ORS&dchild=1&keywords=goodnight+stories+for+rebel+girls+by+francesca+favilli&qid=1614838897&sprefix=good+night+stories+for+rebel%2Caps%2C222&sr=8-3

21. Caroline's Comets
by: Emily McCully
(Caroline was scarred by smallpox & stunted from typhus as a child; for some reason, her parents thought that was reason enough to treat her like a maid. But her older brother, William, took her to England with him when he left & the two siblings created a telescope & star charts together.) 
www.amazon.com/Carolines-Comets-Emily-Arnold-McCully/dp/082344676X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=caroline%27s+comets&qid=1614922964&s=books&sr=1-1

22. I Am Helen Keller 
by: Brad Meltzer
(While she was not born deaf & blind, little Helen got a disease as a young child that robbed her of her hearing & sight. When she was 6 years old, she met Anne Sullivan; someone who could finally communicate with Helen & taught her sign language & how to read Braille. Helen grew up to become a social activist, leading the fight for people with disabilities.)
www.amazon.com/Helen-Keller-Ordinary-People-Change/dp/0525428518/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=I+Am+Helen+Keller&qid=1614923019&s=books&sr=1-1

23. Women in Art: 50 Fearless Creatives Who Inspired the World
by: Rachel Ignotofsky 
(Biographies of women who were artists & contributed to the artistic world.)
www.amazon.com/Women-Art-Fearless-Creatives-Inspired/dp/0399580433/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=women+in+art&qid=1614923041&s=books&sr=1-1

24.  The Tree Lady 
by: H. Joseph Hopkins & Jill McElmurry
(Kate was a woman who grew up among the towering redwoods loved trees & was the first woman to graduate with a degree in science from the University of California.)  
www.amazon.com/Tree-Lady-Tree-Loving-Changed-Forever/dp/1442414022/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+tree+lady&qid=1615001497&sr=8-1

25. Tales of Famous Heroes
by: Peter & Connie Roop
(From athletic women like Billie Jean, to women involved in civil rights like Rosa Parks, this picture book biography dedicates a small chapter to each of the lives of these influential women.) 
www.amazon.com/Tales-Famous-Heroes-Peter-Connie/dp/0545237505/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=tales+of+famous+heroes&qid=1615001610&s=books&sr=1-2

26. Flying Solo
by: Julie Cummins & Malene R. Laugsen
(The story of Ruth Elder, another influential & stylish woman who was determined to fly right alongside the men. She competed with Amelia Earhart & was one of the first to attempt a flight alone across the Atlantic Ocean.) 
www.amazon.com/Flying-Solo-Elder-Soared-Americas/dp/1596435097/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=flying+ruth+elder&qid=1614913449&s=books&sr=1-1 

27. National Geographic Readers: Mother Teresa  OR Little People Big Dreams: Mother Teresa
by: Barbara Kramer              by: Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
(Mother Teresa will always be known as one of the most compassionate human beings on this planet. Do you know that she spent her entire life going about serving those who were less fortunate & sick? Little Agnes was always inspired by the missionaries she saw going about serving & decided to do the same with her life.) 
www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Readers-Mother-Teresa/dp/1426333471/ref=sr_1_18?dchild=1&keywords=mother+teresa&qid=1614914763&s=books&sr=1-18

www.amazon.com/Mother-Teresa-Little-People-Dreams/dp/1786032309/ref=sr_1_13?dchild=1&keywords=mother+teresa+books&qid=1614923344&sr=8-13

28. I Dissent! Ruth Bader Ginsberg Makes Her Mark
by: Debbie Levy & Elizabeth Baddley 
(A picture book biography of young Ruth, who was discrimnated against for her Jewish beliefs & background, & who prevailed against all odds, educating herself as a woman & going to law school & later becoming one of the successful Supreme Court justices of the United States.) 
www.amazon.com/Dissent-Ruth-Bader-Ginsburg-Makes/dp/1481465597/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=i+dissent&qid=1615001740&s=books&sr=1-1

29. The Girl Who Saw in Pictures 
by: Julia Finley Mosca 
(Have you heard the name of Temple Grandin before? Diagnosed with autism at an early age, Temple was quite the visual thinker.  She specifically connected to animals, like cattle, & invented improvements for farms around the world!)
www.amazon.com/Girl-Who-Thought-Pictures-Scientists/dp/1943147302/ref=sr_1_1?crid=QGBRM2M2JA0G&dchild=1&keywords=the+girl+who+saw+in+pictures&qid=1614914833&s=books&sprefix=the+girl+who+saw+%2Cstripbooks%2C194&sr=1-1 

30. A Picture Book of Florence Nightingale 
by: David A. Adler & John Wallner
(Surprisingly, Florence was born into a wealthy family, & yet she chose to do "dirty work." After witnessing the atrocious conditions of hospitals in the 1800s, Florence saw the opportunity for organization. Her strict standards of hygiene significantly lowered death rates & revolutionized healthcare!) 
www.amazon.com/Picture-Book-Florence-Nightingale-Biography/dp/0823442713/ref=sr_1_11?dchild=1&keywords=florence+nightingale&qid=1615001880&s=books&sr=1-11

31. A Girl & Her Motorcycle
by: 
(

This list has been a long time in the making-- I believe very powerfully in friendships, & this is one aspect of childhood that can be tricky to navigate, but when you make a friend....oh boy! Isn't that the best feeling in the world? Friendship has been on my mind more during these months of COVID as well; it's hard to be isolated from loved ones during this time. But it's also important to establish who our real friends are & they are the people still around, still connecting with us & setting up play dates or Face Time  or Marco Polo too. 
And I've added several books to this list that fall more under the category of teamwork (think in a sports or group project context) because I think that's a big component of friendship sometimes too. 

FRIENDSHIP & TEAMWORK BOOKS: 
1. Jasper & Ollie Build a Fort 
by: Alex Willan (one of our new favorite author-illustrators!) 
(The most opposite of friends, Jasper & Ollie set out to build their own forts. As is typical to his daily life, Jasper rushes through the construction of his fort, making it bigger, but not paying attention to how unsteady it's become, until it's too late....
Ollie likes to do things s-l-o-w-l-y & because he takes his time, his results are much better! And he even has room in his new fort for his buddy.) 
www.amazon.com/Jasper-Ollie-Build-Fort-Willan/dp/0525645241/ref=sr_1_1?crid=88L8UVDBA32I&dchild=1&keywords=jasper+%26+ollie+build+a+fort&qid=1613869592&sprefix=jasper+%26+ollie+bui%2Caps%2C198&sr=8-1

2. Best Friend in the Whole World 
by: Sandra Salsbury 
(A sweet ode to friendship when a little girl spends the day with her buddy & how their relationship is celebrated.) 
www.amazon.com/Friend-Whole-World-Sandra-Salsbury/dp/1682632504/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=best+friends&qid=1613870653&s=books&sr=1-3 

3. Enemy Pie
by: Derek Munson 
(Dad has a surefire way to scare off enemies; it's called Enemy Pie! And since Jeremy moved in down the street & has become Enemy #1; the boy in this story learns about kindness & respect as he spends a day playing with his enemy...soon to become his bestie!) 
www.amazon.com/Enemy-Pie-Reading-Rainbow-book/dp/081182778X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=enemy+pie&qid=1613870716&s=books&sr=1-1 

4. Lola Dutch, I Love You So Much
by: Kenneth Wright & Sarah Jane Wright
(When her friends are having a gloomy day, Lola knows just what to do to cheer them up! She helps Gator, Pig & Crane feel loved....but she forgot about Bear! In this book, Lola helps everyone realize the importance of appreciation & friendship.) 
www.amazon.com/Lola-Dutch-Love-You-Much/dp/1547601175/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3AZCTUYCH8OUK&dchild=1&keywords=lola+dutch+i+love+you+so+much&qid=1614063305&sprefix=lola+dutch+I+love%2Caps%2C207&sr=8-1

5. Tiny T. Rex & The Impossible Hug
by: Jonathan Stutzman
(Who doesn't love Tiny & his sweet little T. Rex spirit? His whole family tries to help him become reconciled to the fact that he just won't be able to hug his dino friend because his arms are too short. But Tiny is determined to find a way to give his sad friend a hug; he even devises a whole blackboard full of options & practices hugging everything...including his friend!) 
www.amazon.com/Tiny-T-Rex-Impossible-Hug/dp/1452170339/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2Z3Q8F0BWYIGU&dchild=1&keywords=tiny+t.+rex+and+the+impossible+hug&qid=1613939115&sprefix=tin+y+t.+rex%2Caps%2C220&sr=8-1

6. When Pencil Met Eraser
by: Karen Kilpatrick & Luis O. Ramos Jr. 
(An unlikely pair, pencil is getting frustrated that all of his scribbles & drawings get edited by this eraser character; he thought his art was just fine before eraser showed up! But then, pencil begins to see the value of working with eraser after completing a maze incorrectly....& then the two join up & go on to do art together!) 
www.amazon.com/When-Pencil-Eraser-Karen-Kilpatrick/dp/1250309395/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1GA4572QU4ZA2&dchild=1&keywords=when+pencil+met+eraser&qid=1613938902&sprefix=when+pencil+met%2Caps%2C199&sr=8-1 

6. Strictly No Elephants
by: Lisa Mantchev
(A young boy is excited to attend the pet club on Pet Club Day, until he gets to the clubhouse and sees a sign excluding elephants-- which is what his pet is.  He feels remorse & embarrassment after being turned away, but he runs into another girl who was also turned away, & they decide to make their own inclusive pet club together.) 
www.amazon.com/Strictly-No-Elephants-Lisa-Mantchev/dp/1481416472/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=strictly+no+elephants&qid=1613939695&sr=8-1 

7. The Things I Love About Friends
by: Trace Moroney
(Friends share ideas, interests, feelings & good times together! This book is part of the Things I Love series by Moroney.) 
www.amazon.com/Things-Love-About-Friends/dp/1608875040/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=The+things+i+love+about+friends&qid=1614060001&sr=8-1

8. How Do Dinosaurs Play with Their Friends?
by: Jane Yolen & Mark Teague 
(Through rhymes that teach kids how to play nice, comes another in the dinosaur series about making friends & friendships.) 
​www.amazon.com/How-Dinosaurs-Play-Their-Friends/dp/043985654X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=How+do+dinosaurs+play+with+their+friends&qid=1614060571&sr=8-1 

9. Should I Share My Ice Cream? (Elephant & Piggie book)
by: Mo Willems
(Gerald the elephant is so excited to get an ice cream cone on a warm day! But, then he starts having second thoughts about saving the ice cream cone to share with his best friend Piggie; but all the while, his indecision keeps him from eating the ice cream & then it melts away. Good thing Piggie came around to save the day with her cone!) 
www.amazon.com/Should-Share-Cream-Elephant-Piggie/dp/1423143434/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1A5HMJL01POLB&dchild=1&keywords=should+i+share+my+ice+cream+book&qid=1614060844&sprefix=should+i+share+my+%2Caps%2C203&sr=8-1 

