Heather Burnell's Picture Book List

I'll let Heather introduce herself, but please take a look at her blog, Frolicking Through Cyberspace.

I LOVE picture books. Lucky for me, as a librarian and mom of three, I am constantly immersed in them. There are so many picture books that I love, it’s hard to narrow them down to ten. I didn’t want to just list all my favorite books from childhood but I am quite certain that my picture book, BEDTIME MONSTER, was somehow inspired by my love of WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE when I was a kid. This is a list of some of the picture books that I go back to time and again. (I didn’t include THE ROOM OF WONDERS because this is Sergio’s blog, but man I love that little collector!)

1.    RICHARD SCARRY’S WHAT DO PEOPLE DO ALL DAY? was my absolute favorite book when I was a kid. (The original 94-page version, not the abridged.) There is just so much going on in this book. I love everything about this book down to the endpapers that feature all of the Busytown characters. I love how the characters do all sorts of silly things wrong, yet still manage to keep Busytown going. I love that the book simply shows the things that people do. I learned about commerce, building, mail, travel, policemen, firemen, farming, forestry, electricity, cotton, bread, water, and no, I did not feel like I was learning. The cutaway drawings showing what goes on inside of things like a ship and a paper company are fun. There is so much detail on every page. I’ve spent hours poring over that book. I still have my original copy. The cover has come loose but I still keep it on a special shelf. This book definitely has a place in my heart.

2.    PUT ME IN THE ZOO by Robert Lopshire is another favorite from childhood that I rediscovered at a book sale. There's a big animal who has red spots and he wants to live in the zoo. Why shouldn't he? He's big and spotted and of an unknown species. But the zookeepers don't think he's any good. When they throw him out he runs into two kids and shows them why he should be in the zoo. He can do all sorts of tricks with his spots like change their color, put them on things such as a cat and a hat, juggle them, and even make them into socks! It's got fun rhyming text and great simple visuals.

3.    APPELEMANDO’S DREAMS by Patricia Polacco is about a boy who lives in a drab town, but his dreams are so vivid that they come right out of the top of his head. His friends love his dreams but when it rains and Appelemando’s dreams start painting the town there is trouble. But, dreams save the day. Awesome.

4.    BILLY’S BUCKET by Kes Gray is one of my go to books for when I need a quick pick for a library storytime or at home. It’s so fun. Billy wants for his birthday so, after unsuccessfully trying to talk him out of it, his parents take him to the bucket store. Out of the thousands of buckets there he picks one special bucket that he insists is the one. When he fills his bucket with water it becomes a window into the ocean. Billy sees all sorts of cool ocean creatures and tries to share it with his parents, but they don't believe him. They even tease him! When Billy's dad uses Billy's bucket to wash his car he discovers the truth. It cracks me up that Billy's parents heckle him but Billy keeps right on being chipper about all the cool things he's seeing. I love how the illustrator, Garry Parsons, has Billy's head peeking in at the edge of the bucket in so many illustrations, like a full moon, as he gazes into the ocean.

5.    FRANK WAS A MONSTER WHO WANTED TO DANCE written and illustrated by Keith Graves is just plain funny. It’s a little rhyming ditty about a zombie who puts on his best shoes and goes out to dance on the stage. As he dances, he falls apart. It’s great for a laugh!

6.    In I’M NOT AFRAID OF THIS HAUNTED HOUSE, Simon Lester Henry Strauss, is not afraid, and he's funny! There's loads of spooky stuff in this book, but Simon Lester Henry Strauss isn't afraid of any of it. He's so darn brave, which makes the ending all the more hilarious. This book inspired my youngest to eat a spider, actually, but hey, he was fine. Everyone should try eating a spider once I suppose. Everyone... except me. I'm Not Afraid of This Haunted House is written by Laurie Friedman and illustrated by Teresa Murfin.

7.    Okay, I'm a bit of a sucker for holiday books. PETER CLAUS AND THE NAUGHTY LIST by Lawrence David is one of the best in my opinion. Peter is Santa's kid and he is on the naughty list—again. He feels bad for all the kids on the naughty list because he knows how it feels to have no presents under the tree on Christmas morning, so he decides to do something about it. Peter sneaks out with the reindeer and collects all the naughty kids because he thinks Santa needs to find out why they did naughty things before he decides they get no presents. The reasons the kids share for being on the naughty list are humorous. The things they say they will do to make up for the naughty thing they did are sweet. Delphine Durand’s illustrations are quirky and adorable. And there are some great lines in this book including, "I don't remember being bad this year." The answer, “Nobody ever does." Peter manages to save Christmas for the naughty kids as well as himself, while making his dad quite proud.

8.    I like the quietness of BIG RED BARN by Margaret Wise Brown and the way it shows life on the farm so simply. Felicia Bond’s illustrations are sweet and perfect. It’s a beautiful little book.

