Picture Books for Children Read online

  Averbeck, Jim 3–7 years

  IN A BLUE ROOM

  Illustrated by Tricia Tusa

  Orlando: Harcourt, 2008 | 978-0-15-205992-7

  Anyone who has ever resisted going to sleep, or who has dealt with a child doing the same, will relate to this book. While her mother entices Alice with flowers and tea and a quilt, the little girl insists that each item be blue. Finally, when her mother turns off the lamp, the moonlight turns everything in her room that color, and she can finally sleep. The ink, watercolor, and gouache illustrations reflect Alice’s restlessness, but then, as the blueness of the moonlight comes in, create a mood of peace and rest. The text and illustrations capture perfectly the illogic of Alice’s demands and the magic of the color-changing properties of moonlight. Pair this with Jonathan Bean’s At Night (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2007), the story of a little girl with insomnia who finally finds rest on a rooftop, and Mij Kelly’s William and the Night Train (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2000), where a wide-awake boy finds sleep on the train to Tomorrow.

  Avraham, Kate Aver 4–8 years

  WHAT WILL YOU BE, SARA MEE?

  Illustrated by Anne Sibley O’Brien

  Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2010 | 978-1-58089-210-0

  In first person, big brother Chong explains the Korean celebration of tol, for a baby’s first birthday, to his baby sister and to the readers. He looks forward especially to toljabee, a game where the birthday child selects from a number of objects; what she picks is an indication of her future. Ink-and-watercolor illustrations show Chong and Sara, their parents, grandparents, and other relatives and friends in a celebratory mood, enhanced by bright colors and some traditional costumes. Bold black lines surround the colors and provide a pleasing contrast. Throughout the story, the family speculates on little Sara’s future occupation by what she seems to enjoy. A glossary of Korean words and an author’s note at the end offer more information about this celebration.

  Banks, Kate 6–9 years

  MAX’S WORDS

  Illustrated by Boris Kulikov

  New York: Frances Foster/Farrar Straus Giroux, 2006 | 978-0-374-39949-8

  A little brother, outshone by his stamp-collecting and coin-collecting older siblings, discovers something that interests him. Max now collects words by cutting them out of publications and eventually makes them into sentences and then stories. The marvelously quirky illustrations feature differing points of view, dependent upon scene: a bird’s-eye view of the older brothers’ collections, Max in a chair with the words displayed in front of and larger than him, and a small Max and his brothers entering into a story of a worm and a large crocodile. The words Max collects progress from simple typescript to colorful and shapely; the word pancakes features round and tan letters, hissed portrays two green snakes as the ss’s. Continue witnessing the power of words with Max’s Dragon (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2008), where Max and his brothers search for rhyming words.

  Billingsley, Franny 4–8 years

  BIG BAD BUNNY

  Illustrated by G. Brian Karas

  New York: Richard Jackson/Atheneum, 2008 | 978-1-4169-0601-8

  This book provides a splendid example of the use of contrast in story and illustration. Entering this story from the title page, readers and listeners may believe that it is about a mean rabbit threatening a small animal’s house in a tree stump. But through the course of the narrative and enhanced by the illustrations in gouache and acrylic with pencil, the rabbit is not who he appears to be. The illustrations of the Big Bad Bunny appear wild and drawn in an almost childlike way (note the mean black eyebrows). His splashing and gnawing and stomping come alive through the action and color of the drawings. In contrast, the illustrations of the house where Mama Mouse takes care of her babies exude calm and orderliness. Although green is the dominant color, because much of the action happens outside, bright splashes of orange and red bring out the fierceness of the title character. At its heart, this is a story of a mother’s love for her child who has imagined an alter ego and then become frightened by it.

