Peggy Rathmann — Teacher's Choice Author 2026

Peggy Rathmann is one of roughly one hundred authors whose work was selected by the Montessori-certified teachers at Creative Minds Montessori for the 2026 Teacher’s Choice list — 120 books chosen across four reading stages, from first lap-reads to first chapter books. The selected book was chosen for how precisely it meets children at a real developmental moment. This recognition cannot be bought: no author or publisher paid to appear on our lists, and we take no commission on any book sale.

About Peggy Rathmann

Peggy Rathmann won the Caldecott Medal for Officer Buckle and Gloria and a permanent place on bedtime shelves with Good Night, Gorilla — books built on visual jokes the child discovers before the adult does.

Rathmann has said she once ruined a family film by feeding her grandmother's dinner to the dog off-camera; the guilty pleasure of animals getting away with things fuels her best work.

Also by this author: Officer Buckle and Gloria · 10 Minutes till Bedtime

Official website: peggy-rathmann.com

Selected for the 2026 Teacher’s Choice list

Good Night, Gorilla Page Grabbers · Just Like My Day

Part of The Best Children’s Books by Age, chosen by the teachers at Creative Minds Montessori in Frisco, TX.

Share your award

We’d be honored if you showcased this recognition. The buttons below copy ready-to-paste HTML for your website — a full award card with the seal, or a simple one-line mention. Edit the wording however you like; it’s your award.

<div style="display:flex;align-items:center;gap:18px;padding:18px;background:#FFFEF6;border:1px solid #C9D6A3;border-radius:12px;max-width:480px;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
  <img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/assets/img/teachers-choice-author-2026.svg" alt="Creative Minds Teacher's Choice - Author 2026" width="110" height="110" style="flex-shrink:0;">
  <p style="margin:0;font-size:14.5px;line-height:1.55;color:#333;">The Montessori teachers at Creative Minds selected <em>Good Night, Gorilla</em> for their 2026 Teacher&rsquo;s Choice list &mdash; <a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/resources/authors/peggy-rathmann/" style="color:#66853a;font-weight:600;">read their review</a>.</p>
</div>

<p>The Montessori teachers at <a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/resources/authors/peggy-rathmann/">Creative Minds Montessori</a> selected <em>Good Night, Gorilla</em> as one of their 120 Teacher&rsquo;s Choice books for 2026.</p>