Picture books are (finally!) starting to reflect the vast diversity of families and experiences in our community. Their colorful pages offer escape, adventure, validation, an entry point to difficult conversations and an opportunity to build new skills — no matter how old you are. What more could you want in a gift?
We wanted to showcase stories from Southern California authors and illustrators and turned to local authors, librarians and booksellers for their 2023 top picks.
“To expand children's horizons beyond a lot of our classic literature, which can have a lot of value, but might be from a really limited perspective, is really rewarding,” said Los Angeles Public Library Brentwood branch children’s librarian Maddy Gillette.
Consider shopping in person at one of the many local children's bookstores in the L.A. area. (We include a list of some of our favorites at the end of this gift guide.) For your convenience, throughout this guide we link to BookShop.org, which supports independent bookstores. And, finally, while this is a gift guide, you can also find many of these books at your local library— for free!
1. The ¡ 1, 2, 3 Baila! Series
In addition to dance basics, these bilingual board books introduce readers to counting, consent, manners, and the Latin American origins of salsa, cumbia, and merengue. Los Angeles author Delia Ruiz previously taught English language learners and started writing because she struggled to find books that included core academic and social concepts and reflected her students' cultural background. The child characters in the book represent a variety of skin tones, body types, and physical abilities.
“Dance is really for everyone,” Ruiz said. “Whether you decide to dance alone or with your partner, it's really about finding your own rhythm to the beat and there is no right way.”
2. A Walk In The Woods
A dying father leaves his son a map of the woods behind their house marked with a mysterious red “X.” With each step, the boy works through the anger and heartache of grief. Though he’s technically alone, his journey doesn’t feel lonely. The boy pauses to observe the plants and animals along the way, from a familiar garter snake to the surprise flash of an eagle’s wings. Corona-based author Nikki Grimes started creating the book with illustrator Jerry Pinkney in 2019. Both noticed a dearth of stories centered on Black people in nature. When Pinkney died in 2021, his son Brian finished his father’s sketches with warm, bright swirls of color.
3. Babajoon's Treasure
A mysterious gold coin and a musical moment with a parrot lead the protagonist to believe that her babajoon is a pirate. The imaginative misjudgment opens the door to learning about her grandfather’s childhood home in Iran and the way he maintains connections through food, language, and friendships.
“It's a story about a granddaughter's growing appreciation for someone she thought she knew,” said Los Angeles Public Library Eagle Rock branch Children's Librarian Caitlin Quinn. “But also an immigration story and a heritage story.” Los Angeles illustrator Nabi H. Ali transports us to the glimmering make-believe of the girl’s imagination and cozy moments, like a picnic in the family tea shop’s garden. Author Farnaz Esnaashari grew up in an Iranian American household in Irvine and the book is dedicated to her own babajoon and baba.
4. Black Girls
Black girls shred at the skatepark, launch rockets, frolic on the White House lawn, and generally live lives filled with joy, love, and creativity in this book from Los Angeles author Dominique Furukawa. Though not primarily about history, the illustrations of politician Shirley Chisholm, self-made millionaire Madam C.J. Walker, civil rights activist Ruby Bridges, hometown poet Amanda Gorman, and other famous figures could be the start of a conversation about the many ways Black women and girls have made history and shaped this country.
5. Becoming Charley
Is there a right way to become a butterfly? What if the Very Hungry Caterpillar was more interested in daydreaming than devouring? Charley’s story answers these questions. Los Angeles illustrator Loveis Wise fills every page with vibrant colors, textures, and little details that would make for a fun game of “I spy.” Wise wrote in their dedication “for my chosen family and [the] BIPOC queer-trans community. Thank you for truly modeling what it means to evolve, be our authentic selves in multitudes and love deeply without fear.”
6. Challah Day
Los Angeles author Charlotte Offsay's book invites us into a family’s kitchen as they turn yeast, sugar, water, eggs, salt, flour, and oil into a braided loaf of sweet bread for Shabbat dinner. “There’s … a lot of love in this book of the whole family cooking together and really enjoying the whole process of it too,” librarian Gillette said. The story’s rhymes make it a particularly good candidate for a read-aloud storytime. Offsay also includes her family’s challah recipe (which makes four loaves) and several ideas for leftovers.
7. In Every Life
This book is a spare reflection on the many wonders, hopes, hard times, and loves in life. Pasadena author Marla Frazee wrote that the story was inspired by a Jewish baby-naming blessing she heard more than 20 years ago, though the underlying poem and her story is not connected to any specific religion. Her illustrations depict many life experiences including breastfeeding, potty-training, gardening, sickness, the loss of a pet and heartfelt embraces between people of all genders, skin-tones, and ages. “What I come away with is comfort,” said Los Angeles County Library children's fiction selector Grisel Oquendo. “Comfort in being yourself, being around other people, [and] seeing that … other people are going through similar things that you're going through.”
