Picture books are not just for little kids! Picture books have complex vocabulary, diverse narratives, and thought-provoking themes–qualities we want in any book we read aloud to children–especially older children ages 8 and up!
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Teachers have long known of the benefits of picture books for teaching upper elementary and middle schoolers, and parents will enjoy reading these books at home. For this list I've chosen books in the following categories:
Table of contents
Folktales and Fairytales
There is a reason folktales stand the test of time! For more folktales from around the world visit our folktale pictures from around the world book list.
The Young Teacher and the Great Serpent by Irene Vasco, illustrated by Juan Palomino
Marvelous illustrations grace the pages of this Colombian import. A young woman sets off to begin a teaching a teaching assignment in La Comunidad Las Delicias. When a storm threatens, her Indigenous students tell her the Great Serpent is coming. The teacher waves off the students' warnings as mere legend but when the river rises she understands that stories passed down as folklore are just as powerful as those in books.
The Storyteller by Evan Turk
Find it: Amazon
We were utterly captivated by this original folktale set in drought-stricken Morocco. A boy in search of water hears a storyteller recount wonderful tale about a djinn. He comes back the next day to hear the next layer of the story. Evan Turk nestles stories within stories in a captivating tale and the luxurious illustrations will enthrall your kids.
Feathered Serpent and the Five Suns by Duncan Tonatiuh
Tonatiuh's retelling of a Mesoamerican creation myth is surpassed only by his amazing illustrations. Four gods set out to create humans, but their attempts result in the humans turning first into mountains, then fish and finally, in frustration, the gods turn them into monkeys. The gods are discouraged and want to give up–except for Quetzalcóatl, the Feathered Serpent. Quetzalcóatl travels to the underworld and during his journey must undergo trials of strength and bravery.
MORE: Latin American Folktales
The Ghoul by Taghreed Najjar, illustrated by Hassan Manasra
A village in Arabia is quiet and peaceful except for one thing. A dreaded ghoul lives up in the mountains nearby. Hasan doesn't understand why his friends and neighbors are afraid of something they have never seen so he sets out to find it. What happens is both quite funny and a tale of tolerance, self-acceptance and overcoming prejudices. A delightful read aloud.
Birrarung Wilam: A Story from Aboriginal Australia by Aunty Joy Murphy and Andrew Kelly, illustrated by Lisa Kennedy
By best advice for reading Birrarung Wilam aloud is to "go with the flow." This Australian Aboriginal picture book uses words from the Woiwurrung language and you will most likely have no idea what they mean. However, reading the lyrical text out loud, first without any expectations, and then again after having looked up the words in the glossary, will delight you. The story is one of following a river through a lush landscape, and the illustrations are stupendous. You can read the book either as part of a science and nature lesson, or simply for the pure joy of the language.
MORE: 50 Picture Books to Take You Around the World
Reynard the Fox retold by by Renate Raecke, illustrated by Jonas Lauströer
Find it: Amazon
Reynard the Fox first began appearing in stories in the late medieval period, although clever foxes have been around since Aesop's Fables. This beautifully illustrated edition includes several tales of the trickster Reynard's pranks and adventures. The story begins with the lion king assembling the other animals at court to hear their grievances against Reynard. Reynard then comes to his own defense but manages to get the best of the animals once again and we cannot help but secretly grin at his mischievous ways.
After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again by Dan Santat
Nursery rhymes are not just for the very young! We all know the classic nursery rhyme about Humpty Dumpty and it's not exactly a story of resiliency. But what if things turned out differently? Santat puts a clever spin on the story with a fun twist that will encourage your children to think outside the box!
MORE: Funniest Picture Books to Read Aloud
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith
I like this book for older kids because it is a great example of an untrustworthy narrator. An older child will be able to see the irony which a 3-year-old will miss. Scieszka and Smith's version of this fractured fairy tale is narrated by the wolf who insists that he's not the bad guy. He claims that he is not to blame and everything that happened to the pigs is simply based on a huge misunderstanding... and his allergies. Very funny.
Historical Fiction/Nonfiction and Cultural Themes
Afterward, Everything was Different: A Tale From the Pleistocene by Jairo Buitrago and Rafael Yockteng
This nearly wordless book is set in the Pleistocene era, which is not your run of the mill historical setting! The detailed black and white line drawings will give kids and grown-ups much to think about as they read the story of a group of people searching for winter shelter, and the importance storytelling plays in the lives of those people.
