A Boy Like You by Frank Murphy (2019) is an example of how picture books have turned preachy, in my opinion. If you’re looking for a teaching text to accompany a social-emotional classroom, this could be it. There’s no story here, just an illustrated rules of the road for the perfect child. Kayla Harren’s illustrations are nice enough for a to-do list. This is a large book with cover art that falsely implies this will be a story about a neighborhood or a classroom of children. It’s not. It’s about the boy front and center with a puppy by his side. Apparently he is the role model for all the children behind him.
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Frederick by Leo Lionni values the imagination. While Frederick's family gathers food supplies for the winter, Frederick sit... -
Molly and the Sword by Robert Shlasko, (1996) is unoriginal and tedious. Molly is a good daughter who demonstrates qualities one mi...