Author's faves: Melissa Iwai

Here you have Melissa Iwai's favorite picture books, and her comments on them. Melissa is the illustrator of many wonderful books, among them I'll hug you more, which I have recently reviewed. Enjoy!

Arm In Arm

by Remy Charlip

I remember receiving this book when I was four in 1970 as part of a monthly book club my mother signed up for via the now defunct Parents Magazine Press. I was captivated by the strangeness of this book -- one like no other I had ever seen, and one that was ahead of its time. The cover opens to the back of the book, for one (it has since been re-released by Tricycle Press in 1997 and this newer version doesn't have this feature)! The book is filled with little stories and drawings, almost all of which intrinsically are entwined with each other, much like the title's reference of this story: "The two octopuses got married and walked down the aisle arm in arm in arm in arm in arm in arm in arm in arm in arm in arm in arm in arm in arm in arm in arm in arm"! 

Piero Ventura's Book of Cities

by Piero Ventura

This is another childhood favorite. I remember asking my dad to buy me this book when I was a tween -- much older than your average picture book reader. I was and still am captivated by his spare, yet highly detailed illustrations of great cities in the world. He describes the unique features of each place, as well as what it's like to live there:  What are the houses like? What kind of work do people do? What do the inhabitants do for fun? Each scene is full of activity, and it is so enjoyable to see what all the tiny city people are doing. I literally wanted to live in his drawings! Now, as an adult, I'm happy to say that I've visited most of them and now live in one of my favorite illustrated city, New York! 

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

by William Stieg

This classic by William Stieg, which won him the Caldecott, is a family favorite. I received it from a dear friend when I was pregnant with our son thirteen years ago. Sylvester, a donkey, comes across a magic pebble, unwittingly cuts himself off from his family, and turns into a rock. The text is straightforward and the drawings are simple, but they capture the depth of emotion and pathos and humor that is all part of life. I still can't help choking up every time I read this story aloud when Sylvester is finally reunited with his parents and they all realize that they don't need a magic pebble to grant them anything ---"they had all that they needed". 

The Chicken Sisters by Laura Numeroff,

illustrated by Sharleen Collicott

Laura Numeroff delivers in this zany, hilarious story about three hens with quirky personalities (annoying to their neighbors) who drive away a scary wolf who's moved into town. On the surface the premise isn't that compelling, but the way it's executed is brilliant. The story is told in a dry, dead-pan manner, which when read aloud, is hilarious. Sharleen Collicott's amazing gouache paintings take it to another level with her humor and attention to detail. I bought this book long before we had our son, and I pored over the wonderful artwork for hours. Collicott perfectly illustrates the characters' eccentricities and their relationships with each other. And my husband and I still quote the phrase, "Boy, do I love to ____!" over a decade later, invoking the memory of the Chicken Sisters, as an inside joke.

The Little Fur Family, by Margaret Wise Brown 

illustrated by Garth Williams

The little fur child explores the "wild wild wood" where he lives with his fur mother and father in a "warm wooden tree". Margaret Wise Brown expertly and gently writes about the fur child's exploration and discovery and growth in such simple words! And Garth Williams perfectly captures the warmth and love of the fur family, "warm as toast, smaller than most, in little fur coats". My husband and I like to believe he depicts a biracial family using animals, though Williams has never said this was on purpose. In 1959, The Rabbits' Wedding was controversial in Alabama, because some believed Williams was subliminally criticizing racial segregation with his paintings of a black and white rabbit getting married. He denied it was his intention - that he made them black and white, so he could tell them apart.

Still, my husband and I like to pretend we are the fur family in The Little Fur Family, living in with our "little fur child" in our "little fur world".

Thank you, Melissa!

"The Little Fur Family that we own, 

which was released more recently. 

We love the furry book cover! :)"

Melissa

Author's faves: Helen and Thomas Docherty

I am honored to hosting today The Storybook Knight Blog Tour. So I asked author Helen Docherty, and illustrator Thomas Docherty about their favorite picture books. Here you have the complete list with their comments. Enjoy!

