Birthdays are a very popular topic in children's books, but The Law of Birthdays is unusual. Why? Sure, it's about one of the most ubiquitous parts of the celebration, the eating of cake. BUT BUT BUT what if you don't want to eat cake? What then? Text©Brenna Jeanneret Illustration©Marina Kondra And what if the king … Continue reading The Law of Birthdays – Perfect Picture Book Friday
Promise! There are no dragons in this book. Hmmmm. Every child, after seeing that dangling contradiction at the gable of the roof, will eagerly open this book and investigate for themselves. What they will find is page after page of cleverly disguised, or maybe cleverly in denial, assertions that there are no dragons. Text©️Donna Lambo-Weidner … Continue reading There Are No Dragons in This Book – Perfect Picture Book Friday
* What do you get when you cross a little known mollusk with a TV show featuring a Sea Star reporter? A hilarious misadventure. Written in a lively newscast-graphic novel format, this book will keep kids giggling while teaching them about an animal they've never heard of. Initially, the humor is based on the glaring … Continue reading A Geoduck is Not a Duck – Perfect Picture Book Friday
* Mr. S is a first-day-of-school book that's surprising, funny, and fresh. It's also a book that can be read year round because it breaks the mold of 1st day books. It's not about conquering your fear of going to school. It's not about worrying whether you'll make friends, or any of the other usual … Continue reading Mr. S – Perfect Picture Book Friday
What can I say about a main character who has such a big heart it explodes across the page? What can I say about illustrations that feel ethereal, strange, and delicate, yet humorous? Txt/Illustration ©Lane Smith You see what I mean? Strange illustrations printed in such as way as to feel not quite fully realized … Continue reading Stickler Loves the World – Perfect Picture Book Friday
New authors sometimes ask "What is this thing called 'a character-driven story?" Today, I'm offering up a stellar example, from the author/illustrator, Ross Burach. He's created a handful of butterfly books based on one very impatient caterpillar that turned into a very impatient butterfly. MAKE WAY FOR BUTTERFLY is a companion to that first title, … Continue reading Make Way for Butterfly – Perfect Picture Book Friday
Meet Zigzag, the alligator with synesthesia. Text/Illus. ©Julie Paschkis Zigzag liked to taste words. He liked to hold them in his long mouth and roll them around. Swivel was slippery and slightly sour. In the spread above, we see Zigzag tasting the word, swivel. But we also see a wheel of words starting with the … Continue reading ZigZag – Perfect Picture Book Friday
Need a book that will help guide and smooth out the "learning to read" process? A book that's fun, a-bawk! with chickens, and a fox with a misunderstood motive? You can get both in one package with How to Hatch a Reader! Text ©Kari Ann Gonzalez Illustration ©Rachel Suzanne And if you have chicks at … Continue reading How to Hatch a Reader – Perfect Picture Book Friday
* Take a look at this cover, and try to guess what this story is about. Yes, it involves a child and a rhinoceros. And, yes, they're in the child's room. What do you think is going to happen? I'm going to bet that you'll be wrong. The title page provides a clue. This will … Continue reading Ludwig and the Rhinoceros – Perfect Picture Book Friday
* Some days you really need a funny picture book. Here's one to add to your collection. PIRATE & PENGUIN is a case of mistaken identity told through tongue-in-cheek illustrations and a strong pirate-y voice. But it's also a story about an unlikely frienship. Text ©Mike Allegra. Illustration ©Jenn Harney Penguin spies a pirate ship … Continue reading Pirate & Penguin – Perfect Picture Book Friday
Jilanne Hoffmann 