Great Picture Book Picks by Kellee

I never have enough time to blog about each and every great picture book I read, so every once in a while I like to do a post where I highlight several books so that I can share some of the wonderful picture books I hadn’t been able to review. Here are some that I have read so far this winter:

I’m My Own Dog
Author: David Ezra Stein
Published August 5th, 2014 by Candlewick Press

This hilarious book definitely makes you look at perspective and point of view! This dog is independent and doesn’t need anyone! But maybe he can help out this human by letting him be his owner. There are some laugh out loud moments in this book.

Penguin & Pumpkin
Author: Salina Yoon
Published July 29th, 2014 by Walker Childrens

Salina Yoon’s penguin books are a favorite of mine! (I am a sucker for all things penguins.) I particularly enjoy Yoon’s illustration and coloring style because they make her books so enjoyable to read. This Penguin book is about experiencing new things and sharing the joy you feel with others.

A Thirst for Home: A Story of Water Across the World
Author: Christine Ieronimo
Illustrator: Eric Velasquez
Published May 20th, 2014 by Walker Childrens

A Thirst for Home is a heart-wrenching story that was inspired by the author’s adopted Ethiopian daughter. It looks at the struggle for food and water in Africa and how some mothers must give up their children for adoption in hopes of their survival. This book would be a perfect companion to A Long Walk to Water.

Legend of the Dust Bunnies
Author: Michelle R. Eastman
Illustrator: Kevin Richter
Published August 21, 2014 by Byway Press

Told in fun quatrains with cartoon-esque illustrations, this story explains how our houses suddenly get dustier than we remember them and why cleaning up isn’t always such a good idea. It also celebrates differences and shows why you shouldn’t automatically judge someone’s choices.  (Book preview video at https://animoto.com/play/jYfpc2NfPL1WiV9v1zgevQ)

On My Way to School
Author: Sarah Maizes
Illustrator: Michael Paraskevas
Published July 1st, 2014 by Walker Childrens

I love how Maizes’s books promote imagination! I think imagination is such a wonderful part of childhood, and her books show the crazy, fun, exciting things you can do with your imagination. In this book, our narrator goes on quite an adventure on her way to school.

I Love You Night and Day
Author: Smriti Prasadam-Halls
Illustrator: Alison Brown
Published June 3rd, 2014 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

There are some books that were made to be bedtime stories told from loving parents to their child(ren)–this is one of them. It is a book about unconditional love and how it is felt in all kinds of different circumstances.

Time for Bed Fred
Author: Yasmeen Ishmail
Published February 11th, 2014 by Walker Childrens

Fred is a dog that many kids will relate to. He would rather do ANYTHING than go to bed, so he does whatever he can to avoid it. Every time you think the human has won and Fred is going to go to bed, the tables turn. This will be a fun bedtime story and a good companion to Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion.

Found
Author: Salina Yoon
Published April 1st, 2014 by Walker Childrens

Once again, Salina Yoon’s illustrations shine bright. They are so colorful and fun! This time they illustrate a story of a bear who finds a lost bunny and, although he is falling in love with the bunny, does everything to help it find its way home. A super sweet story! One of my favorite parts are the end sheets though. They are covered in lost advertisements that are so clever and filled with an allusions to Peter Pan and I Want My Hat Back and word plays

Recommended For: 

Happy reading!

**Thank you to Bloomsbury, Candlewick, and Michelle Eastman for providing some of these books**