The guide includes information and activities for each nominated title and is a printable pdf.
New Hampshire children, from preschool to fourth grade, will select the winning picture book when they vote in November 2026.
The deadline for sending in votes is Sunday, December 20, 2026 at 4:30 pm.
Voting materials, including ballots and a link to the online tally sheet, are available on the Ladybug web page.
The Man Who Didn't Like Animals by Deborah Underwood and LeUyen Pham (Clarion Books, 2024)
There once was a man who loved his tidy home and who didn’t like animals. Then, one day, a cat appeared. The man and the cat both liked napping and watching the rain and eating dinner precisely at six.
Well, maybe this one animal could stay.
Next came a dog . . .
This bighearted and funny tale with delightful artwork from Caldecott Honor artist LeUyen Pham celebrates the joy of embracing new perspectives.
About Deborah Underwood
Deborah Underwood is the author of New York Times bestsellers The Quiet Book, The Loud Book, Here Comes the Easter Cat and Outside In. Deborah grew up in Walla Walla, Washington, but now lives in Northern California with her cat Bella. Her website is: https://www.deborahunderwoodbooks.com/
About LeUyen Pham
LeUyen Pham is a children's book illustrator and author who was born in Saigon, South Vietnam. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California, with her artist husband Alexandre Puvilland, two children and cat named Sardine. She has illustrated and written more than 120 books, including Outside Inside, Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn and Lunar New Year Love Story. Her website is: https://leuyenpham.com/
Activities & Links
Suggestions for Further Reading
This is the last of nine titles nominated for the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award. We will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all the titles by Labor Day.
The Day the Books Disappeared by Joanna Ho, Caroline Kusin Pritchard and Dan Santat (Disney Hyperions, 2025)
Arnold didn't mean for the books to disappear—not exactly. It all started because he liked his book about airplanes best. Why would anyone want to read about tomatoes or ostriches or submarines (ew, the worst!) when they could read about planes, instead?
When Arnold realizes—POOF!—he can make the other books vanish, he goes a little too far. Before he knows it, all the books are gone…including his. Can Arnold figure out how to bring them back before it’s too late?
This book about books celebrates themes of empathy, interconnectedness, and the value of diverse and differing perspectives.
About Joanna Ho
Joanna Ho is the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of many children's books, including Eyes that Kiss in the Corners, We Who Produce Pearls, and The Silence that Binds Us, her debut young adult novel, which received the Young Adult Honor for the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. She lives in the Bay Area, where she survives on homemade chocolate chip cookies, outdoor adventures, and dance parties with her kids. Her website is: https://www.joannahowrites.com/
About Caroline Kusin Pritchard
Caroline Kusin Pritchard is the author of Gitty and Kvetch and Where is Poppy, which School Library Journal called “a perfect story for all ages.” She has an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and lives in Virginia with her family. Her website is: https://carolinekusinpritchard.com/
About Dan Santat
Dan Santat is the National Book Award-winning, Caldecott Medal–winning, and New York Times–bestselling author and illustrator of The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend and the road trip/time travel adventure Are We There Yet? His artwork is also featured in numerous picture books, chapter books, and middle-grade novels, including Dav Pilkey's Ricky Ricotta series. Dan lives in Southern California with his wife, two kids, and many, many pets. His website is: https://sites.google.com/g.risd.org/dansantat/home
Activities & Links
Suggestions for Further Reading
This is one of nine titles nominated for the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award.
We
will be posting information about a different nominee each Friday
throughout the summer and will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all
the titles by Labor Day.
Don't Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson and Dan Santat (Dial Books, 2025)
Why, dear reader, must you NEVER EVER trust fish?
1) They spend all their time in the water where we can’t see them.
2) Some are as big as a bus—that is not okay.
3) We don't know what they're teaching in their "schools."
4) They are likely plotting our doom.
This nature-guide-gone-wrong is a hilarious, off-the-rails exploration of the seemingly innocent animals that live in the water.
About Neil Sharpson
Neil Sharpson lives in Dublin with his wife and their two children. Having written for theater since his teens, Neil transitioned to writing novels in 2017, adapting his play The Caspian Sea into When The Sparrow Falls. A huge fan of animation, Neil writes Unshaved Mouse, a comedic review blog mostly focusing on animated film and comic book movies. His website is: https://unshavedmouse.com/
About Dan Santat
Dan Santat is the National Book Award-winning, Caldecott Medal–winning, and New York Times–bestselling author and illustrator of The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend and the road trip/time travel adventure Are We There Yet? His artwork is also featured in numerous picture books, chapter books, and middle-grade novels, including Dav Pilkey's Ricky Ricotta series. Dan lives in Southern California with his wife, two kids, and many, many pets. His website is: https://sites.google.com/g.risd.org/dansantat/home
Activities & Links
Suggestions for Further Reading
This is one of nine titles nominated for the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award.
