There have been many wonderful picture books released in 2015.
Here are some of my favorites in no particular order.
This book is adorable and shows the importance of independence and travel as well as family. Edmund is a bouncy, rambunctious ball of yarn who travels the world. He becomes lonely though and realizes that in the end he misses his loved ones. The art in this book is colorful, bold, and dynamic.
"To the Sea" is a great book about a boy named Tim who feels alone and just wants a friend. He meets a whale who is stranded on the land named Sam. The two become friends and Tim helps his whale friend return to the sea. The colors and compositions used in this book are absolutely incredible and set an adventurous tone.
This book is hilarious and so much fun. It's about a shark who wants to be a detective! Shark goes around searching for mysteries to solve and finally learns about a missing cat. In the end of this colorful story Shark solves multiple mysteries and makes a new friend. The fun and sketchy illustrations also pair harmoniously with the text.
I love dog books and this story is wonderful. It is about how Simon just wants to sleep in his new ultra cozy bed, but the cat in the house won't let him. The illustrations are so playful and the illustrator does an incredible job considering the story mostly takes place in one room.
This is another heartwarming dog book. "Job Wanted" is about a dog who just wants a job on a farm. He tries different roles on the farm including being a cow, a chicken, and a horse. None of these roles quite fit though and in the end he finds the place where he truly belongs. I also love how the art is so soft and atmospheric.
The text in this book is rhyming and is super catchy. It's a poem about one boy's love of every kind of dog. Every once in a while when I'm at the park and see many dogs I'll start saying some of the couplets in my mind. And although the text doesn't clearly state a story, the illustrator creates a narrative for the reader to follow. The many types of dogs are also illustrated with such character!
Can you tell I like dog books? The white space is masterfully crafted in this book about a sleepwalking dog. Dave's owner Lily thinks Dave is the laziest dog ever. What she doesn't know is that Dave ends up saving the day all while he is sleeping! The illustrations are very delightful and a wonder to look at.
This book is so much fun! Who hasn't pretended to be a robot? This book about pretending and becoming a robot doesn't follow the usual story arc and knows it! There is even a fun paper transformation in the book as well. The flamboyant text pairs beautifully with the vibrant and animated illustrations.
Little Bird learned a bad word from his dad and thinks it is so much fun to say. BLARK! He starts telling all his friends his new favorite word but his friends shy away from him. Little Bird is left all alone wondering what has gone wrong. By the end of the story all the friendships have been restored and Little Bird learns the power of words. The illustrations are lovely and I love the colors, characters, and compositions.
Who couldn't love cute vegetables in underwear? This book is a celebration of all the different types of underwear. Many different adorable vegetables don the undergarments in this simple, but well designed book.
Goodnight Already is a fun friendship story about two friends who are total opposites. Bear just wants to sleep while Duck just wants to do fun activities with him. The two friends go back and forth trying to state their case. The ending is just as fun and hilarious as the rest of the story. The artwork is so joyful and the colors and textures used really add to the story.
In Beyond the Pond a boy and his dog decide to discover what lies below the surface of the pond in the backyard. The two go on an adventure and discover a new world, and make it back home with a new perspective. It is gloriously illustrated. I particularly love the underwater scenes because they really capture the atmosphere of being underwater.
What are your favorite picture books of 2015? Let me know in the comments below.
Here are some of my favorites in no particular order.
Edmund Unravels
This book is adorable and shows the importance of independence and travel as well as family. Edmund is a bouncy, rambunctious ball of yarn who travels the world. He becomes lonely though and realizes that in the end he misses his loved ones. The art in this book is colorful, bold, and dynamic.
To the Sea
"To the Sea" is a great book about a boy named Tim who feels alone and just wants a friend. He meets a whale who is stranded on the land named Sam. The two become friends and Tim helps his whale friend return to the sea. The colors and compositions used in this book are absolutely incredible and set an adventurous tone.
Shark Detective
This book is hilarious and so much fun. It's about a shark who wants to be a detective! Shark goes around searching for mysteries to solve and finally learns about a missing cat. In the end of this colorful story Shark solves multiple mysteries and makes a new friend. The fun and sketchy illustrations also pair harmoniously with the text.
Simon's New Bed
I love dog books and this story is wonderful. It is about how Simon just wants to sleep in his new ultra cozy bed, but the cat in the house won't let him. The illustrations are so playful and the illustrator does an incredible job considering the story mostly takes place in one room.
Job Wanted
This is another heartwarming dog book. "Job Wanted" is about a dog who just wants a job on a farm. He tries different roles on the farm including being a cow, a chicken, and a horse. None of these roles quite fit though and in the end he finds the place where he truly belongs. I also love how the art is so soft and atmospheric.
I Love Dogs
The text in this book is rhyming and is super catchy. It's a poem about one boy's love of every kind of dog. Every once in a while when I'm at the park and see many dogs I'll start saying some of the couplets in my mind. And although the text doesn't clearly state a story, the illustrator creates a narrative for the reader to follow. The many types of dogs are also illustrated with such character!
Lazy Dave
Can you tell I like dog books? The white space is masterfully crafted in this book about a sleepwalking dog. Dave's owner Lily thinks Dave is the laziest dog ever. What she doesn't know is that Dave ends up saving the day all while he is sleeping! The illustrations are very delightful and a wonder to look at.
Robosauce
This book is so much fun! Who hasn't pretended to be a robot? This book about pretending and becoming a robot doesn't follow the usual story arc and knows it! There is even a fun paper transformation in the book as well. The flamboyant text pairs beautifully with the vibrant and animated illustrations.
Little Bird's Bad Word
Little Bird learned a bad word from his dad and thinks it is so much fun to say. BLARK! He starts telling all his friends his new favorite word but his friends shy away from him. Little Bird is left all alone wondering what has gone wrong. By the end of the story all the friendships have been restored and Little Bird learns the power of words. The illustrations are lovely and I love the colors, characters, and compositions.
Vegetables in Underwear
Who couldn't love cute vegetables in underwear? This book is a celebration of all the different types of underwear. Many different adorable vegetables don the undergarments in this simple, but well designed book.
Goodnight Already
(technically released December 2014)
Goodnight Already is a fun friendship story about two friends who are total opposites. Bear just wants to sleep while Duck just wants to do fun activities with him. The two friends go back and forth trying to state their case. The ending is just as fun and hilarious as the rest of the story. The artwork is so joyful and the colors and textures used really add to the story.
Beyond the Pond
In Beyond the Pond a boy and his dog decide to discover what lies below the surface of the pond in the backyard. The two go on an adventure and discover a new world, and make it back home with a new perspective. It is gloriously illustrated. I particularly love the underwater scenes because they really capture the atmosphere of being underwater.
What are your favorite picture books of 2015? Let me know in the comments below.
