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LARC Mocks: 2023 Picture Books

Working list of starred reviews to be considered for the Mock Caldecott and Newbery Award

2023 Picture Books

Acevedo, Linda J.  Breaking to the Beat!  BL 5/1/23, K 6/1/23

Agostini, Alliah L.  Big Tune: Rise of the Dancehall Prince.  K 1/1/23, PW 2/6/23

Aguilera, Claudio.  9 Kilometers.  K 11/15/22, PW 12/19/22

Alexander, Kwame.  An American Story.  BL 11/1-15/22, PW 12/19/22

Alexander, Rilla.  You Rule! K 2/1/23

Allen, Savannah.  The Nature Journal: A Backyard Adventure. K 3/1/23

Alvarez, David with David Bowles.  Ancient Night.  K 1/15/23, PW 1/30/23

Armand, Glenda.  All Aboard the Schooltrain: A Little Story from the Great Migration.  K 11/15/22, BL 12/1-15/22, PW 12/19/22

Arnaldo, Monica.  Mr. S.  BL 4/15/23, SLJ 5/23

Aronson, Katelyn.  When PB Met J.  K 11/1/22

Asterplume, A.B. Sometimes, a Tiger. SLJ 5/23

Avant-garde, Zaila.  Words of Wonder From Z to A.  K 5/1/23

Bagley, Jessixa. Maurice. PW 3/20/23

Barnes, Derrick.  Like Lava in My Veins.  K 6/1/23

Barnett, Mac.  Twenty Questions.  BL 2/15/23

Barrows, Annie. Like. HB Jan/Feb 23

Becker, Aaron.  The Tree and the River.  K 12/1/122, PW 1/30/23, HB 3-4/23

Becker, Shelly.  One, Two, Grandpa Loves You. SLJ 2/23

Bentley, Tadgh. One Chicken Nugget.  K 1/1/23

Berger, Carin.  In the Night Garden.  K 4/15/23

Bernstein, Ariel.  You Go First.  K 4/1/23

Blair, Landis.  The Night Tent.  BL 3/15/23

Boss, Shira. The City Tree. SLJ 2/23

Bowles, David.  Ancient Night. SLJ 1/23

Boyton, Sandra.  Woo Hoo! You're Doing Great!  K 1/15/23

Brown, Lisa.  The Hospital Book.  K 1/1/23, BL 2/15/23, HB 3-4/23

Brown, Tameka Fryer.  That Flag.  SLJ 12/22

Brun-Cosme, Nadine.  Rabbit, Duck, And Big Bear. K 12/15/22, BL 1/1-15/23, BCCB 1/23

Buitrago, Jairo.  Afterward, Everything Was Different: A Tale from the Pleistocene.  K 4/15/23

