Picture Books for Children Read online

  Scanlon, Liz Garton 3–7 years

  ALL THE WORLD

  Illustrated by Marla Frazee

  New York: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster, 2009 | 978-1-4169-8580-8

  Through rhythm and rhyme, the text gives the reader a picture of a summer day at the seashore, a farmers’ market, a storm, a restaurant meal, and a family gathering. Its comfortable feeling of happiness and being in just the right place with loving family members permeates the story. Pencil-and-watercolor illustrations portray modern people, but a comfortable old-fashioned quality makes the pictures timeless. This is a wonderful book to share with a loved child or to read aloud to a group and revel in the rhythmic text. Children who like to pore over pictures for details will enjoy several double-page spreads. A good book for anyone, child or adult, who wants to feel part of something bigger.

  Schertle, Alice 3–8 years

  LITTLE BLUE TRUCK

  Illustrated by Jill McElmurry

  Orlando: Harcourt, 2008 | 978-0-15-205661-2

  With a rollicking rhythm and some mighty fine rhymes, this story of a truck in the country celebrates the animate (farm animals) and the inanimate (trucks). When a dump truck gets stuck in the mud, and the little blue truck gets stuck trying to help, the animals come to the rescue. Gouache illustrations feature the natural colors of farmland: brown, gold, yellow, and green. This makes Little Blue Truck stand out even more. The animals sport a comical look, and the trucks, with eyeball headlights, zip along humorously. No human beings are in evidence, even as drivers. Almost every page contains four lines of text with an abab rhyme scheme, an easy feel to read out loud, and an abundance of animal and truck noises. These “conversation” words—beep, honk, oink, moo—appear in color within the text. The same wonderful rhyme and rhythm, but transported to the city, take place in Little Blue Truck Leads the Way (Houghton Mifflin, 2009).

  Schwartz, Howard 4–8 years

  GATHERING SPARKS

  Illustrated by Kristina Swarner

  New York: Roaring Brook/Holtzbrinck, 2010 | 978-1-59643-280-2

  Lovely prose and illustrations combine in a story that gently encourages goodness in order to repair the world. Based on the Jewish tradition of tikkun olam, the explanation that the grandfather gives his granddaughter about the origin of stars and the purpose of humans is inspiring. Because the book is set for the most part at twilight and night, the colors, rich in shades of blue and purple, deepen as the story progresses. The color scheme also includes greens, which fit in with the environmental message, an important part of the story. This gentle book is full of affection and hope.

  Stringer, Lauren 3–8 years

  WINTER IS THE WARMEST SEASON

  Illustrated by Lauren Stringer

  Orlando: Harcourt, 2006 | 978-0-15-204967-6

  Although the title seems counter to the obvious cold of winter, this picture book explains why winter is warm, from a child’s point of view. With warm clothing, animals hibernating in dens, and hot food as examples, the book makes the point easily. The illustrations, in acrylics, exude richness and warmth and follow through on the imagery of the text. Some illustrations show a contrast between summer and winter, such as the swimming pool and the bubble bath, but most show winter scenes filled with fun or cozy images of snowmen and hot chocolate and quilts. Recurring shapes of snow drifts, rounded and white, frame many of the illustrations. These round shapes match pictures of puffy jackets, melting cheese on a sandwich, and a curled-up cat. The text includes some internal rhymes and many image-laden words to provide its rhythm and flow. Teachers may want to use this when studying the seasons, while parents may want to do so for a warm and snug read-aloud.

  Stryer, Andrea Stenn 4–8 years

  KAMI AND THE YAKS

  Illustrated by Bert Dodson

  Palo Alto, CA: Bay Otter, 2007 | 978-0-9778961-0-3

  One of the delights of literature is its ability to take a person to a place he or she may never physically visit. This book transports readers to the Himalayan Mountains, where young Kami tracks down his family’s missing yaks. When he discovers an injury among one of the flock, he must go for help just as a hailstorm begins. Because he is deaf and cannot talk, he must use sign to communicate what has happened to his father and older brother. Determined and resourceful, Kami serves as a role model for young children who feel as if they may be too young to make a difference. The illustrations, paintings with almost palpable texture, take the reader to this land of the Sherpas, with its mountains and snow. An author’s note at the end of the story provides information on the life of the Sherpas, their work, families, and homes. Also set in the Himalayas and peopled with children in a Nepali guide family is Olga Cossi’s Pemba Sherpa (Odyssey, 2009).

