Wonderstruck
Wonderstruck
Recommended for: Ages 9-14 and on up to adult
Length: 640 pages
Story:Wonderstruck tells two stories, set fifty years apart, full of mystery and drama. One is told through words alone and one is told through illustrations alone until the two stories come together near the end of the book. Read my full review of Wonderstruck.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Scholastic Press, An Imprint of Scholastic
ISBN: 9780545027892
Cost:.
The Artist Who Painted A Blue Horse
Recommended for: Ages 4-8. Because of the back story about Carle’s life in Germany under the Nazi regime provided at the end of the book, I would also recommend this book for middle and high school history students.
Length: 32 pages
Story: This picture book celebrates creativity and the freedom to use your imagination.
A young child paints a blue horse and goes on to paint other colorful animals as imagination directs, moving from feeling "I am an artist" to "I am a good artist." The information at the end of the book makes it clear that Carle is also celebrating the blue horse of artist Franz Marc and some of the other art that was forbidden during the repressive Nazi regime of his youth in Germany, as well as the dedicated art teacher who shared the "forbidden art" with Carle.
Carle's books always look so effortless that it's easy to overlook the thought and artistry that go into them. His brightly handcolored, cutpaper collage animals, with their interesting surface details, along with minimal backgrounds, draw young children's attention and give them great pleasure. His young artist, who may be a boy or a girl, begins the book in a clean striped shirt and clean jeans, but by the book's end, after painting all those animals, the artist's shirt and jeans are spattered with paint - a nice realistic touch.
When you share the book with your kids, ask them which animal is their favorite. As for me, it's the polka-dotted donkey.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Philomel Books, A Division of Penguin Young Readers Group
ISBN: 9780399257131
Cost:.
Never Forgotten
Illustrators: Leo & Diane Dillon
Recommended for: Families to read and discuss together with children 8 and up
Length: 48 pages
Story: The poignant verse of Patricia C. McKissack and the dramatic woodcut-style of the artwork by Leo & Diane Dillon tell the story of a boy, Musafa, who was taken from his blacksmith father, Dinga, and sold into slavery in the 1700s but never forgotten by his father and the Mother Elements: Earth, Fire, Water and Wind, who helped to raise him.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books, An Imprint of Random House Children’s Books
ISBN: 9780375843846
Cost:.
Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature
Illustrator: Beth Krommes, who received the 2009 Randolph Caldecott Medal for The House in the Night.
Recommended for: Ages 4-12 and entire families
Length: 40 pages
Story: With lyrical text and fascinating scratchboard illustrations, poet Joyce Sidman and artist Beth Krommes celebrate spirals in nature.
A special two-page section at the end of the book provides additional details, including an explanation of the Fibonacci sequence.
Video: The Swirl by Swirl book trailer provides close-ups of illustrations.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, An Imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 9780547315836
Cost:.
I Want My Hat Back
Recommended for: Ages 3-6
Length: 40 pages
Story: With simple dialogue and quirky and spare illustrations, Jon Klassen tells the very funny story of a bear who has lost his hat. Now he wants it back and one by one, he visits a variety of forest animals to ask, "Have you seen by hat." Everyone tells him, "no," but wait a minute. The bear has seen the hat!
The repetition, the illustrations and the hilarious story make this a winner with young children.
Video: Watch the I Want My Hat Back video preview to enjoy some of the fun.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Candlewick Press
ISBN: 9780763655983
Cost:.
Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat
Recommended for: Ages 3-6
Length: 32 pages
Story: The story of a little boy, a favorite bear traded in by his parents for a toaster and a big blue boat is full of surprises and good will. The illustrations, which consist of collage and acrylics invite close inspection and questions. The combination of an imaginative tale with equally imaginative artwork makes Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat particularly appealing.
Video: Watch the Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat book trailer
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook Press
ISBN: 9781596435629
Cost:.
Stars
Illustrator: Marla Frazee, whose All the World was a 2010 Caldecott Honor Book.
Recommended for: Ages 3-8; it would also make a good graduation gift.
