It’s graduation season! Whether you’re looking for just the right book to share with a graduate in your life, or trying to find just the right message to send to your class moving on the next grade/school, if you’d like something newer than Oh, the Places You’ll Go, these 12 more contemporary books would all make excellent choices.
For Every One by Jason Reynolds (not a picture book, but a beautiful poem)
Originally performed at the Kennedy Center for the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and later as a tribute to Walter Dean Myers, this stirring and inspirational poem is New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award finalist Jason Reynolds’s rallying cry to the young dreamers of the world.
For Every One is exactly that: for every one. For every one person. For every one who has a dream. But especially for every kid. The kids who dream of being better than they are. Kids who dream of doing more than they almost dare to imagine. Kids who are like Jason Reynolds, a self-professed dreamer. Jason does not claim to know how to make dreams come true; he has, in fact, been fighting on the front line of his own battle to make his own dreams a reality. He expected to make it when he was sixteen. Then eighteen. Then twenty-five. Now, some of those expectations have been realized. But others, the most important ones, lay ahead, and a lot of them involve kids, how to inspire them: All the kids who are scared to dream, or don’t know how to dream, or don’t dare to dream because they’ve NEVER seen a dream come true. Jason wants kids to know that dreams take time. They involve countless struggles. But no matter how many times a dreamer gets beat down, the drive and the passion and the hope never fully extinguishes–because simply having the dream is the start you need, or you won’t get anywhere anyway, and that is when you have to take a leap of faith.
A pitch-perfect graduation, baby, or inspirational gift for anyone who needs to me reminded of their own abilities–to dream.
You Will Do Great Things by Amerie & Raissa Figueroa
From Grammy nominated singer-songwriter and book club founder Amerie, You Will Do Great Things is a lyrical, magical picture book about the great possibilities that lie ahead for our little ones, featuring illustrations by Raissa Figueroa.
A young boy’s imagination takes off as he gazes at family photos, whisking him off on a fantastical journey. Along the way, the boy tries exciting and bold new things, ventures into unexplored worlds, and forms deep connections with his multicultural heritage and the ancestors who imbue him with the strength and courage to make a difference.
Amerie has written a moving, sweeping, and deeply loving story that is inspired by her own family. It is a celebration of everything our little ones have yet to do: the great, the amazing, the strange, and the new. It’s also a lasting reminder that the loved ones in our lives will always be right there beside us–and in our hearts–cheering us on. An absolutely perfect gift for special moments from baby showers and new baby celebrations, to graduations, and everything in between.
What the Road Said by Cleo Wade & Lucie de Moyencourt
What the Road Said is the New York Times-bestselling comforting and uplifting picture book from bestselling poet and activist Cleo Wade.
Which way do I go?
That is your choice to make,
said the Road.
But what if I go the wrong way?
The Road curved a little,
almost as if it was giving me a hug, and said,
Do not worry. Sometimes we go the wrong way on our
way to the right way.
It’s okay to be afraid or to sometimes wander down the wrong path. Bestselling poet and activist Cleo Wade’s What the Road Said features illustrations by Lucie de Moyencourt and encourages us to lead with kindness and curiosity, remembering that the most important thing we can do in life is to keep going.
I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Tom Lichtenheld
The #1 New York Times bestselling children’s book that’s full of endless good wishes.
From the incomparable team of author Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrator Tom Lichtenheld, this exuberant, inspirational book for kids holds more than a single wish or even three wishes–it is filled with endless good wishes. Wishes for curiosity and wonder, for friendship and strength, laughter and peace.
Whether celebrating life’s joyous milestones, sharing words of encouragement, or observing the wonder of everyday moments, this sweet book is for wishers of all ages! I Wish You More is the perfect graduation gift or baby shower book as well as an uplifting read sure to bring positivity to all who read it.
Be You by Peter H. Reynolds
A New York Times Bestseller! Creative visionary of The Word Collector, Happy Dreamer, and The Dot, #1 New York Times bestseller Peter H. Reynolds creates a joyful celebration of individuality–and staying true to Y-O-U!
Be curious…
Be adventurous…
Be brave…
BE YOU!
Discover a joyful reminder of the ways that every child is unique and special, from the beloved creator of The Dot, Happy Dreamer, and New York Times bestseller, The Word Collector. Here, Reynolds reminds readers to “be your own work of art.” To be patient, persistent, and true. Because there is one, and only one, YOU.
In the tradition of books like Oh, the Places You’ll Go! and I Wish You More comes a wholly original, inspirational celebration of individuality as only Peter H. Reynolds can create!
My First Day by Phùng Nguyên Quang & Huynh Kim Liên
A visually stunning story of resilience and determination by an award-winning new author-illustrator team, perfect for back to school.
