My Top 7 Picture Books

As an author that is a father, or a father that is an author, there can be no justification for me not having put the utmost effort into ensuring that my children are readers. More than that, as an avid reader for my whole life (I read long before I wrote, after all), the want to read to my off-spring was there long before my eldest was even a twinkle in my eye. It has been said many times before, by author and reader alike, but I’m not sure there is much better than taking oneself off and discovering new or undiscovered worlds; even the little worlds found within the many picture books we’ve experienced at bedtime.

From the classics to the modern works, from those written from TV shows to those on which TV shows are based, we’ve read them all (or it seems like it). I will be focusing this piece on the books where pictures are the main feature, rather than those that are word-heavy with some pictures (so that rules out Roald Dahl, as much as I love his labours), as I had to cut the list somewhere. Narrowing it down to seven was incredibly difficult (yet there were also plenty that went straight on the scrapheap), and there’s every chance I’ll contemplate changing my mind while writing this.

I must stress that this is not a review, nor a real take on the quality (although that tends to come hand in hand with enjoyment), but merely a collection of stories that I’ve particularly relished sharing with my little ones. No, There’s a Monster in My Tent did not make it (while there is a great joy in reading my own book to my kids), but without further ado, here is the seven that did:

The Day the Crayons Quit

What a great idea! I love the outside-the-box (pun intended) thinking with this one, and it’s certainly been the chosen one of my eldest child over the years. It’s such an agreeable read, and I remember, upon the first time of reading, what the next crayon will have gotten up to as I turned the page. I find it to be very amusing and always relish the chance to read it when it comes to bed time (as I do with most of these books, and many more besides, to be fair), and I like observing the different personality that each crayon has.

From the ever-so-tired red (who is constantly being used on popular images like fire engines, love hearts and Father Christmas) to the underused pink (the owner is a little boy that isn’t too keen), there are so many different traits among the crayons. My preferred section, however, is probably that between orange and yellow, who are in the middle of a feud which is down to the fact that they both believe that they should be the colour of the sun. My chosen colour (in the story, not in general) is green, who is probably the most wholesome and who shows great care for his aforementioned quarrelling friends.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

A true classic, in every sense of the word. The Tale of Peter Rabbit was an absolute favourite of mine growing up and has held a dear place in my heart ever since. I must admit, this title sprang into my mind as soon as I thought to put together a piece of writing on this subject. It’s one that, even as we read it quite sporadically (the Peter Rabbit books will be all that we’ll read for a week, and then not for months, at their request), it’s one that I thoroughly enjoy whenever they ask for it, and one that I will always go for when my eldest asks me to choose.  

It's not the story that I find to be the most entertaining, but I’ve always found it to be important to expose them to the more traditional works. I cannot help but smile as my eldest, then my youngest some time later, expressed their worry as Mr McGregor gave chase, and each themselves chuckled when Peter got wet while hiding in the watering can. Their relief was tangible as the little rabbit escaped under the gate and there was a little bewilderment when the farmer dressed his scarecrow in the bunny’s blue jacket. Then, at the very end, there is a lesson to be had, as naughty Peter gets poorly from all the mischievous adventuring, while his siblings got to enjoy some bread, milk and blackberries for their supper.

The Dinosaur That Pooped the Bed

This one, well, it’s just silly. There’s no doubting that it’s amusing in its silliness, and it’s such easy reading. It’s based around the typical childhood chore that is cleaning one’s room, and the standard need to get it completed in as quick a time and with as little effort as possible. Rhyming every other line helps the story to flow and the words metaphorically jump off the page. It’s a story of a greedy dinosaur with his child best friend, who charges his giant comrade with tidying up in the most unconventional of ways.

In a weird way, this story is a relatable one. Even as an adult, I'm constantly trying to find workarounds when it comes to household jobs. This is probably the main reason that I find myself chuckling with each word. We know that the dinosaur is going to explode at some point, but the build up is still gratifying, including the description of the items being ‘cleared up’, how the dinosaur sees them in its head and how quickly they’re consumed. Then the climax (I always use a word different to the signature ‘POO’ to see if my girls are paying attention); the increase in pace and then the decrease as it winds down help to make it an agreeable read – even as the subject is quite disgusting.