  Wellington, Monica 3–7 years

  TRUCK DRIVER TOM

  Illustrated by Monica Wellington

  New York: Dutton, 2007 | 978-0-525-47831-7

  With bright primary colors and simple illustrations of vehicles, people, and animals, this story follows a truck driver who carries a load of fruits and vegetables from a farm into a big city. Color copies of photographs pasted onto gouache art make an engaging combination of the realistic and painted. Curvy roads, train tracks, construction vehicles, bridges, and stores combine to fill the pages with details for young listeners to examine. At the end, an illustrated list of all forty-seven vehicles appears so that they can be found elsewhere in the book. Almost all the vehicles are very small; thus, many fit onto a page, and their progress along the roads can be shown. The simple language of the text, which may encourage early readers, is upbeat and active, reminiscent of classic Lois Lenski books such as The Little Auto, The Little Fire Engine, and Papa Small.

  Winter, Jeanette 4–8 years

  ANGELINA’S ISLAND

  Illustrated by Jeanette Winter

  New York: Frances Foster/Farrar Straus Giroux, 2007 | 978-0-374-30349-5

  A newcomer to New York City, Angelina misses her native Jamaica. She longs for the food, the weather, her school, the birds, and the old games; everything in her new home fades by comparison. Her mother discovers that Carnival is celebrated in Brooklyn and arranges to have a beautiful costume made for Angelina so that she can dance in the parade. Winter’s illustrations burst with color throughout, even in her depictions of New York City, but the Carnival dance scenes really explode. Genuine and poignant feelings come through in the first-person text, supplemented by the illustrations that add a depth of emotion to what is expressed on each page. Teachers and parents may want to play some Jamaican music while reading this book.

  Winter, Jonah 4–9 years

  HERE COMES THE GARBAGE BARGE!

  Illustrated by Red Nose Studio

  New York: Schwartz & Wade/Random House, 2010 | 978-0-375-85218-3

  Based on the true story of the barge that hauled garbage from Long Island down the coast and failed to find a dumping ground, this fictionalized version combines fantastic illustrations with text that begs to be read aloud. Even for those listeners unfamiliar with the states and countries that were part of this event (a great opportunity for learning map skills), the story does a good job of depicting the geographic areas. The illustrations—photographs of hand-built, three-dimensional sets—invite close examination: strange characters, realistic machines, and lots and lots of garbage make them perfect for the almost subversive tone of the text. Regional dialects and phrases will be fun to read out loud. A unique story about a unique event, this book conveys an environmental message with savvy humor.

  Winter, Jonah 4–9 years

  STEEL TOWN

  Illustrated by Terry Widener

  New York: Atheneum, 2008 | 978-1-4169-4081-4

  From the title page spread, with its factories and billowing smoke, and throughout much of the book, a feeling of dark and damp permeates. Black, gray, and dark brown predominate, with flares of yellow and orange that capture the fire in the furnace. This acrylic art meshes beautifully with rhythmic text that describes what happe
ns in a steel mill. A fine example of mixing fiction with nonfiction, this story oozes heat and fire, clanking machinery, and huge buildings. Set in a time of five-cent hot dogs and “Pennies from Heaven” on the radio, this tribute to ethnic families and their hard workers in a steel town shines through.

