Beautifully illustrated children’s books are a big weakness of mine.
Not only do they tell a good story but the pictures – with all the details and intricacies – are guaranteed to bring new discoveries each time you flip the pages. In other words, books that can be read and re-read over and over again because they are just so freakin beautiful to look at!
Today I want to share three recent finds that I fell in love with instantly.
- ONE OF A KIND by Neil Packer – $22.99. Published by Candlewick Studio. Released October 2020
- PLANET FASHION by Natasha Slee & Cynthia Kittler – $4.19 on Amazon. Published by Wide Eyed Editions. Released April 2, 2019
- DRAWING ON WALLS by Matthew Burgess & Josh Cochran – $15.42 on Amazon. Published by Enchanted Lions Books. Released 2020
Read on to find out more about each …
ONE OF A KIND
One of a Kind by Neil Packer is A story about Sorting and Classifying. Two topics that I feel every child is obsessed with once they start collecting trinkets and observing the world around them. Another good thing – this is a big hardcover book measuring just under 11 x 15 so it truly feels like a worthy addition to any home library.
From the back cover …
Follow Arvo as he goes about his day and explores the many things he encounters. As he sorts things into groups – from tools to books to cats to cheese – he finds so many different ways to make sense of the world.
Neil Packer has illustrated a number of classics as well as Gillian Cross’s retellings of the Odyssey and the Iliad. This is his debut book as both author and illustrator. Neil Packer lives in English with his son.
PLANET FASHION
Planet Fashion by Natasha Slee and illustrated by Cynthia Kittler is all about the 100 years of fashion history. Another fun hard cover book that is fun to curl up with especially if the reader is interested in world history and fashion
From the back cover …
Join two young adventurers on a journey through 100 years of fashion history. Dress up in Oriental silks to see a performance of the Ballet Russes, Shimmy down in flapper fashion at the Harlem Renaissance, and soak up the sun in the best beach style on the French Riviera…
With 25 adventurers to discover from around the world, each page features lots of things to spot and facts to learn on every page.
From Amazon …
Natasha Slee is a fashion journalist working for Dazed magazine and the author of Design Line: History of Women’s Fashion. She lives in London.
Cynthia Kittler is an illustrator based in Germany. Her clients include The New Yorker, The New York Times, Google, WRAP, Bloomberg Businessweek, Die Zeit, Süddeutsche Zeitung and Der Spiegel. Planet Fashion is her fifth book and first book for children. She has lectured in illustration at the University of Applied Sciences Würzburg and Mainz.
DRAWING ON WALLS
Drawing on Walls by Matthew Burges and illustrated by Josh Cochran is a heart warming story of the famous muralist and artist Keith Haring. I loved learning about his early childhood as an oldest of four siblings and how … “he and his dad often drew together. They took turns making lines and watched as balloon became an ice cream cone, or a dog transformed into a fire-breathing dragon! Sometimes they even drew with their eyes closed.”
From Amazon …
I would love to be a teacher because I love children and I think that not enough people respect children or understand how important they are. I have done many projects with children of all ages. —Keith Haring
Truly devoted to the idea of public art, Haring created murals wherever he went.
From Matthew Burgess, the much-acclaimed author of Enormous Smallness, comes Drawing on Walls: A Story of Keith Haring. Often seen drawing in white chalk on the matte black paper of unused advertising space in the subway, Haring’s iconic pop art and graffiti-like style transformed the New York City underground in the 1980s. A member of the LGBTQ community, Haring died tragically at the age of thirty-one from AIDS-related complications. Illustrated in paint by Josh Cochran, himself a specialist in bright, dense, conceptual drawings, this honest, celebratory book honors Haring’s life and art, along with his very special connection with kids.
I hope you liked these recommendations. As always, think about supporting your wonderful local and independent bookstores (like our favorite Read With Me in Raleigh, NC) or check them out from your local library!
You must log in to post a comment.