9.    BUBBA THE COWBOY PRINCE: A FRACTURED TEXAS TALE by Helen Ketteman, illustrated by James Warhola is a super fun read aloud. Bubba is the "Cinderella" of this tale. He's the stepson of a wicked rancher and has some really mean stepbrothers. His fairy godmother is a cow. The voice is so spot-on in. This story will have you talking like a cowboy in no time.

10.    WHEN PIGASSO MET MOOTISSE by Nina Laden is a story about two artists, Picasso and Matisse – if they were a pig and a cow. Need I really say more?

Lisa Siebert's Picture Book List

Lisa Siebert, originally from Goleta, California, is a nursery school teacher in  Berlin, Germany.

This is a list of her favorite picture books:

1. Kleinen Maulwurf, der wissen wollte, wer ihm auf den Kopf gemacht hat by Werner Holzwarth, illustrated by Wolf Erlbruch. Somebody did their business on the mole's head and he is determined to find out who. 

[Published in the U.S. in 2007 as The Story of the Little Mole Who Went in Search of Whodunit.]

2. Winnie Flies Again written by Valerie Thomas and illustrated by Korky Paul. Lovable Winnie keeps bumping into things while traveling on her broomstick until she discovers the reason why. Winnie the Witch is a much loved series from Britain.

3. One two three me illustrated by Nadia Budde and put into English by Jeremy Fitzler. Nadia is an illustrator who is waiting to be discovered on the other side of the ocean. This is the only gem available in English, none of her other books have been translated, as far as I know. I wish I could show you a picture but things aren't working for me that way at the moment! Her website is under construction but worth waiting for!

  

4. Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler are an award winning dream team (as are all of the non-American titles mentioned here) who have produced many a treasure...The Gruffalo is about a clever mouse who outwits his predators including the now famous Gruffalo of the "knobbly knees and turned out toes".

5. Tigerprince by Chen Jianghong. With breathtaking illustrations combining classical Chinese drawing with modern, western visual language, Chen Jianghong tells the moving story of a mother-son relationship between a little prince and a tigress. [This book is not available in English yet, but if you can read German or Chinese, then you are fine. S.R.]

6. Fast Food by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers. These guys create characters using fruits and vegetables and black eyed peas. My favorite is the banana airplane.

7. Une soupe au caillou  by Anaïs Vaugelade. Based on the fable. A wolf visits a hen and suggests they make stone soup. The neighbors are concerned and come to call, each bringing a vegetable to contribute. After they dine together the wolf leaves and  we wonder what he would have done if the neighbors had stayed at home.

8. Traction Man by Mini Grey.
I love the way this title celebrates children's imagination.

9. Sorry, but I have to say: anything by Mo Willems.

10. Lon Po Po by Ed Young. As with Chen Jianghong, I appreciate (and I think children also appreciate) when authors are not afraid to tackle our fears. (I like the dedication to the wolf at the beginning.)

Cristiana Clerici's Picture Book List

Cristiana Clerici writes about children's books on her blog The Tea Box and on Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. I'll let her introduce herself.

I was born in Parma, Italy, where I still live with my two cats. I was a very lucky child, because I had the best granny in the world: she was the one who used to tell me the most incredible stories at bedtime, though my favourite has always been Cinderella (for the three balls and the three dresses she had, at least in my granny's version, not for Prince Charming nor for wedding! I start to think I've been quite coherent after all!). Granny was the one who gifted me with fascination for children's literature. I took my University degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures, in specific English and French, the further step was then quite a natural one to me: speak French and English + love literature, and in specific kidslit, + a bit of craziness = start studying the subject and writing about it, first for a few specialized magazines, then on my own blog(s)!

1 – NELLA NEBBIA DI MILANO by Bruno Munari

      Bruno Munari has been a brilliant mind and a free soul, to me he represents all the good qualities of our country: he was a wise free thinker, someone with an excellent sense of aesthetics and color and a man gifted with a powerful creativity. Nella Nebbia di Milano is, to my opinion, his masterpiece. Though dated 1968, it's a timeless picture book, where words and images contribute to plunge you into a real foggy day, with a little surprise in the middle. His use of tissue papers and graphics recalls the imperceivable softness that wraps up everything on a foggy day. Though, being such a fan of colored papers, he could not renounce to a colorful heart: the great circus is in town, and even if everything around is gray and black and all mingled, inside the circus everything is color! The text is essential and full of poetry: “Gli uccelli fanno piccoli voli nella nebbia.... e tornano subito” (birds make short flights when it's foggy... and they come back immediately). 
[This book is also available in its English translation as "The Circus in the Mist".]

