Welcome to Celebrate Picture Books!

Here you’ll find picture book reviews along with fun activities to help your family celebrate life’s holidays—both poignant and quirky—throughout the year. Whether we’re observing a daily, week-long, or month-long holiday, you’ll find a review of a picture book appropriate for that celebration and an activity complete with directions, a supply list, and printable templates to enhance each reading experience. 

You’ll find hundreds of amazing picture books in my archives that you can access through the calendar. In the sidebar you’ll find links to author and illustrator interviews as well as crafts, printable puzzles, and other activities. Of course, all of the books and activities found here are wonderful to share any day of the year, so take a look around my site and get excited about celebrating your favorite holidays and newly discovered ones with picture books!

All the books I review are currently available to buy at your local bookstore or online. Many of these may also be available at your town library or through inter-library loan. At times I receive picture books from publishers in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Other books I purchase or check out from the library.

I invite you to share in the experience, and I always welcome your comments! I hope you enjoy exploring Celebrate Picture Books and discovering new ways and reasons to celebrate life and celebrate picture books!

About Kathy Carroll

It seems to me I must have been born with a book in my hands. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t listening to or reading a book. My parents read to me early, my sister and I played storybook records on repeat, and once I started reading on my own, I devoured the books at the library.

I was an English major, of course, and went on to fill my life with books and writing. I’ve done a little bit of everything: I’ve worked in a bookstore; done technical editing; and freelanced as an editor and proofreader for The Globe Pequot Press. I was also a freelance writer for Southeast Connecticut’s The Day newspaper.

My writing for children has been published in Highlights, Children’s Playmate, Turtle, and Kids Zone Magazine as well as an early online magazine, Wee Ones. My fiction for adults has appeared in Woman’s World Mini-Mysteries and various literary journals.

Every day, I’m excited by the ideas and experiences I discover in books for adults and for kids. It is my greatest pleasure to connect readers through this blog with incredible picture books that guide children with joy, feeling, and knowledge.

About Dorothy Levine

Dorothy Levine recently graduated from Oberlin College, where she studied psychology, creative writing, and Spanish. She feels passionately about writing, early childhood education, nature, dance, and social justice advocacy.

Dorothy spent some time in college writing reviews for Celebrate Picture Books and is so excited to return to share her love for children’s literature through her celebratory reviewing!