With the end of the year approaching “Best of…” lists are popping up everywhere. Have you read these Best Picture Books of 2017? (Click the link to see the list in our catalog.)

One of my personal favorites was written by famed author of The Day the Crayons Quit, Drew Daywalt. The Legend of Rock, Paper, Scissors was illustrated by the amazing Adam Rex, known for writing and illustrating his own picture books, such as

and for illustrating other authors, such as Neil Gaiman’s sneezing panda, Chu, books.

With this author/illustrator combo, you really can’t go wrong. Daywalt’s clever text is amplified by Rex’s hilarious illustrations, making this one a true treat. If you’ve ever wondered how the game of Rock, Paper, Scissors began, make sure to check this one out!

Adam Rex also teamed up with Mac Barnett, a great contemporary picture book author, on last year’s How This Book Was Made, another personal favorite.

Barnett authored a recent (2011) favorite of mine, Extra Yarn, a Caldecott honor book and modern fairy tale.

We also have a list of the Best Middle Grade Fiction of 2017. I’m really excited to see Rise of the Jumbies on this list. The first book in the series, The Jumbies, was one of my favorites from 2016. A creepy Haitian folktale comes to life in this spooky adventure story. I particularly enjoyed listening to the audiobook version, which is available in our constortium.

For even more “Best of…” kids book lists, check out the following links:

• Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Books of 2017 – follow the headings at the top of this list to see Kirkus’s other “Best of…” lists for the year
• Goodreads Choice Awards 2017 – Best Picture Books – follow the links on the left side of the page for more Goodreads Choice Awards
• Publishers Weekly Best Picture Books 2017  – following the links at the top of the page for more PW lists
• New York Times Notable Children’s Books of 2017
• New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Books of 2017

Happy New Year (of books)!

~*Nicole, Head of Children’s