The Best Picture Books of 2021
Welcome, everybody, to the 4th Annual Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards! There are some who say that the Dad Suggests Picture Book Award is the most prestigious picture book award available, and who am I to argue? Careers are made and broken and dreams come true on this, the most anticipated day on the calendar of the picture book world.
As always, we’ve scoured the shelves and pored over hundreds of potential candidates published in 2021. And after very careful consideration, we’ve broken down our very favorites into 3 categories: honorable mentions, runners-up, and the top 10 picture books of 2021!
Every single book in this article was loved and shortlisted at one time or another this year as a potential candidate. But only the Top 10 are considered to be gold medal winners of the Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards. An additional 5 books are considered to be runners-up and silver medal winners, and all of the additional shortlisted books are considered honorable mentions or nominees.
Of course it’s important to keep in mind that this picture book list, just like every other list, is a subjective list judged by humans - albeit very cool humans with impeccable taste. For regular readers, you probably have a very good feel for the types of books our family loves, giving you a good sense of how much you’ll enjoy chasing down and reading all the winners on our list.
But I also encourage you to check out other best-of-the-year roundups as well. Since choosing favorite books is a pretty subjective science, this will give you the best shot at finding new favorite stories for you and yours.
So are you ready for the big moment? Are you ready to see this year’s prestigious winners? It’s been said that once a picture book places the Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards sticker on the cover, millions of copies sell overnight. Nobody has tested this theory yet, but it’s been said. Now on with the show!
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. Clicking on those links will lead you to view the books’ listings on the websites of affiliate partners such as Bookshop or Amazon.
Honorable Mentions
These are all of the picture books that were in serious consideration this year, and were a big part of our debates. At some point during 2021, they were shortlisted and placed in contention for making this list of the best picture books of 2021. Listed in no particular order, these books are certainly among the best of the year.
The Spectacular Suit - Written by Kat Patrick and Illustrated by Hayley Wells
The Longest LetsGoBoy - Written by Derick Wilder and Illustrated by Catia Chien
10 Spooky Pumpkins - Written and Illustrated by Gris Grimly
Boo Stew - Written by Donna L. Washington and Illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler
Robin Robin - Written by Dan Ojari & Mikey Please and Illustrated by Briony May Smith
The Undefeated - Written by Kwame Alexander and Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Shy Willow - Written and Illustrated by Cat Min
Gemma and the Giant Girl - Written by Sara O’Leary and Illustrated by Marie Lafrance
We All Play - Written and Illustrated by Julie Flett
Ten Beautiful Things - Written by Molly Griffin and Illustrated by Maribel Lechuga
What is Love? - Written by Mac Barnett and Illustrated by Carson Ellis
Norman Didn’t Do It (Yes He Did) - Written and Illustrated by Ryan T. Higgins
Magic Candies - Written and Illustrated by Heena Baek
How Winston Came Home for Christmas - Written and Illustrated by Alex T. Smith
This is Ruby - Written by Sara O’Leary and Illustrated by Alea Marley
Windows - Written by Patrick Guest and Illustrated by Jonathan Bentley
Eyes that Kiss in the Corners - Written by Joanna Ho and Illustrated by Dung Ho
War - Written by Jose Jorge Letria and Illustrated by André Letria
Mister Fairy - Written by Morgane de Cadier and Illustrated by Florian Pigé
Hello, Star - Written by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic and Illustrated by Vashti Harrison
Everybody in the Red Brick Building - Written by Anne Wynter and Illustrated by Oge Mora
Bright Star - Written and Illustrated by Yuyi Morales
Ten Little Dumplings - Written by Larissa Fan and Illustrated by Cindy Wume
Little Witch Hazel: A Year in the Forest - Written and Illustrated by Phoebe Wahl
The Fox and the Forest Fire - Written and Illustrated by Danny Popovici
When I’m Not Looking - Written and Illustrated by Farren Phillips
Over the Shop - Written by JonArno Lawson and Illustrated by Qin Leng
The Big Book of Belonging - Written and Illustrated by Yuval Zommer
Runners-Up
After careful and long deliberation, these 5 runners-up made our list of our favorite 15 picture books of the year. These 5 books received the most consideration and fiercest discussion for cracking into our top 10 list of medal winners this year.
