Chronicling (and narrowing down) stand-outs from ten years of shared stories with young people is no small task, but the experience of Story Time at Bookbug is always about more than any book alone. It is about the unique love with which a book is read and received and about the genuine community that ensues. It is our visceral and specific memories of community and camaraderie inspired by each of these books that make them our TOP PICKS of the decade upon the milestone of
STORY TIME’S 10th ANNIVERSARY.
1. Blueberries for Sal
A timeless classic for a reason: its graceful pace, familiar relationship, onomotopoeia, and favorite (Michigan) forage could all be reasons this book tops the list, but it’s Ms. Shirley’s impossibly charming (and welcome) snack surprise of just-picked blueberries in tiny, beautiful buckets that makes this book one of very few (if not only book title) that is reliably present at least once a year– during blue-tiful blueberry season at Bookbug.
Kuplink,
Kuplank,
Kuplunk.
2. Nerdy Babies : Dinosaurs
Shirley’s most-viewed and mentioned virtual storytime during a uniquely-remote summer of 2020 was the one she broadcast from Dinosaur National Monument. Her hat and curiosity about dinosaurs was sincere and kindred to the Cover-Baby and amazing facts and excavations within Nerdy Babies: Dinosaurs.
3. Homemade Love
This book is on this list for one simple, profound reason: its presence at a February Story Time in 2016 prompted a pre-schooler to say upon turn of page “She looks like me!” This recognition and moment of self-affirming representation was not lost on Ms. Shirley who saw it as pivotal (in her own life of embracing and celebrating children’s books) and beautifully/perfectly matter-of-fact in the life of this particular child.
4. Kitten’s First Full Moon
Admittedly this entirely wonderful book about Kitten being certain that a white circle in the sky is bowlful of something dear and familiar is on our list for how it has segued perfectly into one of Shirley’s most-famously loved and reliable songs: ZOOM, ZOOM, ZOOM.
five,
four,
three,
two,
one…
Kitten’s milk bowl is reachable, after all!
5. Potato Pants
Loved [Michigan] author Laurie Keller is a well-known, punny wordsmith and artist who always includes clever discoveries in each illustration. Potato Pants is no exception to this brilliant fun and makes our list [also] because of the dozens of kids and families who (soon after reading it together) absolutely loved helping actual potatoes find their favorite new pair of PANTS–thanks to Ms. Shirley’s steady-stash of fabric scraps and (did you know?) remarkably effictient sewing skill.
6. Julian is a Mermaid
Bookbug’s immediate love for this book, before it was published, helped bring it onto this list, but it is the fact that Julian and Abuela are both simply, naturally, gorgeously, and irresistably full of Love and Pride that we can’t help but to recognize how it offers every child an opportunity to dive into these very things themselves.
7. Very Good Hats
Hat-themed story time has been a hit since Bookbug’s very-earliest days, and this new book from Emma Straub has breathed exhuberantly fresh life into the comfort, necessity, desire, and spirit of donning a covering on one’s head. Hats off (and on) to Very Good Hats for making our list!
8. Penguin Problems
Well before SEL (Social Emotional Learning) became a buzzed acronym in the kids’ book world, great kids books knew that we all have (frustrating, sincere, humorous, kindred) Problems. It’s this true fact alongside the hilarious writing of Penguin Problems that make this longtime favorite book still reached for during Bookbug Story Times. Cold Beaks and (and for) All.
9. Elephant & Piggie
Confusing conundrums, humorous misunderstandings, and disappearance of a third wall (seeing a dear reader) are all best when experienced with a true friend. Nobody knows this better than Elephant and Piggie. They also know that just because new readers prefer brief, sight-word-filled sentences does not mean they do not demand actual JOY–SEE [and replace Dick and Jane] with ELEPHANT & PIGGIE (and, then insert: RUN, PLAY, DRIVE, READ, NAP, PARTY, EAT, RIDE, BE SAD, BE META, and Be just about Everything Important to Young Readers). Also, these two (here below) pictured friends may be simlarly different in many ways to E&P and also have several hiliarious stories (from the past decade) to tell of their own.
10. Crunch, the Shy Dinosaur
Shhh…Crunch is as quiet and well-kept secret of a brilliantly interactive book as the character himself. Kids love being prompted to help bring Crunch out from behind his comfortable hiding spots and to let him know that him being his silly, odd, anxious, hungry self is the very thing they LOVE the most. Plus, Bookbug’s quilted Story Time blanket (made by Shirley’s mother-in-law) is always there to protect and comfort in case hiding spot needed.
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