This is my first year participating in Picture Book 10 for 10. Probably because it's my first year having a blog! Anyone who knows me knows how much I love picture books. Every one I read becomes a favorite. The books I picked for #pb10for10 are picture books that I think are perfect examples of the picture book format and structure, the ones I read and happy sigh when they are done because they just embody what a picture book is (to me!) And of course if I did this tomorrow, I'd have a completely different list!
1. There's NO Such Thing as a Dragon by Jack Kent
An oldie but a goodie. This one stands up to the test of time and is pretty much perfect.
2. Boats for Papa by Jessixa Bagley
This book makes me cry every time I read it out loud. If that's not impact I don't know what is!
3. The Silver Button by Bob Graham
Bob Graham really can't do wrong for me. He could write my to-do list and make it sound interesting. This book captures one minute of one day and it's brilliant!
4. This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers
If I could only have one Oliver Jeffers book on my list, this is the one I would pick. When I teach my Writing Children's Literature course, this is one of the books I use every summer to illustrate what a picture can do. The voice, the plot, the twist at the end! All of it is spot on.
5. Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown
While I think The Curious Garden is my favorite Peter Brown book, Mr. Tiger pulls me in every time. The use of color in this one I think is particularly important.
6. Swirl by Swirl by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beth Krommes
I have a soft spot for books that fit in well with classrrom curriculum and this is one that fits so well. Not to mention the stunning illustrations by Beth Krommes and Sidman's science writing is lovely.
7. This House Once by Deborah Freedman
I think this is Deborah Freedman's best book yet! It's simple, yet poignant. It's quiet, but its message is loud. Love this one.
8. Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads by Bob Shea and illustrated by Lane Smith
This might be my favorite book of all time. Maybe. It's that good. Funny and fun. Can I use the word brilliant again? Because it is.
9. I'm New Here by Anne Sibley O'Brien
This one is a relatively new title to me. If a picture book's job is to connect us and to help us learn about others, then this one is top of the list for doing that. It's a very important book. Read it and share it.
10. Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Peña illustrated by Christian Robinson
This one may be obvious. Christian Robinson might be one of my favorite current illustrators. This one won a Newbury and a Caldecott and while awards shouldn't matter, a picture book is a marriage of text and pictures. This does that perfectly, so much so it won prestigious awards for both! I love it so much I have both a hard copy and a soft cover. :)
Thanks for checking out my Picture Book 10 for 10 list! There are so many amazing books, it was hard to narrow down to just ten titles.