This is no ordinary first journey. The rainy season has come to the Mekong Delta, and An, a young Vietnamese boy, sets out alone in a wooden boat wearing a little backpack and armed only with a single oar. On the way, he is confronted by giant crested waves, heavy rainfall and eerie forests where fear takes hold of him. Although daunted by the dark unknown, An realizes that he is not alone and continues to paddle. He knows it will all be worth it when he reaches his destination–one familiar to children all over the world.
I Can Be Anything Don’t Tell Me I Can’t by Dianne Dillon
Girl power! Two-time Caldecott Medalist Diane Dillon sends tigers and dinosaurs leaping off the pages as 5-year-old Zoe declares she can be anything: an archaeologist, vet, U.S. president, and more.
Zoe embraces all the wonders of our world and its infinite possibilities. “I can be anything I want to be!” she tells us, presenting herself in a range of careers. “But what if you fail?” asks a voice of doubt that attempts to undermine her confidence.Bold and sassy, Zoe swats the voice away at every turn, declaring her certainty with a charisma that will encourage us all to silence our fears. Why can’t a girl grow up to be President? Zoe can! When the voice of doubt continues, Zoe knows exactly what to say: “Go away, voice… I can be anything… but first, I have to learn to read. And don’t tell me I can’t!”
Caldecott Award-winner Diane Dillon has created a winning character who defies anything to hold her back from achieving her goals. And the key to Zoe’s future success begins when Zoe defiantly opens her book, making it clear that both confidence and reading are tools we all need to make our dreams come true.
The Galaxy Needs You by Caitlin Kenneey & Eda Kaban
Have you ever stopped to think about how there is nobody else in the galaxy who is exactly like you?
No one else is smart in the way you’re smart or is kind in the particular way you’re kind, and nobody else is brave the way you’re brave.
You are a hero in the making.
Follow along with Rey on her hero’s journey in this empowering picture book, and never forget that, just like her, you have everything inside of yourself that you need to succeed. All you have to do is reach for it….
Wherever You Go by Pat Zietlow Miller & Eliza Wheeler
An inspiring celebration of life and new experiences–perfect for graduations and fans of Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
Roads give you chances to seek and explore. Want an adventure? Just open your door.
Join an adventurous rabbit and his animal friends as they journey over steep mountain peaks, through bustling cityscapes, and down long, winding roads to discover the magical worlds that await them just outside their doors.
Award-winning author Pat Zietlow Miller’s lilting rhyme and bestselling illustrator Eliza Wheeler’s enchanting, lush landscapes celebrate the possibilities that lie beyond the next bend in the road–the same road that will always lead you home again.
Only One You by Linda Kranz
There’s only one you in this great big world. Make it a better place. Adri’s mama and papa share some of the wisdom they have gained through the years with their eager son. Their words, simple and powerful, are meant to comfort and guide him as he goes about exploring the world. This exquisitely illustrated book explodes with color and honest insights. Kranz’s uniquely painted “rockfish,” set against vibrant blue seas, make an unforgettable and truly special impression. Only One You will inspire parents and children of all ages as they swim through the sea of life.
Sometimes You Fly by Katherine Applegate & Jennifer Black Reinhardt
From Newbery Medalist and bestselling author Katherine Applegate, a sweet book of encouragement, filled with humor and insight into the effort behind any meaningful accomplishment in life. A perfect gift for baby shower, birthday, or graduation.
This gorgeous gift book, equally perfect for preschool graduations or college commencements, baby showers or birthdays, is an inspirational tribute to the universal struggles and achievements of childhood. Beginning with a first birthday, the scenes travel through childhood triumphs and milestones, coming full circle to graduation. A magical blend of succinct text and beautiful watercolors renders each moment with tenderness and humor and encourages readers to “remember then, with every try, sometimes you fail . . . sometimes you fly.”
The Blur by Minh Lê & Dan Santat
Meet a child with superhero-like abilities . . . and the parents who are racing to keep up with her in this sweetly funny picture book about the blur of childhood, from the award-winning creators of Drawn Together. A perfect gift to celebrate all of our special milestones–from graduations to birthdays and beyond!
From the very beginning, there was something different about this child… An ultrasonic voice. Fantastically elastic limbs. Super-magnetic powers. But it wasn’t until the child took her first steps that she became: THE BLUR!
Nothing can stand in her way as she takes the world by storm: always on the move and darting into danger! All too soon, she is zipping through the days, and zooming over the years…
Framed as an origin story, here is a fun superhero romp for kids, filled with bold and bright illustrations, that will pull at the hearstrings of every parent.
