Pam Coughlan's Picture Book List

Pam Coughlan writes the blog MotherReader (where she recently posted a great answer to the infamous NYT article on picture books), administrates the website KidLitosphere Central, and contributes to the blogger book awards, the Cybils, as the Fiction Picture Book organizer.

Here's her entry:

When Fuse#8 was working to put together the incredible list of the Top 100 Picture Books, I submitted my contribution as books that came top-of-mind quickly. So I have my own favorites as a child, my first favorites to read to my kids, and my first favorites as a librarian. There are hundreds of
picture books I have loved and do love, but these are the ones that jumped out.

THE KING by Dick Bruna
The king was sad because all he wanted was a friend, not a crown. I drew teardrops all over this book, bless my heart.

BREAD AND JAM FOR FRANCES by Russell Hoban 

Picky eaters unite! I loved all the Frances books and can only choose this as a favorite by a slight margin.

THE MONSTER AT THE END OF THIS BOOK by Jon Stone, illustrated Mike Smollin

Grover talking directly to the reader made this book absolute genius.

THE GROUCHY LADYBUG by Eric Carle

It's hard to pick one Eric Carle book, but I really like doing the grouchy voice while reading this aloud.

ON THE DAY YOU WERE BORN by Debra Frasier

I never get through this book without tearing up. It's a great baby shower gift.

GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU by Sam McBratney
This book does a wonderful job of reflecting the love and relationship between
parent and child.

CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM, by Bill Martin

If you think this book is fun to read, watch the video or listen to the CD of
the music. Catchy.

DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS! by Mo Willems 

Funny, clever, and the perfect read-aloud. Mo-tastic.

KNUFFLE BUNNY, A CAUTIONARY TALE by Mo Willems
Again: funny, clever, and the perfect read-aloud, but with the bonus
of being feeling familiar to moms and dads.

HOW TO HEAL A BROKEN WING by Bob Graham
I'll stand by the 2008 Cybils winner as being an outstanding book about courage,
kindness, and love.

Julian Hector's Picture Book List

Julian Hector was born in Los Angeles, and raised by two evil biologists outside of Austin, Tx.  For solace, Julian studied the fauna of Texas, and would often draw them wearing cloths, standing upright, and entertaining themselves with high-tea, and various candlelight suppers.  On the weekends, Julian was forced to go to Sunday school, where he would sculpt the Sea Quest DSV submarine out of clay, disregarding the "must be present in the bible" creativity rule.  When Julian was 11, he was kicked out of Sunday School for supporting abortion, and being Jewish, via his mother.  In high-school, he was berated for drawing in the margins of his homework assignments, so, to express himself, he auditioned and was accepted into a theatre class, using a monologue from Seinfeld.  Due to creative differences with several cast members, Julian's time in theatre was short, and to this day, he harbors an obstinate distrust of thespians.  In 2002, Julian entered the Parsons School of Design, with the intent of becoming an architect for Sir Norman Foster.  Julian wisely switched to illustration, when he discovered that chocolate and cotton candy were not sound construction materials. In Illustration, Julian recalled his days of animal drawing, and found a happy home in children's publishing.   

Julian's latest book The Gentleman Bug was published this spring by Atheneum.

Here's his list:

- THE ARRIVAL by Shaun Tan. My absolute favorite Book!  I don't know what else to say; the book is an experience.  

- THE STORY OF FERDINAND by Munro Leaf, Robert Lawson.  I love this book to the point that my first picture book was told from a Matador's point of view. 

- THE BUTTERFLY BALL AND THE GRASSHOPPER'S FEAST by Alan Aldridge and William Plomer. My first textbook in anthropomorphism. To this day, I imagine that wasps wear armor and sword-fight, and that old snails ride on butterfly drawn leafs.

   

 

- AMPHIGOREY by Edward Gorey. I like all of Gorey's compilations, but Amphigorey has the "The Gashlycrumb Tinies," "The Doubtful Guest," and "The Hapless Child."
 

- THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS by Kenneth Grahame, illustrated by E.H. Shepard. This is my second textbook in anthropomorphism.  

- MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS by Robert McCloskey. I like this book for a lot of reasons, but these days, I look at for its construction.  From its size, to the creamy paper, chocolaty ink, green jacket, and the fonts, I think that it's one of the best built picture books. 

