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Category Archives: picture books for pairing
20 picture books on fear
Know a kid who has a fear? Or a human who doesn’t?!
I talked to a soon to be fifth grader recently who had one. Or a whole constellation of them, for good reason. She was about to start school in a new country where she didn’t know the school, the place, or any of the kids. Pretty scary. I told her I was confident she’d do just fine. Because I am confident she’ll do just fine.
But she got me thinking about the fears that accompany this time of year, the beginning of school, and how the fears really don’t stop coming.
Picture books are such a comfort to fears (especially if someone comforting is reading them aloud). Like all books, they let us know there are other people who feel the way we do. Who face what we face. Who do just fine.
Here are 20 picture book prescriptions that help address a number of different kinds of fears should they come in handy this year. They aren’t necessarily about fear, but they address specific fears in one way or another. They comfort. And they’re all really good books.
Silly Billy by Anothony Browne.
Uncle Peter’s Amazing Chinese Wedding (Anne Schwartz Books) written by Lenore Look, illustrations by Yumi Heo.
Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt.
The Ok Book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld.
There Are No Scary Wolves by Hyewon Yum.
Mostly Monsterly by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Scott Magoon.
Brave Ben by Mathilde Stein, illustrated by Mies Van Hout.
Pecan Pie Baby by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Sophie Blackall.
The Sea Serpent and Me by Dashka Slater, illustrated by Catia Chien.
Edda: A Little Valkyrie’s First Day of School by Adam Auerbach.
I’m Here by Peter H. Reynolds.
Jibberwillies at Night by Rachel Vail, illustrated by Yumi Heo.
Garmann’s Summer by Stian Hole.
The Little Matador by Julian Hector.
My Name Is Yoon by Helen Recorvits, pictures by Gabi Swiatkowska.
Meena by Sine van Mol, illustrated by Cariane Wijffels.
Shrinking Violet by Cari Best, illustrated by Giselle Potter.
Your turn. Do you have any recommendations of picture books that address a certain fear? Tell us about it!
9 picture books from the 90s
This is my latest installment of picture books by the decade. How great was the 90s for picture books? Seriously great. At least I think so. (Notice I’ve used bubble writing for the years in each picture!)
Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran, illustrated by Barbara Cooney was on my PBs for summer list as well because it’s quintessentially summer and captures the magic of childhood at the same time. Ah, this book. A favorite. A classic. Perfection.
The Widow’s Broom by Chris Van Allsburg is dark and clever and deals with (this is Chris Van Allsburg!) magic. A woman, a witch, a broom, what the neighbors think, and the meaning of evil.
Pumpkins: A Story for a Field by Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Barry Root. I’ve sung this one’s praises here before too. But really it just blows me away. Early Mary Lyn Ray is so so good. (As is later and current!)
Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say is a dear to my heart book about immigration, family, and having two homes. It’s one of the first picture books I loved as an adult.
The Library by Sarah Stewart, pictures by David Small is a tribute to books and libraries and this lovable nose-in-a-book-character, Elizabeth Brown, who embodies both.
A Special Kind of Love by Stephen Michael King is quite an unusual book. It’s about a father who can’t say the words, “I love you,” to his son, so he shows him through the stuff he makes with his hands.
Night Driving by John Coy, illustrated by Peter McCarthy is another father/son book. It’s slow and quiet like a road trip and full of details for soaking up.
A Picture Book of Amelia Earhart by David A. Adler, illustrated by Jeff Fisher. I do love a heroic historical lady biography.
Weslandia by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes is one of my favorite books, period. Wesley is a bullied boy. He’s also an ingenious one. Over summer vacation, he turns his backyard into a veritable civilization by growing one staple crop. It’s strange and brilliant and empowering.
Looking at this list of my faves from the 90s, I’m not sure what conclusions to draw exactly. But I would note the magical realism threaded through this list. Relationships with family members figure into this bunch too, as well as relationships to special places.
Okay, your turn! Please tell me any of your favorite 90s picture books in the comments!
And check out 8 picture books from the 80s too!
seek and find picture books
These two are perfect summer activity books. Imagine the hours that could be spent combing each for all the details. All the stories and characters and subplots. They’re like Where’s Waldo but with intricate stories to follow and discover. (I’m super jealous of anyone who can enjoy these while riding in a car. They are well-suited for those not afflicted with motion sickness during road trips.)
The Bear’s Sea Escape by Benjamin Chaud (2014), follow up to The Bear’s Song (2011).
click image(s) to enlarge
We follow a papa bear searching for his baby bear as we look for him too. All the way from the opera house of the first installment through the cold streets to a cruise ship that sails to a tropical island.
The search is the fun of the book, spotting big bear and little bear in every spread, wanting so badly for them to find one other like we’ve found them!
Chaud’s lavish illustrations are outrageously delightful throughout. And you can almost hear what’s going on in every spread: the hustle and bustle, the music. Always, the music.
Thanks to Chronicle Books for images!
Welcome To Mamoko by Aleksandra Mizielińska and Daniel Mizieliński (2013).
