This week I will be looking at several picture books. The first book I will discuss is I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott, illustrated by Sydney Smith. Wow. This book takes my breath away. The illustrations tell just as much of a story as the words do. This book is ultimately about a boy who stutters and the reader really gets a sense of the pain that a stutterer might feel. The isolation. The breaks in the text allow for the reader to pause and think about how a stutterer may collect their words. The pictures are muddy and a bit chaotic when the boy is at school, expressing how the boy in the story feels around his peers. The pictures of the boy at the river are calmer. The reader knows the river is where the boy finds his peace. And the boy does make peace with himself and his stutter. This book is beautiful and I think it is unique in its subject matter, as I’ve never read a picture book about stuttering before. I think the illustrations and words are harmonious and conjure up the river itself, allowing the reader to feel both peace and chaos. 

The next book I looked at is Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal. This book is cute enough. The pictures are cartoonish and pretty simple. It is about ancestry and where Alma comes from. The story outlines all her names and how she came to get them, with her father telling her the story. This is a good story to promote self acceptance and a sense of belonging that comes with family. I liked this book, but it did not wow me. I don’t think it would be very special to read aloud. The cuteness is almost oversimplified. I think there could have been richer colors in the illustrations, as the book is about a rich Hispanic heritage. The colors should reflect that richness, in my opinion. I also think Alma is too white. I believe the artist could have darkened the skin tone to reflect her unique heritage. Overall, I think this book is fine, but I would not say it is a favorite. 

Another title I looked at is I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes and Gordan C. James. 

I think the subject matter of this book and message is wonderful. I love a book celebrating black and brown boys and believe this type of representation is so important in the picture book industry.  What I don’t love is the style of the illustrations and this is a purely personal statement. The sort of messy painting style used in this book is used in other books and it just isn’t my favorite. To me, it takes away from the message. There is nothing messy about the idea of building children up and making them feel special and capable, so why would the images have a messy quality? I do really enjoy the story and I don’t believe the images make the story less worthy, by  any means. I do think there is a bit of disjointedness between the text and the images though.  

The next title is A Different Pond by Bao Phi, illustrated by Thi Bui. This book is really, really well done. The images help move the story along and are very harmonious with the words. The style of the illustrations feels like a cultural nod and really makes sense for the story. I love the notes from the author and illustrator at the end of the book. This refugee story has a real opportunity to connect with readers. This book also does not shy away from race. The author tells a very unique story and the illustrator helps carry the story along. 

Finally, the last story I will discuss this week is We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade.  This is another beautifully illustrated book. The pictures are lovely and really help support the author’s words. I especially like the use of diversity within a group of  people. There are varying shades and types of dress in the Native people depicted in this book. There is also a great nod to nature in the pictures, which is fitting as the story is about protecting our natural resources. The colors throughout the book are also colors that exist in nature. I also appreciate any book that has a glossary and this one has one, with different native words and their pronunciation. There is also an informational element in the back of the book about the real Water Protectors. Again, this is a book that brings to light an important issue and makes its point known through the beautiful illustrations. 

All books discussed in this post are good for children and adults alike, as picture books are for everyone! In a school library, these could best serve kindergarten-4th grade students, but again, they are good for everyone. They would be labeled ‘everybody books’ in the library I work in. All five titles highlight an important idea that isn’t necessarily ‘mainstream.’ Each title offers some form of diversity. Some illustrations offer more diversity than others, but I would recommend any of these books to a reader. 

 This week I will be reviewing several board books. The first being an alphabet book titled, A is for Activist, written and illustrated by Innosanto Nagara. I found this book interesting, as it goes beyond a traditional alphabet and introduces a lofty concept for very young readers. I think this is one of those titles that appeals more to the adult reading the book than the baby listening to it. The image below shows the use of high level vocabulary words, but it is written in a rhyme, so that does appeal to the 0-3 demographic. I don’t think a young child would necessarily come away with more awareness of social justice issues, but I do believe the pictures and sounds would engage them. 

The next book is a classic counting book, titled simply Count, published by Dwell Studio. This book is written to the tune of the classic, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? for those of you that know it. It is a cute enough book. The colors and pictures are appealing. It is very simple and it is appropriate for a baby or toddler. It does not wow the reader, but it is a fine choice. 

The third book is a concept book about animals. It is called Animal Shapes and is written by Christopher Silas Neal. This book introduces basic shapes and is great for its targeted demographic, 0-3 years. This book is a beauty. The artist uses gorgeous illustrations and in a different way. It is fun and it is unique. This would be a great selection for a gift, as it is unlike many of the other board book choices out there. 

The final book is an engineering book, titled Farm, by Xavier Deneux. This is a great touch and feel book, designed for babies and toddlers to play with, more than read. There are great illustrations and textures throughout the book. There are words on the pages that describe the scene, but are not so much for reading aloud. This would be a great addition to a personal library to show how to ‘use’ a book. It is also quite cute.

All four of these books are good for the targeted audience of 0-3 years. They are all engaging. Some are more engaging than others, but all are good choices for different aspects of the board book genre.