Length: 40 pages
Story: This gentle story by Mary Lyn Ray is greatly enhanced by the artwork of Marla Frazee. The book celebrates the stars in the sky and stars in general, encouraging children to create their own paper stars, have fun with them and share stars with others but not to give away the star they keep in their own pocket.
As Ray points out we don't always "feel shiny as a star" and "Those days, it's good to reach for the one in your pocket." The message of the stars is to take care of yourself and take care of others.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Beach Lane Books, An Imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
ISBN: 9781442422490
Cost:.
Me...Jane
Recommended for: Ages 3-6
Length: 40 pages
Story: This is the true story of Jane Goodall, from her childhood with her favorite toy, a stuffed chimpanzee, to her dream coming true: a life of living and working with animals. It's interesting to learn how early Dr. Goodall's interest in animals developed.
The additional information at the end of the book sheds light on her accomplishments and her environmental advocacy.
Yet, what gives the book the "WOW!" factor is the "dream come true" illustration coming after Patrick McDonnell's engaging childlike illustrations. I won't spoil it for you but recommend you read the book yourself.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, A Division of Hachette Book Group
ISBN: 9780316045469
Cost:.
Recommended for: Ages 4-8
Length: 40 pages
Story: Author and illustrator John Rocco lives in Brooklyn and has experienced his own New York blackouts. Who knew that a widespread electrical blackout could be so much fun. Blackout tells the story of a busy, "too busy," family and what happens to them and their friends and neighbors when the lights go out one night, cutting off access to the computer, the TV, the electric stove and more.
First, it's a little scary but candles and flashlights help. Up on the rooftop, they can see the stars, as well as people grilling, dancing and having fun.
When they go downstairs and outside, the ice cream cart lady is giving out free ice cream cones and a fireman has opened the fire hydrant so kids can cool off by running through the water. When the lights go back on, one of the children isn't ready to go back to normal with everyone off doing their own thing with electronics, so she turns off the lights and the family goes on playing together by candlelight. Rocco's cartoon-like illustrations and his ability to create dark night illustrations that still show lots of detail are a joy.
Video: The entertaining Blackout book trailer goes back and forth between interviews with people about their experiences in the blackout in August of 2003 and related illustrations from the picture book.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Disney · Hyperion Books, An Imprint of Disney Book Group
ISBN: 9781423121909
Cost:.
Author and Illustrator: Stephen Savage
Recommended for: Ages 3 and up
Length: 32 pages
Story: The bright, retro-looking illustrations, drawn and created in Adobe Illustrator, make words unnecessary in this wordless picture book. Walrus, who has only a very little round pool at the zoo, escapes one day, but the zookeeper rushes right after him. While the zookeeper looks all around, Walrus hides himself, using various hats as camouflage.
He poses in a store window in a red hat next to two mannequins wearing red hats and the zookeeper doesn’t see him. Wearing a hard hat and working on a brick wall alongside construction workers in hard hats and helping firemen fight a fire while wearing a red fireman’s hat like theirs are some of the ways Walrus keeps the zookeeper from catching him.
When he sees a big pool, Walrus can’t resist putting on a red swimming cap like the other swimmers have and entering the diving contest. Walrus’ cap falls off when he dives off the diving board. The zookeeper is astonished to see him and to realize Walrus has won the contest. While Walrus is being honored with a gold medal, the zookeeper has a thought. Now, Walrus is happy to stay in the zoo because he has a big pool of his own where he can dive all he wants while the zookeeper cheers him on.
Video: Meet Walrus in this very funny Where’s Walrus? book trailer.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Scholastic Press, An Imprint of Scholastic
ISBN: 9780439700498
Cost:.
Introduction
These children's books represent my personal choices for the best illustrated children's books of the year. Here you'll find children's books published in 2011 that have exceptional illustrations. The artwork includes collages, prints, paintings and mixed media illustrations.Wonderstruck
Author and Illustrator: Brian Selznick, author and illustrator of The Invention Of Hugo Cabret, for which Selznick won the 2008 Randolph Caldecott Medal.Recommended for: Ages 9-14 and on up to adult
Length: 640 pages
Story:Wonderstruck tells two stories, set fifty years apart, full of mystery and drama. One is told through words alone and one is told through illustrations alone until the two stories come together near the end of the book. Read my full review of Wonderstruck.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Scholastic Press, An Imprint of Scholastic
ISBN: 9780545027892
Cost:.