15. Outside, Inside
Written and Illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Last year we rounded up our favorite picture books about the COVID pandemic, and some pretty good books have been made in a relatively short time. I’ve heard some people voice the opinion that they aren’t yet interested in reading art about the depressing moment we’re living through - but, when they are ready, this is the one they should pick up first. Some of these books are really going to stand the test of time and mark the feelings of this historic occasion quite beautifully. And Outside, Inside is, in my opinion, the best of the bunch.
This is a wonderful picture book full of detailed artwork - and the art tells a lot of the story and conveys a lot of the feelings. I like the way it talks about the coronavirus pandemic without ever outright mentioning it by name. The setting is just a time that everybody suddenly went inside. And it balances the hope everyone wants to believe in with the harsh reality of the struggle of this time quite well. For those who lived through the last couple of years, I’m absolutely positive that this book will serve as an emotional time capsule and prove to be historically important.
14. How Beautiful
Written by Antonella Capetti and Illustrated by Melissa Castrillon
We’re big fans of the art of Melissa Castrillon in our family, so this is a book we immediately had our eye on. Quite frankly, I think it’s safe to say that all of her books are going to be enjoyed in our house no matter what. Her style is so unique and beautiful and dreamlike, we would honestly still buy them if they were all released as wordless picture books and left up to our own interpretation.
Having said that, this particular book pairs Castrillon’s dreamy art with a wonderful fable-like story - perhaps our favorite story she’s yet illustrated. It follows a caterpillar who is trying to figure out what the word beautiful means. And every animal it meets seems to have a different definition of beauty. The animals all have a wonderfully quirky style to their design, and the fable has a wonderful classic theme or message to seal the deal.
13. The Capybaras
Written and Illustrated by Alfredo Soderguit
The Capybaras is a good example of how incredibly appealing a good character design can make a picture book. The design of the capybaras in this book is downright endearing. How can you not love these goofy little critters, with their emotionless stares and cuddly demeanor. There’s a lot of humor in the art, like the expert dry humor found in the eyes of characters by Jon Klassen.
But there’s also a beautiful story here as well - a story about kindness and acceptance. Is it a story about immigration and living in a new community? You can certainly make a good argument for that interpretation. But even without looking into it too deeply, it’s a spectacular story about capybaras and chickens that the entire family will absolutely adore. This is a special, feel-good picture book without a doubt.
12. Arno and His Horse
Written by Jane Godwin and Illustrated by Felicita Sala
One look at the artwork by Felicita Sala and you’ll see why Arno and His Horse is the type of picture book that leaves an impression on you. It jumps out at you as something special - crafted and constructed with love and expertise. And it touches on emotions that are important to me, which is why it has stuck with me on a personal level.
Arno and His Horse is, on its surface, simply about a boy who lost his wooden horse, and how he tries to find it again. But it’s also about memories, and family, and loss, and nostalgia. It perfectly captures that unexplainable way that some small items can have a lot of importance to us. It reminds me of the endearing way my son carries around objects in his pockets, and sleeps with them at night - because they are important to him in a way we lose the ability to explain.
11. A Kid is a Kid is a Kid
Written by Sara O’Leary and Illustrated by Qin Leng
A Family is a Family is a Family is an all-time favorite picture book, and I was ecstatic when the creators got back together for a sequel. When I wrote about the original, I called it a very effective vaccine for bigotry, and I’m happy to say that A Kid is a Kid is a Kid should serve as a very effective booster shot. This is a beautiful book, and it deftly touches upon frustrating habits of society in the most perfect way.
My very favorite part about this book is that it reminds me of a wonderful passage in A Little Prince - the one where adults are criticized for always asking the wrong questions about kids. The kids in this book have spectacularly specific suggestions for the questions you should ask. But it also touches on things like judging others by their appearance or the things they wear, and therefore leads to truly invaluable conversations with kids.
The Top 10 Picture Books of 2021
These are our top 10 picture books of the year - the best of the best of 2020. On this list you’ll find books that inspired an emotional response in us that makes us certain we’ll remember the book for a long time. Several could even become some of our favorites of all time. You’ll find masterful combinations of words and illustrations. And we feel like they’ll leave a lasting impression on our children.
10. Amos McGee Misses the Bus
Written by Philip C. Stead and Illustrated by Erin E. Stead
When one of the best picture books of all time gets a sequel, I think it’s appropriate to worry a little bit. A Sick Day for Amos McGee is one of the all-time greats - a legitimate modern day classic. So I have to admit I approached this late sequel with a feeling in my stomach brought on by a healthy mixture of hope and fear. It just had to be good, and, thankfully, it was. Amos McGee Misses the Bus is a worthy sequel, and a delightful return to this soothing world full of very good friends.
