Underwood, Deborah 3–7 years
THE QUIET BOOK
Illustrated by Renata Liwska
Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2010 | 978-0-547-21567-9
Hush! Celebrating the many types of quiet in a child’s life, this book projects a gentle mood. Small animals acting as children star on each page, as the text presents the kind of quiet illustrated. Solitary activities such as coloring appear, as do activities with friends, family, and schoolmates. Happy types of quiet are shown, in addition to ones that result from naughtiness and nervousness. Pencil drawings colored digitally show wonderful texture and great facial expressions. Teachers, librarians, and parents may imagine an immediate use for this book, and it should work; the calming rhythm of the words and soft colors are soothing enough to settle most everyone.
Wayland, April Halprin 5–9 years
NEW YEAR AT THE PIER: A ROSH HASHANAH STORY
Illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch
New York: Dial, 2009 | 978-0-8037-3279-7
Izzy prepares for a modern-day Jewish New Year by making a list of what he is sorry for. On that day, he walks down to the pier with his family, the rabbi, the cantor, and other families. With his list in mind, Izzy says “I’m sorry” to those he has wronged. Izzy is a likable character who has done some things that any child could relate to. With ink, watercolor, and gouache artwork featuring Jorisch’s distinctive figures, the story provides a good explanation of this Jewish holiday and some of the traditions surrounding it—especially tashlich, the casting away of wrongdoing. Izzy, his sister, his mother, classmates, and members of the congregation participate in the rituals of Rosh Hashanah in a book that melds lightheartedness with thoughtful reckoning. A good source for the study of other cultures and religions, this would also be an excellent choice for a discussion of friendship.
Whelan, Gloria 6–10 years
YATANDOU
Illustrated by Peter Sylvada
Chelsea, MI: Sleeping Bear, 2007 | 978-1-58536-211-0
A young girl in Mali relates, in first person, how she helped the women of her village afford a millet-grinding machine. While her mother sells food products at the market, Yatandou sells the goat she has nursed from the time he was a runt. The new machine eliminates hours of pounding grain each day; it also brings the opportunity to learn from a teacher how to read and write. This highly affecting story is matched by expressive illustrations that capture the heat and hard work of the village people, especially Yatandou’s family. (See figure 3.1.) An excellent portrayal of a very different life for children.
Figure 3.1. Yatandou
Yang, Belle 5–9 years
HANNAH IS MY NAME
Illustrated by Belle Yang
Cambridge, MA: Candlewick, 2004 | 978-0-7636-2223-7
Hannah’s story is an excellent explanation of green cards for young children. Coming to America from Taiwan with her mother and father, Hannah must learn a new language and wait for what seems like forever for the coveted green cards to arrive. Gouache illustrations in bold colors portray Hannah in her new apartment, at school, and at the diner where her father works. She wears red in every scene, symbolic of good fortune in Chinese culture. Endpapers in the front show the family in Taiwan with an ox-driven cart and, in the back, in a taxi in San Francisco, their new home. Set in the late 1960s, this story transcends time with its perfect capture of a young child’s interpretation of events.
Friends
Bailey, Linda 4–8 years
STANLEY’S WILD RIDE
Illustrated by Bill Slavin
Toronto: Kids Can, 2006 | 978-1-55337-960-7
Dreams of escape from his boring backyard come true for Stanley the dog, who leads his canine friends on a noisy night of fun. Busted! Delivered home by the police, Stanley goes meekly back to his yard—sort of. The acrylic artwork humorously portrays Stanley and the various breeds of his friends, the manner in which the dogs escape, and their rides in rolling forms of transportation. With dramatic page turns, a sentence begins on one page and continues on the next, while the tension ratchets up. The text does a marvelous job of capturing the excited sense of freedom and of describing an item by its look or smell, just as dogs would. For example, the skateboard is never named, just described as a “thing,” but the illustrations show it very clearly. This is one of Stanley’s many adventures with his friends, all of them comical and full of mischief.
