“Will inspire, inform, and delight those of any age who areengaged in—or by—the arts.” — The Horn Book Renowned children’s literature authority Leonard S. Marcus speaks with twenty-one of the world’s most celebrated illustrators of picture books, asking about their childhood, their inspiration, their creative choices, and more. Amplifying these richly entertaining and thought-provoking conversations are eighty-eight full- color plates revealing each illustrator’s artistic process in fascinating, behind- the-scenes detail. This inspiring collection confirms that picture books matter because they make a difference in our children’s lives.

I Am Perfectly Designed is an exuberant celebration of loving who you are, exactly as you are, from Karamo Brown, the Culture Expert of Netflix's hit series Queer Eye, and Jason Brown—featuring illustrations by Anoosha Syed. In this empowering ode to modern families, a boy and his father take a joyful walk through the city, discovering all the ways in which they are perfectly designed for each other. "With tenderness and wit, this story captures the magic of building strong childhood memories. The Browns and Syed celebrate the special bond between parent and child with joy and flair...Syed's bright, cartoon illustrations enrich the tale with a meaningful message of kindness and inclusion."—Kirkus

In this companion to the bestselling Picture a Tree, Barbara Reid has us look up . . . way up Wherever we may be, we share the same sky. But every hour, every day, every season, whether in the city or the forest, it is different. The sky tells many stories: in the weather, in the clouds, in the stars, in the imagination. Renowned artist Barbara Reid brings her unique vision to a new topic - the sky around us. In brilliant Plasticine illustrations, she envisions the sky above and around us in all its moods. Picture the sky. How do you feel?

A true classic with a timeless message! All the other bulls run, jump, and butt their heads together in fights. Ferdinand, on the other hand, would rather sit and smell the flowers. So what will happen when Ferdinand is picked for the bullfights in Madrid? The Story of Ferdinand has inspired, enchanted, and provoked readers ever since it was first published in 1936 for its message of nonviolence and pacifism. In WWII times, Adolf Hitler ordered the book burned in Nazi Germany, while Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, granted it privileged status as the only non-communist children's book allowed in Poland. The preeminent leader of Indian nationalism and civil rights, Mahatma Gandhi—whose nonviolent and pacifistic practices went on to inspire Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.—even called it his favorite book. The story was adapted by Walt Disney into a short animated film entitled Ferdinand the Bull in 1938. Ferdinand the Bull won the 1938 Academy Award for Best Short Subject (Cartoons).

Looking at and listening to picture and story books is a ubiquitous activity, frequently enjoyed by many young children and their parents. Well before children can read for themselves they are able to learn from books. Looking at and listening to books increases children’s general knowledge, understanding about the world and promotes language acquisition. This collection of papers demonstrates the breadth of information pre-reading children learn from books and increases our understanding of the social and cognitive mechanisms that support this learning. Our hope is that this Research Topic/eBook will be useful for researchers as well as educational practitioners and parents who are interested in optimizing children’s learning.

Deep in the heart of Pangea, a long, long time ago, two prehistoric creatures became best friends. Little did they know, that one day when they least expected it, they would be separated by a gigantic earthquake. After a great flood Champ sets out alone on a remarkable journey across the ocean to find Nessie. Like a map written in the stars, he follows a constellation shaped like a heart and arrow in the hope that he can find his best friend. Along the way Champ encounters many obstacles and makes new friends. Champ even meets up with a great white shark! What will Champ do!? This is the story of Champ and Nessie. Who show that with perseverance, love, and good friends anything is possible!

Anyone wishing to create children's books will learn how to tell a story visually; build a storyboard to plot the flow of a book; prepare pages for a printer; and go about finding a publisher. Step-by-step sketches provide insights into drawing characters and developing settings. The works of such renowned illustrators as Beatrix Potter, William Steig, and Maurice Sendak are used to demonstrate a visual approach to storytelling. 10 color and 600 b & w illustrations. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.