picture books
To contact the kiBooka creators or to order their books, please click through to their websites.
“… an affecting story of Jennifer’s fears and joys when her Korean halmoni, or grandmother, flies from her peaceful village to take part in a school Grandparents’ Day program. … Halmoni captivates her audience, as she will the audience for this stellar debut.” (Kirkus Reviews)
“A frightful delight…. Cha’s writing is excellently paced and entertaining, while the digital illustrations are filled with bright colors and bring the charming characters to life.” (School Library Journal, starred review)
Caldecott Honor Book 2024. Brought to life with lavish and ornate illustrations, The Truth About Dragons follows a young child on a journey guided by his mother’s bedtime storytelling. He quests into two very different forests, as his two grandmothers help him discover two different, but equally enchanting, truths about dragons.
Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection; Fall 2020 Kids’ Indie Next List
“Choi’s soft, warm cartoon illustrations add levity to Binczewski and Econopouly’s winsome, pun-filled text and help illuminate not only the steps involved but also some of the science.” (Booklist)
“Instant child appeal. Heo adds to the fun with her unique illustrations.” (Horn Book, starred review)
1964–2016
author-illustrator
“Smart, subtle, yet laugh-out-loud wit that will delight both children and adults, plus abundant cartooning talent, mark this stellar debut from a young author to watch.” (The New York Times)
“Vintage-style digital illustrations by Jang supplement additional details as the child ages: alongside “I’ll teach you words like ‘universe’/ as you begin to talk,” the parent is shown explaining a solar system model to their toddler, who sits rapt with hands folded atop the sun. A gentle affirmation for science-inclined kids and their parents.” (Publishers Weekly)
In this picture book written by Francie Dekker and illustrated by Sarah Jung, Our World of Dumplings celebrates how food brings people and cultures together!
“This is a kind reminder that life gets messy, but teamwork built on individual strengths can create a picture-perfect moment.” (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books)
“Kim’s exquisite artwork renders distinct personalities and characters represented by diverse skin colors and hairstyles, priceless expressions, and irrepressible energy. An endearing and hopeful expression of spontaneous fun and togetherness.” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)
Seollal: a Korean Celebration of the Lunar New Year; Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection: “This joyful book about sharing age-old cultural celebrations with new friends certainly is a must-have book for the New Year’s season.”
“An engaging, informative, and accessible biography with bright, inviting artwork about man who had a major impact on language and the marginalized citizens of his country.” (School Library Journal)
“An enchanting look at a child’s quest for belonging. … Kim’s mixed-media art is dynamic, subtly blending realism with touches of whimsy and lush naturalistic detail. This understated and creative picture book takes on the theme of being true to oneself and ends with the realization that ‘there’s no place like home.’” (Horn Book Magazine)
“A delicious read-aloud and perfect recommendation for every child, any day of the week.” (School Library Journal, starred review)
“Lovingly rendered chalky illustrations bring to life this tale in a well-paced balance of spot art and spreads … Shy human children—especially those who feel more outgoing in a familiar environment—will be reassured that they will most certainly not be the only ones nervous about their first day of school. … Encouragement for those who are exuberant, loud, and full of energy … but only at home. (Kirkus Reviews)
“Drawn and painted in writing ink, to show different qualities of light, it’s astonishing to behold.” (The New York Times) “A wordless ode to the serenity of breathing deep in nature… A simple yet marvelous musing on the beauty of the great outdoors.” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) “The pages within showcase spectacular illustrations and, without a single word, gorgeously reveal a story of family, nature and discovery… a wordless picture book masterpiece.” (Shelf Awareness, starred review)
“A Where’s Waldo? for lovers of trains and travel, this look-and-find by Brooklyn-based illustrator Kim takes readers into bustling subway systems in 10 of the world’s great metropolises. At each “stop,” we first see the subway station platform and train, with facts and figures about the transportation system. Children will love searching for these beautiful foreign items while indulging in the common kid obsession over locomotives” (Booklist)
Most people either can or cannot hear sound … but some people can do both! Meet a deaf boy with cochlear implants as he moves about his day. Sometimes he prefers not to hear, but when he wants to connect with the hearing world, he puts on his cochlear implants. How could he explain to his hearing parents what the absence of sound is like? Suddenly he has an idea—the best way he knows how to share this part of him with those he loves. With whimsical, bright illustrations and lyrical words, Sound Switch Wonder is a sweet and gentle story about sharing and embracing differences.
Illustrated in ink, watercolors, and colored pencil with some digital editing.
