The Great Picture Book Culling: Day 11

OK - I admit. Last night I cheated a bit. The day was getting away from us, Jo still needed dinner and a bath, and it was getting late. Instead of letting her choose the books - which can often be a lengthy process - I picked out the books for the evening while she was in the bath. I chose one all-time favorite, one that she loves but that rarely gets pulled off the shelf (probably because it's a skinny paperback and gets lost easily), and one that I love but couldn't remember ever reading to her. Jo's favorite of the night? The one she's never heard before - How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman.

This is a delightful book that has also suffered from being a skinny paperback in a bookcase full of mostly hardcovers. The heroine of the story wants to make an apple pie, but the market is closed. Of course, her solution is to travel around the world gathering the necessary ingredients. She gets semolina wheat in Italy, an egg in France (French chickens lay the most elegant eggs, don't you know?) and then goes to Sri Lanka for a bit of bark from the kurundu tree (to grate into cinnamon, of course). That was Jo's favorite spread. She also goes to Jamaica for sugar cane, Vermont for apples, etc. It's a really fun read and has all the expected bonus stuff - lovely map endpapers and a recipe for apple pie.

Alan's favorite was The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka with amazing art by Lane Smith. It feels kind of ridiculous to even say anything about this book because I assume everyone's already familiar with it, but just in case. . .

This is the story of the three little pigs - told from the wolf's point of view. It's made of awesome. The story is perfect. The art is perfect. I would put this in my Top Ten Picture Books Ever Written list - if I were making such a list. Hmmm. . . maybe I will make such a list after we finish our big project. Something to think about. Anyway - if you don't have this book you should get it - whether you have kids or not. And get a hardcover so it doesn't get lost on the shelves.
This is Jo's favorite picture - she loves the bunny ears hanging out of the sandwich.

And now on to my favorite of the night - Halibut Jackson by David Lucas. This is another book that would have to find a place in my Top Ten list - but I don't think a lot of people have heard of it. It's about a man named Halibut Jackson (isn't that the best name?) who is so shy he makes special camouflaged suits to wear any time he goes out in public - an apple-printed suit to the market, a book-printed suit to the library, a flower-printed suit to the park - you get the idea. It's fun to find Halibut hidden in these spreads.

One day he gets an invitation to a birthday party for the queen. He'd love to see the palace, but he's too shy to go to parties. But then he has an idea. He makes a suit of silver and gold, covered in jewels, so he'll blend in with the palace and nobody will see him. Unfortunately for him - it's a garden party! Everyone notices him. And everyone wants a suit like his!Halibut ends up opening a shop selling the most fabulous suits and hats you can imagine - and making lots of friends. I love, love, love this book.

Read-a-thon total so far: 42 books read