Here are 100 books that Just a Minute fans have personally recommended if you like
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From my work as a playwright and breakbeat poet, Artistic Director of Seattle Children’s Theatre, and full-time co-parent, I've dedicated my career to crafting engaging narratives that resonate across generations. With over sixty original plays to my name, I've honed a unique approach that intertwines hip-hop rhythms with rich storytelling. My debut picture book is a testament to this approach—inviting children and parents to discover the boundless creativity that can be found in everyday spaces. It’s my hope that this book inspires families to explore their homes with fresh eyes and open hearts, turning reading into an adventure of imagination.
Your Name Is A Song is a deeply personal book for anyone who's ever felt their name was misunderstood. This story celebrates the melody and significance of names from various cultures, encouraging children to take pride in their identities.
Having grown up with a unique name myself, I understand the importance of this affirmation. This book is a powerful tool for empowerment and inclusivity, teaching both children and adults to appreciate the diversity and beauty of names and the stories they carry.
Frustrated by a day full of teachers and classmates mispronouncing her beautiful name, a little girl tells her mother she never wants to come back to school. In response, the girl's mother teaches her about the musicality of African, Asian, Black-American, Latinx, and Middle Eastern names on their lyrical walk home through the city. Empowered by this newfound understanding, the young girl is ready to return the next day to share her knowledge with her class. Your Name is a Song is a celebration to remind all of us about the beauty, history, and magic behind names.
From my work as a playwright and breakbeat poet, Artistic Director of Seattle Children’s Theatre, and full-time co-parent, I've dedicated my career to crafting engaging narratives that resonate across generations. With over sixty original plays to my name, I've honed a unique approach that intertwines hip-hop rhythms with rich storytelling. My debut picture book is a testament to this approach—inviting children and parents to discover the boundless creativity that can be found in everyday spaces. It’s my hope that this book inspires families to explore their homes with fresh eyes and open hearts, turning reading into an adventure of imagination.
The rhythm and rhyme are masterfully tight, making it a perfect read-aloud that captures children's attention from start to finish. Jon Agee's words and images marry harmoniously and perfectly, propelling the quirky storyline.
As someone who appreciates the impactful harmony of words and visuals from my theater and hip-hop background, I find this book a delightful example of storytelling that both children and adults can enjoy.
'The Wimbledons were sleeping. It was very, very late, When Wilma heard a spooky sound, Which made her sit up straight. "That's very odd," said Walter. "I don't recognize the tune..." "It's only Stanley," Walter said. "He's howling at the moon."' Whoever heard of a dog who can sing, cook and do DIY around the house? He makes a lot of noise and mess, but he's forgiven as does mend the TV. Not until the very end do we, or the hapless Wimbledon family, see just exactly what Stanley the dog has been planning all along!
I have been writing and illustrating books for fifteen years, and I am passionate about the art of making picture books. I love music and dance too. While making this list, I was amazed by how different visual artists that I admire—and who have very different styles—were able to capture movement, rhythm, and energy. I was also fascinated by how the different authors crafted their stories and yet all of them managed to celebrate Black culture and resilience.
I love Gregory Christie’s artwork. His naïf style illustrations may seem crude and simple at first glance, but I think they are incredibly rhythmic and powerful.
His images pair seamlessly with the book's lyrical text, which depicts the awful hardships that enslaved people in New Orleans endured and the joy they felt on Sundays when they were free to play music, dance, and spend time together in Congo Square.
Winner of a Caldecott Honor and a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2016 A School Library Journal Best Book of 2016: Nonfiction Starred reviews from School Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and The Horn Book Magazine A Junior Library Guild Selection
This poetic, nonfiction story about a little-known piece of African American history captures a human's capacity to find hope and joy in difficult circumstances and demonstrates how New Orleans' Congo Square was truly freedom's heart.
From my work as a playwright and breakbeat poet, Artistic Director of Seattle Children’s Theatre, and full-time co-parent, I've dedicated my career to crafting engaging narratives that resonate across generations. With over sixty original plays to my name, I've honed a unique approach that intertwines hip-hop rhythms with rich storytelling. My debut picture book is a testament to this approach—inviting children and parents to discover the boundless creativity that can be found in everyday spaces. It’s my hope that this book inspires families to explore their homes with fresh eyes and open hearts, turning reading into an adventure of imagination.