2 – THE SNOWY DAY by Ezra J.Keats

      This is another timeless masterpiece I discovered only quite recently. What I appreciate more in Keats is the immense sense of child's perspective he has: his way of looking at the world is exactly the way children look at it, with that same enchantment. The Snowy Day to me represents exactly this: marvel and joy, playing, a metamorphosed world loosing its usual boundaries and becoming the perfect place for new discoveries. His use of color is incredibly masterly, he never exceeds and this not just because he's describing a snowy day, but because he has a great sense of balance. I love the way Keats portrayed his main character, not simply because he portrays a black boy (and I believe we would need many more book characters in Europe belonging to other ethnic groups others than white), but because he decided to outline Peter very simply, he avoids being too descriptive, so that anyone can identify with him, which leads to another important message: though different in our being individuals, we are all the same.

3 – ABC, WORD BOOK by Richard Scarry

      This is the book I literally worn out when I was a kid: Scarry's images are always on my mind and every time I look at them I feel home somehow. I remember spending hours on the book looking at all the little details. Amid all the animals populating the book cats were my favorite (why on earth would I be surrounded by cats otherwise??), and the table I loved most was the one representing the Firemen House. Amid all the other picks I made, this is a real emotional choice and most probably it's the book I would still select were I still a child. Of Scarry's illustrations I really love the thin lines, the colors and his urban scenes full of details and warmth. And, one last thing, the cottage: this is where I always wanted to live. Remembering this makes me think of how much a children's book can determine the perception a child has of the world outside!

4 – LA VISITE DE PETITE MORT by Kitty Crowther

      Kitty Crowther is one of my favorite authors/illustrators, I was right there when she received the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award last year and I was so happy and moved and empathic that I ended up crying like a baby! Well, besides this... La Visite de Petite Mort is a book that affords a difficult theme like death in such an incredibly sensible way it is a real life lesson for anyone, adults and children likewise. Kitty Crowther always deals with difficult topics, and this book is no exception. When I found it book I felt so deeply touched I could hardly refrain from turning all emotional: Petite Mort is a child, a very kind child everyone is afraid of, they all tremble with fear when they see her, and she resents this very much, until she meets Elsewise who is a child as well, a child who has been hill for a long time. Elsewise welcomes Petite Mort, they play together and they become friends. I won't give the ending away but it is such a beautiful book I would talk about it for hours, this is why I'd better stop here!

5 – LES ARBRES PLEURENT AUSSI by Irène Cohen-Janca, illustrations by Maurizio A.C. Quarello

In Les Arbres Pleurent Aussi, the main character is the horse-chestnut tree that was in front of Anne Frank's hidden shelter, in Amsterdam. It's the tree that tells us about her, we will know her name only towards the end of the book, until then it's just a tree and a girl observing each other and the world all around getting darker and crazier. Both illustrations and text are of such rare beauty that I wouldn't know where to start: few books about Anne Frank were able to reach such high degree of poetry and intensity. It is such a powerful book, all played around the idea that the tree and the girl are both powerless, we know what their destiny will be and still we are stuck to the pages, watching them living their lives despite everything else. It contains all the sense of injustice and misery that comes with wars, whatever war they are.

6 – ICI LONDRES by Vincent Cuvellier, illustrations bu Anne Herbauts

      Talking about war: Ici Londres is a brilliant book whose text is formed by the secret messages French people, exhiled in England, sent through BBC Radio during the Second World War, including the very famous: “Les sanglots longs / des violons / de l'automne / blessent mon coeur / d'une langueur / monotone.” In the preface, that gives unity to the whole book together with the beautiful illustrations, the author tells how he used to listen to the encrypted messages, hidden behind a pile of stumps. It's interesting the way he describes his boyish dreams upon the strange messages he couldn't fully understand and the way he gives that sense of secret urge and dread: he knew something forbidden was happening, he knew that in occupied France listening to BBC was illegal and, from his hidden corner, he could share his part with adults. Anne Herbauts is an extremely interesting Belgian illustrator, whose works always represent facts from a very original perspective. In this book, through the mysterious messages it contains, she could give way to all her inner being. With the book there is a CD with the recorded messages and a special musical accompaniment.

7 – MIGRANDO by Mariana Chiesa Mateos

      Migrando is a wordless book about migration: past and present. It's a book that goes to the very heart of emigration issues, it offers no resolution, it gives no judgment. The author identifies with those who were, and still are, migrating. It's both a personal story and a common one that ties together all different sorts of people. It's a double-face book: on one side past times, on the other  present times. What is touching and true about this book is that it lets you understand it's never easy to leave your own country, even if it can be necessary. The author shows this through the eyes of her characters: those looks with their sad smiles seem to be telling us that the past is always relevant, that the needs we had in the past are the same we have nowadays and that, in the end, men never change. In small clips, Mariana Chiesa Mateos gets to illustrate with cleverness and sensibility, the story of a girl leaving with her parents: we know almost nothing about her, we only know she feels sad, that she would like to fly back to where she belongs and one day she will. It's a book that received an important recognition from Amnesty International.

