Okay, so since this is such a belated post I’m going to highlight six (count them: SIX) picture books this time around.
The first book that I’m SUPER excited about is:
The Hole
Words and Pictures by Oyvind Torseter
The main character of The Hole finds a hole in his new apartment and tries to find an explanation for it. He seeks expert advice, but there is no way to explain it.
I love this book because it’s so imaginative! There is an actual hole in. the. book. and it is very much a part of the illustrations. Most of the pages are wordless so this book offers children the chance to practice their own storytelling skills. I highly recommend this book for children of all ages, primarily for one-to-one or small group reading.
The next book that I love is:
Paul Thurlby’s Wildlife
Words & Pictures by Paul Thurlby
From surfing penguins to karate-kicking kangaroos, the animals in Paul Thurlby’s wildlife are up to some wild antics–some strange…all true! The illustrations are adorable and there are facts listed for each animal featured. This is a great way to get very young children into non-fiction and/or science books. I recommend for children 4 to about 7 for one-to-one reading.
This one is simply ADORBS:
Tiger in my Soup
Kashmira Shet (words) and Jeffrey Ebbeler (pictures)
Left in the care of his older sister, a boy begs her to read his favorite book but she is too absorbed in her own reading even to notice when a tiger comes to life in the steam from his soup! I love everything about this book: the story, the illustrations, the humor and whimsy, even the end papers are something to behold! I HIGHLY recommend this for parent/grownup-to-child reading.
Moving on to my December picks:
Hello, My Name is Ruby
Philip C. Stead (words & pictures)
This is the kind of picture book that has the potential to become a classic. It’s such a simple story about friendship and the power of introducing oneself. Also the artwork is GORGEOUS. This is also a great title for one-to-one or small group reading (up to about age 5).
The next great book to come across my path is :
Loula is leaving for Africa
Anne Villeneuve (words & pictures)
Loula has had enough of her terrible triplet brothers and decides to run away to Africa. Luckily, her mother’s chauffeur, Gilbert, knows just how to get there. Together, Loula and Gilbert ride camels, cross a desert and, most important, use heaps of imagination in this heartwarming adventure.
And last (but not least) is:
Me First!
I’m sure there are many little ones out there that will identify with this little duck that wants and INSISTS to be first for everything. Hopefully this book will help children learn to share the experience of being first, and also that being first isn’t always the best thing. This one is a good pick for family reading as well as storytime; ages 2-5 years.