My Favorite Picture Books from 2022
If you follow my blog, you know I returned to the classroom for the 2022-2023 school year. I am teaching first grade this year, so most of the books I selected from 2022 are ones my students love. I selected Don't Eat Bees: Life Lessons from Chip the Dog because the pictures are super cute, and the kids thought the dog was funny. The Read for the Record selection for 2022 was Nigel and the Moon. My class spent a week integrating reading and writing about this book into our lessons, making it one of our favorites. I am obsessed with The Year We Learned to Fly. Jacqueline Woodson and Rafael Lopez are a fantastic team, and I love their first book, The Day You Begin. I could not wait to read The Year We Learned to Fly, their second book. When I finally had an opportunity, I was not disappointed. Each book on my list was selected because it is worth reading and has my first-graders stamp of approval. Please do yourself a favor and check them out
The Year We Learned to Fly by Jacqueline Woodson, Illustrated by Rafael Lopez
A grandmother tells her grandchildren, who cannot go outside to play, to use their imaginations to leave the confines of their home. Whenever the children are bored, their grandmother instructs them to “Lift your arms, close your eyes, take a deep breath…” and use their imagination to go somewhere fun. This fantastically mesmerizing book celebrates Black joy and liberation. Jacqueline Woodson and Rafael Lopez make a fantastic pair, and you cannot go wrong by reading The Year We Learned to Fly.
That’s Not My Name! By Anoosha Syed
Mirha (MIR-ha) is excited to start school, but her classmates need help pronouncing her name. Even the teacher struggles with saying her name correctly. Mirha is disappointed about how the first day of school went, so she asks her mother if she can change her name to something easier to pronounce. Her mother reminds her what her name means and how proud she should be to have it. The next day, Mirha went to school and made sure her friends and teacher knew how to say her name correctly. As a person named Senetria, this book speaks to me. As a teacher, it reinforces the need to take time and say our students' names how their families say them.
Set Sail for Pancakes by Tim Kleyn
One morning, Margot and Grandpa have a craving for pancakes. However, they are out of eggs, milk, and flour. They set out on their Beluga Blue ship to cross the sea, stopping at various islands to get their needed ingredients. After a bit of trouble, they have everything and even find an ingredient that will make the pancakes extra tasty.
I love the onomatopoeia in this story. This book reminds me of How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World.
Luli and the Language of Tea by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Hyewon Yum
Luli is a 5-year-old ESL kindergarten student who decides to hold a tea party to get her classmates talking. When Luli calls the delicious, hot beverage "Chá!" her classmates answer with the phrases for tea in their native tongues, which range from Russian to Arabic to Swahili. Even though many are from various nations, they can recognize tea.
Many of my students are ELLs, and I love hearing them speak their native language. They would love to attend Luli's tea party.
Knight Owl by Christopher Denise
In this Caldecott Honor Book, Owl dreams of becoming a knight one day, but there is one problem: he is a small bird. However, fear not; Owl gets his chance to be a knight because knights are disappearing. After graduating from knight training, Owl is put on the night guard. That is when a hungry dragon comes to eat more knights, and Owl has to be cunning to win the day.
It’s cool that the little guy gets to live his dream.
Berry Song by Michaela Goade
This Caldecott Honor picture book is a lovely story about being thankful and appreciating the earth. Berry Song is about the seasonal berry-picking of the Tlingit people in Sheet'ká, Alaska. Throughout the year, a grandmother and her granddaughter collect gifts from the earth while singing songs to express their gratitude and keep bears at bay while berry picking.
Don't Eat Bees: Life Lessons from Chip the Dog by Dav Petty, Illustrated by Mike Boldt
Chip, an intelligent dog with a big personality, shares a few dos and don'ts. After all, he's seven years old and knows what to eat and what not to eat. Important papers, the fancy bird the humans cooked for the fancy dinner, and Grandpa's teeth are among the tasty items. Chip also knows what to avoid eating, like bees. Chip does not suggest you eat bees.
Nigel and the Moon by Antwan Eady, Illustrations by Gracey Zhang
When he grows up, Nigel wants to be an astronaut, a dancer, and a superhero. He hesitates to tell his family and friends that he wants to be a dancer because he has never seen a dancer who looks like him in a book. Since he does not feel comfortable sharing his dream with friends and family, he confides in the moon, his haven. When Nigel's parents come to school on the last day of Career Day to discuss their jobs, he decides to share his dreams with everyone.
Children’s literature gets better each year, and 2022 was an awesome year for the genre. There is no way I can cover every book that my students and I love in one post. Books like Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall, The Talk by Alicia D. Williams, and Uncle John’s City Garden by Bernette G. Ford are all at the top of my list.
Happy Reading!
