Tell me about really special children's picture books...

[SageR]

...with fine art quality illustrations and meaningful storylines.

I'm working on building up a nice library for my boys. I'm going for books that might not be in our library out of print or unusual.

[Ms Apricot]

Originally Posted by SageR

...with fine art quality illustrations and meaningful storylines.

My favourite is Grandfather's Journey by Alan Say. It won the Caldecott. Say has many other beautiful books too.

There are lots of classics -
Goodnight Moon by M. Wise Brown/C. Hurd
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (also In the Night Kitchen)
Harold and The Purple Crayon by Crocket Johnson
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

Anything by Barbara Reid, but the Zoe books are marvellous
Annie and the Wild Animals by Jan Brett
Eric Carle
Chris Van Allsburg
Graeme Base
Kevin Henke...

Stellaluna by Janell Canon
The Always Prayer Shawl by Sheldon Oberman/Ted Lewin

That's a start, lol!

[Coconut Chronicles]

:

[Murihiku]

If you're looking for something really unusual and meaningful, try The Sad Book by Michael Rosen. When I read it to my pre-schooler I burst into tears. It's partly about the death of the author's son.

Two lovely Victorian books of poetry with contemporary (i.e. Victorian) illustrations are Christina Rossetti's Sing Song illustrated by Arthur Hughes and Robert Louis Stevenson's A Garden of Verses illustrated by Charles Robinson.

A most meaningful storyline and a book that used to be on every literate child's bookshelf but is probably on very few shelves today is John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. You can look around for an abridged and illustrated version. I read it when I was twelve but I'm not sure now if it was the abridged version or not.

For beautiful illustrations alone I love(d) Kate Greenaway.

And Stormy Night by Michele Lemieux is absolutely amazing!

[LaLaLaLa]

A couple of my favorites are:

"The Tin Forest" by Helen Ward and Wayne Anderson

and

"The Singing Hat" by Tohby Riddle.

Oh, and "The Way Back Home" by Oliver Jeffers.

Marvelous stories, all three, with great pictures. Especially the first one.

[rainbow dancer]

I love When the Root Children wake up by Audrey Wood/Ned Bittinger.
Awesome illustrations.

and:

[Daffodil]

Do you want both beautiful illustrations and meaningful storylines in the same book? Or just books that have either?

I always recommend everything by Russell Hoban. The illustrations are often nothing special, but the version of The Sea-Thing Child illustrated by Patrick Benson has really nice pictures. I like the Quentin Blake illustrations in some of the others, too. And my kids and I love They Came From Argh!, The Great Gumdrop Robbery, and The Flight of Bembel Rudzuk, though I don't love the illustrations.

Some other suggestions:
Maggie and the Pirate - Ezra Jack Keats
The Maggie B. - Irene Haas
Half a Moon and One Whole Star - Crescent Dragonwagon
Rain Talk - Mary Serfozo
The Table Where Rich People Sit - Byrd Baylor
Fox's Dream - Tejima

And there are some nicely illustrated fairy tales. For instance, we have:
Iron Hans - illustrated by Marilee Heyer
Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs - retold by Randall Jarrell, illustrated by Nancy Ekholm Burkert
The Sleeping Beauty - illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

[Red Pajama]

I'll tell you what's been popular at our home. Probably not "classic", but popular.

King Bidgood's in the Bathtub by Audry/Don Wood. Great pictures.

Going to Sleep on the Farm

BunnyCakes Rosmery Wells

any of the old Richard Scary books

The Tawny Scrawny Lion

Any of Jan Brett's works

and our recent find, Skippyjon Jones series Judy Schachner

[aprons_and_acorns]

Originally Posted by Murihiku

If you're looking for something really unusual and meaningful, try The Sad Book by Michael Rosen. When I read it to my pre-schooler I burst into tears. It's partly about the death of the author's son.

Oh, lordy, I used to work at a children's boutique, and when that book came in I decided to "breeze" through it up at the register. I was *bawling* by the time I got through it. I ended up buying a copy of it for my sister a few years after her DD passed away, and it is certainly a poignant and beautiful book, but wow does it really give an account of grief that takes you right there.

[BaBaBa]

Originally Posted by Ms Apricot

There are lots of classics -
Goodnight Moon by M. Wise Brown/C. Hurd
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (also In the Night Kitchen)
Harold and The Purple Crayon by Crocket Johnson
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

ditto

I've been following the book recommendations from amblesideonline and simplycharlottemason.com and I haven't been disappointed with any of them.

Plus, I'm working my way through this list:
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/200...OKS_index.html

[jeanine123]

"That's When I'm Happy" By Beth Shoshan. Great artwork, great story and in the end, momma, daddy and baby bear are all snuggled up into bed together.

[BaBaBa]

Originally Posted by Murihiku

I Robert Louis Stevenson's A Garden of Verses illustrated by Charles Robinson.

Oh yes! yes! yes!

Although, some of the text might be considered racist by today's standards.

[Amaranth]

Check out this blog for favorites from your childhood:

http://www.vintagechildrensbooksmykidloves.com/

She's hit most of my favorites (Richard Scarry, Virginia Lee Burton, Margaret Wise Brown), except "Flip" by Wesley Dennis: http://imponderabilia.blogspot.com/2...ens-books.html

[aprons_and_acorns]

There have been so many good suggestions already, but I will add anything illustrated by Tasha Tudor. My favorite one that is still in print is A Time To Keep. her illustrations can just take you into another world.

[DaughterOfKali]

As expected, I have so many that I think are wonderful. Since I'm not sure if I'll allowed to list them, you can always pm me about my favorites.

Originally Posted by LaLaLaLa

"The Tin Forest" by Helen Ward and Wayne Anderson

I've been to Wayne's art studio in Leicester, England. I got some signed prints from him. He's an incredible illustrator.

[Katrinawitch]

I love "The Story of May" by Mordecai Gerstein. It's a beautifully illustrated story of a little girl, the month of May, who goes on a journey around the year, to visit all of her other "month" relatives. Gorgeous book and sweet story. I think it may be out of print, though.

[SageR]

Originally Posted by DaughterOfKali

As expected, I have so many that I think are wonderful. Since I'm not sure if I'll allowed to list them, you can always pm me about my favorites.

When I clicked on your link I saw I had already been to your site and foud some ideas! Thank you!

Thanks to everyone else too.

[DaughterOfKali]

Originally Posted by SageR

When I clicked on your link I saw I had already been to your site and foud some ideas! Thank you!

Fabulous!

[alexsam]

We have been reading (quite literally every day for 2 years) Winnie-the-Pooh and House at Pooh Corner- the original AA Milne versions. We have ALL fallen in love with Pooh, my husbasnd and I laughing while we are reading. The stories are adorable, the characters vibrant, the illustrations classic. Damn Disney for turning it into cartoons! But ignore them and don't miss out on the the original books. They really are beautiful in art, story and spirit.

[Traci mom23boys]

The Quiltmaker's Gift- Jeff Brumbeau

Get this book! Meaningful & gorgeous, you will treasure it!


~Traci