10. Bunny Built
by: Michael Slack
(LaRue is a handy bunny & he stumbles on a mysterious seed when he's craving carrots. Instead of just planting the seed to grow snacks for himself, he decides to cut up the giant carrot & make gifts for each of his 3 friends, who were each missing something; a home, a boat & a table. LaRue is a generous, thoughtful bunny who sets a good example for how to be a friend.)  
www.amazon.com/Bunny-Built-Michael-Slack/dp/1627792708/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=bunny+built&qid=1614063086&sr=8-1
​
11. Bad Apple: A Tale of Friendship
by: Edward Hemingway
(Apples are not supposed to like worms...it spoils them. But when Mac meets Will the worm, they become fast friends. And he gets bullied for wanting to be friends with a worm. But they get along so well together, that after one lonely day, Mac decides he'd rather be a "bad apple" & stick with Will.)  
www.amazon.com/Bad-Apple-Friendship-Edward-Hemingway/dp/0147517486/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2O6KE7E74RX6B&dchild=1&keywords=bad+apple+a+tale+of+friendship&qid=1614062929&sprefix=bad+apple+a+tale+of%2Caps%2C200&sr=8-1
​
12. Winston & Bentley: Best Friends
by: Mark Peppler & Brett Brooks 
(Who doesn't love a cute pair of puppy dogs? And these two are determined to tackle life together while teaching kids some valuable life skills.)  
www.amazon.com/Winston-Bentley-Friends-Mark-Peppler/dp/1722835230/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=mark+peppler+book&qid=1614105836&sr=8-2 

13. The Golden Acorn
by: Katy Hudson
(Squirrel has won the Golden Acorn Hunt for 8 years in a row on her own. But this year, only teams can compete. Will Squirrel learn how to work with her friends who aren't as quick as her, or will she lose the race?)
www.amazon.com/Golden-Acorn-Katy-Hudson/dp/1474778062/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+golden+acorn&qid=1614135594&sr=8-1

14. Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away
by: Meg Medina & Sonia Sanchez
(Daniela is sad because her best friend, Evelyn, who she does everything with, is moving.  The day of the move the girls play amid the moving boxes, making special promises to stay in touch & keep their friendship real.)
www.amazon.com/Evelyn-Del-Rey-Moving-Away/dp/1536207047/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=evelyn+del+real&qid=1614209424&sr=8-1

15. Meesha Makes Friends
by: Tom Percival 
(Part of the Bright Feelings series, this particular story takes a look at the challenges & joys of making & keeping friends and relating to others. Meesha never knows what to do or what to say, & she struggles with reading & responding appropriately to social cues; will she be able to make friends & keep them?) 
(www.amazon.com/Meesha-Makes-Friends-Bright-Feelings/dp/1547605197/ref=sr_1_1?crid=36QUTXOEEORIL&dchild=1&keywords=meesha+makes+a+friend&qid=1614209547&sprefix=meesha+makes+%2Caps%2C239&sr=8-1  

16. The Big Umbrella 
by: Amy June Bates & Juniper Bates
(Even though it's begun to rain hard outside, don't worry that there won't be room for everyone under the umbrella by the door. It's a BIG umbrella; intended to cover everyone, regardless of how different you might be!) 
www.amazon.com/Big-Umbrella-Amy-June-Bates/dp/1534406581/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+big+umbrella&qid=1614106690&sr=8-1 

17. Peanut Butter & Cupcake
by: Terry Border
(What can a piece of bread do when he's feeling lonely? Well, Peanut Butter sets out to find a friend to play with, but Hamburger, Egg, & Cupcake are all busy doing their own thing. Will he find someone to play with?) 
www.amazon.com/Peanut-Butter-Cupcake-Terry-Border/dp/0399167730/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=peanut+butter+%26+cupcake&qid=1614121773&sr=8-1 

18. The Friendship Book
by: Mary Lyn Ray & Sarah Graegin 
(A little primer on friendship written in rhyme & it discusses how being a friend is a gift in & of itself. A sweet little ode to friends of all shapes & sizes.) 
www.amazon.com/Friendship-Book-Mary-Lyn-Ray/dp/1328488993/ref=sr_1_22?dchild=1&keywords=the+friendship&qid=1614122200&sr=8-22 

19. How to Spot a Best Friend
by: Bea Birdsong & Lucy Fleming 
(A little girl confidently leaves the house on the first day of school, telling her mother that she will find a best friend.  Her mom is doubtful, but the little girl goes throughout the day, illustrating what a best friend does. For example, "A best friend lends you the brand new, sharp green crayon.")  
www.amazon.com/How-Spot-Best-Friend-Birdsong/dp/0593179277/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=How+to+spot+a+best+friend&qid=1614127696&sr=8-2 

20. Be Kind 
by: Pat Zietlow Miller 
(Tanisha is having a rough day at school, starting with spilling grape juice all down her dress before art class. her classmate wants her to feel better, but he doesn't know what to do. Which then stretches into a conversation about how to notice & spread kindness all around the world.) 
www.amazon.com/Be-Kind-Pat-Zietlow-Miller/dp/1626723214/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=be+kind&qid=1614132065&sr=8-3 

21.  Jake the Growling Dog
by: Samantha Shannon & Parker Sinclair
(Jake is just one misunderstood dog, who tries really hard to make friends, despite his differences.  While Jake loves to swim and hike, he realizes he's lonely, & that's when a true friend comes to the rescue.) 
www.amazon.com/Jake-Growling-Dog-Celebrating-Friendship/dp/0998405361/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=jake+the+growling+dog&qid=1614132298&sr=8-1

22. Goodbye Friend, Hello Friend 
by: Cori Doerrfeld 
( 
www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Friend-Hello-Cori-Doerrfeld/dp/0525554238/ref=sr_1_1?crid=P74DHVREAS8N&dchild=1&keywords=goodbye+friend%2C+hello+friend&qid=1614135401&sprefix=goodbye+friend%2C%2Caps%2C191&sr=8-1 

23. The Love Letter
by: Anika Aldamuy Denise
(I almost shared this on my Valentines day book list, since it deals with love. It's a very sweet story of 3 friends, Hedgehog, Squirrel & Bunny, who are all receiving a message that someone loves them. But who could it be? Just a little bit of love & kindness goes a long way in this world!) 
www.amazon.com/Love-Letter-Anika-Aldamuy-Denise/dp/0062741578/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=the+love+letter&qid=1614267341&sr=8-3
​
24. The Buddy Bench 
by: Patty Brozo & Mike Deas
(Have you noticed that many schoolyards or playgrounds around the country have buddy benches? Since 2014, inspired by Germany, when a kid sits on the bench it's a sign that the child would like to be invited to play with the other children.) 
www.amazon.com/Buddy-Bench-Patty-Brozo/dp/0884486974/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+buddy+bench&qid=1614138936&sr=8-1

25. Share Some Kindness, Bring Some Light
by: Apryl Stott
(Bear's best friend Coco is a human, who is determined to help the other animals see that he is a friendly bear, & not a mean one.  They decide to bake cookies & bring kindness, as well as light lanterns to "bring some light" as they go.) 
www.amazon.com/Share-Some-Kindness-Bring-Light/dp/1534462384/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=13ZZ8N9NVEONJ&dchild=1&keywords=share+some+kindness+bring+some+light&qid=1614138766&sprefix=share+some+kind%2Caps%2C210&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyQVZWWkpRM1ZLSUFHJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzk4MjczMTJZTUZLVUk0S0ZVJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA1OTEyNDlFTUk1TUUzU0hKRE8md2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl 

26. The Friend Ship
by: Kat Yeh & Chuck Groenink
(
www.amazon.com/Friend-Ship-Kat-Yeh/dp/1484707265/ref=sr_1_1?crid=22YQU83FY2GHG&dchild=1&keywords=the+friend+ship+kat+yeh&qid=1614139982&sprefix=the+friend+ship%2Caps%2C204&sr=8-1 

27. Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend
by: Melanie Watts 
(Scaredy is scared of lots of things, including how to make a new friend. His biggest concerns are: teeth & cleanliness. So he concocts a plan to capture a harmless goldfish & make it his friend....but a dog shows up & changes Scaredy's plan.) 
www.amazon.com/Scaredy-Squirrel-Makes-Friend-M%C3%A9lanie/dp/1554533856/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=scaredy+squirrel&qid=1614267021&sr=8-5 

28. You Are My Friend
by: Aimee Reid & Matt Phelan
(A nonfiction about Mister Rogers, the TV personality we all came to love, as a boy; Freddie Rogers. He had trouble making friends as a child, & was often sick, but that didn't keep him from growing up to spread a message of kindness & compassion on television.) 
www.amazon.com/You-Are-My-Friend-Neighborhood/dp/1419736175/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=you+are+my+friend&qid=1614267468&sr=8-2

Valentines Day is such a sweet, sentimental holiday, that I wanted to celebrate this year with mostly touching books; there are a couple of silly or mushy ones mixed in there too. Most of the Valentines books we read at our house are not lovey-dovey or romantic, but a lot of them are about a mother or father's love for their child or kids' love for their family & friends; & those ones melt me away! 
What are some of your favorite valentines books? Oldies but goodies or new releases?  
(Note: I've added a few affiliate links above to this post; if you decide to buy one of these valentines books, please click on the image above when doing so; thank you!) 




​
VALENTINES BOOKS:  
1. The Day It Rained Hearts 
​by: Felicia Bond 
(A little girl named Cornelia goes outside & catches hearts to send as valentines to her animal friends.)
​www.amazon.com/Day-Rained-Hearts-Felicia-Bond/dp/0060731230/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=the+day+it&qid=1612539460&sr=8-2

2. Love from the Crayons
by: Drew Daywalt 
(The bright colors of love are explored in this book, with the same cast from The Day The Crayons Quit.)
www.amazon.com/Love-Crayons-Drew-Daywalt/dp/1524792683/ref=pd_bkstr_rtpb_34?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1524792683&pd_rd_r=1d90dffa-3385-43bb-bcca-1150f3b08d12&pd_rd_w=1qRnp&pd_rd_wg=InBRR&pf_rd_p=cf35b793-d3c7-404e-8f37-f9e58567007f&pf_rd_r=SVN74WV8HPR8N5VSPN7E&psc=1&refRID=F735MEVGZM2KFHN72EGW

3.  You Are My I Love You
by: Maryann Cusiamono Love & Satomi Ichikawa
(A mama bear tells her little bear through beautiful prose all the ways that she loves her little bear.)
www.amazon.com/You-Are-My-Love/dp/039923392X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1612405547&sr=8-1
​
4. Franklin's Valentines
by: Paulette Bourgeois 
(  
www.amazon.com/Franklins-Valentines-Paulette-Bourgeois/dp/1771380063/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=franklin%27s+valentines&qid=1612406513&sr=8-1

