into the snow

I haven't seen such amazing textured illustrations as the ones in Into The Snow by author Yuki Kaneko and illustrator Matsamitsu Saito in a great long while.  Saito puts such care and thoughtful technique in depicting the protagonists of the story, the child and the snow, using oil pastels, gouache, acrylics and colored pencils.  You can feel the child's unbridled joy, boundless enthusiasm and raw energy as he throws himself headlong into wonderfully white heaping snowbanks.  Saito is somehow able to depict the snow's movement, liveliness, density--all in the two-dimensional limits of a set of pages.  His lines and colors are warm and soft, almost fuzzy at times.  Kaneko's text is simple and straightforward, written from the point of view of the child who is enchanted by and in awe of the snow.  He is captivated and so is his audience, with Kaneko and Saito's glorious collaboration.  I can't get over this wonder of a book.   It is definitively and categorically a work of art.  I can't recommend it enough!

snow

After excitedly seeing his front yard packed with freshly fallen snow, Sam can’t wait to get out and play.  In fact, he wants to be the first to make his mark on the untouched gloriously thick blanket of white powder.  Sam Usher’s watercolor and ink illustrations set in Snow’s large format will engulf you in their vast white winter wonderland, make you feel a little chilly and have you expecting a little magic the next time you set out in snow.

how the sun got to coco's house

Here's another pick from January’s #littlelitbookseries.  This month, we featured some of the exceptional children’s books published in 2015.  How The Sun Got To Coco's House by Bob Graham is among the lot.

"It had to start somewhere.  While Coco slept far away, the sun crept up slowly behind a hill, paused for a moment and seemed to think twice...before it plunged down the other side and skidded giddily across the water."  Follow the sun's glorious trek to Coco's house and catch a glimpse of the lives and paths it intersects along the way.   Beautiful, lilting prose from Australian author/illustrator Bob Graham and an ingenious and engaging way to depict a quotidian event.  One of my favorites from 2015.  

Don’t miss everyone else’s favorite picks in the #littlelitbookseries on Instagram.

float

This month, #littlelitbookseries is all about the most outstanding children's books of 2015.

Float is most definitively one of the best children's books published in 2015.  Daniel Miyares' wordless picture book shows how much emotion and storyline can be encapsulated and expressed through visual elements alone.  You can see and feel the boy's thoughts and intentions almost as well as the texture of all that glorious water and rain.  Bravo @danielmiyaresdoodles!  We are fans of your work for life.

Check out everyone else’s standout children’s books from 2015 in our #littlelitbookseries on Instagram.

star wars new year's eve

Following the tradition we started last year, we had another Star Wars New Year's Eve!  Avery and Nate made treats the night before and we settled down to watch the original trilogy (or at least part of it).  It was epic but low-key--perfect for a night in.  Happy New Year, everyone!