8 – L'ANGELO DELLE SCARPE by Giovanna Zoboli, illustrations by Joanna Concejo

      This book is the work of two women I appreciate and love for the grace they both have in approaching their subjects. L'Angelo delle Scarpe is a story that tells about a lonely child, whose father is too busy working to take care of his own son. Nothing more common nowadays. One day the child sees someone on the balcony and calls his father, but he won't listen to him: he's too busy making and selling shoes, and when he doesn't work he thinks of business. The child cries out for attention, breaking the perfect silence of his father's thoughts. All this crying will at last force the man to leave his armchair, and his plans, to make a sensational discovery that will change his life forever. The man on the balcony is an angel, only the father cannot see it at first: he just realizes he has no shoes, until... Well, I won't spoil the ending. Joanna Concejo's refined drawings make a perfect counter-singing to the text, they enrich it with their perfect tones, the pale colors and their delicate touches of a rare sensibility.

9 – ISIS by Silvina Ocampo, illustrations by Pablo Auladell

      Before being a real artwork this picture book is a cultural operation of excellence: the publishers in fact selected this amazing text by Silvina Ocampo, who was born in Buenos Aires at the beginning of the 20^th century, where the main character somehow reminds her for that same sensible soul, for those same silences, for that inner wish to be something else or somewhere else. This text was not necessarily meant for children, though its beauty, with its dark sides and irony, with its ferocious portrait of humanity and its brilliant ending is such that it has become an amazingly beautiful picture book. It's a story about a strange metamorphosis that will change the main character into a wild animal: a quite twisted perspective but, let's be honest, haven't we all dreamed of becoming a wild and free creature sooner or later? This operation wouldn't have been possible without Pablo Auladell, he is to me one of the most promising Spanish illustrators: extremely versatile, his interpretation of the stories he narrates is unique, with a touch of the first Picasso and a very personal hint, he gives body and soul to this story as none else could have done. His use of color and perspective, the atmospheres of his works are simply brilliant.

10 – L'ULTIMA SPIAGGIA by J. Patrick Lewis, illustrations by Roberto Innocenti

        How could I not love Roberto Innocenti? The true is that America was the first country where his genius was fully understood and recognized, this is why all my perpetual gratitude goes to the enlightened publisher who brought him to light! This said, what if Innocenti is in couple with J. Patrick Lewis? Well, the result could just be amazing! L'ultima spiaggia is a strange mingling of classic characters that a Novel-weirdo like me could just adore!! With their peculiar sense of irony and mocking approach, this fantastic duo of artists brought together some of the most improbable companions, both from fiction and reality, such as Huckleberry Finn, Long John Silver, the Little Mermaid, Peter Lorre, Jules Maigret, Antoine de Sait-Exupery, Moby Dick and many others, into one single book. How can this be? Well, they're all guests at the same hotel where the main character arrives on a solitary trip. No need to say this book is simply hilarious, refined, full of cultural references and enriched by Innocenti's masterly and unmistakable illustrations.

Megan Montague Cash's Picture Book List

Megan Montague Cash is an author, illustrator and designer specializing in works for children. Her resumé includes toys, games, paper-engineered cards and numerous children’s museum exhibits. Megan has published a score of children’s books and her collaborations with cartoonist Mark Newgarden include Bow-Wow Bugs a Bug which won the Gold Medal at the Society of Illustrators Original Art Show in 2007 (among other awards). She teaches design and illustration at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn where she lives with her partner, the aforementioned cartoonist.

Click here or here to see Megan’s work.

Here are Megan’s Top 10 Favorite Children’s Books

(in chronological order)

There are plenty of recent children’s books that I love, but my most beloved were created years ago.

1.) Robert Francis Weatherbee: The Boy Who Would Not Go to School 

by Munro Leaf (1935)

Propaganda for children? Perhaps. In book after book, Leaf uses his gentle Jujutsu powers of influence. He teaches manners. He teaches safety. He teaches peace. In Robert Francis Weatherbee, he uses humor and common sense to illustrate the value of an education. Sadly, this charming book is no longer in print.

2.) Goodnight Moon

by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd (1947)
Brown, Hurd, the old lady rabbit, the young rabbit and the active little mouse have been putting children to sleep continuously for over 50 years.

3.) Finn Family Moomintroll 

by Tove Jansson (1948)

Spend some time meandering in Jansson’s world. The quirky text and exquisite images of Finn Family Moomintroll are pure pleasure. But don’t stop there. Every Jansson chapter book, picture book and comic strip compilation is just as good. Keep an eye out for the extraordinary die-cut The Book about Moomin, Mymble and Little My which is back in print after many years. The Moomin characters will follow you around long after you’ve returned the books to their shelves.

