Picture Book Peeks

Oh, I do love the fall! The school supplies, the crisp weather, and the flood of new books! This fall seems to be especially well-stocked with new picture books by some of my favorite illustrators/authors. Have you been to the bookstore or library recently? I think you'll be pleased with the new titles you see. While I love to discover new artists and authors, who doesn't get a little thrill when they see something new from a favorite? Here are some new picture books that I'm excited about.

Old Bear by Kevin Henkes - A new picture book for the pre-school set, the text is extremely simple, but I'm in awe of the beautiful illustrations (which remind me a lot of the illustrations in A Good Day).

Madam President by Lane Smith - With the presidential elections underway, political picture books abound, but this one will have parents giggling as they try to read it aloud. I think this would be great to use with fourth and fifth graders when discussing the elections.

Thump, Quack, Moo: A Whacky Adventure by Doreen Cronin - Now I get sick of some series of picture books that seem stuck in a rut, but Thump, Quack, Moo is no such book. I laughed out loud as I read it to myself in the bookstore. The end is predictable if you know duck, but still enjoyable.

Too Many Toys by David Shannon - I'm always happy to see something new from David Shannon. This title dragged on a bit for me as it went on and on about all the toys young Spencer owns, till it finally got to the punchline at the end, but I suspect kids will enjoy exploring page after page of illustrations full of toys.

The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers - I heart Oliver Jeffers and this book is no exception. The nameless boy in this book seems to be the same boy from Lost And Found and How To Catch A Star (you'll even be able to spot a rowboat and a penguin in the illustrations), and I'll follow him on any of his imaginative adventures.

Little Mouse's Big Book Of Fears by Emily Gravett. I've heard virtually nothing about this book except what you can gather from the cover (it's a book about a mouse who is afraid of a lot of things), but Emily Gravett is swiftly becoming on of my favorite illustrators so I can't wait to pick this book up when it's released next week.

Fanny by Holly Hobbie - I'm admittedly not a fan of the new Holly Hobbie and friends series, but I appreciate Toot & Puddle enough to be interested in her newest picture book about a girl who begs for a new doll, but doesn't get it so decides to make her own. I spotted it in a bookstore today, but I haven't had a chance to check it out yet.

Now if we only had something new from Mo Willems . . . oh wait, we will. Granted it's not a new picture book, it's part of his easy reader series about elephant and piggie, but I'm looking forward to it. Are You Ready to Play Outside? by Mo Willems is scheduled to be released October 14th, and a new picture book, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, is scheduled for January so I can't complain.