Most Anticipated Picture Books 2019

One of my most viewed blog posts last year was my Most Anticipated Picture Books 2018 blog post and it was something I really enjoyed writing and researching. It turns out however that just because I was anticipating a book didn't mean I would necessarily jump and buy it, being easily distracted by other wonderful books. We actually only bought (or received from the publisher) four out of the ten books and only one of those made my list of Best Picture Books of 2018. Some of them are still on my to-buy list and I'm sure I will find copies of them all to read eventually. I just don't have a never-ending book budget and I found myself buying more older releases rather than shiny new books. But nonetheless the lure of the shiny new releases of 2019 has me like a magpie so I've written a huge list of books that I'm looking forward to reading next year though they all pretty much come from the first half of the year as that's the books we have the most information on so perhaps I will need to write a second list mid-way through the year. Anyway, I have narrowed it down to ten books for now!

We love Press Here and now even the small hands of The Wee Page Turner will be able to enjoy all the hands-on fun of this genius interactive book. One of the things that we didn't like about the original Press Here book was that the pages are actually quite tricky to turn and a board book seems like the perfect solution to that. I just know that The Wee Page Turner is going to love it (if he can get it off his sister of course!). 

Described as "a playful and fashionable slumber party takes an empowering turn in this gorgeous new picture book", you just know it sounds like a great match for BookBairn. Whilst she loves dressing up in princess dresses I think this will be a lovely counterbalance to all those tutus and glitter! Uplifting and resonant, and with a variety of interests ranging from sports to science to politics, this book is sure to inspire any young girl, instilling the idea that the best way to dress like a girl is the way that makes you feel most like YOU!

We've already mentioned Sophy Henn on this list but she is one of our favourite author-illustrators so we tend to hotly anticipate anything she creates! And this one sounds like a wonderful celebration of our own uniqueness which is the sort of book that we just love! Sometimes we are loud, sometimes we are quiet, sometimes bold and clanky, sometimes soft and cuddly. Sophy Henn celebrates all the different, extraordinary and sometimes 

contradictory things we are in this joyful and colourful rhyming picture book. 

I absolutely love Christian Robinson's style of artwork - the layering of paper to create such wonderful images just seems to be ingenious to me and really appeals to me as a method of storytelling. So I'm surprise that this is his first book as an illustrator and author and I can't wait to see this story brought to life.  In his eagerly anticipated debut as author-illustrator, Christian Robinson brings young readers on a playful, imaginative journey into another world.

Unfortunately there isn't any cover artwork for this book as yet but even without that I'm absolutely enchanted by the story. It's about a little boy who wants a pet and like most kids he goes through the whole list - puppy, parrot, shark and even a dragon. Except dragons don't exist he is told. So he ends up with a worm. But there's something strange about this particular worm and it turns out to be very unusual indeed. It starts to grow spikes on it's back and begins to breath smoke - but Max thought dragons didn't exist. A funny and light-hearted story from much-loved children's author Debi Gliori, perfect for any child who has ever wanted a pet. With an added cautionary tale about being careful what you wish for.

I wonder if any of these will make my 2019 best books list? And how many of them I will actually get my grubby little reading paws on? 

When doing my research, there really were so many great books being released next year and I love the continuing themes of mighty girls as well as an increase in the number of books about individuality and the theme of pride (both with a lower and upper case p/P!). We will certainly have our work cut-out to blog about as many of these great new releases as we can in 2019!

What are you most looking forward to in 2019?

Happy New Year, 

Kim, BookBairn and The Wee Page Turner xxx