5 Picture Books With a Reverse Psychology Twist!

I Do Not Like Books Anymore!, by Daisy Hirst 
If you have a reluctant reader who thinks they don’t like books or has some challenges with reading, then this is the perfect story for them! Natalie loves stories and is excited to start reading on her own, but once she opens her book to get started the letters look like “scuttling insects, with too many legs and eyes.” Who wouldn’t slam the book shut after seeing that? But luckily Natalie’s love of story telling, and a supportive sibling named Alphonse, will help her overcome this obstacle in the end and show her that maybe she does love books after all!

This Book Will Not Be Fun, by Cirocco Dunlap and Olivier Tallec 
Who wants to read a book that won’t be fun? Even though there is a snooty mouse with a bowtie narrating this book and insisting that it will NOT be fun, don’t trust him! You will definitely want to keep reading once you see all of the amusing illustrations and surprises as you keep flipping the pages—this story involves a flying whale and a zero gravity dance party for starters! Even the mouse ends up shaking his tail to the music by the final pages. Talk about an unreliable narrator!

You Don’t Want a Unicorn!, by Ame Dyckman and Liz Climo 
What kid doesn’t want a unicorn? Seems like life would be all rainbows and sparkles with a pet unicorn around. Well apparently they’re a lot of work! A boy discovers this after he wishes for a unicorn by throwing a penny into a fountain, and his wish actually comes true! Unicorns may look like magic, but they shed, and have you ever tried to house train a unicorn? (Me neither!) Okay, let’s be real, your young reader will still definitely want a unicorn after reading this book.

Mad, Mad Bear!, by Kimberly Gee
As you can probably surmise from the title, this book is about one angry bear! What got bear in such a bad mood? Well if you’ve ever tried to take a toddler home early from the park for a nap, you may have a good reference point. Watching bear’s epic meltdown might help young readers reflect on their own behaviors when their feelings get too big. Luckily bear is able to calm himself down, and after a nap and some lunch, this book just may need a new title—Happy, Happy Bear perhaps?

How Rude!, by Sarah Arnold 
Pig drives by Mole on the side of the road toting a big mysterious box and decides to pick him up. Mole refuses to disclose what’s in the box (“NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!”) and Pig throws him out of the car. And everything gets even wackier from there! Ultimately these animals, along with Pig’s friends Hippo, Girl, and Mouse, find their way to a new friendship and understanding. In a roundabout way (they end up inside the box at one point) this book is sure to teach your young reader something about manners and friendships, in part by showing them how NOT to act with their friends.