I discovered this set of books at Joseph Fox bookstore in Philly. If you are local, it’s totally worth a trip. For the ease of my readers I’m linking to Amazon below, but all of the books could be ordered and shipped from Joseph Fox by calling the store.
A long, thin book of intricate ink drawings. Two neighbors are competing to build the tallest, most ornate, most glorious house…until it all comes tumbling down. The story is told through pictures, and it’s the kind of book that Raines will pour over (a flashlight at bedtime kind of book). We’re starting a family project to draw one together, on paper that covers our entire dining room table.
Another long, thin book of gorgeous ink drawings. This is a book for design freaks and classical music lovers – you can feel the music through the pictures. Narrating a story to this one would be tough )(at least for me)…but we’ll be using it as a drawing prop, with Vivaldi’s Winter loudly in the background.
Cinderella: A Fashionable Tale
It’s the tried and true story of Cinderella…but done in an Art Deco style, with illustrations that look more like fashion designs. Cinderella is choosing between classic dresses from Yves St. Laurant, Dior and Vivenne Westwood, to name just a few. There’s a few pages on the history of fashion at the end of this book. It’s a fabulous book for the fashion nerd.
“I’m a little alone, and a little with everyone else, and it feels good to be a little bit this and a little bit that” explains the mum to her little boy. In this book, a little boy, Ben, grapples with the strangeness of realizing that we are all completely unique, and therefore, all completely – a little – alone. This book makes Raines a little bit sad…but it also sparks some really thoughful discussions. The book ends with the mom showing Ben what to do when he feels alone: hug.
Also to be appreciated are the soft pencil drawings. I love exposing my kids to different mediums, and these types of illustrations are rare in kid’s books.
This book has a funny tone (for all ages), and drawings that the kindergarten set can relate to. This book is my boys’ Valentine’s Day present. (shhhhh)
This story is reminiscent of Harold and his purple crayon…but the illustrations in this book are – without exaggeration – jaw-droppingly beautiful. This book is a treasure.
What other books are you loving, Mamas?
xo,
S