Burgess, Matthew.  The Red Tin Box.  K 2/15/23

Calvert, Howard. The Fastest Tortoise in Town. BCCB 2/23

Carzoo, Breanna  Greenlight.  K 5/1/23

Chang, Vivienne & Eugenia Yoh.  This Is Not My Home.  BL 1/1-15/23, BCCB 12/22

Charles, Tami.  We Are Here.  K 12/1/22, PW 12/19/22, HB 3-4/23

Charlton-Trujillo,  A Girl Can Build Anything.  SLJ 5/23

Cohen, Tziporah. Afikomen. HB 3-4/23

Cordell, Matthew. Evergreen. PW 12/12/22, SLJ 1/23, BL 1/1-15/23

Cummins, Lucy Ruth.  Our Pool.  K 4/1/23

Dabarera, Dinalie.  Quiet Time With My Seeya.  K 12/15/22

David, Arihhonni.  Who Will Win?  BL 4/15/23

DiPucchio, Kelly.  Becoming Charley. K 3/15/23

Doerrfeld, Cori.  Beneath.  K 12/1/22

Donaldson, Julia.  Welcome to the World.  BL 12/1-15/22. SLJ 2/23

Downing, Julie. Night in the City. PW 1/23/23, HB 3-4/23

Ehlert, Molli Jackson.  Everybody Has a Body.  K 6/1/23

Evans, Gabriel. A Human for Kingsley.  SLJ 4/23

Figueroa, Raissa.  What My Daddy Loves. K 3/15/23

Fisher, Lalena. Friends Beyond Measure. PW 12/12/22, SLJ 1/23

Fleming, Candace.  Penny & Pip.  K 5/1/23

Fogliano, Julie.  All the Beating Hearts.  K 11/15/22

Fontenaille, Elise.  At the Drop of a Cat. K 10/15/22

Franklin, Ashley.  The Masjid Kamal Loves.  K 5/1/23

Frazee, Marla.  In Every Life.  K 11/15/22, PW 12/19/22, SLJ 1/23

Freitas, Bethany V.  Ready for Kindergarten.  SLJ 5/23

Genhart, Michael.  Spanish is the Language of My Family.  K 5/15/23

Goodale, E.B.  The Moon Remembers.  K 3/1/23

Hammond, Tiffany.  A Day with No Words.  BL 5/1/23

Hansson, Julia  Billie and Bean at the Beach. K 4/1/23

Hansson, Julia.  Billie and Bean in the City.  K 4/1/23

Harjo, Joy. Remember. PW 1/23/23, BL 2/15/23, BCCB 3/23

Harrison, Vashti.  Big.  BL 4/15/23

Hartman, Brooke.  Watch Out for the Lion!  SLJ 12/22

Hassani, Mojdeh. Mama Shamsi at the Bazaar. BCCB 2/23

Henderson, Leah.  The Courage of the Little Hummingbird: A Tale Told Around the World. K 2/15/23

Herreros, Ana Cristina.  The Amazing and True Story of Tooth Mouse Perez.  K 1/1/23

Hest, Amy.  Sometimes It's Nice to Be Alone.  K 11/1/22, BCCB 12/22, SLJ 1/23

Higgins, Carter.  Some of These Things Are Snails.  BL 5/1/23

Higuera, Donna Barba.  The Yellow Handkerchief.  K 4/15/23

Hillenbrand, Will.  The Voice in the Hollow.  K 11/1/22, SLJ 2/23

Ho, Joanna.  One Day.  K 1/15/23

Holt, Bob.  The Red Jacket.  BL 5/1/23

Howes, Katey. Woven of the World. PW 12/19/22, SLJ 3/23

Irving, A.J.,  The Wishing Flower. SLJ 4/23, K /15/23

James, Alison. Maple and Rosemary. BCCB 2/23

Johnson, Kevin.  Cape.  K 4/15/23

Joy, Mackenzie.  Wallflowers.  K 11/15/22

Kemp, Laeken Zea.  A Crown for Corina.  SLJ 1/23

Khalil, Aya.  The Night Before Eid. A Muslim Family Story.  K 1/1/23

Kim, Anna.  Danbi's Favorite Day.  K 2/1/23

Kim, Dan-ah. The Train Home.  SLJ 3/23

Kirwan, Wednesday. Big Kids No Everything. PW 2/13/23

Klassen, Jon.  The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale.  BL 1/1-15/23