We
will be posting information about a different nominee each Friday
throughout the summer and will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all
the titles by Labor Day.
Suggestions for Further Reading
This is one of nine titles nominated for the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award.
We
will be posting information about a different nominee each Friday
throughout the summer and will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all
the titles by Labor Day.
Suggestions for Further Reading
This is one of nine titles nominated for the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award.
We
will be posting information about a different nominee each Friday
throughout the summer and will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all
the titles by Labor Day.
Broken by X. Fang (Tundra Books, 2025)
When Mei Mei accidentally breaks her ama's favorite cup, she's convinced it's the end of the world. What if Ama is angry? What if she yells? What if she kicks Mei Mei out of her house? Mei Mei can't face it. But when Mimi, the innocent cat who witnesses her crime, ends up being blamed, the guilt is too much! Mimi's accusing eyes follow Mei Mei until she just can't take it anymore, and the truth comes spilling out.
With vibrant and moody cinematic illustrations and pitch-perfect pacing, X. Fang's newest picture book is filled to the brim with comedic drama and the comforting sweetness of a grandparent's forgiving hug.
About X. Fang
X. Fang is an award-winning illustrator and maker of books for young readers. She was born in Taiwan, raised in Atlanta, Georgia, bounced around Brooklyn and Philly before settling down in Midcoast Maine with her husband and son. Her website is: https://www.xfang.studio/
Activities & Links
Suggestions for Further Reading
This is one of nine titles nominated for the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award.
We
will be posting information about a different nominee each Friday
throughout the summer and will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all
the titles by Labor Day.
If I Built a Town by Chris Van Dusen (Rocky Pond Books, 2025)
"My town will be swanky! My town will be swell!
My town will be prized as the best place to dwell!"
Jack has some great ideas for improving the community he lives in. And who better to describe them to than Mayor McKay! As they walk through the park together, Jack eagerly tells the mayor his plans for improving their town.
And what a town he has dreamed up! The zoo is packed with fantastic, Jurassic, and mythical creatures, the mail is delivered by super-fast hover vans, the health clinic travels right to your door, and a parade passes through each and every week. And don't forget the robots! All of Jack's plans include the most exciting and useful serving machines. But best of all, everything is free!
Jack's over-the-top creativity and infectious enthusiasm will inspire budding young inventors. It's a story time romp that you'll want to return to again and again.
About Chris Van Dusen
Chris Van Dusen was born in 1960 in Portland, Maine. He has been writing and illustrating books since 2000 when Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee was published. He lives on the coast of Maine with his wife Lori and a yellow lab named Opal. His website is: https://www.chrisvandusen.com
Activities & Links
Suggestions for Further Reading
This is one of nine titles nominated for the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award.
We
will be posting information about a different nominee each Friday
throughout the summer and will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all
the titles by Labor Day.
Suggestions for Further Reading
This is one of nine titles nominated for the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award.
We will be posting information about a different nominee each Friday throughout the summer and will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all the titles by Labor Day.
Stalactite & Stalagmite: A Big Tale from a Little Cave by Drew Beckmeyer (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2025)
A hilarious and thought-provoking picture book about two little cave rock formations who witness the entire history of the world.
DRIP. DRIP. DRIP.
Time flies for two charming little cave nubs, Stalactite and Stalagmite. Over millions of years, creatures and things pass in and out of their cave, everything from a trilobite, an ichthyostega, and a triceratops, to a ground sloth and a bat.
When you are an ageless rock formation, it’s nice to have a friend who’s always there. But what will happen when the two nubs grow enough to finally touch?
About Drew Beckmeyer
Drew Beckmeyer received a Caldecott Honor for his picture book Stalactite & Stalagmite. He is an author-illustrator and schoolteacher based in Los Angeles. He is the author-illustrator of I Am a Tornado, The First Week of School, and The Long Island. He is the illustrator of Dear Wild Child. His website is: https://www.drewbeckmeyer.com/
Activities & Links
Suggestions for Further Reading
This is one of nine titles nominated for the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award.
We
will be posting information about a different nominee each Friday
throughout the summer and will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all
the titles by Labor Day.
