Top Ten Picture Book Read-Alouds of 2011

Annotation:Back from her picture book debut in "Children Make Terrible Pets" Lucy the Bear is determined to get a friend . . . no matter the cost. Be sure to bounce up and down in your seat as you read this one.

Annotation:Kids get a real kick out of this die-cut little beauty. The book is big enough to see across a room, though I've yet to meet the kid who guesses the orangutan spread.

Annotation:Talk about craft program possibilities! In this restrained title a square finds itself cut, torn, and changed in a variety of different ways. Be sure to have lots of colored paper on hand afterwards.

Annotation:The only drawback to this book is that as you pull the little fortune cookie tabs you may have to hold this book over your head as overexcited kids run up to pull the next tab themselves.

Annotation:Awesome. The ultimate in children believing what they want to believe. Kids get the joke (and parents will find it pretty hilarious too).

Annotation:Imagine a bad school play performed by woodland creatures. That's the tone of this hugely engaging (not to say very funny) story of a bear and his love for festive headware.

Annotation:Want something unexpected? Kids won't see what's coming next when one animals morphs into another in this fantastic catchy read-aloud.

Annotation:Don't try to sing it . . . or if you do, prepare for the unexpected. When a group of animals rebel against their standard likes and dislikes, a stage production goes absolutely bonkers. My favorite: The flower arranging lions.

Annotation:Sick of princess stories? Meet the antithesis from this hilarious import from Britain (with an Argentinian illustrator). This is an anti-princess book if ever I saw one.

Annotation:Magic. Gold. I don't know how else to describe it. Even if you've never read a book aloud to kids in your life, this one's a godsend. It ALWAYS succeeds and kids will be enthralled. Better than an app. It's the anti-ebook.
A Shared List by ELIZABETH RAMSEY BIRD
Member of New York Public Library
Description
The ultimate nightmare: You're slated to read picture books to a class of 1st graders and the teacher is insisting that you use something new, hip, and funny. What do you do? With that in mind, here are some picture book read-alouds that are sure to win over your audience and make you the hero of the day.
Top 10 List
