This post all began when my son gave me It Began with a Page: How Gyo Fujikawa Drew the Way for Christmas. It had special meaning to us because I read Gyo Fujikawa books to him almost every night for years. There was something about her sweet, calming stories and illustrations we both loved. As I was reading the biography on Christmas day, an idea was forming. I had read so many wonderful picture book biographies recently and learned the life stories of so many people I knew of, but didn’t really know. I decided I wanted to share these remarkable people with you. In these books you’ll learn the stories behind some famous people and some not so famous, but all fascinating.
By Kyo Maclear @kyomaclear
Illustrated by Julie Morstad @juliemorstad
Published by Harper Collins @harpercollins @harperkids
When my son was a baby, we discovered some remarkable board books. They were charming stories full of sweet animals, diverse children with angelic expressions and gentle words that were perfect to hear before I tucked him in each night. I always remembered the author, Gyo Fujikawa, and her special books, which have been my “go to” baby shower gift for 25 years. So I was delighted when I learned there was a new picture book biography about her, and even more excited when I learned it was illustrated by Julie Morstad, one of my favorite illustrators.
Gyo Fujikawa was a Japanese American girl who loved to draw. Unfortunately, she was also a girl who was invisible to the white students in her school and to most of her teachers. Happily though, one teacher recognized her talent and gave Gyo the money to attend art school. This changed her life. It gave her the courage to face the discrimination she would encounter for years to come because she was Asian American, as well as because she was a woman. It gave her the courage to write a children’s book with multiracial children in the 1960’s and to insist her publisher break the rules and publish it. When the publisher finally agreed, Babies became a bestseller and is still in print today. She went on to create 50 more picture books for children.
This story of courage and determination gives you a glimpse into not only Gyo’s life, but also into the lives of Asian Americans during the last century. Julie Morstad’s illustrations will give you a glimpse into the charm you’ll find in all of Gyo’s books. You’ll see the rainbow of faces of naughty, nice and very busy babies which are similar to the little ones you’ll find in so many of Gyo’s books. And you’ll begin to understand why I’m such an admirer of Gyo Fujikawa, and why I’ll continue to tuck her books into every baby shower gift I give.
By Mac Barnett @macbarnett
Illustrated by Sarah Jacoby
Published by Balzer and Bray @balzerandbray @harpercollins_publishing
You may end your days tucking your little one in by reading Goodnight Moon or The Important Book, but do you really know anything about the author, Margaret Wise Brown? I certainly didn’t before I read this delightful picture book biography by award winning author, Mac Barnett.
There are so many things I loved about this book.
- I love how the author and the illustrator skillfully interweave the theme of The Important Book, as well as the covers of so many of her books into their story.
- I loved learning that the New York Public Library, as well as many others, stamped Margaret Wise Brown’s books “NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PURCHASE BY EXPERT”!!
- I loved Sarah Jacoby’s gentle illustrations that filled every page, especially the fact that the children in the library circle are rabbits, the librarian is a rabbit and every book is being held by a rabbit!
- And most of all I loved that I learned a little bit more about the quirky, fascinating person who wrote some of our most beloved children’s books.
By Barb Rosenstock @brosenstock
Art by Christopher Silas Neal @csilasneal
Published by Calkins Creek #calkinscreek
I’ve been fascinated with Frank LLoyd Wright since I was in grade school. it began when my parents explained why my classmate’s house was so very different than the usual suburban ranches that filled our neighborhood. The reason the house was so unique was that it was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. When I was nine years old, I didn’t realize how special that was. All I knew was that I loved that house, wished it was my house. and from that moment on loved mid century design and Frank Lloyd Wright.
Barb Rosenstock’s story guides us on a tour through Wright’s life, beginning with his childhood on the Wisconsin Prairie and throughout his career as an architect; an architect who went against the norm of designing Victorian style mansions and rather chose to design houses to fit the modern family inside and out. Christopher Silas Neal’s illustrations, which utilize the shapes of the prairie landscape and reflect Frank Lloyd Wright’s style, further help the reader gain a better understanding of the prairie houses.
I wish my nine year old self had this wonderful book so many years ago. I would have loved to understand more about Frank Lloyd Wright and the reason his houses were so unique. I, too had a love of shapes and creating structures with wooden blocks. Perhaps I would have been inspired to study architecture. Maybe a child who reads this book today will be inspired to follow in Frank Lloyd Wright’s footsteps!
By Miranda Paul #mirandapaul
Illustrated by John Parra @johnparaart
Published by Clarion Books #clarionbooks @hmhkids
Have you ever wondered about the Little Free Library @littlefreelibrary (LFB) phenomenon like I did? Well for myself, who always seems to make up stories every time I take a walk through my hometown, these are the questions bouncing around in my head. Where do all of these unique little houses come from? Why are there more and more of them? Who makes them? How did it begin? When I discovered this inspirational story, I was delighted to find the answers to my questions, plus a few more, too!
It all began with an ordinary hero who wanted to honor his mom’s memory and her love of reading. And it spread with the help of other ordinary heroes who worked together to spread their love of reading by building the little houses, filling them with books, labeling the containers with this motto “Take a Book, Share a Book” and placing them in yards throughout the U.S. And the phenomenon didn’t stop at the U.S. borders. Soon there were LFLibraries all around the world, such as at a hospital in Ireland, on a street corner in Pakistan and in a schoolyard in South Sudan.