MORE: Historical Fiction Picture Books
We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade
An Indigenous girl narrates an Anishinaabe prophecy that describes a black snake that comes to terrorize the land. The black snake, of course, is the oil pipeline that threatens the community and the life-giving natural resources of land, water, and animals. Her call to action emphasizes the importance of standing up for those that do not have a voice, protecting the vulnerable and working together as a community. Native artist, Goade's gorgeous illustrations feature symbolism from her culture. A must-read book.
MORE: Native American Picture Books
The Bell Rang by James E. Ransome
In his author's note, Ransome mentions that while there are picture books about runaway slaves, most leave out the experience of the enslaved family and friends who are left behind. This is not an easy book to read but it is an extremely important one. Straightforward text tells the story of repetitive, grueling days which all begin with the ring of a bell. The families in the book resist the attempts to dehumanize them, and the young female narrator relates their story. When her brother, Ben, runs away, life changes emotionally for the families. The story ends without a resolution, and we wonder if Ben's sister will also run away. We wonder if Ben was able to escape to freedom. We can get no satisfaction from this book, but that is not its purpose. An important story.
Sugar in Milk by Thrity Umrigar, illustrated by Khoa Le
This is a wonderful book to teach compassion and the value of diversity. A young girl is an immigrant in an unnamed country. She is homesick and feels out of place in her unfamiliar surroundings. She goes for a walk with her aunt, who tells her a folktale about refugees. The refugees came to a new land but the king refused to allow them to settle, pointing to a glass of milk as a metaphor for a land that was full. The refugees, however, placed sugar in the milk, communicating that adding something new will make the milk sweeter.
MORE: Picture books about refugees
A Bowl Full of Peace by Caren Stelson, illustrated by Akira Kusaka
Find it: Amazon
This is an incredibly moving true story that speaks to the experience of living through war and surviving the aftermath. Grandmother's bowl sits full of food on the Yasui family table. The bowl is passed from mother to daughter, its exact origin unknown. Sachiko describes living through the war in Nagasaki, watching the contents of the bowl get smaller and smaller until the family must flee their home. Returning in the aftermath, Sachiko's father miraculously finds the bowl, unharmed, in the piles of rubble. The family now fills the bowl to remember the lost and give thanks for peace.
MORE: Children's books about peace
The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Alexander's tribute to Black American is a stunning poem. This moving and lyrical journey through the ways African-Americans have shaped and responded to events in history will inspire meaningful conversations with your children. A treasure trove of historical information about the figures depicted in the illustrations can be found in an extensive endnote.
MORE: Big list of African-American history picture books
The Journey by Francecsa Sanna
I really like the illustrations in this picture book about a family that flees their home after it is destroyed and the father disappears. They travel in many different modes: car, boat, on foot, etc. Yes, it is an intense book, but a necessary one. It is an excellent book for building compassion for others in quite different situations than our own. The ending is uncertain, but not without hope -- a great teaching moment for your own kids.
A Page in the Wind by José Sanabria, illustrated by María Laura Díaz Domínguez
Find it: Amazon
A newspaper narrates its journey as it is caught up by the wind and its pages are blown hither and thither. Each page lands someplace different and has a unique experience. Some pages are read, others line bird cages. Still another covers a homeless person as he huddles for shelter. While reading the book my mind took me in so many directions (sort of like the newspaper). I was seeing how different people in the city lived, how the newspaper (which has a central mind, yet is able to feel and sense what each page is experiencing) ends up in both lowly and exalted situations. Thought-provoking.
MORE: Books About Media Literacy
The Whispering Town by Jennifer Elvgren, illustrated by Fabio Santomauro
Based on a true story, this testament to community is the inspiring tale of how one town Nazi-occupied Denmark saved the lives of a Jewish mother and son. Anett's family had been hiding the pair in their cellar, but in order to get them through the town to a boat headed to Sweden, the whole town must take a risk and come together.
MORE: Children's Books About the Holocaust
The Eleventh Hour by Jacques Goldstyn
Find it: Amazon
Parents, get ready to have a tissue handy, this book does not have a happy ending. Neither does war, frankly. Jim and Jules were born on the same day in the same village. They grew up together, the best of friends, despite their different personalities. When the draft hits, they march off to war together, but unfortunately, they do not return together. The narrative is straight forward, but it fits the subject matter and much of the emotional content is conveyed through the illustrations. The timing of Jim's death was rather shocking to me, and hits home the cruelty of war.
MORE: Children's Books to Teach About the Consequences of War
When Spring Comes to the DMZ by Uk-Bae Lee
This gorgeously illustrated picture book introduces readers to a unique landscape with which most western children are not familiar. Uk-Bae Lee takes readers on a journey through the seasons in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. Each season a grandfather climbs to a lookout point to observe the natural phenomena. At several points in the story, the author reminds us that the DMZ is also a place where soldiers train and takes note of the barbed wire surrounding the area. A really wonderful book that will inspire a lot of conversations with your kids!
