Here are 100 books that Too Many Jacks fans have personally recommended if you like
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I’ve never forgotten how thrilling it felt to read a book on my own for the first time. Mouse Soup, Frog and Toad, and Amelia Bedelia are still among my most-loved books to this day. I particularly adore early readers created by authors and illustrators who aren’t afraid to get silly (James Marshall forever!). Stories for beginning readers are my favorite kinds of stories to write, and I always aim to write books that make kids laugh. What better way for them to discover that reading can be fun?
Cece Bell is one of the funniest, most fearless writers in town, and I never know what she’s going to do next. This book features Bell’s trademark absurd humor and endearing characters.
Rabbit lives by her to-do list, and Robot tends to go off-script, asking for nuts and bolts on pizza or running out of batteries during a game called Go Fish. (Hey, who hasn’t?) But for me, Rabbit’s missing remote gets the biggest laugh as Bell works it into a visual joke that’s a hoot to be in on.
Candlewick Sparks are perfect for the newly independent reader: * Award-winning stories by top authors & illustrators * Short, engaging chapters * Vibrant illustrations * Welcoming design Rich vocabulary Candlewick Sparks are sure to ignite a lifelong love of reading.
Floretta- the story of an old woman who discovers life beautifully anew thru the helping hands of a child. The chakra colors of dawn and twilight are woven through the pages as the cycle of life is magically composed. The subject of “heaven,” has the potential to open discussions with…
I’ve never forgotten how thrilling it felt to read a book on my own for the first time. Mouse Soup, Frog and Toad, and Amelia Bedelia are still among my most-loved books to this day. I particularly adore early readers created by authors and illustrators who aren’t afraid to get silly (James Marshall forever!). Stories for beginning readers are my favorite kinds of stories to write, and I always aim to write books that make kids laugh. What better way for them to discover that reading can be fun?
Worms are slimy and wiggly, and you can’t tell their tops from their bottoms! *shudder* This is one of those books I want to immediately read at storytime because I know the room will erupt in giggles.
From the idea of a fierce tiger being terrified of worms to the physical humor to the hilarious dialogue, this book is full of laugh-out-loud moments. I also love how the ending flips this story on its head … or is it its tail!?
I’ve never forgotten how thrilling it felt to read a book on my own for the first time. Mouse Soup, Frog and Toad, and Amelia Bedelia are still among my most-loved books to this day. I particularly adore early readers created by authors and illustrators who aren’t afraid to get silly (James Marshall forever!). Stories for beginning readers are my favorite kinds of stories to write, and I always aim to write books that make kids laugh. What better way for them to discover that reading can be fun?
This book is one of my all-time favorites. It’s full of funny and sweet surprises: 1. There’s a monster in Annie’s backpack. 2. It ate her lunch (except for the carrots—they make the monster burp) 3. The monster ripped up her homework. Isn’t it the worst? But wait! The monster was just making confetti for the parade it was throwing—the ANNIE-IS-GREAT PARADE.
Aww! Come on, is that not the cutest? I want a monster in my backpack.
Having trouble with your backpack zipper? Maybe there’s a monster inside! A little girl slowly warms up to her unexpected guest in this funny story.
When Annie unzips her backpack and finds a monster inside, it’s hard to say who is more shocked. "AAAAHHHH!" yells the monster. "EEEEEEKKKK!" yells Annie. Then the monster proceeds to gobble up Annie’s sandwich, put gum in her boot, and tear up her homework to use as confetti for an "Annie is great" parade during class. With perfect comic timing, this charming story depicts a young girl’s shift from annoyance to affection as a disarming…
An interdimensional mixer with angels and other beings brings unexpected trouble for Malachi and his friends in this smart and uniquely funny second book about the squad of teens from hell.
When an angel comes to his home to deliver a message, Malachi immediately knows what’s going on. The seraph…
I’ve never forgotten how thrilling it felt to read a book on my own for the first time. Mouse Soup, Frog and Toad, and Amelia Bedelia are still among my most-loved books to this day. I particularly adore early readers created by authors and illustrators who aren’t afraid to get silly (James Marshall forever!). Stories for beginning readers are my favorite kinds of stories to write, and I always aim to write books that make kids laugh. What better way for them to discover that reading can be fun?