  Bradford, Wade 5–9 years

  WHY DO I HAVE TO MAKE MY BED? OR, A HISTORY OF MESSY ROOMS

  Illustrated by Johanna van der Sterre

  Berkeley, CA: Tricycle/Random House, 2011 | 978-1-58246-327-8

  The old adage “The more things change, the more they stay the same” rings true as the theme of this book. A little boy does not want to make his bed because he feels he has already done too many chores. His mother tells him about his grandmother, who said the same thing in 1953, when she heard the story from her mother about her grandfather, who said the same thing in 1911, and back through history. The playful illustrations, in watercolor and digitally finished, depict the rooms, beds, and toys of the children; the year is also part of the illustration. The repetition of the title question is amusing, while the enumeration of particular chores is instructive. A good book for discussion (notice how the number of toys decreases as history rolls back), this would also work as a supplement to social studies. At the end of the book, a two-page “Chores through the Ages” provides information on children’s lives and playthings from prehistoric times through the present day.

  Brown, Peter 4–8 years

  CHILDREN MAKE TERRIBLE PETS

  Illustrated by Peter Brown

  New York: Little, Brown, 2010 | 978-0-316-01548-6

  In a twist on the familiar child-wants-a-pet plot, this story features a little girl bear who wants a child. As soon as Lucy sees the “critter” in her part of the forest, she knows that he is the perfect pet for her. True to form, Mother Bear says all the things that a human mother would say. The illustrations, a combination of pencil, construction paper, wood, and some digital, feature an appealing Lucy and her adorable little boy enjoying typical activities together. The text of the narrative is set off in rectangular boxes, while dialogue appears in word balloons of a different color, hand-lettered by Brown. Illustrations are bordered on each page with a thin frame of different-colored woods, corresponding to the forest setting. All good things must end, as Lucy discovers when her pet boy goes missing, but a twist on the last page provides a humorous ending and speculation for what comes next in her search for a pet. With the almost universal theme of wanting a pet, the cross-species behaviors, and humorous situations, this book will appeal to most readers and listeners. For a read-alike, see C’mere, Boy! by Sharon Jennings (Kids Can, 2010).

  Bruchac, Joseph 3–7 years

  MY FATHER IS TALLER THAN A TREE

  Illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin

  New York: Dial/Penguin, 2010 | 978-0-8037-3173-8

  Thirteen different pairs of dads and sons fill the pages of this celebration of a father’s love and support. Each two-page spread contains a large illustration across the top, with four smaller illustrations in a band below, and then text in a narrow band at the bottom. The beautifully textured art features a diverse group of fathers who differ ethnically and in other ways. There is a father who looks like a grandfather. One of the fathers is blind, with a guide dog and cane. In each setting, the father and son enjoy activities that any child could relate to: walking in the park, playing hide-and-seek, making faces. For those children who call their father something other than Dad, the names Pop, mi papá, Pa, and Papa appear. The very last page turn reveals twenty-four small squares, each with the fathers and sons from throughout the book participating in even more fun activities. A beautiful look at the father-son bond, through all seasons, in many parts of the country, and with many loving fathers.

  Cole, Henry 3–8 years

  TRUDY

  Illustrated by Henry Cole

  New York: Greenwillow/HarperCollins, 2009 | 978-0-06-154268-8

  Esme is one lucky little girl. Her farmer grandfather tells her that they will find a pet for her at the auction. After searching, they finally find one they can both agree on: Trudy the goat. Esme loves her new pet. Soon family, friends, and neighbors realize that Trudy is special, too, for she can forecast
when it will snow. But as winter deepens, Trudy gives up her weather-predicting ways in order to concentrate on something even more special. This gentle book portrays the love of grandparents and granddaughter, as well as the love of a little girl for her farm pet. Read-alouds will be fun as the dialogue lends itself to the interpretation of grandfather’s gruff, yet gentle sentiments and neighbors’ enthusiastic comments. The illustrations, rendered in acrylic paints, seamlessly combine pastoral quietness and the activity of chores with a bit of humor. The browns and tans of autumn give way to the whites and blues of winter as time passes and readers head for the payoff: Trudy and her baby, who seems to have a forecasting ability of her own.

