Now it's my turn, and I find myself not quite as ready as I'd like to be. My job here involves looking at every picture book we review in search of the perfect art with which to illustrate the review. This means I have leafed through lots of books but only spent quality time with the ones I reviewed myself, plus a few more that caught my eye at the time.

So my list today is fairly short, but I expect it to grow in the next few weeks as we all start discussing titles.

Starting at the top, I have a hunch these two books will be on our final ballot:

• Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker, written by Patricia Hruby Powell and illustrated by Christian Robinson (The art is jazzy, tactile, and grounded. Robinson is a new illustrator to watch.)


• Viva Frida, written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales (Just wow. Can't wait to talk about this one.)

These are both picture-book biographies, which tend to present extra challenges since they need to get the facts right while keeping everything visually interesting. But also, the art style needs to reflect the essence of the person the book is about. If the author isn't going to illustrate the book, it's up to the editor to choose someone with just the right vibe. I won't name titles here, but there are a number of well-received picture book biographies with good text and good illustrations that don't quite work together to illuminate the spirit of their subject.

*Ooof* <-- That's me stepping off the soapbox and getting back on track.

This year doesn't feel quite as rich in picture book greatness as 2013, but then we still have a few more months. Publishers sometimes time their best books to come out late in the year. Other books I'm eager to discuss here are:

• Draw! by Raúl Colón (it's about time for this guy to win the Medal!)


• Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas by Lynne Cox, illustrated by Brian Floca (last year's winner gets on my list by default, even if the new book isn't as good — but this one is a real charmer)


• The Farmer and the Clown by Marla Frazee (getting lots of buzz here in the office)


• Buried Sunlight by Penny Chisholm and Molly Bang, illustrated by Molly Bang (admittedly a long shot, but I want us to discuss it)


• Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems selected by Paul Janeczko, illustrated by Melissa Sweet (of course!)


• Gaston by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by Christian Robinson (another title from newcomer-to-watch Robinson)


• My Bus by Byron Barton (can a book so simple win?)