5. Amelia Bedelia's First Valentine
by: Herman Parish 
(Have you read any of the series of the childhood of Amelia, America's literal-minded, funny housekeeper? Amelia accidentally leaves the valentines she made for her classmates on the bus; but she will come up with a good solution to save the day!) 
www.amazon.com/Amelia-Bedelias-Valentine-Herman-Parish/dp/0061544604/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=amelia+bedelia+first+valentine&psr=EY17&qid=1612452014&s=todays-deals&sr=1-1

6. Duck & Hippo: The Secret Valentine
by: Jonathan London & Andrew Joyner
(On Valentines Day, Hippo & his friends receive a mysterious valentines card. Each card tells them to come to the park at 4:00 to meet their valentine; so each animal makes special preparations for that special valentine...but they get a surprise!) 
www.amazon.com/Hippo-Secret-Valentine-Jonathan-London/dp/1503900355/ref=sr_1_2?crid=371WRTZSUFGJS&dchild=1&keywords=duck+and+hippo+the+secret+valentine&qid=1612452141&sprefix=duck+%26+hippo+the+secret%2Caps%2C208&sr=8-2

7. Who Loves the Dragon? 
by: Bianca Shulze
(The dragon is wide awake & ready to celebrate the Friendship Festival. But on the day of the feast, all of the cooks are gone, catering to the Queen & the knights must report for special duty in the forest. So who loves dragon after all?)
www.amazon.com/Who-Loves-Dragon-Clever-Storytime/dp/1951100433/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=who+loves+the+dragon&qid=1612452280&sr=8-1

8. I Love You, Little Pookie
by: Sandra Boynton
(Through her loveable, familiar prose, Boynton has Pookie's mommy tell him, through words, how much she loves him.) 
www.amazon.com/I-Love-You-Little-Pookie/dp/1534437231/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=I+love+you+little&qid=1612452476&sr=8-3

9. Roses are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink: Gilbert the Opossum 
by: Diane deGroat
(Gilbert can't seem to write kind poems for the kids in his class who teased him or tweaked his nose; when his classmates read their cards from him, their feelings are hurt. But, there's always time for a change of heart on Valentines Day!) 
www.amazon.com/Roses-Really-Stink-Gilbert-Opossum/dp/0688152201/ref=sr_1_1?crid=396NFNRT0GSNF&dchild=1&keywords=roses+are+pink+your+feet+really+stink+paperback&qid=1612452689&sprefix=roses+are+pink%2Caps%2C206&sr=8-1

10. Splat the Cat; Funny Valentine
by: Rob Scotton
(A festive, lift-the-flap book about Splat wanting to give a special gift to a classmate, & all his friends helping him.)
www.amazon.com/Splat-Cat-Valentine-Rob-Scotton/dp/0061978620/ref=sr_1_2?crid=25GZYSFK7E4LJ&dchild=1&keywords=splat+the+cat+valentine+book&qid=1612452605&sprefix=splat+the+cat+%2Caps%2C210&sr=8-2

11. Fancy Nancy: Heart to Heart 
by: Jane O'Connor & Robin Preiss Glassner
(Nancy is so excited for Valentines Day; it's full of so many fancy things Nancy loves, & she's making all kinds of valentines with her friend Bree. But when she gets home, there is a mysteriously beautiful valentine card waiting for her; who could it be from?)
www.amazon.com/Fancy-Nancy-Heart-Jane-OConnor/dp/0061235962/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2IG2UZR7G0EQ4&dchild=1&keywords=fancy+nancy+heart+to+heart&qid=1612452824&sprefix=fancy+nancy+heart+%2Caps%2C197&sr=8-1

12. I Love You All Ways 
by: Marianne Richmond & Dubravka Kolanovic
(Her books are always so special & I think this is the first one I've seen that she hasn't illustrated also.
Love surrounds us in so many ways throughout the day; no matter what we do; through all the happy & playful moments. A sweet ode of a child's never-ending love.)
www.amazon.com/I-Love-You-All-Ways/dp/1492675156/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=i+love+you+all+ways&qid=1612452878&sr=8-1

13. Click, Clack Moo: I Love You! 
by: Doreen Cronin
(Duck is furiously creating valentines for everyone, & as each guest arrives to the special Valentines party, Duck hands them a special valentines card. He even has one for the solitary fox that shows up at the end of the book.) 
www.amazon.com/Click-Clack-Moo-Love-Book/dp/1481444964/ref=sr_1_1?crid=19XZDOK9FEAFG&dchild=1&keywords=click+clack+moo+i+love+you&qid=1612457265&sprefix=click+clack+moo%2Caps%2C206&sr=8-1

14. The Biggest Kiss
by: Joanna Walsh & Judi Abbott
(I always love a darling animal book about baby animals or mommy & daddy animals showing affection. This book also teaches opposites too!) 
www.amazon.com/Biggest-Kiss-Classic-Board-Books/dp/1481417517/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+biggest+kiss&qid=1612453230&sr=8-1

15. I Love You, a Bushel & a Peck 
by: Rosemary Wells
(Cute ducky illustrations set to the loveable song by Frank Loesser.)

www.amazon.com/I-Love-You-Bushel-Peck/dp/0064436020/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=I+love+you+a+bushel+%26+a+peck&qid=1612453947&sr=8-5
16. The Kissing Hand
by: Audrey Penn
( 
www.amazon.com/Kissing-Hand/dp/1939100429/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+kissing+hand&qid=1612454017&sr=8-1
​
17. Love Monster and Love Monster & the Last Chocolate 
by: Rachel Bright
(Do you remember the Color Monster? Well now he's back, as the love monster for valentines day & for a sequel when he comes home from vacation to discover a box of chocolates on his doorstep. He knows he should share them with his friends, but he's worried he'll be left with the yuckier flavors.)
www.amazon.com/Love-Monster-Rachel-Bright/dp/0374301867/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=love+monster&qid=1612407598&sr=8-1 

18. Hug Machine 
by: Scott Campbell  
(Who needs a hug?  This little guy has a big hug stored up for everyone & everything! But being the hug machine can be very exhausting by the end of the day; good thing his mama is there to pick him up for one last hug!) 
www.amazon.com/Hug-Machine-Scott-Campbell/dp/1534400265/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+hug+machine&qid=1612454215&sr=8-1
​
19. Arthur's Great Big Valentine
by: 
(
www.amazon.com/Arthurs-Great-Valentine-Read-Level/dp/0064441490/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2D8K1QT36IHL2&dchild=1&keywords=arthur%27s+great+big+valentine&qid=1612414008&sprefix=arthur%27s+great+big%2Caps%2C220&sr=8-1
20. Pinkalicious: Pink of Hearts
by: Victoria Kann
(
www.amazon.com/Pinkalicious-Pink-Hearts-Victoria-Kann/dp/0061989231/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3E5WPOIY2L5OL&dchild=1&keywords=pinkalicious+pink+of+hearts&qid=1612407942&sprefix=pinkalicious+pin%2Caps%2C208&sr=8-1 
21. Valentine Bears 
by: Eve Bunting & Jan Brett 
(Mrs. Bear has decided to set the alarm clock for Valentines Day, instead of spring this year. She makes some preparations for the day & lets Mr. Bear sleep, but when she is finally ready to celebrate with him, he surprises her with a small valentines gift too, even though she thought he was asleep the entire time, and forgot about the special day. This is a really sweet one!)
www.amazon.com/Valentine-Bears-Eve-Bunting/dp/0899193137/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=valentine+bears&qid=1612413879&sr=8-3 

22. Lola Dutch, I Love You so Much
by: Kenneth Wright & Sarah Jane Wright 
(
www.amazon.com/Lola-Dutch-Love-You-Much/dp/1547601175/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=I+love+you+little&qid=1612452476&sr=8-4

​

​I've been looking at incorporating many more diverse picture books into my home library since last year, so some of the books I'm sharing today have been on my radar for awhile now & are now part of our collection. Some of the books are newer, & very powerful in the messages they teach about black history. My favorites are the stories of women in black history, black basketball players (especially Michael Jordan's story & Swish), Ready to Soar (about Sylvia, the bookmobile ballerina) & Harriet Tubman.
  I hope you will enjoy this list of 21 black history books & share with me some of your favorites as well! 

BLACK HISTORY MONTH PICTURE BOOKS FOR KIDS:   
1. Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History 
by: Vashti Harrison
(From Bessie Coleman to Katherine Johnson, a fabulous encyclopedia of black women who are part of our history & have made a difference.)
www.amazon.com/Little-Leaders-History-Vashti-Harrison/dp/0316475114/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=little+legends&qid=1611449622&sr=8-2
​
2. The Undefeated (Caldecott Medal Award, 2020) 
by: Kwame Alexander & Kadir Nelson
(Forewarning: this book, with its masterful illustrations, will likely bring tears to your eyes as you see all the black people, who through history, have stood for something-- social justice & change for an oppressed people.  It's a beautiful book with the message that black people will stand up again & again.) 
www.amazon.com/Undefeated-Kwame-Alexander/dp/1328780961/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+undefeated&qid=1611596415&sr=8-1

3. Overground Railroad
by: Lesa-Cline-Ransome
(Ruth Ellen climbs on a train in North Carolina that's bound for New York, where she & her family will start a new life after living as slaves. While they are still segregated on the train, the family has great hopes for the freedom they will experience once they leave the South behind.) 
www.amazon.com/Overground-Railroad-Lesa-Cline-Ransome/dp/0823438732/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=overground+railroad&qid=1611590392&sr=8-2
4. Martin's Big Words
by: Doreen Rappaport
(Starting with his life as a young boy, this book illustrates the kind of life Martin led, including that he was a reverend like his daddy before he became actively involved in the Civil Rights movement.) 
www.amazon.com/Martins-Big-Words-Martin-Luther/dp/0786807148/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1611725587&sr=8-2

5. Have you Thanked an Inventor Today? 
by: Patrice McLauriun & Dian Wang
(As a young boy goes throughout his day, he begins noticing how many inventions he makes use of & realizes all of them were created by African-Americans. In the book you'll find brief biographies of each inventor & a certain STEM theme as well!) 
www.amazon.com/Have-You-Thanked-Inventor-Today/dp/0997315202/ref=sr_1_1?crid=14D0Z74YHKQU8&dchild=1&keywords=have+you+thanked+an+inventor+today&qid=1611725620&sprefix=have+you+thanked+an+%2Caps%2C198&sr=8-1

6. The Story of Ruby Bridges
by: Robert Cols & George Ford 
(Have you ever heard the story or seen the movie of little Ruby? An exceptionally smart African-American girl who was sent to an all-white school for her education in the 1960s, but she was scorned & rejected by the unkind parents who refuse to send the children in the community to school with her.) 
www.amazon.com/Story-Ruby-Bridges-Special-Anniversary/dp/0439472261/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+story+of+ruby+bridges&qid=1611775313&sr=8-1 

7. Salt In His Shoes
by: Deloris Jordan
(This is a story about Michael Jordan as a boy, who was always wishing desperately to grow, & how his mama helped him have some self-esteem & confidence in himself.) 
www.amazon.com/Salt-His-Shoes-Michael-Pursuit/dp/0689834195/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=salt+in+his+shoes&qid=1611702616&sr=8-1 

