The Best Picture Book Releases of the Last Six Months

Week of October 23—What We Can Learn from Horn Book Reviews

Monday, October 24—The Best Picture Book Releases of the Last Six Months

This week I received my copy of The Horn Book Guide to Children’s Young Adult Books. I am a new subscriber to The Horn Book (the quintessential guide to children’s literature) and didn’t even realize that this gem came with my subscription. “The Horn Book Guide strives to include short, critical reviews of all hardcover trade children’s and young adult books published in the United States within a six-month period. (Novelty books, board books, and mass market titles are reviewed selectively.) Qualified books that arrive . . . too late to be included will be reviewed in the next issue.” (The Horn Book Guide, Fall 2011, Volume XXII, Number 2, page 291).

329 picture books were reviewed in this volume, and that does not include a host of books in a separate category entitled “Preschool.” Each book is rated on a scale of 1 to 6 (with 1 being the highest score). Here’s what the ratings mean . . .

1 = Outstanding, noteworthy in style, content, and/or illustration

2 = Superior, well above average

3 = Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration

4 = Recommended, with minor flaws

5 = Marginal, seriously flawed, but with some redeeming quality

6 = Unacceptable in style, content, and/or illustration

The vast majority of books received a 3 or 4 rating. Twenty-six picture books (8%) received a “2” rating and none received a “1” rating. I want to learn from that 8%. What makes them stellar? What makes them memorable? Here’s the list of the 8%:

Are You Awake?

By Sophie Blackall

Holt/Ottaviano

A Call for a New Alphabet

By Jef Czekaj

Charlesbridge

Prudence Wants a Pet

By Cathleen Daly

Illustrated by Stephen MichaClinkel King

Roaring Brook

Clink

By Kelly DiPucchio

Illustrated by Matthew Myers

HarperCollins

Benedict

By Teresa Duran

Translated by Elisa Amado

Illustrated by Elena Val

Groundwood

My Side of the Car

By Kate Feiffer

Illustrated by Jules Feiffer

Candlewick

Three by the Sea

By Mini Grey

Knopf

The Wicked Big Toddlah Goes to New York

By Kevin Hawkes

Knopf

The Secret Box

By Barbara Lehman

Houghton

Manners Mash-Up: A Goofy Guide to Good Behavior

Dial

Goyangi Means Cat

By Christine McDonnell

Illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher

Viking

Tia Isa Wants a Car

By Meg Medina

Illustrated by Claudio Munoz

Candlewick

The Honeybee Man

By Lela Nargi

Illustrated by Krysten Brooker

Random/Schartz & Wade

Ponyella

By Laura Numeroff and Nate Evans

Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger

Hyperion

Happy Endings: A Story About Suffixes

By Robin Pulver

Illustrated by Lynn Rowe Reed

Holiday

Tony Baloney

By Pam Munoz Ryan

Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham

Scholastic

I’m Not

By Pam Smallcomb

Illustrated by Robert Weinstock

Random/Schwartz & Wade

Foxy and Egg

By Alex T. Smith

Holiday

Edwin Speaks Up

By April Stevens

Illustrated by Sophie Blackall

Random/Schwartz & Wade

The Little Red Pen

By Jane Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel

Illustrated by Janet Stevens

Harcourt

Passing the Music Down

By Sarah Sullivan

Illustrated by Barry Root

Candlewick

Lost & Found: Three by Shaun Tan

By Shaun Tan

Scholastic

The Queen of France

By Tim Wadham

Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton

Candlewick

Harry & Hopper

By Margaret Wild

Illustrated by Freya Blackwood

Feiwell

The Invisible Man

By Arthur Yorinks

Illustrated by Doug Cushman

HarperCollins/Harper

Ten Birds

By Cybele Young

Kids Can

What makes these books critically acclaimed? Here are some of the comments about the text of these books that stood out to me:

·        Appealing premise, fey logic, offbeat character            

·        Clever

·        Unflinchingly evokes emotions and treats respectfully

·        Witty dialogue         

·        Lyrical, laconic lilt

·        Rollicking read-aloud, plays on words                

·        Witty narrative

·        Cheerfully upbeat character

·        The narrator incorporates Spanish words naturally, giving the dialogue authenticity

·        Sly humor and light touch

·        Genuinely sweet and moving climax

·        This triumph of hope over reality ends on a high note

·        Witty text, occasionally interspersed with onomatopoeic robot-centric words

·        Dry humor and a wonderfully persistent protagonist elevate this book

·        Amusing questions and answers; text is all dialogue

The good news for us is that this list includes well-known authors and new authors; books written and illustrated by one person and collaborations between an author and illustrator; books with a wide variety of topics and perspectives; and books from large and small publishing houses. In other words, the highest Horn Book ratings aren’t reserved for the high and mighty, the notables, or the famous. They are reserved for books that represent the best writing and illustrating in the world of picture books. That’s the club I’m striving to join—how about you?

It’s Your Turn!

1. Look for some of these critically-acclaimed books in your bookstore or library. Do a little informal research project and see what you like about the books and then determine how you could use what you learned to impact your writing.