Quirky Picture Books

1.  John Rocco: Wolf! Wolf! The boy who cried, "Wolf!" but from the old arthritic wolf's point of view.  Wildly amusing.
 

2.  Mo Willems: I Am Going!
Yes, perhaps it's a bit weird to read this one out loud to your husband in the bookstore while giggling uncontrollably, but with a Mo Willems book, it's not uncommon.  (At least in my household!) 


3.  Rachel Isadora: Max
Written by a ballerina, this childhood favorite features a boy who loves baseball and learns that his sister's ballet class offers him skills that help him on the field. 


4.  Martha Alexander: Blackboard Bear
Another childhood favorite of mine, this nearly wordless series of books is just delightful. 



5.  Paul Stickland: Ten Terrible Dinosaurs
The wonderful rhythm, and cheerful nature of this book just make me giggle. 

6.  Frank & Devin Asch: Mr. Maxwell's Mouse

This may work better with adults -- I've not tried reading it to a child yet -- but I thoroughly enjoyed the wit and the language of the book.

7.  Michelle Knudsen, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes: Library Lion
Friendship, love, books, and a lion who likes to listen during storytime.  This book would be a great basis for discussing when rules should be broken. 



8.  Charles Tazewell, ill. Gail Tribble: The Littlest Uninvited One
This is an ideal book for anyone who has lost a dog.  I gave a copy to my church when Ducinea died, as this was the only book that I felt offered me true comfort.
 

9.  George & Ira Gershwin, DuBose & Dorothy Heyward, ill. Mike Wimmer: Summertime: from Porgy & Bess
If you like the song, you'll love this book - simple as that. 


10.  Helen Lester, ill. Lynn Munsinger: Score One for the Sloths

Really?  A picture book that takes aim at the insanity of judging an education by test scores?  Really?  A picture book that could start a discussion of different modes of learning?  YES!  Even better?  It's a snort-embarrasingly-while-snickering wild good read! 


Focus for this list:
These are some of my favorite picture books, and yet, they're all a bit -- odd.  There's not much of a unifying theme to the list other than that fact.  Enjoy!  Also, because picture books are such a blend of image and word, it seemed a shame not to show you the covers.  Let me know if this is helpful, eh?  Thanks!

Not Just Dr. Seuss: Ten Authors for the One- to Four-Year-Old (by Quabbin)

1. Sandra Boynton. Even little bitty kids will love the rhythm of "Barnyard Dance" and "Pajama Time" and the sheer silliness of "Blue Hat, Green Hat." These are available as board books for as little as $5 each. Dog Train is a great CD to listen to in the car (though we skip the anti-broccoli song to avoid putting ideas into my child's head)--my favorite song is "I Need a Nap."
2. Mo Willems. Start with "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus" or "The Pigeon Wants a Puppy"; kids three to six will also appreciate the Elephant and Piggie books.
3. Jonathan London. "Puddles" and "A Train Goes Clickety-Clack" are delightful--for ears of all sizes.
4. Elizabeth Verdick. This woman is a parent's best friend, with titles like "Naptime," "Bye-Bye Time" and "Hands are Not for Hitting" to gently guide kids toward behaving well even when they'd rather not.
5. David Shannon. His books about all the trouble little David gets into are short and true to life. We especially like "Oops!" and "David Smells."
6. Laura Numeroff. The "If You Give..." series will amuse you and your child as one thing leads to another and another. Illustrator Felicia Bond is also known for her work on Margaret Wise Brown's "Big Red Barn" and her own "Tumble Bumble."
7. Eric Carle. If you've already read "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," try "From Head to Toe."
8. Anne Gutman and Georg Hallensleben. Simple and beautifully illustrated, board books like "Mommy Hugs" and "Daddy Kisses" are the perfect opportunity for a warm snuggle with your little one.
9. Anna Dewdney. Kids will identify with the title character in any of the "Llama, Llama" books.
10. Trace Moroney. Look up the "When I'm Feeling..." books to help your child deal with the roller coaster of toddler/preschooler emotions. The illustrations feature an adorable bunny, too.

Focus for this list: 
Quabbin, our guest poster today, is the mother of a 3-year-old who really loves books, and is also a former English teacher. Her usual system is to visit the library regularly so that they get to read a lot of books. Then, when they find a book that her little one latches onto and wants to check out week after week, she'll buy the book and add it to their collection. Since one of the hallmarks of this reading stage is that the little ones want to hear the same book over and over and over and over again, having the habit of turning books back in to the library can be a sanity saver. Feel free to borrow her method!