Archive for September, 2015

Women Make Picture Books Too, the 2015 edition!!!

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2015

Is it that time of year already? September!  When the kids head back to school, the pools close, and LAUREL SNYDER REMINDS YOU ABOUT ALL THE AMAZING PICTURE BOOKS  ILLUSTRATED BY WOMEN!

As you may know, this has become a tradition for me.   Inspired by the historical gender bias of the Caldecott award, I first compiled my list (with YOUR help) in 2013. Molly Idle was on it (HUZZAH!), but though she took home an honor at ALA, she was the only woman on the 5 name list.    Hrm.

Then, last year, my list looked like this, but the Caldecott was a shocker!  SO MANY WOMEN!  Morales!  Castillo!  AMAZING.

It really feels like things are shifting in many ways, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to keep thinking about the issue.  And that doesn’t mean many wonderful titles won’t still fall through the cracks.  Don’t ALL good books deserve “buzz?”

Especially for folks getting ready to mock-Caldecott, a list like this can help us look past the “big” books, and see the whole landscape.  This is not to suggest that the men  we adore aren’t adoration-worthy!  Of COURSE they are.   (It’s hard to imagine any unworthy title making it through the grueling process of Caldecotting.)    I only mean to say that women are worthy too, and somehow they get overlooked.

So help me out!  What are the women-illustrated books you love best this year?  I’ll start off with a few of my own favorites.  The only limits are that the book must be published in 2015, and it must be illustrated by a woman.  (Oh, and no self-nominating, please. If your book is awesome, rest assured someone else will think so too. Spread the love! Okay?)

GO!

(For starters, my son Mose nominates  NIMONA.)

NIMONA, by Noelle Stevenson

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As for me, I like so many things. For instance…

MUMMY CAT, by Marcus Ewert, illustrations by Lisa Brown

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HOME, by Carson Ellis

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THE LITTLE GARDENER, by Emily Hughes

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ONE WORD FROM SOPHIA, by Jim Averbeck, illustrations by Yasmeen Ismail

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THE WHISPER, by Pamela Zagarenski

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THE TEA PARTY IN THE WOODS, by Akiko Miyakoshi

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FINDING WINNIE, by Lindsay Mattick, illustrations by Sophie Blackall

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THIS IS SADIE, by Sara O’Leary, illustrations by Julie Morstad

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THE MOON IS GOING TO ADDY’S HOUSE, by Ida Pearle

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BY MOUSE AND FROG, by Deborah Freedman

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YARD SALE, by Eve Bunting, illustrations by Lauren Castillo

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INTERSTELLAR CINDERELLA, by Deborah Underwood, illustrations by Meg Hunt

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TREE OF WONDER, by Kate Messner, illustrations by Simona Mulazzani

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NIGHT ANIMALS, by Gianna Marino

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A FINE DESSERT, by Emily Jenkins, illustrations by Sophie Blackall

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WAIT, by Antoinette Portis

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SHARING THE BREAD, by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrations by Jill McElmurray

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DOUBLE HAPPINESS, by Nancy Tupper Ling, illustrations by Alina Chau

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PENNY AND JELLY, by Maria Gianferrari, illustrations by Thyra Heder

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WHEREVER YOU GO, by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrations by Eliza Wheeler

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SONG FOR A SUMMER NIGHT, by Robert Heidbreder, illustrations by Qin Leng

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DOUBLE TROUBLE FOR ANNA HIBISCUS, by Atinuke, illustrations by Lauren Tobia

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CHARLOTTE AND THE QUIET PLACE, by Deborah Sosin, illustrations by Sara Wooley

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BRIGHT NIGHT, STARRY CITY, by Uma Krishnaswami, illustrations by Aimee Sicuro

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SWAN, by Laurel Snyder, illustrations by Julie Morstad

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JULIA CHILD, by Erin Hagar, illustrations by Joanna Gorham

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IN THE CANYON, by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrations by Ashley Wolff

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BOO LA LA, WITCH SPA, by Samantha Berger, illustrations by Isabel Roxas