 Peter Pan

Another Peter, another picked for nostalgic reasons (and not quite the last). Since becoming an adult, I have reached the conclusion that Peter had it right, growing up is terrible!  OK, that’s a little over the top, growing up does have its perks (I can reach the top shelf in the kitchen and grab a treat without having to use a chair; or ask my mum), but life was so much easier when I was younger (not that I realised it, or my children now do). My youth never quite included a vengeful hook-handed pirate though, and so far, neither had my girls’, and that is all to the good.

There’s magic, whimsical characters and a moving storyline that are intertwined in the creation of an enchanting fairy tale (although, aren't all fairy tales enchanting?) that I’ve found to be as exciting as it is thought-provoking (even, somewhat, as an adult). Wendy’s journey from carefree girl who fears growing up and takes flight thanks to Tinkerbell’s fairy dust, to one that takes responsibility in the need to be an example for her siblings, shows a level of growth that I didn’t quite catch as a youngster. It’s a story of complex characters, like so-called protagonist in Peter, who quite clearly is not whiter than white and an antagonist in Captain Hook, who some may say is quite justified in wanting to seek vengeance against the person responsible for him losing his hand. My favourite character, though, must be Smee.

Tiddler

I went back and forth so much when it came to the Julia Donaldson collection (I could easily have picked more than just the one), as each book is loved in our household, but all roads led back to Tiddler. I’d even asked the four of us to have a vote, with each picking a different title, so I ultimately picked my favourite. I just find it to be so clever, the way it is put together to set up the adventure for the cheeky little fish. Of each book on the list, I find this to be the most gratifying.

What satisfies me the most is the ending. I love the way Tiddler is tied together and is almost brought to life as the story is fed to a writer friend by best friend, Little Johnny Dory. Something else I love is his imagination and its Little Boy Cried Wolf nature, where he spins so many yarns that nobody believes when he's actually telling the truth in the end. The tales he invents, the journey he finds himself on and the way he his way home combine in the creation of a truly heart-warming account.

A Christmas Carol

There are many, many Christmas-themed picture books out there (and it feels like they’re all in my house), but nothing beats what I believe is the first one I ever heard. Similarly to The Tale of Peter Rabbit, this may just be sentimentality speaking, but I cannot look past a Christmas Carol for this list. Obviously, there’s a lot of learning to be taken from what can be seen as much as a legend as that of a story book – the teaching of repercussions for wrongdoings is a theme that runs through it.

We start by feeling sorry for Bob Cratchit and his ailing son, Tiny Tim, and we end it feeling both sympathy for the 'bad guy', Scrooge, as well as compassion. It really hits home towards the end of the piece, when the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come shows him that his death is mourned by nobody, forcing Ebenezer, alongside the Ghost of Christmas Past and the Ghost of Christmas Present, to change his selfish ways. All in all, it’s intriguing, it’s touching, it’s uplifting and, more than anything, it is as enlightening as anything on this list.

Dear Zoo

There are probably hundreds of books that I prefer to read on the surface; many, many more that I derive more enjoyment from. Dear Zoo is on this list for the simple fact that it brings a huge smile to my face and has me looking up contemplatively. You see, it happens to be the first book that both my girls learned to speak through. My eldest loved to tell us which animal was coming next, while my youngest relished lifting the flaps and making the animal sounds.

It’s the simplest on the list and the quickest to get through by far, but it was fantastic for our girls as toddlers. In search of a pet, the little boy receives a plethora of crazy animals that are nowhere near suitable (how they managed to send an elephant, I have no idea); each one as foolish as the next. This leads him to his ideal animal, which he is ecstatic to receive in what is an uplifting, if predictable, ending.

So, there we have it. There are the seven books that I’ve chosen, at this moment, as my seven favourite picture books. I have to say that there were so many near misses, and if I was to write this in a month’s time, more than one may be switched with the likes of Supertato, Pirates Love Underpants, Three Little Pigs, The Grinch that Stole Christmas, Elmer, The Smeds and The Smoos or an abundance of other titles. I’ve tried to go for a mix, and I’m sure there would be many that disagree with my choices (including my wife and children), but I’ve made my choice and I am not changing it (again)!

By Calum Dewsbury