My Top Ten Picture Books

Young Readers is turning thirteen today. I don't recall ever celebrating a blogiversary. Poor middle blog!

1. Umbrella by Taro Yashima. 1958/2004. Penguin. 40 pages. [Source: Childhood Copy] Reviewed May 2007; October 2011; February 2017.

First sentence: Momo is the name of a little girl who was born in New York.

2. Grump. Janet Wong. Illustrated by John Wallace. 2001. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages. [Book I Bought] Reviewed July 2011; June 2015

Look how tired this Mommy is
Tired and frumpy
Grouchy chumpy
Oh, what a grump!

Look at Baby
Smart, good Baby
Happy Baby
Making gravy
Applesauce and ketchup gravy
Not too lumpy
Not too bumpy
Squish squish
DUMP!

3. Finn Throws A Fit. David Elliott. Illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering. 2009. Candlewick. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy] January 2010. March 2017.

First sentence: Finn likes peaches. Usually. But today, Finn doesn't like peaches. Today, Finn doesn't like anything. Today, Finn is cranky. Anything could happen.

4. Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb. Al Perkins. 1969. Random House. 36 pages. [Source: Bought] February 2017. February 2009.

First sentence: Hand hand fingers thumb. One thumb one thumb drumming on a drum. One hand two hands drumming on a drum. Dum ditty dum ditty dum dum dum.

5. Bubba and Beau, Best Friends. Kathi Appelt. Illustrated by Arthur Howard. 2002. Harcourt. 32 pages. [Source: Bought] [June 2018]

First sentence: Meet Bubba. Bubba is the son of Big Bubba and Mama Pearl. Right after Bubba was born, Mama Pearl wrapped him in his soft pink blankie and whispered into both of his soft pink ears, "I love you, Bubba Junior." She sighed. He was the perfect little Bubba.

6. Bread and Jam for Frances. Russell Hoban. Illustrated by Lillian Hoban. 1964/1992. HarperCollins. 32 pages. [Source: Library] March 2011. April 2016.

First sentence: It was breakfast time, and everyone was at the table. Father was eating his egg. Mother was eating her egg. Gloria was sitting in a high chair and eating her egg too. Frances was eating bread and jam.

7. More, More, More. Vera B. Williams. 1990. HarperCollins. 32 pages. [Source: Library] May 2010


This is Little Guy.
Little Guy runs away so fast.
Little Guy's daddy has to run like anything just to catch that baby up.
But Little Guy's daddy catches that baby up all right.
He throws that baby high and swings that baby all around.
"Oh, you're a great little guy," Little Guy's daddy sings to Little Guy.

8. Goin' Someplace Special. Patricia McKissack. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. 2001. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [April 2017]

First sentence: 'Tricia Ann was about to burst with excitement.

9. Millions of Cats. Wanda Gag. 1928. Penguin. 40 pages. [Source: Book I Bought] January 2015 August 2018

Once upon a time there was a very old man and a very old woman. They lived in a nice clean house which had flowers all around it, except where the door was. But they couldn't be happy because they were so very lonely. 
"If we only had a cat!" sighed the very old woman. "A cat?" asked the very old man. "Yes, a sweet little fluffy cat," said the very old woman. "I will get you a cat, my dear," said the very old man.
And he set out over the hills to look for one.

10. The Gorilla Did It. Barbara Shook Hazen. Illustrated by Ray Cruz. 1974. 32 pages. [Source: Childhood copy] Reviewed in 2007 (August) and 2018 (February). 

First sentence: Shhh! Go away. I can't play. I'm sleeping. Okay. But you've got to be quiet, or Mommy'll be mad.

© 2020 Becky Laney of Young Readers