The Stupids Have a Ball (1978)

The Stupids Have a Ball by Harry Allard (1978) is a book I can’t imagine publishing in 2026. Mr. and Mrs.  Stupid are thrilled when their children fail every class in school. James Marshall dresses young Petunia in a dress with a pattern of incorrect addition equations: 4+2=7, 2+2=5, 6-6=12, and so on. Buster wears a shirt that has a large 0 on the front. The parents have a party to celebrate. The dog and cat make punch; the picture implies this punch has tuna, pepper, catsup, and glue in it. Since it's a costume party, Stupid wears a General George Washing  Machine outfit. Mrs. Stupid dresses up in spaghetti. The dog is The Bone Ranger. Extended family arrive wearing a variety of silly clothes. There is a bit of a surprise ending. 

*Not in the House, Newton (1995)

*Not in the House, Newton by Judith Heide Gilliland (1995) surprised me by turning art into a fun way for a little boy to spend time. When Newton finds a red crayon on the ground outside his home, he asks his mother for paper. She supplies him with a whole box. “Newton carried the paper to his room. By now he could feel the crayon humming quietly in his pocket. . .Newton loved to draw.” Gorgeous pictures by Elizabeth Sayles show this little artist drawing a ball, a race car, and a fire truck—and all of them transform into real, tangible toys. Newton’s mother praises his creations, but reminds him that loud, active play belongs outside. With this in mind, Gilliland writes the perfect ending. 

My Name Is Bilal (2005)

My Name Is Bilal by Asma Mobin-Uddin (2005) is the story of two Muslim siblings who encounter ridicule upon entering a school new to them. “Bilal wished his family had never left Chicago. At his old school, there had been lots of Muslim kids. Here, it seemed there were none.” As one might expect, there’s an aggressive bully at this school. He mocks the headscarf that Bilal’s sister, Ayesha wears. Bilal is so afraid that he tells the class his name is Bill. However, his teacher is also Muslim and knows Bilal. This teacher gives Bilal a book about Bilal Ibn Rabah who was tormented by residents of Mecca because he would not worship their gods. The story not only inspires Bilal to stand up for his sister, but to also invite the bully to play basketball. Lastly, Bilal discovers another Muslim boy. On the final page is the salat, a special type of prayer recited five times during the day. 

Night of the Moonjellies (1992)

Night of the Moonjellies by Mark Shasta (1992) is a true story. It takes place in New London, Connecticut. Most of the story is about a refreshment stand called Mar-Gra’s owned by Shasta’s grandmother and her sister. Marc helps out during a long, busy day at the stand. He is a child, yet so his jobs are filling jars of condiments and straws while grownups prepare hamburger patties, fried clams, and lobster rolls. 

At the end of the day, at the end of the story, Mark and his grandmother “headed out to the dark sea” on friend Tyler’s boat, the Periwinkle. They’re in search of a tiny moonjelly that Mark found on the beach earlier in the day. Tyler knows where the stranded moonjelly belongs. Indeed, “Thousands of moonjellies stretched along the sea in every direction.” In the author’s note at the end of the book, we learn that the scientific name for moonjelly is Ctenophore. “They usually grow no larger than a child’s Riski and in New England are most plentiful in late summer. . . Moonjellies are harmless. They are also bioluminescent, meaning they are able to create light, like fireflies.” 

This book won the Marion VannettRidgway Honor Book Award in 1993. The paintings in this story fill every page with a soft, colorful narrative, appropriately representing the author’s fond memories. 

