Picture Books for Children Page 12

  Graber, Janet 4–8 years

  MUKTAR AND THE CAMELS

  Illustrated by Scott Mack

  New York: Christy Ottaviano/Henry Holt, 2009 | 978-0-8050-7834-3

  This book will transport most children to a completely foreign place, both geographically and in life experience. A young boy, a refugee from Somalia, lives in an orphanage in Kenya. He and the other children go to school, yet he often dreams of his former life with his parents and the camels that are so important to their lives as nomads. When a small caravan arrives at the orphanage with books for the school, Muktar finds that his skill working with an injured camel may fulfill his dream of tending camels. A moving story of a young boy, the text perfectly complements the illustrations, oils on canvas, that feature the boys of the orphanage, the teacher, and the camels. Shades of brown and yellow dominate, reflecting the color scheme of the desert, with splashes of red and blue in clothing. Muktar’s dreams, done in shades of gray, lend an eerie atmosphere. Added features include a map of Africa, with Kenya and Somalia highlighted, and a brief author’s note about these two countries, war, and the camels that deliver books.

  Hegamin, Tonya Cherie 5–9 years

  MOST LOVED IN ALL THE WORLD

  Illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera

  Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2009 | 978-0-618-41903-6

  In this story about the use of quilts in the Underground Railroad, a little girl witnesses her mother sewing pieces together. Her mother explains what the squares mean and eventually sends her daughter off to freedom with the quilt around her. Rich illustrations, rendered in acrylic paint and textile collages, wonderfully express a little girl’s curiosity and her mother’s pain and hope. Many of the scenes are set against a dark background, reflecting the subject and the fact that much of the action takes place at night. The important quilt squares—the North Star, the log cabin, the tree with moss on the north side, and the little girl surrounded by a heart—depict easy symbols for young readers to understand, just as they were for the girl in the story. Don’t miss the endpapers, which consist of pieced quilts. An extensive author’s note and a list of books and websites for further reading close the book. Include with other books on quilts and slavery, such as Jacqueline Woodson’s Show Way (Putnam’s, 2005) and Deborah Hopkinson’s Under the Quilt of Night (Anne Schwartz/Atheneum, 2001).

  Hucke, Johannes 4–8 years

  PIP IN THE GRAND HOTEL

  Illustrated by Daniel Müller

  New York: NorthSouth, 2009 | 978-0-7358-2225-2

  An excellent example of the action moving from left to right as the page turns, this story begins with a girl’s pet mouse escaping from its box and into a fancy hotel. Brightly colored illustrations feature comical people and detailed settings. As the little mouse runs through the lobby, kitchen, pantry, and more, these crowded rooms supply numerous places for him to hide, and for readers and listeners to search for him. The large size of the book enables the illustrations to take up the bulk of the page, with the text appearing in a narrow strip at the bottom. Every page spread contains a sentence that needs to be completed by turning the page. This device keeps suspense high and the story moving. This seek-and-find book is not too complicated for a younger audience, and the story provides a behind-the-scenes look at a hotel with some agreeable companions. Originally published in Switzerland.

  Levine, Ellen 4–9 years

  HENRY’S FREEDOM BOX

  Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

  New York: Scholastic, 2007 | 978-0-439-77733-9

  Based on the true story of Henry “Box” Brown, this fictionalized version of his life examines his childhood and young adulthood and the factors that led to his remarkable plan to escape slavery. With the help of collaborators on both ends, he decided to mail himself in a box from Richmond, Virginia, to Philadelphia. His is a sad story, full of separation and loss, and it is told in a way that does not diminish this pain even as it is made understandable to children. Nelson creates haunting artwork, rendered in pencil, watercolor, and oil, expressive in detail and mood-defining use of color and texture. The series of drawings showing Henry in the box being shoved every which way by men on the boat jolts readers with its cross-section view. The contrast of lightness and darkness and use of color is stunning; compare the pages where he sees his family being sold versus the pages where he arrives in the box in Philadelphia. Supplement with another story of a male slave, who runs away aided by the Underground Railroad and his faithful dog, in Elisa Carbone’s Night Running (Knopf, 2008).

