The Monstore, by Tara Lazar

Paulette's PBPOD is . . . 

The Monstore, by Tara Lazar and James Burks

To treat my kids to a special Halloween this year, I'd reach for Tara Lazar's picture book The Monstore. 

In the story, a big brother wants to keep his sister out of his room. He does what any big brother would do, if he could . . . if there was a Monstore nearby.

He buys a monster. As with most fabulous ideas, he gets something more than what he bargained for. 

Tara makes sure that lap-sitters get all of the wiggly, squiggly chills that thrill. She sets the scene with trapdoors, sour gumballs, and "squirmy worms."

And monsters? A whole store filled with them. All of them adorable. 

While I prefer art that's less computerized, James Burks' characterization wins me over.

The characterization and the unexpected twists in the story make this book so much fun.

Happy Birthday Moon, by Frank Asch

Paulette's PBPOD is . . . 

Happy Birthday Moon, by Frank Asch

Let's designate Monday as Classic Picture Book Throwback Day, shall we?

For our first Classic Picture Book Throwback, I choose Happy Birthday Moon, by Frank Asch.

The story, more than the pictures, propel this story. 

We meet Moonbear. He decides that the moon needs a birthday present. 

So he gets one. Isn't it amazing how Moonbear gives the moon his wonderful present?

Without revealing spoilers, I will say that the rest of the story is just as clever. The moon loses its present. There is great conflict over this loss.

And you will be grateful to know that Lessons Are Learned!

Namely, what someone does reflects on the doer rather than on the receiver. 

Would that I had the means to buy a thousand of these books and hand them out on the street. As a classic, it's a must-have for any library, a sweet, lovely story with a lasting message.

The Little Yellow Leaf, by Carin Berger

Paulette's PBPOD is . . .

The Little Yellow Leaf, by Carin Berger

Truthfully? I keep wondering why Carin Berger hasn't won the Caldecott yet. 

Her illustrations are not just lovely to look at, but she crafts them entirely by hand.

Still.

 In the Age of the Computer.

It boggles the mind, but she cuts every little tiny leaf from an imaginative choice of paper.

Every glistening square of this halo, Carin Berger has crossed her eyes over and has nicked her fingertips with an X-Acto knife for.

If you like looking for hidden whimsy in picture book illustrations, there's plenty in a Carin Berger masterpiece. Because she uses found papers,  little words and bits of history remain inscribed on her mosaics. 

But the story! The story! The story of The Little Yellow Leaf is about learning how to overcome fear and plunge into your greater potential. (Among other meanings and ideas, I'm sure.)

This is where we meet and fall in love with our character:

The leaf is having trouble letting go.

And finally, with the help of a friend, he musters the courage, and soars!

Does it surprise you that this gorgeous treasure has been read at weddings? And to thousands of children on warm laps, too.

Paulette's PBPOD is . . .

Looking at Lincoln, by Maira Kalman

Don't you just love the colors? That's one important way that this quiet, complex book hooks you and brings you in--holds you close. There's only warmth in the marble halls pictured here, while Lincoln is bathed in his mysterious melancholy blue. "Who is he?" This child asks. As we all do. Who was this profound man?

She meets him in person . . . . sort of.

 
She imagines the person he was inside . . .

Looking at Lincoln perfectly captures how a child feels when she encounters something truly profound. Maybe for the first time in her life. Maybe this is foreshadows the adult she's slowly becoming. The flamboyance in the art reflects the carefree childhood she still has. The dark colors of Lincoln himself offers a poignant counterpoint of where life can go. The two together gives this picture book lasting depth.

See Lincoln's colors reflected in the tree trunks? It makes me want to hug this book.

Paulette's PBPOD is . . .

The Three Ninja Pigs, by Cory Rosen Schwartz, Illustrated by Dan Santat

Three. Ninja. Pigs! What's not to like?

Cory Rosen Schwartz knocks it out of the dojo with this fast-paced, lively version of the Three Little Pigs. So much is remarkable about this book that it's hard not to gush. Commence the gush:

There are the characters, that are so cutely drawn by Dan Santat.

Then there's the story, set in generic Asia, that is playful and evocative. It's a loud, active book, which I personally feel the world needs more of.  But one thing I really love is the trend it's bucking. That is the rhyme. In PB Creation World, no one should be writing or reading rhyme. Corey is the rare exception. She chops that rhyme like a house made of sticks.

Kids really relate to this book! Kicking and smacking . . . . maybe a book to be read on a playground rather at bedtime. Yeah, why not?

Here's one more picture for the moms out there (from Tara Lazar's blog):

 

PBPOD October 22, 2013--The Day the Crayons Qui

Paulette's PBPOD for October 22, 2013

The Day the Crayons Quit, by Drew Daywalt, Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

This book rocks because of the lively, spontaneous illustrations, the sophisticated point-of-view changes from color to color, how easy it is to relate to for kids. The author remembered for us adults what we tended to draw with each color. Kids will love sitting on a lap and intensely reading each color's frustration. This story bucks the trend in picture books of there being fewer and fewer words. That's a plus on this blog. This story has lots of words and they are fun! The Day the Crayons Quit begs us to think differently about our art and about our lives. In the end, it's about potential being greater than stereotypes.