The Table Where Rich People Sit (1994)

The Table Where Rich People Sit by Byrd Baylor (1994) causes me to pause and reflect upon the tangible and intangible in my life. The narrator is a young girl who’s called a family meeting to talk about how little money they have. She wonders why her father doesn’t “notice my worn-out shoes” or that “my little brother has patches on the pants he wears to first grade.” They sit at a handmade table made from discarded lumber as she challenges them to get better jobs. Her parents pan for gold “in the rocky desert hills or back in some narrow mountain gully where all the roads are just coyote trails.” Her parents suggest she write down the value of the things in their lives. Watching sunsets, hiking, and looking for eagle nests is worth twenty thousand dollars. Hearing coyotes howl is worth another ten thousand. And so it goes. Their lifestyle adds up exponentially. This is a book to ignite conversation, for sure. Peter Parnell’s unique illustrations are well suited to this story. They are abstract and breathtaking. 

When I Was Young in the Mountains (1982)

When I Was Young in the Mountains was Cynthia Rylant’s first picture book (1982). Diane Goode’s illustrations earned it a Caldecott Honor. This is a slice-of-life story. It’s without a rising action, conflict, nor resolution. Just a few sentences per page describe a way of life characterized by hard work and simple, joyful pleasures. It’s told by a young girl who lives with her grandparents and younger brother. Grandfather works in a mine. Grandmother makes cornbread. The girl pumps water from a well, swims in a dark and muddy watering hole, shops at a small country store, and takes a bath in a metal tub. It’s an idyllic perspective. “I never wanted to go anywhere else in the world, for I was in the mountains. And that was always enough." 

No More Water in the Tub! (1995)

No More Water in the Tub!  by Tedd Arnold (1995) is a some fun silliness. The first sentence is, “In a bathroom near the top floor of a tall apartment building, William was ready for his bath.” We can assume this is foreshadowing; somehow the flood illustrated on the cover will reach the floors below. And it does. Arnold playa with language to turn this premise into a fun read. On the floors below live Mabel who floats on a table, Sue and Vern who cling to a fern, and Uncle Nash who rides a box of trash. Arnold finds a way to transform this plumbing disaster into an heroic response to an accident in the Ferlingattis’ apartment. The ending is still a few pages away.

Brothers of the Knight (1999)

 Brothers of the Knight by Debbie Allen (1999) is a fun story about the 12 (yes, 12) sons of The Reverend Knight. They sneak away every night for some harmless fun. Their father is "a very good man, a leader in the community, who preached a powerful sermon every Sunday." A subtle, but key, characteristic is that he doesn't allow his congregation to "do too much shoutin'. Thought it was undignified." The Reverend is puzzled by the children's messed up shoes every morning. A series of housekeepers cannot solve this puzzle. Then, a small woman dressed in bright colors and carrying very heavy luggage, shows up on their doorstep. You guessed it: enter a Mary Poppins type personality. Her name is Sunday, and like Mary, she's privy to a little magic. Unlike Mary, she leaves but then returns. Kadir Nelson's illustrations are energetic. I love how he creates 12 personalities for the 12 boys. A fun feature of this story is that the narrator is the family dog. 

The Tower of Life (2022)

 The Tower of Life: how Yaffa Eliach rebuilt her town in stories and photographs by Chana Stiefel (2022) is a true story. At the beginning of the book, we meet Yaffa as a young girl living in a small Jewish town called a shtetl. Life is good. Yaffa’s grandmother is one of the town photographers who took photographic portraits of many residents. “And on the eve of each Jewish New Year, people from all over Eishyshok would mail their treasured photographs to their families around the world with greetings for good health and happiness.” Then the German tanks and motorcycles arrived. Yaffa and her family escaped. Eventually, she married and moved to America where President Jimmy Carter asked her to help build a memorial for the Holocaust. Yaffa traveled the world searching for photographs of the former residents of her town. At back of the book is an illustration of Yaffa’s “Tower of Life “ in the US Holocaust Memorial Museum with references. Susan Gal’s illustrations present Yaffa’s story in somber colors that capture the seriousness of history. 

