35 Best (aka. My Favorite) Picture Books of 2025
This post may contain affiliate links.
I’m a fan of picture books with humor, great writing, interesting stories, unique approaches, and entertainment that make great read alouds and are rereadable! If you’re like me, then you will want to check out this book list of my favorite, best picture books of 2025!
Best Picture Books for Kids of 2025
I Am Not Happy written by Caroline L. Perry, illustrated by Sydney Hanson
HUMOR
Narrated by the misunderstood quokka, this is a cheeky romp about judging someone by their appearance. The quokka, an Australian marsupial, is here to tell you NOT to be fooled by their looks: their upturned mouth, puffy cheeks, and bright eyes. Because that’s how a quokka looks, even if they feel sad, worried, embarrassed, or angry. With plenty of humor (“Behind my twinkling smile lies an ocean of inner torment.”), playful artwork, and a main character to adore, this is an entertaining and informative read aloud kids will love.
Rain and the Reading Horse written by Maria Gianferrari, illustrated by Hannah Salyer
ANIMAL THERAPY / READING
I love this inspiring book that shows the power of horses to help a child feel more confident and brave, and grow as a reader. Rain’s words get stuck when she tries to read to Snow, a calm white horse in the Giddy-Up and Read program. She often gives up on reading. Instead, she mucks, feeds, grooms, and rides. This helps Rain’s worries gallop away. Soon, she starts to whisper the lines of the book to Snow. Eventually, she picks up a book—and feels safe enough to read without the words getting stuck. Sweet with gorgeous artwork.
To Activate Space Portal Lift Here written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis
INTERACTIVE / FUNNY
A clever, interactive, and hilarious interstellar book is actually a portal with two aliens looking at you through a screen! Each two-page spread is illustrated like a portal frame so that you, the reader, are looking at aliens who are looking at you, and who think YOU are the alien. They ask if you can talk and if you’re going to eat them. They think your eyes are weird, and they are very proud of themselves for not running away. It’s all very silly and fun. You will love reading this aloud—multiple times!
Zip Zap Wickity Wack: A Story About Sharing written and illustrated by Matthew Diffee
FUNNY
Hilarious read aloud perfection! When the goat and sheep both want to say “baa”, they argue over who gets it because neither one wants to share the sound. So, the sheep comes up with something NO one else says: “zip zap wickety wack bing bang walla balla flip flap yackety yack.” But, wait. Who is that creature in a spaceship? And what does wiffle mean?
Polecat Has a Superpower written by Jill Esbaum, illustrated by Bob Shea
ANIMALS / INFORMATIONAL FICTION
Can you guess the superpower of Polecat, a spotted skunk with a big personality? Polecat shares factual information while dialoguing with the scaredy Porcupine, which is both hilarious and informative. This might be my new favorite in the series because of these two characters’ interactions and arguments! I also love the purple color palette and expressive artwork.
The Wombats Go Wild for Words written by Beth Ferry, illustrated by Lori Nichols
WORDS / VOCABULARY
Evergreen Forest is very boring until the wombats arrive with their splendid words. The words zing through the air; words like splendiferous and refreshing, and hullaballoo, revitalizing all the animals. The woodland animals taste and embrace new words. Soon, the littlest duckling declares she will be a verbivore, and the wombats know their work is done! Don’t miss Little Duckling’s Duck-tionary in the back with all the wonderful words used in the story.
A Place for Us by James E. Ransome
WORDLESS / UNHOUSED
Beautiful illustrations in saturated colors share an emotional slice-of-life of an unhoused boy and his mom. We feel the weight of their situation deeply, as well as the loving bond between mother and son. The story begins when the mom picks up her son from school and they walk through the city, spend time at the library, and then find a spot on a park bench where they sleep for the night. She sits guard while the boy lies down with his head on her lap. In the morning, the boy gets dressed in a new shirt, combs his hair, brushes his teeth at the water fountain, and returns to school. There’s a lot to unpack in this story with no words.
Bob the Vampire Snail written and illustrated by Andrea Zuill
VAMPIRE / FUNNY
A thousand percent hilarious, this is the story of Bob the snail, who has become a vampire. Poor Bob is starving because his usual foods taste terrible. Thankfully, he discovers delicious, red, ripe…tomatoes! Because the sun burns him, and he has to sleep upside down, which he hates. Frankly, it’s hard being a vampire! But there’s one thing about being a vampire that isn’t too bad– mesmerizing others to do his bidding!
