Because of It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? posts, I find myself often with huge piles of picture books from the library that were highly recommended by fellow bloggers. I celebrate many of the nonfiction pictures books on Wednesdays, but I want to share some of the fiction picture books I have enjoyed. So, I decided to start series here on UR where I can pass on the love for these books sporadically as I read them. Here is a list of some great pictures books that I’ve read recently from my huge library pile (part 1!).
Knock Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me
Author: Daniel Beaty
Illustrator: Bryan Collier
Published December 17th, 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Daniel Beaty’s def jam session brought to life with his beautiful words and some amazingly detailed and deep artwork. This is an important book as it deals with divorce/death/incarceration of a parent. This is one of those subjects that are not talked about in many picture books, but should be as millions of kids deal with it. Knock Knock is told from the point of view of a boy whose father doesn’t wake him up one morning and how he deals with the loss and continues to grow. Such a powerful book that will generate many conversations.
What Do You Do With An Idea?
Author: Kobi Yamada
Illustrator: Mae Besom
Published February 1st, 2014 by Compendium Inc.
What Do You Do With An Idea? is a book about the power of ideas and how you should nurture ideas and allow them to grow into whatever they are going to become. I love that it promotes creativity, imagination, and thinking as these are all things that are often pushed aside too often in the world of rushing and testing. This book would be a great companion to The Most Magnificent Thing and a read aloud of the two books would be a great basis for a unit.
Emily’s Blue Period
Author: Cathleen Daly
Illustrator: Lisa Brown
Published June 17th, 2014 by Roaring Brook Press
Emily’s Blue Period is actually a early chapter book that is about a much deeper topic than the cover/title makes it seem. Emily’s parents are divorced, and she is dealing with the emotions and frustration with her new separated life. These are feelings that so many children go through each year, and Cathleen Daly truly delves into this subject in a thoughtful and deep way. Additionally, I adore the inclusion of Picasso into the text as I felt it added an extra element to the text.
This Is A Moose
Author: Richard T. Morris
Illustrator: Tom Lichtenheld
Published May 6th, 2014 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
This book actually made me laugh out loud. The poor duck director just wants to do a documentary on a moose, but the moose is definitely not cooperating. He wants more to life, and he is NOT acting like he should! And neither is the chipmunk. Or the giraffe (why is a giraffe there?!). Or anyone! What is a duck supposed to do?!?!
This book is going to be an amazing read aloud, and I am a huge fan of the end.
My Teacher Is A Monster
Author: Peter Brown
Published July 1st, 2014 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
This book was very different than I thought it was going to be, and I am not going to give away what it is truly about because I want you to be able to discover it with you. Like always Peter Brown gives us a thoughtful, funny, well-done book that is going to be loved by kids.
The Mermaid and the Shoe
Author: K.G. Campbell
Published April 1st, 2014 by Kids Can Press
I adored K.G. Campbell’s illustrations in Flora and Ulysses, and he did not disappoint with The Mermaid and the Shoe. This book is about discovery and being different. Minnow is not like her sisters (all whom are perfect), and she just hasn’t figured out what she excels at yet; however, through some adventures, she finds out what she truly is good at. Minnow is a great role model for kids. She doesn’t let comments or other people’s judgments from being who she is.
What picture books should I add to my pile next?
All awesome books, Kellee. I can’t even choose a favorite!