Picture Books

Once upon a time.... may be the oldest trick in the writer's bag, but we still fall for it—especially if it's accompanied by pictures. There's a sense in which all picture books are fairy tales (even the ones that take place in New York City or a log cabin) simply because they're able to transport us in a way words alone can't. We become part of the story viscerally, sensing the subtleties of mood and place and texture.

Not all picture books are created equal, of course. We don't go in for VeggieTales, or Disney, or Sesame Street (etc. etc.), preferring the more classic style (like Caldecott winners) and newer ones that are more artistic (as opposed to merely visual). The only thing a second-rate illustration can do is make you mourn the preeminence of Saturday morning cartoons, whereas a good one has the capacity to take you inside.

We're not trying to be snobs about this, but if we offer our children picture books to read and look at, we want them to be of the highest quality. We want the text to be excellently written, the plot well-crafted, the illustrations rich and vibrant. There's a very real sense in which a child's imagination is formed by the things he or she sees as a small human, and if they only get to look at poor drawings there's a pretty good chance their creative powers will end up severely limited.

If you've encountered the illustrations of Trina Schart Hyman, Robert McCloskey, Maurice Sendak, or Michael Morpurgo, you'll know what we're talking about. Good picture books have a way of showing us things we've always seen or imagined a little differently, tilting the canvas of the familiar to make it seem a little less so, more wild, more mysterious, more real.

Which is precisely why they're such a great way to introduce kids to reading. They don't have to know what the words say to get the gist of the story, yet when they do begin to learn what the words say, it's easier for them to grasp the meaning since they're already familiar with the basic premise. Many kids have learned to read this way, and we suspect many more will do so in the future.

That is, if they have access to quality picture books at a young age. We like them proliferating throughout the house like small landforms, squeezing out of bookcases, turning up beneath the couch and on top of dressers. Just remember—they aren't only for children. In fact, adults often need them more, to connect with their progeny, to recapture a sense of youth, or simply to rest when words stop making sense and only pictures are able to communicate.

When we say "picture book," there are a couple of things we aren't talking about: first, illustrated fiction. A great book, primarily text with illustrations here and there, are not the same as picture books, which focus on the artwork. Second, we don't include here non-fiction. There are lots of excellent science, math, biographical, and other types of picture books—we have plenty—but they are in separate sections (see below).