MORE: Children's Books About Environmental Issues
Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrate by Hudson Talbott
Family history and the story-quilt making tradition begin with the narrator's great-grandmother, born enslaved and working on a plantation. The historical narrative travels through emancipation, segregation and the civil rights era and emphasizes the strength of the women enduring the paths they walk. This historical fiction picture book would also be a great tool for children to begin their own family history project.
Not My Idea: A Book about Whiteness by Anastasia Higginbotham
Fellow white folks, if you want to teach your kids to be anti-racist, this book is for you. It spells it out, and treats kids with the respect they deserve. Kids see things, they know things and trying to hide the way power structures operate from them is insulting. If we want to foster an anti-bias attitude, we must first recognize our own biases. Higginbotham's essential book helps kids understand the concept of privilege, how it affects them, and offers hope that they have the ability to change it.
MORE: Anti-Bias Picture Books
Noodlephant by Jacob Kramer, illustrated by K-Fai Steele
My son loved this book and could not stop talking about it after I read it aloud to him. Elephant loves noodles and likes having his animal friends over for pasta parties! When power-hungry kangaroos prevent others from enjoying pasta, Elephant and his friends take matters into their own hands. I love the clever wordplay and the sneaky subversiveness of the non-kangaroo animals to protest the unjust law. Highly recommended.
MORE: Word Play Picture Books for Everyone!
Emotions and Self-Reflection
The Three Questions by Jon J. Muth
We've read this book out loud many times over the years. I know that as we continue to reread it, we learn to think even more deeply about the answers to the three questions (What is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do?) in terms of how they apply to our own lives. The book is a great foundation for us to reflect on the importance of doing good deeds and paying attention to the immediate moment.
What Is Given From the Heart by Patricia C. McKissack, illustrated by April Harrison
A pastor announces to the congregation that they will be making "love boxes" for those in need, for “what is given from the heart reaches the heart.” At first, James Otis, a boy with very little himself, has trouble seeing what he can possibly give a family that lost everything in a fire. His mama turns their tablecloth into an apron and James Otis searches his heart and discovers there is always something you can give someone else.
MORE: Gratitude Picture Books for Kids
The Lying King by Alex Beard
Find it: Amazon
This picture book about a ruler who lies and lies and lies is quite the timely tale. When children lie (and they all do, eventually) they must deal with the emotions of guilt and regret; only then can they move forward. The Lying King's story is told in clever rhymes and depicts how lies snowball and ultimately catch their creator in a trap of his own making. The fate of the lying warthog will give your kids lots to think about. This picture book is a timeless story is important to share with your children and use as a springboard to discuss the value of truth.
MORE: Picture Books About Meaningful Values
I Want My Hat Back (series) by Jon Klassen
The sly narrative of quirky, somewhat dark story requires kids to engage their brains and debate ethical questions. Why does the story end the way it does? Is that right or wrong? Plus, encouraging kids to approach all kinds of narratives, both visual and linguistic, forthright or subtextual, builds reading comprehension and nourishes an expansive view of the world.
MORE: Children's Books About Lying and Telling the Truth
Captain Rosalie by Timothée de Fombelle, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
During World War I, and with her father at the front and her mother at work, a five-year-old girl sits in a classroom and imagines herself on a secret mission for the war effort. Her mother reads her part of her father's letters and they sound hopeful. But when Rosalie's mission is successful and she is able to read the letters on her own, she discovers the truth. This book will spark conversations about the realities of war and the experiences of individuals both at home and at the front.
The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirta's Garden by Heather Smith, illustrated by Rachel Wada
Inspired by a true story, this touching tale is about navigating grief and the ways that others can teach us about finding solace. After a tsunami takes away his father, Makio stops speaking. He used to spend his mornings with his neighbor, Mr. Hirota, looking down at the workers on the shore. But now he watches silently as Mr. Hirota builds a telephone booth in his garden. Mr. Hirota begins to use the booth to talk to his lost daughter and soon other neighbors are using the booth to talk to their lost loved ones, too. Watching others, Makio finds the courage to speak to his father.
MORE: Books to Help Kids Understand Death and Grief
I Am a Thief by Abigail Rayner, illustrated by Molly Ruttan
This fun picture book both hilarious and thought-provoking, a great choice for both older and younger kids! One day, Eliza slips a sparkly green stone from the classroom into her pocket. The stone made her do it! Now, all day long, Eliza's thoughts dwell on her actions. She begins to ask everyone if they've ever stolen anything. To her surprise, many of them have. When she returns the stone to the classroom and expresses her regret, the teacher doesn't shame her and Eliza realizes that no one is only one thing.
