Here are 82 books that Flashlight fans have personally recommended if you like
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I have always loved animals and felt a deep empathy for every living creature. But it wasn’t until the COVID lockdown that I truly connected with them. Locked up with a partner, a boy, two dogs, and three cats in a small house with a yard, I realized that it's not just us taking care of them—they're doing their best to take care of us, too. Trained in art since childhood by my mom, it was during the COVID lockdown that I began to draw our furry companions in earnest. I spent every waking hour capturing their funny and endearing moments, ultimately putting it all together in a picture book.
This book immediately conquered my heart with its unique illustration style. The artwork is so captivating that you can get lost in it with your young reader, discovering new exciting details every time you look.
This charming tale of a dog's day out in the city is something both children and adults can relate to. I love how it teaches empathy for the dog's feelings without ever explicitly saying it, letting the pictures truly tell the story.
The book takes us on a delightful journey through New York City and to the beach, beautifully capturing the lives of a dog and his human in the bustling city.
4
authors picked
Hot Dog
as one of their favorite books, and they share
why you should read it.
This book is for kids age
4,
5,
6, and
7.
What is this book about?
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE 2023 CALDECOTT MEDAL • This glowing and playful picture book features an overheated—and overwhelmed—pup who finds his calm with some sea, sand, and fresh air. Destined to become a classic!
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • Publishers Weekly • Kirkus Reviews • New York Public Library
“An utter joy from beginning to end!” —Sophie Blackall, two-time Caldecott Medal winner
This hot dog has had enough of summer in the city! Enough of sizzling sidewalks, enough of wailing sirens, enough of people's feet right in…
Twelve-year-old identical twins Ellie and Kat accidentally trigger their physicist mom’s unfinished time machine, launching themselves into a high-stakes adventure in 1970 Chicago. If they learn how to join forces and keep time travel out of the wrong hands, they might be able find a way home. Ellie’s gymnastics and…
I’ve been a writer all my life in one form or another, and I love to observe the world around me and the people in it. I’ve had a fascination with dusk, in particular, since I was a child. I remember having the most adventurous time playing with my sister and our neighborhood friends after dinner in the summertime and soaking in everything that time of day had to offer—from the beautiful colors of the sunset to the croaking toads to the smell of the freshly cut grass. Each time of day—sunrise to midnight—offers a sensory overload if you are open to it. These books I have recommended dive into that delight.
I love a book that encourages a family to come together and enjoy the simpler things in life like a beautiful starry night, and that is what Blackout by John Rocco does.
The city in this book experiences a blackout at night. Without all the gadgets, TVs, and other distractions, a young kid and his family find their way to enjoy each other and their beautiful city in the pitch dark of night under a blanket of stars. Although my family is very plugged in, we make the effort to unplug now and again, go outside, and enjoy the Texas night sky.
1
author picked
Blackout
as one of their favorite books, and they share
why you should read it.
This book is for kids age
3,
4, and
5.
What is this book about?
One hot summer night in the city, all the power goes out. The TV shuts off and a boy wails, "Mommm!" His sister can no longer use the phone, Mom can't work on her computer, and Dad can't finish cooking dinner. What's a family to do? When they go up to the roof to escape the heat, they find the lights--in stars that can be seen for a change--and so many neighbors it's like a block party in the sky! On the street below, people are having just as much fun--talking, rollerblading, and eating ice cream before it melts. The…
I’ve been a writer all my life in one form or another, and I love to observe the world around me and the people in it. I’ve had a fascination with dusk, in particular, since I was a child. I remember having the most adventurous time playing with my sister and our neighborhood friends after dinner in the summertime and soaking in everything that time of day had to offer—from the beautiful colors of the sunset to the croaking toads to the smell of the freshly cut grass. Each time of day—sunrise to midnight—offers a sensory overload if you are open to it. These books I have recommended dive into that delight.
This is the new bedtime book for all, as it perfectly captures the sounds that might happen at night when you are trying to fall asleep in the city.
Families in a red brick building are fast asleep until a baby wakes up crying, and then mayhem ensues with a loud parrot, a game of flashlight tag, and a car alarm set off by a cat. Now that everyone is awake, it’s time to settle back to bed with the more soothing sounds of the night. My family can relate to these city sounds, as they were raised near downtown Austin.
A fresh, urban take on bedtime stories in the spirit of The House That Jack Built and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, from debut author Anne Wynter and Caldecott Honoree Oge Mora.
Everybody in the red brick building was asleep. Until . . .
WaaaAAH!
Rraak! Wake up!
Pitter patter STOMP!
Pssheew!
A chain reaction of noises wakes up several children (and a cat) living in an apartment building. But it's late in the night, so despite the disturbances, one by one, the building's inhabitants return to their beds-this time with a new set of sounds to lull them to sleep.
