Picture Book Buzz of 2014

As the year wraps up, many "Best of the Year" lists are coming out. Goodreads just announced its Best Picture Books of 2014, and it's no surprise that fan favorite Mo Willems won for The Pigeon Needs A Bath!

My favorite from the Goodreads list is Gaston, the heartwarming story of a feisty bulldog who doesn't match his posh poodle family. When he meets a rambunctious bulldog clan, he learns that family means more than just looking alike – it's about feeling like you belong.

From The New York Times Best Illustrated Books list, I love The Baby Tree, where a soon-to-be big brother asks the age-old question, "Where do babies come from?" Do they come from trees, eggs, storks or hospitals? All of these options take shape in imaginative pastel drawings.

Kirkus Revies has an even more specific list with the Best Picture Books That Celebrate Diversity. Readers will be inspired by Little Melba and Her Big Trombone, the true story of Melba Liston, a gifted musician who played with the best jazz bands in the 1940s. She succeeded even though some people said she couldn't because of her gender and race.

Watch for CPL's Best Picture Books of 2014 when our Best of the Best list is announced next week! Happy reading!