The 2026 nominees for the Ladybug Picture Book Award are:
The first round of Ladybug Picture Book Award voting closed earlier this week and we are ready to move on to round 2.
Eighty-five people weighed in on the long list of nominees and we have eliminated from consideration any title that did not get at least 7 votes. This left us with a shortlist of 18 titles from which NH librarians are invited to vote for the 9 titles that they think should be nominated for the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award.
The Final Round 2026 Ladybug Nomination Survey is now open and will remain open until Sunday, 3/22/2026.
PLEASE NOTE that you can only vote once from your device (phone, computer, whatever you use to browse the web) so don't preview the survey, as you will not be able to go back again to vote.
To help make sure as many people as possible in the NH library community have an opportunity to check out these books before voting for the final nominees, we have linked each of the titles below to a video of the book being read. We did not create any of these videos; they are from a variety of sources. Where there was a version available read by the author, we chose that, otherwise we chose the best depiction of the book that we could find.
2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award Shortlist:
Aggie and the Ghost by Matthew Forsythe
The Bakery Dragon and the Fairy Cake by Devin Elle Kurtz
Bear and the Three Goldilocks by Patrick Horn and Dan Yaccarino
Broken by X. Fang
Cat Nap by Brian Lies
Cranky, crabby crow (saves the world) by Corey R. Tabor
The Day the Books Disappeared by Joanna Ho, Caroline Kusin Pritchard and Dan Santat
Don't Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson and Dan Santat
The Humble Pie by Jory John and Pete Oswald
If I Built a Town by Chris Van Dusen
If We Were Dogs by Sophie Blackall
The Man Who Didn't Like Animals by Deborah Underwood and LeUyen Pham
Never Give a Baby a Library Card by Erin Sandberg and Tom Booth
Old Blue is My Home by Lita Judge
Pop! Goes the Nursery Rhyme by Betsy Bird and Andrea Tsurumi
Stalactite & Stalagmite: A Big Tale From a Little Cave by Drew Beckmeyer
The Wild Robot on the Island by Peter Brown
Zip Zap Wickety Wack: A Story About Sharing by Matthew Diffee
Big Boy 4014 and the Steam Team: The World's Largest Steam Engine Roars Back to Life! by Marsha Diane Arnold
"A wonderful non-fiction book with widespread appeal and captivating illustrations. Inspiring in the face of a difficult challenge." -- nominator
Good Luck, Ice Cream Truck! by Sorche Fairbank
Old Blue is My Home by Lita Judge
"A gorgeous, respectful window into housing insecurity from a New Hampshire-based author-illustrator. The story is sure to raise many questions from readers, but, also, hopefully, a more nuanced worldview." -- 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.
The Den That Octopus Built by Randi Sonenshine
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
The Bakery Dragon and the Fairy Cake by Devin Elle Kurtz
"Beautiful illustrations. a great message. Don't give up keep learning, if you want to try something new - come to the library where you might find a book to help you learn." -- nominator
The Blue Jays That Grew a Forest by Lynn Street
Cranky, Crabby Crow (Saves the World) by Corey R. Tabor
"What seems at first like a straightforward story about being nice to others if you want to keep your friends includes a plot twist that turns it into a story about persistence and taking care of others. It's humorous and includes a secret code to solve as well." -- nominator
Papilio by Ben Clanton, Andy Chou Musser, Corey R. Tabor
"Clever collaboration between three accomplished author/illustrators about the life cycle of a butterfly." -- nominator
The Red Jacket by Bob Holt
"Aside from the charming illustrations, this story of a lonely seagull who feels invisible, receives a wonderful gift (spoiler- it's a red jacket. With fries in the pocket!!!) that makes him feel like people finally notice him. When tragedy strikes, he realizes that the jacket wasn't what made him special, and that he's had friends all along. A nice little pay-it-forward ending as well. I've read it to preschool groups through high school, and it's a hit every time!" -- nominator
Rory the Remarkable Dragon by Kathryn Rammell
"Hilarious book with a case of mistaken identity. A fun twist on the "fish out of water" story that celebrates uniqueness." -- nominator
Seven Little Ducklings by Annette Leblanc Cate
"Super sweet story with beautiful pictures about a mother taking on all of the babies that need her, not just her own. A little silly, with lots of love and sweetness." -- nominator
To See an Owl by Matthew Cordell
"An exquisitely illustrated ode to patience, devotion -- and owls. A young girl (with support from both her mother and teacher) puts in the legwork that finally yields a sighting, like a more realistic, kid-driven version of 'Owl Moon'." -- 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.
