Collection Size: 4,000+ volumes
Picture Books are illustrated books for children where the images are of equal importance as the text. They are often meant to be read aloud to young children while the children look at the artwork; however, young readers also enjoy using these items for independent reading.
Although traditionally written for young children through the early elementary grade levels, recent trends have shown the popularity of the format with older readers as well. These titles can be successfully incorporated into the curriculum of higher grade levels to enhance a multitude of learning experiences.
Picture Books are included in the TDRL collection for educational purposes including curriculum application, reader identity development, bibliotherapeutic uses, and to promote the love of reading.
The TDRL strives to create inclusive collections which reflect a wide range of stories, settings, and topics relevant to the diverse identities and needs of the P-12 students in our communities.
NOTE: Nonfiction titles in the picture book format are not included in this collection, but rather, are a part of the Juvenile Nonfiction collection.
Not sure where to start?
Children's and Young Adult Literature Guide: This digital guide is a great place to start browsing recently published books for young people. Use the tabs at the top of this page to start navigating through lists of award winners, finalists for national book lists, or specific topics/formats such as LGBTQIA+ books for young people, graphic novels, or Hi-Lo books.
NoveList Plus: Use NoveList Plus to search for book recommendations by age, format, genre, topic, tone, character type, awards, and more. Includes professional reviews and read-alike recommendations for each book. For tutorials on how to get started, visit our NoveList Tutorial page.
Quick Search: Use Quick Search to see which books are available at the TDRL. Search by title or author, or browse books by format and publication year by conducting the following search:
- Select "Advanced Search"
- Limit the Search Scope field to "Teacher Development & Resources Library"
- In the Any field contains box, type "*" (include the quotations)
- Under the Publication Date field, select or type in the publication date ranges you are interested in browsing
- Click "Search," and then use the Library Location filter in the right hand column to limit the results to a TDRL format (ex. Board books, picture books,etc.)