Picture Book Picks for Christmas 2010

Here's my top picks for childrens picture books of 2010 I think any young bibliophile would be thrilled to unwrap on christmas morning...

 
'Cave Baby', Julia Donaldson (author), Emily Gravett (illus), Macmillan 2010

When you bring together the inimitable talents of Donaldson (Gruffalo, Snail and the Whale etc) and the fluid pencil work of Gravett (Apple, Pear, Orange, Bear etc), you are most likely in for a cracker.  A stone age baby fond of cave wall daubing romps with a hairy mammoth and other creatures.

 
'It's a Book', Lane Smith, Roaring Book Press, 2010

This is a very 'knowing' and funny book, and for that reason in many ways I think its one of those children's books which might be more for the adults.  Certainly my little girl would not 'get it', knowing little about the technological world, which is the way I would prefer things for the time being.  Older children who are familiar with technological gadgets and gizmos but have a great love for the printed book would probably enjoy the humour. But maybe the grown ups even more.

 
'Owls see Clearly at Night', Julie Flett, Simply Read, 2010

Julie Flett is a Cree Metis Vancouver illustrator (Zoe and the Fawn) whose exquisite digital collage work we recently saw at 'Collage Collage'.  This book is a Michif alphabet with beautifully spare illustrations.  Boo liked the bear hiding behind the tree.

 
'The Quiet Book', Deborah Underwood (author), Renata Liwska (illus), Houghton Mifflin 2010

A book about many different kinds of quiet - from comfortable quiets to the quiet of having done something wrong.  A beautifully meditative book with some adorable animal characters, rendered in fine pencil with digital colouration.

 

'Shadow', Suzy Lee, Chronicle 2010

Suzy Lee hasn't put a foot wrong as far as I can see.  With her wordless books 'Mirror' , 'Wave' and those with a spare story ( 'The Zoo'), her lively marks in charcoal, ink wash or pencil convey the energy and imagination of a young girl's antics.  In 'shadow' the girl plays in a dark attic, where the shadows begin to have a life of their own.

 

'Up and Down', Oliver Jeffers, Harpercollins 2010

Oliver Jeffers can do no wrong.  'up and down' is the next installment in the adventures of the boy and his friend the penguin, who decides it is his mission to learn how to fly.  'The Great Paper Caper' remains my favourite, but who can resist another deadpan tale of adventure and absurdity?

 
'The Tree house', Marije Tolman and Ronald Tolamsn, Lemniscaat USA, 2010

Boo and I were mesmerised when we came across this at the library.  The cover was enough for the Boo, who is obsessed by polar bears, and to look inside to see that he is joined in the tree house by a brown bear who flies there on a boat, she was sold.  So was I by the quality of the art work, which is stunning.  A wordless book, the tree house remains throughout as it is visited by hoards of flamingoes, rhinos and other animals who join the bears to hang out and enjoy the tree.  Magical. 

Happy Reading!