4.) Charlotte’s Web 

by E. B. White, illustrated by Garth Williams (1952)

 Unparalleled storytelling and art. Make sure to keep a box of tissues handy when you read this classic about love, loss and renewal. The original cover art for Charlotte’s Web recently sold at auction for $155,000, but this invaluable book can be found online for 25 cents.

5.) How to Make an Earthquake 

by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Crockett Johnson (1954)

Possibly the best children’s books ever. It is storybook? No. Is it a chapter book? No. It’s kind of a “how to” book for kids. Like how to “Make a tunnel of love for kittens without a mother” and how to have “Fun at the Post Office”. Krauss and her husband Johnson most certainly knew how to make children happy. Since this masterpiece is not easily categorized into any of today’s cookie cutter publishing formats, it is of course, long out of print.

6.) Play With Me 

by Marie Hall Ets (1955)

This subtly gorgeous picture book illuminates the benefits of patience and mindfulness. It’s the perfect quiet book for an increasingly loud world. A well-deserved Caldecott Honor has helped keep this book in print.

7.) Sparkle and Spin 

by Ann and Paul Rand (1957)

Paul Rand was arguably the quintessential graphic designer of the mid-20^th century. Ann was his partner in life and children’s books. Sparkle and Spin pretends to be about words but it’s really about pictures. Both words and pictures were brought back in print a few years ago.

8.) Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present (1962)

by Charlotte Zolotow, illustrated by Maurice Sendak

No favorite children’s book list is complete without the work of Maurice Sendak. A girl and a surprisingly large rabbit share a leisurely pastoral stroll. In this colorful and poetic classic, the two find a satisfying solution to a familiar problem. Another Caldecott Honor winner that’s easily available.

9.) Miffy 

by Dick Bruna (1963)
Bruna is master of the deceptively simple. Don’t confuse Miffy with Hello Copy Cat. Plenty of Bruna’s timeless children’s books are still in print and they’re all good. The weirder out of print ones like The Apple are also worth investigating. If you’re a graphic design fan, you might want to explore Bruna’s beautifully designed book covers for grown-ups. The books themselves may be rare, but the cover images are easy to find.

10.) The Sunshine Family and the Pony

by Sharron Loree (1972)

Written and illustrated by my mother, this is a true story about group of people who leave the city to form a commune. This picture book represents a transitional and idealistic time in American history and in the lives of my family. As all things must pass, it’s no surprise this period piece is no longer in print. (FYI: I’m the blonde girl on the cover.)

Aileen Leijten's Picture Book List

Aileen Leijten was born and raised in Belgium.  After graduating from college, she moved to the U.S. to continue her studies in Animation Film. She graduated with an MFA in 1994. Her films were nominated nationally and internationally, and Sugar & Plastic won an award at the Sinking Creek Festival in Nashville. After that, Aileen worked for companies such as Steven Spielberg’s non-profit, Starbright, Hanna-Barbera, Sony Studios, Mattel Media, and Walt Disney Imagineering (theme park design). In 2003 she illustrated City Hall, her first children's book. Together with her husband, author/illustartor John Rocco, she decided to move to New York to focus on children's books. She illustrated: Bella & Bean, written by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, and she wrote and illustrated Hugging Hour, Penguin/Philomel 2009. You can learn more on her personal blog.

This is a list of ten of her favorite picture books:

1. The Doubtful Guest - Edward Gorey
    This is my favorite Edward Gorey book, it encompasses everything I love in a picture book. The text is brilliant in itself, but Gorey adds so much extra with his quirky, wonderful and very funny illustrations. A truly inspirational masterpiece.

 
2. The Rabbits - John Marsden & Shaun Tan
    I was so happy when I discovered this book at the bookstore. I couldn't get enough of it and I bought many more of Tan's books because of it. The illustrations are gorgeously sad and the text poetic and so moving. This devastating tale about colonization says everything that needs to be said, and the illustration capture the essence of what the colonized and their land are enduring.
   
3. In the Night Kitchen - Maurice Sendak
    Sendak approached this book in a very graphic novel-like way, and the result is stunning. The thick, black, pen and ink line is beautiful and the colors make this dreamlike environment come to live. It's hard to believe that this book has been ranked 25th place on the "100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000" list compiled by the American Library Association.

4. The Tomten - Astrid Lindgren & Harald Wiberg
    I never get tired of reading this book to my daughter. It's so calming, soothing and beautifully illustrated. No other book captures the long cold winter feeling, snowy silence. People and animals huddle together and this magical creature the Tomten watches over everything. So sweet.

