Picture Books for Grown Ups

It’s time for another guest post! This time it comes from my wonderful friend Kim over at BookBairn (who has quickly become one of my favourite book bloggers…BookBairn is gorgeous!) and she’s tackling picture books! You all know how I feel about picture books so I was so excited when Kim said she would like to talk about picture books too! Enjoy!

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Over on my blog, BookBairn, I write about picture books for little ones and review my daughter’s favourite reads. But sometimes I find a picture book that appeals more to my own reading taste than to hers. When Steph invited me to write a guest post on her blog I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to review some of my favourite picture books for grown ups! *I would just like to say that it doesn’t mean that these books won’t or don’t appeal to a younger audience, I’ve chosen these three because they appeal to me!

The Fox and the Star by Coralie Bickford-Smith

This is the story of a timid fox who is too afraid to stray far from his den without the calm and shining light of his friend Star. With Star’s light guiding the way, Fox explores the kingdom around him. Until one night, when Fox calls from Star and he does not appear. Fox curls up in his den until famished with hunger he creeps out into the darkness to find his friend. I do not want to spoil the ending. The artwork in this book is truly beautiful. As magical as the story. Set against deep blues and blacks, the orange coat of Fox and the bright light of Star truly leap from the page, bringing the characters to life. A modern-day fairy tale accompanied by spectacular artwork, this is a book that is hard to resist! It’s a book I have gifted, to adults, over and over again!

A Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston

This picture book tells the story of a little girl who sails her raft across a ‘sea of words’ to meet her friend, a small boy. Together they embark on adventure across a ‘forest of fairy tales’, ‘across mountains of make-believe’ and to sleep in ‘clouds of song’. The illustrations in this book mix the instantly recognisable artwork of Oliver Jeffers with landscapes crafted from excerpts from classic children’s stories and lullabies designed by Sam Winston. The title alone of this book was enough to entice me to buy it. I think many adults who love to read were born of books from their childhood and this story is a celebration of that. It will remind all adults why the stories from our childhood have shaped who we are.

The Liszts by Kyo Maclear and Julia Sarda

I have chosen this one because it appeals to me personally. I’m a chronic list-writer! If I don’t write it in a list it’s unlikely to every get done. This book tells the story of the Liszt family – Mama, Papa, Winifred, Edwards, Frederick and Grandpa Liszt – who make lists all day long. Even the cat makes lists. One day an unexpected visitor arrives. He’s not on anyone’s list. Will the Liszts be able to make room on their lists, and in their lives, for this new visitor? How will they handle someone unexpected arriving? The illustrations in this book are dark, brooding, mysterious and incredibly incredibly stylish. In some ways, the portraits of the Liszts remind of the Addams’ Family, they are sombre yet incredibly intriguing. And the mysterious stranger – let’s just say he brings a little colour to the story, and the family! This story is a lovely reminder to leave room in our lives for spontaneity. From the unexpected can come moments of the truest joy. And I think sometimes adults need reminding of this. (Children on the other hand do not!)

Would love to hear of any ‘picture books for grown ups’ that you adore. Feel free to pop over to our blog and comment on our link to this post! I’m always looking for recommendations.

About Kim: Kim lives in Scotland with her daughter, nicknamed BookBairn, husband and much-adored pet rabbit and is expecting baby number two next Spring. She has always enjoyed reading books, a passion inherited from her librarian-mother, and hopes to pass on this love of books to her little BookBairn. A teacher on career-break, to spend more time with BookBairn, she is passionate about baby-led reading where little ones have free to reign to choose what they read and make mountains of book mess throughout the house.

http://bookbairn.blogspot.co.uk/

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