I absolutely adore Amos McGee’s animal friends. Their kindness mixed with the soft palette of the artwork just soothes my soul. It’s truly equally as heartwarming as the original, and that’s saying a lot. I’m happy to see that Amos and the elephant are still playing chess together, and I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of seeing zoo animals waiting for a bus. And I just love to see that the Steads continue to make some of the most special picture books in our collection.
9. Negative Cat
Written and Illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Sophie Blackall seems to be on quite the picture book streak. In a relatively short span of years, she’s gotten lots of love for Finding Winnie, Hello Lighthouse, and If You Come to Earth - and now I’m hoping to see her get just as much love for Negative Cat. I love this book. And not just because we adopted 5 cats during the pandemic - I promise!
Negative Cat appeals to cat lovers, obviously, but it also appeals equally to book lovers. And it’s a wonderful combination. It’s also based on a true story about an animal rescue league that paired up with local students for a read-to-cats program. The unconfident readers got more practice at reading, while the cats grew more sociable and calm in the process! It’s very hard not to fall in love with the grumpy cat in this book. And the endearing art style is hard to put a finger on - it’s almost Seussian. But I can’t stress it enough - cat houses and book houses alike will fall in love.
8. I am the Subway
Written and Illustrated by Kim Hyo-eun
Out of all the books in the top 10 this year, I have a feeling that I am the Subway is going to be the one most in danger of going under-the-radar, and that would be a tragedy. You must track down this book and experience it for yourself. I assure you that you won’t be disappointed! It’s painfully beautiful and a remarkably poignant reminder of how easy it is to forget that every single person you encounter has their own story to tell.
And I am the Subway gives them a chance to tell their story. With a Seoul subway car as the backdrop (and the narrator), people come and go and slowly reveal their story. As the train travels along with a rhythmic “ba-dum, ba-dum”, the book unveils itself as a brilliant portrait of humanity. This is powerful and wonderful art and one of the most meaningful picture books we’ve read in a long time.
7. There’s a Ghost in this House
Written and Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
There’s a Ghost in this House tragically missed it’s pre-Halloween release date in the US this year, but I hope that doesn’t stop it from getting all the love it deserves. Oliver Jeffers is an artist to always keep your eyes on, and he really delivers with this creative experience. And, huge bonus, it’s set in a haunted house full of ghosts!
Let’s not forget, one very key element of art is to entertain - and There’s a Ghost in this House most certainly entertains kids (and me!) in a very unique way. Almost every single page in this book is followed by a see-through page, which adds ghosts to the previous illustration after you turn it. The effect is a lot fun, and the execution is perfect. There’s lots of humor built into the page turns, including one page that merely adds smiles to the ghosts. In practice it feels almost like an interactive picture book, and kids everywhere are going to find this one incredibly engaging.
6. It Fell from the Sky
Written and Illustrated by The Fan Brothers
The Fan Brothers are the most decorated picture book makers in the history of the Dad Suggests Picture Book Awards. In fact, they’ve won best-of-the-year an incredible two times already. And their newest picture book most certainly continues their tradition of crafting beautiful and engaging stories - full of illustrations that all deserve to be hanging on walls.
A simple marble falls from the sky in this story, but all of the little bugs that live in the ecosystem where it falls have no idea what it is. Eventually, a greedy spider turns the marble into an attraction for bugs to visit for the price of one leaf apiece. It turns out there’s a lesson to learn about how to treat others in this book, but most of all it’s just a delightful story on surface level as well. And I’m particularly fond of the final two-page spread full of all the wonders of the human world.
5. The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess
Written and Illustrated by Tom Gauld
We are big fans of high fantasy and pure, good-old-fashioned fiction around here. There are two main types of stories out there - stories that are conceptualized and crafted as entertainment and escapism, and stories that start with a lesson to teach kids and are built entirely around that lesson. Both books certainly have their place, but, given the choice, I’m going to choose the pure escapism every time. And I don’t think we get enough of that in picture books these days.