Poor Nat the Cat just wants to take a nap, but the intrusive narrator won’t let him. The incongruity of the narrator’s words and Nat’s actions pack a comedic punch on every page, just as the brilliant See the Cat and See the Dog books do.
Lerner managed to create this gem with few words and sparse illustrations, which is incredibly difficult. And good news—the Nat the Cat books are now a series.
From Jarrett Lerner, the powerhouse creator behind the EngiNerds, Geeger the Robot, and Hunger Heroes series, comes a hilarious new Pre-Level 1 Ready-to-Read series about a grumpy cat and a long-suffering narrator!
Nat the Cat is taking a nap. Or he would be…if only the narrator would stop interrupting his sleep! This witty story, where Nat’s words keep getting turned upside down and inside out, is sure to make readers laugh out loud.
I loved graphic novels even before I became an author/illustrator. But because I create for young readers, I also read a lot of graphic novels aimed at them. I am also a big believer that books with female protagonists are important for all readers: male, female, and non-binary. All of the books I’ve recommended are books I plucked off my own bookshelf, and that I’ve read several times and I think are exceptional in some way.
Amulet is a masterwork of story, imagination, and art.
Tragic circumstances lead to Emily, her younger brother, and her mother having to move into the run-down home of a relative. While cleaning, Emily uncovers an amulet, which almost seems to be meant for her.
That night, her mother is kidnapped by a monster and in order to rescue her, Emily and her brother rush through a portal into another world. And that’s just the beginning!
Emily is a strong young woman who makes bold choices and fiercely defends her family. This adventure story is epic!
Graphic novel star Kazu Kibuishi creates a world of terrible, man-eating demons, a mechanical rabbit, a giant robot---and two ordinary children on a life-or-death mission. After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great-grandfather, but the strange house proves to be dangerous. Before long, a sinister creature lures the kids' mom through a door in the basement. Em and Navin, desperate not to lose her, follow her into an underground world inhabited by demons, robots, and talking animals. Eventually, they enlist the help of a small mechanical rabbit…
I am a spy aiming to uncover hidden documents, private journals, and secret messages penned in the distant past. I am a detective racing to reveal the world’s most dastardly deeds and daring escapades. I am an adventurer zooming around the planet along with history’s bravest heroes and most despicable villains. I am an artist whose illustrations transform ancient stone-cold statues by turning them into living, breathing human beings that laugh and cry, win and lose, love and hate, and spring vividly to life. And I am a storyteller striving to lure readers of all ages, whether they are children or adults.
Don’t worry; this gripping 534-page tale of mystery can sweep you through its pages in a single day, especially since its gritty-but-stunning brown and white artwork acts like a movie as it speeds you and a young orphaned boy through an underground train station and across the streets of Paris and up a clock tower in 1931. Why was the boy’s dead father obsessed with repairing a broken clock? And who is the mysterious angry old man anyway?
Orphan, clock keeper, thief: Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. Combining elements of picture book, graphic novel, and film, Caldecott Honor artist Selznick breaks open the novel form to create an entirely new reading experience in this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.
As an author, one of my goals is to encourage kids to fall in love with reading–but I’m not an illustrator. I wish I practiced art more as a kid. If I had, maybe I’d be illustrating my own books. If only these five books existed forty years ago, perhaps I wouldn’t have given up on art. So, in addition to falling in love with reading, I’d love to inspire those same kids to keep exploring their artistic sides. I’ve seen how these books invigorate the artistic spirit of creatives and I hope they do the same for you.
It’s amazing what a little crayon can do, especially when it’s broken.
Inspired by Ohi’s viral broken crayon illustrations, Park invites two aliens into the planet of broken crayons where magic is made. It’s amazing what a little friendship and art can do together (hmm, similar theme to Dear Unicorn, now that I think of it). Bonus: check out Ohi’s social media for loads more creative found object artwork.
