In time for holiday gift buying, three editors at the New York Times have published their choices for the “top 10” picture books of 2010.
I’m not sure I’m completely with them on this list. I mean, “top 10”? Out of everything, these are the ones? No Jeremy Tankard? So… as with any suggestions, take ’em with a grain of salt. But do check them out because no matter what, these books are no slouches.
The New York Times published excellent synopses for each book, here.
Update, Jan. 30, 2011: Having given these books another look, I especially liked Busing Brewster, which tells the story of integration in a very respectful and touching way; Children Make Terrible Pets, which is funny and lovely; and most surprising of all was Shadow, because it opens horizontally and doesn’t have any words… and is a bit creepy, actually (wouldn’t have thought so from the cover, eh?) On the top of each double-page spread in Shadow is a girl holding everyday objects – on the bottom are their shadows. The shadows start to take on lives of their own, eventually coming up into the top page, while the girl is forced down into the bottom page… by a wolf, actually. Anyway, she wins, so it’s all right. A Sick Day for Amos McGee is one of those books that you think is already a classic – it’s a story of a man who visits the zoo every day and then when he get the flu they animals come to visit him. It’s nice.
That's very kind of you Joyce. I actually didn't have a new book out this year so couldn't have made the list anyway (not that I'm presumptuous enough to think I'd make the list anyway). There are a couple of hilarious books on there though. I love Children Make Terrible Pets.
Oops – sorry; I thought that your board books came out this year.
Incidentally, the kids at our school's library ALWAYS have your books out… I'm forever reshelving them!
When's the next one coming out?
And, while I have you, is there any chance we can persuade you to post a wee piece of art on Getting Kids Reading? 🙂
Sorry about that – we’re not sure what happened; we don’t have ads, but it might be a problem with our header. We’re looking into it.