Picture Books for Young Children

I have selected two books in this category for discussion. Do Like Kyla, by Angela Johnson, with paintings by James E. Ransome and Wild Wild Sunflower Child Anna, by Nancy White Carlstrom, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.

Do Like Kyla, is about a little brown-skinned girl who all day long, does everything her older sister Kyla does. At night Kyla imitates her. The story is simple. It shows sisters waking up to a new day, braiding their hair in the morning and sitting down together at the breakfast table, eating oatmeal. Daddy, with suit and tie, Mommy with her skirt and jacket, both look professional. Big sister Kyla protectively helps her little sister. As Kyla assists her younger sister with her coat, she says. "Warm now." Little sister does like Kyla and says, "Warm now." With Kyla leading and little sister following, they head out doors. The girls "crunch, crunch in the snow all the way to the store." At night Kyla crouches under the kitchen table with little sister and reads her a story. Before the girls go to bed, they look out their window. "Kyla says, 'Birds must be asleep." I tap at the window . . . and Kyla does just like me."

The illustrations and text harmoniously portray a precious and charming story. Publishers Weekly, says "Ransome's appealing, realistic oil paintings enhance Johnson's straightforward text; readers will easily identify with these sisters." The School Library Journal says, "This illustrations, done in richly colored oils, often add excitement by use of interesting perspective . . . A universal story that features a warm and loving black family." Quoted from Booklist, "This warm depiction of sisterly solidarity is a joy . . . Sweet in the best sense of the word."

Wild Wild Sunflower Child Anna, is another delightful book that enables readers to share the joy that Anna feels as she discovers the beautiful outdoors: the sun, flowers, sky, berries, frogs, ants, and beetles. This frolicsome story is written in delightful verse, accompanied by soft spring-provoking colored illustrations which will surely capture every reader's heart:

Rolling Anna rolling

down the sweet smelling hill

Sky

yard

sky

yard

Which will it be?

Anna Anna Floating

on a grass green sea.

Prickly, stickly grasses

singing in her nose, clinging to her yellow dress.

Green, fresh

oh what a mess Anna (unnumbered).

The Horn Book says, "Nancy White Carlstrom's lilting verse captures the joy of being young, and Jerry Pinkney's art celebrates a world just ripe for exploring; picking raspberries, wandering through wildflowers, hopping across a froggy stream, and drifting to sleep in the quiet hush of tall, cool grasses."

The illustrations and verse create very gentle, yet vivid images which permit the reader to feel Anna's smooth kissy soft brown skin, smell the flowers and hear the buzzing bees. Mr. Pickney has illustrated over fifty books for children, and has won numerous awards for his outstanding illustrations, including two Caldecott Honors for Mirandy and Brother Wind (1989) and The Talking Eggs (1990). The medium the artist uses is Sepia prisma-color pencil on paper with watercolor wash.

BOOKS FOR FURTHER READING

PICTURE BOOKS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

Jamaica's Find. By Jauanita Hamill. Illustrated by Anne Sibley O'Brien. Houghton, 1986. With soft water colored illustrations, this story is about a little girl who discovers a lost animal and leads her to a new friendship.

Black is Brown is Tan. By Arnold Adoff. Pictures by Emily McCully. Harper, 1973. A loving book about a bi-racial family.

Black, White, Just Right! By Marguerite W. Davol. Illustrated by Irene Trivas. Albert Whitman & Company, 1993. A colorful story about a loving bi-racial family.

Brown Angels. By Walter Dean Myers. harper Collins Publishers, 1993. This is a sweet book filled with verse and turn-of-the century photographs of African-American children the New Jersey authorhas spent many years collecting.

Everett Anderson's Goodbye. By Lucille Clifton. Pictures by Ann Grifalconi. Holt, 1983. Wonderfully sensitive illustrations. This touching story takes place after the death of young Everett's father. This is a story about a small child who experiences the various stages of grief. By the author of Everett Anderson's 1-2-3 and Everett Anderson's Nine Month's Long.

Walk Home Tired Billy Jenkins. By Ianthe Thomas. Illustrated by Thomas Digrazia. Harper & Row, 1974. Big sister Nina uses highly imaginative methods to coax her tired little brother, Billy to walk through the hot city streets toward home.

What Mary Jo Shared. By Janice May Udry. Illustrated by Eleanor Mill. Albert Whitman, 1966. Every time Mary Jo thinks of something to share for show-n-tell, her classmates share it, first. Mary Jo finally bringsa very special person into school to share - her Daddy.