Monday, November 29, 2010

The ten best illustrated children’s books

The Observer's Kate Kellaway named the finest picture books for youngsters for her newspaper.

One title on the list:
Babar at Home
Jean de Brunhoff (1938)

Babar helped launch picture books as a genre. His green suit is the most chic in literature (de Brunhoff was French and knew about clothes). But Babar is also a model father (no slapping from him). He is tenderly hands-on – or trunk-on – with his triplets – Pom, Flora and Alexander – and plays games with them in the nursery. He is the most human of elephants, concluding to his wife after a trying day which included saving Pom from a hungry crocodile: “Truly, it is not easy to bring up children… but aren’t they worth it!”
Read about another book on the list.

Also see Jim Bob's top ten illustrated books for adults.

--Marshal Zeringue