- AND TANGO MAKES THREE by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, illustrated by Henry Cole. My favorite family story. 

- MOMMY? by Maurice Sendak, Arthur Yorinks, and Matthew Reinhart. This is one of the most fun books to open. 

- BRUNDIBAR by Maurice Sendak and Tony Kushner. I really like the backstory behind this book, and Tony Kushner's rhyme at the end is both haunting and honest.  This is a great book for dealing with bullies.    

- OLIVIA by Ian Falconer. This book was published during my sophomore year of high-school, and I'll always love it for bringing picture books back into my life.  It's surreal to me that I now share Ian Falconer's editor and art director. 

Travis Jonker's Picture Book List

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian living a stone's throw from the banks of Lake Michigan. Since 2007 he has been writing about, promoting, and giving a hard time to children's literature at 100 Scope Notes. He is the founding member of the "No More Socks on Book Covers" support group and occasionally puts on a suit and combs his hair to review books for School Library Journal.

Here's Travis' list of ten of his favorite picture books: 

10. CURIOUS GEORGE by Margaret and H.A. Rey.

Originally published in 1941, it’s a testament to the enduring appeal of Curious George that this title, and its multitude of subsequent books are still widely circulated, and familiar to young readers. I can see why. Kids can relate to George’s innocently mischievous behavior and his relationship with “The Man With the Yellow Hat”, who acts as parental figure. In a format extended beyond the typical 32 page picture book standard, the simple text and humorous illustrations continue to draw readers in.

9. STREGA NONA by Tomie dePaola.

I must have a thing for bowls that duplicate stuff. Strega Nona in many ways mirrors the 4th title on this list, The Full Belly Bowl. But unlike Aylesworth’s book, Strega Nona focuses on humor to get its point across. dePaola’s 1979 classic takes an original tale and makes it feel timeless – no small feat.

8. ARNIE THE DOUGHNUT by Laurie Keller.

An absurdist masterpiece in both writing and illustration. Our hero goes through a lot in one day: being created, finding a home, avoiding consumption, and eventually welcoming his new role in life as a doughnut dog. Hilarious even after multiple readings with subtle themes of belonging, Arnie the Doughnut (published in 2003) has more personality in its publication page than some picture books have in total.

  7. JUMANJI by Chris Van Allsburg.

Look no further than the cover artwork to witness Van Allsburg’s eerie, draftsman-like precision on full display. Jumanji (published in 1981) takes a story that could have turned out silly and crafts a hauntingly beautiful title through illustrations that speak volumes.

6. DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS by Mo Willems.

Willems wasn’t the first picture book author to break down the “forth wall” and have his characters speak directly to the reader, he’s just proven to be the best at it. When Pigeon debuted in 2003 it became an immediate read aloud smash and reminded everyone that yes, books are entertainment – and that’s a good thing.

5. THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR by Eric Carle.

Never has there been a more universally loved picture book. While other titles on this list may split audiences, Eric Carle’s 1969 classic is bulletproof. Through its perfect story, wonderful pacing, and inventive illustration, this rep has been earned.

4. THE FULL BELLY BOWL by Jim Ayleswoth, Illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin.

Some stories are best read alone, others reach their full potential when shared. Aylesworth’s 1999 tale of an old man who receives a magical gift from a stranger falls squarely in the latter category. A read aloud champion that pulls readers into the story, making them wonder what they would do with a bowl that can duplicate whatever is put inside it – including money.

3. FLOTSAM by David Wiesner.

There is no finer example of unbridled imagination than Wiesner’s 2006 wordless story about a boy who finds amazing things inside old camera washed up on a beach. As the storyline unfolds, the reader discovers that undersea life may be much more sophisticated (and whimsical) than previously thought. A cyclical ending shows the camera washed up again, ready for the next passerby to continue the story.

2. HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS by Dr. Seuss.

Books set during Christmas are akin to songs on top 40 radio – tons of people enjoy them, but critics don’t give them much credit. Don’t get it twisted: Seuss’ 1957 Yule time tale deserves all the credit it can get, if for no other reason than the creation of The Grinch, one of the most indelible characters in picture book history.

1. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE by Maurice Sendak.

The evolution of picture books can be broken down into two time periods: Pre-Wild Things and Post-Wild Things. Sendak’s 1963 book was that instrumental in ushering in the modern age of picture books. While tackling themes of anger and loneliness, Sendak created one of the few picture books that still seems fresh after decades in print.

Julie Danielson's Picture Book List

Julie Danielson (in her own words) has conducted approximately eleventy billion interviews and features of authors and illustrators at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, also known as 7-Imp, a children's literature blog, focused primarily these days on illustration and picture books. When forced to count, she thinks it's more like between 250 and 300 features of book-creators over the past three years. Give or take a two. Having devoted the beginning of her professional life to Sign Language Interpreting, she then got her Master's degree in Information Sciences at The University of Tennessee, with a focus on children's librarianship. Her most recent librarian position involved putting the two degrees together and working at the Tennessee School for the Deaf. She now works from home, while raising two young imps of her own, and is writing this year with Elizabeth Bird and Peter D. Sieruta about the edgier side of children's literature and its untold stories in a book which will see the light-of-day in Fall 2012 from Candlewick. 

This was difficult. I'm a tremendous picture book nerd. In fact, in grad school, I had to narrow my favorite picture book titles down to my own personal "Best 100" after spending the semester reading a whole heapin' ton of picture book titles from past and present, and I found even 100 difficult. Needless to say, narrowing to ten was challenging.

I decided to choose older titles. The most recent one on this list is 2001. Including more contemporary picture books would have made it even crazier for me, so having this focus helped me a bit. I hope that works. Yes, I decided to make up my own rules here.

1. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE by Maurice Sendak, 1963. But of course. I'll always remember Chris Raschka's comment about this book. He visited the blog in 2009 and recalls the first time he ever saw the book as a child, sitting on his friend's kitchen table. There was "something mysterious and nearly exotic about the book," he told me. Yeah. THAT. I had the same response as a child. I didn't own it, but my friend across the street did, and even just the cover captivated me, though I was too shy to pick it up and read it then. I didn't truly discover it till adulthood. It is a force of nature.

2.  GEORGE AND MARTHA by James Marshall, 1972. Best Picture Book Duo Ever. I almost don't care who comes along next. No one can top them. I do unsightly snort-laughs whenever I read Story Number Three, "The Tub": "George was fond of peeking in windows." Gets me every time.

3. IN THE FOREST by Marie Hall Ets, 1944. She was a master of books for early childhood, and she made it all look easy. A quiet hush falls when I read her books. I could pore over them for days.

 

  

4. MILLIONS OF CATS by Wanda Gág, 1928. Maybe not a surprising title for this list, given that it's the oldest American picture book in print and we talk and talk about it and study it and revere it for its wonderfulness and Gág brought us the double page spread and this story with such momentum and amazing line and shape and all this and all that. But my favorite thing about it? How funny it is. It really is a hoot in spots.

5. FLOSSIE AND THE FOX by Patricia C. McKissack and illustrated by Rachel Isadora, 1986. For its joy. For the way Isadora depicts sunlight in those woods. 

6. THE OTHER SIDE by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by E.B. Lewis, 2001. A poem of a picture book.

7. MR. GUMPY'S OUTING by John Burningham, 1970. Burningham is a genius. This book is flawless. I'm VERY fond of hyperbole -- in fact, with the white-hot intensity of a skerjillion suns --  but it's all true. He's brilliant. And I love how there's a wordless feast in so many of his titles. Mmm.

 



















8. THE GARDENER by Sarah Stewart and illustrated by David Small, 1997. For the look on Uncle Jim's face when Lydia Grace gives him his cake, the look on his face when he hugs her, and the rays of sunlight on the final spread.

9. THE HAPPY DAY by Ruth Krauss and illustrated by Marc Simont, 1949. For that one little flower growing in the snow. Oh, that yellow!

10. HENRY HIKES TO FITCHBURG by D.B. Johnson, 2000. Daniel Pinkwater visited the blog in 2009 and told it like it is: "D.B. Johnson is a genius."

Since I already made up my own rules for doing this, can I cheat and do 12 titles?

