2021 - 2022
South Carolina
Picture Book Award Nominees
All media specialists should review all titles and add them to their collections only if the titles meet the criteria established by District Board Policy and Library Media Center Policy & Procedure guidelines. We recommend that others interested in purchasing these titles read reviews and scan materials to determine the appropriateness for their intended readers.
Because
by Mo Willems
A series of events, some seemingly very insignificant,
lead to a young girl attending a life-changing concert.
The Boy Who Grew a Forest: The True Story of
Jadav Payeng
by sophia M. Gholz
A biography of Jadav Payeng who as a boy was distressed by the destruction, deforestation, and erosion in India's Brahmaputra River region. He began planting trees. What began as a small thicket of bamboo, grew into a thriving 1,300 acre forest filled with native plants and animals.
Carl and the
MEaning of Life
by Deborah Freedman
Carl is an earthworm. He spends his days happily tunneling in the soil until a field mouse asks him a simple question that stops him short: "Why?" Carl's quest takes him on an adventure to meet all the animals of the forest, each of whom seems to know exactly what they were put on this earth to do, unlike the curious Carl. But it's not until the world around him has changed that Carl begins to realize everyone, no matter how small, makes a big difference just by being themselves.
A
Crazy-Much
Love
by Joy Jordan-Lake
"How MUCH is the crazy-much love?" This simple question is answered as a parent recounts the journey of adopting her daughter and the many milestone moments that follow. A warm, lyrical celebration of the deep love parents hold for their children, and a comforting message for kids about how there can be only one special YOU.
Equality’s Call:
The Story of Voting
Rights in America
by Deborah Diesen
The founders of the United States declared that consent of the governed was a key part of their plan for the new nation. But for many years, only white men of means were allowed to vote. This unflinching and inspiring history of voting rights looks back at the activists who answered equality's call, working tirelessly to secure the right for all to vote, and it also looks forward to the future and the work that still needs to be done.
The
HAppy Book
by Andy Rash
When you live in The Happy Book, the world is full of daisies and sunshine and friendship cakes . . . until your best friend eats the whole cake and doesn't save you one bite. Moving from happiness to sadness and everything in between, Camper and Clam have a hard time finding their way back to happy. But maybe happy isn't the goal--being a good friend is about supporting each other and feeling all the feels together.
If I Built
A School
by Chris Van Dusen
Imaginative Jack describes the kind of school he would build--one full of animals, with tubes to transport students directly to their classrooms, and library books that come alive.
Just
Like ME
by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
A collection of poetry filled with engaging mini-stories about girls of all kinds: girls who feel happy, sad, scared, powerful; girls who love their bodies and girls who don't; country girls, city girls; girls who love their mother and girls who wish they had a father.
Madeline Finn and
the Shelter Dog
by Lisa Papp
Madeline Finn asks her mother for a puppy every single day. Finally, Mom says yes, and Madeline Finn chooses Star, one of the puppies born to Mrs. Dimple's dog Bonnie. Then Mrs. Dimple tells Madeline Finn about animal shelters--a place many other pets come from. After a visit to their local shelter, Madeline Finn has some questions. Questions lead to answers, and ideas, and soon Madeline Finn and her human and animal community discover that there are lots of ways for small people to make a big difference.
Nobody
HUgs a Cactus
by Carter Goodrich
Hank is the prickliest cactus in the entire world. He sits in a pot in a window that faces the empty desert, which is just how he likes it. So, when all manner of creatures—from tumbleweed to lizard to owl—come to disturb his peace, Hank is annoyed. He doesn’t like noise, he doesn’t like rowdiness, and definitely does not like hugs.But the thing is, no one is offering one. Who would want to hug a plant so mean? Hank is beginning to discover that being alone can be, well, lonely.
Packs:
Strength in NUmbers
by Hannah Salyer
Packs shows how togetherness and teamwork help many creatures thrive. Groups, packs, herds of millions, and more--our world teems with animals on land, air, and sea. Packs is an inspiring celebration of how togetherness helps many creatures thrive, in both nonhuman and human communities.
The
Paper Kingdom
by Helena Ku Rhee
When the babysitter is unable to come, Daniel is woken out of bed and joins his parents as they head downtown for their jobs as nighttime office cleaners. But the story is about more than brooms, mops, and vacuums. Mama and Papa turn the deserted office building into a magnificent kingdom filled with paper. Then they weave a fantasy of dragons and kings to further engage their reluctant companion--and even encourage him to one day be the king of a paper kingdom.
The Proudest Blue:
A Story of HIjab & Family
by Ibtihaj Muhammad and S.K. Ali
It's Faizah's first day of school, and her older sister Asiya's first day of hijab - made of a beautiful blue fabric. But not everyone sees hijab as beautiful. In the face of hurtful, confusing words, will Faizah find new ways to be strong? This is an uplifting, universal story of new experiences, the unbreakable bond shared by siblings and of being proud of who you are, from Olympic medallist Ibtihaj Muhammad.
Snail
Crossing
by Corey R. Tabor
When Snail spies a plump, crisp cabbage across the road, nothing will stop him--not a speeding car or even a hungry crow. But then kindhearted Snail stops to help a crew of antsy ants in a rainstorm, and he loses his way. It looks like he will never get his treat--until Snail's new friends come up with an idea.
SumoKitty
by David Biedrzycki
A stray kitty gets a job in a sumo stable, chasing mice in exchange for food. But when eating like a sumo wrestler slows our feline hero down, he realizes he must train like a wrestler, too. Through hard work and perseverance (and with a little help from a big buddy), SumoKitty is born!
There are No
Bears in this Bakery
by Julia Sarcone-Roach
A tough gumshoe of a cat--the name's Muffin--protects his territory: The Little Bear Bakery. But there are no bears here. Not on Muffin's watch.
One night, Muffin hears a suspicious noise. Mouse? Raccoon? Bat? Nope, not the usual suspects. But Muffin hears . . . growling. Could it be? Yup. A bear. Just a cub. Whose stomach is definitely growling. Muffin's got this case solved--clearly this bear needs some donuts.
This Book
Is Gray
by Lindsay Ward
Gray just wants to be included. But the other colors are always leaving him out. So he decides to create his own project: an all-gray book. Gray just knows it's going to be perfect. But as he adds page after page, the Primary and Secondary colors show up...and they aren't quite so complimentary.
The Very
Impatient Caterpillar
by Ross BUrach
A tongue-in-cheek exploration of metamorphosis that will make you flutter with glee, while also providing real facts about how caterpillars transform into butterflies.
A Voice
Named Aretha
by Katheryn Russell-Brown
Aretha Franklin is the Queen of Soul, a legend. But before she became a star, she was a shy little girl with a voice so powerful it made people jump up, sway, and hum along. Raised in a house full of talking and singing, Aretha learned the values that would carry her through life--from her church choir in Detroit to stages across the world. The first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Aretha always remembered who she was and where she came from.
When a Kid
Like Me
Fights Cancer
by Catherine Stier
When Ben finds out he has cancer, he learns a lot right away. He learns that cancer is something you fight, and that cancer isn't anyone's fault--especially not his. He discovers that many things change with cancer, but some of the most important things stay the same, and everyone around him wants to help him fight.