What Is It Good For?

War is a tough, but important topic to talk about, let along write about for children. There are a handful of writers and illustrators who handle the topic exceptionally well, using the text and images to explore the innately cyclical nature of war and the oftentimes pointless battles we fight.

Let's Talk Illustrators #2: Esmé Shapiro

A little while ago I did a post on foxes, and I included Esmé Shapiro's picture book debut Ooko . But just TALKING about this book wasn't enough for me. I had to get into Esmé's mind to learn how our adorable little fox friend came to life. The illustrations are dreamy, the story is relatable, and the humor Esmé throws in is just phenomenal.

All the Wonders of RETURN

This month at All the Wonders we are celebrating Return, the magical and final picture book in Aaron Becker's wordless Journey trilogy about a girl who creates her own portal to a world of imagination.

Stop by All the Wonders of RETURN for an in-depth look at the book, an interview with creator Aaron Becker, and more!

THE OPPOSITE ZOO

The Opposite Zoo by Il Sung Na is the best kind of opposite book there is: minimally focused on text and highly focused on beautiful illustrations that visually explain the concept of opposites. Na's book tells the story of a monkey traveling through a zoo after it closes. Na's pairings are unique and refreshing, pushing the story past a simple"concept book" and offering a unique spin on traditional opposites.

FRIEND OR FOE?

Friend or Foe? by John Sobol and Dasha Tolstikova is a pretty unique book in a lot of ways. The text tells the story of a mouse who gazes up every night at the palace tower and to watch the white cat who lives there. He wonders if the cat is his friend or his foe, and eventually he decides to get himself an answer by crawling into the palace and up to the tower to meet the unsuspecting cat.

Words to Live By

Whether they're from stories, letters, or even email, words have the power to transform our lives and connect us in so many ways. Behind every word is a universal truth and experience, and today's books highlight the connections we make--with the stories we read and with each other--when we open ourselves up to the power of words.

A Child of Books (Candlewick, 2016) is the much anticipated collaboration between Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston that serves as an ode to books and the transformative powers of words. So naturally it's a great place to start!

SHY

I am so, so excited to share Deborah Freedman's SHY today! The timing is just incredible, because today also happens to be the first day of the #kidlitpicks August theme "unique friendships." And the friendship you see in this book is unique, wonderful, and such a lovely surprise
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