I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott, illustrated by Sydney Smith
A boy who stutters describes what it feels like to be unable to get out the words that flow through his mind and how his father has taught him that he "talks like a river." The boy and his dad head down to the river after a bad day and the water offers comfort while his dad describes how his speech is sometimes choppy, sometimes smooth, sometimes churning, just like the river. A gorgeous, compassionate picture book not to be missed.
You Are Stardust by Elin Kelsey, illustrated by Soyeon Kim
Find it: Amazon
Kelsey and Kim's spectacularly detailed multi-media illustrations and lyrical text take us on a journey that reveals our connection to the natural world through the formation of atoms from ancient stardust. Older readers will enjoy the profound wisdom of the book and science-minded children will rush out to learn more about concepts behind the story.
The Fox on the Swing by Evelina Daciutè, illustrated by Aušra Kiudulaite
Find it: Amazon
Translated from the Lithuanian, this is a whimsical tale of hope, friendship and happiness. Paul and his family live in a tree in a park, and one day when Paul is on his way home from the bakery he meets a fox on a swing. Thus begins a rather interesting series of encounters with the philosophizing fox who creates just the right conditions for Paul to consider the nature of happiness and friendship.
The Hole by Øyvind Torseter
Find it: Amazon
I simply adore super-quirky books like this strangely philosophical gem from Norwegian author, Torseter. One morning, our protagonist wakes up to discover a hole in his home. Oddly, the hole moves around, and how the hole got there is as equally mysterious as its behavior. Readers will love the die cut hole that goes through the book and watching how Torseter brilliantly uses it in his illustrations. Don't miss this one!
MORE: Picture Books in Translation
Biographies
Picture book biographies are a fantastic way to introduce older students to real life figures. A good library of biographies will include stories of diverse people across a range of historical periods and accomplishments. For more, visit our archive of picture book biography book lists.
Nacho's Nachos: The Story Behind the World's Favorite Snack by Sandra Nickel, illustrated by Oliver Dominguez
Find it: Amazon | Bookshop (Spanish version)
In our home, we love nachos. Nachos for lunch, nachos for snacks, nachos for dinner. The only nachos we don't like are those gross ones you get at ball parks with the plastic, shiny cheese on top. Here's the fascinating story of how nachos were invented in the mid 20th century in a restaurant just over the border by a gentleman named–yes–Nacho.
MORE: Picture Books Biographies of Hispanic and Latino Luminaries
Eliza: The Story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton by Margaret McNamara, illustrated by Esmé Shapiro
Find it: Amazon
Perhaps your children have seen the musical, Hamilton? Kids who want to know more about Alexander's wife, Eliza, will enjoy this picture book biography. Written as a letter from Eliza to her great-granddaughter, the text is accompanied by fantastic illustrations. A detailed endnote gives further background on the events mentioned in the text.
MORE: Books for fans of Hamilton
Soldier for Equality: José de la Luz Sáenz and the Great War by Duncan Tonatiuh
Find it: Amazon
José de la Luz Sáenz left his teaching job in Texas in hopes that enlisting in the United States Army would convince white Texans to treat Tejanos fairly and equally. In 1918 he served in France in the intelligence office. Upon returning to Texas after the war, Luz saw that his service made no difference as to how he was treated and so he organized and worked as an activist with other Tejanos. The book includes historical notes and a timeline.
MORE: Books About Civil Rights
The Book Rescuer by Sue Macy, illustrated by Stacy Innerst
Find it: Amazon
Inspired by his immigrant grandmother's love of books, Aaron Lansky pursued the study of Jewish literature. He went in search of Yiddish books and found out they were quickly disappearing. Lansky then set out to rescue as many Yiddish language books from destruction as he could. The result of his work is the Yiddish Book Center in Massachusetts, which is now home to over 1 million books. Anyone who knows the value of a good book will be inspired by this tale, as well as the stunning illustrations.
Doug Sacks says
Great article. As an elementary school teacher-librarian, I am a firm believer in picture books for all ages. So much wonderful new non-fiction is done in that style as well. Is there a printable list or printer-friendly version of your text so I can use it in my school? Thanks for considering.
Erica says
Hi Doug, Some of my book lists do have printable lists. I haven't had time to make a printable for every single list, however. This post does have a printable version. You will see the form to fill out with your email just before the first book on this list.