Ladybug Picture Book Awards
What is the Ladybug Picture Book Award? The Ladybug Picture Book Award is designed to promote early literacy and honor the best in recent children's picture books. Librarians from around the state select 9 picture book titles (as of 2024) each spring. Then, during November, New Hampshire children from preschoolers to those in third grade choose the award winner. The winning picture book is announced at the end of the year.- Center for the Book at the New Hampshire State Library.
2025 LADYBUG PICTURE BOOK AWARD WINNER
The Bakery Dragon
by Devin Elle Kurtz
From Amazon: "The heroic tale of a tiny dragon with a heart of gold and a taste for treats! A scrumptious picture book for fans of funny fairytales and fantastic beasts. Ember has always been different from the other dragons. His fearsome roar sounds more like a polite sneeze, and when he breathes fire, the villagers just pat his head and say awwww. Ember fears he’ll never collect a respectable hoard of gold until a chance encounter with a baker causes his fortunes to turn (and his stomach to grumble). As the little dragon soon discovers, the gold you make is way better than the gold you steal—and gold that is shared? That’s best of all."
2025 Ladybug Picture Book Award Nominees
(We have some of these book titles available.)
The Book That Almost Rhymed
by Omar Abed and Hatem Aly From Amazon: "Every great adventure needs a hero—or two! This playful take on storytelling and equity proves that two tellers can make a rhyming tale twice as nice.
What do you do with an interrupting sibling? Especially when she's stepping all over your story with wild ideas that don’t. Even. Rhyme. Knights riding rockets? Dancing pirates? Who’s ever heard of a fire-breathing armadillo?! But when this big brother realizes his sister just might be improving his yarn—and doing it with an impressive surprise of her own—it's clear what you do with an interrupting sibling. You share the narrative! Turns out adventure is way more fun when you build it together, rhyme by daring rhyme." |
Buffalo Fluffalo
by Bess Kalb and Erin Kraan From Amazon: "Introducing a sweet and silly buffalo who tries to bluff and fluff his way into being bigger than he really is. This laugh-out-loud story by an Emmy-nominated comedy writer shows it’s okay to be yourself.
Buffalo Fluffalo arrives on the scene puffed up with self-importance. Stomping around and raising billows of dust, Buffalo Fluffalo proclaims his superiority to the other creatures—the ram, the prairie dog, and the crow—who just want to be his friend. So Buffalo Fluffalo, who has had enuffalo, heads off to grumble to himself. Suddenly, a rain shower pours down from the clouds and—what’s this? All of his fluffalo is a soggy mess! There Fluffalo stands, a drenched pip-squeak without his disguise. The other animals, who could see through Fluffalo’s bravado from the start, circle around to comfort him. As prairie dog says with a smile in his eyes, You’re great how you are, no matter your size." |
Flat Cat
by Tara Lazar and Pete Oswald From Amazon: "From Pete Oswald, New York Times bestselling illustrator of the Bad Seed series, and Tara Lazar, critically acclaimed author of 7 Ate 9, comes Flat Cat, the story of a cool cat who learns that sometimes life is about finding the best of both worlds.
Flat Cat was born flat. He wasn't squashed by an out-of-control ice cream truck, or smushed in a waffle iron. He was just flat. This slick, sly cat could stray and roam anywhere he pleased, keen and unseen. And wouldn't you know it, Flat Cat liked it just like that. That is until one day, when Flat Cat accidentally fell splish splosh right in the wash. And when he emerged from the dryer, Flat Cat wasn't flat at all. He was adorably puffy and downright fluffy! And Flat Cat wasn’t sure how he felt about that." |
I'm Sorry You Got Mad
by Kyle Lukoff and Julie Kwon From Amazon: "Newbery Honor winner Kyle Lukoff explores the importance of learning to apologize.
