December 28, 2016

LUCKY LAZLO

Steve Light's Lucky Lazlo is about a young boy whose beloved is due to star in a play later that day. Lazlo is lucky to find the last red rose at the flower shop, and he's lucky to have a seat in the front row. But that's where his luck runs out. A cat runs up and steals his rose, causing poor, unlucky Lazlo to have to chase it through the entire theater, from the orchestra pit to backstage.



December 22, 2016

All the Wonders: Best of 2016

Speaking of Best of the Year posts, All the Wonders has posted lists of our favorite picture books, nonfiction picture books, comics, and chapter and YA books! We all worked hard to curate these lists to reflect the books that most influenced us this year, and I'm super proud to share them with you.

Click on the images below to view our favorite books of 2016!





December 21, 2016

WHEN AN ELEPHANT FALLS IN LOVE

You know that feeling when you first fall in love, and all you seem to do around your crush is act foolish? When an elephant falls in love, it's just like that: he hides from the one he loves, he tries to eat healthy but ends up finishing cheesecake, he stares at the clouds for hours and hours... Davide Cali and Alice Lotti bring readers a glimpse into the silliness of first loves with their beautiful picture book When an Elephant Falls in Love.



December 14, 2016

MY TWO BLANKETS

As you may or may not know, I host an international picture book exchange on Instagram, and I recently received my book in the mail! And I couldn't have asked for a better gift from Rossa from @curiouslittlepeople!!

Irena Kobald and Freya Blackwood's My Two Blankets tells the story of a young refugee girl named Cartwheel and the difficulties she experiences with assimilating into her new culture.



December 13, 2016

Let's Talk Illustrators #10: AN Kang

Papillon, Book 1: The Very Fluffy Kitty, Papillon is one heck of an adorable book. AN Kang creates a touching tale of friendship with adorable characters, relatable emotions, and a touch of levity that comes together to give readers a glimpse into the life of the fluffiest cat in the land and his journey toward friendship.


December 12, 2016

All the Wonders of SAMSON IN THE SNOW

This month at All the Wonders we're exploring All the Wonders of SAMSON IN THE SNOW.


This quiet, beautiful book follows a woolly mammoth on a journey of bravery and friendship. Stop by All the Wonders to listen for a Discovery Jar craft, a podcast interview with author-illustrator Philip C. Stead, and more!

December 11, 2016

LEAVE ME ALONE!

Leave me Alone! by Vera Brosgol is funny, clever, and wildly unpredictable.


December 8, 2016

CAT KNIT

Have you read Jacob Grant's Cat Knit?? It's one of the cutest books I've read all year! Basically there's a girl named Girl who gets her cat named Cat a new friend named Yarn. Things are going really well until Girl takes Yarn away one day and Yarn returns a little...different.


December 6, 2016

Paper Engineering

Paper engineering in picture books comes in all shapes and sizes. There are pop-ups, pull-tabs, flaps, cut-outs, and more, all of which are strategically weaved into the illustrations to enhance the visual narrative.

I thought I'd take a moment to share some of the most thoughtfully-crafted picture books of 2016. This is by no means a comprehensive list (I can think of so many books I'm missing already!), but the books listed are stand-outs in their categories, and hopefully this list will be a guide to help navigate the intricate world of paper engineering!


December 4, 2016

ONE CHEETAH, ONE CHERRY

It's International Cheetah Day! I don't think it comes as a shock to anyone anywhere that I'm a huge cat person. Love love love cats. But as far as big cats go, cheetahs have always held a special place in my heart. In honor of the coolest cats around, I'm so excited to show you One Cheetah, One Cherry: A Book of Beautiful Numbers by Jackie Morris.


December 1, 2016

#kidlitpicks November Round-Up: 18 Beloved Bedtime Stories

As evening approaches the sky bursts into colors then slowly darkens, the hues of the world are muted, peaceful nighttime sounds such as crickets chirping emerge and the pace of the world slows down. However, sometimes inside our homes the tranquility of nighttime isn’t always as keenly felt as it is outdoors because dinner dishes need washing, children may still be “wound-up”, bedtime routines can be stressful, and life is just messy sometimes.

That is why bedtime stories can be so magical and so essential. Some stories seem perfectly suited for bedtime and invite that calmness into your home. They can be comforting and lull your child in preparation for sleep. Such stories may be about the topic of bedtime itself, others have a serene color palate or a relaxing, swaying rhythm. Whatever the characteristics they possess, they can help a child transition to laying down for sleep.

Throughout November we honored #belovedbedtimestories that soothe and calm. A special thank you to Clarissa from Book Nerd Mommy for the theme!