I can’t remember how I came up with the idea for this Spotlight On issue — specific topics I dive deeply into, just one time — but the minute I did, I was in.
I am heartened that your train pick doesn't show a steam train. I have a perhaps irrational hatred of steam trains on children's books. America stopped using steam trains in the 1950s! It's been close to a century! That's not what a "train" looks like anymore and we don't go around drawing pictures of circa 1950s homes or workplaces in children's books.
I have no idea why children's artists have this weird in-built nostalgia for something that the actual kids never experienced and probably just find confusing.
Why in Llama Llama Red Pajama is the mom on a corded phone? Nobody used those even in 2005 when it was published.
Might as well just draw all the characters smoking cigarettes too while you're at it to make it properly vintage.....
This was -- is -- a funny rant that I enjoyed. (I've also never noticed that! I can confirm that the interior pages of this one do show a modern train.)
I dunno about "popular interest" but we got Pooems (written by Kes Gray ; illustrated by David Tazzyman) from the library recently. Though I think I appreciated a book of poetry entirely about different kinds of animal poo more than my kids did.
My oldest kid loved TRAINS GO by Steve Light, w/ each page being a different kind of train and its related sound. Once when he was like 3 he went up to another kid and said, "Hello do you like Trains Go by Steve Light?" What an opener!
National Geographic books are so underrated. And it took me a minute to think of who besides David Macaulay could have a baby with for the Ships book and then I remembered Stephen Biesty's Cross=Sections books. Tom Crestodina's godparents....
I put all of these on hold for my truck/vehicle-crazed nephews at their library! And I’m tucking Touch A Truck Day in my back pocket for their upcoming birthday in June.
Those Tom Crestodina books are *amazing*. I'm trying to finagle my bookstore (that I work at) to bring them in. Living in BC and close to rivers and the ocean, we have lots of daily interaction with boats. Was able to put a few of these on hold at my library to enjoy, too.
Room for Everyone is going on year 3 of being the most treasured picture book in our home. Not only do I love the rhyme but the meaning in this day and age is exactly what we need.
So sorry for the double comment - just affirming that these were so fun to put on hold, and while I was doing so, I either remembered or came across the other following titles that fit the theme:
Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go
Patricia Hubbell's other transportation titles, namely Cars! and Boats!
A toddler/preschooler friendly transportation-themed edition of I Spy!
Thank you for including Room For Everyone in this thoughtfully curated list. It’s an honor for it to be featured in the company of such fun and gorgeous books. I hope the story continues to inspire people to cultivate welcoming spaces. ❤️
I've never met a lift-the-flap book I didn't enjoy-- let's hear it for flaps!!
The cover for that cycling book ("Ride Beside Me") really knocked me out-- all those bikes and riders, and they're all casting shadows on the road-- amazing!
The cover of the Airplanes book made me laugh (is that a HAWK flying a Helldiver??), and complex cut-away illustrations ("Working Boats") never cease to amaze me.
I am heartened that your train pick doesn't show a steam train. I have a perhaps irrational hatred of steam trains on children's books. America stopped using steam trains in the 1950s! It's been close to a century! That's not what a "train" looks like anymore and we don't go around drawing pictures of circa 1950s homes or workplaces in children's books.
I have no idea why children's artists have this weird in-built nostalgia for something that the actual kids never experienced and probably just find confusing.
Why in Llama Llama Red Pajama is the mom on a corded phone? Nobody used those even in 2005 when it was published.
Might as well just draw all the characters smoking cigarettes too while you're at it to make it properly vintage.....
This was -- is -- a funny rant that I enjoyed. (I've also never noticed that! I can confirm that the interior pages of this one do show a modern train.)
This is a fun theme! I love the idea of poetry books for kids that are tied into a popular interest.
Me too! And there are poetry books for so many topics. (If you have another idea, I'd love to hear it!)
I dunno about "popular interest" but we got Pooems (written by Kes Gray ; illustrated by David Tazzyman) from the library recently. Though I think I appreciated a book of poetry entirely about different kinds of animal poo more than my kids did.
https://www.hachette.com.au/kes-gray-david-tazzyman/pooems-a-book-of-pooey-poetry
My oldest kid loved TRAINS GO by Steve Light, w/ each page being a different kind of train and its related sound. Once when he was like 3 he went up to another kid and said, "Hello do you like Trains Go by Steve Light?" What an opener!
I just spotted Touch A Truck Day at the bookshop this week. I am in love with the illustrations! Added it to our early childhood book fair lists ASAP.
National Geographic books are so underrated. And it took me a minute to think of who besides David Macaulay could have a baby with for the Ships book and then I remembered Stephen Biesty's Cross=Sections books. Tom Crestodina's godparents....
YESSSSSSS 🙌
I put all of these on hold for my truck/vehicle-crazed nephews at their library! And I’m tucking Touch A Truck Day in my back pocket for their upcoming birthday in June.
Those Tom Crestodina books are *amazing*. I'm trying to finagle my bookstore (that I work at) to bring them in. Living in BC and close to rivers and the ocean, we have lots of daily interaction with boats. Was able to put a few of these on hold at my library to enjoy, too.
As always, thanks for sharing. <3
Room for Everyone is a favorite at our house - I absolutely love reading it out loud to my daughter
Room for Everyone is going on year 3 of being the most treasured picture book in our home. Not only do I love the rhyme but the meaning in this day and age is exactly what we need.
I would add Byron Barton's transportation board books to this list! Trucks is my 1yo's current fave, and we also have Boats and Planes.
Bus Stops by Taro Gomi is also excellent 👌 talk about visual interest!
So sorry for the double comment - just affirming that these were so fun to put on hold, and while I was doing so, I either remembered or came across the other following titles that fit the theme:
Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go
Patricia Hubbell's other transportation titles, namely Cars! and Boats!
A toddler/preschooler friendly transportation-themed edition of I Spy!
Thank you for including Room For Everyone in this thoughtfully curated list. It’s an honor for it to be featured in the company of such fun and gorgeous books. I hope the story continues to inspire people to cultivate welcoming spaces. ❤️
You wrote a beautiful book!
What a great mix of things-that-go books!
I've never met a lift-the-flap book I didn't enjoy-- let's hear it for flaps!!
The cover for that cycling book ("Ride Beside Me") really knocked me out-- all those bikes and riders, and they're all casting shadows on the road-- amazing!
The cover of the Airplanes book made me laugh (is that a HAWK flying a Helldiver??), and complex cut-away illustrations ("Working Boats") never cease to amaze me.
Great collection, thanks for sharing! 🙏