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.
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1,160 Items found Print
Active Filters: 2nd grade (Ages 7-8), Hardcover, In-Stock Books & Materials
"Let's Hear It For The Queen"
by Alice Childress, illustrated by Loring Eutemey
from Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, Inc.
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
101 Favorite Stories from the Bible
by Ura Miller
from Master Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Bible Stories for Kids (Location: BIBR-STO)
$11.99 $10.00 (1 in stock)
20th-Century Children's Book Treasury
by Janet Schulman
from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Picture Book Treasuries (Location: PIC-TRE)
$44.99 $20.00 (1 in stock)
500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House
for 2nd-4th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$16.99
A B C is for Christmas
by Jane Werner Watson, illustrated by Sally Augustiny
from Golden Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Little Golden Books (Location: PIC-GOLD)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
ABC Bunny
by Wanda Gág
from University of Minnesota
Word Books for 1st-3rd grade
1934 Newbery Honor Book
in Alphabet & Counting Books (Location: PIC-ALPH)
$14.95
ABC Doctor
by Liz Murphy
from Chronicle Books
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Alphabet & Counting Books (Location: PIC-ALPH)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Abraham Lincoln (hardcover)
by Ingri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire; edited by Rea Berg
75th Anniversary from Beautiful Feet Books
Biography for 1st-6th grade
1940 Caldecott Medal winner
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$18.95
Abraham Lincoln: A Man for All the People
by Myra Cohn Livingston, illustrated by Samuel Byrd
from Holiday House
for Kindergarten-5th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Action Bible Expanded Edition
by Sergio Cariello
from David C. Cook
for 2nd-6th grade
in Bible Stories for Kids (Location: BIBR-STO)
$32.99
Adding: A Poem
by Christina Rossetti, illustrated by Jan Balet
from Holt, Rinehart and Winston
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$15.00 (1 in stock)
Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse
from Dial Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$17.99
Adventures with Words
First Adventures in Learning Program
by Adelaide Holl, illustrated by J.P. Miller
from Golden Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Aesop's Fables
by Aesop, retold & illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
1st Ed. from Chronicle Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$19.99
Aesop's Fables
by Aesop, illustrated by Heidi Holder
1st edition from Viking Press
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.50 (2 in stock)
Aesop's Fables
by Aesop, retold by Anna Milbourne and illustrated by Linda Edwards
from Usborne
for 1st-5th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Aesop's Fables
by Aesop, illustrated by Charles Santore
from Sterling Publishing Co.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Aesop's Fables
by Aesop, illustrated by Charles Santore
Kohl's Cares Edition from Applesauce Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$19.95
Alexander
by Harold Littledale, illustrated by Tom Vroman
from Purple House Press
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$18.95
Alice in Wonderland (adapted)
by Lewis Carroll (original text), illustrated by Greg Hildebrandt
from Unicorn Publishing House
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
All Kinds of Kisses
by Nancy Tafuri
from Little, Brown & Company
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
All Kinds of Signs
by Seymour Reit, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
from Golden Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
All My Treasures
by Jo Witek, illustrated by Christine Roussey
from Abrams Appleseed
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
All the Children of the World
by Karen Mezek Leimert
First Edition from Nelsonword Publishing Group
for 1st-3rd grade
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
All the Places to Love
by Patricia MacLachlan
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$19.99
All the World's a Stage
by Rebecca Piatt Davidson, illustrated by Anita Lobel
from Greenwillow Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Poetry for Children (Location: POET-CHIL)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
All-of-a-Kind Family Hanukkah
by Emily Jenkins
from Schwartz & Wade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$18.99
Amazing Adventures of Bumblebee Boy
by David Soman and Jacky Davis
from Dial Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
America: A Patriotic Primer
by Lynne Cheney
from Simon and Schuster
for Preschool-2nd grade
in American History Reference (Location: HISA-REF)
$4.00 (2 in stock)
Ancient Ones
by Barbara Bash
from Sierra Club Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Botany & Mycology (Location: SCI-BOT)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street
by Dr. Seuss
15th printing 1967 from Vanguard Press
Rhyming Fantasy for 1st-4th grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$24.00 (1 in stock)
Andrew Henry's Meadow
by Doris Burn
from Philomel Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
Exodus Books 5-Star Rating
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$18.99 $10.50 (1 in stock)
Andy and the Circus
by Ellis Credle
from Purple House Press
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$18.95
Angelina and the Princess
Angelina Ballerina