8. Counting on Katherine
by: Helaine Becker & Dow 
(One of the "computers" who worked at NASA & helped calculate the route to get Apollo 13 safely to & from Earth, Katherine always loved counting! She was always excited & curious about calculations in relation to math & the universe & was a very gifted young lady.) 
*Also check out Hidden Figures. This tells the story of all of the black women "computers" on Katherine's team who worked for NASA. by: Margot Lee Shetterly & Laura Freeman
www.amazon.com/s?k=hidden+figures&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
www.amazon.com/Counting-Katherine-Johnson-Saved-Apollo/dp/1250137527/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=counting+on+katherine&qid=1611725846&sr=8-1

9. Lizzie Demands a Seat
by: Beth Anderson & E.B. Lewis 
(Elizabeth Jennings was denied entry on a streetcar on her way to church one Sunday.  New York was a free state, but she was assaulted & not given a spot on the streetcar, so she took her case to court.) 
www.amazon.com/Lizzie-Demands-Seat-Elizabeth-Streetcar/dp/1629799394/ref=sr_1_2?crid=ERPT5RTDSOZL&dchild=1&keywords=lizzie+demands+a+seat&qid=1611860708&sprefix=lizzie+demands+a+%2Caps%2C207&sr=8-2

10. Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History
by: Vashti Harrison & Kwesi Johnson 
(Biographies of men who range from aviators to athletes.) 
www.amazon.com/Little-Legends-Exceptional-Black-History/dp/0316475149/ref=sr_1_1?crid=QAEPNODW7DYB&dchild=1&keywords=little+legends+exceptional+men+in+black+history&qid=1611934870&sprefix=little+legends%2Caps%2C210&sr=8-1

11. If a Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks 
by: Faith Ringold 
( 
www.amazon.com/If-Bus-Could-Talk-Story/dp/0689856768/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=if+a+bus+could+talk&qid=1611936337&sr=8-1 

12. The Power of Her Pen: The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethel L. Payne 
by: Lesa-Cline Ransome & John Parra 
(She earned her title "First Lady of the Black Press" after traveling to Japan during WWII & then ended up in the White House briefing room later on.  Her questions sought answers that were most significant in the battle for Civil Rights.) 
www.amazon.com/Power-Her-Pen-Groundbreaking-Journalist/dp/148146289X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+power+of+her+pen&qid=1611936392&sr=8-1

13. Above the Rim
by: Jen Bryant & Frank Morrison 
(The story of one of the first professional, African-American athletes to play the game of basketball.  He was still mistreated at restaurants & hotels because he was black, so Elgin staged a protest.)   
www.amazon.com/Above-Rim-Baylor-Changed-Basketball/dp/141974108X/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=above+the+rim&qid=1611937317&sr=8-2

14. I Am Rosa Parks
by: Brad Meltzer & Christopher Eliopoulos
​(The story of short but spirited Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat for a white man who got on the bus after she had already been seated & was on the way home from work. Even though she was imprisoned, she started an important movement in the Civil Rights movement-- the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which ended bus segregation.) 
www.amazon.com/Parks-Ordinary-People-Change-World/dp/0803740859/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=i+am+rosa+parks&qid=1611936777&sr=8-1

15. Ready to Fly
by: Lea Lyon & Alex LaFaye
(the true story of Sylvia Townsend, the ballerina who learned ballet from the books she checked out at the bookmobile that came through town. She taught herself so well from books that she eventually auditioned & was able to dance at a school run by a Russian woman, even though she'd been rejected for skin color in the past. And she goes on to run her own school of dance when she grows up; I just LOVED this book!) 
www.amazon.com/Ready-Fly-Townsend-Bookmobile-Ballerina/dp/0062888781/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=ready+to+fly&qid=1611941833&sr=8-2
​
16. Before She Was Harriet
by: Lesa-Cline Ransome & James E. Ransome 
(All about Harriet's life before she was Moses & a leader for the Underground Railroad, when she was "Minty" or Araminta. I really love this picture book biography because Harriet Tubman has long been a favorite historical figure of mine.) 
www.amazon.com/Before-Harriet-Coretta-Scott-Illustrator/dp/0823420477/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1611942643&sr=8-1

17. Mae Among the Stars 
by:  Roda Ahmed & Stasia Burrington
​(Sweet little Mae announces that she wants to be an astronaut when she grows up, when the teacher asks the kids what they want to be when they grow up. Mae is discouraged when her teacher suggest her being a nurse instead, because she has always grown up wondering what it will be like to fly to outer space....& one day, she does just that! And becomes the first African-American woman in space.)  
www.amazon.com/Mae-Among-Stars-Roda-Ahmed/dp/0062651730/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=mae+among+the+stars&qid=1611942675&sr=8-1

18. Black Heroes: A Black History Book for Kids (51 Inspiring People) 
by: Arlisha Norwood
www.amazon.com/Black-Heroes-Inspiring-Modern-Day-U-S/dp/1641527048/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=10WJLPV8BW0NZ&dchild=1&keywords=black+heroes+a+black+history+book+for+kids&qid=1611726300&sprefix=kids+books+for+black+history%2Caps%2C219&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzVTdBQ1k2QUREOEFHJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTM0MjM4MjcwTUVIWVZWOVZEWiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTU2NzQ5MVRYM1c4Nzg1SkU4UiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU= 

19. Black Women in Science
by: Kimberly Brown Pellum
(Features 15 stories of female scientists from doctors, to mathematicians & astronauts, who helped advance the STEM movement.) 
www.amazon.com/Black-Women-Science-History-Book/dp/1641527072/ref=sr_1_11?dchild=1&keywords=black+history+month+books&qid=1611937055&sr=8-11 

20. All Because You Matter 
by: Tami Charles & Bryan Collier 
(A love letter to beautiful brown & black children everywhere, especially through the hardships of current events, to remind them of how much they DO matter.) 
www.amazon.com/All-Because-Matter-Tami-Charles/dp/133857485X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1611775478&sr=8-1
​ 
21. The Girl With a Mind for Math: the Story of Raye Montague
by: Julia Finley Mosca & Daniel Rieley 
​(Written in prose, this is the story of young Raye, who dreamed of being an engineer, even though sexism & racism would both pose obstacles to her achieving that dream. She persisted, & eventually altered the course of ship design forever.) 
www.amazon.com/Girl-Mind-Math-Montague-Scientists/dp/1943147426/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+girl+with+a+mind+for+math&qid=1611942800&sr=8-1

I have been in the process of building & compiling this list for quite some time! There is so much out there to cover the topics of STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics) & I should have included the "A" in STEAM because there's more art-based books coming out now too.
Why the sudden focus on STEM though? Hasn't it always been a part of our educational system? Well, I will be discussing this at length in my next podcast, but I wanted to "prime the pump" for that discussion by sharing these books with you; enjoy!

​
SCIENCE:
1. Newton & Curie: the Science Squirrels
​by: Daniel Kirk
(Newton begins to wonder how the world works after an apple hits him in the head one day. After hearing a bit about gravity, he decides to set up an experiment with his sister, Curie, & they then learn to make simple machines together to make some more scientific discoveries.) 
www.amazon.com/Newton-Curie-Squirrels-Daniel-Kirk/dp/1419737481/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=newton+%26+curie&qid=1610414220&sr=8-1

2. Cece Loves Science
by: Kimberly Derting
(Cece is a budding scientist who decides to conduct an experiment with her friend Isaac to see if her dog will eat vegetables.) 
www.amazon.com/Cece-Loves-Science-Kimberly-Derting/dp/0062499602/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=cece+loves+science&qid=1610414356&sr=8-1
​
3. Discovering Energy
by: Sanz Veronica & Altairriba Eduard
(Energy comes in many forms; using our muscles to lift heavy things or capturing the power of the wind with windmills or harnessing water's power to create electricity in a hydroelectric power station.)
www.amazon.com/Discovering-Energy-Big-Ideas/dp/1787080498/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=discovering+energy&qid=1610503596&sr=8-1

4. Magnet Max
by: Monica Lozano Hughes
(Max loves experimenting with magnets; what kid doesn't? He decides to show their power & pull to his friend Nick, who becomes baffled as Max shows him magnets sticking to refrigerators or small items like paperclips.) 
www.amazon.com/Magnet-Learning-League-Monica-Lozano/dp/1612542247/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=magnet+max&qid=1610579137&sr=8-1

5. Geraldine & the Most Spectacular Science Project
by: Sol Regwan 
(Like my son, the sweet girl in this book dreams of becoming an astronaut someday. She's determined to enter the winning project in her 2nd grade class science contest. She sets out using spare parts & pieces of various gizmos around the house to complete her project; will her invention turn her into a creative scientist?)
www.amazon.com/Geraldine-Spectacular-Science-Project-Gizmo/dp/0764358987/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3NYLN6SA3X7O6&dchild=1&keywords=geraldine+and+the+most+spectacular+science+project&qid=1610649595&s=books&sprefix=geraldine+a%26+the+most+%2Cstripbooks%2C204&sr=1-1

6. Magnets Push & Magnets Pull
by: David A. Adler
(A friendly nonfiction picture book about the power of magnets & their polarity that encourages kids to get curious & experiment with magnets.) 
www.amazon.com/Magnets-Push-Pull-David-Adler/dp/0823440184/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1610642044&sr=8-2 

7. Science Comics: Solar System, the Brain, Robots & Drones 
by: Rosemary Mosco 
(Comic books about some fascinating scientific topics with full-color illustrations!) 
www.amazon.com/Science-Comics-Boxed-Set-System/dp/1250269431/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=robots+%26+drones&qid=1610649755&s=books&sr=1-7 

8. Pete the Cat & the Super Cool Science Fair
by: James Dean 
(Pete & his buddies create a new version of the typical exploding volcano for the school science fair.) 
www.amazon.com/Pete-Cat-Supercool-Science-Fair/dp/0062868357/ref=sr_1_1?crid=INR6AAEZR443&dchild=1&keywords=pete+the+cat+and+the+supercool+science+fair&qid=1610649958&s=books&sprefix=pete+the+cat+%26+the+science+%2Cstripbooks%2C203&sr=1-1 

9. First How Things Work Encyclopedia 
by: DK 
www.amazon.com/First-How-Things-Work-Encyclopedia/dp/1465443495/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1HZ0Z2QTHFHPT&dchild=1&keywords=first+how+things+work+encyclopedia&qid=1610650584&s=books&sprefix=first+how+things+work%2Cstripbooks%2C197&sr=1-1
​10. See Inside Atoms & Molecules (Usborne flap book) 
by: Rosie Dickens &  Shaw Nielsen 
(Find out how these tiny little particles, atoms, make up everything & everyone in the universe!) 