Menudo Sunday: A Spanglish Counting Book written by Maria Dolores Aguila, illustrated by Erika Meza
COUNTING / LATINX CULTURE
From one cozy casita to four tias laughing, ten dedos stealing tasty treats, and twelve guau guas from perritos and fourteen segundos in slow motion, this is the counting story of a loving extended family gathering to eat menudo, a special soup from Mexico. But when the soup spills at 15, what will the family do? Take a deep breath, start counting again, and prepare the soup again. You’ll love the joyful exuberance filling every page in this celebration of culture, family, and delicious food.
Zombie and Brain are Friends written by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic, illustrated by Laan Cham
ZOMBIES
You’ll love the cheeky humor in this friendship story about a zombie family who grow grass-fed BRAINS. When the young Zeb finds a tiny, cute brain, he wants it for a pet, even though his parents say brains are not pets. When he finally convinces his family, he takes great care of his new pet until…he sees his dad about to eat his pet brain! What can Zeb do but run away? The perfect combination of humor and heart!
Go, Go, Dodo! written by Huw Lewis Jones, illustrated by Fred Blunt
HUMOR
This will be a hit with the preschool-age readers on your lap as they watch an oblivious Dodo go for a walk through the so-called “gentle” jungle. As he walks, Dodo is completely unaware and unconcerned about the tiger, the snake, the alligator, and the volcano until yikes, a hunter tries to catch him! Dodo hurries home, where he’s safe. Or is he?
Henry Is an Artist written and illustrated by Justin Worsley
HUMOR
Henry, a dog, is an artist who makes his own (poop) sculptures. But they’re always thrown in the garbage until one day, when an appreciative audience discovers Henry’s work. The bugs even display his sculpture in their Bug Hotel! Slightly nauseating but very cute.
Mama Car written by Lucy Catchpole, illustrated by Karen George
I love this book– and all of the Catchpole’s books. In first person, a kid tells about their own tricycle, Daddy’s big car, and Mama’s Mama Car, her wheelchair. In the Mama Chair, they have expeditions, they decorate it, and it can take you outside and anywhere. But the best thing about the Mama Chair is MAMA!
The Monster in the Lake written and illustrated by Leo Timmers
UNEXPECTED ADVENTURE
A delightful, funny, and fun read aloud with stunning illustrations that show above and below the water. Eric, the duck, is worried about swimming in the lake because of THE MONSTER. The other ducks dismiss his fears, but in a surprising twist, Eric goes on an underwater adventure with the not-a-monster and other fantastical mechanical creatures deep below the lake.
The Mushroom of Doom! written by Becky Davies, illustrated by Thomas Elliott
HUMOR
A funny, voicey villain-origin story about…REVENGE! This angry baddie mushroom explains how he became the “Mushroom of Doom”. It all started on pizza night when he wasn’t chosen, and his life went downhill from there. Even his mushroom army doesn’t last! He will take over the world if it’s the last thing he does…
Emmie Builds Something New written and illustrated by Marjorie Crosby-Fairall
FRIENDSHIP
Darling! When an unwelcome cat arrives in the attic, the inventor, problem-solving mouse who lives there, makes and implements plans to try to get rid of the cat. But after many efforts, Emmie makes a surprising discovery–the cat isn’t scary after all! The detailed illustrations are so much fun to look at!
The Compound Noun Treasure Hunt written by Kimberlee Gard, illustrated by Sandie Sonke
GRAMMAR
When a bull…dog finds a treasure map, he embarks on a treasure hunt for gold. Along the way, he meets a dragon…fly and a sun…flower, as well as other gold colored things, but none are what he’s looking for. Perfectly timed page turns between the compound words will keep readers predicting as they anticipate what Bulldog will find, and which second words will go with the first ones to make compound words; words that start with HEDGE, WHEEL, RAIN, and more. Beautiful illustrations will enchant readers who will beg for repeated readings of this playful, non-didactic way to teach compound words.
Fish Friends Forever written by Kerry Ferguson, illustrated by Aliaa Betawi
FRIENDSHIP & GRIEF
Incredible! I highly recommend this sweet epistolary story about the girl’s bond with a fish named Frank and her grief when he dies. In diary entries, she shares all about Frank’s interests, the lullaby she wrote him, and the games they play together, until one day he dies. She processes her grief with ups and downs and a range of emotions; she even gets mad at her mom for buying a new fish. But eventually, she loves her new fish and realizes maybe Frank would like her, too.