  Would, Nick 5–9 years

  THE SCARAB’S SECRET

  Illustrated by Christina Balit

  New York: Walker, 2006 | 978-0-8027-9561-8

  The sumptuous illustrations will draw readers in, and then the story takes off! And what a story it is—full of suspense, danger, and help from an unexpected source. Told from the point of view of a scarab beetle, the story takes place in ancient Egypt. Hidden in a basket of figs, this scarab is carried to a newly built tomb. There he discovers a stone slab set as a trap for the prince who comes to inspect the place. The action in the text moves quickly, and the illustrations, rich in Egyptian symbol and design, add a visual dimension that helps put everything in perspective. The beetle appears small in most of the pictures, so readers and listeners will have fun looking for it. Balit has beautifully depicted the tomb itself, with its doors and passageways and stone floors, as well as the costumes of the characters. An author’s note at the end provides further information on the Egyptians and their tombs. Gorgeous visuals and a heart-pounding story make this an exciting adventure.

  Yerxa, Leo 4–9 years

  ANCIENT THUNDER

  Illustrated by Leo Yerxa

  Toronto: Groundwood/House of Anansi, 2006 | 978-0-88899-746-3

  Stunning illustrations featuring handmade paper that looks like leather make this book visually appealing throughout. Each painting of horses in watercolor and gouache is set upon a shirt or dress, inspired by traditional clothing of Native Americans of the Plains. With no more than nine words per page spread, the text captures the power of the horses whose hooves provide the thunder of the title. As these animals and others race across the pages and appear on the clothing depicted, they lend a feeling of power, majesty, swiftness, and color, to the story. A unique book, Ancient Thunder is an excellent source for the study of Native Americans, for art classes, for language arts and poetry, and for children who enjoy stories about horses.

  Young, Ed 4–9 years

  HOOK

  Illustrated by Ed Young

  New York: Neal Porter/Roaring Brook, 2009 | 978-1-59643-363-2

  With just a few words on each page and large illustrations, this book is a natural for group read-alouds. A young Native American boy discovers an egg in the forest and brings it home for his chicken to hatch. When the bird comes out with a distinctive beak, the boy names him Hook—and all seem to know that he is meant for flight. After watching several of Hook’s failed attempts to fly, the young boy takes him to a canyon, where the bird finally takes off with wings spread wide. Brown and tan dominate the full-page illustrations, with shades of blues, greens, and reds for contrast. An almost solemn mood permeates the book; this is not a funny “Mother Hen hatches a strange egg” story. From the beginning, even the hen knows that this bird is meant for a higher purpose. The magnificent picture of Hook’s flight at the end features his wingspan, which reaches from one corner diagonally across two pages to the other. This is an awe-inspiring story for animal lovers, budding conservationists, and those who want to hear stories of success.

  5

  The World of Imagination

  In the picture books in this section, anything can happen. Although impossible in real life, the stories take place in the fertile ground of the imaginative mind. Children can learn about real life through the stories, too, as characters or themes may be real even if situations are not. Silly or sweet, magical or mysterious, these books encourage the reader to think creatively.

  Ahlberg, Allan 4–8 years

  THE PENCIL

  Illustrated by Bruce Ingman

  Cambridge, MA: Candlewick, 2008 | 978-0-7636-3894-8

  This delightful story focuses on the illustrations, which are being drawn as the story progresses. The pencil of the title—the main character—draws a boy, a dog, a cat, and from there much, much more. The story begins in black and white (it’s a pencil, remember?), then picks up color after the pencil draws a paintbrush. Conflict comes in the shape of an eraser! The humor is gentle and understated; for example, most of the characters insist on being named by the pencil. See the endpapers, where objects and their names are on display, such as a bridge named Ramona and a rug named Marcus. The acrylic illustrations underline the humor with their simplicity and child appeal. Readers and listeners familiar with Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson will note the same self-referential theme, although The Pencil contains more characters and color. An excellent choice for artists young and old who believe in the power of the pencil and the pen—and the eraser. In a similar vein, read Jeremy Draws a Monster by Peter McCarty (Holt, 2009).

