Picture Books, Anyone?

Does anyone else love picture books? I do. There's just something childlike and innocent and fun that emanates from the pages when you open a book. That's what I want to do, someday, among a list of other things... be an illustrator.

There are some picture books that I've been reading since I was little, and others that I've read only recently. But one thing's for sure: all of them are never tiring to read again...and again...and again. Sometimes, I've even memorized them. :)

So, what are some of my favorite picture books? I might post all of them later, but for now, here are a few.

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear: Whoever hasn't read this book is missing out on a really, really cute story. Accompanied by cute illustrations, this book tells the story of a little mouse on a mission to harvest a red, ripe strawberry. However, the narrator tells him about the Big Hungry Bear, and how he loves red ripe strawberries. So starts the little mouse's panicked attempts to protect his red ripe strawberry...

Love You Forever (Pictured): This story never fails to bring tears to my eyes. It tells of a mother and her baby. Every night, she takes her baby in her arms and rocks him back and forth, and sings a gentle lullaby to him. This goes on, even as the baby grows into adulthood, until one day, the mother isn't able to do it anymore, because she is old and tired. But she has underestimated how much her son loves her...

The Mud Puddle: Prizes for hilarious books? This should win one! A little girl has just had a bath and gone outside to play when a mud puddle jumps on her. This keeps on going on, and on, and on... until the little girl has had enough and fights the mud puddle right back... with soap.

Flotsam: This book is breathtaking, yet it doesn't use any words at all. A boy finds a camera on a beach. He inquires for it's owner, and not finding one, he takes the camera home and develops the film. He finds inside, to his wonder and amazement, pictures of things that shouldn't even be on this earth...much less in the sea.

Bats at the Beach and Bats at the Library: These books are both cute and funny. Bats are often scrutinized, as most people are scared of them. But these books show that they are actually friendly, and even act like people! In Bats at the Beach, the bats have a blast on the beach at night, roasting bug-marshmallows and lying on beach blankets...while in Bats in the Library, someone has left the library window open, and the bats venture inside for a night of bookish fun. The pictures are appropriately matched with rhyming prose, but the pictures themselves tell the story.

Whether you like to read picture books yourself or read them to a little siblings, they are loads of fun for everyone! If you haven't read a picture book in a while, I suggest you start again right now. All you'll be able to think is, Wow...I can't believe what I've been missing!