Don’t Trust Fish written by Neil Sharpson, illustrated by Dan Santat
ANIMALS / FUNNY
Mammals, reptiles, and birds are straightforward, but NOT FISH. Fish don’t follow the rules. Some have gills. Others have lungs. Some live in fresh water. Some in salt water. The author continues with all sorts of fish weirdness and keeps warning readers: DON’T TRUST FISH. Cheeky humor shows the possible leader of the fish named Jeff, and fish spies who report back to King Jeff. Readers, be warned — you will be tested! You have been warned multiple times. Hilarious with emotive illustrations!
The Interpreter written by Olivia Abtahi, illustrated by Monica Arnaldo
BILINGUALISM / TRANSLATION
Cecelia has two jobs…and her second job is special but it’s a lot of work. What is it? She gets to translate English to Spanish for her parents! But her second job doesn’t leave much time for her to play with friends. So finally she blurts out ALL of her feelings at once to her parents who listen with understanding. I love this beautiful story about a helpful daughter who finds her own words and boundaries.
Pencil created by Hye-Eun Kim
WORDLESS
Incredible sequential storytelling and illustrations about the creation and use of a pencil, beginning as a tree. In a factory, it becomes pencils sold in stores. In the hands of a child, the pencils become tools of the artist who draws illustrations of the forest.
Who Ate Steve? written by Susannah Lloyd, illustrated by Kate Hindley
FUNNY
An exuberant (voicey) narrator welcomes us to an “extremely interesting” book about SIZE with helpers Marcel, the bird, and Steve, the worm. Marcel is BIG. But Steve is — ut-oh! Where’s Steve? Marcel just ate Steve! The narrator demands Marcel spit out poor Steve. But it seems that Marcel just can’t resist eating Steve, no matter how many times the narrator tells him not to. Can you guess what will happen in this silly book that is not really about size? Adults will guess and kids will possibly be very surprised and delighted with the turn of events and the scolding these animals get.
Mistaco! A Tale of Tragedy Y Tortillas written and illustrated by Eliza Kinkz
DEALING WITH MISTAKES / FUNNY
Izzy is the queen of mistakes — and her mistakes are nonstop and frustrating. When she’s making tortillas with her abuelo Lito, she shares all her mistakes. That’s when Lito has a great idea — to tell the tortilla and then he will eat her mistakes in a “mistaco”! Written in intentional Spanglish with themes of family, mistakes and solutions, this is a sweet and silly story about a way to navigate failures with humor and love. Bright, scribbly illustrations capture the character’s emotions perfectly.
Every Monday Mabel written and illustrated by Jashar Awan
PRESCHOOL READ ALOUD FAVORITE / TRUCKS
Brightly colored illustrations and masterful writing build suspense as we watch Mabel get prepared for Monday. What could be so special about Monday? Whatever it is, her dad thinks it’s funny, her sister thinks it’s boring, and her mom thinks it’s cute. Finally, Mable plunks down her chair and waits for THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD! The garbage truck’s arrival! Mabel watches the garbage truck lift the garbage can and pour the trash into the back. The truck continues on its route where other kids and adults also wait to watch…A perfect read aloud celebrating the wonder of a child’s favorite thing.
Bearsuit Turtle Makes a Friend written and illustrated by Bob Shea
FUNNY
I adore the quirky, weird humor in this friendship story — and so will kids! One turtle meets another turtle in a bearsuit who boasts that he is a “for-real bear” and he has the evidence to prove it. Where is the honey? He ate it! Plus, he can hibernate like five times a day. And can forage for ice cream and ride bikes. Hilarious from start to finish with a heart-tugging, satisfying ending.
It Started With a P written by Brittany Pomales, illustrated by Andrew Joyner
HUMOR
Get ready to laugh hysterically! This entertaining story starts with a king with a dream. A bad dream. He dreams that something starting with the letter P will ruin his birthday party. But he forgets what the word is. So, he goes to extreme lengths to get rid of all P words, including people and parties, pepperoni pizza and presents… He even leaves his castle for a tiny island with no p-words anywhere and that’s when he suddenly remembers what the word was! Will you guess?
You’re a Poet: Ways to Start Writing Poems written by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Sam Usher
POETRY
I love this book. First, read one of the five fictional stories about a poetry writing piglet, then read how to write a poem inspired by the story. Use this book in your homeschool and classrooms to help children see the poems all around them and writing those poems.