  Lofthouse, Liz 4–10 years

  ZIBA CAME ON A BOAT

  Illustrated by Robert Ingpen

  La Jolla, CA: Kane/Miller, 2007 | 978-1-933605-52-4

  A young Afghan girl, en route to a new country and freedom, endures a crowded and at times frightening voyage over the sea. Cutting between that present-day experience and thoughts of the past, readers and listeners learn of Ziba’s life in the mountains: playing and helping, observing her mother, listening to her father, and finally being driven away by violence. This spare text does not go into detail on the war, as it does with other experiences Ziba remembers, respecting the sensibilities and understanding of a child. Evocative illustrations depict the boat ride and Ziba’s memories in richly colored and textured art. (See figure 4.2.) The people, especially faces, are particularly well portrayed. Because of the short length and the child-centered nature of the text, this book could be used to explain immigrant experiences to young children, yet it is deep enough even for adults.

  Mansfield, Howard 4–8 years

  HOGWOOD STEPS OUT: A GOOD, GOOD PIG STORY

  Illustrated by Barry Moser

  New York: Neal Porter/Roaring Brook, 2008 | 978-1-59643-269-7

  Can a six-hundred-pound behemoth of a pig be considered adorable? In this book, appealing illustrations, first-person (or would that be first-pig?) point of view, and a style that extols the elemental pleasures of dirt baths and vegetable gardens could convince anyone. The watercolor art is remarkably realistic in its depiction of animals, humans, and landscapes. As Hogwood escapes his pen and takes a trip through neighboring yards and gardens, he comments on what he feels, and he reacts to the neighbors and the policeman, who most certainly do not think he is a good pig. Hogwood’s adventure is an excellent choice for classes studying farm animals, or just as a fun read-aloud. Grown-ups can read his story in The Good Good Pig (Ballantine, 2006) by Sy Montgomery, Mansfield’s wife.

  McClintock, Barbara 4–8 years

  ADÈLE & SIMON

  Illustrated by Barbara McClintock

  New York: Frances Foster/Farrar Straus Giroux, 2006 | 978-0-374-38044-1

  Take a trip through Paris at the turn of the last century in this book featuring the delightful illustrations for which McClintock is known. Simon leaves school with his supplies and articles of clothing, which he loses one by one as he and his sister walk home. Each page turn reveals a new scene, including a market, garden, museum, Métro station, and more, which provide crowds of people and lots of places for Simon to lose things. Young readers will have fun finding the missing items in each picture. Adults may be more interested in the explanations at the end of the book about each scene and trying to identify some of the famous people who are part of the illustrations. Although not mentioned in the text, Miss Clavell and the little girls of Madeline appear in one of the pictures. Be sure to look at the endpapers, taken from a 1907 map. Continue the fun with Adèle and Simon in America (Frances Foster/Farrar Straus Giroux, 2008).

  Figure 4.2. Ziba Came on a Boat

  McCully, Emily Arnold 4–9 years

  WONDER HORSE

  Illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully

  New York: Henry Holt, 2010 | 978-0-8050-8793-2

  Although the title character, named Jim Key, takes center stage in this story, equally important is Bill Key, the man who takes care of Jim and teaches him. A former slave, Doc Bill uses his skills as a veterinarian to care for animals, always stressing that they
must be treated with kindness. Jim Key, foal of Doc’s favorite horse, seems to show an uncanny ability to unlock gates and find hidden objects. Over the years, Doc teaches Jim letters, numbers, and colors. Appealing illustrations take listeners through a range of emotions during the events of Doc’s and Jim’s lives. Based on a true story, this fictionalized version portrays Doc’s affection for his horse and his struggle to have both academic experts and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recognize Jim’s abilities. Illustrations portray the historical setting (Jim Key lived from 1889 to 1912), but are timeless in their portrayal of the human-animal bond.