Twelve-year-old identical twins Ellie and Kat accidentally trigger their physicist mom’s unfinished time machine, launching themselves into a high-stakes adventure in 1970 Chicago. If they learn how to join forces and keep time travel out of the wrong hands, they might be able find a way home. Ellie’s gymnastics and…
I’ve been a writer all my life in one form or another, and I love to observe the world around me and the people in it. I’ve had a fascination with dusk, in particular, since I was a child. I remember having the most adventurous time playing with my sister and our neighborhood friends after dinner in the summertime and soaking in everything that time of day had to offer—from the beautiful colors of the sunset to the croaking toads to the smell of the freshly cut grass. Each time of day—sunrise to midnight—offers a sensory overload if you are open to it. These books I have recommended dive into that delight.
If the title doesn’t grab your interest, then open the book.
This story focuses on the subtle and simple sounds that you may hear during the beginning of a day. The illustrations evoke all things sunrise and the words match with their lyrical flow and call to action. This book will encourage everyone, even late sleepers like me, to throw off their covers, jump out of bed, and see what the day has to offer.
This beautiful companion to What Color Is Night? helps children explore and celebrate their morning routines.
At the first morning light, everything is quiet. Or is it?
Listen.
Welcome the day by exploring the subtle wonders-and exciting sounds-of the morning with this lyrical and picturesque story.
In the first morning light, all might seem quiet. In this companion to What Color Is Night?
Grant Snider explores the sounds-and silences-of morning. Ending in an
inspiring call to action-to toss off the covers, throw open the window,
and fill the world with your song-this uplifting book is sure to help
families feel…
Some writers produce historically important novels of our life and times. I’ve always preferred the “smaller,” timeless stories that dig deep into domestic lives and relationships. For me, the best adventures are always the psychological ones. The bond between mothers and daughters is a rich, if perhaps underexplored, source of literary tension. Often fraught and a battle between deep love and debilitating frustration, it’s the stuff of the highest drama. In The Youngster, the daughter and mother have landed in a place of mutual love, which is then tested by extraordinary – and shocking – circumstances.
This selection is a bit of a cheat, given that the novel is about a mother and son (as told by Jack, the 5-year-old boy), but it’s also a moving evocation of maternal resilience under the most appalling circumstances.
I include it because this exceptional story strips bare the fundamental ties between a helpless child and a fiercely resourceful parent. And it’s a great read.
A major film starring Brie Larson. Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Shortlisted for the Orange Prize.
Picador Classics edition with an introduction by John Boyne, author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.
Today I'm five. I was four last night going to sleep in Wardrobe, but when I wake up in Bed in the dark I'm changed to five, abracadabra.
Jack lives with his Ma in Room. Room has a single locked door and a skylight, and it measures ten feet by ten feet. Jack loves watching TV but he knows that nothing he sees on the screen…
I live in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and I'm the head behind DGPH illustration and design studio. I'm
also an illustration professor of the illustrator major at Palermo University
(UP). My passion for kids books and illustration turned me into a full time
illustrator combining both passions, illustration, and design. And with
time, I started writing my own stories too.
The pages are filled with things to discover, it's one of those books
that you will read and start over to find things hidden amongst the pages. The
quirky lines makes the main character really nice for kids, resembling how
they draw their own characters. And the story gives a really nice message about how
fulfilling reading can be.
The mouth-watering new book from acclaimed author illustrator, Oliver Jeffers.
Henry loves books... but not like you and I. He loves to EAT books! This exciting story follows the trials and tribulations of a boy with a voracious appetite for books.
Henry discovers his unusual taste by mistake one day, and is soon swept up in his new-found passion - gorging on every delicious book in sight! And better still, he realises that the more books he eats, the smarter he gets. Henry dreams of becoming the Incredible Book Eating Boy; the smartest boy in the world!
Since I can remember, I’ve loved fairy tales. Stories that start once upon a time, somewherefar, far away. Those words are both comforting and exciting. I am fascinated by their evolution and prevalence in different cultures and genres. That same story can be told in a million different ways that are familiar, and completely new. I used a fairy tale to complete my writing minor, then submitted that same story for a Masters writing program, transforming it into my thesis, which became my first published book. I’ve spent a career reading and writing fairy tales, and I hope this list helps you love them as much as I do.
This book starts in that familiar way fairy tales do, with a child that loses their mother and now must contend with that loss, a new stepmother, and then a half-sibling. Set in the modern world, our young protagonist hears books whispering to him and dreams of “The Crooked Man”. He finds himself in a dark fairy tale world full of odd and often terrifying characters. The story unfolds like a psychological thriller wrapped in lovely, lyrical prose, that keeps you turning pages until the very end.
