Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated by picture books. To this day, I still love them, forgotten slivers of imagination consigned to dusty shelves. They are what got me interested in writing in the first place. I wanted to know more about the stories behind the stories, what happened beyond the end of the 'The End.' My question is thus: What were/are some of your favorite picture books and why? Are they new, classics, or a forgotten treasure? - Darkkin
Dr. Suess! I loved Green Eggs and Ham! Also, I remember reading Peter Rabbit, Clifford the Big Red Dog, The Little Red Hen, The Emperor's New Clothes, etc... the cool thing is I get read this books all over again with my 5 year old! I also read those bible picture books when I was younger. My mom kind of forced me to read those. Not that they weren't interesting. But I found the dilemma of whether to eat green eggs and ham more fascinating than Daniel being trapped in a lion's den. I mean c'mon! It was green eggs and ham! I loved Dr. Suess books and I still do because despite all the nonsense words, there was a lesson to be learned from his stories. I think that's what I loved about picture books - I loved seeing what kind of lesson the character would learn.
Ooooh... I absolutely LOVE picture books. I think my favorite are the Brambly Hedge series by Jill Barklem. I'm also a great fan of the Pettson and Findus books by Sven Nordqvist.
Barbapapa - I don't know if they're really considered picture books but I loved them so much , and I think they're partially responsible for my decision to write. When I was younger , I used to make comic books like Barbapapa and staple them together. I had several characters, one I remember for sure was called Cream Puff. Frog and Toad books they were so witty and Curious George - I loved the drawing of him when he knocked over the ether!
If it was possessed of pictures and made you smile, think, or just dream, then yes that counts. A few of my treasured favorites: Where Have the Unicorns Gone?, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, Imagine a Night, and my all time favorites: The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. Along with the Bird Children and the Flower Children by Elizabeth Gordon, circa 1939. Last, but not least, an old library discard my grandmother picked up: Tim Tadpole and the Great Bullfrog, circa 1934. - Darkkin
