Curriculum Laboratory
Bill Glaister’s Bucket List of Best Picture Books (Picture Books Every Educator Should Know About)
This is a list of some of my favourite picture books. Your life may not be complete unless you have read every one of these titles, and then shared them with someone else. I am attempting to provide them in book format in our collection, as well as in eBook format, where possible. This will give teachers the option of projecting the picture book on a screen for larger classes, and also to provide another level of interactivity for the students. I hope that the percent of these titles in electronic format will greatly increase over the next few years. My choices were greatly inAluenced by some of the following booklists, as well a desire to make sure there was a strong Canadian representation in the choices, both from the viewpoint of Canadian authors and publishers, but also to provide titles with a particular Canadian identity.
For a background on picture books across the curriculum, see my webpage at http://www.uleth.ca/education/resources/curriculum-­‐
laboratory/literature/actual-­‐literature/best-­‐books.
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An Annotated Bibliography Of Canadian Multicultural Picture Books Published Since 1990 (http://www.mun.ca/educ/people/
hammett/canadian_multicultural_picture_b.htm)
In association with a research project being conducted by Ingrid Johnston and Joyce Bainbridge (UAlberta), Mary Clare Courtland (Lakehead U) Roberta Hammett and Anne Burke (Memorial), Lynne Wiltse (Thompson Rivers), and Teresa Strong-­‐Wilson (McGill)
100 Best Children’s Picture Books (http://www.parl.ns.ca/childrens/picturebooks.html)
The Elizabeth Mrazik-­‐Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award (http://gvpl.ca/parents-­‐teachers/book-­‐awards/elizabeth-­‐mrazik-­‐cleaver-­‐canadian-­‐picture-­‐book-­‐award/) -­‐-­‐ This award was established in 1985 following the death of Elizabeth Mrazik-­‐Cleaver. In her will, Cleaver left a fund of $10,000 dollars for an award to be given annually in recognition of outstanding artistic talent in a Canadian picture book. Administered by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre.
Amelia Frances Howard-­‐Gibbon Illustrator’s Award (http://www.cla.ca/AM/Template.cfm?
Section=Amelia_Frances_Howard_Gibbon_Illustrator_s_Award&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=2505) -­‐-­‐ Given by the Canadian Association of Children's Librarians (CACL), this annual award is presented to the illustrator of an outstanding children's book published during the previous calendar year.
Vancouver Public Library Canadian Picture Books (http://www.vpl.ca/books_dvds_and_more/item_list/book_lists/1110/C538)
New York Public Library’s “100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know”
http://kids.nypl.org/reading/recommended2.cfm?ListID=61
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Key:
Books by Canadian Authors or Publishers
Books with a particular Canadian Identity Author:
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Miss Nelson is missing!
Allard, Harry
1977
PBK F All
Miss Nelson is a good-­‐natured teacher, and her students take advantage of her. But when an evil substitute teacher shows up, they regret their behaviour.
1985
F And
Eva lives in an Inuit village in northern Canada. She searches the seabed under the frozen ice for mussels, for the very last Airst time.
2003
F Bai
Very last Airst time
Andrews, Jan
Stanley’s party
Bailey, Linda
Amelia Frances Howard-­‐Gibbon Medal, 2004. Stanley is a good dog, but learns how to party while his owners are away.
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From far and wide: a citizenship scrapbook Bannatyne-­‐Cugnet,
Bemelmans, Ludwig
Madeline
Xiao Ling Li and her parents take part in a Canadian citizenship ceremony.
2000
F Ban
1963 F Bem
Mischievous Madeline from Paris gets appendicitis.
1995
811.54 Ima
25 paintings by the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson combined with Canadian poems bring to life the Canadian landscape.
1996
F Boo
Mathew’s grandfather tells him about the dirty 30s, as a modern day drought hits this prairie family.
1993
811.54 Bou
Visual and poetic journey across the prairies. “If you’re not from the prairie, You don’t know the sun. You can’t know the sun…” Images of nature: Canadian poets and the Group of Seven
Booth, David
The dust bowl
Booth, David
If you’re not from the prairie
Bouchard, David
3
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The dragon New Year: a Chinese legend
Bouchard, Dave
Amelia Frances Howard-­‐Gibbon Medal, 2000.
