A Collage of Picture Books
All our picture books are packed with gorgeous illustrations, but for this post I wanted to call attention to one of my favorite art forms… collage! There is something uniquely special about the tactile appearance of collage art. The way images are formed by different mediums cut, torn, layered and pieced together demonstrates the hand that went into the creation. If you and your little reader are fans like me, the picture books below showcase this practice beautifully!
Good golden sun, there is much we’d like to know! Are you happy? Are you lonely? Are you feeling well today? Does your belly ever ache? Won’t you come down to play?
From sunbeam, to flower, to insect, to animal, to plant, to soil, and the earth itself…the sun makes, moves, and transforms life all around us. Celebrate the mysteries of light from sunup to sundown as it weaves its way through creation inspiring change, hope, wonder, and curiosity.
Using a bold, young collage-style art perfect for fans of Eric Carle, Brendan Wenzel’s mastery of visual storytelling is on full display in this ebullient exploration of the life-giving power of our nearest star.
Over a hill, at the end of a road, by a glittering stream that twists and turns stands a farmhouse.
Step inside the dollhouse-like interior of Farmhouse and relish in the daily life of the family that lives there, rendered in impeccable, thrilling detail. Based on a real family and an actual farmhouse where Sophie salvaged facts and artifacts for the making of this spectacular work, page after page bursts with luminous detail and joy. Join the award-winning, best-selling Sophie Blackall as she takes readers on an enchanting visit to a farmhouse across time, to a place that echoes with stories.
Secret cities buzz and bustle with itty-bitty hard work hustle.
Crouch down low—hush. You’ll see how bugs build a community!
Ready with their magnifying glass, camera, and scrapbook, two young sisters head into nature to discover all the bugs they can. And the critters are hard at work! From carpenter ants chewing up old trees (like builders clearing a construction site) to butterflies spreading pollen (like gardeners planting seeds) to crickets making beautiful sounds (like musicians playing instruments), bugs belong to a busy world just like people.
With amazingly detailed photographic illustrations of realistic creatures and environments—created with coffee grounds, flower petals, foam footballs, and more—and a bouncy, rhyming text, Hustle Bustle Bugs will have young readers looking more closely at the grass, leaves, and trees around them, and appreciating the community they share!
In this gorgeously rendered tale, Audrey Helen Weber masterfully blends suspense and nonsense, imaginative artwork, and a flawless rhythm that evokes some of the most beloved read-aloud classics, from Mother Goose to Eric Carle.
On the day the horse got out . .
the bells all rang,
the birds flew south,
the rabbit dug a bit too deep,
and the beetle cried out in its sleep…
But what happened to the horse? Did she find what she was looking for? Drawing on the influence of nursery rhymes, fables, folklore, folk art, and mythology—and combined with Audrey Helen Weber’s own playful and surreal sensibility, page-turning suspense and read-aloud magic—here is a transcendent journey that tells a new story with every read.
Meet Noa and the worst Teddy EVER in this sweet, funny debut about the unrecognized heroes in our lives, for fans of Mac Barnett and Christian Robinson. A Spanish edition, El peor Teddy del mundo, is also available for purchase.
Noa LOVES Teddy. But Teddy is ALWAYS tired! Why is Teddy always too sleepy to play with Noa during the day? It turns out that Teddy has a good reason, and Noa is in the dark about what’s happening behind the scenes at night…when Teddy works tirelessly to protect his little boy from a colorful ensemble of unwelcome nighttime visitors!At once laugh-out-loud funny and endearing, Marcelo Verdad’s outstanding debut picture book explores how expectations don’t always allow us to see others for who they truly are, and how sometimes what we want isn’t always what we need.
Unpack feelings using color with this bestselling character who helps young readers identify emotions and feel more in control.
One day, Color Monster wakes up feeling very confused. His emotions are all over the place; he feels angry, happy, calm, sad, and scared all at once! To help him, a little girl shows him what each feeling means through color. As this adorable monster learns to sort and define his mixed-up emotions, he gains self-awareness and peace as a result. Everyone will enjoy sharing this concept book that taps into both socio-emotional growth and color concepts in a simple, friendly way. 
Pavadais in bright gold colors
Jersey shirts and faded jeans
Swapping, changing, feeling seen…
Which is the color of me?
A young girl longs to know where she fits in: Is she American? Or is she Indian? Does she have to pick or can she be both? With bright, joyful rhyme, and paired with an immersive art style using American and Indian fabrics, American Desi celebrates the experiences of young children growing up first and second generation Indian American: straddling the two cultural worlds they belong to, embracing all they love of both worlds and refusing to be limited by either.
This story is a powerful tribute to the joy of being South Asian and for every reader who aspires to bridge their worlds with grace, grit, and confidence.