Blumenthal, Deborah 4–8 years
BLACK DIAMOND & BLAKE
Illustrated by Miles Hyman
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009 | 978-0-375-84003-6
Because he can no longer win, a racehorse retires to a prison, where he becomes part of a horse care program. There he meets Blake, who is in prison for stealing to support his siblings and sick father. Although told in third person, the text makes clear Black Diamond’s feelings of pride, pain, sadness, and, finally, affection for Blake. Color choices in the dry pastel illustrations—soft gold, brown, and orange—enhance this tender look at the human-animal bond. The setting appears to be the 1930s, lending a nostalgic feel. Each illustration, whether on one page or across two, is framed in a black line and kept entirely within that space, which fits well with the prison setting. Budding equestrians may also enjoy Out of the Deeps (Orca, 2008), another story of a horse in a unique setting—in this case, a coal mine.
Clark, Emma Chichester 4–8 years
WILL AND SQUILL
Illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark
Minneapolis: Carolrhoda, 2006 | 978-1-57505-936-5
Originally published in England, this story delights in the use of language and picture as it follows the developing friendship of a young boy and a squirrel. The rhyme-loving Will and Squill even develop their own language. Colorful illustrations—with green dominating because most scenes take place outdoors—feature a variety of sizes: one full page alternating with two scenes on a page, with text interspersed among all. This placement makes the story fast moving as it packs in all the activities that Will and Squill share. Conflict occurs when Will’s parents give him a kitten. He enjoys it for a while but then finds that he prefers Squill’s company. Parallel situations, echo dialogue, and matching text make the prose lyrical.
Czekaj, Jef 4–8 years
HIP & HOP, DON’T STOP!
Illustrated by Jef Czekaj
New York: Hyperion/Disney, 2010 | 978-1-4231-1664-6
Hip, a turtle who lives in Slowjamz Swamp, and Hop, a rabbit who makes her home in Breakbeat Meadow, love to create rhyming raps. But Hip’s extremely slow raps put his audience to sleep, and Hop’s fast ones cannot be understood. They meet while preparing for a rap concert and decide to work together. Instructions at the beginning of this story tell the reader at what speed to read the color-coded rhymes, either fast or slow, which should prove amusing to listeners. The comic-style art, featuring dialogue balloons, funny animals, and references to popular culture, complement the subject nicely. Hip and Hop learn to blend their styles and also encourage the other animals to join in the dancing, which provides a positive ending to this story.
Egan, Tim 4–8 years
ROASTED PEANUTS
Illustrated by Tim Egan
Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2006 | 978-0-618-33718-7
The title gives a clue as to what is going to be important in this baseball story. Although Sam and Jackson like to think that they will someday play together in the big leagues, they both know that Sam is a natural athlete, good at all aspects of baseball, whereas Jackson can only throw. Looking out for and encouraging each other, Sam makes the team and Jackson becomes a peanut vendor known for his many-rows-over tosses. With a cast of animal characters, and Sam as a horse and Jackson as a cat, this story nevertheless is a study of human nature, with its joys and its disappointments, sweetened by loyalty and true friendship. Ink-and-watercolor illustrations feature tall Sam and squat Jackson, plus an assortment of pigs, cows, dogs, and others at the baseball field and in the neighborhood. Subdued humor and lika
ble characters make this story a championship read.
Espinosa, Laura 4–8 years
OTIS AND RAE AND THE GRUMBLING SPLUNK
Illustrated by Leo Espinosa
Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2008 | 978-0-618-98206-6
Bold bright colors in blue, pink, and orange will catch the eye initially, and the story of two friends on a campout who meet a friendly monster will continue the attraction. Uncomplicated comical illustrations in a graphic novel style—some panels, dialogue balloons, lines around heads indicating strong emotions—are rendered in a mix of pencil, coffee, gouache, and Photoshop. Brave Rae and scared Otis make a good pair as they get into and out of several situations, none too scary for the younger crowd. The splunk is not too frightening, either, but he does emit a great grumble, which holds excellent possibilities for a read-aloud session.