8. Maribel's Year
Over the course of a year, Maribel explores a bittersweet new life in America while her Papa remains in the Philippines. In February, she struggles to make sense of English’s “foggy soup of strange words,” yet exchanging valentines promises new friendship. Summer brings flavors familiar — avocado shakes— and new — sweet, salty taffy she can’t can’t wait to share with Papa when they’re reunited. Orange County author Michelle Sterling doesn’t limit the colors, tastes, sounds and sights of the Philippines to Maribel’s memory, but instead shows how traditions, and love, can transcend the distance.
9. Only For A Little While
Maribel’s family moves in with her Tía Carmen after Papi loses his job. South Gate librarian Stephanie Lien saw her childhood and the years her family shared a Rowland Heights home with her aunt, uncles and cousins in the story. The experience, like Maribel’s, was a “big fun sleepover” and occasionally beset by cousin clashes. “[It’s] a good age-appropriate book for talking about changing situations,” Lien, who works at L.A. County’s Leland R. Weaver Library, said. “Recognizing the positive aspects that can come from it, as well as the not so positive.” Needles author Gabriela Orozco Belt grew up in the Inland Empire and a scene showing a visit from Maribel’s abuelos is a window to the author’s Costa Rican American roots.
10. Papá's Magical Water-Jug Clock
Little Jesús is in the midst of another exciting Saturday of landscaping with his dad until the “magical water-jug clock” runs dry. When Jesús discovers the cylindrical orange water cooler is not actually an enchanted time-piece, but a regular vessel, it’s time for Real Talk about work, family and water conservation. Like fellow Southern California author Helena Ku Rhee, Long Beach-raised comedian and author Jesús Trejo shows how working parents can create delight for their kids amid everyday labor. The book is also hilarious and feels very L.A. from the traffic on the freeways to the peacocks and palm trees the pair encounter at “stop número tres.” The book is also available in Spanish as El Barrilito Mágico de Papá.
11. River of Mariposas
The young girl in the story crafts a kaleidoscope of paper butterflies with her family to celebrate her birthday, but her dream disappears when a rainstorm crashes down on the party. When Mamá and Papá coax their daughter out of her cocoon of disappointment, she discovers a miracle in the storm’s wake. Los Angeles author and illustrator Mirelle Ortega’s book was inspired in part by a 2017 summer in Veracruz, Mexico when yellow butterflies appeared unexpectedly after Hurricane Franklin disrupted their migration. “The event captured the imaginations of many across the state, including mine,” Ortega wrote.
12. Skeletown: Si. ¡No!
Rhode Montijo has created art and stories inspired by both Halloween and Mexican culture for almost three decades. The Los Angeles author's latest book explores the adventures — and misadventures — of two calavera kids in just two words— Sí and No. The story is a series of scenes that swing from innocent one page to mischievous the next. “The main message is about friendships, sticking together even when things don't go as planned,” Montijo said. Look for the little details rooted in Montijo’s immersion in Latin American history and culture from Wilfredo the worry doll to architecture reminiscent of Guanajuato. And a special bonus: Here’s a look inside Montijo's workshop.
13. Squash, The Cat
Within the first few pages of Los Angeles creator Sasha Meyer’s first book, I noticed the similarities between my cat Manny and Squash. Both are big-boned, orange, nap-loving, sometimes-naughty creatures. What I didn’t expect to discover is that a lot of us probably have something in common with Squash — we’ve made mistakes that damaged friendships. The story reminds us that it takes space, time to reflect and in Squash’s case, some tape, to repair what’s been broken.
14. The Noise Inside Boys
Los Angeles author Pete Oswald’s story about a family with three sons unpacks a whole spectrum of feelings from joy to grief and uncertainty to pride. “Validating that boys have a lot of emotions and teaching them how to name those emotions is a powerful act,” said LAist education editor Ross Brenneman. He remembered books like Where The Wild Things Are and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day focused on a singular feeling of frustration. “It felt like I had to go around being Not Angry instead of just being Other Things,” Brenneman said.
15. The Worry Balloon
Isla’s thought bubbles show us how anxiety is often made up of intrusive, seemingly uncontrollable negative thoughts. “What if I’m late to school?” “What if no one likes me?” “What if I never heal?” When Mami notices her daughter’s concerns, she teaches her how to redirect those anxious stormy thoughts into a balloon floating away. The strength of this book is in how it clearly describes and gives examples of anxious thoughts and how we can acknowledge and start to manage them. Burbank author Mónica Mancillas closes the story with a reminder that while anxiety is never gone forever, there are tools that can invite more sunshine and calm into our lives.