  Cordell, Matthew 4–8 years

  TROUBLE GUM

  Illustrated by Matthew Cordell

  New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2009 | 978-0-312-38774-7

  The cover gives a mighty big clue to the story this book holds: a small pig has blown a huge pink bubble that encircles the words of the title. Then there are the front endpapers, full of big and small bubbles being blown by the same pig. In the story, the bubble-blowing pig, Ruben, receives some gum from his visiting grandmother. While his mother recites the gum rules to Ruben and his little brother, Julius (you can just tell they’ve heard these before!), Ruben gets busy chewing his in all sorts of positions and motions. All this is hilariously pictured in small black, gray, red, and pink drawings. Action words portraying the unwrapping, snapping, stretching, and smacking accompany, and become part of, the illustrations. Readers can anticipate the trouble of the title as Ruben systematically ignores his mother’s three rules and finally makes a giant bubble mess in the largest picture of the story. Be sure to notice the final endpapers, similar to the front ones, but full of popped bobbles. Ruben takes naughtiness to the most entertaining level.

  Crow, Kristyn 5–9 years

  THE MIDDLE-CHILD BLUES

  Illustrated by David Catrow

  New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons/Penguin, 2009 | 978-0-399-24735-4

  Oh, to be the middle child, between an older brother and a baby sister who can seemingly do no wrong and who get all the privileges. With a text that imparts the rhythm and the pacing of a blues song, and the pencil-and-watercolor illustrations that wackily portray people and events, the story introduces the forgotten child. The humor carries through with garish colors that culminate at an amusement park, where middle child Lee sings his song and plays his guitar to hordes of other middles, including his parents. Check his pompadour and shirt collar, which go into full Elvis mode by the end of the story. A marvelous example of illustrations that add an extra layer to the text, in this case with goofiness and the put-upon demeanor of Lee. Contrast to Elizabeth Winthrop’s Squashed in the Middle (Holt, 2005), which has a more realistic and gentle tone.

  Crowe, Carole 4–8 years

  TURTLE GIRL

  Illustrated by Jim Postier

  Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills, 2008 | 978-1-59078-262-0

  Magdalena waits for the annual arrival of the sea turtles with her grandmother. As the turtles lay their eggs in the sand, the girl protects them from predators and garbage on the beach. When her grandmother dies, a heartbroken Magdalena becomes angry. But sadness and hope mingle in the story, as eventually she goes out to the beach to witness the newly hatched turtles making their journey back to the sea. The realistic illustrations reflect the wonder of this part of the turtles’ journey, the wisdom being passed from one generation to the next, and Magdalena’s sadness at her grandmother’s passing. (See figure 2.1.) Rich blue-and-green illustrations match the sea, but also the characters’ clothing, providing continuity. Skillfully rendered, the illustrations of the turtles are awe inspiring.

  Figure 2.1. Turtle Girl

  Crum, Shutta 4–8 years

  THUNDER-BOOMER!

  Illustrated by Carol Thompson

  Boston: Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009 | 978-0-618-61865-1

  Crum and Thompson take readers and listeners through a summer storm in the country. A farm family, consisting of parents and two children, feel a change in the weather, see the darkening sky, and run for shelter just before the rain and hail hit. Humorous illustrations, in watercolor, gouache, pastel, crayon, and collage, capture the excitement and fear of a potentially damaging storm. The side story of Maizey the hen and her strange behavior is resolved when everyone discovers she was protecting a kitten. The text, with strong verbs, is just right for a storm story. The author’s poetry background shows in her phrases that arouse the senses. Readers will almost be able to feel the humid air of a languid summer day, hear the frenzy of wind and rain and hail, and finally smell the after-rain. Sounds and bits of dialogue become part of the illustrations, which make it all seem very immediate. A good story to supplement a discussion about storms or farms. A complement to this, Like a Hundred Drums by Annette Griessman (Houghton Mifflin, 2006), also portrays a thunderstorm in a rural area.

