Guest blog post by Shara Zaval, marketing manager
Graduation season is just around the corner! Whether you have a little one who is graduating from pre-school or kindergarten, or a bigger kid finishing middle school, high school or college, picture books are a timeless way to celebrate next steps.
Here's our round-up of picture books that encourage graduates to revel in the present, dream about the future, and let their imaginations soar—and enter the giveaway for a chance to win all six!
Exclamation Mark written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
In Exclamation Mark by the New York Times-bestselling team of Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld, the most enthusiastic punctuation mark struggles to fit into a world full of periods. When it meets another inquisitive young symbol, however, it learns the joy, (and exhilaration!) of being oneself. Exclamation Mark not only encourages graduates to take pride in who they are, but also to embrace the pleasure of living life to the fullest.
Happy Dreamer by Peter H. Reynolds
I am a happy dreamer. I’m really good at dreaming. Day dreams. Big dreams. Little dreams. Creative dreams.
Happy Dreamer by New York Times bestselling author Peter H. Reynolds (Ish, The Dot and The Word Collector) celebrates dreamers of all kinds—happy dreamers, quiet dreamers, loud dreamers, and colorful dreamers. This is the perfect gift for kids with a lot of heart, and it will inspire all graduates to follow their dreams and pursue their own unique paths to happy.
I Can Be Anything: Don’t Tell Me I Can’t by Diane Dillon
I Can Be Anything by award-winning author/illustrator Diane Dillon is dedicated to “discouraging the frightened, negative voice in our heads that keeps us from being all we can be,” and Zoe, the protagonist, does just that. She dreams of becoming an archaeologist, a veterinarian, a fire girl, an artist, and more, and she always has the perfect retort to the nagging internal voice that tells her she can’t. I Can Be Anything is a wonderful way to remind graduates to dream big and think positive.
The Three Questions by Jon J Muth
Young Niolai is searching for the answers to his three questions—When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? But it is his own response to a stranger’s cry for help that leads him directly to the answers he is looking for. This profound and simple book about compassion and living in the moment is the perfect gift for every life-changing occasion!
Princess Truly in I Am Truly written by Kelly Greenawalt and illustrated by Amariah Rauscher
An adorable debut picture book, Princess Truly in I Am Truly introduces little ones to a great role model who has confidence, diverse talents, and plenty of flair. The book ends with Princess Truly proclaiming, “I can do anything I set my mind to do. Do you know that you can do all these things, too? You are truly fabulous!” a truly heartening, celebratory message for young kids taking new steps.
When I Grow Up written by Tim Minchin and illustrated by Steve Antony
Inspired by Tim Minchin’s hit song from the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit Matilda the Musical, When I Grow Up follows a group of kids as they imagine all of the freedoms that come with being an adult—the ability to eat as many sweets as they want, the height to climb the tallest trees and the bravery to fight all of the scary monsters who live under the bed. A tribute to both growing up and childhood wonder, this whimsical picture book makes a warm-hearted addition to younger graduates’ shelves.
GIVEAWAY
Click here for a chance to win all six of these picture books for one lucky graduate or several, and here to read the full rules. The contest is open from June 4 to June 11. No purchase is necessary, and you must be a US resident eighteen or older to enter. Good luck!
