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Picture Books

Once upon a time.... may be the oldest trick in the writer's bag, but we still fall for it—especially if it's accompanied by pictures. There's a sense in which all picture books are fairy tales (even the ones that take place in New York City or a log cabin) simply because they're able to transport us in a way words alone can't. We become part of the story viscerally, sensing the subtleties of mood and place and texture.

Not all picture books are created equal, of course. We don't go in for VeggieTales, or Disney, or Sesame Street (etc. etc.), preferring the more classic style (like Caldecott winners) and newer ones that are more artistic (as opposed to merely visual). The only thing a second-rate illustration can do is make you mourn the preeminence of Saturday morning cartoons, whereas a good one has the capacity to take you inside.

We're not trying to be snobs about this, but if we offer our children picture books to read and look at, we want them to be of the highest quality. We want the text to be excellently written, the plot well-crafted, the illustrations rich and vibrant. There's a very real sense in which a child's imagination is formed by the things he or she sees as a small human, and if they only get to look at poor drawings there's a pretty good chance their creative powers will end up severely limited.

If you've encountered the illustrations of Trina Schart Hyman, Robert McCloskey, Maurice Sendak, or Michael Morpurgo, you'll know what we're talking about. Good picture books have a way of showing us things we've always seen or imagined a little differently, tilting the canvas of the familiar to make it seem a little less so, more wild, more mysterious, more real.

Which is precisely why they're such a great way to introduce kids to reading. They don't have to know what the words say to get the gist of the story, yet when they do begin to learn what the words say, it's easier for them to grasp the meaning since they're already familiar with the basic premise. Many kids have learned to read this way, and we suspect many more will do so in the future.

That is, if they have access to quality picture books at a young age. We like them proliferating throughout the house like small landforms, squeezing out of bookcases, turning up beneath the couch and on top of dressers. Just remember—they aren't only for children. In fact, adults often need them more, to connect with their progeny, to recapture a sense of youth, or simply to rest when words stop making sense and only pictures are able to communicate.

When we say "picture book," there are a couple of things we aren't talking about: first, illustrated fiction. A great book, primarily text with illustrations here and there, are not the same as picture books, which focus on the artwork. Second, we don't include here non-fiction. There are lots of excellent science, math, biographical, and other types of picture books—we have plenty—but they are in separate sections (see below).

