Geisel Guide 2021

Back with another recap of the Geisel award winners–this time, we’re talking the 2021 Geisel Medal winner and honor books. These are books for developing readers published in 2020 and recognized at the January 2021 Youth Media Awards.

Check out our 2020 Geisel Guide for more information on the award. Let’s dive in!

Medal Winner

See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog, written by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka (Candlewick Press)

This is a super fun 3 chapter easy reader with the “book” talking on the left hand page and the dog in illustrations responding on the right hand page. The dog is fighting agains the book’s story and slowly realizes how to fix the situation. It’s super funny, I can’t wait to read this aloud with kids.

Honor Books

The Bear in My Family, written and illustrated by Maya Tatsukawa (Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House)

A little boy recounts the problems, and merits, when living with a mean, hungry bear—and wonders why his parents don’t realize the problem. Of course, at the end, we learn the bear is his older sister! I really like the illustration style of this and would love to see the author do a graphic novel–so soft and soothing!This is a picture book.

Ty’s Travels: Zip, Zoom!, written by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Nina Mata (HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers)

This is a “My First” pre-level 1 level easy reader. Ty learns to ride his scooter and perservere while he imagines he’s on a fast race track in this easy reader. The character illustrations are engaging, the sentences are concise and firm but still help paint the picture of what is happening.

What About Worms!?, written and illustrated by Ryan T. Higgins (Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group)

This is in the “Elephant and Piggie Like Reading” unleveled series. The book they read this time is about a Tiger who is afraid of worms and breaks his flower pot, drops his apple, and avoids a book because of it, which leads to a funny turn around where the worms think that he loves them and has left them gifts and they run to hug him. It’s cute, easy to read aloud expressively, and I think kids will enjoy the humor that isn’t just “isn’t it funny how different we are” based like so many kids books with animals are.

Where’s Baby?, written and illustrated by Anne Hunter (Tundra Books of Northern New York, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers, a Penguin Random House Company)

A game of natural hide and seek unfolds in this pencil-based illustrated picture book that follows two fox parents looking for baby–and finding things who aren’t baby along the way. It’s funny, dialogue based and has those visual cues that little readers will love.

See you next week for our 2022 Geisel Guide!