16. Tokyo Night Parade
Eka is living between two worlds — New York and Tokyo. But during the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, the Black Japanese girl dons her kitsune costume and reunites with the yōkai for a moonlit adventure. Between Los Angeles illustrator Minako “Tomi” Tomigahara’s glowing scenes of colorful demons swirling through the streets are quiet, contemplative moments. “Humans want easy answers,” a web-toed, turtle-bodied spirit tells Eka. “They ask if I’m honest or wicked. If I’m an animal or a monster. And I’m not sure what to say.” Eka’s reply to the kappa “maybe there are no easy answers,” is a reminder that children offer wisdom, if we take the time to listen. The story reads like folklore, with the contemporary tension of defining your identity while living between two physical places and cultures.
17. Wepa
Mia struts in her pink boa, splashes colorful paints and cartwheels across the pages. But instead of exuberance, some people see a clumsy, loud and messy girl. Mia’s grandmother reframes their criticism as an excess of “wepa” in need of an outlet. The story is inspired by author J de la Vega and her family’s personal experience with ADHD. “Wepa is a reminder that not all children can function in a world so rigidly structured, and they shouldn’t be punished for it,” the San Bernardino County author wrote. And in the end, Mia finally finds a place where she can spin, shake and shimmy.
Some of our favorite places to shop for children's books:
- Children’s Book World — A longstanding and vast west L.A. outpost for children’s books. Location: 10580 1/2 W. Pico Blvd, Los Angeles.
- Gallery Nucleus— There’s an eclectic shelf of books and gifts for kids at this art gallery that often highlights pop culture and also carries prints from children’s illustrators. Location: 210 East Main St., Alhambra.
- LA Librería — Specializes in Spanish-language books for kids. Location: 4732 W. Washington Blvd., Mid-City.
- Malik Books — African American books and gifts, including for children. Location: 3650 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd .Ste 245, Crenshaw and Westfield Culver City Mall, 6000 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City.
- MiJa Books — An online Lakewood-based bookseller focused on multicultural children’s books. Watch their website for appearances at school book fairs and pop-up events.
- Octavia’s Bookshelf — This Pasadena bookstore is named for one of the city’s most famous authors, Octavia Butler, and carries titles mainly from authors of color. Location: 1365 North Hill Ave., Pasadena.
- Once Upon A Time Bookstore — The nationa's oldest continuously running children’s book purveyor. Location: 2207 Honolulu Ave., Montrose.
- The Salt Eaters Bookshop — Bookstore focused on works by and about Black women, girls and gender expansive people with has a small, but colorful children’s book section. Note that the store is closed for in-person shopping until Saturday, Dec. 2. Location: 302 E Queen St., Inglewood.
- Tía Chucha’s Centro Cultural and Bookstore — The shop focuses on Xicanx, Latinx, and Indigenous stories. The multi-use space also hosts arts workshops and other community gatherings. Location: 12677 Glenoaks Blvd., Sylmar.
Note: LAist.com created this list from more than 60 picture book recommendations from publishers, Los Angeles Public Library staffers Mara Albert, Laura Duncan, Joanna Fabicon, Maddy Gillette, Caitlin Quinn and Basaya Samuels, Leland R. Weaver Library Children’s Librarian Stephanie Lien, L.A. County Library Children’s Fiction Selector Grisel Oquendo, Octavia’s Bookshelf owner Nikki High, Once Upon A Time Bookstore manager Jessica Palacios, MiJa Books owner Stephanie Moran Reed and authors Delia Ruiz and Mirelle Ortega.
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Editing and writing
- Rene Lynch, Gift Guide Editor
- Ross Brenneman, Education Editor
- Bonnie McCarthy, Freelance Writer
- Gab Chabrán, Associate Editor, Food and Culture
- Mariana Dale, K-12 Reporter
- Larry Mantle, AirTalk Host
- Christine N. Ziemba, Best Things To Do Reporter
Art
- Erin Hauer, Visual Designer
- Olivia Hughes, Illustrator
Other support
- Sabir Brara, Digital Product Project Manager
- Redmond Carolipio, Copy Editor
- Anne To, Intern, Copy editing
- Chanelle Berlin Johnson, Director Audience Engagement
- Kristine Malicse, Associate Editor, Audience Engagement
- Megan Garvey, Executive Editor
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