Think about the wonderful TV show Adventure Time. It’s hilarious, exciting, displays wonderful world-building, and it exists purely for our entertainment. Kids need more of that from picture books, and that’s exactly what The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess offers. It’s a quirky modern fairy tale that’s very refreshing in its entertainment value. There are witches and goblins and dragons and ghosts and a princess who turns into a log every night - and we love every second of it.
4. The Midnight Fair
Written by Gideon Sterer and Illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio
Not since Tuesday has there been a picture book this delightful and hilarious. In fact, I personally prefer The Midnight Fair between the two. Comparisons are going to be easy to make between the two wordless picture books featuring animals getting into mischief after the sun sets - but The Midnight Fair is just on another level. Perhaps it’s the great variety of cute woodland critters, or the plethora of funny antics they can get up to in a carnival - but something about the formula makes it very endearing.
We particularly enjoy the incredible detail in the artwork. It’s hilarious to see the animals acting like people in a carnival - riding the rides, winning prizes, paying with acorns. This is the kind of book you want to flip through very slowly, and enjoy every little piece of the illustrations. And not only is it hilarious and adorable, but it also ends with a very sweet and heartfelt image of a fox and a goldfish. Not only is it one of the greatest wordless picture books we own, it’s one of the most enjoyable picture books we’ve read in a long time.
3. Julia’s House Goes Home
Written and Illustrated by Ben Hatke
Ben Hatke is one of our favorite picture book makers, and the Julia’s House trilogy is obviously a very big part of that. It’s a remarkable demonstration of character and world-building, as the various assortment of creatures that live with Julia are absolutely delightful and endearing. And Hatke is clearly a big fan of fantasy, and it really shows in his work. Picture books like this one really speak to us and make us happy.
And, as much as I love all of the Julia’s House books, Julia’s House Goes Home is without a doubt my very favorite of the bunch. I’m not sure if the series will end in a trilogy, but, if it does, it ended on a very high note. This is a feel good story that features the enchanted house crumbling into pieces, and everyone working together to rebuild an entire town for everyone to call home. Also, Patched Up Kitty gets lots of much-deserved love in the details of the artwork, including the endpapers, and that makes me very happy.
2. The Rock from the Sky
Written and Illustrated by Jon Klassen
Jon Klassen is an artist who will forever mean a lot to our family. I Want My Hat Back was the first new picture book we ever bought for our first child, and his art style and humor mesh very well with our personalities. So The Rock from the Sky is one of those books that we greatly anticipated from the very first moment it was announced. And it’s the type of book that brings us so much happiness I actually purchase prints of the art to frame and hang on the wall.
The Rock from the Sky is another expert example of dry humor - an absolute masterclass - perfected by Klassen through dialogue and facial expressions. It’s all in the eyes, and the entertainment is nonstop. It’s also a perfect amount of dark for a children’s book - with the danger of falling objects and the mysterious alien. The story is all dialogue between the main characters - the turtle, the armadillo, and the snake - and it’s just as delightfully choppy and hilarious as ever.
1. Milo Imagines the World
Written by Matt de la Peña and Illustrated by Christian Robinson
Milo Imagines the World came out almost an entire year ago, at the very beginning of 2021, and I desperately hope that doesn’t stop it from getting the end-of-the-year love it deserves. Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson previously teamed up to make one of the greatest picture books of all time - Last Stop on Market Street. And they have absolutely struck gold once again with Milo Imagines the World.
During a trip on the subway, Milo sketches pictures of the people he sees, and imagines what their life might look like. He also wonders what they think when they see him. Do they see him reciting his volcano poem to the class? Or his mother reading him a book on the phone? And later in the story he reflects on how he may have misjudged others, and reimagines what their sketches might look like.
It’s impossible not to fall in love with Milo. If falling in love with the characters is the key to an endearing picture book, then this book will be deeply loved by many. Milo is simply a fantastic character design - puffy coat, green knit hat, glasses, doodling in his sketch book. This kid is awesome, and he’s off on a mysterious outing with his sister on the subway. Warning! Spoilers in the last paragraph for where they are going!
It turns out they are going to visit their mother in jail. And that’s when Milo sees a young boy in a buttoned-up shirt from the subway - someone he imagined living like a prince - visiting his mother too. I can’t tell you how expertly crafted this book is, and what an amazing pair Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson make. It’s touching, it’s thought-provoking, and I honestly think it’s one of the all-time greats - I just love it.
For an even deeper look at why Milo Imagines the World is our picture book of the year, make sure to read our featured article.
