Dad's Bookshelf: October 2020
We’ve been all-spooky-things-24-7 for the duration of October, and it would be natural to assume that Dad’s Bookshelf this month would feature some spooky reads. But we’ve already published our list of the best new Halloween picture books for 2020, so there’s really no need to remind you how excited we are about those books! Instead, we’re taking a break from scaring our kids to celebrate 3 spectacular picture books on Dad’s Bookshelf that we’ve recently fallen head-over-heels in love with.
The books lined up for this month truly run the gamut of the types of picture books that always tug on our heart strings. There’s a new book that emotionally tackles the difficult subject of death, one that smacks us in the face with nostalgia, and one displays imagination so expertly that it invigorates our passion for kids lit altogether.
Suffice it to say, I think this is a special group of books this month. They’re going to go down in history as some of the best of the year, and perhaps some of our favorite picture books of all time. When all is said and done, there is no doubt they are going to crack some of our favorite lists - best books about death, best ABC books, and maybe even best picture books ever made.
I hope you enjoy reading about the books that have us excited this month. Hopefully it helps you discover a new story to enjoy together. Make sure to let us know what you think after you check them out, and tell us about the new picture books you’ve been reading lately too!
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.
The Boy and the Gorilla
Written by Jackie Azúa Kramer and Illustrated by Cindy Derby
If you need a good picture book to explore the very difficult topic of losing a loved one - The Boy and the Gorilla is a recent release that absolutely blew me away. It’s incredibly heartbreaking but so well executed and so beautiful. It makes me cry every time I read it, and it will make a perfect addition to our list of picture books that deal with death.
The boy in this book has recently lost his mother, and he’s visited by a gorilla that serves as the friend he needs to be there for him and talk to work out his feelings. One of the heartbreaking elements of the book is the seeming difficulty for father and son to actually talk to each other about how they’re feeling. It actually reminds me a lot of the spectacular My Father’s Arms are a Boat because of this father/son dynamic. And I’m also so delighted to see the incredibly subtle imagery of the red bird symbolizing the lost loved one - that just so happened to appear in My Father’s Arms are a Boat as well.
Labyrinth: The ABC Book
Written and Illustrated by Luke Flowers
Luke Flowers is a rock star and I don’t know how he keeps getting his hands on these amazingly cool projects. It seems like he’s living the dream tackling these beloved projects from our childhood - Mister Rogers, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and now Labyrinth. How much fun is that?
Obviously the reason that he’s getting to tackle these amazing projects is that he’s the perfect artist to do so. His love of the properties shines through, and Labyrinth: The ABC Book is certainly no exception. Quite frankly, if you’re a parent with a little one and a deep nostalgic love for Jim Henson’s Labyrinth, you can’t afford to pass this one by. There’s no doubt it will be added to our list of the best ABC picture books, and it does such spectacular justice to greatness of the film at the same time. Much more than just an ABC book, it actually serves as a great adapted version of the classic story at the same time.
The Barnabus Project
Written and Illustrated by The Fan Brothers
To put it bluntly, the books that The Fan Brothers create are the reason I love picture books so much. They simply never cease to amaze me with their creativity. Their work is consistently inspiring and beautiful and exciting - and The Barnabus Project is definitely one to watch as the best picture book of the year.
I think it’s much more fun to experience the enchantment of a book by The Fan Brothers heading into it completely oblivious - but if you want to know what you’re in for, this is a story about the most imaginative creatures you’ve seen in a long time. The detailed artwork and the imagination on display will transport you to a new world the way that stories are supposed to do. And the plot will beg for you to have a conversation with your kids about what it means to be perfect and how we define the worth of others and ourselves. You’ll fall in love with the characters and have your passion for children’s lit completely reignited. It’s just a marvel.
What books have you been reading lately? Have you seen any of the picture books on Dad’s Bookshelf yet? Let us know in the comments!
