9 Picture Books for August Birthday Kids

Scaredy Squirrel Has A Party, by Mélanie Watt
Canadian author and illustrator Mélanie Watt celebrates her 44th birthday on August 20. She created her first children’s picture book when she was in college, as an assignment for a design class. That book, Leon the Chameleon, was good enough to become her first publication—which is more than most of us can say about our homework! Watt’s best-known character is the anxiety-ridden Scaredy Squirrel, who you’d think would loosen up for his own birthday party, but nah, no chance. He’s terrified of Bigfoot, confetti, and ponies, among other things, and absolutely hates deviations from his planned schedule, so he has the perfect solution: he won’t invite any guests to his party. But then a dog named Buddy melts his heart with a birthday card and Scaredy Squirrel invites him for the bash. Chaos ensues, of course.

A Piece of Cake, by LeUyen Pham
LeUyen Pham, prolific author and illustrator of more than 60 children’s books, will celebrate her 46th birthday on August 10. Pham was born in Vietnam, and she and her family escaped Saigon in the second-to-last transport before the city fell. She grew up in California and began her art career at Dreamworks before transitioning to creating children’s books. A Piece of Cake is the perfect book for birthday kids, because it centers around the irresistible nature of birthday cake. Mouse, the generous cake baker, figures out a way to share the cake with everyone who wants some and still have some to present to Little Bird for her birthday.

Augustus and his Smile, by Catherine Rayner
The gorgeous tiger starring in this book lives up to his name. The adjective august means respected and impressive, and Rayner has created an awe-inspiring tiger named Augustus, with poses that take up two-page spreads and bold, black ink stripes that seem to move and drip off the page. As impressive as he is, Augustus isn’t satisfied, because he fears he’s lost his smile. He sets off to find it, visiting birds in the treetops and fish in the ocean, and at last he realizes that all this traipsing in nature has brought his joy back.

Kristy’s Great Idea, by Ann M. Martin and Raina Telgemeier
Ann M. Martin, who gave the world The Babysitter’s Club, celebrates her 64th birthday on August 12. The series began with the novel Kristy’s Great Idea, and speaking of terrific ideas, beginning in 2015, talented graphic novelist Raina Telgemeier began illustrating Martin’s books. So far, Telgemeier has published six, and each does a fabulous job of making Martin’s stories fresh for fans who first read the books in the ’80s and capturing the attention of a new generation. The box set of the first four titles would make a great birthday present—hint, hint!

Leo the Late Bloomer, by Robert Kraus
If your son or daughter was born in August, there’s a good chance they’re a Leo, the sign of the zodiac that’s supposed to indicate charismatic, confident leaders. But what if they haven’t quite lived up to their Leo potential yet? As this classic book demonstrates, don’t worry—they might just be late bloomers. Leo the tiger’s dad worries when he’s behind on reading, writing, and eating neatly, but his mom tells him to relax—”Leo is just a late bloomer.” The moral of the story: always listen to your mother!

Boo’s Dinosaur, by Betsy Byars
If your August birthday kid asked for a present that might be impossible to procure…like say, a dinosaur, this is the book to read. Betsy Byars, the prolific author of books for kids of all ages, including Newbery Medal winner The Summer of the Swans, will celebrate her 90th birthday on August 7. In this chapter book for early readers, Boo asks her dad if she can keep the dinosaur that followed her home. “Is this one of those animals that nobody can see but you?” her dad asks. Boo insists it’s “a real live dinosaur.”

On the Ball, by Brian Pinkney
Brian Pinkney, who celebrates his birthday August 18, might have been destined to become an acclaimed children’s book illustrator—both of his parents were artists. Pinkney has won a Coretta Scott King Award and two Caldecott Honors among other accolades. In this story, Pinkney’s dynamic watercolors illustrate the story of a boy named Owen who loves playing ball, “but playing ball didn’t always love Owen.” Watch Owen improve his soccer skills and his imagination on his quest to get in the game.

I See Summer, by Charles Ghinga
August is the last chance to get in all the summer fun you can before school starts, and this book by Charles Ghinga, who celebrates his birthday August 25, has some great suggestions for how to make the most of it. In I See Summer, kids relish the hottest days of the year at the lake or beach, drinking lemonade, eating ice cream, watching fireflies blink through the night sky, and picnicking in the park. You might as well make this book into a to-do list to enjoy the summer with your August birthday kid!

My Thumb, by Karen Hesse
Having a birthday means getting older, which might make parents expect kids to leave behind some old habits, but as Karen Hesse details in this story, some kids might not be ready yet! Newbery Award winner Hesse, who celebrates her 66th birthday August 29, illuminates the wonders of thumb sucking from the perspective of a little girl who’s not yet ready to give it up. “There’s nothing mum could say or do,” Hesse writes, “to break the bond between us two.” Refreshingly, there is no moral at the end of this book. The thumb-sucking girl does not reform. Her mom will have to wait another year—or two!