2 Books with a Dream Logic: Sebastian meet Sam & Dave

Sebastian and the Balloon, written and illustrated by Philip C. Stead.  This whimsical delight reminds me of those Penny cartoons on Pee-Wee's Playhouse which explored the unpredictable nature of a story being told by a child.  You never quite know what's going to happen next in Sebastian and the Balloon, about a bored lad who makes a balloon out of his grandmother's afghans and patchwork quilts.  Stead perfectly captures the rhythm of a fantastical yet quiet tale being spun by an imaginative kid.  For example, after Sebastian beside a leafless tree, he meets a bear and after a deadpan exchange, they decide to eat pickle sandwiches.  Of course.  I love the wordless spread showing them enjoying this culinary delight.  Throw in a very tall bird who inadvertently causes harm to the balloon and three elderly sisters who repair the damaged item, and you have one wonderfully peculiar story.  Stead's charming illustrations have a retro feel to them; the book feels as if it has been around forever. 

Sam & Dave Dig a Hole, written by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen.  Another book that has a dream logic to it is this surrealistic collaboration between the hilarious Barnett and Caldecott winner Klassen, who truly has become one of the most unique children's book artists working today.  The titular heroes have that striking deadpan Klassensque look as they dig a hole with their dog helping (the cat watches from above).  Readers will surely become exasperated (but in a good way) with the boys, who keep missing the giant diamonds buried in the ground.  Excellent perspective shots show the kids switching directions right at the very worst possible moment, just as they are about to discover the impressive treasures.  Oh yes, and there are bones for the pooch as well.  It all leads to a strange scene that involves them falling falling falling.  Where will they land?  This talented duo has given us a lot of great books; this one ranks among their very best.

3 Fun Read-a-louds and 2 Awesome Caldecott Sequels

Hooray for Hat, written and illustrated by Brian Won.   Hooray for stories that invite interaction and audience participation!  Throughout this fun tale of sharing and cheering your friends up, young listeners love to shout the title "HOORAY FOR HAT!"  And even though the wild assortment of animals have a case of temporary doldrums, the story puts you in a happy mood by the end.  Never before has regifting been so therapeutic.  An elephant wakes up grumpy, not happy when someone rings the doorbell.  "Go Away I'm Grumpy" trumpets the beast.  A box containing a bunch of really cool hats greets the elephant's eye as it opens the door.  Instantly cheered up, the elephant decides to share its good fortune with a grumpy zebra whose mood lightens when elephant gives it a hat.  Then they both find a scowling turtle and so on and so on.  I love Won's expressive creatures, and the way we don't see the grumpy lion and giraffe when they are initially introduced, creating a bit of mystery and surprise.  There's a nice break in the formula when Lion explains why it is sad.  It all leads to the happiest and goofiest of endings. 

Breathe, written and illustrated by Scott Magoon.  Lovely spare text and charming illustrations capture the joyful bond between a mother whale and her calf.  The happy-looking whales swim and play underwater, and Magoon does a terrific job capturing their motion, bubbles surrounding them as the move.  The story has a beautiful beat to it, with the word "Breathe" effectively recurring at key moments, an image of the baby whale emerging from the water to breathe.  The colors please the eye, and there's an effective darker spread that shows the young hero exploring a submerged ship.  Like the frolicking whale does in another wonderful spread, this book sings.  It radiates joy.

A Bed for Kitty, written and illustrated by Yasmine Surovec.  This uproarious follow-up to I See Kitty tickles the funny bone as it captures a young girl named Chloe's attempts to convince her pet kitten to sleep in a newly purchased customized cat bed.  The bold striking graphics amuse as they show the cat sleeping everywhere but on the bed:  on the TV, Mom's favorite sweater, in the sink, and even in Chloe's sock drawer!  I love the little humorous touches throughout (the rejected bed at one point is covered with cobwebs).  What is the solution?  Chloe comes up with a cozy one.  The story is simple, but the comical illustrations contain many details that invite re-visits.

Flora and the Penguin, by Molly Idle.
Quest, by Aaron Becker. 
Great news!  2014 Caldecott Honor winners Molly Idle and Aaron Becker have followed up their wordless Caldecott Honor books with wordless sequels that are just as awesome!  Flora of Flora and the Flamingo fame joins a waddling penguin in some dance moves and a fishing excursion.  The book contains the inventive and hilarious lift-the flaps that made the first creation so fun!  Meanwhile, the girl and boy and bird that made Journey such a captivating adventure are back.  Becker's brilliant illustrations contain many intricate details that are, in a word, dazzling.  Both are masterfully conceived, joys to behold.

No Words? No Pictures? No Problem!

The Farmer and the Clown, by Marla Frazee.  Frazee's glorious illustrations jump off the page in this wordless wonder about a child clown who bounces off a circus train.  Coming to the little one's aid is a caring farmer who gives the tyke a place to stay.  Frazee's evocative art work always seems to be in motion--it has a windswept feel to it.  And she masterfully uses shadows for dramatic effect.  The tenderness of the story shines through as these two lonely people become unlikely friends.  The ending feels both happy and bittersweet as the clown's family returns, and then Frazee delivers a hilarious punch line that will make young readers giggle.  Gorgeous, one of her best!

The Book with No Pictures, by B.J. Novak.  Oh my word this is silly fun!  As promised, no illustrations appear in Novak's meta romp that ends up playing a wicked little trick on the grown-ups reading it to their little ones.  The book starts off on a modest note, employing a simple black font and several blank pages, as Novak questions the whole notion of a book with no pictures.  But then we find out:  there are benefits.  Silly benefits!  The book can make the grown-up reading it out loud say ridiculous things.  The font gets bigger and colorful as goofy words start taking over the book.  It all leads to an amazing spread where the hilarious words such as OOOOOmph! EEEEEmph! and AHEE! AHEE! AHEE! fill the pages.  This would make a good double feature with Antoinette Portis' celebration of goofy words, Froodle.