I debated making this list of picture books and chapter books releasing in 2021, but this year, I’ve enjoyed several exceptional picture books and chapter books. 2021 is shaping up to be even better. Happily, this list seems to be a more diverse selection and having read several of the picture books on this list, I can wholeheartedly recommend these books.
Picture Book Love: Sunday Funday in Koreatown
Aram Kim’s Sunday Funday in Koreatown follows Yoomi, whom you may already know from No Kimchi for Me. The latter was a hit for picky eaters and readers who love fun food books. In this picture book, Yoomi wakes up excited for her usual Sunday funday festivities, but this Sunday is not so… fun. First, she can’t watch the morning show she likes, thanks to her brothers, then she can’t wear her favorite shirt because it’s still wet from the wash! But then, she’s still going to Koreatown with her dad, so maybe there’s hope yet?
PICTURE BOOK FRIDAY: BIRDSONG
In Julie Flett’s Birdsong, a young girl, Katherena, and her mother move from their home in the city to one in the countryside. The mother and daughter adjust to the move as spring warms into summer. The girl, a budding artist, loses her desire to create until she meets a fellow artist.