This is a story of the amazing things that can happen when ordinary people work together to make a dream come true; a dream to help people across the world. This story offers a wonderful starting point for conversations and brainstorming with students about their dreams to help the world, and planning to make their dreams come true.
Written by Sarah Aronson
Illustrated by Robert Neubecker
Published by Simon & Schuster Kids @simonkids
Every year Purdue (my Alma Mater) has a Rube Goldberg competition. It’s always fascinating to see what imaginative contraptions the teams create. But even though I’ve followed this for years, I never knew Rube Goldberg’s story. Happily, after reading this, I now do! I know that his true aspiration was to be a “great cartoonist for a big-time newspaper.” Unfortunately, his family had other ideas, so to please them he became an engineer. But since he was an engineer who dreamed of drawing, he soon quit his job and became a laborer at the San Francisco Chronicle. During the day he emptied wastebaskets and filed photos, and at night he drew cartoons. Finally a few were published. This gave him the courage to move to New York City where everything changed. He became a cartoonist, a political commentator and most importantly, a creator and illustrator of an alter ego, Professor Butts, who created crazy contraptions that solved problems in ridiculous and totally unexpected ways.
This story illustrates the success one can have, if you persevere and follow your dream. It also introduces the reader to the fun and creativity of inventing, whether it be a serious invention or a ridiculous one that has loads of surprises.
By Natascha Biebow
Illustrated by Steven Salerno
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt @houghtonmifflinharcourt
Do you remember opening a new box of crayons? If you were lucky, you got a new box every school year. If you were EXTRA lucky, it was a box of 64 shiny new crayons with pointy ends that had never touched a piece of paper. That beginning of the school year excitement came back to me whenever my kids and I used to watch Mr. Roger’s segment on a trip to a crayon factory. We always wished we could be right there with him watching the thousands of crayons coming off the assembly line. But we never knew where crayons originated, or who invented them, or why? This delightful book answers all of those questions and more.
Edwin Benny loved colors and knew children did, too. Sadly, though, most children couldn’t afford the dull, clumsy crayons, which were available in the late 1800s. Edwin Benny listened to what children wanted and began experimenting in his lab to create a strong, colorful, safe crayon. It took years of work, but at the 1904 World’s Fair the familiar green and yellow box of Crayola Crayons was introduced and children’s lives were never quite the same.
I like this book so much because it shows what can be accomplished with perseverance, creativity and hard work. When Edwin Benny’s wife described a problem to him – crayons were expensive, dully colored, breakable and clumsy, he became determined to solve it, even though a solution wasn’t readily apparent. I also like the back material in the book including captioned photographs of a crayon factory, a brief biography and a list of websites and videos.
If your children are fans of crayons (who isn’t?!), please add this to your list. It will be so much fun for all of you.
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In Your Shoes
Beatrice Zinker Upside Down Thinker: Incognito
the smallest girl in the smallest grade
This sweet book is the perfect one to share with your little one before his or her first day of school, or anytime the two of you will be separated. Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s reassuring text promises that “wherever you are, wherever you go, … that feeling you always have in your heart? That’s me loving you.” I could see this as a graduation gift for your child before they leave for college, or a book that will help your little ones as they struggle to work through their grief over losing a loved one. The simple, muted and whimsical illustrations add to this tender family story. Be sure and look for this on your next trip to the library!
Rebecca Young’s lyrical text and Matt Ottley’s magical illustrations tell the story of a young boy who is forced to leave his home and everything he has ever known to find another. All he carries with him is a backpack filled with a water bottle, a book and a blanket, along with a teacup filled with a speck of soil and a few seeds. Sometimes his days are peaceful and sometimes they are filled with peril. But as he travels, the seeds begin to grow, and grow, until he has an apple tree to protect him from the sun, to give him food to eat and to provide a cozy nook for reading. This beautiful story reminds us of what it must be like for the children who are currently fleeing their homelands in search of safety. And of how, even though we all face hardships, with bravery and determination we can succeed.
The Friend Ship ✨by Kat Yeh ✨illustrated by Chuck Groenink. Hedgehog is lonely and craves to be surrounded by friends, so he bravely sets sail in search of The Friend Ship. As he and a curious beaver sail along, they encounter animal after animal who also would love to find some friends, but no one has seen The Friend Ship. After sailing the world, Hedgehog’s boat is full of animals, but he’s so sad that he hasn’t found The Friend Ship. He’s instantly surrounded by his shipmates who offer encouragement “you can count on me”, we’ll stick with you till the end!”, and “don’t give up!” He vows to sail on, after all of the reassurances that he will indeed find The Friend Ship, until he meets an elephant on a very small island, who asks “isn’t that it right there?” This tender story will lead to a discussion with your little ones about friendship and the fact that friends are out there waiting for us. We just need to be a friend and to remember to keep looking!
Barefoot Book of Children will help your kiddos better understand the diversity of our world. It reminds us, that although children live in many different places and in many different situations, they all need a home to live in and people to teach them about the world. Barefoot Book of Children will help your little ones understand that there are many different families in our country and in our world. Some may be large, some may have a mom and dad, some may have two dads, some may be a foster family or some families may be yearning for someone who is very far away. The colorful illustrations will lead to a better understanding of our differences and to the fact that even though we eat different foods, play different games, speak different languages and worship differently, we all have love to give and we all have our own story to share.