5. Anatole - Eve Titus & Paul Galdone
    Anatole is a smart, sweet, compassionate and generous mouse. From the first page, one immediately cares about his little French hero. The illustrations are basically black and white with a some blue and red added here and there, they capture all the necessary actions and emotions and are perfect for this book.The story is smart, sweet and fun. Another book i will never get tired of.

6. Santa Calls - William Joyce
    The story is charming, but the illustrations are beyond beautiful. This was the first picture book I ever bought for myself. Joyce's style has this old art deco feeling and he fills the pages with incredibly intricate details, reminiscent of Little Nemo in Slumberland (btw, does that count a s a picture book, because I'll have to add it to the top of my list!)

7. Doctor De Soto - William Steig
    I had to pick one of Steig's books, they are all so good and so funny. Doctor De Soto is great, meaningful, suspenseful, and funny. It won the Newberry Award, that says it all.

8. The Swineherd - Lisbeth Zwerger   
    Lisbeth Zwerger is one of, if not my favorite illustrator ever. I love her delicate lines, subtle watercolors and swirly pen and ink work. I grew up with the Anderson fairy tale, and have always loved it, but Zwergers fluid illustrations make this book stand out, even from her other picture books.

9. The Lion and the Mouse - Jerry Pinkney
    I like wordless books, this one in particular. The drawings are so detailed and realistic yet very personal and humorous. Again, those swirly lines and the incredible masterful use of watercolor, makes me swoon. A stunning book.
   
10. The Story Blanket - Ferida Wolff /Harriet May Savitz - Elena Odriozola
The story is sweet and warm and good. The illustrations are great original, new and refreshing.Every single page is beautiful. The layouts and use of white space is perfect, the bright colors complement each other well and the character design is fresh.

Christine Kettner's Picture Book List

Christine Kettner is currently Art Director for Clarion and Harcourt Children’s Books, imprints of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in New York City.

She was art Director for Hyperion books for Children and design supervisor for Harper Collins. In her long and adventourous career she has had the privilege to work with Rosemary Wells, William Joyce, John Scieszka, John Rocco, Sergio Ruzzier and Stephen Marchesi and many, many others.
About her work she says:
“Nothing is more rewarding than working with artists to make words come alive through pictures creating a tangible book that a child can hold in their hands, expanding their world.”

Here's her list:

1. The Snow Cat by Dayal Kaur Khalsa

2. Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag

3. Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

4. Puss in Boots illustrated by Fred Marcellino

5. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd

6. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

7. How Pizza Came to Queens by  Dayal Kaur Khalsa

8. George and Martha by James Marshall

9. Uncle Elephant by Arnold Lobel

10. Shrek by William Steig

David Gavril's Picture Book List

David Gavril is a picture book writer and illustrator. His books include, Hector and the Noisy Neighbor,  Penelope Nuthatch and The Big Surprise, and Chicken Soup, a collaboration with author Jean Van Leeuwen. He lives with his wife and daughter in Brooklyn, New York.

I’m pretty heartbroken to not have any books on here by the Provensens or Richard Scarry but thought a few of these lesser known books might be deserving of some attention. 

The Tomten and The Fox by Astrid Lindgren illustrated by Harold Wiberg
Wiberg's beautiful watercolor illustrations of the winter night really make this one shine. There's another book by them called simply 'The Tomten" that is its equal, but this is the one I fell in love with first. 

Possum's Harvest Moon by Anne Hunter
Anne Hunter’s illustrations are wonderful and she has a real gift for portraying the natural world. This contemporary book is very underrated. 

Yummers by James Marshall
Most James Marshall books are masterpieces, even the more obscure books (of which there are many, he was as prolific as he was brilliant). This one was created in 1972, about the same time as the first George and Martha. If you are lucky enough to find a hardcover copy with dust jacket there is a wonderful picture of James leaning over his drawing board. George and Martha are pretty cool too. 

Who Needs Donuts by Mark Allen Stamaty
When I was a kid this book really blew my mind and it still does.  Its main messages/themes: run away from home, talk to strangers and eat a lot of junk food, probably won't win over too many parents, but the richness of Stamaty’s imagination just might. My mom, children's writer Jean Van Leeuwen, actually edited this book (it was difficult).  She remembers Mark at the time as being very poor and often hanging around the office hoping someone would buy him lunch. Small in the Saddle, a picture book from around the same time period is also pretty great. 

Owl at Home by Arnold Lobel 
I love anything by Arnold Lobel. Of course Grasshopper, Uncle Elephant, and Mouse Tales are all terrific but I think Owl equals the Frog and Toad books in terms of flat out undeniably classic stories. Read Tear-water Tea, Strange Bumps, Upstairs Downstairs, The Guest and see if you don't agree. 

The Bear and the Fly by Paula Winter
 Some years back when I worked in a second hand children's book store I discovered this wordless gem. The dark humor and (most likely) small sales history will probably guarantee that it is never reprinted but it deserves to be rediscovered. 

