I absolutely love this Grimm’s wooden alphabet game from The Wooden Wagon. It’s not for only learning letters—kids can use the pieces to make pictures and designs. it’s a winner. We have various Grimm’s toys and adore their timeless design, thoughtful craftsmanship and durability. They’re definitely playthings that you can pass on to the next generation.
A River by Marc Martin—a staggerlingly beautiful book published last year. “There is a river outside my window. Where will it take me?” A girl sits and imagines a voyage along a river through urban, rural, wooded, wild and oceanic terrain, each rendered with incredible depth, and are utterly breathtaking. The expansive landscapes in A River are brimming with overlapping textures and dense colors—a poetic backdrop for the quiet and introspective journey of a solitary girl in her solitary boat. You can see Marc speak about his work here.
In Sam Usher’s latest book Rain, Sam watches as rain starts to pelt down from the sky and he is desperate to go outside for an inclement adventure. His grandfather delays the trip out due to an important task he must first finish, fueling Sam’s impatience. Sam Usher’s fat raindrops and gigantic puddles create an intensely gray mood with a hint of cheer that almost foretells the happy conclusion. In the end, the boy’s patience is rewarded with an epic surprise.
The reflections of Sam and his grandfather in the immense pools of water in his front yard are incredible and extremely detailed. Usher manages to capture the glassy, gray-toned texture of rainwater and its fluid, undulating quality. Rain is the second in a four-part series based on weather. If you haven’t already, do check out the first title in the series, Snow.
Oh, owl. He can't fall asleep because he hears a tiny noise in the house somewhere and he almost goes (literally) crazy trying to find it. Good Night Owl is our first book by Geisel Award winner Greg Pizzoli, and I’m loving the bright, modern and spare aesthetic of it. With its simple story line, this one is great for teaching little ones how to retell a story.
“Up and down lines pull me up, up, up with them, until I feel as tall as a steeple and as taut as a stretched rubber band. I think of lofty things—giant redwood trees, a lighthouse rising above the sea, a rocket soaring high into the sky, noble kings in flowing robes. “
Helen Borten was an illustrator who produced many picture books and illustrations for other authors such as Franklyn M. Branley in the 1960s. She was also an independent broadcast journalist who wrote and produced numerous radio documentaries.
In Do You See What I See?, she connects the abstract concepts of line, shape and color to real world experiences that allow children to wrap their heads around these elements of art. She helps children identify how line, shape and color make them feel, which is a big component of understanding art. Her rich figurative language, modern lines and clever use of color and layout are what make her work a collection of visual poetry.
Although this book was originally published in the 1960s, its sensibilities are fresh, relevant and design-forward, even today. Every preschool and early childhood classroom across the world needs a copy of this stunning work. Imagine the countless art experiences that could be launched with the ideas, content and inspiration in this book. Thank you to @flyingeyebooks for re-releasing this venerable classic. May there be many more.