The subtitle of Loreen Leedy’s 2004 picture book Look at my Book: How Kids Can Write and Illustrate Terrific Books makes it sound like it […]
little big books: Illustrations for children’s picture books
I can’t say enough good about little big books: Illustrations for children’s picture books. This 2012 book edited by Robert Klanten and Hendrik Hellige is […]
My Friend the Paintbrush
I enjoyed Marcus Pfister’s picture book (2025 in Switzerland, 2026 in English) My Friend the Paintbrush: The Colorful World of Marcus Pfister a lot more […]
More Thoughts on Make Believe
A few days ago I posted my first thoughts on Mac Barnett‘s book Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children, which came out this week. […]
Feeling Like a Kid
Feeling Like a Kid: Childhood and Children’s Literature (2006) is a short, lovely reflection on children’s literature. Author Jerry Griswold is an expert in children’s […]
A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests
Okay, I’ll admit it: I was skeptical about A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests. A lot of kids books about poetry are forced, or […]
It Began With a Page
Gyo Fujikawa was a writer, illustrator, and designer. She wrote and illustrated her own books, illustrated others’ books, and did other artistic projects, such as […]
Books on Bikes
Books on Bikes is a 2025 picture book by F. Isabel Campoy (Author), Theresa Howell (Author), Brizida Magro (Illustrator). It is a pleasant, accessible picture […]
Big Machines
This is a well-made mediocre book. That sounds harsh, but hear me out. The full title of Big Machines is Big Machines: The Story of […]
Nonsense! The Curious Story of Edward Gorey
Hmm. Lori Mortensen’s 2020 picture book Nonsense! The Curious Story of Edward Gorey is an odd creation. Not as odd as Edward Gorey, but still. […]