A noisy Chinese New Year keeps a young girl awake, as her grandmother tells her a story of a dragon, a mother, and Buddha.
1999
F Bou
2008
F Bou
The traditional Northern Cree Round Dance leads the reader through the cycles and seasons of life. Written in English and Cree, with an audio CD with drum music.
1997
F Bro
A classic bedtime story for beginning readers.
F Bur
Mike and his steam shovel are considered out-­‐of-­‐
date, but are hired to dig the town hall foundation hole in one day. They forget to build a ramp to get out of the hole when they are done. A child comes up with a very creative solution to this dilemma.
The drum calls softly
Bouchard, Dave
Goodnight moon
Brown, Margaret
Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel
Burton, Virginia
1967
Follett eBook
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Shi-­‐shi-­‐etko
Campbell, Nicola I.
2005
F Cam
Shi-­‐shi-­‐etko treasures her home and the beauty of her world, knowing that in just four days, she will be leaving it behind to attend residential school.
1986
F Car
When Monica asks her father to get the moon for her, he does, but it keeps changing its size.
1984
F Car
The winters in Roch’s village centre on school, church and the Montreal Canadians hockey team. Imagine Roch’s horror when his mother buys him a Toronto Maple Leaf hockey sweater.
1978
F Cre
Colorful cars parade past the pages in this preschool board book.
Papa, please get the moon for me
Carle, Eric
The hockey sweater
Carrier, Roch
Freight train
Crews, Donald
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Herald and the purple crayon
Crockett, Johnson
1983
F Joh
1989
398.245 Dau
1975
398.20945 DeP
BookFLIX
On crayon, one boy, one imagination, and the adventures begin!
Andy and the lion
Daugherty, James
Retelling of the fable “Androcles and the Lion,” Airst published in 1938.
Strega Nona: an old tale
De Paola, Tomie
BookFLIX
An old Italian tale about Strega Nona, “Grandma Witch,” when she leaves her apprentice in charge of her magic pasta pot.
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Snow
Denton, Kady MacDonald
2006 Winner of the Elizabeth Mrazik-­‐
Cleaver Award. To a child, snow holds a world of wonders, from visions of whales and seals, to elves and emeralds. 2006
F Cla
2003
F Dod
1999
F Egi
A boy swallows a Aly, and he is prescribed to pills to Aix the situation. Will the pills catch the Aly?
1996
F Eyv
A heartwarming Christmas story about a boy’s growing relationship with Red Parka Mary, and all she has to teach him.
Where’s pup?
Dodds, Dayle Ann
Elizabeth Mrazik-­‐Cleaver Award, 2003. The clown cannot Aind his pup, until he reaches the top of the acrobatic pyramid.
Buz
Egielski, Richard
Red Parka Mary
Eyvindson, Peter
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Olivia Falconer, Ian
2007
F Fal
Olivia has way too much energy for her own good.
200?
152.334 Lac Gr.EC-­‐1
A stuffed bear in a department store hopes to Aind a home.
1928
F Gag
A couple must select one cat from a choice of millions.
1975
HangUp 398.2 Gal
Follett eBook
Paul Galdone brings this classic tale to life with his humorous color drawings.
1973
398.245 Gal
Follett eBook
Galdone’s amusing pictures add greatly to the familiar tale.
Corduroy
Freeman, Don
Gag, Wanda
Millions of cats
Gingerbread boy
Galdone, Paul
The little red hen: an old story
Galdone, Paul
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Stella, queen of the snow
Gay, Marie-­‐Louise
Graham, Georgia
The strongest man this side of Cremona
2000
F Gay
1998
F Gra
1964
F Hob
2008
F Hut
Elizabeth Mrazik-­‐Cleaver Award, 2001. Stella and Sam discover the wonders of winter together.
Based on a true story of a tornado in Cremona, Alberta.
Bread and jam for Frances
Hoban Russell
Frances only wants to eat bread and jam for every meal, and her parents indulge her. When is there too much bread and jam?
Mattland
Hutchins, Hazel
Amelia Frances Howard-­‐Gibbon Medal, 2009. A lonely boy is surrounded by the uninspiring grey world of his new home, so he creates a miniature word in the mud. Soon he has new friends who help save his world from the rain.
