Publisher's Weekly Best Picture Books of 2022Like this list

18 items

• Berry Song

  Goade, Michaela,

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  “On an island at the edge of a wide, wild sea,” a Tlingit child and grandmother celebrate the earth as they forage through the seasons. Together, they express gratitude as they gather seaweed, catch “slippery salmon,” and pick forest…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Big Truck, Little Island

  Van Dusen, Chris,

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  When a jackknifed semi obstructs an island’s lone thoroughfare, four children stuck on either side come up with the solution of having their parents swap cars so they can head to their respective outings. Van Dusen’s crisply rhyming,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Choosing Brave

  How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement

  Joy, Angela, 1975-

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  In a well-contextualized historical volume, Joy’s urgent, cadenced prose and Washington’s dimensional cut-paper artwork relay the biography of Mamie Till-Mobley from childhood to parenthood to seeking justice for the lynching of her son,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• A Day for Sandcastles.

  Lawson, JonArno,

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  Lawson and Leng offer a wordless story about a long day at the beach. When three children begin building a sandcastle near the ocean’s edge, various events require the kids to begin again. It’s a gentle vision of the best kind of childhood…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Does a Bulldozer Have a Butt?

  Wilder, Derick,

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  As a father and child walk to school, an important question arises: “Which things do and don’t have butts?” Paired with Steele’s renderings of myriad tushes, Wilder’s conceit will doubtless win over young readers. Most important, though,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Farmhouse

  Blackall, Sophie,

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  In densely textured multimedia spreads that offer much to pore over, this picture book relays the history of a clapboard farmhouse “where twelve children/ were born and raised,/ where they learned to crawl,/ in the short front hall.” The…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Hot Dog

  Salati, Doug,

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  Salati’s remarkable solo debut stars a copper-hued, city-dwelling dachshund melting down on one sizzling summer day, until—a cab, a train, and a ferry later—hound and human companion arrive at “an island... wild and long and low,” where,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• If You're a Kid Like Gavin

  Grimm, Gavin,

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  Grimm, Lukoff, and Yang’s autobiographical picture book traces how discriminatory practices at school led to Grimm’s advocating for trans rights all the way to the Supreme Court. This call for action, authenticity, and equity invites…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• John's Turn

  Barnett, Mac,

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  After a morning of nerves, John takes the stage with a breathlessly kinetic dance routine—and the audience knows just how to respond. Employing sweet humor and sensory detail, Barnett and Berube convey the unexpected beauty of a school…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Love in the Library

  Tokuda-Hall, Maggie,

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  Love blooms at a Japanese prison camp in this compassionate narrative inspired by the experiences of Tokuda-Hall’s grandparents. Employing simple yet evocative language paired with dynamic gouache and watercolor illustrations by Imamura,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Maya's Song

  Watson, Renée,

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  In allusive biographical poems that focus on their subject’s developing voice, Watson recounts the life of activist and author Maya Angelou, beginning with her St. Louis birth and ending with her reading at the 1993 presidential…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Nigel and the Moon

  Eady, Antwan,

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  A Black boy named Nigel struggles to share his aspirations with anyone except the moon, but when his parents attend his classroom’s career week, he finds courage to move beyond comparison. Subtly tackling themes of class, gender…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• "No!" Said Custard the Squirrel

  Ruzzier, Sergio, 1966-

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  Pointing to a ducklike image in a book, a gray rodent-type animal confronts the eponymous protagonist: “Custard the Squirrel, aren’t you a duck?” “No,” replies Custard, a yellow figure with an orange bill and feet. As the rodent insists on…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Sal Boat

  a Boat by Sal

  Heder, Thyra,

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  A science lesson persuades rock Rick, who sits on Room 214’s Nature Finds shelf, that he’s made for adventure in this winning classroom picture book. Mixing humorous narration with comics-style framing, Falatko and Chan earn a gold star…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• A Seed Grows

  Portis, Antoinette,

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  Employing spare language and sunny, stippled multimedia spreads that belie their quiet complexity, Portis gracefully traces a sunflower’s cycle from seed to sprout to plant—and back again. Almost as jam-packed as a seed itself, this…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Walter Had a Best Friend

  Underwood, Deborah,

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  After Walter’s best friend finds a new companion, the rodent sustains a period of real mourning before things improve. Underwood and Ruzzier pay careful attention to the character’s difficult experience, giving it direct, powerful words…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Where Is Bina Bear?

  Curato, Mike,

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  While at a social gathering, Bina, a large purple bear, camouflages herself as a series of increasingly elaborate objects. When the event's host asks if she’s okay, Bina admits that she doesn’t care for parties. With a gently comic touch,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The World Belonged to Us

  Woodson, Jacqueline,

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  Lilting, intimate lines by Woodson capture a delicious sense of autonomy and possibility shared “in Brooklyn/ in the summer/ not so long ago,” when “the minute/ school ended, us kids were free as air.” In Espinosa’s spreads, kids crowd…Read moreRead more of this annotation