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BEACH HOUSE, by  Deanna Caswell, illustrations by Amy JUne Bates

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HANSEL AND GRETEL, by Holly Hobbie

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THE PRINCESS AND THE PONY, by Kate Beaton

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BEASTLY VERSE, by JooHee Yoon

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ASK ME, by Bernard Waber, illustrations by Suzy Lee

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THE GOOD LITTLE BOOK, by Kyo Maclear, illustrations by Marion Arbona

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ORANGUTANKA, by Margarita Engle, illustrations by Renee Kurilla

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ROLLER GIRL, by Victoria Jamieson

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THE BEAR ATE YOUR SANDWICH, by Julia Sarcone-Roach

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ARE WE THERE, YETI?  by Ashlyn Anstee

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PIG AND PUG, by Lynne Berry, illustrations by Gemma Correll

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SUCH A LITTLE MOUSE, by Alice Schertle, illustrations by Stephanie Yue

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NINJA BUNNY, by Jennifer Gray Olson

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ALPHA, by Isabelle Arsenault

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THE MARVELOUS FLUFFY SQUISHY ITYY BITTY, by Beatrice Alemagna

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A YEAR WITHOUT MOM, by Dasha Tolstikova

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SNOOZEFEST, by Samantha Berger

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POOL, by JiHyeon Lee

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WHERE ARE MY BOOKS, by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

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THE BLUE WHALE, by Jenni Desmond

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BOATS FOR PAPA, by Jessixa Bagley

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I WILL NEVER GET A STAR ON MRS. BENSON’S BLACKBOARD, by Jennifer K. Mann

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EARLY BIRD, by Toni Yuly

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IF YOU EVER WANT TO BRING AN ALLIGATOR TO FIRST GRADE, DON’T, by Elise Parsley

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THE SPECIFIC OCEAN, by Kyo Maclear, illustrations by Katty Maurey

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HUNGRY COYOTE, by Cheryl Blackford, illustrations by Laurie Caple

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FINDING SPRING, by Carin Berger

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THE WHALE IN MY SWIMMING POOL, by Joyce Wan

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MAPLE AND WILLOW APART, by Lori Nichols

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THE FUN BOOK OF SCARY STUFF, by Emily Jenkins, illustrations by Hyewon Yum

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RODEO RED, by Maripat Perkins, illustrations by Molly Idle

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LENNY AND LUCY, by Philip C. Stead, illustrations by Erin E. Stead

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P. ZONKA LAYS AN EGG, by Julie Paschkis

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THE BEAR REPORT, by Thyra Heder

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BERNICE GETS CARRIED AWAY, by Hannah E. Harrison

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ENORMOUS SMALLNESS, by Matthew Burgess, illustrations by Kris Di Giacomo

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IN A VILLAGE BY THE SEA, by Muon Van, illustrations by April Chu

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ONE BEAR EXTRORDINAIRE, by Jayme McGowan

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PEACE IS AN OFFERING, by Annette LeBox, illustrations by Stephanie Graegin

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SONYA’S CHICKENS, by Phoebe Wahl

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VOICE OF FREEDOM, FANNIE LOU HAMER, by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrations by Ekua Holmes

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WANGARI MAATHAI, THE WOMAN WHO PLANTED MILLIONS OF TREES, by Franck Prevot, illustrations by Aurelia Fronty

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WHERE BEAR?  by Sophy Henn

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THE WONDERFUL THINGS YOU WILL BE, by Emily Winfield Martin

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IS MOMMY?  by Victoria Chang, illustrations by Marla Frazee

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MAGIC TRASH, by J.H.Shapiro, illustrations by  Vanessa Brantley-Newton

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STRICTLY NO ELEPHANTS, by Lisa Mantchev, illustrations by Taeeun Yoo

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THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU, by Amy Parker, illustrations by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

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MOM SCHOOL, by Rebecca Van Slyke, illustrations by Priscilla Burris

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A NEST IS NOISY, by Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrations by Sylvia Long