Picture books Message Board

This is a great idea for a group. I collect picture books. My favorite illustrators include Shirley Hughes, Helen Oxenbury, Gabrielle Vincent, Lisbeth Zwerger... but there are dozens more on my watch list.

My membership should add an Australian flavour to the group's collection. I don't collect but love to read picture books and try to read at least one each day.

Anyone else a fan of Barefoot Books, like The Seven Wise Princesses: A Medieval Persian Epic by Wafa Tarnowska or Zoe and Her Zebra by Clare Beaton?

Let's try this again and see if I can get touchstones working:

Anyone else a fan of Barefoot Books, like The Seven Wise Princesses by Wafa Tarnowska or Zoe and Her Zebra by Clare Beaton?

I'm not familiar with the Barefoot Books, but I'll try to track them down to have a look. The touchstones don't seem to be working, but the regular search brings up Clare Beaton.

If I had to pick one favorite illustrator, it would probably be Lisbeth Zwerger.

Barefoot books are great current picture books - there's a big emphasis on art in them, and many of the books pull out old stories from a wide range of cultures (Biblical stories, stories from the Persian epic the Shahnamma, old Native American stories) or with interesting themes (Father - Daughter stories, Mother - Son stories, Grandmother stories, Child Heros, Great Heroines, Pirates). They've got a store in Cambridge, Mass., and a really great web-page. They're some of the best currently produced kids picture books around (I've got them separately tagged as "Barefoot Books" in my library). I'd love to hear of others' recommendations!

Another great picture book resource is the Eric Carle Museum of picture book art in Amherst, Mass. - I think there is something similar relating to Robert Munch up in Ontario - does anyone know?

The Children's Book Council of Australia announced their awards today. See http://www.cbc.org.au/winner06.htm for details.

Today I read The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley the Picture Book of the Year Award winner.

The story of a satisfied rat it comments on our consumer society in a very amusing package. Do find it and read it.