11. Ada Twist, Scientist 
by: Andrea Beaty & David Roberts
(Ada has always been curious; even when her science experiments don't go as planned, Ada learns the value of problem-solving & staying curious as she goes!) 
www.amazon.com/Ada-Twist-Scientist-Andrea-Beaty/dp/1419721372/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Ada+Twist&qid=1610670891&sr=8-1

TECHNOLOGY/ENGINEERING:
1. Jabari Tries
by: Gaia Cornwallis
(Jabari is trying to design a small airplane that will fly in his backyard. His sister wants to help though, & he isn't sure he wants her to. But then Jabari learns the value of teamwork, while he engineers the proper changes to get his aircraft flying!)
www.amazon.com/Jabari-Tries-Gaia-Cornwall/dp/1536207160/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=jabari+tries&qid=1610414451&sr=8-1

2. Rosie Revere, Engineer
by: Andrea Beaty & David Roberts
(Where most people see garbage & rubbish, Rosie just sees inspiration. Rosie creates inventions in her room at night, from helium pants to hot dog dispensers; but she is shy & doesn't let anybody see them. Finally her great-aunt Rose comes from a visit & convinces her that mistakes shouldn't be feared & Rosie learns she only truly fails if she quits.) 
www.amazon.com/Rosie-Revere-Engineer-Andrea-Beaty/dp/1419708457/ref=sr_1_1?crid=U9YD1AIALA2Z&dchild=1&keywords=rosie+revere+engineer&qid=1610416757&sprefix=rosie+rever%2Caps%2C213&sr=8-1

3. Future Engineer
by: Lori Alexander & Allison Black
(A baby board book that shares some fun engineering facts to foster curiosity & empower little ones to keep learning, failing, & trying!) 
www.amazon.com/Future-Engineer-Baby-Lori-Alexander/dp/1338312235/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=future+engineer&qid=1610503770&sr=8-1

4. Will, the Civil Engineer
by: Chadd Kahlsolorf
(STEAM At Work series; )
www.amazon.com/Will-Civil-Engineer-STEAM-Work/dp/1589486439/ref=sr_1_1?crid=39AIP459L8N6A&dchild=1&keywords=will+the+civil+engineer&qid=1610571129&sprefix=Will+the+civil+eng%2Caps%2C196&sr=8-1

5. Iggy Peck, Architect
by: Andrea Beaty & David Roberts
(Iggy has loved building & constructing things from a young age! But he gets discouraged in 2nd grade when his teacher, with a real fear of heights from tall buildings, forbids any learning or speaking of architecture. But one day, on a class picnic when the footbridge falls through, Iggy comes through to save the day with the help of his classmates as they build a bridge with shoestring suspension to the other side.)
www.amazon.com/Iggy-Peck-Architect-Andrea-Beaty/dp/081091106X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TUJIB2UP3KJK&dchild=1&keywords=iggy+peck+architect&qid=1610571224&sprefix=iggy+peck%2Caps%2C204&sr=8-1
​
6. How Computers Work (Computing for Kids)
by: Nancy Dickmann
(Since computers are literally everywhere now, from your watch to your smartphone, it probably is important to understand somewhat how they function. This book introduces kids to the design of hardware & networks that connect us all digitally.) 
www.amazon.com/How-Computers-Work-Computing-Kids/dp/1538252589/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=how+computers+work&qid=1610571446&sr=8-6

7. The Science of Bridges & Tunnels: The Art of Engineering
by: Ian Graham, Diego Vaisberg & Bryan Beach
(It's fascinating how over time, scientists & engineers started to understand the laws of nature better & began to create newer ones with concrete & steel. This book shows all kinds of bridges from suspension to arch bridges & is really neat!) 
www.amazon.com/Science-Bridges-Tunnels-Art-Engineering/dp/0531133990/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1YUB1XO7SIS69&dchild=1&keywords=bridges+book+for+kids&qid=1610583460&sprefix=kids+books+bridges%2Caps%2C215&sr=8-3

8. Violet the Pilot
​by: Steve Breen
(A young girl named Violet grows up with a junkyard next to her house & she loves to tinker from toddlerhood on. Violet really wants to fly, though, so she experiments & tinkers until she creates a satisfactory airplane & enters it in a competition. Although the race doesn't go as planned, Violet does a good deed in her airplane that makes the entire story so heartwarming.)  
​www.amazon.com/Violet-Pilot-Steve-Breen/dp/0803731256/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1610641896&sr=8-1 

9. Simple Machines: Wheels, Levers & Pulleys
by: David A. Adler & Anna Raff 
(Who doesn't love machines? They make everyday work easier! They can lift heavy objects & break things apart; they can even change the direction of force applied to them. Two kids & their cat use machines to do simple things from seesawing to eating apples.) 
www.amazon.com/Simple-Machines-Wheels-Levers-Pulleys/dp/0823435725/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=simple+machines&qid=1610642525&s=books&sr=1-2 

10. See Inside Bridges, Towers & Tunnels (Usborne Flap Book)
by: Struan Reid & Annie Carbo 
www.amazon.com/See-Inside-Bridges-Towers-Tunnels/dp/0794545114/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=bridges+towers+%26+tunnels&qid=1610645606&s=books&sr=1-2

11. When Grandpa Gives you a Toolbox 
by: Jamie L.B. Deenihan & Lorraine Rocha
(Grandpa gives you a toolbox instead of that dollhouse you asked for. What do you do with that thing? With Grandpa's help, the boy in this story learns that with Grandpa's help, he might just be handier than he thought!) 
www.amazon.com/When-Grandpa-Gives-You-Toolbox/dp/1454932325/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1LYIVEXP1C5Q5&dchild=1&keywords=when+grandma+gives+you+a+toolbox&qid=1610645467&s=books&sprefix=when+grandpa+give%2Cstripbooks%2C199&sr=1-1 

12. Go For the Moon
by: Chris Gall  
(A young boy obsessively follows the Apollo 11 astronauts, as he constructs & launches his very own rocket at the same time the U.S. sent Saturn V to space. In great depth he describes that historic journey from the Earth to the Moon, & touches on important scientific concepts like gravity.)  
www.amazon.com/Go-Moon-Rocket-First-Landing/dp/1250155797/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=go+for+the+moon&qid=1610650328&s=books&sr=1-1

13. Space Exploration for Kids
by: Bruce Betts, ph.D
(From daily life as an astronaut to learning the history of space exploration & even construction of rockets, this book covers it all! It will even answer questions like: how does space affect the body? What training do astronauts receive beforehand?) 
www.amazon.com/Space-Exploration-Kids-Scientists-Astronauts/dp/1647397561/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=space+exploration+for+kids&qid=1610650038&s=books&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExRjdOQ1I4Q0VCTzZLJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjk0NDM3MTRGRUlRVDlKODJYRiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODMzMDE3M0JWNzJBRjM4Mjc1RSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU= 

14. Fly Girl, Fly! Shaesta Waiz Soars Around the World 
by: Nancy Roe Pimm
(First a refugee & secondly, afraid of flying, Shaesta overcomes both conflicts & is the first in her family to go to college & then she becomes the only woman from Afghanistan to circumnavigate the globe by herself in a single-circuit aircraft.) 
www.amazon.com/Shaesta-Waiz-Soars-around-World/dp/1506464688/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=fly+girl+fly&qid=1610757145&sr=8-2

15. Moonshot
by: Brian Floca (*check out all of his books; they're truly amazing) 
(The flight of Apollo 11 is depicted beautifully in these pages.  While it is not a textbook, its a very scientific, nonfiction read with beautiful illustrations. Kids learn about the steady & brave astronauts who took that journey to make a giant leap for mankind.) 
www.amazon.com/Moonshot-Richard-Jackson-Atheneum-Hardcover/dp/1534440305/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=moonshot&qid=1610650451&s=books&sr=1-2  

16. How We Got to the Moon: The Technology, & Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity's Greatest Adventure
by: John Rocco 
(
www.amazon.com/How-Got-Moon-Technology-Humanitys/dp/0525647414/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=how+we+got+to+the+moon&qid=1610764274&sr=8-1

17. How to Code a Roller Coaster
by: Josh Funk  & Sarah Palacios
(Pearl & her robot, Pascal are out an amusement park, keeping track of their ride tokens & the length of lines through the use of code & if-then sequences.) 
www.amazon.com/How-Code-Rollercoaster-Josh-Funk/dp/0425292037/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=how+to+code+a+rollercoaster&qid=1610764608&sr=8-1

MATHEMATICS:
1. Math Curse
by: Jon Scieszka
(It is anything but normal when the kid in this story wakes up & everything becomes a math problem; from how long it takes them to get ready for school, to how many cupcakes are needed for the entire class to get served.)
www.amazon.com/Math-Curse-Jon-Scieszka/dp/0670861944/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=math+curse&qid=1610501412&sr=8-1

2. The Doorbell Rang
by: Pat Hutchins
(Mom makes some cookies & the kids are dividing them up, when the doorbell rings & some friends come in. The kids decide to share, so once again, they start divvying up the cookies & more friends keep interrupting until only 1 cookie remains for each child out of the original dozen.)
www.amazon.com/Doorbell-Rang-Pat-Hutchins/dp/0688092349/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+doorbell+rang&qid=1610501563&sr=8-1

3. One Hundred Hungry Ants & A Remainder of One (to teach division)
by: Elinjor J. Pinczes & Bonnie MacKain
(100 hungry ants head off for a picnic, single file, but the going is too slow. So then they split up into two rows of 50 & then they decide on four rows of 20....but they continue changing formation & then miss the picnic!) 
www.amazon.com/Hundred-Hungry-Ants-Elinor-Pinczes/dp/0395971233/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=one+hundred+hungry+ants&qid=1610503535&sr=8-1

​4. Ten for Me (an addition adventure!) 
by: Barbara Mariconda
(Two friends are off on a butterfly hunt {Rose & Ed} & they are competing with one another to see who can catch the most butterflies. Who will win this competition? They count the butterflies together.) 
www.amazon.com/Ten-Arbordale-Collection-Barbara-Mariconda/dp/1607180855/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=ten+for+me&qid=1610645839&s=books&sr=1-1

5. The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos
by: Deborah Heiliegman & LeUyen Pham 
(Paul was an unusual boy, who at the age of 4, could do the calculation of how many seconds you'd been alive when you told him what year you were born in. He traveled around the world collaborating on publications with other mathematicians & his unique character traits that helped him be such a great mathematician, are exemplified in this story.) 
​www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Loved-Math-Improbable/dp/1596433078/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+boy+who+loved+math&qid=1610571536&sr=8-1

6. Pete the Cat & The Missing Cupcakes
by: James Dean
(Pete has made 10 cupcakes for a party with friends; but every time he leaves the kitchen, some cupcakes go missing. Who's the culprit? This very basic picture book helps children learn the concept of subtraction or counting down.) 
www.amazon.com/Pete-Missing-Cupcakes-James-Dean-ebook/dp/B01AFXMGXU/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=pete+the+cat+and+the+missing+cupcake&qid=1610642001&sr=8-1

 
7. The Girl With a Mind for Math: The Story of Raye Montague  
by: Julia Finley Mosca & Daniel Rieley 
(Young Raye sets her sights on the career engineer after touring a German sub. She eventually became a pioneer who impacted & changed the course of ship design forever.) 
www.amazon.com/Girl-Mind-Math-Montague-Scientists/dp/1943147426/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+girl+with+a+mind+for+math&qid=1610649412&s=books&sr=1-1