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The owl and the pussycat
Jorisch, Stephanie
Elizabeth Mrazik-­‐Cleaver Award, 2007. Part of the award winning Visions In Poetry series, where classic poems are re-­‐interpreted for today’s readers by award winning artists.
2007
821.8 Lea
1962
F Kea
1975
F Kur
Amelia Frances Howard-­‐Gibbon Medal, 1976. Farm life is depicted through the eyes of a boy, and William Kerelek’s award winning paintings.
1993
F Kus
The mystical aspects of the northern lights are explored though the eyes of an Inuit boy, after his mother dies. This is a celebration of family life and the wonder of nature. The snowy day
Keats, Ezra Jack
BookFLIX
Discover the magic of your Airst snowfall, all over again.
Prairie boy’s summer, A: paintings and story Kurelek, William
Northern lights: the soccer trails
Kusagak, Michael
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Alligator pie
Lee, Dennis
1974
811.54 Lee
1999
F Lem
1963
F Lio
2000
421.1 Maj
Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award, 1975. My generation grew up on these Canadian children’s poems and chants, and so did my kids. And so should all Canadian children. So read it!
Stormy night
Lemieux, Michele
Elizabeth Mrazik-­‐Cleaver Award, 2000. A 240 page black-­‐and-­‐white book of pictures for older readers. If you have ever lost sleep over the meaning of the universe, this book is for you.
Swimmy
Lionni, Leo
Major, Kevin
Eh? To zed: a Canadian ABeCedarium
When Swimmy’s school of Aish are all swallowed by a tuna, he devices a way to camouAlage himself and perhaps save his new friends.
Canadian alphabet book by well known author Kevin Major.
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George and Martha: the complete stories of two best friends
Marshall, James
2000
F Mar
The adventures of two hippopotamus friends.
1992
F Mar
Children see a variety of animals, all different colours.
1989
421.1 Mar
Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?
Martin, Bill Jr.
Chicka chicka boom boom
Martin, Bill Jr.
BookFLIX
An alphabet rhyming book, where the alphabet tries to climb a coconut tree.
12
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Date:
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Make way for ducklings
McCloskey, Robert
1941
F McC
Winner of the Caldecott Medal for the best American picture book in 1941.
1992
F Med
If a dog eats alphabet soup, what happens? In this case, she begins to speak, which may not be as funny as you might Airst expect.
1996
F Mor
Takes the reader on a traditional Alberta cattle drive, through the eyes of a boy.
1938
F Lea
Martha speaks
Meddaugh, Susan
Tiger’s new cowboy boots
Morck, Irene
Munro, Leaf
The story of Ferdinand
Ferdinand is not your typical bull, as he likes to stop and smell the Alowers. That will change, however.
13
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Title:
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Paper bag princess
Munsch, Robert
1980
F Mun
Tumblebooks
A twisted fairy tale, where the princess is the heroine, because the prince is not all that heroic.
If you give a mouse a cookie
Numeroff, Laura
Oversize F Num, or F Num
Great and rollicking predictable an d cyclical book is simply a great read, but also a great model for students to for their own writing ideas.
2002
398.20951
9 Par
Elizabeth Mrazik-­‐Cleaver Award, 2002. A tiger and a thief are frightened because they did not get the whole picture.
2011
F Rei
1985
The tiger and the dried persimmon: a Korean folk tale
Park, Janie Jaehyun
Perfect snow Reid, Barbara
Amelia Frances Howard-­‐Gibbon Medal, 2010. “The plasticine lady” creates a “quintessentially Canadian picture book” about what else? Snow and snow forts.
14
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Curious George
Rey, H.A.
1969
F Rey
2000
F Rey
1996
578.753
1991
F Sen
The man in the yellow hat brings George home, a very curious monkey. Trouble is coming!
The magniAicent piano recital
Reynolds, Marilynn
Amelia Frances Howard-­‐Gibbon Medal, 2001.
Experience the power of music.
A Mountain alphabet
Ruurs, Margriet
If you have read a prairie alphabet book about Canada, you better balance it off with a mountain alphabet book.
Where the wild things are
Sendak, Maurice
BookFLIX
Max is sent to his room, where the wild rumpus starts, in the land of the wild things.
