Family Read-Aloud Picture Books

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Bedtime Bonnet By Nancy Redd; illustrated by Nneka Myers

This joyous and loving celebration of family is the first-ever picture book to highlight Black nighttime hair traditions--and is perfect for every little girl who knows what it's like to lose her bonnet just before bedtime.

In my family, when the sun goes down, our hair goes up!
My brother slips a durag over his locs.
Sis swirls her hair in a wrap around her head.
Daddy covers his black waves with a cap.
Mama gathers her corkscrew curls in a scarf.
I always wear a bonnet over my braids, but tonight I can't find it anywhere!

Bedtime Bonnet gives readers a heartwarming peek into quintessential Black nighttime hair traditions and celebrates the love between all the members of this close-knit, multi-generational family.

Perfect for readers of Hair Love and Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut!

Child of the Universe By Ray Jayawardhana; illustrated by Raul Colón

Perfect for fans of The Wonderful Things You Will Be and That's Me Loving You, this picture book by a renowned astrophysicist is a lyrical meditation on the preciousness of one child and the vastness of the universe.

Just like the sun gives shine to the moon,
you light up the world beyond this room . . .
You are grand and marvelous, strong and mysterious.
The history of the world is in your fingertips.

A lyrical meditation on the preciousness of one child and the vastness of the universe, this gorgeously illustrated picture book shares the immensity of a parent's love along with the message that we are all connected to the broader cosmos in important and intimate ways. A perfect bedtime read-aloud, Child of the Universe is a book to cherish forever.

The author is an astrophysicist who has been fascinated by the universe since he was a child. As a parent, he has developed a new appreciation for the deep connections between billions of years of cosmic evolution and this one tiny human.

A Lullaby of Summer Things By Natalie Ziarnik; illustrated by Madeline Valentine

In the spirit of such bedtime favorites as Emily Winfield Martin's Day Dreamers, here is a quintessential end-of-day by the beach lovingly captured and perfect for reading aloud.

This simple, lyrical picture book is as warm, reassuring, and filled with joy as a vacation at the beach. Readers will join a little girl and her siblings as they wind down from a perfect day--hanging up towels, eating dinner, and getting ready for bed--each activity sparking a memory of their day--playing catch with the dog, chasing waves, and looking at sailboats along the shore. And when the lights of the family beach house go off--"In the dusky evening light, a sleepy house says goodnight"--young listeners will be lulled to sleep themselves.

To the Moon and Back for You By Emilia Bechrakis Serhant; illustrated by EG Keller

A perfect gift for any parent who has struggled on their journey to have a baby, Million Dollar Listing star Emilia Bechrakis Serhant's debut picture book poignantly explores her own difficulty conceiving and her life-changing experiences with IVF.

I swam through the deepest ocean.
I climbed the tallest mountain.
Finding you was a journey.
And meeting you was my greatest joy.

In this picture book, illustrated by the #1 New York Times bestselling artist of A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, families of different shapes, colors, and sizes must cross deserts, navigate rough seasons, and climb mountains--all to find their miracle babies. Emilia's story reminds us that, despite the challenges and complications often thrown our way, hope will always prevail. To the Moon and Back for You combines a timeless feel with a timely subject, and is poised to become a modern classic for years to come.

Who Will You Be? By Andrea Pippins

For fans of I Am Enough, The Day You Begin, and The Wonderful Things You Will Be, here is a poignant picture book about how family and community help shape the wonderful people our children become.

My child, my little one,
Who will you be when you are grown?
There's loving kindness in your eyes, like your daddy's
and boldness in your heart, like your grandma's.
Will you be like them?

So begins this loving picture book about a mama who wonders who her child will grow up to be. Will her little one be curious like Grandpa and adventurous like Auntie Amina? Compassionate like Amy and joyful like cousin Curlena? Moving from family members to the wider community, she muses about which attributes her child will possess. A perfect gift for a baby shower, birthday, or graduation. Who Will You Be? features gorgeous artwork and gentle words that celebrate childhood and is an ode to the power of our village--and a reminder that every child is uniquely wonderful.