Dad's Bookshelf: November 2021
Itโs a wonderful time of year for picture books, tucked right in between Halloween and Christmas. And we actually have a little bit of both on Dadโs Bookshelf this month. Of course we always take a deeper dive into the holidays with our yearly Halloween and Christmas book lists, but this time we have one of each type fighting their way all the way onto this monthly list of the books weโre most excited about.
This time around, two of the picture books on Dadโs Bookshelf were on our radar very early because they are crafted by some of our favorite authors and illustrators. When the likes of Ben Hatke or Oliver Jeffers announce a new project, we tend to have it preordered many months in advance.
We actually mentioned Oliver Jeffersโ new book on our list of the best Halloween picture books of 2021, but the tragedy was that it didnโt actually make it to the US in time for Halloween. Otherwise, it probably would have been on Octoberโs edition of Dadโs Bookshelf. As it is, it finally came out this week, and it was worth the wait!
And of course weโve been talking about Ben Hatke and his picture books about Julia and her monster friends for a very long time. The newest addition to the series may have wrapped up the trilogy. And if thatโs the case, it was wrapped up in a very beautiful way.
As always, these books are real family favorites. I think theyโre beautiful and I love sharing them with the kids. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as we do - and I hope you continue to have a wonderful holiday season.
Dadโs Bookshelf is a continuing, monthly series featuring the kids books we are most excited about each month. The series is named after the real life bookshelf we have in our home, where I keep all of my favorite picture books of all time. While the books we share on Dadโs Bookshelf are often new releases, itโs also not uncommon for us to be excited about an older book we just discovered.
Disclosure: Robin Robin was provided to us by the publisher, with no expectation of inclusion on Dadโs Bookshelf. All thoughts and opinions are our own. Some of the links in this article are affiliate links that will lead you to view the books on Bookshop.org and Amazon.
Thereโs a Ghost in This House
Written and Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
Itโs a shame this one didnโt come out in the US in time for Halloween, but that certainly wonโt stop it from being one of the all-time great ghost picture books. There will be many more Halloweens for people to enjoy it in the future, because Thereโs a Ghost in This House isnโt just one of the best picture books of the year, I think itโs destined to be a Halloween season classic.
Thereโs a Ghost in This House is an interactive book that kids will adore - the type of book that will make them laugh and shout at the girl on the page. โBehind you! Behind you!โ It makes use of translucent pages to make ghosts appear on previously ghost-free spreads. Conceptually itโs very creative and adorable, and when you couple that with Oliver Jeffersโ quirky and distinctive style, you end up with a pretty precious book thatโs hard to forget. And it will be delivering smiles around here for many Halloweens to come.
Robin Robin
Written by Dan Ojari & Mikey Please and Illustrated by Briony May Smith
Itโs the time of year for new Christmas picture books, and Robin Robin is definitely one to look out for. Itโs a new, original Christmas story about a bird raised by mice. The mice name her Robin, and she grows up wanting to do mice things like sneak into houses for crumbs. But when she hears that the star on top of the Christmas tree gives the humans everything they want, that gives her a new idea for something to steal.
Itโs also actually going to be a Netflix Christmas special later this month. Iโve been very excited about the Netflix special, ever since I heard that Matthew Forsythe (the creator of Pokko and the Drum) is involved in the art of the movie. And the release of this book has added fuel to my excitement. Itโs a sweet Christmas story about family and belonging, and I canโt wait to see the characters fleshed out even more and see it come to life.
Juliaโs House Goes Home
Written and Illustrated by Ben Hatke
Ben Hatke is one of those authors and illustrators that comes up repeatedly on Dad Suggests. And Juliaโs House was our first introduction to this family-favorite artist. Juliaโs House Goes Home is the 3rd picture book in a trilogy about a girl and her home of displaced monsters that just need a family and a place to call home. The sweetness of the stories, coupled with Hatkeโs art and fantasy charm make for books that are easy to fall in love with.
Juliaโs House for Lost Creatures will always have a special place in our hearts, and it was one of the first books we ever wrote about, but, if Iโm being completely objective and honest, I think Juliaโs House Goes Home is my favorite of the trilogy. First of all, Patched-Up Kitty gets a lot of well-deserved attention and love. But truly itโs just a fantastic story, and itโs a beautiful ending if weโve seen the last of Julia and her friends - which I hope we havenโt!
Have you read any of the books on Dadโs Bookshelf this month? What picture books have you been enjoying recently? Let us know in the comments!