  Denise, Anika 3–8 years

  BELLA AND STELLA COME HOME

  Illustrated by Christopher Denise

  New York: Philomel/Penguin, 2010 | 978-0-399-24243-4

  A wonderful example of illustrations completing a story, this book takes on a common childhood experience—moving to a new house. Reading the text only, one would assume that two children leave the old house, ride to the new house, explore rooms, unpack, and spend a first night there. But the illustrations, pencil and digital, tell a different story: a little girl and her stuffed elephant experience these events. In some of the illustrations, especially where emotions run high, Stella the elephant is portrayed as huge. In others, she appears as a normal-sized toy. The ending introduces the neighbors, including a little boy with a stuffed giraffe. Obviously, these two will be friends, as the last page shows them playing cards with imaginary giant-sized animals. This story comforts as it tackles a standard childhood situation with gentle humor and a steadfast friend.

  Falconer, Ian 4–8 years

  OLIVIA FORMS A BAND

  Illustrated by Ian Falconer

  New York: Anne Schwartz/Atheneum, 2006 | 978-1-4169-2454-8

  Many “diva” books have appeared recently, but Falconer’s Olivia titles belong near the top of the heap. With rather spare illustrations—notice the effective use of shading to add depth and texture—the books feature an anthropomorphized young pig who clearly sees herself as the center of attention of her family. The facial expressions and reactions of her parents and two younger brothers reinforce the humor that emanates from Olivia and her wild ideas. In this title, she becomes a one-woman band to accompany fireworks. Parents and teachers will recognize familiar situations and conversations; young readers and listeners will identify with the irrepressible and ever-creative Olivia. Everyone will respond to the humor, both broad and sly, as they enter into Olivia’s world. Colorful illustrations in charcoal and gouache consist of black, white, and gray, with splashes of red and blue; several pages, especially in the fireworks scenes, contain much more color on a dark background. Look for Olivia’s “Supreme dream” on the final page, which gives an idea of her ego.

  Gravett, Emily 4–8 years

  LITTLE MOUSE’S BIG BOOK OF FEARS

  Illustrated by Emily Gravett

  New York: Simon & Schuster, 2008 | 978-1-4169-5930-4

  A collection of fears could be scary, but this book makes them manageable. Little Mouse acknowledges her fears on each page spread, conveniently labeled with the particular phobia portrayed. A stunning array of these fears, some common (fear of spiders) and some not (fear of clocks), come to scary life through the illustrations of Little Mouse and her pencil. A color scheme of muted shades of tan, with black and white and occasional splashes of red and blue, lends an air of secrecy and fear. The illustrations, oil-based pencil and watercolor, also contain found objects. Several pages feature foldouts: of a newspaper, a map, and a postcard. Pages with chewed corners and illustrations of spills continue the theme of a little mouse creating the book as the reader page
s through. Never fear! The twist ending makes it all worthwhile.

  Grimes, Nikki 5–10 years

  OH, BROTHER!

  Illustrated by Mike Benny

  New York: Amistad/Greenwillow/HarperCollins, 2008 | 978-0-688-17294-7

  When his mami remarries, Xavier gains a stepfather plus a stepbrother, Chris. In a series of twenty short poems, Xavier tells the reader all about his resentment and his battles with Chris. But along the way, he finds out why Chris feels he has to be the perfect child and what happened to his mother. Each poem is a perfect jewel of a feeling, an event, or an emotion that Xavier works through. The gouache illustrations reflect these feelings, some realistically and some symbolically. For example, on one two-page spread, Xavier on a pizza in outer space looks on as his mother and the two interlopers play on another pizza on the facing page. In another, a tiny Xavier cowers on a page filled with the huge feet of his stepdad and stepbrother. A wonderful book for the study and appreciation of poetry, for the portrayal of a blended family that many students will relate to, for the depiction of an interracial family (Hispanic and African American), and for a story with a truly happy ending.

  Harper, Charise Mericle 4–8 years