Here are some of the best picture books published during 2011 and could be, or should be, candidates for the Caldecott prize awarded in January. With the exception of “Mirror”, which is good for all ages, all of these picture books are good for ages four to ten.
Neville, by Norton Juster, and painted with mixed-media by G. Brian Karas, has a sad little boy moving to a new home and a new neighborhood. After his mother suggests that he take a little walk around the block, he walks forlornly away. Then he stops and yells out the name “Neville” and other children hear and join in the call. He explicitly feels better about the place by the amount of kids he sees and the colors (that began with muted grays and blues) that are becoming much more vibrant and vivid. And who is Neville? You discover that clever clue on the last page.
Scrawny Cat, by Phyllis Root, and beautifully painted in gouache by Alison Friend, is a story of hopelessness and loss. A sad scrawny cat is now homeless when he once was loved and had a home. He finds himself on a dinghy which is swept out to sea by a storm and he eventually lands on an island where a woman who also feels lonely and lost finds the cat – and a friend.
Coral Reefs, by Jason Chin, is an inviting adventure into the deep blue sea when a young girl’s world is transformed while reading about the ocean at the library. There is so much to learn here as the author / artist paints full page spreads of accurate sea life and describes it vividly and interestingly. The end pages are full of accurately labeled sea life, as well as more information found at the back of the book.
Say What?, by Angela DiTerlizzi, and illustrated digitally by Joey Chou, is a clever look into what exactly an animal is actually saying. The rhyming pattern of each animal has a simple beat making it great fun to read-out-loud. “When a duck says quack, / does he really mean snack?” and “When a snake says hiss, / does she really mean kiss?” are a few snatches of the text.
Edwin Speaks Up, by April Stevens, and painted with ink, watercolor and gouache by Sophie Blackall, is a delightfully funny story about an unabashed and unflustered mother who takes her four whiny, bothersome children, as well as baby Edwin, grocery shopping. Edwin yells out each time mother forgets something or has a problem. His baby babble is recognizable to the reader but not to mom as he attempts to warn her. Kids will have much fun with this story.
Mirror, by Jeannie Baker, is a most amazing picture book both in the way it’s packaged and the message it delivers. It opens to a two-sided story. On the left side is a story about family life in Australia and is written in English. On the right side is a story about a similar family in Morocco and is written in Arabic. This multi-layered book displays the commonality of family life around the world with children doing chores, eating at mealtime and caring for their pets. The pictures are made with intricate collages.