12 New October Picture Books That Make Perfect Gifts

The Bad Mood and the Stick, by Lemony Snicket and Matthew Forsythe
From the author of A Series of Unfortunate Events comes a quirky and fun picture book all about the plight of the bad mood. From a young girl (who pokes her brother with said stick to get rid of her bad mood) to her mom, to a cat, and more, all suffer from a bad mood once in a while—much like all of us—proving two things are for certain: emotions are transient and fleeting and you never know what will happen next.

Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James
A good haircut can make all the difference in your day, and Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut gives credit to the barbershop where it all happens. After all, a new haircut might make you feel like royalty or even ace a school exam because it can inspire confidence and pride. The main character is an African-American boy who goes through all the steps of getting a fresh cut. Young kids will enjoy reading this book, especially if they are approaching their first haircut at the barbershop.

Snappsy the Alligator and His Best Friend Forever (Probably), by Julie Falatko and Tim J. Miller
In her follow-up to the first book featuring Snappsy—Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book)—author Julie Falatko introduces his best friend forever: a chicken. Despite Snappy’s aversion to socializing (Snappsy appears to be a bit of a hermit), Bert the chicken is determined to hang out. Whether they are having a sleepover or getting smoothies—Bert doesn’t care. But what happens when Snappsy, well, snaps? Kids will love this silly and funny book about friendship.

The Library Book, by Tom Chapin, Michael Mark, and Chuck Groenink
A little girl is stuck inside on a rainy day with nothing to do — except go to the library of course! There, she gets inspired by a variety of beloved children’s book characters, from Winnie-the-Pooh to Cinderella to the Cat in the Hat, and suddenly, guess what? She’s not bored anymore! This one is a perfect way to encourage and inspire young readers to read!

Draw the Line, by Kathryn Otoshi
The old adage of drawing a line down a room to “draw sides” comes to mind here as two boys who are drawing their own pictures suddenly find themselves bumping into each other and joining their two lines into one. But conflict arises, and a great chasm is formed between the boys. What will they do to become friends again? This beautifully illustrated wordless picture book tells quite a story.

Peep and Egg: I’m Not Taking A Bath, by Laura Gehl and Joyce Wan
Peep and Egg are back in this tale of Egg’s deep disinterest in taking a bath! Peep does all she can to convince Egg to take a bath—with sheep’s special shampoo, or using a hose—but Egg is having none of it. Until Peep decides to take a bath herself and brings out a bunch of bath toys…and now Egg is interested! This one is cute and fun and perfect for bedtime!

If Animals Said I Love You, by Ann Whitford Paul and David Walker
If animals expressed their love for each other, then maybe a gorilla would pound his chest, a whale might sing and spout heart-shaped bubbles, and a boa would squeeze his young ones to show his feelings. Your own little ones will like hearing all the ways animals would say “I love you” in this rhyming picture book.

Pizza Day, by Melissa Iwai
What a great book for kids to learn how to make pizza from scratch! A little boy and his dad gather vegetables from the garden, make the pizza dough and sauce, and assemble and bake. Complete with a recipe in the back for how to make your own pie at home, Pizza Day will make your family excited to make a pizza as well!

Small Walt, by Elizabeth Verdick and Marc Rosenthal
Walt is the smallest snowplow, and is always picked last to plow. Finally, Gus says he will drive him. And they do a great job! Until they get to a big, big hill. Can little Walt really make it up the tall hill? Reminiscent of The Little Engine That Could, Small Walt is sure to have readers pulling for him as he gives it his all.

A Boy, a Mouse, and a Spider: The Story of E.B. White, by Barbara Herkert and Lauren Castillo
Children will enjoy reading about the life of the author who wrote beloved books like Stuart Little and Charlotte’s Web. From the days when he was a little boy who befriended a mouse, through young adulthood, going to college, and having a family and farm of his own, A Boy, a Mouse, and a Spider captures how and why E.B. White was inspired to write his classic books.

Mama Africa!: How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope with her Song, by Kathryn Erskine and Charly Palmer
Author Kathryn Erskine tells the story of Grammy-Award winning singer Miriam Makeba, who is from South Africa (like the author). Miriam Makeba, who became known as Mama Africa, sang around the world about the injustice of apartheid that was occurring in South Africa, and even spoke before the United Nations. Erskine and illustrator Charly Palmer, bring an important story to life and show how one person can help stir change in the world.

Book or Bell?, by Chris Barton and Ashley Spires
The love of reading is celebrated in Book or Bell? Young Henry discovers a book about a bike and can’t put it down. Despite the school bell ringing, Henry just keeps on reading. So they bring in a louder bell! But that doesn’t dissuade Henry. So they bring in an even LOUDER bell. And still—Henry keeps reading. What will they do next? With great illustrations and a funny storyline, kids won’t want to stop reading this book either!