The Artist Who Painted A Blue Horse
The Artist Who Painted A Blue Horse
Author and Illustrator: Eric Carle, whose other picture books include The Very Hungry Caterpillar.Recommended for: Ages 4-8. Because of the back story about Carle’s life in Germany under the Nazi regime provided at the end of the book, I would also recommend this book for middle and high school history students.
Length: 32 pages
Story: This picture book celebrates creativity and the freedom to use your imagination.
A young child paints a blue horse and goes on to paint other colorful animals as imagination directs, moving from feeling "I am an artist" to "I am a good artist." The information at the end of the book makes it clear that Carle is also celebrating the blue horse of artist Franz Marc and some of the other art that was forbidden during the repressive Nazi regime of his youth in Germany, as well as the dedicated art teacher who shared the "forbidden art" with Carle.
Carle's books always look so effortless that it's easy to overlook the thought and artistry that go into them. His brightly handcolored, cutpaper collage animals, with their interesting surface details, along with minimal backgrounds, draw young children's attention and give them great pleasure. His young artist, who may be a boy or a girl, begins the book in a clean striped shirt and clean jeans, but by the book's end, after painting all those animals, the artist's shirt and jeans are spattered with paint - a nice realistic touch.
When you share the book with your kids, ask them which animal is their favorite. As for me, it's the polka-dotted donkey.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Philomel Books, A Division of Penguin Young Readers Group
ISBN: 9780399257131
Cost:.
Never Forgotten
Never Forgotten
Author: Patricia C. McKissackIllustrators: Leo & Diane Dillon
Recommended for: Families to read and discuss together with children 8 and up
Length: 48 pages
Story: The poignant verse of Patricia C. McKissack and the dramatic woodcut-style of the artwork by Leo & Diane Dillon tell the story of a boy, Musafa, who was taken from his blacksmith father, Dinga, and sold into slavery in the 1700s but never forgotten by his father and the Mother Elements: Earth, Fire, Water and Wind, who helped to raise him.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books, An Imprint of Random House Children’s Books
ISBN: 9780375843846
Cost:.
Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature
Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature
Author: Joyce Sidman, author of Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night, a 2011 John Newbery Honor Book.Illustrator: Beth Krommes, who received the 2009 Randolph Caldecott Medal for The House in the Night.
Recommended for: Ages 4-12 and entire families
Length: 40 pages
Story: With lyrical text and fascinating scratchboard illustrations, poet Joyce Sidman and artist Beth Krommes celebrate spirals in nature.
A special two-page section at the end of the book provides additional details, including an explanation of the Fibonacci sequence.
Video: The Swirl by Swirl book trailer provides close-ups of illustrations.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, An Imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 9780547315836
Cost:.
I Want My Hat Back
I Want My Hat Back
Author and Illustrator: Jon KlassenRecommended for: Ages 3-6
Length: 40 pages
Story: With simple dialogue and quirky and spare illustrations, Jon Klassen tells the very funny story of a bear who has lost his hat. Now he wants it back and one by one, he visits a variety of forest animals to ask, "Have you seen by hat." Everyone tells him, "no," but wait a minute. The bear has seen the hat!
The repetition, the illustrations and the hilarious story make this a winner with young children.
Video: Watch the I Want My Hat Back video preview to enjoy some of the fun.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Candlewick Press
ISBN: 9780763655983
Cost:.
Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat
Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat
Author and Illustrator: Philip C. SteadRecommended for: Ages 3-6
Length: 32 pages
Story: The story of a little boy, a favorite bear traded in by his parents for a toaster and a big blue boat is full of surprises and good will. The illustrations, which consist of collage and acrylics invite close inspection and questions. The combination of an imaginative tale with equally imaginative artwork makes Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat particularly appealing.