Snow by Uri Shulevitz
I love the mood of this book. The illustration of the woman on the television saying "No snow" is probably one of my favorite all time illustrations.  No two Shulevitz books are alike and I continue to admire his versatility. Best snow book ever! (Waiting for Winter by Sebastian Meschenmoser is also a winner in the snow book category.) 

Amos and Boris by William Steig 
William Steig was a childhood favorite. His original book Shrek (long before the movie) actually inspired me to try my hand at children's books. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble might be the more popular pick but Amos and Boris is still the one I like best. 

The Shrinking of Treehorn by Florence Parry Heide illustrated by Edward Gorey
I'm a huge fan of Edward Gorey's drawings, but I often find I like his work best when he is working as an illustrator. The Treehorn books are all wonderful; I find them unbelievably sad and maybe just a little wordy. Abrams did a great anthology collecting them all in one volume. When I was first starting out I saw some of the original art for Treehorn and was struck by the large amount of white out used. "There is hope!" I said to myself. 

On My Beach There Are Many Pebbles by Leo Leonni 
Here Leonni is like Philippe Petit walking the high wire and he pulls off something miraculous. I don't think we have to worry about any of our celebrity author friends attempting a children’s book like this (come on Madonna, try it!). This book is more like Mozart or Picasso, great art by a master.

Julie Fortenberry's Picture Book List

Julie Fortenberry is the illustrator of Pippa at the Parade by Karen Roosa (2009), Sadie’s Sukkah Breakfast by Jamie Korngold, and Pirate Boy by Eve Bunting (both to be released in 2011). You can see Julie's work on her website. She also has a very inspiring blog on picture books.

This is a list of ten of her favorite picture books:

1. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig -- An emotionally moving fairy tale with funny animals.

2. Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion, illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham

3. Cottonball Colin by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Tony Ross

4. I Am A Bunny by Ole Risom, illustrated by Richard Scarry -- Simple, poetic text with illustrations to match.

5. The Stray Dog by Marc Simont

6. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson

7. Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey

8. It Could Always Be Worse: A Yiddish Folk Tale illustrated by Margot Zemach

9. The Animal Fair, a Giant Golden Book by Alice and Martin Provensen -- A big collection of animal stories illustrated in colorful midcentury style.

10. How to Heal a Broken Wing by Bob Graham

Jennifer Laughran's Picture Book List

Jennifer Laughran started her career in children's books with her first bookstore job, at age 12, and in later years went on to be a buyer and events coordinator for indie bookstores across the country. She is now an agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency, focusing on books for children and young adults. Her clients include Daniel Pinkwater, Calef Brown, Matt Faulkner and Kate Messner among others. 

You can follow Jennifer's thoughts on her blog and on Twitter (@literaticat).

Here's what she writes:

This list is only people who are NOT clients and whom I don't know personally, and in no particular order:

LILLY'S PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE by Kevin Henkes:  I love all of Kevin Henkes' Mouse books a lot, but this one was the first one I read, and it never fails to make me feel a bit choked up. I love the teacher Mr. Slinger. And I LOVE LILLY and her red boots and movie star sunglasses!

SEVEN SILLY EATERS by Mary Ann Hoberman & Marla Frazee: This is a modern classic about a huge family in which every kid is ridiculously picky about what they will eat, and the frazzled mom who has to keep up with it all. The rhyme is catchy and just perfect - and Marla's illustrations are so, so gorgeous, always.

LITTLE FUR FAMILY by Margaret Wise Brown & Garth Williams: I thought Goodnight Moon was ok, but I LOVED Little Fur Family. "There was a little fur family. Warm as toast, smaller than most, in little fur coats, and they lived in a warm wooden tree." Could anything be cozier and more adorable? OH YES!  Because the little fur child finds "a little tiny tiny fur animal, the littlest fur animal in the world. It had warm silky fur and even a little fur nose."  AHHH SO CUTE!  You can get this in a fake-fur covered "deluxe" edition, which mimics the rabbit-fur bound first edition. Mine was just a falling-apart paperback.

PIERRE by Maurice Sendak: I love pretty much all Maurice Sendak books of course, but I always had a special fondness for Pierre. He is a wretched little misanthrope who doesn't care about anything, much to his parents dismay, and then he gets eaten by a lion. Ha!

MAX MAKES A MILLION / OOH LA LA MAX IN LOVE / MAX IN HOLLYWOOD, BABY / SWAMI ON RYE by Maira Kalman. Max is a poet. Max is a dreamer. Max is a dog. This is 4 books, but it really constitutes a saga: in the first book, New York dog Max sells some poems and gets rich. Then he goes to Paris to find the love of his life and be a real bohemian. Then he gets a film deal and goes out to LA, but with all the money and fame, he gets a big head, so in the final installment, he goes to India to find enlightenment with a guru, and becomes a father. Genius, and truly just as much for grownups as kids.

