Highly Recommended Picture Books | The Picture Book Review

Scru, The Adventures of a Wooden Button by Tracey Waters and Illustrated by Sara Pezzani

May 13, 2016 by The Picture Book Review

[I received a review copy from the publisher. No other compensation was received.] Scru, The Adventures of a Wooden Button is a beauty of a picture book. The elegance, sophistication, and charm of the story and illustrations is stunning and breath of fresh air. It is, in and of itself, a work of art and a gift to both children and the adults who read it with them. Scru is, as the title says, a wooden button. He’s absolutely had […]

Categories: Children's Books, Fine Art Picture Books, Kidlit, Picture Books, Picture Books about Overcoming Obstacles, Recommended Picture Books • Tags: Book Review, Buttons, Children's Books, Children's Picture Books, Highly Recommended Picture Books, kidlit, Picture Book, Picture Books, Recommended Picture Books, Sara Pezzani, Scru, The Adventures of a Wooden Button, Tracey Waters

A Hand to Hold by Zetta Elliott and Illustrated by Purple Wong

May 12, 2016 by The Picture Book Review

[I received a review copy from the publisher. No other compensation was received.] A Hand to Hold is an affirming, empowering, and sweet story about how a young girl’s father has always been — and always will be –there for her. A happy, young, confident girl tells us, “I have always had a hand to hold.” She tells us about how her father was there for her when she came home from the hospital, how he reached out when she took […]

Categories: Children's Books, Kidlit, Picture Books, Picture Books about Father, Picture Books about Starting School, Recommended Picture Books • Tags: A Hand to Hold, Book Review, Children's Books, Children's Picture Books, Highly Recommended Picture Books, kidlit, Picture Books, Purple Wong, Recommended Picture Books, Rosetta Press, Zetta Elliot

Giveaway! Rules of the House by Mac Barnett and Illustrated by Matt Myers

May 12, 2016 by The Picture Book Review

Disney-Hyperion sent me this title, and is also providing a prize pack for two winners from my site. No other compensation was received. Siblings Jenny and Ian each have a very different philosophical and practical approach to rules. Ian follows rules diligently and declares that rules are meant to be followed. (He’s welcome at our house any time.) Jenny, we find out, NEVER follows the rules. Never. Really? Well, basically never. She pinches, lies, hikes off trail, swims after eating […]

Categories: Cautionary Tales, Children's Books, Picture Books, Picture Books about Rules, Picture Books about Siblings, Recommended Picture Books, Spooky Picture Books • Tags: Book Review, Children's Books, Highly Recommended Picture Books, kidlit, Mac Barnett, Matt Myers, Picture Books, Recommended Picture Books, Rules of the House

Rufus: The Bat Who Loved Colors by Tomi Ungerer

April 25, 2016 by The Picture Book Review

[I received a review copy from the publisher. No other compensation was received.] Rufus: The Bat Who Loved Colors is a picture book originally published in 1961 by Tomi Ungerer. Rufus is the definition of a timeless picture book. Despite it being published 55 years ago, it is still very relevant, poignant, and illuminating. But above all, it is a wonderful book that is a joy to read aloud. So let’s meet Rufus, shall we? Rufus is your pretty standard […]

Categories: Children's Books, Kidlit, Picture Books, Picture Books about Bats, Picture Books about Being Different, Picture Books about Communication, Picture Books about Finding Friends, Recommended Picture Books • Tags: Book Review, Children's Books, Highly Recommended Picture Books, kidlit, Phaidon Press, Picture Books, Tomi Ungerer

Yann and Gwendal Le Bec on Creativity and Doubt, Making a Picture Book, and What Makes Them Laugh!

April 13, 2016 by The Picture Book Review

Yann and Gwendal Le Bec, creators of the picture book Danny, were kind enough to talk with me about their picture book, a bit about their process, what their parents did to cultivate their creativity, and the importance of laughter. I reviewed Danny last year (here) and we’ve read it a countless number of times since then. Danny’s subversive and playful humor paired with its bright and sophisticated illustrations make it a picture book that we happily come back to again and […]

Categories: Interview, Picture Books, Picture Books about Dentists • Tags: Children's Picture Books, flying eye books, Gwendal Le Bec, Highly Recommended Picture Books, Interview, Nobrow, Picture Books, Yann Le Bec

Daredevil Duck by Charlie Alder

May 12, 2015 by The Picture Book Review

[I received a review copy from the publisher. No other compensation was received.] Daredevil Duck desperately wants to be brave, but holy moley can it be hard! Some things are too dark, too fluttery, too wet, and too high — and those things can really make it hard for a little duck to be brave. To make things harder, there is the loud, obnoxious gang waiting on the sidelines to taunt and tease him — and dub him “Scaredy Duck”. […]

Categories: Children's Books, Kidlit, Picture Books, Picture Books about Animals, Picture Books about Bravery, Picture Books about Ducks, Picture Books about Friendship, Recommended Picture Books • Tags: Book Review, Charlie Alder, Children's Books, Daredevil Duck, Ducks, Highly Recommended Picture Books, kidlit, Picture Books

The Squawks by Ruth Thorp

May 7, 2015 by The Picture Book Review

[I received a review copy from the publisher. No other compensation was received.] “Have you met the birds that SQUAWK the SQUAWKY talk of the SQUAWKING SQUAWKS? They come in many shapes and sizes…some SQUAWKS even wear disguises.” Come meet these very cute, very dapper, and very endearing little birds. The Squawks by Ruth Thorp is beautifully designed, fun to read aloud, and very funny. Summary: The squawking squawks are happy party birds that dance and swing and squeal and skip. […]

Categories: Children's Books, Picture Books, Picture Books about Birds, Recommended Picture Books • Tags: Birds, Book Review, Children's Books, Highly Recommended Books, Highly Recommended Picture Books, kidlit, Picture Books, Ruth Thorp, The Squawks

BAH! Said the Baby by Jennifer Plecas

May 6, 2015 by The Picture Book Review

[I received a review copy from the publisher. No other compensation was received.] BAH! Said the Baby is a bright, playful, and happy picture book about the bewilderment, the resignation, and the elation of figuring out what in the world the baby could be talking about. This picture book may be a fictional work, but it speaks great truth and resonates perfectly with what it is like to play “baby charades”. BAH! Said the Baby is about a family trying to […]

Categories: Children's Books, Kidlit, Picture Books, Picture Books about Babies, Picture Books about Communication, Recommended Picture Books • Tags: Babies, BAH! Said the Baby, Book Review, Children's Books, Highly Recommended Picture Books, Jennifer Plecas, kidlit, Picture Books

Fish Jam by Kylie Howarth

May 5, 2015 by The Picture Book Review

[I received a review copy from the publisher. No other compensation was received.] Jazz is an awesome little fish! He scooba-dooba-diddly-doos all over the place. He loves, and is great at, making music! There is only one, rather big, rather important problem. No one around him (except for a very loyal and very cute puffer fish) wants to hear his incessant improvisations. The little fish tell him to “Shhhh!” The seals tell him to “Shhhh!” Even the penguins are telling him […]

Categories: Children's Books, Kidlit, Picture Books, Picture Books about Being Different, Picture Books about Belonging, Picture Books about Finding Friends, Picture Books about Fish, Picture Books about Jazz, Recommended Picture Books • Tags: Book Review, Children's Books, Highly Recommended Picture Books, kidlit, Kylie Howarth, Little Bee Books, Picture Books

The Picture Book Review

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

Tag: Highly Recommended Picture Books