In Mamoko, we’re introduced to a few kooky characters on the first page. Then, we follow one or two or all of those creatures on a wordless adventure.
You can pick an animal and basically discover a different story on every read through! My favorite character might be the cow in red heels, but it’s a tough call. I do love a romantic roller-skater!
Images via Big Picture Press.
This video will show you how it’s done:
I hope you know some kids who can have fun with these activity/story books this summer. And if you and yours are able to read them in a moving vehicle, then I super salute you!
I received a review copy of The Bear’s Sea Escape; opinions are my own.
two baseball picture books
Players in Pigtails by Shana Corey, illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon (2003).
click image(s) to enlarge
(I know, I’m always talking about Shana Corey‘s historical lady books but this one is another homerun! For real.) Our main character in this case, Katie Casey, isn’t a historical figure. EXCEPT.
1.) Her name is in the lyrics of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”
“Katie Casey was baseball mad.
Had the fever and had it bad;…
On a Saturday her young bea
Called to see if she’d like to go
To see a show, but Miss Kate said…
“No, I’ll tell you what you can do.
Take me out to the ball game…'”
2.) There used to be an All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Yeah, baseball. A la A League of Their Own.
So while Katie Casey isn’t a historical figure, she’s representative of historical women, the ones during World War II who played baseball while the boys fought overseas.
“She preferred home runs to homecoming.” And when boys said, “What good is baseball to a girl?” it didn’t sway Katie from trying out from their team. And then, Mr. Wrigley created one for her and others like her that lasted from 1943-1954. Woo hoo!
I love how the girls and ladies prove the skeptics wrong in their first game. I love the way Shana Corey spins a story. And I love Rebecca Gibbon’s handwriting that plays throughout her lovely, lovely colored pencil drawings.
Thanks to Rebecca Gibbon for images!
Brothers at Bat: The True Story of an Amazing All-Brother Baseball Team by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Steven Salerno (2012).
And now we turn to the boys. A whole family of them. The 12 brothers Acerra who all played baseball in the 30s, 40s, and 50s. (They weren’t actually the only all brother team, but they played the longest of any other.)
In 1938, the oldest nine of the brothers started a semi-pro team with their name on it. The next year, the Acerra clan was honored at the World’s Fair for being the biggest family in New Jersey (there were some girls too). They got to fly in a real, live airplane to go.
The illustrations capture the vibe of the times, the camaraderie of brothers, and the feeling of warm days and baseball. Six brothers served in WWII and all six returned home safe. So they could get back to being brothers filling the field.
A sketch.
More process.
And a photo of the real Accerras. Be sure to check out Steven Salerno’s blog post on the process of art-making for the book, complete with more sketches, photos, and alternate book covers!
Thanks to Steven Salerno for the images!
picture books on sleep
Hannah’s Night by Komako Sakai (2013).
In a way this book is not about sleep at all. It’s about Hannah waking up in the night and not being asleep. But everyone else in the house is—her mother and father and even her sister who shares the bedroom. Except for Shiro the cat. The cat is awake and keeps Hannah company.
click image(s) to enlarge
I see this as one girl’s first experience of independence. Her instinct is to wake her sister to keep her company, but “she didn’t budge.” Hannah’s alone (aside from said cat) and she’s wandering the house, making her own decisions, keeping herself entertained. She’s taking a big, brave step in growing up.
“So even when Hannah gave Shiro some milk and ate some cherries without asking, nobody told her off.”
When Hannah decides to go back to bed, it’s to play and draw.
It’s only when daylight begins that Hannah gets tired and goes back to sleep. Her own, private, nocturnal adventure is over.
That spread above, with the dove, that’s my favorite one. Sakai’s paint and colored pencil illustrations are exquisite. So layered and full of texture and even in the deep blue darkness, have so many bright highlights. And still, they portray the rough murkiness of childhood and a house at night. (She shares some commonalities with her predecessor, Taro Yashima.)
Oh and do check out Komako Sakai’s other books as well.
Thanks to Myrick Marketing for the images!
The Big Book of Slumber by Giovanna Zoboli & Simona Mulazzani (2014 in the U.S., first published in Italy).
This one’s a perfect bedtime book. The lilt of rhyme will carry you away.
I’m getting sleepy just looking at the cover on my desk. So many animals, so many places to sleep, none of them just regular.
“Hushaby hushaby, such comfy beds.
All of these creatures are resting their heads.
Bears under blankets, lion is snoring.
A twitch of his tail shows he’s dreaming he’s roaring.”
And it’s not just lions and bears. There’s a little boy with a stuffed bear on the first spread (and a girl on the last). And in between, dolphins under water, chickens in a henhouse, and a mama goat tucking baby goats into bed. Yes, many of these animals sleep in people-like beds. It’s adorable!!
One of my favorite details is all the different patterns of bedspreads throughout. Pattern is one of Simona Mulazzani‘s specialties.
A baboon! A badger! Camels and seals! This book is so very full of appeal!
Thanks to Eerdmans Books for Young Readers for the images!
I received a review copy of Hannah’s Night; opinions are my own.