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.
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Picture Books
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81 Items found Print
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Active Filters: 3rd grade (Ages 8-9), Perfectbound
African-Americans in the Thirteen Colonies
by Deborah Kent
from Children's Press
for 2nd-6th grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
Alvin Ailey
by Andrea Davis Pinkney; illustrated by Brian Pinkney
from Hyperion Books for Children
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Ancient Egyptians
History Opens Windows
by Jane Shuter
Revised and Updated from Heinemann-Raintree
for 1st-3rd grade
in Ancient Egypt (Location: HISW-ANEG)
$4.00 (2 in stock)
And It Was So
by Tasha Tudor
from Westminster Press
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Anno's China
by Anno
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 1st-4th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$14.95
Anno's U.S.A.
by Mitsumasa Anno
from Philomel Books
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Back Home
by Gloria Jean Pinkney, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
from Puffin Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Barefoot Book of Buddhist Tales
by Sherab Chodzin & Alexandra Kohn (retellers), illustrated by Marie Cameron
from Barefoot Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Barefoot Book of Riddles
by Hugh Lupton & Sophie Fatus
from Barefoot Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$14.99
Bedtime for Francis
by Russell Hoban, illustrated by Garth Williams
from Scholastic Inc.
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Bedtime Stories
by Thornton W. Burgess, illustrated by Carl & Mary Hauge
from Dover Publications
for 1st-5th grade
in Picture Book Treasuries (Location: PIC-TRE)
Billy and Blaze - Boxed Set
Billy and Blaze
by C. W. Anderson
from Simon and Schuster
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Boxed Sets & Literature Packages (Location: FIC-BOX)
$79.99
Birdie's Lighthouse
by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Kimberly Root
2000 Paperback from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Blueberries for Sal
by Robert McCloskey
from Puffin Books
Realistic Stories for Kindergarten-3rd grade
1949 Caldecott Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99
Brother Eagle, Sister Sky
by Chief Seattle, illustrated by Susan Jeffers
from Puffin Books
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$8.99
Buffalo Bird Girl
by S. D. Nelson
from Abrams Books for Young Readers
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.95
Catwings
A Catwings Tale Book 1
by Ursula K. Le Guin
from Atheneum
for 1st-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Catwings Boxed Set (December 2023)
by Ursula K. Le Guin
from Atheneum
for 1st-4th grade
in Boxed Sets & Literature Packages (Location: FIC-BOX)
Catwings Return
A Catwings Tale Book 2
by Ursula K. Le Guin
from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Catwings Return
A Catwings Tale Book 2
by Ursula K. Le Guin
from Atheneum
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$6.99
Charlotte Mason
by Lanaya Gore, illustrated by Twila Farmer
from Blue Sky Daisies
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
$18.95
Coral Reefs
by Jason Chin
from Square Fish Publishing
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Oceanography & Marine Biology (Location: SCI-OCEAN)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Dave's Down-to-Earth Rock Shop
MathStart Series Level 3
by Stuart J. Murphy, Illustrated by Cat Bowman Smith
from HarperTrophy
for 2nd-4th grade
in Math Picture Books (Location: MATR-PIC)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
by Mo Willems
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-3rd grade
2004 Caldecott Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Donde viven los monstruos (Where the Wild Things Are)
by Maurice Sendak
from HarperCollins
Fantasy for Kindergarten-3rd grade
1964 Caldecott Medal winner
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Edgar Allen Poe’s Pie
by J. Patrick Lewis
from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
for 2nd-6th grade
in Math Picture Books (Location: MATR-PIC)
$7.99
Egg Is Quiet
by Dianna Hutts Aston
from Chronicle Books
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Nature Study (Location: NAT-GEN)
$7.99
Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy)
by Barbara Kerley, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham
from Scholastic Inc.
for 1st-4th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Follow the Water from Brook to Ocean
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science Stage 2
by Arthur Dorros
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Water Cycle (Location: SCI-EARTH)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Forest in the Trees
by Connie McLennan
from Arbordale Publishing
for 1st-4th grade
in Nature Study (Location: NAT-GEN)
$10.95
Fossils Tell of Long Ago
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science Stage 2
by Aliki
Revised from HarperCollins
for 2nd-3rd grade
in Dinosaurs & Fossils (Location: SCI-DINO)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
George Washington Carver
by Tonya Bolden
from Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Go, Fractions!
by Judith Bauer Stamper, illustrated by Chris Demarest
from Houghton Mifflin
for 2nd-4th grade
in Math Picture Books (Location: MATR-PIC)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Grapes of Math
by Gregory Tang
from Scholastic Inc.
for 2nd-4th grade
in Math Picture Books (Location: MATR-PIC)
$4.00 (2 in stock)
Harvey the Baker
Handy Harvey
by Lars Klinting
from Kingfisher
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.40 (1 in stock)
How Much Can a Bare Bear Bear?
by Brian P. Cleary
from Millbrook Press
for 2nd-4th grade
in Grammar Picture Books (Location: GRA-PIC)
How People Learned to Fly
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science Stage 2
by Fran Hodgkins, illustrated by True Kelley
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Inventions & Discoveries (Location: SCI-INV)
If I Were In Charge of the World and Other Worries
by Judith Viorst, illustrated by Lynne Cherry
from Aladdin Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Poetry for Children (Location: POET-CHIL)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Jane on Her Own
A Catwings Tale Book 4
by Ursula K. Le Guin
from Atheneum
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$6.99
Kites Sail High
by Ruth Heller
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 1st-4th grade
in Grammar Picture Books (Location: GRA-PIC)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Little Polar Bear, Take Me Home!
by Hans de Beer
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Look Up!