  Baker, Keith 3–7 years

  LMNO PEAS

  Illustrated by Keith Baker

  New York: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster, 2010 | 978-1-4169-9141-0

  Here is an alphabet book starring, as the title promises, peas. More than just a green vegetable, these peas sport facial features, arms, and legs, as they ride bikes, play musical instruments, and perform science experiments, among many other activities. Each letter of the alphabet represents, and is surrounded by, peas of a certain occupation or peas engaged in activity; for example, hikers climb over the H and miners tunnel through the M. One to three of these jobs partner with each letter. Digital illustrations feature a large letter on each page, although some pages contain two letters and some letters take two pages. The little peas and their equipment go over, under, around, or through the letter. Touches of humor give a light mood to the book, as does the overall demeanor of the peas. The rhyming text flows along, with just a few words on each page; after a reading or two, young listeners will probably be able to identify what word comes next with a little prompting. Even for those who turn up their nose at eating peas, this ABC book is a delicious experience.

  Barnett, Mac 4–8 years

  BILLY TWITTERS AND HIS BLUE WHALE PROBLEM

  Illustrated by Adam Rex

  New York: Disney/Hyperion, 2009 | 978-0-7868-4958-1

  In this hugely entertaining fantasy, a young boy acquires a weighty task: to take care of a blue whale. Told in the first person, the text contains statements that the illustrations humorously contradict. Adults reading this book will appreciate the sly humor; for example, the blue whale owner’s manual mimics a foldout airline safety card, with its diagrams and arrows. In every scene in which Billy’s parents appear, dialogue balloons cover them from the neck up, underscoring the pronouncements coming from faceless authority. The author cleverly sneaks in facts about the blue whale and dinosaurs, which take nothing away from the laugh-out-loud mood of the story. Endpapers feature old-fashioned ads for odd products having to do with the sea, keeping the silly mood going.

  Barton, Chris 4–8 years

  SHARK VS. TRAIN

  Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

  New York: Little, Brown, 2010 | 978-0-316-00762-7

  All hail the creative brains behind this book! One vigorous situation after another spurs a battle between a shark and a train. Who would win if these anthropomorphized toys were pitted against each other in, say, a pie-eating contest or bowling? All these settings are framed by two pages preceding the title page that depict two boys digging through a toy box to find the shark and the train, and two pages at the end that show the boys tossing their favorites back in the toy box before they run to lunch. This story presents a perfect blend of word and picture, where the text presents the situation and action-packed illustrations bring out the humor in over-the-top fashion. Dialogue balloons provide even more sly humor, which will appeal to adults reading the story as well as to the children listening. Look for the page that gives new meaning to the phrase “jump the shark” and an homage to its origins. For lovers of action, comedy, ridiculou
s situations, and, of course, sharks and trains.

  Black, Michael Ian 4–8 years

  A PIG PARADE IS A TERRIBLE IDEA

  Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes

  New York: Simon & Schuster, 2010 | 978-1-4169-7922-7

  With droll humor in the text and laugh-inducing illustrations, this story asks that the reader or listener use imagination and yet face cold reality. The imagined pig parade, gloriously illustrated in acrylics featuring snappy uniforms, brilliant color, and even fireworks, marches out cartoon-style pigs. Compare those to the realistic porcines featured in the pages that explain why pigs will never march, dress in uniform, or play band instruments. The close-up of the pig snout after snuffling along the street is priceless! Children and the adults who read to them can enjoy this book on different levels of humor and laugh together.

  Broach, Elise 4–9 years

  WHEN DINOSAURS CAME WITH EVERYTHING

  Illustrated by David Small

  New York: Atheneum, 2007 | 978-0-689-86922-8

  For readers and listeners in search of pure fantasy of the “wouldn’t it be great if …” variety, this book is a real find. For every purchase, doctor’s visit, and haircut, a child receives a free dinosaur. Not the little plastic ones, but a real dinosaur. In the comical illustrations of watercolor and ink, the little boy appears thrilled and store clerks and nurses unruffled; the only one who seems to be upset is the boy’s mother. The dinos, of course, appear huge on each page where they are featured; on others, only their big heads are visible through windows. For those kids who are begging for a pet, this story offers a lot of parallels. (Did the hadrosaur really follow him home? Or did he tempt it with a doughnut?) Even Mom comes to terms with the dinosaurs in the end, and all live happily ever after. For more giant fun, see Laura Joy Rennert’s Buying, Training & Caring for Your Dinosaur, a humorous list-type story.