There is a lot of awesomeness in the picture book genre; so much so that I have a hard time keeping up with all the great new titles coming out! Here, in no particular order, are picture book titles that I have recently read and would recommend:

Mister Bud Wears the Cone by Carter Goodrich. I fell in love with Mister Bud and Zorro- the two canine lead characters- in their first story. This third entry is also delightful, with a zippy story and lively illustrations. I especially love how- in all three of the books- the two dogs are illustrated with such fantastic expressiveness that one can’t help but adore them.

Once Upon An Alphabet: Short Stories for All the Letters by Oliver Jeffers. Ah, the work of Oliver Jeffers! One of my favourite illustrators and storytellers (The Heart and the Bottle, Lost and Found, etc.). Longer than a typical picture book and more cheekily devious, Once Upon An Alphabet is,  I think, Jeffers’ most intriguing and shrewd work yet.

Mix It Up! by Herve Tullet. While I personally did not find this book as magical or streamlined as the wonderfully interactive Press Here, Mix It Up! is still pretty terrific and will likely be a monster hit at story times.

Shh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton. Haughton, author and illustrator of Oh No, George! and Little Owl Lost brings us another comical and thoughtful story. The bold and unusual colour palette is appealing and the use of utterly delightful repetitive lines will likely (and hopefully) encourage many readings. I LOVE this one!

My Teacher Is a Monster! (No, I Am Not.) by Peter Brown. Oh this is a good one! Brown consistently brings out uniquely illustrated picture books with slyly meaningful stories. This one- about a boy seeing his scary teacher outside of the classroom- delivers on all fronts, a real treat of a picture book that combines genuine humour and heart.

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett, illus. by Jon Klassen. The author-illustrator team of Barnett and Klassen is marvelous- just take a look at Extra Yarn (a favourite of mine!). Sam and Dave Dig a Hole is a book that begs for multiple readings and plenty of time to examine and compare illustrations and ponder that ending.