'A brilliantly creepy coming of age novel' Daily Mirror
'A moving fable, brilliantly imagined, about the agony of loss and the pain of young adulthood' The Times
'This is no saccharine fairytale, but an eerie fable that's perfect for long winter nights' Daily Mail
This illustrated edition includes two new short stories - Cinderella, A Version and The Rat King, the latter introducing the Crooked Man who is central to the world of The Book of Lost Things - and an afterword from the author.
'Once upon a time, there was a boy who lost his mother . . .'…
Most people are surprised to hear I wasn’t a reader growing up. All the books I was assigned to read in school were too serious or sad. It wasn’t until I started reading comedy, that I really got into reading. Now, I read everything under the sun, but comedy is still what I love to write. I write the kind of books that I wish I had found as a tween. And to this day, the best compliment I receive is when a parent tells me one of my books made their kid laugh or better yet, turned their reluctant reader into a reader. As a writer, there’s no better feeling!
When I read the first line of this book, “It’s harder to drive a polar bear into somebody’s living room than you’d think,” I knew I had stumbled upon something good.
And I was right. How can you not love a book that starts with a polar bear being driven into a living room? How can you not want to keep reading to find out why exactly this polar bear is being driven into a living room? I rest my case.
The movie tie-in edition of the award-winning and hugely popular adventures of Timmy Failure and his polar bear sidekick Total, who create chaos as they attempt to make sense of the world in the first book in the New York Times bestselling series.
Riotously funny and perfect for fans of Wimpy Kid, Tom Gates and Barry Loser, Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made has been listed as one of 100 Children's Modern Classics by The Sunday Times and was chosen for inclusion in Tom Fletcher's second book club.
Meet Timmy Failure, founder of the "best" detective agency in town - Total…
I’m the author of funny-bone tickling and heartwarming picture books, Halloween Hustle and Prince and Pirate. My newest book, Dream Submarine, is a lyrical bedtime story that blends fiction and nonfiction and invites young readers on a journey through the world's oceans (Candlewick, 2024). Language Arts teacher turned writer, I'm passionate about literacy and love visiting schools and libraries to connect with my favorite people—kids! My books and all the perfectly piratey tales on this list are best when read aloud!
I adore this piratey parody of "The Boy Who
Cried Wolf."As a parent and former teacher, I’ve had the privilege of
reading to kids for decades. This picture book is ideal for a giggly good
storytime. I especially appreciate how the refrain “The pirates are coming!
Quick! Everybody hide!” builds suspense (and silliness!) and creates lots of
opportunities for kids to make predictions about what sort of ship is actually
out on the horizon. Clever and comedic illustrations amp up the fun.
A hilarious retelling of The Boy Who Cried Wolf, with not one but TWO twists!
Tom has a VERY important job; every day he climbs to the top of the hill and watches for pirate ships. But when he rings his bell and shouts "PIRATES!" a few too many times - and there's NO pirate ship - the villagers begin to get tired of hiding. So what will happen when the pirates really do show up?
Repeated phrases make it easy and fun for young adventurers to join in with the storytelling, and witty, bold artwork by Matt Hunt adds…
I am uniquely qualified to assemble this list because I gave my heart and head to the fictional and true West in fourth grade. When I learned California history, enraptured by images of wild horses and vaqueros, the cruelty of bear and bullfighting (no one talked then about cruelty to “converted” Native Americans), and the myth of Zorro. I grabbed the chance to move to the cowgirl state of Nevada, where I learned to love the scents of sagebrush and alkali flats. Research for my fiction and non-fiction has given me license to ride in a Pony Express reenactment and 10-day cattle drive and spend all night bottle-feeding an orphan mustang.
When I taught Developmental Reading (aka English for Gang Members) in Los Angeles, this book made them cry. Sad stories that include animals can jab straight into the most sheltered heart, while books about suffering humans only evoke yawns.
Reading this as an adult, it’s clearly NOT a horse story, but that’s its camouflage. There’s a lot of death in this book–a beloved pony, an old man with a stolen old horse, a mare giving birth, and the main character’s innocence. Childhood innocence dies over and over again. Just when his faith in what matters resurfaces, it gets smacked down again. The older I get, the more this book hurts.
Jody, the boy at the center of all 3 parts of the book (there are different versions of the book…some have 4 parts), wants to put the adults in his life on pedestals, but his father is as callous as…
Written at a time of profound anxiety caused by the illness of his mother, Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck draws on his memories of childhood in these stories about a boy who embodies both the rebellious spirit and the contradictory desire for acceptance of early adolescence. Unlike most coming-of-age stories, the cycle does not end with a hero "matured" by circumstances. As John Seelye writes in his introduction, reversing common interpretations, The Red Pony is imbued with a sense of loss. Jody's encounters with birth and death express a common theme in Steinbeck's fiction: They are parts…
