It’s that time of year again!
Welcome to another round of the Best Books of the Year so Far, where halfway through the year, I name the titles I read that I feel are the best of 2022. Just like last year, I will be listing the books by different genre and format. So stay tuned every Thursday throughout the rest of this month, catch my favorite reads of 2022 that you want to keep your eye on!
Small’s Big Dream by Manjeet Mann and illustrated by Amanda Quartey
In Small’s world, everything is small – her shoes, her bed, everything. But her dreams are big. And Small discovers that when you dream big, anything – and everything – can happen.
Small’s Big Dream is the first picture book from Manjeet Mann, with artwork by exciting debut illustrator Amanda Quartey. Manjeet Mann is the author of the Costa Children’s Book Award winning The Crossing and critically acclaimed and Carnegie-shortlisted Run, Rebel . (Credit: HarperCollins UK)
Sunflower Sisters by Monika Singh Gangotra and illustrated by Michaela Dias-Hayes
Amrita and Kiki are best friends and sunflower sisters. Amrita’s older sister is getting married, but when the elder relatives arrive, they start dispensing some old-fashioned and dubious advice. Luckily, Amrita’s mother has a lesson or two to teach about that! With the support and empowerment of their moms, the sunflower sisters are two strong, confident girls–one South Asian the other Nigerian–finding joy in their own skin. (Credit: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky)
Black Boy, Black Boy: Celebrate the Power of You by Ali Kamanda and Jorge Redmond and illustrated by Ken Daley
Dear boy, Black boy, I believe in you so.
Let’s start your story–ready, set, go.
From athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick to musician Fela Kuti, explorer Matthew Henson and writer Chinua Achebe, there are so many inspirational men in Black history. This lyrical, rhythmic text encourages boys to imagine everything they can be and the great things they can do, drawing on the strength of people throughout history that paved the way for Black boys today.
Black Boy, Black Boy tells today’s boys: you have the courage, you are the light. It’s a new day! Be inspired and motivated by drawing on the history of the role models that came before you.
Our World Is a Family: Our Community Can Change the World by Miry Whitehill and Jennifer Jackson and illustrated by Nomar Perez
From the creators of Miry’s List, the nonprofit that has helped thousands of refugees, Our World is a Family is an all-ages picture book exploring the complicated topic of human migration in a gentle, loving, and affirming way. It lightly touches on the reason people might leave their homes, like climate change or lack of safety, and inspires children to welcome their new neighbors into their communities with love.
Can Bears Ski? by Raymond Antrobus and illustrated by Polly Dunbar
Little Bear feels the world around him. He feels his bed rumble when Dad Bear wakes him up in the morning. He feels the floor shake when his teacher stomps to get his attention. But something else is missing, like when his friends tell jokes that he isn’t sure he understands, or when all around him Little Bear hears the question, “Can bears ski?” Then, one day, Dad Bear takes him to see an “aud-i-olo-gist,” and Little Bear learns that he has been experiencing deafness and will start wearing hearing aids. Soon he figures out what that puzzling refrain is: “Can you hear me?” Little Bear’s new world is LOUD and will take some getting used to, but with the love and support of Dad Bear, he will find his way. In this lyrical picture book, award-winning creators Raymond Antrobus and Polly Dunbar draw on their own experiences to tell Bear’s story. (Credit: Candlewick Press)
This came out in 2021 but I read this year and it was so beautiful and too good to NOT put on this list.
Stay tune for next week where I will give the best of 2022 in the fiction and mystery category!
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