  McGinty, Alice B. 4–8 years

  THANK YOU, WORLD

  Illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin

  New York: Dial, 2007 | 978-0-8037-2705-2

  Although children of different countries experience diverse living styles, they also encounter similar feelings and activities. The cover introduces the eight children who appear inside the book. Each two-page spread contains eight squares. Each square illustrates a scene from the United States, Mexico, Bolivia, France, Mali, Saudi Arabia, India, and China. The text, a unifying sentence that begins with “Thank you,” addresses elements of nature, a swing, a window, and a mother that each square depicts. Children may want to go through this book page by page, looking at all the pictures at once, or looking at just one country’s illustrations at a time. With eight on each spread, the pictures are small and intimate, reflecting the child and his or her everyday experiences therein. (See figure 4.3.) The illustrations, in crayon and pencil, can lead to discussions of differences and cultural traditions of each country, as well as similarities. The endpapers again consist of eight squares, each with a globe highlighting the country and its continent or hemisphere. A beautiful book and a springboard to cultural understanding.

  Figure 4.3. Thank You, World

  McMullan, Kate 3–8 years

  I STINK!

  Illustrated by Jim McMullan

  New York: Joanna Cotler/HarperCollins, 2002 | 978-0-06-029849-4

  With the vigor and loudness that only a large vehicle can muster, a garbage truck tells all. Since this garbage truck works at night, the illustrations emerge in shades of brown, gray, blue, and purple, with yellow illumination popping up occasionally. The text is in your face, with words—and sometimes individual letters within a word—appearing in differing font sizes. In the middle of the truck’s trip, an A-to-Z listing of all types of nasty garbage turns up. Some of these will be sure to elicit laughs from young listeners. The truck is anthropomorphized in the illustrations, a technique that fits well with the first-person text. Both words and pictures portray the roaring power of this necessary machinery. From the front cover, I Stink! comes on strong, all the way through to the back cover, which displays a smaller truck, eyes closed, smiling sweetly. Fans may want to check out the McMullans’ I’m Dirty! (2006), about a backhoe, or I’m Mighty! (2003), featuring a tugboat, or, for dinosaur lovers, I’m Bad! (2008).

  Ó Flatharta, Antoine 4–8 years

  HURRY AND THE MONARCH

  Illustrated by Meilo So

  New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2005 | 978-0-375-83003-7

  A fine example of combining nonfiction facts within a fictional story, this book portrays the migration of monarch butterflies through the story of one butterfly’s journey and her fleeting acquaintance with a tortoise. This story spans October to the next spring, as it contrasts the short life of the traveling monarch and the seemingly unchanging life of the old tortoise. The beautiful watercolor art features close-ups of the two animals, as well as impressive groups of monarchs and the life cycle of egg to caterpillar to butterfly. On the endpapers, a map of North America indicates the migration of the monarchs from Canada to Mexico. An afterword provides more information and statistics about this amazing journey. Compare this with Arabella Miller’s Tiny Caterpillar (Candlewick, 2008) by Clare Jarrett, and Anne Rockwell’s Becoming Butterflies (Walker, 2002), with its school setting.

  Pendziwol, Jean E. 4–8 years

  DAWN WATCH

  Illustrated by Nicolas Debon

  Toronto: Groundwood/Douglas & McIntyre, 2004 | 978-0-88899-512-4

  The shimmering haziness of the illustrations reflects the setting of the story as a young girl helps her father keep watch during the night in a boat on Lake Superior. Language rich with imagery imparts information about sailing and the sea; the first-person narrative describes the emotions of the girl on watch. Hues of deep blue and black dominate the illustrations throughout most of the book, with several pages in green as the northern lights come into view, and then orange and yellow as day begins to dawn. The textured paintings take a variety of views: the boat tiny in a huge sea, the boat large with views of the equipment and people on board, scenes where the reader will feel present on the boat, and others as if looking down on it from above. The overall impression is of movement and cold and watchful waiting. Teachers may want to use this book as an example of descriptive writing before students undertake such an assignment, or for any water- or boat-themed storytime.

