Asking me to pick my favorite picture books is a little rude, honestly. What am I supposed to do with all the others? Explain to them why they didn’t make the list?  Plus, my favorites change day to day.  Which is allowed, right?

But if you sat down next to me and asked which ones I think you should read with your kids, these are ten I’d put in your hands.

Reading should make children feel something, wonder about something, and want to turn the page.

 These books do that.

1. Home in a Lunchbox 

by Cherry Mo

Read this when™… someone feels new, left out, or unsure where they belong.

Jun navigates a new school and an unfamiliar language, finding comfort—and connection—in her lunchbox. I love how much the illustrations let us understand without anyone explaining it.

Start sharing: Around 4; revisit for conversations about belonging and language.

2. Mother Bruce

By Ryan T. Higgins

Read this when™… everyone needs a laugh, including you.

Bruce’s breakfast hatches and decides he’s its mother. He is not thrilled. The expressions alone deserve your attention. Sometimes laughing together over a deeply inconvenienced bear is exactly what reading should be.

Start sharing: Around 3–4; the humor has plenty for older kids and adults.

3. The Rabbit Listened

By Cori Doerrfeld

Read this when™… you want to discuss empathy and being there for a friend.

Everyone has advice for an upset Taylor. The rabbit stays and listens. I love how this little story captures something adults spend years trying to learn.

Start sharing: Around 3; the conversation about helping others grows with the reader.

4. Journey

By Aaron Becker

Read this when™… you want to get wonderfully lost in a story together.

A child draws a door and steps into an extraordinary adventure. No words, SO much story. I love the room it gives children to notice, wonder, and figure things out.

Start sharing: Around 4; older readers can dig into the intricate visual storytelling.

5. Ish

By Peter H. Reynolds

Read this when™… perfection is getting in the way of enjoying yourself.

Ramon loves drawing until someone makes him question whether he’s good enough. I love the freedom this book offers anyone who has let “It doesn’t look right” ruin the pleasure of making something.

Start sharing: Around 4; keep it around as comparison and self-criticism creep in.

6. Lubna and Pebble

By Wendy Meddour, illustrated by Daniel Egnéus

Read this when™… you want to explore what makes us feel safe—and what we can offer someone else.

A pebble brings Lubna comfort while she and her father live in a world of tents. Then she meets someone who needs comfort, too. Tender, beautiful, and full of things worth thinking about together.

Start sharing: Around 5; older readers can explore the story’s refugee context more deeply.

7. After the Fall

By Dan Santat

Read this when™… you want to discuss who we are on the inside.

Humpty Dumpty is back together, but he’s scared. I love that this story makes room for how hard trying again can feel. And the ending? Please discover it for yourself.

Start sharing: Around 4–5; fear and courage give older readers plenty to discuss.

8. Broken

By X. Fang

Read this when™… telling the truth feels harder than hiding what happened.

Mei Mei breaks her grandmother’s cup. Then the innocent cat gets blamed. Funny and tender, this book understands how enormous a mistake can feel when you’re little.

Start sharing: Around 4; revisit to talk about guilt, forgiveness, and trust.

9. The Lion and the Bird

By Marianne Dubuc

Read this when™… you want to discuss how relationships can shift and change.

A lion cares for an injured bird, and a friendship grows. Eventually, the bird leaves. I love the quiet tenderness of this story and how much feeling lives between the words.

Start sharing: Around 4; its themes of friendship and separation reach well beyond that.

10. Lila Greer, Teacher of the Year

By Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts

Read this when ™… a new beginning feels overwhelming

Before Lila was a teacher, she was a worried child who needed one. I love how this story shows the lasting difference an adult can make by helping a child feel understood.

Start sharing: Around 5; older kids can reflect on who has made a difference for them.

You don’t have to wait for a worry, a mistake, or a hard day to read any of these. An ordinary Tuesday will do.

Pick one you’re excited about. Your enthusiasm gets to count, too.