FABLES by Arthur Lobel.  I loved this book when I was a kid because the fables are quite weird and subversive. And there are a bunch of them, which each constitute their own complete story, so it is like having 20 oddball picture books in one. And there is a bear on the cover wearing a pan for a hat and brown paper bags for shoes.

EAST OF THE SUN, WEST OF THE MOON by Mercer Mayer: My father gave me this storybook when I was probably six or seven, and I found it completely mesmerizing. It is a long, complicated, sad and scary fairy tale, beautifully illustrated. Though the length of the text and painterly quality of the illustrations make this slightly old-fashioned for publishing tastes today, wow, do I wish this style of book would come back into fashion.

TIKKI TIKKI TEMBO by Arlene Mosel & Blair Lent: Apparently this book is considered not "politically correct" nowadays. I still think it is awesome. I remember it as being a favorite for librarian read-aloud time when I was a little one, and our entire classroom delighting in chanting (say it with me): TIKKI TIKKI TEMBO-NO SAH REMBO-CHARI BARI RUCHI-PIP PERI PEMBO (gasp) HAS FALLEN DOWN THE WELL!

MISS NELSON IS MISSING by Harry Allard & James Marshall:  The students in room 207 are terrible and their lovely young teacher can't get them to pay attention. When she vanishes and awful witch Viola Swamp comes in as a substitute, they wish Miss Nelson would come back... But Miss Nelson has a secret of her own (and a creepy black dress in her closet!). This book is so funny, I must have read it a thousand times as a kid.

OFFICER BUCKLE AND GLORIA by Peggy Rathmann: Officer Buckle knows more about safety than anyone else in Napville, and he loves to give presentations about his safety tips to local schools. But nobody else loves his presentations... until his dog Gloria gets into the act, upstaging him in hilarious ways. A sweet story about friendship and sharing the spotlight, as well as totally off-the-wall funny, with hidden gems in every image. And (after learning it the hard way) I will never forget Safety Tip #77: NEVER stand on a swivel chair!

Aaron Zenz's Picture Book List

Aaron Zenz has illustrated 12 books to date, two of which he also wrote: The Hiccupotamus and the forthcoming Chuckling Ducklings.  He runs a family book review blog with his kids called Bookie Woogie: his family has around 3000 children's titles in their personal collection. 

Take a look at his website.

These are ten of Aaron's favorite picture books:

10.  LEONARDO THE TERRIBLE MONSTER by Mo Willems
A main character with great personality.  The use of space in the compositions is bold and brilliant.  Flawless story beats and perfectly placed page turns.

9.  THE SPOOKY OLD TREE by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Regardless of how a person feels about the direction the "Bears" books eventually took (whether good or bad), I dare you to revisit this title and evaluate it on its own merits.  It does indeed rock.

8.  THE THREE PIGS by David Wiesner
I love metafiction, and this book is perhaps - perhaps - the only example to surpass Grover's classic "Monster at the End of this Book."  Leave it to David Wiesner...

7.  WHO NEEDS DONUTS? by Mark Alan Stamaty
The art is a shock to the system.  Stunning.  Overwhelming.  Crazy.  You could spend a lifetime combing the pictures.  And the story is equally absurd and delightful with great themes and text-echoes.

6.  SHARK AND LOBSTER'S AMAZING UNDERSEA ADVENTURE by Viviane Schwarz
So.  Much.  Fun.  This is how you tell a story.

5.  THE ADVENTURES OF MARCO AND POLO by Dieter Wiesmuller
My favorite illustrations in any book.  Crisp cools, rich warms.  Lush and lavish.

4.  THE ARRIVAL by Shaun Tan
No other book like it.  It's epic.  It doesn't just "tell" an immigrant's story, it magically (or I suppose, skillfully) brings us INTO the very experience.

3.   THE CINDER-EYED CATS by Eric Rohmann
The images are so powerful, it would have been a great wordless book.  It's the picture book that captured my heart, compelling me to create my own worlds.  For that I will always be thankful.

2.  SHADOW by Suzy Lee
This book JUST came out, but already it rocketed high up my list of favorite books of all time, and will stay there for all foreseeable future.  Wow, wow, wow.  Full of drama, beauty, emotion, enchantment, play...  How did she achieve all this in 32 pages???   It is so perfect, I've wanted to cry while reading it. 

1.  BLACK AND WHITE by David Macaulay
After the Bible, it's my favorite book of any kind.  Four stories?  One story?  Who knows.  The number of interconnecting details from story to story seems limitless.  I've discovered some new hidden surprise literally every time I've revisited the book.  The sheer number of playful components that tie this book together, then pull it apart, only to tie it back together, always keeps it at the top of my list.