Recently in Picture Books Category

The Pencil by Allan Ahlberg, illustrated by Bruce Ingman.

Ahlberg and Ingman have created a picture book that is both charming and inventive.  It is the story of a lonely pencil who decides to start drawing and creates its own world, filled with a boy, a dog, a cat, a paintbrush and much more.  Trouble comes when the pencil creates an eraser who starts to take control.  But clever thinking and quick drawing bring the story back full circle.

The humorous bits are what make this book work so well.  There are small running gags, silly moments and other funny bits that add up to a book that will get giggles but has a lot of depth as well.  Ingman's illustrations are integral to the book.  They create this world of creativity on both the subtle black-and-white spreads and those wild with color.  The partnership of author and illustrator here is so successful that it is hard to imagine the book was done by two different people. 

Highly recommended for art classes or classes doing drawing, this is also a great book for craft days at libraries or to share with your own little artist.

Goodnight Goon by Michael Rex.

I've always been fond of parodies and nothing needs a silly send-up as much as the classic and very sweet Goodnight Moon.  The illustrations perfectly mirror those of the original, except this time there are spiders, bats, gravestones and skulls in the "cold gray tomb."  The tone is kept exactly the same as is the rhythm and rhyme.  The same flat style of sentence adds to the fun.

This book will appeal primarily to those who were read the original book as a bedtime story and are now much to old for that.  It is appropriate for younger ages, but early elementary children will enjoy the parody the most.  Recommended for a Halloween read aloud for ages 6-8.

Baron von Baddie and the Ice Ray Incident by George McClements.

Baron von Baddie was an evil genius who built huge robots to take over the world, or perhaps just to steal ice cream.  Thank goodness for Captain Kapow, who could always take care of Baron and keep him in check.  That is until one fateful day when Captain Kapow was frozen by Baron von Baddie's ice ray.  No one could stop Baron von Baddie from doing what he wished.  He built robots, changed the days of the week around and ate lots and lots of doughnuts.  But eventually, even these pleasures lost their appeal.  So what is an evil genius to do if he misses his super counterpart?

Pure silly fun, this picture book will appeal to all sorts of children, but especially those who enjoy super heroes.  McClements' paper art is eye-catching and comical.  The text of the book begs to be read aloud and the art will project well to even a large crowd. 

Anyone looking to practice their evil villain voices and super hero strut (and really, who isn't?), will find plenty to enjoy here.  Highly recommended for rowdy classrooms of children or as a final read in a story time.  This is a book that will be asked for again and again.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Otis and Rae and the Grumbling Splunk by Laura and Leo Espinosa.

Otis and Rae head out camping.  All Otis wants to do is eat his peanut butter and banana sandwiches, but Rae fills his head with all sorts of scary stories, especially the one about the Grumbling Splunk.  They head to bed, but Otis can't sleep as he worries and frets about whether the Splunk is real or not.  When the crickets suddenly stop chirping, Otis faces his fear head on.

The illustrations here are charming and modern, evoking a manga and anime spirit similar to Totoro.  The friendship between the two characters rings true right down to their very dissimilar personalities.  The book is fast-paced, interesting and often surprising.  One of the joys is that you are never quite sure what to expect next. 

A great rollicking fun read for children, this book is appropriate for ages 4-6.

The Retired Kid by Jon Agee.

Agee returns with a charming look at an overworked kid who decides to retire from his hectic school and personal life.  8-year-old Brian has had enough and flies off to Florida to life at the Happy Sunset Retirement Community.  Brian finds swimming pools, golf, and card games in his retirement.  It is certainly not hard work.  But eventually, Brian realizes that he doesn't fit in with the other retirees.  He starts to think back about the fun parts of being a kid and realizes that though retirement is great fun, he just might want to do the hard work.

Agee has captured the exhaustion of the modern kid perfectly here.  There is a broad sense of humor to the book, which kids in elementary school will thoroughly enjoy.  Agee's illustrations carry his unique style with interesting angles and proportions.  They are timeless and modern at the same time. 

Perfect for reading aloud to ages 6-8, this book is funny and true at the same time. 

It's Not Fair! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld.

With a rhythm and rhymes that add to the fun, this book about the unfair part of life is a pleasure to share with children.  My only warning is that you don't start a conversation about what hasn't been fair in their lives because it would be impossible to end.  All children have a catalog of the wrongs that have been done them by siblings, parents, teachers, and even people in the grocery store. 

The book has charming illustrations that capture childhood with thick black lines and bright colors set on white backgrounds.  The list of unfair scenarios is silly but with some truth behind it.  This is a light, fun read for preschoolers and their parents.  My favorite touch is the back of the book which I  won't spoil for you, but the final page inside the book is a winner too.  It has a book on a bookshelf thinking how unfair it is:

Why can't books go on and on?

No more endings only Once Upons...

It's not fair.

And the readers will feel the same way as the book ends.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.