8. Molly  & the Mathematical Mysteries
by: Eugenia Cheng & Aleksandra 
​(Molly faces a number of challenges amongst other things in a world where nothing is quite as it seems. And someone is leaving clues for her, too!) 
www.amazon.com/Molly-Mathematical-Mysteries-Interactive-Adventures/dp/1536217107/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=molly+the+mathematical+mystery&qid=1610650836&s=books&sr=1-1

9. Spaghetti & Meatballs for All! 
by:  Marilyn Burns & Debbie Tilley 
(There's a family reunion for Mr. & Mrs. Comfort to get cooking for, & there are 32 chairs & 8 tables that are arranged just so everyone has a seat!) 
www.amazon.com/Spaghetti-Meatballs-All-Scholastic-Bookshelf/dp/0545044456/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=spaghetti+%26+meatballs&qid=1610649514&s=books&sr=1-1

10. Ten Apples Up on Top
by: Dr. Seuss
(A rhyming favorite for counting up to ten & back down from ten, all while a tiger, dog & a lion do crazy feats with apples stacked up on their heads....they start to annoy some of the village though & they run the risk of losing all their apples!) 
www.amazon.com/Ten-Apples-Top-Theo-LeSieg/dp/0394800192/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=ten+apples+up+on+top&qid=1610649359&s=books&sr=1-2 

11. Counting on Katherine:
by: Helaine Becker & Dow Phumiruk 
(Katherine was a girl who loved calculations & counting; even as a child, she would count steps on the road or spoons in the kitchen sink. As a gifted student, Katherine learned more & more about mathematics & became a prominent mathematician at NASA, who calculated the course of moon landings & saved lives, all while making history.) 
www.amazon.com/Counting-Katherine-Johnson-Saved-Apollo/dp/1250137527/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=katherine+counts&qid=1610651055&s=books&sr=1-1 

12. The Grapes of Math
by: Greg Tang
(The author shares how he has solved some problems in creative ways, through rhyming couplets & riddles) 
www.amazon.com/Grapes-Math-Greg-Tang/dp/0439598400/ref=pd_crcd_7?pd_rd_w=bCJI5&pf_rd_p=8019ba47-0a12-4976-b76b-5c932d60db6f&pf_rd_r=H75KDW15XH43R8R10TRM&pd_rd_r=4b730afd-292a-428d-8e2f-b936af6ad3d3&pd_rd_wg=vhSMF&pd_rd_i=0439598400&psc=1

All STEM Topics + Inventions:
1. The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be
by: Joanna Gaines
(A darling book about a group of kids building hot air balloons, but also highlighting the different approaches we each take to solving problems, & how that makes the world a better place.)
www.amazon.com/World-Needs-Who-Were-Made/dp/1400314232/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=who+the+world+needs+you+to+be&qid=1610397891&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExR1FTUTIyR09VUDFIJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDI4MzcxMTNUSlZJUUdJUTJZTiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjI3NzM0SzZJR0hRTzgwOFZVJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

2. What Can I Be? STEM Careers from A to Z
by: Tiffani Teachey
(Six diverse children picture all of the different careers in STEM, from astronauts & doctors to engineers!) 
www.amazon.com/What-Can-Be-STEM-Careers/dp/0578616580/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=stem+books+for+kids&qid=1610492468&sr=8-7

3. The Steam Team Explains: More than 100 Amazing Science Facts
by: Robert Winston
www.amazon.com/Steam-Team-Explains-Amazing-Science/dp/1465493182/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=steam+team+explains&qid=1610500395&sr=8-1

4. Mistakes that Worked
by: Charlotte Foltz Jones
(
www.amazon.com/Mistakes-That-Worked-Familiar-Inventions/dp/0385320434/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=mistakes+that+worked&qid=1610570851&sr=8-1
​
5. 100 Inventions That Made History
by: DK
www.amazon.com/Invents-That-Made-History-Breakthroughs/dp/1465416706/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=invention+books+for+kids&qid=1610570972&sr=8-5

I made an Instagram post with these, but I picked 9 picture books that either came out this year OR became discovered & well-loved in our home. It was a great year for books! 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Top 9 Picture Books (2020): 
1. Jabari Tries
by: Gaia Cornwallis 
www.amazon.com/Jabari-Tries-Gaia-Cornwall/dp/1536207160/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=jabari+tries&qid=1609449713&sr=8-1
2. What Do You Do with a Problem?
by: Kobe Yamada
www.amazon.com/What-Do-You-Problem/dp/1943200009/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=what+do+you+do+with+a+problem&qid=1609449772&sr=8-1
3. Brave as Can Be: A Book of Courage
by: Jo Witek & Christine Roussey 
www.amazon.com/Brave-As-Can-Be-Courage/dp/1419719238/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=brave+as+can+be&qid=1609449871&sr=8-1
4. The Couch Potato
by: Jory John & Pete Oswald
www.amazon.com/Couch-Potato-Jory-John/dp/0062954539/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+couch+potato&qid=1609449950&sr=8-1
5. The Most Magnificent Thing
by: Ashley Spires
www.amazon.com/Most-Magnificent-Thing-Ashley-Spires/dp/1554537045/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1LCMVF8YCZSF4&dchild=1&keywords=the+most+magnificent+thing+book&qid=1609450084&sprefix=the+most+magnific%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-1
6. I Am Enough
by: Grace Byers & Keturah A. Bobo
www.amazon.com/I-Am-Enough-Grace-Byers/dp/0062667122/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=I+am+enough&qid=1609450177&sr=8-1
​
7. If You Had Your Birthday Party on the Moon
by: Joyce Lapin & Simona Ceccarelli 
www.amazon.com/You-Your-Birthday-Party-Moon/dp/1454929707/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2ARVMSZRI22ZG&dchild=1&keywords=if+you+had+a+birthday+on+the+moon&qid=1609450234&sprefix=if+you+had+a+birthday%2Caps%2C184&sr=8-1
8. How to Read to a Grandma & Grandpa
​by: Jean Reagan  
www.amazon.com/Read-Grandma-Grandpa-Jean-Reagan/dp/1524701939/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1M7JQD8L32920&dchild=1&keywords=how+to+read+to+a+grandma+or+grandpa&qid=1609450373&sprefix=how+to+read+to+a+grandm%2Caps%2C179&sr=8-1
9. The World Needs Who You Were Meant to Be 
by: Joanna Gaines & Julianna Swaney 
www.amazon.com/World-Needs-Who-Were-Made/dp/1400314232/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=OTXOHKIXOIAT&dchild=1&keywords=who+you+were+made+to+be+joanna+gaines&qid=1609450422&sprefix=who+you+were+%2Caps%2C198&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzMERLVUpWUUZaWkRNJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNTkyMjMwM01XSFFRVzdTNzlPNyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjI3NzM0SzZJR0hRTzgwOFZVJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

​Winter has arrived (even in Arizona) & although we may not get snow, it's definitely still chilly here! What's your favorite part about the winter season? I have loved checking out some new wintry, snowy books with my kids this season, as well as pulling out some old favorites, like Snowy Day by: Ezra Jack Keats. 
Please enjoy this small list I have gathered below, & share any of your favorites with me, too! 




SNOW & WINTER BOOKS: 
​1. Snow 
by: Uri Shulevitz 
(Everyone dismisses the oncoming snow storm except for a boy & his dog, and as the snowflakes fall, they truly appreciate & enjoy it.) 
www.amazon.com/Snow-Sunburst-Books-Uri-Shulevitz/dp/0374468621/ref=sr_1_14?dchild=1&keywords=snow&qid=1609814891&sr=8-14
2. Over & Under the Snow
by: Kate Messner & Christopher Neal 
www.amazon.com/Over-Under-Snow-Kate-Messner/dp/1452136467/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=over+%26+under+the+snow&qid=1609814859&sr=8-1
3. A Loud Winter's Nap 
by: Katy Hudson
(Turtle wants to settle down for a nap, but he's having difficulty finding a quiet place to nap. ...& after being woken up several times, he decides that maybe he should just stay up for winter instead of hibernating.)
www.amazon.com/Loud-Winters-Nap-Katy-Hudson/dp/1623708699/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=a+loud+winter%27s+nap&qid=1609866300&sr=8-1

4. Pigloo
by: Anne Marie Pace & Lorna Hussey
(Little Pigloo is an explorer & he is excited to go out & explore in the snow. He likes to imagine & pretend inside too, that he has found the North & South Poles. His sister decides to join in the fun, even after teasing them, & help Pigloo when he reaches the "North Pole" looking for a polar bear.) 
www.amazon.com/Pigloo-Anne-Marie-Pace/dp/1627792023/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=pigloo&qid=1609964955&s=books&sr=1-1

*5. Waiting for Snow*
by: Marsha Diane Arnold & Renata Liwaska 
(This one has long been a favorite at our house, since it came along in a Bookroo box last year. A group of 5 animal friends are eagerly awaiting the first snow, & some of them try to recreate snow (including powdered sugar) to try & show Badger the snow. My favorite quote from this book is: "Sometimes they come late & sometimes early, but they always come, in their time.") 
www.amazon.com/Waiting-Snow-Marsha-Diane-Arnold/dp/0544416872/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=waiting+for+snow&qid=1609866472&sr=8-1

6. The Hat 
by: Jan Brett
(Hedgie, our favorite Jan Brett character, gets his prickles stuck in a woolen stocking that flies off the line while it's drying. While all the farm animals mock him, one by one, they go off to find articles of clothing to wear on their heads too.)  
www.amazon.com/Hat-Jan-Brett/dp/0399231013/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+hat&qid=1609814757&sr=8-1

7. Snow Globe Wishes
by: Erin Dealey & Claire Shorrock 
(While it has Christmasy vibes, this book is about a little girl who shakes a snow globe & makes a wish the stormy night when her family all cuddles up in a fort at home. The next morning, they wake up to a winter wonderland that all their neighbors come to explore & play in too.) 
www.amazon.com/Snow-Globe-Wishes-Erin-Dealey/dp/1534110313/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=snow+globe+wishes&qid=1609814607&sr=8-1

8. Snowflake Bentley 
by: Jacqueline Briggs Martin
(
www.amazon.com/Snowflake-Bentley-Jacqueline-Briggs-Martin/dp/0547248296/ref=sr_1_1?crid=R5S8U1QVLQ5M&dchild=1&keywords=snowflake+bentley&qid=1609867631&sprefix=snowflake+bentle%2Caps%2C205&sr=8-1
9. The Story of Snow
by: Jon Nelson & Mark C.
(A very scientific, nonfiction book about the water cycle & specifically, how snow crystals or snowflakes are formed.) 