Helen's favorites:

The Sneetches by 
Dr. Seuss

Of course, there are not one but four brilliantly clever and entertaining stories in this book. Wise, humane and very, very funny, each of these stories comes with a clear moral (e.g., if you have 23 sons, don’t call them all Dave).

Leon and Bob 
by Simon James

Perfectly paced, the story of Leon (who misses his Dad) and his imaginary friend Bob is incredibly poignant, but in an understated way. The illustrations capture every subtle emotion, and the ending is a joy every time you read it.

Out and About 
by Shirley Hughes

Not a conventional narrative, this collection of short poems takes us through the year’s cycle from a child’s perspective, capturing many small moments lived. The illustrations are full of carefully observed detail and the verse is lyrical, fresh and always true.

The Bear’s Winter House 
by John Yeoman and Quentin Blake

A favourite from my own childhood, this story of a bear trying to hibernate (but being constantly thwarted by his friends) is perfectly crafted and full of of humour, both in the text and in Quentin Blake’s vibrant illustrations.

The Paper Dolls 
by Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb

A sweet, playful story that becomes something much more profound, this book explores the theme of loss with a beautiful lightness of touch. Warning: this book will probably make you cry!

And Thomas' favorites:

How Tom Beat Captain Najork and His Hired Sportsmen 

by Russell Hoban and Quentin Blake

My dad used to read this to me and my brothers because he loved it so much himself, and now I’m doing the same with our daughters… Vintage shenanigans from two of the greats of children’s literature. 

The Tiger-Skin Rug 

by Gerald Rose

Sumptuous illustrations and a touching fairytale of a story transport you to an ancient eastern kingdom where a skinny, old, tiger wants nothing more than to find a quiet home and a family to belong to. 

The Pirate Cruncher 

by Jonny Duddle

A band of salty pirates, a treasure map and the promise of riches beyond their wildest dreams - what could possibly go wrong? A visual delight of a picture book with a hilarious and perilous twist!

The Gardening Pirates 

by Ruth Morgan and Chris Glynn

When Gwen the cabin girl discovers an unusual treasure in the form of vegetable seeds, it might just be what the crew of the Ych-A-Fi (Welsh for “Gross!”) need to get rid of the mean Captain Cranc… An original story with a resourceful heroine and LOTS of vegetables, what’s not to love! 

The Hundred Decker Bus 

by Mike Smith

An ordinary bus with ordinary passengers head off on an extraordinary journey, following their hearts and dreams as they build a community that just keeps on growing and growing. Quirky, fun and (literally) uplifting.

Thank you Helen and Thomas!

You can read more reviews by Helen here. And visit Thomas' website here.

Author's faves: Susan Hughes

Take a look at Susan Hughes's favorite picture books! She is the author of the wonderful Maggie McGillicuddy's eye for trouble. I commented on the books I have read, and added the book blurb for the one I didn't. Enjoy!

Grant and Tillie go walking

by Monica Kulling, illustrations by Sydney Smith

"Grant Wood believed that to be a real artist, he had to live in Paris. But ones he got there, he realized that to be a great painter he needed to return to the people and places, and even animals, that the knew and loved the best. Inspired by the life or artist Grant Wood, this is the sensitively imagined story of the great American painter and a cow named Tillie".

-From the GoodReads blurb-

Anansi and the moss-covered rock

retold by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by Janet Stevens

Anansi and the moss-covered rock is an old African folktale about a ... spider who uses a magic rock to trick other animals and get their food. But Little Bush Deer finds out what Anansi is doing and decided to teach him a lesson. The interesting thing about the tale is that although all the animals recover their food, Anansi doesn't really learns any lesson, and goes on playing tricks, as is his nature as a spider. 
Janet Stevens illustrations are very good, with the animals humanized at the point of walking in two legs, and many "modern" details in the illustrations. 
-Comment by Sandra-

Red is best

by Kathy Stinson, illustrated by Robin Baird Lewis

Kelly's favorite color is red, and there is a good explanation for that. Everybody knows you can jump higher with red stockings, make better snowballs with red mittens, keep away monsters in the red pajamas, and take bigger steps with the red boots. A cute story about a kid's logical reasons for loving a color.
-Comment by Sandra-

Pool

by JiHyeon Lee

Pool is a beautifully illustrated wordless story about two kids who meet each other in a terribly crowded pool. At the beginning they look reluctant to interact, but sooner than later they dare to share a journey full of imagination, strange creatures, and fun. The deeper they dive, the deeper their friendship becomes.
Beautiful story by a incredible talented author and illustrator. 