*What You Know First (1995)

 *What You Know First by Patricia MacLachlan (1995) is a stunning book. It’s one of those very special treasures I sometimes find at library book sales. This copy was actually on the free shelf because it didn’t sell at the sale a few days prior. The dark silhouettes on the cover don’t attract like the brightly colored digital art so common nowadays, I guess. The enigmatic title invites only the thoughtful to open the book. Barry Moser’s illustrations are engravings based on photographs from Patricia MacLachlan and Barry Moser’s family albums. The copyright page reads “The images in this book were engraved in Resingrave, a synthetic wood engraving medium manufactured by Richard Woodman in Redwood City, California. They were printed from the blocks by Vance Studley at the Archetype Press, Pasadena, California.” 

The story is about a child’s resistance to her family's move move off a farm on the prairie. There’s an emphasis on the people and the special landscape of the child’s home. We never do find out out why the family is moving, but we know the parents are sad about it. Mama cries about selling the farm. “And Papa took a long walk when they came to take the cows away after he whispered good-bye to Bess after she leaned against him the way she always does.” The message is not to forget; remember what you first knew. 

Now One Foot, Now the Other (1981)

 Now One Foot, Now the Other by Tomie dePaola (1981) is an emotional story about the relationship between a young boy and his grandfather. We watch the grandfather teach the young boy to walk and play with blocks. The grandfather tells stories, especially the one about teaching the little boy to walk. Then one day, the grandfather has a stroke and is hospitalized for months. When he returns home, he cannot walk or talk or even recognize family members. But the little boy helps him heal. Roles reverse. The little boy helps his grandfather to eat, to talk, and to walk. Illustrations are classic de Paola; this time the pallet is limited to shades of blue, beige, and green. 

Night is Coming (1991)

 Night is Coming by W. Nikola-Lisa (1991) is a story about the sights and sounds at dusk on a farm. The illustrations by Jamichael Henterly are stunning. It amazes me that such beautiful art is available at used book sales for just a few dollars.  The pictures save the bland text. We read about the whippoorwill's song, the smell of hay, the circling hawk, the setting sun. . . 

I Heard Said the Bird (1995)

 I Heard Said the Bird by Polly Berrien Berends (1995) is a unique twist on a story about a new baby sibling. I picked it up because of the cover art, which reminded me of the cover of Earthquack illustrated by Barry Moser. All of Brad Sneed's pictures remind me of Barry Moser. The bird on the cover of this story flies about a barnyard telling the animals "'there's  a NEW ONE coming.'" And so we see a cow, hen, horse, goose, duck, rabbit, pig, and so on. There's only one of each creature and there's very little text.  It's one of those books that make be wonder why the author's name appears above the artist's name. And then, a young boy walks into the barnyard and talks with the animals! He leads the animals to an open window through which then all gaze upon a baby in a crib. I like this kind of illustration, so I think this is a fun book to spend time with. 

*Is That You, Eleanor Sue? (2018)

* Is That You, Eleanor Sue? by Tricia Tusa (2018) is a fun story because of Eleanor Sue's mother. Not only does Eleanor Sue love to dress up, her mother plays along. When this little girl wears a wig, jacket, and purse she climbs out her bedroom window and knocks on her own home's door. Eleanor Sue introduces herself as Mrs. McMuffins, a new neighbor; her mother invites her in for tea. When Mrs. McMuffins transforms into a witch, her mother  fixes lunch. She listens as this witch explains how she flies around. Eleanor Sue returns as a wizard, a bear, a delivery person, and a kitty. The story has a delightful ending. 

Very Last First Time (1985)

Very Last First Time by Jan Andrews (1985) scared me to death. Eva is an Inuit who lives in northern Canada; "ever since she could remember she had walked with her mother on the bottom of the sea." What?! This is the story of the very special day in which she would walk on the bottom of the sea all by herself. Again, I say, what?! Eva and her mother bundle up warmly, and each pull a small sled that holds a shovel, a long ice-chisel, and a musel pan. They walk to the shore when the tide is out. They dig a hole in the thick sea ice, and Eva goes down into the hole alone. Eva lights candles in order to see the mussels she collects. Readers get a brief tour of the sea bottom. Then, Eva hears the lap, lap of waves. The tide is coming in. Her candles are burning down, and she looks for the mussel pan she left behind when she went exploring. As she climbs out of the ice hole, I'm a little unsure if she will do this again alone. Illustrations by Ian Wallace shows the eerie underwater landscape and Eva's expressions of resolve and fear. 

