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I was catching up on Read Aloud Revival Podcasts this past week, scrolling through the episodes I’ve missed, when one piqued my interest: Why Read Picture Books With Older Kids? It’s one of those questions I’ve never actually asked because… I read picture books to older kids. We also still read aloud to teenagers around here, so I guess that makes us a little weird. Still, I hit play on the podcast and settled in for my treadmill time. (Have I mentioned I’m prioritizing getting to the Y regularly?)
I enjoyed the podcast in that satisfying, “Ha! I knew I was right!” kind of way that is always welcome when it comes to parenting. Then I went home, showered and changed, and took my kids to the library… to find picture books.
We go to the library at least once a week. Sometimes it’s a quick stop to pick up holds and drop off returns. But what we all really love is perusing the shelves in the hopes of discovering a hidden gem— especially the little guys. A trip to the library is like a visit to an all-you-can-eat buffet. A free one. With books.
I admit, as much as I adored our library system in Washington, I had all but fallen out of the habit of allowing my kids a full hour to randomly pull items from the shelves and enjoy them at the tables. There was simply too much disagreeable content, even in the children’s section— and I’m not talking about the cringe-worthy twaddle of character books and “let’s pound a moral lesson home,” genres. Moving to a more conservative part of the country has definitely had its advantages in some areas.
While at the library, I tend to set up shop at one of the small wooden tables near the windows. It gives me the perfect vantage point from which to view John Mark and Birdie snapping up new titles (this go round it was 100 Cupboards, The 101 Dalmatians, An Album of Horses, and Shiloh) in the “bigger kid” stacks, while Phin, Simon, and Jude explore the shorter shelves of picture books. It’s also nice because the older kids—off roaming the general sections— know exactly where to find me when it’s time to wrap things up.
My constant companion on library trips is my folding cart. Although it’s not where we store the books we actually borrow once we get them home, it’s a great tool for transporting them. I had a solid plastic version at one time, but it eventually died from overuse. If you’ve outgrown bags like we have, go for the cart!
The best part of actually taking the time to slow down and enjoy the library, though? It’s having time to really dig deep and find books that will fill those moments at home, cuddled on the couch, with fun. Don’t get me wrong— I absolutely adore reading novels aloud to my kids. But picture books… I don’t know what it is about them, but they are absolutely magic. A good one? It will absolutely span the space between a two year-old and a ten year-old in a heartbeat. Before you know it, you’re all caught up in a rhyme, or the careful illustrations, or just the simplicity of the tale.
With that in mind, here is a short list of some of our favorite picture book discoveries from the past year or so. These are books that found their way into our cart and brought laughter, thoughtfulness, creativity, or fun into our days. Each one was an attention-grabber for all five of my younger kids, who range from 11 to 2. I hope you can find them in your local library, or add them to your own collection at home!