Video: Watch the Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat book trailer
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook Press
ISBN: 9781596435629
Cost:.
Stars
Stars
Author: Mary Lyn RayIllustrator: Marla Frazee, whose All the World was a 2010 Caldecott Honor Book.
Recommended for: Ages 3-8; it would also make a good graduation gift.
Length: 40 pages
Story: This gentle story by Mary Lyn Ray is greatly enhanced by the artwork of Marla Frazee. The book celebrates the stars in the sky and stars in general, encouraging children to create their own paper stars, have fun with them and share stars with others but not to give away the star they keep in their own pocket.
As Ray points out we don't always "feel shiny as a star" and "Those days, it's good to reach for the one in your pocket." The message of the stars is to take care of yourself and take care of others.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Beach Lane Books, An Imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
ISBN: 9781442422490
Cost:.
Me...Jane
Me...Jane
Author and Illustrator: Patrick McDonnellRecommended for: Ages 3-6
Length: 40 pages
Story: This is the true story of Jane Goodall, from her childhood with her favorite toy, a stuffed chimpanzee, to her dream coming true: a life of living and working with animals. It's interesting to learn how early Dr. Goodall's interest in animals developed.
The additional information at the end of the book sheds light on her accomplishments and her environmental advocacy.
Yet, what gives the book the "WOW!" factor is the "dream come true" illustration coming after Patrick McDonnell's engaging childlike illustrations. I won't spoil it for you but recommend you read the book yourself.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, A Division of Hachette Book Group
ISBN: 9780316045469
Cost:.
Blackout
Author and Illustrator: John RoccoRecommended for: Ages 4-8
Length: 40 pages
Story: Author and illustrator John Rocco lives in Brooklyn and has experienced his own New York blackouts. Who knew that a widespread electrical blackout could be so much fun. Blackout tells the story of a busy, "too busy," family and what happens to them and their friends and neighbors when the lights go out one night, cutting off access to the computer, the TV, the electric stove and more.
First, it's a little scary but candles and flashlights help. Up on the rooftop, they can see the stars, as well as people grilling, dancing and having fun.
When they go downstairs and outside, the ice cream cart lady is giving out free ice cream cones and a fireman has opened the fire hydrant so kids can cool off by running through the water. When the lights go back on, one of the children isn't ready to go back to normal with everyone off doing their own thing with electronics, so she turns off the lights and the family goes on playing together by candlelight. Rocco's cartoon-like illustrations and his ability to create dark night illustrations that still show lots of detail are a joy.
Video: The entertaining Blackout book trailer goes back and forth between interviews with people about their experiences in the blackout in August of 2003 and related illustrations from the picture book.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Disney · Hyperion Books, An Imprint of Disney Book Group
ISBN: 9781423121909
Cost:.
Where’s Walrus?
Author and Illustrator: Stephen Savage
Recommended for: Ages 3 and up
Length: 32 pages
Story: The bright, retro-looking illustrations, drawn and created in Adobe Illustrator, make words unnecessary in this wordless picture book. Walrus, who has only a very little round pool at the zoo, escapes one day, but the zookeeper rushes right after him. While the zookeeper looks all around, Walrus hides himself, using various hats as camouflage.
He poses in a store window in a red hat next to two mannequins wearing red hats and the zookeeper doesn’t see him. Wearing a hard hat and working on a brick wall alongside construction workers in hard hats and helping firemen fight a fire while wearing a red fireman’s hat like theirs are some of the ways Walrus keeps the zookeeper from catching him.
When he sees a big pool, Walrus can’t resist putting on a red swimming cap like the other swimmers have and entering the diving contest. Walrus’ cap falls off when he dives off the diving board. The zookeeper is astonished to see him and to realize Walrus has won the contest. While Walrus is being honored with a gold medal, the zookeeper has a thought. Now, Walrus is happy to stay in the zoo because he has a big pool of his own where he can dive all he wants while the zookeeper cheers him on.
Video: Meet Walrus in this very funny Where’s Walrus? book trailer.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Scholastic Press, An Imprint of Scholastic
ISBN: 9780439700498
Cost:.
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