Jack wants to apologize for hurting Zoe's feelings. He just can't seem to find the right words. Turns out there's more to an apology than just saying "I'm sorry." Elevated by equally charming illustrations and text, I'm Sorry You Got Mad is a journey in learning the importance of an apology that goes deeper than just words." |
Millie Fleur's Poison Garden
by Christy Mandin From Amazon: "Wednesday Addams meets The Curious Garden in this delightfully peculiar story. Millie Fleur's Poison Garden is a reminder to embrace everything that makes us wonderfully weird.
Garden Glen is a very bland place. Every house and every garden looks exactly like the other. That is… until Millie Fleur La Fae comes to town. Up on a scruffy hill, beside a ramschackle house, Millie Fleur plants her marvelously strange garden, filled with Sneezing Stickyweed, Fanged Fairymoss, and Grumpy Gilliflower. Millie Fleur finds it enchanting, but the townspeople of Garden Glen call it poison! But Millie Fleur is proud of her beloved little garden. So if some townspeople want to be sticks in the mud, she'll take matters into her own hands and find the kindred spirits who appreciate everything the garden has to offer." |
No Cats in the Library
by Lauren Emmons From Amazon: "A stray cat follows her love of books all the way to a new library home in this charming debut picture book that’s “catnip for librarians and young book lovers alike” (School Library Journal, starred review).
Clarisse is a clever cat who loves books. She may not understand the dark, squiggly lines, but she can’t get enough of the pictures. One day, she stumbles upon a magical building where people walk in empty-handed and come out with an armload of books. She has to find a way inside! There’s just one problem: NO CATS are allowed in the library! That’s not going to stop clever Clarisse, though. Once she sneaks in, she stumbles upon exciting new stories and even helps a little girl practice reading aloud. But when the librarian comes looking, will Clarisse be allowed to stay?" |
We Are Definitely Human
by X. Fang From Amazon: "A hilarious alien invasion story with a feel-good message about what it means to be human. Perfect for earthlings of all ages.
When three mysterious visitors from "Europe" crash-land in Mr. Li's field, he does what any good host would: he invites them back to his farmhouse and offers to help fix up their "car". No, there's nothing strange about these guests at all. Just like other humans, they "make business", "play sportsball" and "wear hat". As the townsfolk also come to the aid of the visitors and the gathering turns into a little party, interplanetary relations reach an all-time high. A sweetly funny extraterrestrial offering that explores surprising acts of kindness and acceptance, X. Fang's second picture book is truly out of this world." |
The Yellow Bus
by Loren Long From Amazon: "There is a bright yellow bus who spends her days driving. She loves carrying children from one important place to another. Every morning they climb in . . . Pitter-patter, pitter-patter, giggle, giggle-patter. And they fill her with joy.
As time passes, things change. The Yellow Bus gets a new driver, a new route, and new passengers, young and old. Until one day the driving stops for good, and the Yellow Bus is left on her own. And yet, no matter where she is, the Yellow Bus still finds joy and discovery in the world around her. A poignant reflection on change and the many new beginnings life has to offer, The Yellow Bus is the perfect present for the millions heading back to school, from first-time students and returning ones, to beloved teachers and the life-long learners in all of us." |
2024 LADYBUG PICTURE BOOK AWARD WINNER
100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli
by David LaRochelle and Lian Cho
From Amazon: “High on a mountain live 100 mighty dragons all named Broccoli. When a tremendous wind blows half the dragons away, ten others sail off to become professional surfers in Hawaii. The oldest and youngest dragons take a train to New York City to start their own heavy metal band. And a mysterious wizard turns four more into a unicorn, a werewolf, a zombie, and a tiny pink poodle. Now how many dragons are left? Young readers will delight in following each and every dragon as they leave their home for marvelous adventures, until there is but one dragon remaining. That's when this final dragon named Broccoli retreats to a cave for the winter and reappears in the spring with a surprise that will thrill and delight. Prepare to read again!”
To find previous winners from years past or for more information, please visit Center for the Book at the New Hampshire State Library.