-Comment by Sandra-

This is Sadie

by Sara O'Leary, illustrated by Julie Morstad

Sadie has been a mermaid who lived under the sea, and she also has been a boy raised by wolves. She has visited Wonderland, and sailed a big box through the wide sea. She has been a hero in a fairy tale, and talked to the birds in the top of a tall tree. Sadie is a happy and imaginative girl whose days are never long enough for all the adventures waiting for her. This is the kind of book that makes you want to be a kid again...
-Comment by Sandra-

Thank you, Susan!

Author's faves: Lisa Bakos

These are the five picture books Lisa Bakos, author or the beautiful rhymed story Too many Moose! chose for us. Three of them I read, and for them I added my own comments. I included the blurb in GoodReads for the other two. Enjoy!

Miss Suzy by Miriam Young

illustrated by Arnold Lobel

Miss Suzy's pleasant life in her house at the top of a oak tree is disrupted by six mean red squirrels who chase her away. She finds shelter in an old doll house, where she meets a group of tin soldiers, and this is the story of their friendship. Miss Suzy takes care of the soldiers during the winter, and they help her recover her house. This is beloved fifty years old classic, illustrated by the talented Arnold Lobel, and I am glad Lisa reminded me of it.
-Comment by Sandra-

Peggy by Anna Walker

Peggy has a very quite life in the farm. But one day the is flew away by the wind and ends in a big city. At first is nice to visit and learn about new things, but at some point she misses home... Will she know how to find her way back to it? Peggy discovers all the hints are in what she already knows. This is a cute story, and the illustrations done in ink are soft and beautiful.
-Comment by Sandra-

What do you do with an idea? by Kobi Yamada

illustrations by Mae Besom

What do you do with an idea? That's a very good question. One day you have an idea. You don't know exactly where it came from. At first you act as if it didn't exist, but if follows you. You worry about what other would think of it, and even give up on it. But then you realize you feel happy when you spend time with your idea, so you decide to feed it, and it grows, and grows, until it is part of everything. This is one of the best picture books I have read recently. Highly recommended for every one.
-Comment by Sandra-

Be nice to spiders by Margaret Bloy Graham

"When Billy left his pet spider, Helen, at the Zoo, the animals suddenly became happy and contented. The lions snoozed all day long, the elephants enjoyed their baths, and the zebras ate their hay in peace, all because Helen was spinning webs and catching flies.
But one day Helen's webs were swept away. The Keeper had the cages cleaned for the Mayor's inspection tour. Soon the flies were back again and the animals were miserable once more. But not for long...
Children will be fascinated and amused by the way Helen solved the problem and won a permanent place of honor for herself in the Zoo".
-From the GoodReads blurb-

How Joe the Bear and Sam the Mouse get together

by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers

"The friendship of Joe the Bear and Sam the Mouse blossoms when they find something they both like to do"
-From the GoodReads blurb-

Thank you, Lisa!

Author's faves: Liza Stevens

We asked Liza Stevens, author of the fabulous Not today, Celeste!, to name five favorite picture books, and here what she told us:

"Here are 5 of my favourite picture books! Notice it’s only 5 OF them…I could probably manage a top 100! Anyway, in no particular order, here they are, and my reasons for choosing them."

The Red Tree by Shaun Tan

"This is such a stunning book. The little girl is someone we can all identify with when feeling isolated or depressed. I have shared it with children, teenagers and adults and it resonated with them all – it offers great scope for discussions. It’s just beautiful - I never get tired of looking at it."

