It’s been another crazy year of reading, with my current total at 343. Much of that has been kids/teens reading through homeschooling and Cybils Awards first round panelist reading. So, like last year, I’m not picking favorites but highlighting my 5 star reads by category.

Since I read over 100 nonfiction picture books for Cybils alone, this will be two separate posts (part one is here) SO MANY fantastic books! 

The Glorious Forest That Fire Built by Ginny Neal. 32 pages, 2023

Simple yet powerful book about the very timely subject of forest fires and how we need trees. Geared for younger elementary.

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On a Flake-Flying Day by Buffy Silverman. 32 pages, 2023

Beautiful, high interest photographs with equally beautiful words for vocabulary building. Geared for younger elementary.

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Moving the Millers’ Minnie Moore Mine Mansion by Dave Eggers, illustrator Julia Sarda. 56 pages, 2023

This little forgotten story was made great fun by the humor of the words and illustrations. The mother and her son lived in the house as it was being rolled to a different location – for a whole month!

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An American Story by Kwame Alexander, illustrator Dare Coulter. 56 pages, 2023

It’s a beautifully illustrated book that will generate great discussion no matter how old your child is. Alexander wrote this book after a conversation with his daughter’s teacher when he asked why she was teaching about the 13 colonies without talking about slavery. It belongs on all of the shelves! The illustrations were a mix of sketches, paints, and clay figures.

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We Are Branches by Joyce Sidman, Beth Krommes illustrator. 40 pages, 2023

I’m obsessed with the illustrations in this book! Perfect for early elementary nature lovers.

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Digestion: The Musical by Adam Rex, illustrator Laura Park. 76 pages, 2022

Delightful, bizarre, goofy – all things a musical can be. Lots of kid appeal.

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Glitter Everywhere! by Chris Barton. 48 pages, 2023

Science, history, fun, and concern for the future combine to make this a flittery, glittery home run.

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Checkmate! by John Foley. 112 pages, 2023

This is listed as elementary level, but it’s really for any kid just getting started.

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Stranded!: A Mostly True Story from Iceland by Aevar Por Benediktsson, illustrator Anne Wilson. 32 pages, 2023

This funny and scary story about two men exploring an island just made from an active volcano is fun for all.

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Rice From Heaven: The Secret Mission to Feed North Korea by Tina Cho. 40 pages 2018

A great inspiration for kids to show what a small group of individuals can do. I loved the details and photos at the end.

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Cicada Symphony by Sue Fliess. 32 pages, 2023

A perfect book for younger elementary with outstanding illustrations which is the real showcase here.

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Finding Family: The Duckling Raised By Loons by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrator Alexandria Neonakis. 32 pages, 2023

A delightful little story about family.

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Inky’s Amazing Escape: How a Very Smart Octopus Found His Way Home by Sy Montgomery, illustrator Amy Schimler-Safford. 32 pages, 2018

A colorful story of a real-life escape artist octopus. The story is perfect for younger kids and the end notes satisfy the older ones.

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Sniffer & Tinni by Berit Helberg, photographer Torgeir Berge. 40 pages, 2016

The story of a true life friendship between a dog and a fox told with photographs. Sure to delight elementary school animal lovers.

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Meet the Bears by Kate Peridot and Becca Hall. 48 pages, 2023

A sweet comparison of different kinds of bears and where they live.

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You and the Bowerbird by Maria Gainferrari, illustrator Maris Wicks. 48 pages, 2023

Simple yet fun for younger elementary kids with just the right amount of additional info at the end.

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Circle by Jeannie Baker. 48 pages, 2016

Gorgeous illustrations demonstrating bird migration from New Zealand.