by Katharine Holabird
Picture Books for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.50 (1 in stock)
Angelina's Baby Sister
by Katharine Holabird; illustrated by Helen Craig
1st edition from Clarkson Potter Publishers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Angelo
by David Macaulay
1st edition from Houghton Mifflin
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Angry Book
by Robin King
from W. W. Norton and Co.
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$25.00 (1 in stock)
Animal Characters
by Jean Christian Knaff
from Picture Book Studio
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Alphabet & Counting Books (Location: PIC-ALPH)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Animalia
by Graeme Base
from Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
for Kindergarten-3rd
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Animals of the Bible
by Dorothy P. Lathrop, text selected by Helen Dean Fish
from HarperCollins
for Preschool-3rd grade
1938 Caldecott Medal winner
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$17.99
Animals Robert Scott Saw
by Sandra Markle
from Chronicle Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in 20th Century Exploration (Location: HISW-20EXP)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Anne Arrives #1
Inspired by Anne of Green Gables #1
by L.M. Montgomery, original story, adapted by Kallie George, illustrated by Abigail Halpin
from Tundra Books (NY)
for 1st-3rd grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$12.99
Anne Dares #5
Inspired by Anne of Green Gables #5
by L.M. Montgomery, original story, adapted by Kallie George, illustrated by Abigail Halpin
from Tundra Books (NY)
for 1st-3rd grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$12.99
Anne Dreams #6
Inspired by Anne of Green Gables #6
by L.M. Montgomery (original story), adapted by Kallie George, illustrated by Abigail Halpin
from Tundra Books (NY)
for 1st-3rd grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$12.99
Anne's Kindred Spirits #2
Inspired by Anne of Green Gables #1
by L.M. Montgomery, original story, adapted by Kallie George, illustrated by Abigail Halpin
from Tundra Books (NY)
for 1st-3rd grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$12.99
Anne's School Days #3
Inspired by Anne of Green Gables #3
by L.M. Montgomery, original story, adapted by Kallie George, illustrated by Abigail Halpin
from Tundra Books (NY)
for 1st-3rd grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$12.99
Anne's Tragical Tea Party #4
Inspired by Anne of Green Gables #4
by L.M. Montgomery, original story, adapted by Kallie George, illustrated by Abigail Halpin
from Tundra Books (NY)
for 1st-3rd grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$12.99
Annie and the Old One
by Miska Miles; illustrated by Peter Parnall
Reprint from Little, Brown & Company
for Nursery-2nd grade
1972 Newbery Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Annie and the Old One
by Miska Miles; illustrated by Peter Parnall
from Little, Brown & Company
for Nursery-2nd grade
1972 Newbery Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Anno's China
by Anno
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 1st-4th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$19.95
Anno's Denmark
by Mitsumasa Anno
from Beautiful Feet Books
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$17.95
Anno's Italy
by Mitsumasa Anno
from Beautiful Feet Books
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$17.95
Anno's Spain
by Mitsumasa Anno
from Beautiful Feet Books
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$17.95
Another Book of Verses for Children
by E.V. Lucas (editor), illustrated by F.D. Bedford
from Macmillan
for 1st-5th grade
in Vintage Poetry (Location: VIN-POET)
$26.00 (1 in stock)
Apple Tree Christmas
by Trinka Hakes Noble
from Sleeping Bear Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$16.95
Aquila's Drinking Gourd
by Pamela Dell
from Tradition Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Are You My Mother?
by P. D. Eastman
from Random House
Animal Fantasy for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
Armstrong
by Torben Kuhlmann, Translated by David Henry Wilson
from NorthSouth
for 2nd-6th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$21.95
Arnold Lobel Book of Mother Goose
by Arnold Lobel
from Random House
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Mother Goose & Nursery Rhymes (Location: PIC-MG)
$12.00 (2 in stock)
Arnold Lobel Book of Mother Goose
by Arnold Lobel
from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Mother Goose & Nursery Rhymes (Location: PIC-MG)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Around the World With My Red Balloon
by V. Gilbert Beers; Juel Krisvoy
from Southwestern Company
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Arthur's Christmas Cookies
I Can Read! Level 2
by Lilian Hoban
from Harper & Row
for Preschool-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse
by Eric Carle
from Philomel Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Astronauts on the Moon - Hallmark Pop-Up Book
by Al Muenchen and Stanley Hendricks
from Hallmark Publications
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$16.00 (1 in stock)
B is for Beaver
by Marie & Roland Smith, illustrated by Michael Roydon
from Sleeping Bear Press
for nursery-3rd grade
in Alphabet & Counting Books (Location: PIC-ALPH)
$18.99 $8.50 (1 in stock)
B is for Bluegrass
Discover America State-by-State
by Mary Ann McCabe Riehle, illustrated by Wes Burgiss
from Sleeping Bear Press
for nursery-3rd grade
in Alphabet & Counting Books (Location: PIC-ALPH)
$8.50 (1 in stock)
Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave
by written by Marianna Mayer, Illustrated by K. Y. Craft
First Edition from HarperCollins
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$17.99
Babar and Father Christmas
by Jean De Brunhoff
1st edition from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$18.99
Babar and His Children / Tale of Benjamin Bunny
by Jean de Brunhoff (Babar); Beatrix Potter (Benjamin)
from Grolier Society
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$6.00 (2 in stock)
Babar and His Children OSI
by Jean De Brunhoff
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Babar and the Succotaash Bird
by Laurent de Brunhoff
from Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$8.50 (1 in stock)
Babar and Zephir / Tale of Squirrel Nutkin
by Jean de Brunhoff (Babar) and Beatrix Potter (Squirrel Nutkin)
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Babar the King
by Jean de Brunhoff
from Random House
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$15.95
Babar the King / Grimm's Fairy Tales
by Jean de Brunhoff (Babar); Rose Dobbs (reteller, Grimm), Illustrated by Gertrude Elliott Espensheid
from Random House
for 2nd-6th grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Bad River Boys
by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, illustrated by Bill Farnsworth
from Holiday House
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Lewis & Clark Expedition (1801-1803) (Location: HISA-19L&C)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Baker's Dozen
by Dan Andreasen
from Henry Holt and Company
for 2nd-4th grade
in Alphabet & Counting Books (Location: PIC-ALPH)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Ball for Daisy
by Chris Raschka
from Schwartz & Wade
for Preschool-2nd grade
2012 Caldecott Medal winner
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$17.99 $10.00 (1 in stock)
Bambi's Forest
by Joanne Ryder, illustrated by David Pacheco and Jesse Clay
1st edition from Disney Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Forests & Mountains (Location: SCI-FOREST)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Barber Who Wanted to Pray
by R. C. Sproul
from Crossway Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$17.99 $9.00 (1 in stock)
Barnabas Children's Bible
by Rhona Davies, illustrated by Marcin Piwowarski
from Anno Domini
for 1st-4th grade
in Bible Stories for Kids (Location: BIBR-STO)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Baron Rides Out
by Adrian Mitchell, illustrated by Patrick Benson
from Philomel Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Bartholomew and the Oobleck
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House
for 2nd-4th grade
1950 Caldecott Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$16.99 $8.50 (1 in stock)
Beacons of Light: Lighthouses
by Gail Gibbons
from HarperCollins
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Beak Book
by Robin Page
from Beach Lane Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Birds (Location: SCI-BIRD)
$18.99
Beautiful Oops!
by Barney Saltzberg
from Workman Publishing
for Preschool-4th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Beauty and the Beast
by M. Charlotte Craft, K. Y. Craft
from HarperCollins
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$19.99
Because Barbara
by Sarah Mackenzie, illustrated by Eileen Ryan Ewen
from Waxwing Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$18.99
Bedtime for Frances
by Russell Hoban
from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$16.99
Beethoven's Heroic Symphony
Once Upon a Masterpiece
by Anna Harwell Celenza, illustrated by JoAnn E. Kitchel
from Charlesbridge
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Music History (Location: ELE-MUSHIS)
$16.95
Beetle Book
by Steve Jenkins
from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Insects & Arachnids (Location: SCI-BUG)
$19.99
Beetle Is Shy
by Dianna Hutts Aston
from Chronicle Books
for 2nd-6th grade
in Nature Study & Journaling (Location: NAT-GEN)
$16.99
Bembo's Zoo
by Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich
from Henry Holt and Company
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Alphabet & Counting Books (Location: PIC-ALPH)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Beneath the Oak Tree
by Nathan Zimelman, illustrated by Carol Rogers
from Steck-Vaughn Company
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Benjamin's Treasure
by Garth Williams
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Berry Song
by Michaela Goade
from Little, Brown & Company
for Preschool-2nd grade
2023 Caldecott Honor Book
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$18.99
Best Loved Fables of Aesop / Nonsense Alphabets
by Aesop, Joseph Jacobs, illustrated by John Tenniel and Joseph Wolf; Edward Lear (Nonsense)
from Grolier Publishing
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$6.00 (2 in stock)
Best Nest
by P.D. Eastman
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for 1st-3rd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
Bible Stories for Bedtime
by Carine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Bible Stories for Kids (Location: BIBR-STO)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Bible Stories for Young Readers
Junior Deluxe Editions
by April Oursler Armstrong, illustrated by Jules Gotlieb
from Junior Deluxe Editions
for 2nd-5th grade
in Vintage Bible Story Books (Location: VIN-BIB)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Bible Story - Volume 10
by Arthur Stanley Maxwell
from Pacific Press
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Bible Stories for Kids (Location: BIBR-STO)
$5.00 (2 in stock)
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