Mouse by the Sea: A Vacation in Nature by Alice Melvin
ADVENTURE
Mouse explores the seaside and invites readers along in beautifully illustrated watercolor experiences. Page cutouts, lift-the-flap illustrations, and detailed illustrations show what he does at the beach, on a boat, at a tidepool, and at a lighthouse. This will be a popular choice for readers who love day-in-the-life stories with beautiful pictures.
Kittybunkport written by Scott Rothman, illustrated by Zachariah OHora
HUMOR
Kids will crack up through this adventure about two reluctant scardy cats, Chowder and Crackers, who are elected by Kittybunkport’s harbormaster to visit the lighthouse to discover why the light is off. The humor is sublime, as is the witty dialogue in which we get false bravado from Chowder and complete terrified honesty from Crackers. Delightfully illustrated with pizazz and personality, matching the playful humor of the story.
Old Blue Is My Home written and illustrated by Lita Judge
UNHOUSED
A young girl loves her family’s blue bus home. But sometimes, she feels like she is from everywhere and belongs nowhere, which is hard when school friends don’t want to come over to play. For now, Old Blue gives her family everything they need, shelter and safety, a bedroom and a library, …a home. Heartfelt writing and impactful illustrations show a loving family experiencing housing insecurity inspired by Lita Judge’s childhood experiences.
Worm Makes a Sandwich written and illustrated by Brianne Farley
GROWING PLANTS / GARDEN
Worm wants to make the little girl a sandwich. All Worm needs is GARBAGE. First to eat and then to poop out! No, the poop is not for the sandwich, it’s for the compost for the garden. The Worm continues sharing the process: making dirt for growing plants, and waiting for the tomato to grow big enough, and then slicing, adding bread and mayo, and a fancy toothpick. Written conversationally with charming illustrations, your readers will love the fun style and narration about the process of growing things. Back matter shares more about composting.
Are You a Hungry Monster? written and illustrated by Guilherme Karsten
META / PRESCHOOL / FUNNY
Just as hilarious as the first book in the series, this funny book is narrated by a monster who wants to share his sandwich with you. (How nice, right?!) The monster is surprised you don’t want a bite. After all, it’s got yummy old socks, earwax, snot, and an old shoe in it. (Too bad you don’t want it…) But then something surprising happens to the monster– a rumbly tummy with some SERIOUS gas problems. Which will make you laugh even harder than before! (Because potty humor is always funny.)
Duckie & Snaps We Cannot Be Friends written by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Tim Miller
FUNNY
With adorable art and a cute-as-can-be story, this is sure to be a new read aloud favorite. When Dukie and Snaps’ (the crocodile) eggs crack open at the same time, Duckie suggests that they can play and be friends. But they can’t, according to the grown-up alligator. Want to know why? Because crocodiles EAT duckies! The back and forth of the characters from this point on is hilarious as they argue one way or the other. Will the grown-up convince Snaps to eat Duckie or will something else happen?
Ramon Fellini the Dog Detective written and illustrated by Guilherme Karsten
MYSTERY
If you like subversive picture books, you will love this story about a sneaky cat who tricks a little boy. When the boy is investigating who tipped over the fishbowl, a “dog” detective named Ramon, who looks like a cat, appears at the front door to help him solve the crime. Besides asking questions, Ramon’s methods are strange. But the boy is impressed. So impressed, he lets Ramon take the fish to look for suspects. Maybe you’ll guess what happens next, but I’m not going to tell you. Read the story and find out!
Pencil’s Best Story Ever written and illustrated by Carly Gledhill
STORYTELLING
Funny and fun, this will be a read aloud that cracks up your readers…and inspires them to invent their own stories. Pencil invents a story about Peanut’s adventure. After a bird and sock mishap, Peanut enters the scary forest where he finds…Jelly? And Bear. Pencil must do a bit of rewriting because Bear doesn’t want to eat Peanut because they’re friends…and also, Bear has a nut allergy. But there’s even more to Peanut’s silly adventure including a crocodile-infested river, a gigantic octopus, and a giant snowball.
Pop! Goes the Nursery Rhyme written by Betsy Bird, illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi
HUMOR
The mischievous weasel interrupts the endings of ALL the nursery rhymes with, you guessed it, his familiar refrain: “POP! goes the weasel”. An increasingly exasperated bird narrator tries to get things back on track, but there are weasels everywhere, and Bird LOSES HER TEMPER. Bird just wants ONE nursery rhyme without a weasel. Is that so hard?! Action-packed illustrations and so much silliness make this perfect read aloud for multiple readings with kids cracking up every time.