Krans, Angela Pham.  Finding Papa.  SLJ 1/23, BL 2/1/23

Lam, Maple.  Dim Sum, Here We Come! K 12/1/22, PW 2/27/23

Lam, Thao.  Happy Birthday to Me.  K 2/15/23

LaRocca, Rajani.  Summer is for Cousins. K 3/1/23, BL 4/15/23

Lawrence, Patrice.  Granny Came Here on the Empire Windrush.  K 4/15/23

Lin, Grace & Kate Messner.  Once Upon a Book. K 11/15/22, HB Jan/Feb 23

Lindstrom, Carole. My Powerful Hair. HB 3-4/23, BL 3/15/23, K 5/15/23

Liu, Linda.  Hidden Gem.  K 5/1/23

Lobel, Anita. Good Morning, Good Night. PW 12/5/22

Love, Jessica. A Bed of Stars. PW 2/6/23, BCCB 2/23

Lukoff, Kyle.  Awake, Asleep.  K 5/1/23, BL 5/15/23

Martin Jr., Bill.  Bing! Bang! Chugga! Beep!  K 4/1/23

Marshall, Albert D. & Louise Zimanyi.  Walking Together.  BL 5/1/23

Martinez-Neal, Juana.  Alma, Head to Toe: Alma, de pies a cabeza.  BL 5/15/23

Mattsson, Jens.  We Are Lions!  K 5/1/23

Messier, Mireille.  The Magic Cap.  BL 5/15/23

Meza, Erika.  To The Other Side. K 1/1/23, PW 1/30/23

Molesso, Ashley & Chess Needham.  ABC-Deconstructing Gender.  BL 5/15/23

Montanari, Eva.  What Does Little Crocodile Say at the Beach? K 1/1/23

Muhammad, Ibtihaj.  The Kindest Red: A Story of Hijab and Friendship.  K 1/1/23

Muth, Jon J. Stillwater and Koo Save the World. PW 12/19/22, K 1/1/23, BL 2/1/23

Namir, Hasan.  Banana Dream.  K 6/1/23

Newman, Leslea.  The Fairest in the Land.  K 4/1/23

Obuobi, Laura. Black Gold. HB 1-2/23

O'Hara, Mo.  Hush, Little Rocket.  K 1/1/23

Otheguy, Emma.  Martina Has Too Many Tias.  K 4/15/23

Otis, Chad.  The Bright Side.  K 4/1/23

Parappukkaran, Sandhya. The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name. BCCB1/23

Park, Hyunmin. So Much Snow. HB 3-4/23

Paul, Baptiste. Patchwork Prince.  SLJ 5/23

Peoples, Daria.  Hello, Mister Blue.  K 3/15/23

Peterson, Isaac.  Gray in the Moonlight.  SLJ 1/23

Petrus, Junauda. Can We Please Give the Police Department to the Grandmothers?  K 2/1/23, SLJ 4/23

Pintadera, Fran.  Why Are We Afraid?  K 4/1/23

Piven, Hanoch. Dream Big, Laugh Often And More Great Advice From the Bible.  K 1/15/23

Pizzoli, Greg.  Mister Kitty Is Lost!  BL 1/1-15/23

Provensen, Alice.  The Truth About Max.  K 11/1/22

Raczka, Bob.  You Are a Story.  BL 2/15/23

Rayner, Jacqueline K.  Lost Cat!  K 1/1/23

Reidy, Jean.  A Book About You and All the World Too.  SLJ 5/23

Rex, Adam.  Oh No, The Aunts are Here. PW 3/20/23, K 4/1/23, BL 4/15/23

Rinker, Sherri Duskey.  Roto and Roy: To the Rescue!  BL 2/15/23

Robertson, David A.  The Song That Called Them Home.  K 3/1/23

Rogers, Kim.  Just like Grandma.  BL 12/1-15/22

Ruttan, Molly.  Something Wild.  K 12/1/22

Salmon, Caspar.  How to Count to One: (And Don't Even THINK about Bigger Numbers!).  BL 3/1/23

Santamaria, Sendy.  Yenebi's Drive to School.  K 5/1/23

Savage, Chloe.  The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish.  K 4/15/23

Sayre, April Pulley.  In Between.  K 1/1/23

Scanlon, Liz Garton.  The World's Best Class Plant.  K 3/15/23

Scharer, Kathrin.  How Do You Feel?  K 4/1/23

Schu, John.  This is a Story. SLJ 3/23

Scott, Jordan.  My Baba's Garden.  PW 1/30/23, K 2/1/23, HB 3-4/23, SLJ 3/23, BL 3/15/23

Shatokhin, Oleksandr.  Yellow Butterfly: A Story from Ukraine.  K 11/1/22, BL 1/1-15/23

Shute, Linda.  Remind Me.  K 4/15/23

Silvestro, Annie.  Bravo, Little Bird!  K 12/1/22

Simpson, Tonya.  Forever Our Home/kakike kikinaw (bilingual edition) SLJ 5/23

Siqueira, Ana.  Abuela's Super Capa.  SLJ 1/23

Smith, Danna. Peek-A-Boo Haiku: A Lift-the-Flap Book.  SLJ 3/23

Smith, Lane.  Stickler Loves the World.  K 6/1/23

Soloy, Lauren.  The Hidden World of Gnomes.  BL 5/15/23

Sriram, Meera.  A Garden in My Hands.  K 2/1/23

Sterlilng, Michelle.  Maribel's Year.  K 4/1/23

Stith, Shaunna & John Stith.  Black Beach: A Community, an Oil Spill, and the Origin of Earth Day.  BL 12/1-15/22.