This wildly imaginative, crayon-inspired picture book shows that with a bit of teamwork and a universe of creativity, anything is possible!
Buzz! Zap! CRASH!
Gurple and Preen are in a big mess!
When they crash-land onto an unfamiliar planet with nothing but boxes of crayons, they must work together to get the mission back on course.
From Newbery Award–winning author Linda Sue Park and illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi comes a story about all the best things that can come out of a box of crayons.
I’m a lifelong typewriter lover. That passion has taken me down some deep and wonderful rabbit holes, including critiques of digital tech. I’m just as hooked on tech as the average person today, and of course, it has real benefits, but I’m painfully aware of how my addiction damages my attention, privacy, and self-reliance. The books I’ve picked help me articulate the problems, imagine just how bad things can get, and see alternatives. In my day job as a philosophy professor, I think about topics like memory, time, and technology, and specialize in controversial thinker Martin Heidegger (I own his typewriter!).
I devoured this book in a day, and it has kept me thinking for years. Say you can buy a stuffed animal equipped with a camera, and an anonymous user somewhere on the planet can see through that camera, move the toy, and make a rudimentary noise. What could possibly go wrong?
I was fascinated by the range of stories Schweblin imagines: fun, sweet, silly, and absolutely awful. Why can’t people in Silicon Valley think outside the box like this before they release the latest gadget that’s supposed to make our lives better?
A visionary novel about our interconnected world, about the collision of horror and humanity, from the Man Booker-shortlisted master of the spine-tingling tale
A Guardian & Observer Best Fiction Book of 2020 * A Sunday Times Best Science Fiction Book of the Year * The Times Best Science Fiction Books of the Year * NPR Best Books of the Year
World Literature Today's 75 Notable Translations of 2020 * Ebook Travel Guides Best 5 Books of 2020 * A New York Times Notable Book of 2020
They're not pets. Not ghosts or robots. These are kentukis, and…
I’ve always been interested in the intersection of STEM and art. When I was younger, my parents thought I’d grow up to be a scientist. Imagine their surprise when I chose to attend art school! Even then, my love for science topics never faded. I’m a frequent listener of science news podcasts like Science Friday and Science Quickly. As a graphic designer for a research university, it’s my job to take technically dense scientific information and make it interesting for the public. This list is full of inquisitive, four-legged scientists that stole my heart. I hope they’ll do the same for you!
I found the short, rhyming phrases unpredictably hilarious. I found that the length of the book made it perfect for that one last book before bedtime (I can get through it in just a couple minutes) or for newly independent readers who want to read the book themselves. The dog main character is so endearing, I fell in love with him immediately.
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"The book has many laugh-inducing pages for independent readers, listeners, and viewers..." -School Library Journal "Rollicking and joyous." -Booklist (starred review) "Silly, quirky...Make space on shelves for this one." -Kirkus Reviews
When a mysterious visitor arrives in the night from outer space, it's up to the family dog to determine if they're friend or foe. This rhyming read-aloud by award-winning author-illustrator Mike Twohy will surprise and delight young readers.
One quiet evening, a dog is settling down inside his family's house when a strange rumbling emerges from the sky. Electric energy surges and makes everything start to vibrate, including…
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…
Steampunk has always been a fascinating genre to me, especially seeing how different creators play with historical elements. But the question that I’m always looking to answer is, “Why is this history different from our own?” What has allowed this alternate Victorian era to create fantastical technology? As I asked this question about my own steampunk books, I found great delight in how other authors have combined magic with their technology to create delightfully refreshing outcomes. I continue to search out these books as I am always surprised at their creativity and novelty.
I love the pun on “finishing” school and how both meanings are taught to the characters. There is something so satisfying about being perfectly polite with all the proper decorum and being expertly capable of deadly violence.
I appreciate that Sophronia retains her rebellious ingenuity, using unique methods to solve her problems. And, of course, the whole thing is on an airship!
It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to finishing school.
Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners-and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.
But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might…