Fleming, Denise 3–7 years
BUSTER
Illustrated by Denise Fleming
New York: Henry Holt, 2003 | 978-0-8050-6279-3
Isn’t it common knowledge that dogs and cats don’t care for each other? Buster, the title dog, leads a pretty good life until his owner, Brown Shoes, brings home Betty, a cat. Buster displays his emotions in both illustrations and text here: his fear, which causes him to stiffen; his studied nonchalance as Betty takes over his favorite things; his anger when she goes too far and changes his favorite radio station. Fleming shows Buster’s exuberance as he escapes to a beautiful park, then his increasing panic as he tries to find his way back home. Isn’t it perfect that Betty, up in a tree, leads him back? The deep-hued illustrations, made by “pouring colored cotton fiber through hand-cut stencils,” according to the illustration information, appeal in their color and textured look. (See figure 3.2.) A map that illustrates Buster’s path from the park back home will delight map readers who like to follow along. In a further adventure, Buster Goes to Cowboy Camp (Holt, 2008).
Figure 3.2. Buster
Frazee, Marla 4–8 years
A COUPLE OF BOYS HAVE THE BEST WEEK EVER
Illustrated by Marla Frazee
Orlando: Harcourt, 2008 | 978-0-15-206020-6
Frazee provides a perfect example of a picture book where the illustrations convey the opposite of the text, providing loads of laughs. James and Eamon are the boys of the title, and their best week involves nature camp. Eamon’s grandparents, Pam and Bill, babysit the boys when they are not at camp and supply lots of food (Pam) and information on penguins (Bill). The black Prismacolor-and-gouache illustrations take up most of each page, with the text hand-lettered. This book is just plain fun, and many listeners will think it is the best book ever.
Gorbachev, Valeri 3–8 years
WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA, MOLLY?
Illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev
New York: Philomel/Penguin, 2010 | 978-0-399-25428-4
The “big idea” of the title is one that friends each try to generate as they think of a present for another friend’s birthday. Molly the mouse, along with Rabbit, Goose, Frog, and Pig, all devise ideas that are too similar, until Molly has an inspiration. Even though some lines of text and pictures feature the secondary characters, Molly is the center of the story. The only named character, she unifies and leads the group. Lovely illustrations in watercolor, gouache, and ink provide an idealistic atmosphere of friends who cooperate and work together to surprise their friend Turtle. This book would be useful in explaining the creative process, for units on friendship or cooperation, or just as a gentle read-aloud.
Hopkinson, Deborah 4–8 years
ABE LINCOLN CROSSES A CREEK: A TALL, THIN TALE
Illustrated by John Hendrix
New York: Schwartz & Wade, 2008 | 978-0-375-83768-5
A story of friendship and daring starring Lincoln as a seven-year-old is an imaginative takeoff on two real characters—Abe and Austin—in 1816 Kentucky. Austin saves his friend from drowning when Abe falls off a log into a creek. Told in an aw-shucks manner, as if relating the tale around a campfire, the story crackles with danger and suspense. The author sometimes speaks directly to the audience, asking them to clap and call encouragement. At times, she refers to the artist, whose hand shows itself on several pages sketching and painting. This removal of the wall between author and reader contributes even more to the participatory storytelling feel. With their size and immediacy, the illustrations, in watercolor and pen and ink, invite readers and listeners to become involved in the story. The endpapers again show the illustrator’s hand, sketches in black and white, broken pencils, and a sharpener, plus wadded-up paper. Making a character in history relatable to twenty-first century children is tough, but this book excels at it.
Howe, James 4–8 years
HORACE AND MORRIS SAY CHEESE (WHICH MAKES DOLORES SNEEZE!)