11. SAM, BANGS AND MOONSHINE by Evaline Ness, 1966. So much emotion. Giant tomes could be written about this book and what Ness does with line and shape and color and composition. Beautiful.

12. THE STINKY CHEESE MAN AND OTHER FAIRLY STUPID TALES by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith, 1992. For the design (the great Molly Leach). For making me want to study children's lit. For the wicked humor of "The Really Ugly Duckling" and its last line.

Emily Jenkins' Picture Book List

Portrait by Heather Weston

Emily Jenkins is the author of Love You When You Whine, illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier (me!), plus other picture books including Skunkdog, That New Animal, both illustrated by Pierre Pratt, What Happens on Wednesdays, illustrated by Lauren Castillo, and The Little Bit Scary People, with pictures by Alexandra Boiger. She won two Boston Globe/Horn Book honors for picture book writing and also wrote Toys Go Out and Toy Dance Party, both for middle-grade readers, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky. I do hope to work with Emily again soon.

Let's see what are ten of her favorite picture books:

Here is my own list, though it's a bit off-the-cuff.  I'm so glad you asked me, as it made me think about what I value in picture books.


1. A VERY SPECIAL HOUSE by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Maurice Sendak. This book has such amazing rhythms and it's like a window into the mind of a child. She was just a phenomenal writer.


2. A GLORIOUS DAY by Amy Schwartz. I think Schwartz is the best picture book writer working today. This is maybe my favorite, but I also love What James Liked Best and A Teeny Tiny Baby. I love them all, actually. A Glorious Day follows the kids in a single, small apartment building through their day. It is an ordinary day -- but glorious. She has such an ear for truth and humor in small things.


3. MEET WILD BOARS by Meg Rosoff, illustrated by Sophie Blackall. This just makes me laugh. Those boars are so wonderfully horrible. I would love to be able to think up something like this book.

4. TRACTION MAN IS HERE! By Mini Grey. She is operating at so many different levels here. And it just makes me happy. "Traction Man is guarding some toast." I love that he figures out how to deal with his horrid knitted green romper by unraveling it into a tight little bathing suit. Joy!


5. MR. GUMPY'S OUTING by John Burningham.  Mr. G invites all these creatures to ride on his boat if only they don't behave as their natures dictate they should. The children mustn't squabble, the pig mustn't muck about, etc. And in the end, they all collapse and do what they mustn't; they capsize the boat - and he invites everyone back for tea and says they should come again.  It's just true, about people and their foibles, and none of the foibles mattering in the end.


6. WE'RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT by Michael Rosen, illus. by Helen Oxenbury. It's an old finger-play game, masterfully retold. I see something new in Oxenbury's illustrations every time I've read it. The family is so connected, the bear so menacing yet so lonely, the dog so loyal and yet skeptical.


7. FIRST TOMATO by Rosemary Wells.  This one chokes me up every time, with so little ammunition.  A bunny has a bad day, and envisions an alternate reality where her mother sends her to to see if any tomatoes are ripe. There's only one ripe one, and she wants to eat it -- but abstains, and brings it home as she was asked to do. Later, her mother serves her "first tomato soup, because I love you so."


8. BLUEBERRIES FOR SAL by Robert McCloskey. This book makes you notice things. It makes you pay attention. To words, rhythms, sounds, life.


9.  THE SNOWY DAY by Ezra Jack Keats. It is just a perfect book.


10. SEVENTEEN THINGS I'M NOT ALLOWED TO DO ANYMORE, by Jenny Offill, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. This, like Meet Wild Boars, is a naughty book. Like A Very Special House and Traction Man, it is a look into the mind of a child that is not at all what other people wish the mind of a child to be.  I love it. And Nancy Carpenter pulls out all the stops here. The illustrations as hilarious and incredibly inventive.


Oh dear. I have left off so many, many books that I love.

Marc Tyler Nobleman's Picture Book List

Marc Tyler Nobleman is the author of more than seventy books for kids, including the picture book Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman, illustrated by Ross MacDonald. He is also a cartoonist, even though he admits he doesn't know how to draw Sponge Bob. He has a blog where he writes the stories behind the stories he writes.

Here's Marc's entry:

I love lists and I love picture books (natch) but I know I'm leaving out many favorites with this list, plus ask me again next week and it may be different:

(in no order)

- WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE by Maurice Sendak. Lyrical and almost hypnotic when read aloud.

