Staff Faves - Children's Books

staff faves children's books

We like to think our library staff’s love of children’s books is evident to our customers. Hopefully, you’ve experienced this in attendance at our storytimes, getting book recommendations for your kiddos, or perhaps by perusing our always-changing themed book displays.

But perhaps you’ve wondered: which children’s books do these bibliophiles love to read the most themselves? We asked around . . . and got loads of wonderful answers!

Check out the books AACPL professionals recommend for children of all ages, whether Easy Readers & Juvenile Fiction or Picture Books.

Browse our booklists at the bottom of the post, or read on for more detailed suggestions from dedicated staff in your neighborhood:

Oldies But Goodies

Clearly, nostalgia plays an important role in the children’s books that stay with us through adulthood, as evidenced by some of the older titles staff chose.

For example, Jennifer of Broadneck Library notes loving Bridge to Terabithia, a classic from the ‘70s by Katherine Paterson, saying that she "really connected to how alone Jesse felt in his family at times, and how found he felt after he became friends with Leslie. I loved escaping into the world they created in Terabithia".

Kelly, of Brooklyn Park Library, offers a beloved ‘90s book, Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, "a great historical fiction about the Great Depression told in verse form making it a fast read."

Apart from chapter books, a number of staff suggest favorite picture books from decades past.

For instance, Angela at Severna Park Library suggests the classic ‘50s title Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse by Leo Lionni, explaining that "it reads like an old folk tale with a beautiful message about the things we're willing to give up to help our friends. The mixed media illustrations have rich patterns and textures you can almost touch."

Brand New Gems!

Don’t think our librarians are stuck in the past! In fact, multiple staff recommend a wide variety of picture books they like to use in storytimes that are as recent as 2021/2022!

At Broadneck Library, Mikey hosts a pizza-themed storytime using A Pizza with Everything on It! by Kyle Scheele. He describes the plot in delectable detail: "A boy and his dad are trying to build a pizza with EVERYTHING on it! They don't stop at just vegetables or meats; they go so far as to use bicycles, buildings, and even experimental science projects which leads to even more exciting toppings!"

Meanwhile, Betsy at Brooklyn Park Library loves Moving Words About a Flower, because "it tells the wonderful story of dandelions! The illustrations have intriguing pops of color, and the text tells the story in a playfully graphic way. I love how the story comes full circle in the end and has dandelion facts in the epilogue.

One of this year’s top picks for Maggie of Edgewater Library is Knight Owl by Christopher Denise; she enthusiastically gushes that "I can't get enough of this new title! Owl dreamed of being a knight since the day he hatched . . . This is such a delightful book with marvelous illustrations anyone would love, including grown-ups." (Maggie, Edgewater Library)

Alycia at Glen Burnie Library offers a title with life lessons: Sometimes Cake by Edwina Wyatt, with the comment: "I like that the reader is encouraged to appreciate the daily big and small things of life."

An easy reader just ordered for our library, Lego Star Wars: Free the Galaxy - Discover the Rebel's Secrets by Himani Khatreja, is one of Kelly’s favorites, at Brooklyn Park Library, because it has "photos that take up most of the page luring even the most reluctant reader".

BIPOC Stories

A number of AACPL staff have special places in their hearts for picture book stories that center on BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) characters.

For example, Katie of Crofton Library loves How it Feels to Be a Boat by James Kwan, while Liz of Deale Library is especially fond of Every Little Thing by Cedella Marley (daughter of Bob Marley), based on the song, Three Little Birds. Christine at Edgewater Library highly recommends The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad and Eyes that Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho.

Gina of Discoveries: the Library at the Mall says her favorite children’s books right now are The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh by Supriya Kelkar, "a beautiful story of friendship", as well as The Patchwork Bike by Maxine Beneba Clarke, "a simple story about siblings playing and the illustrations are AMAZING."

Angela at Severna Park Library stresses that she adores Hair Love by Matthew Cherry, "a sweet story with a strong, loving father-daughter relationship and an empowering message that Black hair is beautiful!" She also notes that "there's a great animated short film based on the book. Check it out if you get the chance!"

Finally, our Eastport-Annapolis Neck Library manager Michele poignantly recalls loving Peter's Chair by Ezra Jack Keats "because it was the first book in which I saw people who looked like me".

Authors to Check Out

Many library workers offer not just specific titles they recommend, but authors whose bodies of work they love on the whole.

David at Crofton Library recommends Emma Dodd, whose books "have cute illustrations, the text often rhymes (which makes them fun to read aloud) and the stories are always sweet and heartfelt." (David, Crofton Library)

Also from Crofton Library, Katie recalls really loving Eva Ibbotson's chapter books growing up, saying that "I think these were some of my first ‘strong female characters’ because they always used their wits!"

