My #PB10for10 Post

My summer is officially over this week. But before it ends, I wanted to share some books with you here in my post for #pb10for10 (10 Picture Books on the 10th) a meme hosted by Cathy Mere and Mandy Robek. (Make sure to follow the hashtag on Twitter!)

These are all 2015 books. Each has influenced my thinking regarding other picture books, and each of them has nurtured my undying affection for the genre as a whole. 

Please note these are not reviews, but simply snippets and thoughts! I recommend them all! (There were more I could have included, but I could only mention 10, and at some point, I had to go to sleep!) 

Sidewalk Flowers. By JonArno Larson. Illus. by Sydney Smith. Groundwood Books, 2015. 32 pages. $16.95. 

I picked this one up at TLA 2015 in Austin. When I reread this wordless book for this post, I noticed the endpapers again -- filled with colorful flowers. This one reminded me of Wait (Roaring Brook, 2015). What beautiful thing do you walk by every day and do not notice? 

It's Only Stanley. By Jon Agee. Dial, 2015. 32 pages. $17.99.

Stanley, the Wimbledons' dog, is very busy in this book. During one sleepless night, he makes stew, he fixes the oil tank, etc. etc. The best surprise is at the end. This lively picture book will make you turn the page with wonder. 

Growing Up Pedro: How the Martinez Brothers Made It From the Dominican Republic All the Way to the Major Leagues. By Matt Tavares. Candlewick, 2015. 40 pages. $16.99.

A nonfiction picture book biography about Pedro Martinez and his rise to stardom as a Red Sox pitcher. The grand illustrations made me feel as if I were on the baseball field, too! Skillful with movement and composition, Tavares brings the story to life on each page. I can't wait to share this one with sports fans in my library!

The Grasshopper & the Ants. By Jerry Pinkney. Little Brown, 2015. 40 pages. $18.00.  

Caldecott Medalist Jerry Pinkney illustrates this fable with glorious color. Every time I read it, I feel as if I am entering a garden. The poetic and musical text illustrates two life lessons. It's entirely lovely. 

My Pen.  By Christopher Myers. Disney-Hyperion, 2015. 32 pages. $16.99. 

With black and white detailed illustrations by Christopher Myers (2015 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner), this book ignites imagination and wonder. I first saw this one at ALA Annual in San Francisco with my friend Alyson Beecher. I'll never forget that. 

Wait. By Antoinette Portis. Roaring Brook, 2015. 32 pages. $16.99.

A child takes a walk with his mother. She wants to hurry. He wants to wait and notice things. Two words tell the whole story. My favorite part is the double page spread where the boy is picking out ice cream. Or is it the one where he's drinking raindrops?

The Night World. By Mordicai Gerstein. Little Brown, 2015. 40 pages. $18.00. 

A boy and his cat Sylvie explore their house and the outdoors in the dark of night. Stars shine like crystals, and wonder abounds. Sylvie introduces him to the animals and plants. When morning arrives, it is made all the more stunning by the night. 

Boats for Papa. By Jessixa Bagley. Roaring Brook, 2015. 40 pages. $17.99. 

This is a beautifully written story about family and loss-- and treasuring loved ones. Each page captivated my complete attention, and the end of the book took my breath away. I loved every sweet and wonderful thing Mama did and made -- and their little home was so picture book-perfect. When you read it, you will want to talk about it. 

The Skunk. By Mac Barnett. Illus. by Patrick McDonnell. Roaring Brook, 2015. 40 pages. $17.99. 

I blogged about this one earlier this month. Read my post here. 

Float. By Daniel Miyares. Simon & Schuster, 2015. 48 pages. $17.99. 

I love holding this book. A wordless picture book about a boy and his paper boat on a rainy day. The grey/yellow color palette is magical, and the endpapers are part of the story. As with each of the books mentioned here, it is a must-have. Make a toy boat today and celebrate with it! 

As I end this post now, I am entirely surrounded by these books. They are around me as I sit at my kitchen table, gathered for their help here. Before I send them back to my bookcase, I will read them yet again. 

I just cannot help it. 

Picture Book 10 for 10

Today, I am happily joining the Picture Book 10 for 10 meme hosted by bloggers Mandy Robek and CathyMere.

I love using picture books in my classroom. Besides telling great stories, picture books are roadmaps for writers: they show the many directions writers can take. I love sharing them aloud, and my students love listening to them. I use a picture book to model or teach a specific skill. However, when we discuss the book, my students will always notice something I hadn't seen. I don't stop every two or three pages with countless questions. Most of the time, I just ask them to tell me what they notice. I love hearing all the observations my students will make as they think about the characters and events.

There are so many great picture books, and narrowing to a list of ten was difficult!  So here are the first ten (or 11) that I recalled:

I WANT MY HAT BACK by Jon Klassen

 EXTRA YARN by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

PRESS HERE by Hervè Tullet

BOY + BOT by Ame Dyckman and illustrated by Dan Yaccarino



CITY DOG, COUNTRY FROG by Mo Willems and illustrated by Jon J. Muth

HOW ROCKET LEARNED TO READ/ROCKET WRITES A STORY

by Tad Hills

LIBRARY LION by Michelle Knudsen and illustrated by Kevin Hawkes

THE GENTLEMAN BUG by Julian Hector

 YOU WILL BE MY FRIEND by Peter Brown



C.R. MUDGEON by Leslie Muir; Pictures by Julian Hector





(I could say so much about each one. But if I did, this post would be too long to read!)



I could also name so many more wonderful titles. In fact, I have quite a few in my TBR pile. I love looking for and finding great picture books. To me, they are precious literary treasures.