With Read Across America happening this week, it’s no wonder NJMOMs have books on the brain. I like to shop local, and books are no exception—so I’m rounding up a list of my fave children’s books by authors homegrown or bred in the Garden State. We’ve had the pleasure of meeting some of these clever minds (hello, Patrick McDonnell) at local readings and book fairs in our town, which makes reading them all the more special. Scroll down for the books my three boys are reading and loving (or are on our wish list). (featured image credit: Goodnight Princeton by Mimi Omiecinski)
Amelia Bedelia Road Trip! by Herman Parish (Princeton, NJ)
Celebrate America’s beloved housekeeper re-imagined as a delightful young girl in Herman Parish’s series of Amelia Bedelia chapter books just right for beginning independent readers. In this illustrated adventure, young Amelia Bedelia piles into the family car and takes a road trip with her family—which leads to all kinds of silly misunderstandings—just the kind of literal literacy that won us over in the original books when we were kids. Herman Parish was in the fourth grade when his aunt, Peggy Parish, wrote her first Amelia Bedelia book, and now he continues to carry on the family legacy for a new generation of readers.
Momo and Snap Are Not Friends by Airlie Anderson (Belle Mead, NJ)
The gorgeous opaque watercolor illustrations in Airlie Anderson’s children’s books alone are enough to capture your child’s vivid imagination. Airlie is also the author of my younger kids’ fave picture book, Momo and Snap, a hilarious story told without words—only assorted grunts and noises. It describes how a competitive relationship between a crocodile and a monkey turns into a supportive one, perfect for a rising pre-schooler.
The Doughnut Fix by Jessie Janowitz (Princeton U alum)
If you have a budding Chopped Jr. chef on your hands, they will love reading The Doughnut Fix by Jessie Janowitz. This is the smart story of a basketball-playing, cake-baking protagonist who has to move from the world’s greatest city to middle-of-nowhere Petersville. It’s a heartwarming story of family, entrepreneurship, and recognizing our unique talents. As a family who has moved three times since having kids (and have a budding foodie at home), we definitely relate to this sweet story, which will inspire young foodies and entrepreneurs to think beyond the lemonade stand.
The Pepper Party Picks the Perfect Pet by Jay Cooper (Maplewood, NJ)
Do your kids love Captain Underpants? Fans of the lowbrow potty humor type will enjoy this series by Jay Cooper, an author and illustrator from Maplewood, NJ. The Pepper Party Picks the Perfect Pet is the first book in a series about The Pepper Party, a raucous, loving, wild, and fun family. Every family member has their idea about the perfect pet, and they’re not above sabotage to get their way. Soon, they end up with a variety of animals in a house full of chaos—it’s a fun, silly book for emerging readers with an underlying adopt-don’t-shop message and themes of the treatment of pets and the responsibility of adoption.
The MUTTS Summer Diaries by Patrick McDonnell (Princeton, NJ)
Comic book lovers rejoice—this diary-style book series about Mooch and Earl from MUTTS comic strip creator Patrick McDonnell will appease comic book fans and ones new to the genre. In Summer Diaries, Mooch and Earl are eager to make the most of summertime, from adventures in the backyard pool to exchanging knock-knock jokes with a dolphin. It’s ideal for kids ages 7-12—along with The MUTTS Autumn Diaries for back-to-school and cozy fall adventures.
The Teacher’s Pet by Anica Mrose Rissi (Princeton, NJ)
If your kids have ever had to take care of the class ‘pet’ for the weekend, thank your lucky stars that it’s usually a stuffed animal. Not so in Anica Mrose Rissi’s saga of a teacher’s blind adoration of a beloved tadpole named Bruno. When Bruno turns into a giant, the kids must step up and take matters into their own hands because the teacher fails to notice all the amusing classroom shenanigans caused by the desk-eating, farting, slime-sneezing, classroom-wrecking creature. I find it great for read-aloud storytimes and lessons on problem-solving or pets.
A Kind of Paradise by Amy Rebecca Tan (Haddonfield, NJ)
A Kind of Paradise, written by New Jersey author Amy Tan, struck a chord with me because I was a teen library volunteer (like the protagonist) and had a surprisingly good time doing it. As a consequence of breaking her middle school’s honor code, 13-year-old Jamie must volunteer in her local library all summer. Initially disappointed to miss out on her usual summertime plans, she eventually develops meaningful relationships with library staff and patrons. This book is a joyful story of the power communities have to lift us up and shape our dreams and is an excellent pick for tweens.
Goodnight Princeton by Mimi Omiecinski (Princeton, NJ)
Mimi Omiecinski’s book celebrates everything wonderful about growing up in the world’s most quintessential Ivy League town (but we’re not biased or anything). It highlights Princeton’s most beloved places and attractions, including Nassau Street, the library, Palmer Square, and the Dinky. If you live near Princeton or have kids you hope will be a future Tiger, this book is for you.
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