Let's Imagine: 5 Picture Books of Wonder

from The Wonder

Hanson, Faye. (2015).  The Wonder. London, UK: Templar.

A boy, distracted with head full of wonder, walks through life day dreaming.  He wonders “what the crossing guard’s sign would taste like" among other things. He's told: Get your head out of the clouds. No day dreaming. Pay attention...  Encouraged by his art teacher, he realizes that he can use his imagination to make art. Then the shift happens in the text from sepia colored images to color. This is a début picture book.

from The Wonder

Kuefler, Joseph. (2015). Beyond the Pond. New York:  Balzer + Bray.

A curious boy, bored at home, decides to explore the pond. Ernest D's adventure leads him well beyond the limits of a bit of water. This is a début picture book.

from Beyond the Pond

from Pool

Lee, JiHyeon. (2015). Pool. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.
A boy, a girl, a crowded pool and a bit of imagination is all it takes to transform the mundane into something decidedly different. Wordless wonder.  This is a début picture book.

from Float

Miyares, Daniel. (2015). Float. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
A wordless tale of what happens when a boy, a folded piece of paper and a puddle meet.

from The Whisper

Zagarenski, Pamela. (2015). The Whisper. Boston: HMH.
“You can imagine the words…the stories….There are never any rules…imagining just is.”

16 Visually Rich Books for Children & Their Parents from 2013 and 2014

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Bryan Collier's illustration from Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me. 

Beaty, Daniel. (2013). Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me. Illustrated by Bryan Collier. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Aaron Becker's illustration from Journey.

Becker, Aaron. (2013). Journey. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Illustration by Isabelle Arsenault from Jane, the Fox, and Me.

Britt, Fanny. (2013). Jane, the Fox, and Me. Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault. Translated by Christine Morelli & Susan Ouriou. Toronto, ON: Groundwood Books.

Peter Brown's illustration from Mr. Tiger Goes Wild.

Brown, Peter. (2013). Mr. Tiger Goes Wild. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

  Author and Illustrator Peter Brown On His Process from School Library Journal on Vimeo.

Illustration by Charlotte Dematons from Holland.

Dematons, Charlotte. (2013). Holland. Rotterdam, Netherlands: Lemniscaat.

Illustration by Øyvind Torseter from My Father's Arms Are A Boat.

Lunde, Stein Erik  (2013). My Father's Arms Are A Boat. Illustrated by Øyvind Torseter. Translated by Kari Dickson. Brooklyn, NY: Enchanted Lion Books.

Illustration by Matte Stephens from Mr. Flux.

Maclear, Kyo. (2013). Mr. Flux. Illustrated by Matte Stephens. Tonawanda, NY: Kids Can Press.

 Illustration by Javier Martínez Pedro from Migrant: The Journey of a Mexican Worker.

Mateo, José Manuel. (2014). Migrant: The Journey of a Mexican Worker. Illustrated by Javier Martínez Pedro. New York: Harry N. Abrams.

Illustration by Rohan Daniel Eason from My First Kafka: Runaways, Rodents, and Giant Bugs.

Roth, Matthue. (2013).  My First Kafka: Runaways, Rodents, and Giant Bugs. Illustrated by Rohan Daniel Eason. Long Island City, NY: One Peace Books.

Illustration by Alessandro Sanna from  The River.

Sanna, Alessandro. (2014). The River. Brooklyn, NY: Enchanted Lion Books.

Illustration by Maurice Sendak from My Brother's Book.

Sendak, Maurice. (2013). My Brother's Book. New York: Michael de Capua Books/HarperCollins Publishers.

 Illustration by Jon Klassen from The Dark. 

Snicket, Lemony. (2013). The Dark. Illustrated by Jon Klassen. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Illustration by Speck Lee Tailfeather from Architecture According to Pigeons.

Tailfeather, Speck Lee. (2013). Architecture According to Pigeons. London, UK: Phaidon Press.

Illustration by Øyvind Torester from  The Hole. 

Torseter, Øyvind. (2013). The Hole. Brooklyn, NY: Enchanted Lion Books.

Illustration by Valerio Vidali from Jemmy Button.

Uman, Jennifer. (2013). Jemmy Button. Illustrated by Valerio Vidali. Somerville, MA: Templar.

Illustration by Tomi Ungerer from Fog Island.

Ungerer, Tomi. (2013). Fog Island. London, UK: Phaidon Press.