Picture books to brighten heart amid dark times
We may be at the end of winter, but there are likely still a couple more weeks of chillier temperatures ahead for us Michiganders. In the meantime, we have a selection of picture books for children that are maximally heartwarming — enough so that they’ll likely chase away any lingering winter woes.
‘Khalil and Mr. Hagerty and the Backyard Treasures’ by Tricia Springstubb
Khalil and Mr. Hagerty don’t seem like they have a lot in common. Khalil is a young boy. Mr. Hagerty is an old man. Khalil lives upstairs, where it’s crowded and noisy. Mr. Hagerty lives alone downstairs and keeps to himself. They find common ground in the back yard, where Khalil digs for treasures and Mr. Hagerty digs in his garden. Mr. Hagerty helps Khalil learn new words, while Khalil helps Mr. Hagerty remember words. They hide surprises for each other in the back yard, and share a piece of chocolate cake. This is a very sweet story about an unlikely intergenerational friendship.
‘City Dog, Country Frog’ by Mo Willems
The prolific Mo Willems usually illustrates his own books, but this one is complemented by the watercolors of Jon Muth. City Dog comes once a season to the country, where he meets his friend Country Frog. They play frog games, and they play dog games. Come winter, Country Frog is nowhere to be found. City Dog is heartbroken, but in the spring he meets a new friend. This one gets me in
the feels every time.
‘Ten Ways to Hear Snow’ by Cathy Camper
This calm and beautiful picture book follows Lina and her mother on their way to Sitti’s house. Sitti — her grandma — has trouble seeing, and Lina is excited to help her make their favorite Arabic holiday dishes. Sitti tells Lina how every morning, she opens the window to listen for the world outside. With that in mind, a fresh snowfall brings Lina’s attention to the new sounds around her, like the crunch of her boots, the scrape of a shovel or the plop of snow falling from branches.
‘Jabari Jumps’ by Gaia Cornwall
It’s summertime and Jabari and his dad are headed to the public pool. Jabari’s most excited to jump off the diving board, but when he sees how high it is, he begins to stall and has second thoughts. Jabari’s dad is supportive, but accepts his choice. Eventually, Jabari decides to face his fear. It’s a great story for younger children who are having trouble facing all of the scary things in their lives.
‘The Last Stop on Market Street’ by Matt de la Peña
“The Last Stop on Market Street” was the first picture book to win the Newbery Medal, usually awarded to chapter books for children. The story follows young CJ and his nana for a bus ride across town to their stop on Market Street. CJ asks questions, like, “Why don’t we have a car?” and “Why don’t we have one of those?” after seeing another boy’s ipod. Nana provides wisdom as only a nana could: “Boy, what do we need a car for, we’ve got a bus that breathes fire!” and “What for? You’ve got the real thing sitting across from you. Ask him if he’ll play us a song.” “Last Stop” is a charming real-world story about slowing down and appreciating the beauty in everyday life.