10. The Snow Dancer
by: Addie Boswell & Merce Lopez
(
www.amazon.com/Snow-Dancer-Addie-Boswell-ebook/dp/B083SLJCRC/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=snow+books&qid=1609967397&s=books&sr=1-7
11. The Shortest Day 
by: Susan Cooper & Carson Ellis
(People used to gather on the shortest night of the year, lighting candles & building fires. Written in lyrical poetry, Cooper's writing captures the magic of hope for a peaceful future; truly a heartwarming read at a chilly time of year!)  
www.amazon.com/Shortest-Day-Susan-Cooper/dp/0763686980/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+shortest+day&qid=1610127063&sr=8-1
12. The Snowy Nap 
by: Jan Brett
(Hedgie usually hibernates in the winter, but this time he wants to stay up & see what all the fun of winter is about...& his animal friends are determined to help him!) 
www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399170731/ref=crt_ewc_img_dp_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

13. Little Owl's Snow
by: Divya Srinivasan 
(A third book in the series that teaches about seasonal transitions as Owl sights his first snow with his friend Racoon.) 
www.amazon.com/Little-Owls-Snow-Divya-Srinivasan/dp/0593115341/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=little+owl%27s+snow&qid=1610065021&s=books&sr=1-1
14. One Snowy Morning
by: Kevin Tseny 
(This story follows a cute squirrel & chipmunk who discover a snowman, but they don't know what it is & they have their own ideas about the accessories on the snowman too.) 
www.amazon.com/One-Snowy-Morning-Kevin-Tseng/dp/0735230412/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+snowy+morning&qid=1610064922&s=books&sr=1-1
15. Bear Can't Sleep 
by: Karma Wilson 
(Bear knows he's supposed to be hibernating, but he just can't. When his woodland friends decide to check in on him, they all try different methods to get him to sleep, but he decides to tell them a story, & then he ends up drifting off to sleep.)
www.amazon.com/Bear-Cant-Sleep-Books/dp/1481459732/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=bear+can%27t+sleep&qid=1610064894&sr=8-1
16. Animals in Winter
by: Henrietta Bancroft
​(
kidsbooks.com/Store/Details/9780064451659B/animals-in-winter-lets-read-and-find-out-scie
17. The Snowy Day* 
by: Ezra Jack Keats 
(A young boy wakes up & goes out to enjoy the freshly fallen snow! He is younger & doesn't get included in all of the games with the older kids, but he still enjoys making snow angels & making footprints in the snow. He becomes somewhat dismayed when he arrives back at the house & discovers the carefully packed snowball he made has melted through his pocket! But he wakes up the next morning & goes out with a friend to cheerfully explore the snow once more.) 
www.amazon.com/Snowy-Day-Ezra-Jack-Keats/dp/0670654000/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1610127217&sr=8-1

​18.Katy & The Big Snow
by: Virginia Lee Burton
(Katy is a snowplow, ready to hit the roads & clean up after a big snow hits the town. She shovels around the whole town so that the people can continue to use the roads.)
www.amazon.com/Katy-Snow-KATY-SNOW-Hardcover/dp/B00QPOF0I2/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=katy+%26+the+big+snow&qid=1610127335&sr=8-2
19. Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter
by: Kenard Pak 
(A brother & a sister are out on a hike in nature, exploring & greeting all the signs of the coming season: winter.) 
www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Autumn-Hello-Winter-Kenard/dp/1627794166/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=goodbye+autumn+hello+winter&qid=1610065106&s=books&sr=1-1
20. The Magic of Friendship Snow 
by: Andi Cann 
​(Jojo is sad & lonely, but then she meets Puddles the snowman; a snowman made of magical snow.) 
www.amazon.com/Magic-Friendship-Snow-Andi-Cann/dp/099802144X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1610139641&sr=8-1

www.amazon.com/Little-Red-Sleigh-Erin-Guendelsberger/dp/1728223555/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=little+red+sleigh&qid=1607708138&s=books&sr=1-1
I did a few different Christmas Picture Book lists this year (you have probably already seen my 25 books of Christ here on the blog or on Instagram) & this is just me pulling in all kinds of themes related to Christmas & snow. But don't worry, I will have a separate winter season book list to share very soon! 
Please enjoy these books & the snuggles that inevitably come when a good, cozy story is shared! :) 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHRISTMAS PICTURE BOOKS: 
1. The Polar Express
by: Chris Van Allsburg 
(Have you seen this movie too? Tom Hanks does a fantastic job impersonating most of the characters, but it's a pretty sweet film & just expands on what is in this iconic picture book by Allsburg.) 
www.amazon.com/Polar-Express-anniversary-Chris-Allsburg/dp/0544580141/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=the+polar+express&qid=1607664317&s=books&sr=1-3
2. Room for a Little One (*My son's favorite; we read it constantly!) 
by: Martin Waddell & Jason Cockcroft
(The animals in the stable are showing up, one by one, & Kind Ox invites them in out of the cold to stay. Then a donkey comes along with a special rider-- Mary, the mother of Jesus. Kind Ox invites the donkey & the people in & the animals all get to welcome in the Christ child.) 
​www.amazon.com/Room-Little-One-Christmas-Tale/dp/141692518X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=PZ39L1X10UZL&dchild=1&keywords=room+for+a+little+one&qid=1607664406&s=books&sprefix=room+for+a+little%2Cstripbooks%2C208&sr=1-1

3. The Grinch Who Stole Christmas 
by: Dr. Seuss
(To remind us what the true meaning of Christmas is, the Grinch comes along to steal all the Whos decorations, food, & presents, but he is surprised to wake up & hear them singing Christmas morning anyway. And his heart grows as he learns to share & love the Whos down in Whoville.) 
www.amazon.com/Grinch-Stole-Christmas-Classic-Seuss/dp/0394800796/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2U1C2JR41MXKA&dchild=1&keywords=the+grinch+who+stole+christmas+book&qid=1607664479&s=books&sprefix=the+grinch%2Cstripbooks%2C225&sr=1-1

4. I Got the Christmas Spirit
by: Connie Schofield-Morrison & Frank Morrison 
​www.amazon.com/Got-Christmas-Spirit-Connie-Schofield-Morrison/dp/1681195283/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1C80C39MOFW2P&dchild=1&keywords=i+got+the+christmas+spirit&qid=1607578689&sprefix=I+Got+the+Christmas+%2Caps%2C199&sr=8-1 

5. 5 More Sleeps Til Christmas
by: Jimmy Fallon  
(Making the last week until Santa comes even more fun by counting down how many nights until the magic begins!)  
www.amazon.com/5-More-Sleeps-til-Christmas/dp/1250266475/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2QF9XOZ1IYSGK&dchild=1&keywords=5+more+sleeps+til+christmas&qid=1607664552&s=books&sprefix=5+more+slee%2Cstripbooks%2C203&sr=1-3

6. Mortimer's Christmas Manger (*My son's other favorite this Christmas season!) 
by: Karma Wilson   
(Mortimer is a mouse who lives under the stairs, but he dislikes it there & wants a new place to live.  When the family whose house he lives in starts to decorate for Christmas, Mortimer spies a new house with some little people in it & a baby in the hay; he decides to move all of them out for a new place to sleep! But he doesn't know who they characters are until he hears the father of the house telling the Christmas story one night; then Mortimer wants to make room for the baby Jesus once more.) 
www.amazon.com/Mortimers-Christmas-Manger-Karma-Wilson/dp/1416950494/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2I32HZ9C7NKGR&dchild=1&keywords=mortimer%27s+christmas+manger&qid=1607664582&s=books&sprefix=mortimer%27s+chri%2Cstripbooks%2C212&sr=1-2

7.Merry Christmas Mom & Dad 
by: Mercer Mayer 
www.amazon.com/Merry-Christmas-Golden-Look-Look-Book/dp/030711886X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=merry+christmas+mom+%26+dad&qid=1607703201&s=books&sr=1-1

8. Little Santa 
by: Jon Agee  
(This is the tale of how Santa came to be-- it focuses on his life as a young boy, & how he helped his family, who was sick of the snow & wanting to move away to Florida. Little Santa comes to the rescue for a reindeer & with a whole fleet of elves, & well...the rest is history!) 
www.amazon.com/Little-Santa-Jon-Agee/dp/0803739060/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=little+santa&qid=1607703312&s=books&sr=1-3
9. Little Blue Truck's Christmas 
by: Alice Schertle & Jill McElmurry 
(Little Blue Truck is busy getting ready for the Christmas holiday by picking up & delivering Christmas trees to all the animals. He saves one special tree for him & Toad at the end of his journey & it lights up in our version!) 
www.amazon.com/Little-Trucks-Christmas-Alice-Schertle/dp/0544320417/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3636MBGXAYHQD&dchild=1&keywords=little+blue+truck+christmas+book+with+lights&qid=1607703418&s=books&sprefix=little+blue+truck+christmas+%2Cstripbooks%2C206&sr=1-3

10. Bear Stays Up for Christmas 
by: Karma Wilson 
(Bear wants to sleep & hibernate....it's what he does each winter! But Bear's friends are all determined to help him stay up to catch Christmas; & it's a wonderful celebration indeed!) 
www.amazon.com/Bear-Stays-Up-Christmas-Books/dp/1416958967/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1607704198&sr=1-1
11. All the Colors of Christmas
by: Matthew Paul Turner & Gillian Gamble 
​(Have you ever noticed how many colors are present in the celebration of the Christmas holiday? Turner artfully describes it all, from the holiday reds & greens, to including colors like white like the baby's skin & brown pinecones & a donkey.) 
www.amazon.com/Colors-Christmas-Matthew-Paul-Turner/dp/0525654143/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=all+the+colors+of+christmas&qid=1607704257&s=books&sr=1-1 

12. Little Red Sleigh
by: Erin Guendelsberger 
(This little sleigh has dreamed all her life of becoming Santa's sleigh someday; but she's told she is too small & can't fly. But with the help of some friends, she's determined to do the impossible.)  
www.amazon.com/Little-Red-Sleigh-Erin-Guendelsberger/dp/1728223555/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=little+red+sleigh&qid=1607708138&s=books&sr=1-1

13. Goodnight Santa
by:Michelle Robinson & Nick East
(A darling rhyming bedtime story of saying good night to Santa & all the magical, exciting things of Christmas.) 
www.amazon.com/Goodnight-Santa-Perfect-Bedtime-Book/dp/1438006608/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=christmas+eve+goodnight&qid=1607711112&s=books&sr=1-9
14. Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas
by: Jane O'Connor & Robin Preiss Glasser 
(Nancy loves all things Christmas, but especially picking out a Christmas tree where her special tree topper will go. But as they're getting ready to decorate on Christmas Eve, she starts playing Tug-o-War with Frenchie & her precious tree topper shatters. Such a cute story about problem resolution & heirlooms that will touch your heart.) 
www.amazon.com/Fancy-Nancy-Splendiferous-Jane-OConnor/dp/0062847260/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2VSKQ248FTX0F&dchild=1&keywords=fancy+nancy+splendiferous+christmas&qid=1607711328&s=books&sprefix=fancy+nancy+splend%2Cstripbooks%2C199&sr=1-1
15. The Story of Mary, the Mother of God 
by: Dorrie Papademetriou 
​www.amazon.com/Story-Mary-Mother-God/dp/0881412058/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=the+story+of+mary&qid=1607711420&s=books&sr=1-6