Illustrated by Amy Walrod
New York: Ginee Seo/Atheneum, 2009 | 978-0-689-83940-5
When cheese-loving Dolores runs up against an allergy that makes her break out in itchy spots, the unthinkable happens. Under doctor’s orders to stop eating cheese, Dolores finds herself obsessed with the food, and she is tempted to try some cheese again, which promptly makes her break out. The upcoming Everything Cheese Festival brings out her creative side, however, and she finds a way to indulge her love of food and cooking, albeit without cheese. This tale of three friends combines humor, dialogue, and situations. The love of cheese runs through the trio’s adventures in other books, but this book puts it center stage. The acrylic illustrations enhance the text’s humor and add their own—for example, Dolores’s X-ray with perfectly formed cheese swimming inside her, or the movie posters full of “cheesy” humor. This story could be used for children who have a particular food allergy, but it would make a fun read-aloud for any group, with its kid-friendly story and art and its heroine overcoming an obstacle.
Jeffers, Oliver 3–8 years
LOST AND FOUND
Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
New York: Philomel/Penguin, 2005 | 978-0-399-24503-9
Disarmingly simple, this saga of a boy and a penguin celebrates friendship. With good intentions, the boy decides to return the lost penguin to the South Pole, but he finds that the bird is not happy there, just lonely. Eventually they row back home. The illustrations, as understated as the narrative, reflect what is going on in the text but add more attitude and humor. Jeffers depicts the journey to the South Pole impressively, with full-page spreads of water and sky and, eventually, ice floes. Illustrations of the two main characters show that the boy is only slightly bigger than the penguin, emphasizing their equality and their friendship. This beautiful story is perfect for read-alouds, parent-child sharing, or independent reading.
Keller, Holly 4–8 years
HELP! A STORY OF FRIENDSHIP
Illustrated by Holly Keller
New York: Greenwillow/HarperCollins, 2007 | 978-0-06-123913-7
Eye-catching illustrations combine with a story of mistaken interpretation. When Mouse expresses fear that Snake is out to hurt him, his friends Hedgehog, Squirrel, and Rabbit help him to see that it is not true. The unique art—collographs and watercolors—portrays what could be described as simply leaves and animals on each page, but the amazing detail of line and color makes it so much more. Keller explains her process of collographs (printed collages) on the inside back cover of the book jacket. The size and clarity of the illustrations make this a perfect read-aloud for groups. One of the page spreads will have to be rotated as it depicts a tall scene, making for variety. The story is perfect in its simplicity and clarity of theme.
McCarty, Peter 3–7 years
HONDO AND FABIAN
Illustrated by Peter McCarty
New York: Henry Holt, 2002 | 978-0-8050-6352-3
Hondo the dog and Fabian the cat, who live in the same house, go their separate ways one day for adventures. While Hondo enjoys a car ride and a frolic on the beach, Fabian stays home and plays with the baby and the toilet tissue. Fine illustrations, pencil on watercolor paper, enha
nce the story and its gentleness. Each two-page spread features an illustration on one page and text on the opposite. Soft, muted hues contribute to the unruffled feeling, as do the rounded bodies of the two main characters. Animal lovers will delight in certain of the pictures, and even those who are not will be entranced by the baby picking up the cat or Hondo sprawled out on the floor asleep. The two continue their adventures in Fabian Escapes.
Noyes, Deborah 4–8 years
PRUDENCE & MOXIE: A TALE OF MISMATCHED FRIENDS
Illustrated by AnnaLaura Cantone
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009 | 978-0-618-41607-3
True to their names, Prudence is careful while Moxie never heard a dare she did not try. Despite their differences, the two enjoy a good friendship, although Prudence is sometimes exasperated by Moxie. In only one case does the fearless Moxie quaver: she will not get anywhere close to Prudence’s horse. The illustrations, rendered in mixed media, acrylic, and collage, project a goofiness that all ages will enjoy. Bright colors, patterned borders, and the wonderful antlers on Prudence and tail on Moxie attract the eye and satisfy the funny bone. The text, very realistic in its portrayal of friends and kid situations, has its own touches of humor, especially in the levels of “dare you” and in some of the harebrained activities Moxie attempts. A good match of word and picture, this story shows how everyone needs both a little prudence and a little moxie in their lives.
Picture Books for Children Page 8