15
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The cremation of Sam McGee
Service, Robert W.
2006
811.52
The Yukon is brought to life, both in Robert Service’s famous poem, and Ted Harrison’s striking artwork.
1968
F Seu
An elephant hatching an egg.?! More great nonsense from Dr. Seuss.
1999
F Sha
A boy, a hyperactive boy, and a classroom. What can happen? A biographical sketch of the author.
Horton hatches the egg
Seuss, Dr.
David goes to school
Shannon, David
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Date:
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Caps for sale; a tale of a peddler, some monkeys and their monkey business
Slobodkina, Esphyr
1947
PBK F Slo
Monkeys are up to monkey business, stealing a peddler’s caps.
1996
F Sti
A natural story time book for younger readers. Paired opposite and goofy dinosaurs parade across the pages.
1982
F Sti
1999
F Tro
Dinosaur roar!
Stickland, Paul
Red is best
Stinson, Kathy
Tumblebooks
A modern classic proving that red is the best colour.
Flags
Trottier, Maxine
Friendship and innocence are combined with the evacuation and relocation of a Japanese Canadian during the second world war.
17
Author:
Title:
Date:
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M is for maple: a Canadian alphabet
Ulmer, Michael
2001
421.1 Ulm
1985
F Van
2002
F Van
1987
F Vio
Travel across the alphabet and across Canada, with its symbols, history, people and culture.
The polar express
Van Allsburg
Follett eBook
A popular holiday classic, the polar express is a magical train that takes a boy to the North Pole.
The art room
Vande Griek, Susan
Amelia Frances Howard-­‐Gibbon Medal, 2003. Canadian artist Emily Carr teaches art to children, inspiring in them a love of painting and the natural world.
Alexander and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day
Viorst, Judith
Alexander starts his day with gum in his hair, and it’s all downhill from there.
18
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Morning on the lake
Waboose, Jan Bourdeau
1997
F Wab
Three adventures of a young boy and his grandfather, from morning on the lake, to a bird’s eye view of the land, and then into the woods.
1999
F Wal
James follows in his father’s footsteps and becomes a coal miner in Cape Breton. The shadowy acrylic paintings help the reader experience life in the mines. 2002
Out of print
Boy of the deeps
Wallace, Ian
Wallace, Ian
The true story of Trapper Jack’s big left toe
A tall tale from the Yukon.
Chester
Watt, Melanie
2007
Amelia Frances Howard-­‐Gibbon Medal, 2008.
Chester the cat keeps interfering, as the author tries to write a story about a mouse. Excellent title to teach point of view (Also on my Picture Books For Older Readers list).
F Wat
Scaredy squirrel
Watt, Melanie
2006
F Wat
Tumblebooks
Amelia Frances Howard-­‐Gibbon Medal, 2007. It is a dangerous world out there, especially if you are a squirrel. One day, Scaredy Squirrel Ainds himself out of his tree? Will he survive the unknown and his fears?
19
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The Baabaasheep Quartet
Watts, Leslie Elizabeth
2005
On order
2004
421.1 Wel
2001
811.6 Wol
1984
F Woo
Amelia Frances Howard-­‐Gibbon Medal, 2006.
Four sheep leave the farm to retire in the city, but have some trouble Aitting in.
C is for Chinook: an Albert alphabet Welykochy, Dawn
Travel around Alberta and the alphabet in paintings, poetry, and sidebars of detailed information. It includes an Alberta Facts Quiz at the end.
Where I live
Wolfe, Frances
Amelia Frances Howard-­‐Gibbon Medal, 2002. Where she lives is the sea, where it comes alive through the outstanding illustrations and poetry.
The napping house
Wood, Audrey
It’s a wild ride in this cumulative tale after a small Alea takes just one bite.
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How do dinosaurs say goodnight?
Yolen, Jane
2000
F Yol
2009
398.2089 Zem
1996
F Zio
BookFLIX
How DO dinosaurs say good night, or try to avoid bedtime completely?
Lord of the sky
Zeman-­‐Spaleny, Linda
A story based on the “wooden picture books (totem poles)” of Western Canada.
Harry the dirty dog
Zion, Gene
A dog who hates baths becomes so dirty his family does not know who he is.
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