Flyleaf's Favorite Picture Books 2023
I love a prickly kid and a prickly cat. This endearing story of two spiky souls finding one another and learning how to trust and love brought me to happy tears. --Maggie
Words hurt. And I don't think our adults always understand just HOW MUCH damage their casual words can cause. This book is a great visualization of how it often feels to be little and big, in a world that wants you to be small. --Jamie K.
Fans of Press Here and The Book With No Pictures, here’s ONE new picture book that’s sure to delight. Perfect for storytimes & read-alouds, and guaranteed to elicit giggles. --Elese
A horror story or a housewarming party? As Melvina Whitmoore soon learns, things are not always what they seem... A wonderful book for conquering fears and embracing new experiences. And a fun (but not too scary!) book about ghosties & things that go bump in the night. --Elese
This little mole stole my heart! Follow this sweet little mole as they worry their way through underground tunnels on the way to Rabbit’s party. Mole is shy and doesn’t always know how to act in social situations. Have you ever felt this way? (I know I have.) Guess what? You’re not alone! --Tony
Reading this book is utter revelry—what a marvelous celebration of the juiciness that language brings to our lips, minds, lives! A feast for the eyes and ears. --Talia
Drawing on the real histories of countless people who were punished for speaking their native tongue, this book celebrates the power of language. Children will delight in practicing their Spanish along with Manolo as he prepares for his school's spelling bee. --Jamie K.
"Daddy's joy is bigger than him. It's a wide, gap-toothed smile and a deep rumbling laugh that shakes the dinner table kind of joy."
How can a book that begins this way not be wonderful? And it is. Muhammad receives a prayer rug for his 7th birthday and is nervous about what others will think of him observing salat at school. Heartwarming and significant, this is picture book perfection. --Elese
A book of moments. Beautiful words and astounding illustrations collect a boy's perspective on his world. The view from the backseat on the morning drive. How his Baba's house makes him feel. Gathering worms in the rain on the way to school. The small things that make one person's relationship to another unique and special. And most of all, the love. --Elese
Stanley is a little boy who, in public, speaks softly and expresses himself even softer. His tap dancing is a closely held secret, but talent like this can't be hidden forever. Join Stanley as he grows in confidence and amazes his friends, both with dance and in everyday life. --Jamie K.
Absolutely gorgeous illustrations accompany this sweet story about the magic of reading—how it can take you on adventures around the world and also help you find your way back home. (The bunny on every page is a delightful lagniappe.) --Elese
A delightfully strange story of artistic vision and intense bravery. You'll see the world differently after spending time with Lonely Bird. --Talia