Ladybug Longlist: Swimming Creatures

The Den That Octopus Built by Randi Sonenshine

"Beautifully illustrated circle story that encompasses the life cycle of an octopus. Lots of fun facts in the back including author's notes. " -- nominator 

Don't Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson

"Hilarious mildly informational book that presents facts in a fun way while jokingly telling you to be suspicious of fish. Tickles the funny bone. This book is a perfect blend of educational and humor. It's a great book to read aloud and the kids respond to it very well! I read this at story-time and my group was all giggles. It's the perfect book for making learning fun." -- nominators

A Friend for Eddy by Ann Kim Ha

"An unlikely friendship - does it spell danger? Attractive pictures showing an interesting perspective. And how first impressions are not always correct, but someone may also surprise you." -- nominator

Parrotfish Has a Superpower by Jill Esbaum

"A wildly enthusiastic presentation of a somewhat niche fact (that parrotfish generate much of the world's beach sand), followed by a fun true-false quiz to extend/reinforce the learning." -- nominator

The Search for Carmella by Chloe Savage

"Creative look at science and exploration - while also showing through illustrations that we sometimes miss things when we are focused on something else." -- nominator 

This post is one of a series of 14 "bite-sized" pieces into which we have divided the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award Long List to help NH librarians consider all the potential nominees. Please review the full list (or wait until we have covered all the titles) before you cast your vote as you can only vote once.

Ladybug Longlist: Nature

The Everything Trail by Meg Fleming

"Beautiful illustrations that are not traditional make you feel like you are in the redwood forest with the characters." -- nominator

How the Forest Feels by Wendi Silvano

"Get our kids outdoors - we have a nature play group that meets weekly in town - this is the perfect read aloud before they go walking down a trail!" -- nominator

I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea by Janice Milusich

"Creative textured illustrations help guide the text through the seasons in a very relatable way for children of NH." -- nominator

Mighty: The Story of an Oak Tree Ecosystem by Henry Cole

"Beautifully illustrated book that shows the growth of an oak tree over 100's of years. Stunning illustrations with descriptive words." -- nominator

Stalactite & Stalagmite: A Big Tale From a Little Cave by Drew Beckmeyer

"This book is educational as well as entertaining. It goes through the life of a stalactite and a stalagmite from the beginning of time through the future when they finally become a column. It brings in other creatures that have entered their cave; such as a trilobite, a dinosaur, a bat, and people." -- nominator

The Wild Robot on the Island by Peter Brown

"This is a sweet adaption of the novel that is especially beautifully illustrated." -- nominator

This post is one of a series of 14 "bite-sized" pieces into which we have divided the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award Long List to help NH librarians consider all the potential nominees. Please review the full list (or wait until we have covered all the titles) before you cast your vote as you can only vote once.

3 on a Theme: Kings & Queens

King Sorrow: A Novel by Joe Hill

The King of Books by Gina Perry

Queen Esther: A Novel by John Irving 

Ladybug Longlist: Imagination & Creativity

Built to Last by Minh Lê

"A story of helping and what to do when things fall apart. Is a friendship really worth saving?" -- nominator

How to Write a Poem by Kwame Alexander

"The simple, lyrical text is less of a "how-to" lesson and more an exploration of what moves us to read, write, and love poetry. Colorful, collage-style illustrations are an inspiration in themselves, with lots to look at on each page. " -- nominator

If I Built a Town by Chris Van Dusen

"Fabulous illustrations and rhyming text appeal to all ages." -- nominator

Look by Gabi Snyder

"Visually interesting book with creative illustrations. Patterns to be found on every page, therefore engaging." -- nominator

Nothing: John Cage and 4'33" by Nicholas Day

"Charming, funny, and full of heart, this is a great introduction to the ideas and experiences to be found in art that might seem weird or pointless at first glance. Raschka's quirky illustration style is the perfect match to this creatively-told story about musical innovation." -- nominator

A Pocket Full of Rocks by Kristin Mahoney

"I think children will see themselves in the protagonist's small adventures and creativity with the things they find throughout the year. Could be a great jumping-off point for nature crafts or talking about collections." -- nominator

This post is one of a series of 14 "bite-sized" pieces into which we have divided the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award Long List to help NH librarians consider all the potential nominees. Please review the full list (or wait until we have covered all the titles) before you cast your vote as you can only vote once. 

Book of the Week (2/2/2026)

A Wonderful Stroke of Luck: A Novel by Ann Beattie (Viking, 2019)

At a boarding school in New Hampshire, Ben joins the honor society led by Pierre LaVerdere, an enigmatic, brilliant, yet perverse, teacher who instructs his students not only about how to reason, but how to prevaricate. As the years go by, LaVerdere's covert and overt instruction lingers in his students' lives as they seek some sense of purpose or meaning. When Ben feels the pace of his life accelerating and views his intimate relationships as less and less fulfilling, there seems to be a subtext he's not able to access. And what, really, did Bailey Academy teach him?

While relationships with his stepmother and sister improve, and a move to upstate New York offers respite from his anxiety about love and work, LaVerdere's reappearance in his life disturbs his equilibrium. Everything he once thought he knew about his teacher--and himself--is called into question. Written by one of our most iconic writers, known for casting a cold eye on her generation's ambivalence and sometimes mistaken ambition, A Wonderful Stroke of Luck is a keenly observed psychological study of a man who alternates between careful driving and hazardous risk taking, as he struggles to incorporate his past into the vertiginous present. --Publisher's blurb

Ladybug Longlist: Grabbag

 

All at Once Upon a Time by Mara Rockliff

"Fracturing and reassembling fairy tales at a frantic pace, this frenetic re-mix of old favorites will have kids reacting on every spread as their expectations are teed up...and then diverted, tweaked, or downright smashed." -- nominator

Ellie Has a Secret by Amelia Bothe

"The illustrations in this cautionary tale are so evocative that it could almost work as a wordless story. The creature that emerges unbidden from the shell that the protagonist pilfers from the classroom is the perfect visual metaphor that expands exponentially until she finally atones for her 'crime'". -- nominator

Not Just the Driver! by Sara Holly Ackerman

"Great rhyming story that talks about the people that often get overlooked in making our world run." -- nominator

Pop! Goes the Nursery Rhyme by Betsy Bird

"Fun and interactive, this book melds traditional rhymes into the action of a silly character." -- nominator

This post is one of a series of 14 "bite-sized" pieces into which we have divided the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award Long List to help NH librarians consider all the potential nominees. Please review the full list (or wait until we have covered all the titles) before you cast your vote as you can only vote once. 

Ladybug Longlist: Friendship & Cooperation

Aggie and the Ghost by Matthew Forsythe

"Beautiful, subtle illustrations with creative storytelling about how we often have thoughts about what we want, and those ideas do not always mesh with those around us. Shows kids how things don't always work out how we thought." -- nominator

The Big Squeeze by Molly Harris

"A fun, but thoughtful story of resilience, friendship and self care with bright illustrations. " -- nominator

Toto by Hyewon Yum

"Touching story with simple but expressive illustrations that celebrates visual uniqueness. It also shows how sometimes it takes someone else to remind us how special we are." -- nominator

This post is one of a series of 14 "bite-sized" pieces into which we have divided the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award Long List to help NH librarians consider all the potential nominees. Please review the full list (or wait until we have covered all the titles) before you cast your vote as you can only vote once.