Swim the Silver Sea Joshie Otter (1993)

Swim the Silver Sea Joshie Otter by Nancy White Carlstrom (1993) is a boring book that left me with a curious afterthought. The illustrations by Ken Kuroi are nothing to write home about. I realize this is a harsh review, but I’ve read similar books that actually add story to the themes of journey and getting lost. All we get here is an introduction to creatures that live near Joshie Otter. My afterthought is that the lesson here, if there is one, is that mothers should play with their children. Joshie Otter leaves home after his mother refuses to play. On the last page (of course he gets home ok) they are playing, “Joshie and Mother, two otters at play.” 

Luoise Loves Art (2014)

 Louise Loves Art by Kelly Light (2014) is equal parts the story of a young artist and story of a sibling relationship. Louise is obsessed with drawing. "So little time, so much to draw." Her drawings are taped to the walls of her house. Her home is her gallery. As younger siblings sometimes do, Louise's little brother copies his older sister--sort of. He's found scissors. His forte is paper cutting. When Louise discovers he's cut something out of one of her drawings, she traumatized. And yet, she finds a way to make things right. This illustrations are done in with a very limited palette. There's lots of red and black and gray. 

What to Bring (2023)

What to Bring by Lorna Schultz Nicholson (2023) is a story for our current times. Malia smells smoke. Far in the distance are huge white-and-gray clouds. Two pages in flames appear on the horizon. Milia's father comes home from work, "and it isn't even dinnertime." Her family must evacuate. Mommy and Daddy are kind as they repeatedly inform Malia that she can't bring so many of her toys with her when they leave. She creates a pile of stuffed animals, pillows, blankets, and books. That's too many. She can choose only three things. The moral of the story is only implied. Ellen Rooney shows us that Malia put her her plush Rabbit and Turtle in her back pack, but we never learn what it is she whispers to her mother. The final image shows the family arriving at an unidentified home and the text reads, "Malia knows she brought what is important." What, exactly?

*The Goat Lady (2004)

 The Goat Lady by Jane Bregoli (2004) seems to be a true story. A short biography of the main character is at the back of the book. The story is narrated by two children who move into a new housing development near an old farmhouse. It's "paint was peeling, its doors hung crookedly from their hinges, and the yard was full of white goats." The neighbors complain about the old farmhouse and its unruly animals. These children visit Noelie, the old woman who lives there. They learn about all things goats and also help with farm chores. It so happens that the children's mother is a painter. They ask if she would paint a portrait of Noelie and her goats. The result is an exhibition at the town hall. After this, the neighbors understand Noelie's situation, and many offer to help her out. What makes this remarkable story even better are the beautiful illustrations. Curious that, given the story's emphasis on goat's milk, none of the illustrations of goats include utters. 

My Picture Book Talk lesson for this story is here.

Cross-Country Cat (1979)

Cross-Country Cat by Mary Calhoun (1979) is a satisfying story about a lost pet. The pet is a cat. Calhoun sets us up for her drama by explaining in the first few pages that this kitty is familiar with moving on only two feet. “Henry was a hind leg walker.” Oddly, Henry’s owners are identified as “The Kid”, "The Man”, and "The Woman.” This family enjoys cross country skiing. The Kid makes Henry a pair of tiny skis, which Henry rejects. But when the family accidentally leaves Henry behind when they head for home, Henry attempts to ski home. Of course, we encounter woodland creatures on the journey. The ending has a cute twist that cat lovers will like.  Erik Ingraham’s illustrations are beautiful drawings in a limited palette. I wonder if they are colored pencil and watercolor.