  Pinkney, Andrea Davis 4–8 years

  PEGGONY-PO: A WHALE OF A TALE

  Illustrated by Brian Pinkney

  New York: Jump at the Sun/Hyperion, 2006 | 978-0-7868-1958-4

  Moby Dick has nothing on Cetus, the sixty-ton whale who tries to escape pursuit by Galleon Keene and the wooden boy he carves, Peggony-Po. The Pinkneys have created a seafaring tale with elements of Pinocchio, exuberant in action on the ship and in the water. The young boy’s fictional battle with the whale is set in the 1840s, a prime time for the whaling industry. Illustrations in rich colors portray the whale, the waves, the ship, and the people constantly moving, mimicking a ship-based journey. A rhyming sea chantey offers even more authenticity. The text highlights Peggony-Po’s daring, a great adventure for young listeners. End material includes a note on whales and black whalers, plus a glossary of nautical terms.

  Raschka, Chris 4–8 years

  LITTLE BLACK CROW

  Illustrated by Chris Raschka

  New York: Richard Jackson/Atheneum, 2010 | 978-0-689-84601-4

  With beautiful use of line and color, the watercolor-and-ink illustrations in this story feature the crow of the title, who is indeed little in most of the art. The impressionist illustrations and the poetic text display the essence of the crow and his story. One could hand this book to an aspiring children’s writer and say, “Here, this is how rhyming text is done superbly.” The soft, lilting feeling of the book and its essence of nature, family, and love combine to create a deceptively simple look that hides deeper truths.

  Ravishankar, Anushka 4–8 years

  ELEPHANTS NEVER FORGET!

  Illustrated by Christiane Pieper

  Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2008 | 978-0-618-99784-8

  Befitting its title character, this book contains some large and loud words. The noises of a lightning storm, tiger, buffalo, and elephant spread across the page in extra-big type to maximize the effect. The illustrations themselves, digitally created, consist of just three colors: black, blue, and light cream. Constant action—running and rolling, swimming and throwing—will appeal to short attention spans. The small size of the elephant on most pages emphasizes his feelings of being alone and not fitting in. The basic story, in which a little elephant separated from his herd finds a group of animals to live with, is simple but affecting. Originally published in India.

  Roth, Susan L. 4–8 years

  GREAT BIG GUINEA PIGS

  Illustrated by Susan L. Roth

  New York: Bloomsbury, 2006 | 978-1-58234-724-0

  The big guinea pigs of the title exist in a story that a mother guinea pig tells her little one. As she relates it, huge, sharp-toothed guinea pigs lived in swamps in Venezuela eight million years ago. A variety of papers from around the world, including basket weave, cellophane, and hand-marbled, make up the incredible collage illustrations. An extensive note about the art, found on the in
side back flap, states the origins (countries and cities) of these materials. The modern-day guinea pigs embody cuteness and fluffiness, while the long-ago ones loom large and scary-looking. The scenes of the modern guinea pigs always contain the basket weave paper, emphasizing their home in a cage. The text provides facts, enhanced by the illustrations, but also contains humorous and innocent comments by the little guinea pig. A bibliography is included at the end. This book blends fiction and nonfiction exceedingly well for the very young.

  Say, Allen 4–8 years

  THE BOY IN THE GARDEN

  Illustrated by Allen Say

  Boston: Houghton Mifflin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010 | 978-0-547-21410-8

  The book opens with a one-page story of the Grateful Crane, necessary background for the plot, since it is a story that the young boy knows well from his mother’s telling. Jiro and his father pay a visit to a family friend who lives in a house with a large garden. While walking through the garden, Jiro discovers a statue of a crane that he at first believes is real. Hearing the adults gently laughing at him, he walks away, and from there this story takes on a dreamy quality. As in the story of the Grateful Crane, his experience includes a house, a woman coming in from a snowstorm, and the sound of a loom. On every page spread, the text appears on the left side and the watercolor illustration on the right. The real scenes are framed with a white border, while the fantasy scenes take up the whole page with no border. The transition from reality to fantasy occurs seamlessly and naturally, so it is a surprise to the reader when the father, looking for Jiro, wakes him from his dream. His words at the end assure his son that he was not foolish for thinking that the crane looked real. A gently magical story masterfully told, The Boy in the Garden exudes a sense of curiosity and wonder.