Children's Books discussion

I don't have any specific additions or deletions right now, but I do think that quite a few of the choices appeal to the adults reading to children, rather than the children themselves. It has something to do with muted colors, complexity, size of objects depicted, and lack of focus, but it isn't really any of that. For me, Leo and Diane Dillon's Why Mosquitoes Buzz... makes it, but some of the other don't quite.

Very cool, Chandra! Thanks for posting.

Now, I love the classics, the Arthur Rackhams and the like (that "Old French Tales"--OMG, gorgeous!)

Some of the others I just don't "get"--I think they just don't fit my personal view of beautiful, but I definitely appreciate the inclusion of a variety of styles.

But, truly, a list with only 20 books!? It's *so* not enough... especially if they include so many of the golden age artists without more of the current. Sigh.

And speaking of "golden" and classics, what about some of the early Golden Book artists, like
Eloise Wilkin? Love her work.

Most of the ones shared there would not make my personal top twenty. I will have to investigate House Held Up by Trees. Offhand, I deplore the omission of Ruth Heller, for example Behind the Mask: A Book about Prepositions.

About Vivaldi: http://bkids.typepad.com/intro/2012/0...

I agree that 'most' without a qualifier is an invitation to argument and 20 is rather a low number. How about a 'of the' in front of most and at least 50 titles. That said, I enjoyed looking at the samples and was glad to see Kay Nielsen there.

In my opinion, the power of a picture book isn't ALL about the art, however wonderful that art may be. It is the magical combination of art + text that makes a great picture book. Therefore, I don't really have an opinion on this list. They are all beautiful pictures, but I have seen others I like better. How long are those fairy tale collection books? And Peter Pan? If longer books are included I want to suggest The Invention of Hugo Cabret, because the pictures really seemed to move the story. I do love the power of the illustrations in The Arrival

I don't really like Kay Neilson that much and I think there were contemporaries of his that were better.

I do love Graeme Base, though.

Ah...I still haven't read Wonderstruck, although I planned on doing it in January. Still planning on it in fact. It is on the floor right next to my bed...

I mostly agree with Michele, a picture book's power is a combination of visual and verbal, but much more. Most importantly, it involves stimulus to the reader's imagination. Just as the picture allows space for the words, and the words for the picture, they ideally both allow for the engagement of the mind in the magic of the story.

Just yesterday I "liked" a quote on my www.ilovelibraries.org facebook link: “The fire of literacy is created by the emotional sparks between a child, a book, and the person reading. It isn’t achieved by the book alone, nor by the child alone, nor by the adult who’s reading aloud—it’s the relationship winding between all three, bringing them together in easy harmony.”―Mem Fox" Somehow that seemed to fit into this conversation. :)

I just read House Held Up by Trees. It had been sitting in a box in my study. It was a part of my last order at the end of the school year and I had them shipped to my house. It liked it, and it has great illustrations. Dark and a bit creepy though. Not a nature is beautiful theme. More like nature is vengeful and unstoppable.

" More like nature is vengeful and unstoppable. "

Oh my... off to read your review...

This is a great thread! You can promote so much language growth through the pictures!

In general, I am not a huge fan of wordless books (mostly because I did not enjoy having to "read" the Carl books to my kids when they were young--I am not good at on-the-spot storytelling). However, there are a few I really like: The Arrival (though not for little kids), The Secret Box, and I also liked how Selznick made a complete nearly wordless story in the illustrated half of Wonderstruck. I also like Tuesday, but I cannot remember if that is completely wordless. While I enjoyed it, I do not think I would enjoy it with children; they would need to enjoy it on their own. I also like Zoom, but probably more for its lesson value and as a personal experience. I think I am contradicting myself! I think I just was frustrated when trying to share wordless books with my children--I like quite a few of them for myself and think they might be more of an individual experience.

I would think that almost anything by Brian Selnick would or could be included. The Houdini Box by Brian Selznick is a gem. I also recently puchased and read The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce - incredible. And who can forget Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present?

Abigail wrote: Perhaps wordless books are simply better appreciated as a personal, and individual reading project... So, to make a connection to the Olympics list...wordless books are for the individual medals as opposed to team sports. :)

I really like The Houdini Box too! Forgot about that one.

Michele wrote: "Abigail wrote: Perhaps wordless books are simply better appreciated as a personal, and individual reading project... So, to make a connection to the Olympics list...wordless books are for the ind..."

The Boy of a Thousand Faces is lots of fun also.

Michele wrote: "In general, I am not a huge fan of wordless books (mostly because I did not enjoy having to "read" the Carl books to my kids when they were young--I am not good at on-the-spot storytelling). Howev..."

I have had success with Deep in the Forest with several groups. Usually, I would do a more traditional version of the 3 Bears and then have the group tell me the story from Turkle's wordless book.

My new favorite wordless author/illustrator isWave. I was also impressed by her book Shadow.

I liked Wave. I particularly liked its shape. But it didn't stick in my head that well.

LauraW wrote: "For me, Leo and Diane Dillon's Why Mosquitoes Buzz... makes it, but some of the other don't quite. "

Really? I would really like to know your reasons-- especially since that was the very book I was going to suggest to omit!

I have not read The Arrival, though I plan to in the very near future, but I have read the Red Tree, by Shaun Tan, and it is AMAZING.

It is the story of a little girl who finds hope in dark times. Though it has been criticized for being depressing, I find it both that AND "outstandingly optimistic."

I am a tiny bit hesitant to read a wordless book (The Arrival) because the last wordless picture book I read was The Snowman, and I did NOT gain a good impression from it.

I don't think The Arrival and The Snowman are anything alike, other than both being wordless. I believe they are for completely different audiences.

Abigail wrote: "but oh well, I guess lists like this are fun, as long as one isn't bamboozled into believing that they really reveal anything except the list-maker's preferences."

:)

Imagine I am pressing a "like" button here!

Michele wrote: "I don't think The Arrival and The Snowman are anything alike, other than both being wordless. I believe they are for completely different audiences."

Yeah, I can imagine that. Still, I sort of am biased against wordless books. Hoping that will soon change!

I was just browsing through the library and I found a gem of a picture book--

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/80...

(It's called Firebird by Saviour Pirotta and it's from an old Russian folk tale. I think the version my library has is brighter, with a bright blue cover and really eye popping colors.)