by Annette LeBlanc Cate
2nd edition from Candlewick Press
for 2nd-6th grade
2014 Robert F. Sibert Honor Book
in Birds (Location: SCI-BIRD)
$8.99
Millions to Measure
by David M. Schwartz
from HarperTrophy
for Kindergarten-6th grade
in Math Picture Books (Location: MATR-PIC)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Mrs. Katz and Tush
by Patricia Polacco
from Dragonfly Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.99
N.C. Wyeth's Pilgrims
by Robert San Souci, illustrated by N.C. Wyeth
from Chronicle Books
for Kindergarten-5th grade
in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL)
Nativity
by Julie Vivas
from Voyager Books
for Preschool-4th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Nest Is Noisy
by Dianna Hutts Aston
from Chronicle Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Nature Study (Location: NAT-GEN)
$7.99
Night Before Christmas
by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Tasha Tudor
from Little, Brown & Company
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY)
Nine Days to Christmas
by Marie Hall Ets
from Viking Press
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
1960 Caldecott Medal winner
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Paul and the Wolf
by Margo Lemieux, Illustrated by Bill Nelson
from Silver Press
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Poetry for Young People: Robert Louis Stevenson
by Robert Louis Stevenson
from Sterling Publishing Co.
for 2nd-6th grade
in Poetry for Children (Location: POET-CHIL)
Poetry for Young People: Walt Whitman
Poetry for Young People
by Walt Whitman, edited by Jonathan Levin, illustrated by Jim Burke
from Sterling Publishing Co.
in Poetry for Children (Location: POET-CHIL)
Polycarp of Smyrna
Heroes of the Faith
by Sinclair B. Ferguson
from Banner of Truth Trust
for 3rd-6th grade
in Church History for Kids (Location: XCH-KID)
$10.00
Poppleton
Poppleton #1 of 5
by Cynthia Rylant, Illustrated by Mark Teague
from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Probably Pistachio
MathStart Series Level 2
by Stuart J. Murphy, Illustrated by Marsha Winborn
from HarperTrophy
for 1st-3rd grade
in Math Picture Books (Location: MATR-PIC)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Queen of Hearts
by John Peterson
from Merrimack Publishing Corp.
for 3rd-4th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Redwoods
by Jason Chin
from Square Fish Publishing
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Botany & Mycology (Location: SCI-BOT)
$9.99
Rosa
by Nikki Giovanni, illustrated by Bryan Collier
from Square Fish Publishing
for 1st-4th grade
2006 Caldecott Honor Book
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$8.99
Roy Lichtenstein
Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists
by Mike Venezia
from Children's Press
Picture Book Biography for 3rd-5th grade
in Artists & Illustrators (Location: ELE-ARTISTS)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Salmon's Journey and More Northwest Coast Stories
by Robert James Challenger
from Heritage House Publishing Company
for 1st-5th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Shark Swimathon
MathStart Series Level 3
by Stuart J. Murphy, Illustrated by Lynne Cravath
from Scholastic Inc.
for 2nd-4th grade
in Math Picture Books (Location: MATR-PIC)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Shine-A-Light: Secrets of the Apple Tree
Shine-A-Light
by Carron Brown and Illustrated by Alyssa Nassner
from Quarto Knows
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Botany & Mycology (Location: SCI-BOT)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Snowflake Bentley
by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
from Houghton Mifflin
Biographies of Scientists and Inventors for 1st-3rd grade
1999 Caldecott Medal winner
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99
Storm in the Night
by Mary Stolz
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99
Story of the Mayflower Compact
from Children's Press
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
Story of the Spirit of St. Louis
Cornerstones of Freedom
by R. Conrad Stein
from Children's Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
$2.50 (2 in stock)
Sunshine Makes the Seasons
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science Stage 2
by Franklyn M. Branley, illustrated by Michael Rex
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Meteorology (Weather & Climate) (Location: SCI-WEA)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Swinger of Birches
by Robert Frost, illustrated by Peter Koeppen
from Stemmer House Publishers
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Poetry for Children (Location: POET-CHIL)
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
by William Steig
from Simon and Schuster
Animal Fantasy for Kindergarten-3rd grade
1970 Caldecott Medal winner
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Tea With Milk
by Allen Say
from Houghton Mifflin
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Ten, Nine, Eight
by Molly Bang
from Greenwillow Books
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
1984 Caldecott Honor book
in Math Picture Books (Location: MATR-PIC)
$7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
The Minpins
by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Patrick Benson
from Trumpet Club
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
The Ultimate Alphabet
by Mike Wilks
from Henry Holt and Company
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Alphabet & Counting Books (Location: PIC-ALPH)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
They Didn't Use Their Heads
by Jo Ann Stover
from Bob Jones University Press
Rhyming Books for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.99
Tom
by Tomie dePaola
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Velveteen Rabbit
by Margery Williams
from Dragonfly Books
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Weather Clues in the Sky: Clouds
Bel the Weather Girl
by Belinda Jensen, Illustrated by Renee Kurilla
from Millbrook Press
for 1st-3rd grade
in Meteorology (Weather & Climate) (Location: SCI-WEA)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
When I Was Young In the Mountains
by Cynthia Rylant
from E.P. Dutton & Co.
Family Stories for 1st-3rd grade
1983 Caldecott Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
When Washington Crossed the Delaware
by Lynne Cheney
from Simon & Schuster Macmillan
for Preschool-3rd grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings
A Catwings Tale Book 3
by Ursula K. Le Guin
from Atheneum
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$6.99
You Read to Me, I'll Read to You (Fairy Tales)
by Mary Ann Hoberman, Illustrated by Michael Emberley
from Scholastic Inc.
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
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