Top Ten Tuesday: Books with Character Names In the Titles
When I saw today’s theme, my first reaction was to automatically reach for well-read titles, that a lot of people probably already know – Anne of Green Gables, Corduroy, Amelia Bedelia. But, then I started thinking about some of the amazing picture books that were published just last year and I went in a completely different route.
All of the picture books below were published in 2021 and feature a character’s name in the title. Ranging from funny to serious, adorable to heartfelt these ten books are must-reads in my opinion!
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Books with Character Names In the Titles
Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts
Aaron Slater loves listening to stories and dreams of one day writing them himself. But when it comes to reading, the letters just look like squiggles to him, and it soon becomes clear he struggles more than his peers. When his teacher asks each child in the class to write a story, Aaron can’t get a single word down. He is sure his dream of being a storyteller is out of reach . . . until inspiration strikes, and Aaron finds a way to spin a tale in a way that is uniquely his.
Chez Bob by Bob Shea
Welcome to Chez Bob, which seems like a real restaurant…until you realize…it’s on an alligator’s NOSE! Bob’s got a hidden plan for his customers: “Birds will come to eat, but I will eat the birds!” As they fly in from all over the world to dine on Bob’s face, something starts to happen that takes the lazy, hungry reptile by surprise — the birds stay. “More yummy birds!” he rejoices — he’ll want for nothing! But when the time is right, will Bob make the right choice?
Fatima’s Great Outdoors by Ambreen Tariq, illustrated by Stevie Lewis
Fatima Khazi is excited for the weekend. Her family is headed to a local state park for their first camping trip! The school week might not have gone as planned, but outdoors, Fatima can achieve anything. She sets up a tent with her father, builds a fire with her mother, and survives an eight-legged mutant spider (a daddy longlegs with an impressive shadow) with her sister. At the end of an adventurous day, the family snuggles inside one big tent, serenaded by the sounds of the forest. The thought of leaving the magic of the outdoors tugs at Fatima’s heart, but her sister reminds her that they can keep the memory alive through stories–and they can always daydream about what their next camping trip will look like.
Gladys the Magic Chicken by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Adam Rex
Gladys the chicken must be magic. After all, for everyone who encounters her, a wish is granted. The Shepherd Boy wishes to be beautiful, the Brave Swordsman wishes to join the Royal Guard, the Purple Pooh-bah wishes for his only daughter to be happy, and the Learned Princess wishes to escape the palace. And one by one, each of these wishes comes true. But . . . is Gladys really magic? Or is everyone making their own fortune? Either way, it adds up to one heck of an adventure for a chicken named Gladys. Blending a classic storybook feel with a thoroughly modern sense of humor, this side-splitting read aloud is perfect for anyone who wishes to see magic in the world—even if they are only looking at a chicken.
Kalamata’s Kitchen by Sarah Thomas, illustrated by Jo Kosmides Edwards
Tomorrow is Kalamata’s first day at a new school, and she’s nervous! What if the kids aren’t friendly? Or worse, what if they don’t like alligators!? If only Kalamata and Al Dente could go to back to the Indian spice market they visited this summer, then maybe she’d remember how to feel brave when new experiences seem scary.
Mel Fell by Corey R. Tabor
Sometimes, you might fall down, down, down,
before you learn to fly up, up, up…
Norman Didn’t Do It! (Yes, he did.) by Ryan T. Higgins
Norman is a porcupine. Mildred is a tree. Norman and Mildred are best friends. Just the two of them. And only the two of them. But when a surprise pops up, life will never be the same again.
Ollie Feel Fine by Toni Yuly
Ollie the octopus has a lot of feelings and he struggles to understand them. One especially busy, emotional day, Ollie becomes overwhelmed by all of his feelings. But with the help of his good friend, Stella the starfish, Ollie is reassured and able to feel that he is ok, and that it is fine to have so many feelings.
Stella’s Stellar Hair by Yesenia Moises
It’s the day of the Big Star Little Gala, and Stella’s hair just isn’t acting right! What’s a girl to do? Simple! Just hop on her hoverboard, visit each of her fabulous aunties across the solar system, and find the perfect hairdo along the way.
Tomatoes for Neela by Padma Lakshmi, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal
Neela loves cooking with her amma and writing down the recipes in her notebook. It makes her feel closer to her paati who lives far away in India. On Saturdays, Neela and Amma go to the green market and today they are buying tomatoes to make Paati’s famous sauce. But first, Neela needs to learn about all the different kinds of tomatoes they can pick from. And as Neela and Amma cook together, they find a way for Paati to share in both the love and the flavors of the day.
The Artsy Reader Girl currently hosts Top Ten Tuesday, an original feature created by The Broke and the Bookish.
5 Comments
lydiaschoch
Fatima’s Great Outdoors was a cute read for sure!
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-books-with-character-names-in-the-titles/
Laura Arnhold
The illustrations are just so pretty!
Aymee
The blurb for Chez Bob has me giggling. Great list!
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
Laura Arnhold
I was definitely giggling when I read – in fact, this reminds me that I want to send a copy to my neice! She loves silly picture books!
Jessica @ Storytime in the Stacks
Mel Fel and Chez Bob made my list, too! I broke the rules this week… there was just no way I could pick only ten! Sticking to one year was a smart strategy. 🙂