Marc, of Riviera Beach Library, claims that a big influence in why he is such an avid reader now is "because Beverly Cleary introduced me to all of the wonderful kids and animals on Klickitat Street."

However, considering the changing trajectory of his early reading passions, he muses that "as I got older, Madeleine L'Engle, especially A Swiftly Tilting Planet edged out [Cleary’s] Ramona Quimby, Age 8 as my pick for the greatest work of literature ever written."

A favorite author for Teresa at Odenton Library is the award-winning Kate DiCamillo, particularly her lesser-known Mercy Watson and the related Tales from Deckawoo Drive series.

She explains that "they are so fun to read aloud, and the illustrations by Chris Van Dusen are pitch-perfect. Just like Despereaux and Flora, Mercy and the other characters are unforgettable. Reading them always leaves me wanting to eat toast with lots of butter (Mercy's favorite)."

Series Through the 20th Century

Speaking of book series, the vast majority of our AACPL folks say that their favorite children’s books involve such collections of stories, and many highlight series written decades ago, in cases nearly a century ago!

Crofton Library’s Sandy says that as a child, she loved all of the Nancy Drew mysteries, published between the 1930s (!) and the present. She fondly says "I remember dragging my mother to the closet library, which was in another town, because I wanted to read every last one of them."

A favorite series from the ‘50s was Ramona Quimby, who "was my hero!" says Marc of Riviera Beach Library. "The first book I ever walked into a bookshop and bought with my own pocket money was Ramona the Pest; I read it so many times I think it eventually disintegrated into book molecules. I never went back from there."

Michele, of Eastport-Annapolis Neck Library, fondly recalls the Harriet the Spy series by Louise Fitzhugh, that debuted in the ‘60s, explaining that "as a girl with three brothers the ‘girlie’ stuff did not come easy to me either and I fashioned myself a writer and observer of people even then."

Another ‘60s series, beloved by James at Crofton Library, is the Prydain Chronicles series by Lloyd Alexander. According to James, "I read those for the first time around 3rd/4th grade and I've always credited them with turning me into a lifelong fan of fantasy fiction."

Moving on to the ‘70s, Sharon from Odenton Library insists that "I was, and continue to be, a huge fan of Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad books. Frog and Toad Are Friends is timeless."

Meanwhile, Severn Library’s Ansley favors the American Girl series, begun in the ‘80s and continuing to be published through the present, "because I really liked the historical fiction aspect of the books. Having book series about each American Girl was really cool (even for someone who didn't have any of the dolls) for learning about different time periods!"

As for the ‘90s, Abigail of Severna Park Library highly recommends the Amelia Bedelia series by Peggy and Herman Parish, because "I learned so much about turns of phrase and idiosyncrasies of the English language by reading those books. I've used them multiple times in my K-2 book club, and they're still well-loved classics."

A picture book series from the ‘90s noted by Lynette of Maryland City at Russett Library is the Rainbow Fish collection; she says "I love the message about real beauty is found in showing kindness and making friends."

Series From This Millennium

According to Amanda at Glen Burnie Library, "I want to suggest Suzanne Collins' The Underland Chronicles series. Suzanne Collins is the author of the Hunger Games series and her series featuring Gregor the Overlander is a creative adventure story of Gregor's quest in the sewers. There are roaches, mice, and spiders!"

Other librarians suggest modern classic series: Allison, in AACPL’s Programming & Outreach, can’t say enough good things about the Elephant and Piggie series. She explains that "they are always cute and have a joke or punch line that makes the whole story funny. Also, my daughter and I always read the same characters’ lines -- I am always Gerald, and she is always Piggie. They have helped my daughter gain so much confidence in reading."

Meanwhile, Brooklyn Park Library’s Betsy says "I never get tired of Pete the Cat books by Eric Litwin. I love the fun and whimsy and that they are interactive and invite singing and dancing. They are just so easy to have fun with."

Finally, both Gabby at Busch Annapolis Library and Ashley at Edgewater Library suggest reading the Hat trilogy by Jon Klassen. Ashley further describes her love of this trio of stories: "with simple illustrations and a few words, Klassen manages to pack a lot of story and humor into these three books. It's truly impressive to see a trilogy of books that can create drama, suspense, and hilarity with subtle changes in lines or colors, and minimal dialogue to move the story along. These stories appeal to children with their gentle understanding of relatable emotions: loss, greed, and jealousy. Just as important, these book appeal to adults with their sly, dark humor and eventual happy ending (in the third book). I would [also] recommend this trilogy to fans of Mac Barnett."

Bonus Books

With these more than 60 recommendations, we hope these ideas keep you and your children enjoying reading for years to come, especially during this year’s Summer @ Your Library – stay tuned to next week’s blog for more details!

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All Time Staff Favorites: Children's Books

Easy Readers & Juvenile Fiction - Picture Books