Kidlit | The Picture Book Review

Anna and Johanna: A Children’s Book Inspired by Jan Vermeer Written by Géraldine Elschner and Illustrated by Florence Kœnig

July 13, 2018 by The Picture Book Review

[Review Copy Courtesy of Prestel Publishing] What if there was more to Vermeer’s paintings? What if there were stories that we didn’t know about the people he painted? What if there were secrets? Connections? Incredible events and coincidences that we never imagined? Wouldn’t that make an interesting story? Wouldn’t it be fun to imagine? In Anna and Johanna, Géraldine Elschner has written such a book about the women in Vermeer’s The Milkmaid and in The Lacemaker, and the way she […]

Categories: 2018, Children's Books, Fine Art Picture Books, Kidlit, Picture Books, Picture Books about Art, Picture Books about Birthdays, Picture Books about Siblings, Recommended Picture Books • Tags: Art, Book Review, Children's Books, kidlit, Picture Book, Picture Books

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Little Rabbit’s Questions – 小兔子的问题 – by Dayong Gan and translated by Helen Wang

March 19, 2018 by The Picture Book Review

[Review Copy Courtesy of Candied Plums ] Little Rabbit’s Questions — with its black-and-white ink illustrations and elegant touches of blues, reds, and yellows — is a stunning picture book with new takes on classic themes of growing up and a mother’s love for her child. One day while Mama Rabbit and her child, Little Rabbit, are outside, Little Rabbit begins to ask questions. “Why are your eyes so big? Why are your ears so long? Why does your nose twitch? […]

Categories: 2017, Bilingual Picture Books: Mandarin/English, Children's Books, Kidlit, Picture Books, Recommended Picture Books • Tags: Bilingual, Book Review, Children's Books, kidlit, Mandarin, Picture Book, Picture Books

BRAVE by Stacy McAnulty and Illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

March 12, 2018 by The Picture Book Review

[Review Copy Courtesy of Running Press Kids] “Brave kids can save the world. Just by being…brave.” Have you read Brave yet? If not, you need to. It’s an amazing picture book. With it’s powerful, direct text, and bold, bright illustrations, Brave will floor you. As an adult, it will put you in awe of everything your kids have to do daily just to grow up. Good luck making it through the first few readings without having to fight back tears. […]

Categories: 2017, Children's Books, Kidlit, Picture Books, Picture Books about Bravery • Tags: Book Review, Brave, Children's Books, Picture Book, Picture Books

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Who Was That? by Olivier Tallec

March 9, 2018 by The Picture Book Review

[Review Copy Courtesy of Chronicle Books] In Who Was That? readers learn that they are not as observant as they think they are, but that won’t stop them from laughing about it. In asking us questions about what we’ve just seen, this book deftly and playfully shows us how vulnerable we are to oversight and misdirection. You’ll feel compelled to stop, go back, and examine each page. Even when you’re sure that you’re ready for the next page turn and […]

Categories: 2018, Children's Books, Humor, Kidlit, Picture Books • Tags: Book Review, Children's Books, Chronicle Books, Olivier Tallec, Picture Book, Picture Books, Who Was That?

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Petra by Marianna Coppo

February 21, 2018 by The Picture Book Review

[Review Copy Courtesy of Tundra Books] Is Petra a mountain? A pebble? An egg? An island? Or a child’s pet rock? Well, whatever Petra is, she knows that she is going to be amazing and that with each new day and each new phase in her life — something wonderful is bound to come of it. Petra is a joy of a picture book that gently guides readers to ponder themes of flexibility, self-perception, change, time, and anticipation. Petra herself is […]

Categories: Children's Books, Kidlit, Picture Books, Picture Books about Change, Recommended Picture Books • Tags: Children's Books, kidlit, Picture Book, Picture Books

Rot, the Cutest in the World! by Ben Clanton

December 20, 2017 by The Picture Book Review

[Review Copy Courtesy of Simon & Schuster/Atheneum Books for Young Readers] Released out into the world yesterday – Rot, the Cutest in the World! is a picture book about a mutant potato entering a cuteness contest. It expertly touches on themes of beauty, high self-confidence, context, and who’s to judge. Rot explains these complex lessons in a fun, honest, and hilarious way. In Rot, the Cutest in the World!, Ben Clanton uses tons of humor to send a clear message that […]

Categories: Children's Books, Kidlit, Picture Books, Recommended Picture Books • Tags: Children's Books, Humor, kidlit, Picture Book, Picture Books

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Small Walt – by Elizabeth Verdick and Marc Rosenthal

November 27, 2017 by The Picture Book Review

[Review Copy Courtesy of Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books] In this enchantingly illustrated and uplifting story, we cheer for a small snowplow as he goes out in a big snow storm and surmounts even bigger challenges. Expert storytelling combined with a perfect blend of retro and modern illustrations makes Small Walt a win for young fans of snowplows everywhere. Where to Get Small Walt: [Affiliate Link]: Amazon.com [Local Bookstore]: Addendum Books [Public Library]: Worldcat.org Small Walt, with his sweet smile, kind […]

Categories: Children's Books, Kidlit, Picture Books, Recommended Picture Books • Tags: Children's Books, kidlit, Picture Book, Picture Books

Little Mouse Finds a Friend by Jeni Leidenfrost and Jessica Linn Evans

November 25, 2017 by The Picture Book Review

[Review Copy Courtesy of Jovial Press] Here’s a sweet picture book about a small mouse that finds and adopts a caterpillar as a pet. Little Mouse Finds a Friend‘s characters are charming, it is beautifully illustrated, and the factual information is memorable and interesting. We meet Little Mouse one day as he is getting ready to head outside and play. No one else in his family is interested in joining him, so he heads off by himself. After meeting up with […]

Categories: Children's Books, Kidlit, Picture Books, Picture Books about Moths, Recommended Picture Books • Tags: Atlas Moth, Children's Books, kidlit, Picture Book, Picture Books

If Picasso Painted a Snowman by Amy & Greg Newbold

November 21, 2017 by The Picture Book Review

[Review Copy Courtesy of Tilbury House Publishers] In If Picasso Painted a Snowman, a very friendly hamster introduces 17 different artists and their particular iconic style to readers in a fun and memorable way. Readers are brought into the story by the use of a direct second-person conversational tone making them instantly feel part of the story. It’s an immediately absorbing and engaging book that is both informative and accessible. The book opens with the hamster postulating, “If someone asked […]

Categories: Children's Books, Kidlit, Picture Books, Picture Books about Art, Recommended Picture Books • Tags: Children's Books, kidlit, Picture Book, Picture Books

The Picture Book Review

Reviews of Children's Board Books, Picture Books, Activity Books, and Graphic Novels

Category Archives: Kidlit

Anna and Johanna: A Children’s Book Inspired by Jan Vermeer Written by Géraldine Elschner and Illustrated by Florence Kœnig

Little Rabbit’s Questions – 小兔子的问题 – by Dayong Gan and translated by Helen Wang

BRAVE by Stacy McAnulty and Illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

Who Was That? by Olivier Tallec

Petra by Marianna Coppo

Rot, the Cutest in the World! by Ben Clanton

Small Walt – by Elizabeth Verdick and Marc Rosenthal

Little Mouse Finds a Friend by Jeni Leidenfrost and Jessica Linn Evans

If Picasso Painted a Snowman by Amy & Greg Newbold