Burglar Bill by Janet & Allen Ahlberg

"I think Janet Ahlberg was one of the reasons I became an illustrator. I just love her work – it’s so warm and gently humorous, and the details are wonderful. This lovely story about a burglar going straight is my favourite of theirs – I used to read it to my children. (Also, parents note - a very easy
costume for World Book Day!)"

Oh No, George! by Chris Haughton

"This is so hilarious…I stood in a bookshop laughing aloud and just had to buy it. Poor George wants to be good, and tries so hard to resist temptation. He reminds me of my dog, Poppy, who would feel very guilty if she did something wrong. (My other dog is far naughtier but wouldn’t feel guilty at all!) It’s a lovely way to show that we ALL make mistakes!"

Mary Howlitt's The Spider and the Fly by Tony DiTerlizzi

"This is the original 1829 poem by Mary Howlitt, illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi. There are so many things to love about this…I hardly know where to start. The illustrations are inspired by 1920s -30s black and white horror films, with the text just like the captions in silent movies. I love this era and the details are gorgeous, from the cloche hat on the hapless fly, to the spider’s spooky gothic abode. Also I love Halloween and always do a window display for the local children – this book goes in every year!"

Rabbityness by Jo Empson

"I did my MA in children’s book illustration with Jo, so I was lucky enough to see this wonderful book develop right from the early sketches. It deals with the difficult subject of loss - the much-loved Rabbit suddenly disappears from the forest – but it is ultimately positive, because at the bottom of the deep dark hole, the other rabbits discover all the wonderful unrabbity things dear Rabbit left behind. It’s such an uplifting book, so full of colour and movement – I just love it."




The comments on each book are by Liza Stevens.

Thank you, Liza!

Author's faves: Lisa Bakos

These are the five picture books Lisa Bakos, author or the beautiful rhymed story Too many Moose! chose for us. Three of them I read, and for them I added my own comments. I included the blurb in GoodReads for the other two. Enjoy!

Miss Suzy by Miriam Young

illustrated by Arnold Lobel

Miss Suzy's pleasant life in her house at the top of a oak tree is disrupted by six mean red squirrels who chase her away. She finds shelter in an old doll house, where she meets a group of tin soldiers, and this is the story of their friendship. Miss Suzy takes care of the soldiers during the winter, and they help her recover her house. This is beloved fifty years old classic, illustrated by the talented Arnold Lobel, and I am glad Lisa reminded me of it.
-Comment by Sandra-

Peggy by Anna Walker

Peggy has a very quite life in the farm. But one day the is flew away by the wind and ends in a big city. At first is nice to visit and learn about new things, but at some point she misses home... Will she know how to find her way back to it? Peggy discovers all the hints are in what she already knows. This is a cute story, and the illustrations done in ink are soft and beautiful.
-Comment by Sandra-

What do you do with an idea? by Kobi Yamada

illustrations by Mae Besom

What do you do with an idea? That's a very good question. One day you have an idea. You don't know exactly where it came from. At first you act as if it didn't exist, but if follows you. You worry about what other would think of it, and even give up on it. But then you realize you feel happy when you spend time with your idea, so you decide to feed it, and it grows, and grows, until it is part of everything. This is one of the best picture books I have read recently. Highly recommended for every one.
-Comment by Sandra-

Be nice to spiders by Margaret Bloy Graham

"When Billy left his pet spider, Helen, at the Zoo, the animals suddenly became happy and contented. The lions snoozed all day long, the elephants enjoyed their baths, and the zebras ate their hay in peace, all because Helen was spinning webs and catching flies.
But one day Helen's webs were swept away. The Keeper had the cages cleaned for the Mayor's inspection tour. Soon the flies were back again and the animals were miserable once more. But not for long...
Children will be fascinated and amused by the way Helen solved the problem and won a permanent place of honor for herself in the Zoo".
-From the GoodReads blurb-

How Joe the Bear and Sam the Mouse get together

by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers

"The friendship of Joe the Bear and Sam the Mouse blossoms when they find something they both like to do"
-From the GoodReads blurb-

Thank you, Lisa!