- THE CAT IN THE HAT by Dr. Seuss. Another I love to read aloud, particularly the last few pages (starting with the clean-up session, which I can't help but read fast).

- THE STORY OF FERDINAND by Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson. I love the inviting illustrations.

- THE MILKMAN by Carol Foskett Cordsen and Douglas B. Jones. A contemporary (and low-key) book about a bygone era (rare in picture books, in my experience) with a sweet subplot.

- THREE LITTLE GHOSTIES by Pippa Googhart and Anna Laura Cantone. Another one that is very fun to read aloud. Great wordplay.

- THE DAY-GLO BROTHERS by Chris Barton and Tony Persiani. An adroit blend of sharp subject, strong prose, and original research.

- THE MAN WHO WALKED BETWEEN THE TOWERS by Mordicai Gernstein. A real-life adventure with a tragic overtone that will chill adults without upsetting kids. It somehow makesbreaking the law seem okay, if there is a higher (figuratively and literally) purpose.

- MADELINE by Ludwig Bemelmans. Yet another that is addictive to read aloud.

- ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY by Judith Viorst and Ray Cruz. Genuinely funny and heartfelt.

- MOOSE by Michael Foreman. A favorite from my own childhood and very hard to find these days. I used to pore over certain illustrations and imagine that I was in them.

Matthew Cordell's Picture Book List

Matthew Cordell seen by Matthew Cordell

Matthew Cordell is the children's book illustrator of such titles as Toby and the Snowflakes by Julie Halpern, Mighty Casey by James Preller, Toot Toot Zoom! by Phyllis Root, and Justin Case: School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters by Rachel Vail. Matthew is the author and illustrator of Trouble Gum.

He lives in the suburbs of Chicago with his wife, author Julie Halpern, their daughter Romy, and a very sturdy cat named Tobin. You can see his work on his website and his blog. He was the first one to send me his list with ten of his favorite picture books.

Take a look at his website and blog. 

Here's Matthew's list:

1. GORKY RISES by William Steig. This one is probably one of my three favorite Steig picture books, including SYLVESTER AND THE MAGIC PEBBLE (of course) and AMOS AND BORIS. I choose GORKY for my top ten because I'm a sucker for a boy (frog) who can fly book.

2. GRANPA by John Burningham. John Burningham is so freaking good. I love his humor and his grace and his fearless, fearless art. GRANPA is so much of that.

3. MOUSE TALES by Arnold Lobel. I do love Arnold Lobel and this book is brilliant. But to be fair, I lift this favorite from my wife's list of favorite pic books. I wouldn't know a thing about picture books if it weren't for her. And I'm so glad she shared this one with me.

4. THE ENEMY by Davide Cali, illustrated by Serge Bloch. I only recently came upon this one. I suppose it's written for the older set because it's about war and peace. I love it. Serge Bloch is one of my big faves.


5. WHAT DO PEOPLE DO ALL DAY? by Richard Scarry. This is one I can remember digging as a kid. So much detail and so much animal craziness going on. What's not to love? I'm still in awe.


6. LEAVES by David Ezra Stein. I like D.E.S. I like how each of his books is different from the last. And he always keeps it loose and fresh, which I really admire. I really like this one. I like his line and washes and I like the innocence and sweetness and enthusiasm of that bear.


7. MOON MAN by Tomi Ungerer. This is another fairly recent find for me. Super stylish and cool groovy vibe. I especially like the soldiers, weird scientist, and all that black.


8. MARTIN PEBBLE by Jean-Jacques Sempé. J.J. Sempé is one of my all time favorites for pen/ink. I also love his sense of humor and storytelling. His art in this book is super loose and sparse and very limited in color. I love it all. Beautifully designed.


9. MADELINE by Ludwig Bemelmans. Very cool and romantic and timeless and actually kind of strange. LB's art is amazing, of course. I also like how it goes from full color to limited color illustrations. I assume this was done to save money in printing the original edition, but it works really well in design.


10. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE by Maurice Sendak. I can't imagine leaving this off. I probably take it for granted a lot. Every now and again I like to pull it down and have another look. Never disappointed.