Straub, Emma.  Very Good Hats. K 10/15/22, PW 11/28/22

Strickland, Shadra. Jump In! PW 11/28/22, K 12/1/22

Stutzman, Jonathan. Soon, Your Hands. PW 1/9/23, BL 2/1/23

Sudyka, Diana.  Little Land.  BL 3/1/23

Sullivan, John. Stanley's Secret. PW 10/31/22

Sworder, Zeno.  My Strange Shrinking Parents.  K 1/1/23

Tabor, Corey R.  Simon and the Better Bone.  K 4/15/23

Theule, Larissa.  Mouseboat.  BCCB 2/23, BL 3/1/23

Thompkins-Bigelow, Jamilah.  Salat in Secret.  K 4/15/23

Tillotson, Carrie.  B is for Bananas.  SLJ 5/23

Tonatiuh, Duncan. Dia de Muertos: Numeros: A Day of the Dead Counting Book.  K 4/1/23

Trejo, Jesus.  Papa's Magical Water-Jug Clock.  K 5/1/23

Trimmer, Christian.  The Good Hair Day.  K 3/1/23

Tullet, Herve. Tap! Tap! Tap! Dance! Dance! Dance!. PW 3/20/23

Van, Muqn Thi.  The Shape of You.  K 4/1/23

Vere, Ed.  The Artist.  K 2/1/23

Verhoeff, Nelleke.  Bruno Builder Bakes Bread: A Mix-and-Match Book.  SLJ 3/23

Volker, Sven.  Are We There Yet?  K 5/1/23

Wallmark, Laurie.  Rivka's Presents.  BL 5/15/23

Weaver, Jo.  Bibi.  K 4/1/23, BL 5/1/23

Wechterowicz, Przemyslaw.  When Little Owl Met Little Rabbit.  BL 2/15/23

Wen, Lenny. Spicy Spicy Hot!.  K 3/1/23

Wesolowska, Monica.  Elbert in the Air. SLJ 2/23

White, Dianne. Dark on Light. HB Jan/Feb 23

Wilson, Anna. Grandpa and the Kingfisher.  K 6/1/23

Windness, Kaz.  Bitsy Bat, School Star.  K 5/1/23

Wong, Jack.  When You Can Swim.  K 5/15/23

Woodgate, Harry.  Grandad's Pride.  K 2/1/23

Wynter, Anne.  Nell Plants a Tree.  BL 12/1-15/22, K 1/1/23, HB 1-2/ 23

Yaccarino, Dan. City Under the City. HB Jan/Feb 23

Yang. James. Go, Sled! Go! HB Jan/Feb 23

Yumoto, Kazumi.  The Bear and the Wildcat.  K 11/1/22, PW 3/20/23

ZO-O. Corner. PW 1/16/23, K 3/1/23

Criteria

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  1. In identifying a “distinguished American picture book for children,” defined as illustration, committee members need to consider:
    1. Excellence of execution in the artistic technique employed;
    2. Excellence of pictorial interpretation of story, theme, or concept;
    3. Appropriateness of style of illustration to the story, theme or concept;
    4. Delineation of plot, theme, characters, setting, mood or information through the pictures;
    5. Excellence of presentation in recognition of a child audience.
  2. The only limitation to graphic form is that the form must be one which may be used in a picture book. The book must be a self-contained entity, not dependent on other media (i.e., sound, film or computer program) for its enjoyment.
  3. Each book is to be considered as a picture book. The committee is to make its decision primarily on the illustration, but other components of a book are to be considered especially when they make a book less effective as a children’s picture book. Such other components might include the written text, the overall design of the book, etc.

Note: The committee should keep in mind that the award is for distinguished illustrations in a picture book and for excellence of pictorial presentation for children. The award is not for didactic intent or for popularity.