“An engaging father-daughter STEAM story full of support and scientific inquiry.” (Kirkus Reviews)
Robert F. Sibert Honor book, Orbis Pictus Honor book, CCBC Choices, ALA Notable, Notable Social Studies Trade Book, Junior Library Guild, Bank Street College of Education “Outstanding Merit” Best Book, Audiofile Earphones Award (audio book)
“A gentle story about connection that will connect with readers of all ages.” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)
“Willow is a timid white rabbit who prefers staying home—an abandoned mailbox—where it’s cozy and quiet. There she sketches and dreams, but her comfortable routine is interrupted when a letter flutters through the mail slot one day. A warm and wondrous adventure for armchair, or high chair, travelers.” (Booklist, starred review)
“Eye-catching illustrations feature expansive double-page spreads of the neighborhood shops, drawing readers in to explore each tiny detail. The pictures resonate with love, complementing the predominant theme of family closeness and the book’s casual diversity.” (The Horn Book, starred review)
“Na’s whimsical illustrations vibrantly convey the cacophony present in many Cage compositions. Employing a vocabulary of images (squiggles, slashes, lines) representing sounds and emotions identified on the endpapers, Na clearly represents the unique and experimental nature of Cage’s work. Many scenes portray cityscapes and crowded concert halls. Blues and grays predominate, although Na effectively uses explosions of intense color to represent some sounds.” (Booklist, starred review)
“In this subtle, emotionally gratifying debut, Papa emerges as a distinctive personality whose preparations make it clear that his granddaughter’s happiness is just as important as his own.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)
“This book is reassuring and respectful, and the art is terrific, with an ever-changing array of painted teacups as we go through the pages.” (The New York Times)
NPR Best Book of 2020; Powell’s Best Children’s Book of 2020; Pacific Northwest Indie Bestseller; National Indie Bestseller
“Celebrating the uniqueness of each boy and the “thousands of ways to be,” this colorful title breaks conventions and presents all kinds of possibilities. … Highly recommended.” (School Library Journal)
Joan G. Sugarman Award for Children’s Literature; Parents’ Choice Award; Capitol Choices Book Award; Bank Street College Book Award; Junior Library Guild Selection
“sparkles with the promise of imagination and friendship” (Booklist)
This funny story of a child’s journey to discover what it really means to be a big girl explores the traditions of Korean Lunar New Year and the value of family and helpfulness.
Winner, Little Brown New Voices, New World Multicultural Fiction Contest; Smithsonian Notable Book; Notable Children’s Trade Book in Social Studies; Horn Book Magazine Best Holiday Book
“In her grief, a child finds new meaning in a cherished activity … The illustrators deftly layer shadows and blur boundaries between colors, evoking the feeling of a warm memory … A tender tale of loss and love.” (Kirkus Reviews)
“Four authors tell their stories, not just of the places they lived, but of the history, culture, and spirit of their beings: where they truly come from.” (Booklist)
Parents Choice Gold Award; “This is an important story, full of drama and emotion and it is here given its proper recognition and tribute in both words and glorious art. Perhaps it will encourage other grandparents to share their family history as well. Masterful.” (Kirkus Reviews)
“Wang has crafted a lyrical gem of a story. Adopting a child’s perspective, the author manages to make topics such as warfare and loss of one’s home comprehensible to a young audience, while Cha’s bold strokes and splashes of color convey movement and enhance the emotional weight of the subject.” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review); The Horn Book starred review; Junior Library Guild, Gold Standard Selection Book distinction
Poems about things we love to eat from A to Z, by diverse, established and new voices: Gail Aldous, Rebecca Balcárcel, David Bowles, Sandy Brehl, Carol Bullman, Yangsook Choi, Kelly Conroy, Nicola Davies, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Linda A. Dryfhout, Theresa Gaughan, Mary Lee Hahn, Georgia Heard, George Ella Lyon, JoAnn Early Macken, Elisabeth Norton, Lisa Varchol Perron, Jama Kim Rattigan, Joan Riordan, Pamela Ross, Donna JT Smith, April Halprin Wayland, Vicki Wilke, Janet Wong, Jacqueline Woodson, and Sarah Ziman.
“Each celebration has its own spread, with soft pencil drawings. The art, while following one family as they celebrate throughout the year, depicts characters of many races and skin tones.” (School Library Journal)
“A pleasingly uncomplicated introduction to yoga that can also simply be read as an invitation to play. A celebration of the ways that even young children can experience the wide world through their bodies as well as their minds.” (Kirkus Reviews)
“Crisp illustrations that capture a genuinely loving heart … a strong if whimsical choice for those separated from loved ones” (Kirkus Reviews)
Appa is coming home tomorrow after a long time away, and sisters Haejin and Hanna want to make something very special to greet his return. They spend the day preparing their favorite treat―hotteok, a brown-sugar-filled Korean pancake. But when their batter is ruined, how will they make something special for tomorrow?
“Yum’s trademark colored pencil and watercolor illustrations are full spread. Graphic placement is well done, allowing Yum’s art to cradle each piece. People and places are diverse in artistic expression, allowing readers to recognize themselves in different poems and increasing understanding for different situations.” (School Library Journal) Editor: Paul B. Janeczko