This is a beautifully rhythmic book that captures the universal joy and diversity of babies and their families. With its bouncy rhythm and expansive illustrations showcasing cultural diversity, this book is an ode to our shared humanity.
In today's climate, where such books face challenges (this book is banned in some states), it's more important than ever to celebrate and share stories that honor our beginnings and the universal experiences of love and family.
With an irresistible rhyming text and delightfully endearing illustrations, here is an exuberant celebration of playing, sleeping, crawling, and of course, very noisy babies doing all the wonderful things babies do best.
Every day, everywhere, babies are born. They're kissed and dressed and rocked and fed-and completely adored by the families who love them.
New York magazine's The Strategist chose Everywhere Babies as one of the "Best (Nonobvious) Baby Books to Bring to a Shower." As The Strategist stated: "Babies love looking at other babies, and this book is filled with all kinds of adorable ones." Plus the book's art…
I've written more than 100 books including the counting booksDinner at the Panda Palace(HarperCollins / PBS StoryTime) andDozens of Dachshunds(Bloomsbury / Scholastic Book Clubs). I also write easy readers such asStomp! (Ready-to-Read / JLG) and early chapter books including the Our Principal series and, with Magic School Bus author Joanna Cole,The Adventures of Allie and Amyseries. As a former early childhood teacher and children's book editor, I'm a big fan of counting books and look forward to writing – and reading – many more.
This book, one of four in Maurice Sendak's Nutshell Library begins, "1 was Johnny who lived by himself."
Wait till you see who joins him and the chaos that ensues! Children get to count from 1 to 10 and, when Johnny figures out how to get rid of the crowd, readers get to count back from 10 to 1.
The rhyme flows along merrily, the illustrations are Sendak-irresistible, and readers of any age can relate to Johnny valuing his "me" time.
From one to ten and back again, children have been counting along with One Was Johnny for over fifty years!
Now in a larger, 5 x 7 trim size, this charming book about a boy and his many visitors is one that children and their grown-ups will want to count along with again and again.
This beloved classic from Maurice Sendak has helped introduce counting to generations of children. This edition is perfect for lap sharing and as a baby shower gift.
Born in Poland, I have fond memories of sitting on my Grandma’s lap listening to stories and poems. A favorite poem was about a crow who ate Swiss cheese and only left the holes. The concept made my noggin spin and spurred my imagination. When I immigrated to the U.S. at age seven, I learned English by reading a Mother Goose collection. Captivated by the fun rhyming sounds and art, I dreamed of making children’s books someday. Years later, my dream came true, I became an author/illustrator, with the majority of my books being extensions of the nursery rhymes which inspired me when I was a child.
This Halloween rendition of the traditional Over in the Meadow counting rhyme is so well done. The finely crafted verses feature goblins, ghosts, skeletons, and other spooky creatures. Beautiful, colorful, atmospheric scenes by Jane Manning compliment the story inviting the reader to pause on each page to admire the art, count the characters, and smile. As an illustrator myself, I appreciate the wonderful design and compositions. Both the story and characters are sweet and hardly scary, so it’s a great pick for younger children, especially those who might be easily frightened.
From author Pamela Jane and New York Times bestselling illustrator Jane Manning comes a delicious Halloween treat for readers to enjoy! Perfect for fans of The Spooky Wheels on the Bus and Ten Timid Ghosts. Now in paperback!
Over in the forest
Where the trees hide the sun
Lived a big mommy monster
And her little monster one.
From monsters to ghosties to goblins, everyone's favorite beasties haunt and howl and rattle their way through their forest home in this silly, spooky twist on the beloved nursery rhyme "Over in the Meadow."
I was a girl who looked under rocks. Besides caring about crawling things and forests, I liked to read and write about history, which became the passion I followed into college and a career. No regrets, but I sometimes wonder what might have become of me if an interest in science was more encouraged and I was nudged past my fear of math.