16. The Wild Christmas Reindeer
by: Jan Brett
(Teeka is in charge of getting the reindeers trained & ready for Santa's flight on Christmas Eve. But at first, the reindeers only get tangled up & make a great big mess; will Teeka be able to get them organized in time?) 
www.amazon.com/Wild-Christmas-Reindeer-Jan-Brett/dp/0698116526/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2XK0ZTL7W74K9&dchild=1&keywords=the+wild+christmas+reindeer+jan+brett&qid=1607711511&s=books&sprefix=the+wild+Christmas+rein%2Cstripbooks%2C205&sr=1-1

17. Mistletoe: A Christmas Story
by: Tad Hill
www.amazon.com/Mistletoe-Christmas-Story-Tad-Hills/dp/0593174429/ref=sr_1_1?crid=19OKN1HX5JNO&dchild=1&keywords=mistletoe+tad+hills&qid=1607664875&s=books&sprefix=mistelto%2Cstripbooks%2C204&sr=1-1

18. The Christmas Star 
by: Marcus Pfister
(The shining star leads all the people & animals to the Christ child the night of His birth.)    
www.amazon.com/Christmas-Star-Marcus-Pfister/dp/073584299X/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=christmas+star&qid=1607711879&s=books&sr=1-4

19. Who's that Knocking on Christmas Eve? 
by: Jan Brett 
(A young girl & her father have to battle trolls each Christmas; they always come & steal their Christmas Eve feast & make a huge mess. But this year Kyrie has a friend & his giant polar bear visiting-- those trolls will think twice about disturbing this family in the future.) 
www.amazon.com/Whos-That-Knocking-Christmas-Eve/dp/0399238735/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2ZHA2E4MS5TRZ&dchild=1&keywords=who%27s+that+knocking+on+christmas+eve&qid=1607711669&s=books&sprefix=who%27s+that+knocking+%2Cstripbooks%2C203&sr=1-2
20. The Night before Christmas
by: Jan Brett 
(It's the cherished poem by Clement Moore we all know & love, but set to beautiful, brilliant illustrations by Jan Brett.) 
www.amazon.com/Night-Before-Christmas-Jan-Brett/dp/1984816829/ref=sr_1_4?crid=36EYGYHJGY99B&dchild=1&keywords=twas+the+night+before+christmas+book+jan+brett&qid=1607711717&s=books&sprefix=twas+the+night+%2Cstripbooks%2C216&sr=1-4
21. Pick a Pine Tree
by:  Patricia Toht & Jarvis 
(Do you pick your family Christmas tree out each year? This beautiful wintry book shows the excitement of picking out a special tree to decorate for Christmas with your family.) 
www.amazon.com/Pick-Pine-Tree-Patricia-Toht/dp/0763695718/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=pick+a+pine+tree&qid=1607711792&s=books&sr=1-1

22.Twas Nochebuena
by: Roseanne Thong 
www.amazon.com/Twas-Nochebuena-Roseanne-Greenfield-Thong/dp/0670016349/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=twas+nochebuena&qid=1607711611&s=books&sr=1-1

23. The First Christmas Night
by: Keith Christopher 
www.amazon.com/First-Christmas-Night-Keith-Christopher/dp/0824956532/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=the+first+christmas+night&qid=1607664997&s=books&sr=1-2
​
24. Llama Llama, Holiday Drama
​by: Anna Dewdney  
(Llama Llama is so excited for Christmas & counting down the days. But then, it all gets to be too much for him; he's stressed by all the baking & decorating! Thankfully Mama Llama is able to calm him down & remind him the most important gift of the holiday season, is having each other.) 
www.amazon.com/Llama-Holiday-Drama-Anna-Dewdney/dp/0670011614/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=llama+llama+holiday+drama+books&qid=1607704655&s=books&sr=1-1

25. The Lights in the Church 
by: Marilee Joy Mayfield 
(
www.amazon.com/Lights-Church-Marilee-Joy-Mayfield/dp/1953177352/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=the+lights+in+the+church&qid=1607706350&s=books&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzVVNEVlhUOExJSzVDJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjk0MjIwMjNFQU9VUjNQUkxVTyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUExMDEzMjk5MkdOSENISDU0M0lTVSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
27. Construction Site on Christmas Night
by: Sherri Duskey Rinker 
(Rinker is back with all those lovable construction vehicles, & this time, they are getting ready to decorate the town Christmas tree!) 
www.amazon.com/Construction-Christmas-Sherri-Duskey-Rinker/dp/1452139113/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=christmas+eve+goodnight&qid=1607706304&s=books&sr=1-3

28. Jingle Bells 
by: Susan Jeffers 
(I can't read this one without singing along to the classic Christmas tune, accompanied by wintry white illustrations.) 
www.amazon.com/Jingle-Bells-Susan-Jeffers/dp/0062360205/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=jingle+bells&qid=1607704561&s=books&sr=1-4
​
29. Dasher: How  A Brave Little Doe Changed Christmas Forever
by: Matt Tavares
(You know the name Dasher from the song about Rudolph, but do you know the story of Dasher? The first reindeer to help Santa & his horse, Silver Bells, pull the sleigh one Christmas Eve. And furthermore, she escapes from the circus where she & her family have been trapped for a long time; but she returns to rescue her family & all the reindeers get hooked up to Santa's sleigh to carry it on Christmas Eve after that.) 
www.amazon.com/Dasher-Little-Changed-Christmas-Forever/dp/1536201375/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=little+red+sleigh&qid=1607704414&s=books&sr=1-2
​
30. The Berenstain Bears & the Christmas Angel
by: Mike Berenstain 
www.amazon.com/Berenstain-Bears-Christmas-Living-Lights/dp/0310749247/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+berenstain+bears+%26+the+christmas+angel&qid=1607704697&s=books&sr=1-1

I read a lot this year (a bit more, due to pandemic restrictions) & I am happy to say there were a lot of amazing books on my list! I'm going to share my top 10 favorite books with you on this post today & I'll give a quick summary as well as why it was a favorite for me. I hope you can find some commonality or perhaps a new book recommendation from this list; enjoy! 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Atomic Habits
by: James Clear  
(This book rocked my way of thinking about goals vs. habits, & how we have to think of habits more as a lifestyle change & recognize that it takes time. It introduced 4 laws of habit change: 1) make it obvious, 2) make it attractive, 30 make it easy & 4) make it satisfying. I bought the habits calendar & have been keeping myself accountable daily since I read this book, as I strive to turn into the person I want to be.) 
www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Atomic+habits&qid=1607445720&sr=8-1

2. The Read-Aloud Family: Eighth Edition 
by: Jim Trelease 
(My interest in this book should be self-explanatory, but it has greatly added to my knowledge base about reading with kids & early literacy, which is what I primarily discuss on my podcast. There are so many great tips as well as carefully curated book lists for all age levels in the back.) 
www.amazon.com/Jim-Treleases-Read-Aloud-Handbook-Eighth/dp/0143133799/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+read-aloud+handbook&qid=1607445690&sr=8-1

3. Lovely War
by: Julie Berry
(This is one of the first WWI novels I've read in a long while & Berry is SO masterful in the way she weaves this tale. It goes from Greek gods convening with the goddess of love, who then tells the story of 4 individuals during WWI times, who fought or served in the war, & fell in love with each other. Hazel & James are my absolute favorite!) 
www.amazon.com/Lovely-War-Julie-Berry/dp/0147512972/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=lovely+war&qid=1607445802&sr=8-1

4.The Hiding Place
by: Corrie Ten Boom & Elizabeth Sherrill
(Corrie is a lovable woman who, during World War II, risked her life to protect & hide Jews from the Nazis. Eventually, she & her sister Betsy were taken to concentration camps when they were caught, but the life lessons Corrie learned continued in those camps.  Betsy even shows one how to be grateful in spite of horrific circumstances, & it's a truly memorable tale from WWII.)  
www.amazon.com/Hiding-Place-Corrie-Ten-Boom/dp/0800794052/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+hiding+place&qid=1607445828&sr=8-1

5. The Giver of Stars
by: Jojo Moyes 
(Taking place during the Great Depression, another historical fiction novel I enjoyed, is the story of the packhorse librarians from Kentucky. 
www.amazon.com/Giver-Stars-Novel-Jojo-Moyes/dp/0399562486/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+giver+of+stars&qid=1607445862&sr=8-1

6. Edenbrooke
by: Julianne Donaldson
  (One of the cleanest romances out there & a very intriguing one at that.
www.amazon.com/Edenbrooke-Julianne-Donaldson/dp/1609089464/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=edenbrooke&qid=1607445908&sr=8-2

7. The Self-Driven Child
by: William Stixrud & Ned Johnson 
(A thorough parenting book if I've ever read one! It discusses how to handle things from toddlers through high school age kids & I know that information will come more in handy as my kids grow. I love the idea of helping my children learn to be more accountable human beings!) 
www.amazon.com/Self-Driven-Child-Science-Giving-Control/dp/0735222525/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=the+self-driven+child&qid=1607445957&sr=8-2

8. The Tattooist of Auschwitz
by: Heather Morris
(An unlikely love story, as well as many atrocities, takes place in this WWII novel; it still ended up in my top 10 for the year though! I loved Lale's development; the main character & the one selected to tattoo all of the Jews who ended up in the Auschwitz- Birkenau camp, mainly because of his linguistic ability. Believe it or not, this one did have a somewhat happy ending, in spite of all the terrible things that happened to Lale & his love, Gita.) 
www.amazon.com/Tattooist-Auschwitz-Novel-Heather-Morris/dp/0062797158/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2KJM85F0R0SJN&dchild=1&keywords=the+tattooist+of+auschwitz&qid=1607446037&sprefix=the+tattoist+of%2Caps%2C206&sr=8-4

9. American Spy
by: Lauren Wilkinson 
(Do you like a good spy story? What about when the spy falls in love with the person she's spying on? This book was SO good; it was not even remotely boring, even during the political situation explanations of the Cold War. Marie, even though she has 2 children, has been an agent for years, & the flashbacks to her former life, before children, make it intriguing & somewhat confusing. Also, this book touched on the themes of: racism, family relationships, & romance and it was done masterfully.) 
www.amazon.com/American-Spy-Novel-Lauren-Wilkinson/dp/0812998952/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=american+spy&qid=1607446766&sr=8-1

10. American Royals
by: Katharine McGee 
(What if America had become a monarchy after the Revolutionary War, & George Washington had been our first king instead of the first president? This concept truly fascinated me & made the book plot interesting, but of course, there was plenty of drama & royalty, as well as several relationships to follow in this book, AND McGee skillfully rolls out the story from 4 different points of view-- which keeps you on your toes for what happens next!) 
​www.amazon.com/American-Royals-Katharine-McGee/dp/1984830201/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=american+royals&qid=1607446060&sr=8-1