As a judge for the Cybils Awards Picture Book and Board Book Categories, I got to do one of the things I love -- read and talk about children's books!! Now that the judging is over and the winner has been announced, I thought I'd share a few thoughts about the finalists, because they were all amazing!
Animals Go Vroom! by Abi Cushman, published by Viking Books for Young Readers
A really cute concept! Once they learn the pattern, kids can have fun trying to guess which vehicle is making the noise. This one has actual pages like a picture book, but they are thicker to stand up to handling by toddlers.
Big Bear, Little Bear by Marine Schneider, published by Cameron Kids
This was our top pick! I really liked the humor in this book. Comparing Big Bear and Little Bear on each spread was a genius idea. This book had fun surprises and a heart-warming ending. I could picture a toddler carrying this one around as a favourite.
Caution! Road Signs Ahead by Tony Buzzeo & Chi Birmingham, published by Rise x Penguin Workshop
This fun concept book has pages shaped liked road signs, which gives young hands something to touch and explore. Many common road signs are included, like stop signs and the school bus stop.
Circle Under Berry by Carter Higgins, published by Chronicle Books
What an interesting book! It provides a way to play with shapes in a really creative way I've never seen before. I enjoyed the way it stretched my imagination!
Comparrotives by Janik Coat, published by Abrams Appleseed
The bright colours are so appealing and go so well with the humor! This book was so funny, and I loved how it had elements toddlers could touch.
This is Still Not a Book by Jean Jullien
This is the book a toddler will carry around and play with, filled with all kinds of non-book illustrations. Because there's no text at all, no adults are needed for reading this one! There are a couple of fold-out pages to make it even more fun.
I really liked how this book introduced animal habitats to very young readers. This was a sturdy book that won't easily break (a definite plus for a interactive book) and I think it would also age-up with children. I know preschoolers who enjoy finding things would spend a long time exploring the pictures.
Additional Resources:
You can find descriptions of the books at the Cybils Awards website.