Dad's Bookshelf: November 2023
By the time November comes around, choosing the books that go on Dad’s Bookshelf just keeps getting harder and harder. I have piles of picture books all around the house getting ready for our Halloween list, our Christmas list, and then in no time at all it will be time for the Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards.
All that means that I have lots of brand-new, high-quality picture books on my mind, and narrowing that down to just 3 that I’m excited about isn’t an easy feat. And I think that means there’s a pretty good chance that if you make Dad’s Bookshelf in November, you must have a pretty fair shot at showing up in the Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards as well!
One thing that I didn’t do this time around is include any holiday books at all. There won’t be any spooky stories or Santa stories in November - just good old-fashioned beautiful books. Our bookshop might be drowning in Christmas spirit, but here I’m going to talk about the neat new books I want to talk about it and that’s just the way it is.
There are a couple of very familiar names being highlighted this time around. Christian Robinson and Sydney Smith are both artists that inspire us often - and definitely capture our attention when they release a new book. But we also have a book on this list that might be more under the radar for you - and it’s an absolute delight.
Hopefully you enjoy this short reprieve from nonstop Christmas carols, and hopefully I’m able to help you find a wonderful new book to enjoy this month. Have fun discovering the books we’re enjoying in our house, and Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Dad’s Bookshelf is a continuing, monthly series featuring the kids books we are most excited about each month. The series is named after the real life bookshelf we have in our home, where I keep all of my favorite picture books of all time. While the books we share on Dad’s Bookshelf are often brand new releases, it’s also not uncommon for us to be excited about an older book we just discovered or rediscovered.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links that will lead you to view the books on Bookshop.org and Amazon.
Do You Remember?
Written and Illustrated by Sydney Smith
Sydney Smith has crafted some very beautiful picture books - including the spectacular Small in the City. And Do You Remember? is certainly no exception in its beauty - and it shows off Smith’s knack for capturing touching and meaningful snapshots of life.
I wish I knew more about the details of the story here, but I suppose it’s not necessary to the story that I know everything. And perhaps leaving it vague allows more people to relate to what’s happening and interpret it in their own way.
What we do know is that a mother and son have moved homes without dad. I suppose dad is not dead because he is seen helping them pack, so it’s either a divorce or a situation where they had to move towns before dad. And the entirety of the story is a back and forth between mother and son where they reminisce - mostly about dad.
It might have carried more of an emotional punch if there was a hint somewhere that dad definitely wouldn’t rejoin them. And, based on reviews, it seems I’m not the only one distracted by the ambiguity. But, regardless, it’s a beautiful tribute to the relationship between mother and son as they reflect on their life. More than anything else it comes off as a book about love.
Robot, Unicorn, Queen
Written by Shannon Bramer and Illustrated by Irene Luxbacher
I am constantly on the lookout for poetry books for children - and I can be quite picky about their quality. And I absolutely adore Robot, Unicorn, Queen! What an awesome and beautiful book of poetry!
Some of the poems are funny - but not funny in the laugh-out-loud zany way that Shel Silverstein’s work is. On the whole they’re more serious and contemplative, but they still often veer into silly territory - like with “Please Don’t Scream at the Piano.”
I think my favorite line comes from “Poem for My Little Cat, Queen.” It goes:
Queen lived in the wrong house
for a little too long.
I just think that’s a heartbreakingly beautiful beginning to a poem about a cat that was rescued from a bad situation. And there are many other delightful poems in this collection too - and they’re all illustrated in a very special way by Irene Luxbacher. It’s all very quirky and aesthetically pleasing, and I’m not familiar with another poetry book for kids quite like it.
Something, Someday
Written by Amanda Gorman and Illustrated by Christian Robinson
Anytime Christian Robinson illustrates a book it commands our attention - and this time he’s paired with the talented presidential inaugural poet Amanda Gorman. What they have crafted together is quite inspirational, and certainly something special to share with children.
Whether you’re reading to your kids at home or a group of kids in a classroom, this book is an obvious facilitator for conversations on enacting change when there seems to be little hope. The illustrations choose to show a boy building a community garden in a dirty and dilapidated neighborhood. But we could just as easily be talking about climate change or really any humanitarian crisis you can think of under the sun.
I believe it’s probably correct to call this story a poem, and it’s very well crafted lyrically. It flows quite beautifully and you can feel it building upon itself towards a crescendo. And the poem is about tackling problems that seem big, and inspiring others, and finding friends, and making a difference in the world. It’s a familiar message, but it’s a great one, and it’s never been packaged better than this.
Have you discovered any new favorite picture books recently? Have you read any of these 3? Let us know in the comments!