This is a busy book in the best of ways. Counting is a start toward exploring the beauty and joy of creeping or flying bugs and the places they make as their homes. Honestly, what can be more fun to count than a variety of colorful bugs? We’re introduced to various ways to reach one hundred, an exhilarating number to aim for.
Little explorers will learn 10 different ways to count to 10, using 10 different kinds of bugs, and get all the way to 100 by the end of their adventure. With Suzanne Kaufman's bright, whimsical illustrations and Kate Narita's clever rhyming text, 100 Bugs! is part look-and-find, part learning experience, and all kinds of fun.
I love supporting families through the challenges of potty training because I love deciphering the developmental puzzle of potty skill building – the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social pieces all coming together at the perfect time. As a “family time” teacher for over three decades, I know the stories and the setbacks. I want to be the voice for children learning to manage their bodies, their choices and their world. With a Masters and Specialist degree in Early Childhood, I have also conducted national webinars for Early Childhood teachers on collaborating with families on in-school potty training. I hope these books add some fun and sanity to your potty training experience!
Underwear! Underwear! Underwear is funny! It’s a proud moment when a child graduates to underwear. One Big Pair of Underwear is the perfect underwear book to launch your Underwear Parade through the house to celebrate your child’s potty success! Hoist those underwear flags and parade with family and friends.
This is a fun counting book about animals who learn to share from a pair of underwear. It’s a book about problem solving animals and no one is left out of this underwear parade! It isn’t a book about potty training but you will see, once your child finally says goodbye to diapers, there’s no looking back. Underwear just become the new funny normal. Underwear books never get old.
Count and share with...underwear! Come along on a zany adventure with this Classic Board Book edition of One Big Pair of Underwear from New York Times bestselling illustrator Tom Lichtenheld!
What's one thing that two bears, three yaks, four goats, and six cats have in common?
They hate to share.
But look out-here comes a pack of twenty pigs ready to prove that sharing makes everything twice as fun!
This seriously silly Classic Board Book with artwork by the New York Times bestselling illustrator of Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site irresistibly combines the concepts of counting and sharing.
I've written more than 100 books including the counting booksDinner at the Panda Palace(HarperCollins / PBS StoryTime) andDozens of Dachshunds(Bloomsbury / Scholastic Book Clubs). I also write easy readers such asStomp! (Ready-to-Read / JLG) and early chapter books including the Our Principal series and, with Magic School Bus author Joanna Cole,The Adventures of Allie and Amyseries. As a former early childhood teacher and children's book editor, I'm a big fan of counting books and look forward to writing – and reading – many more.
At the start of this book, readers are asked to count one apple. Easy right?
Next, one elephant. Again, easy. From there, it becomes tricky...and so much fun!
There are two whales on a spread, but readers are still asked to count to one . One what? One sausage being blown out of a whale's spout.
On we go, from soup to nuts. Well, there are no nuts, but there's a hot dog, and ducks and worms, a dinosaur, and more. Throughout, readers are reminded to count to one. That's the rule.
The one problem is that kids may be giggling too much to remember to stick to the rule. It's a great concept, energetically told and brightly, humorously illustrated.
I’ve always been a goofball. When I was a kid, I was constantly getting in trouble for making my friends laugh in the back of the room. But then I would get out of trouble by making the teacher or the principal laugh. Humor and absurdity have always had a special place in my heart, and I love books like these that encourage us to not take ourselves quite so seriously!
This book is such a fun example of taking something that could be seen as a limitation (for instance, the fact that you can only draw worms) and turning it into something more. The book is narrated by the author/illustrator, who explains that he can only draw worms.
He then introduces a cast of worms and tells us about their various adventures. But whenever he describes something non-worm-like (Worm Six is riding on a flying unicorn!) he quickly reminds us that he can’t draw those things, because he can only draw worms. Never fails to get my kids laughing!
A hilarious picture book in bright, neon colors that is perfect for fans of The Book With No Pictures and The Day the Crayons Quit.
This is part counting book, part introduction to worms, but all superbly silly. The fact that the author/illustrator can only draw worms will not take anything away from the laugh-out-loud adventure readers will have as they turn the pages of this slightly subversive picture book.
