Dad's Bookshelf: August 2020
This week on Dad’s Bookshelf we have three fantastic picture books that I’m excited to highlight because they’re all clearly very special. And, it just so happens that they are all new releases - which I believe is a first here on Dad’s Bookshelf. Typically there is at least one hidden gem from the past that we discover, but all of these came out very recently and deserve some attention.
To be fair, one of the books this month kind of falls into both categories, because In My Garden was originally published in 1960 but very recently has been re-illustrated and republished. So, in a sense, you can certainly count that as the hidden gem our family has only recently discovered.
Once you take a closer look at all of these books it will probably come as no surprise to you that we love them. They feature a wide range of themes that we talk about a lot - fear, nostalgia, love, childhood, imagination, family. You’ll also see see several familiar names that we’ve written about in the past - some of our favorite artists and illustrators.
Looking at these beautiful picture books all at once makes me think that it’s really been a great summer for kids books. And there are a lot more coming out in the fall that we’re already excited about. It’s going to be a tricky proposition to pick the best picture books of the year, and the books on Dad’s Bookshelf this month will certainly be in consideration.
Dad’s Bookshelf is a continuing, monthly series featuring the kids books we are most excited about each month. The series is named after the real life bookshelf we have in our home, where I keep all of my favorite picture books of all time. While the books we share on Dad’s Bookshelf are often new releases, it’s also not uncommon for us to be excited about an older book we just discovered.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links that will lead you to view the books’ listings on Amazon or IndieBound. All thoughts, opinions, and recommendations are our own.
Maud and Grand-Maud
Written by Sara O’Leary and Illustrated by Kenard Pak
The stars have aligned once again in the world of picture books and two of our very favorite artists have combined forces to make a beautiful new work of art. Sara O’Leary has written some of our very favorite picture books, like This is Sadie and A Family is a Family is a Family. And we’ve long marveled at the remarkable imagination and detail in the works of Kenard Pak, including one of the very best books of last year - I Wonder.
Maud and Grand-Maud is about the relationship between a girl and her grandmother - and her experiences staying the night at her house. It’s a very sweet tribute to all relationships like this, but the real beauty is in the marvelous details - like the secret wooden box under the bed that holds treasures, or the special rock that Grand-Maud kept in her pocket for a year when she was little. This story truly captures the beauty of life and relationships, and Kenard Pak’s detailed illustrations suit it absolutely perfectly.
Scared of the Dark? It’s Really Scared of You
Written by Peter Vegas and Illustrated by Benjamin Chaud
There’s nothing I enjoy more than a little personification of childhood fears and anxieties, and the king of them all is most certainly the dark. Lemony Snicket’s The Dark is one of my favorite picture books of all time, and Scared of the Dark? It’s Really Scared of You captures our attention in quite the same way.
The major difference between the two is that The Dark can be terrifying. There’s a lot of tension in that book, and I consider it one of the best scary picture books out there. Scared of the Dark? It’s Really Scared of You definitely takes a different approach and it has it all in the title. This is not intended to be scary at all. From the outset it’s a lighthearted explanation of how misunderstood the dark is.
There are some truly fantastic illustrations in this book that make the dark a beloved character and really make us smile. It’s definitely now one of my highest recommendations for tackling a fear of the dark with children, because it succeeds remarkably in making the dark seem completely benign and even adorable.
In My Garden
Written by Charlotte Zolotow and Illustrated by Philip Stead
In My Garden was originally published in 1960, but the illustrations have very recently been redone by Philip C. Stead - which is a name that most certainly puts my antennae up every time. Stead is best known for A Sick Day for Amos McGee, and we adore every collaboration he has had with his wife Erin Stead.
The beautiful illustrations very much have the soft feel of all of those remarkable collaborations with his wife, so you know what type of aesthetic you’re in store for. And it works so well with the story written by Zolotow. It’s a celebration of nature, a glimpse of the innocence of childhood and nostalgia, and a tribute to the world we call home - and it flows very beautifully.
Our kids love the details like spotting the cat on almost every page, and there’s no doubt at all that reading it together inspires us to unplug and get out and go exploring in the woods - even if that wasn’t the intention of the story. It’s just a very beautiful work of art to share with the kids.
Have you discovered any new picture books lately? Have you read any of these fantastic books? Let us know in the comments!
