The Lion & the Mouse is a 2009 nearly wordless picture book illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. This book, published by Little, Brown and Company, tells Aesop's fable of The Lion and the Mouse. In the story, a mouse's life is a spared by a lion. Later, after the lion is trapped, the mouse is able to set the lion free. Adapting the fable, with the moral that the weak can help the strong, as a wordless picture book was seen as a successful way of overcoming the brief plot generally found in the source stories. While it was Pinkney's first wordless picture book, it was not the first time he had told the story, having previously included it in his Aesop's Fables, published in 2000. Pinkney, who had received five Caldecott Honors, became the first African American to win the Caldecott Medal for his illustrations in this book. His illustrations were generally praised for their realism and sense of place. The cover illustrations, featuring the title characters but no text, drew particular praise.
Lucky and Squash is a 2012 American children's book written by Jeanne Birdsall and illustrated with watercolor paintings by Jane Dyer published by Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. The two eponymous characters are dogs based on Birdsall's and Dyer's actual dogs, Cagney and Scuppers, a Boston Terrier and a Tibetan Terrier respectively.
Last Stop on Market Street is a 2015 children's book written by American author Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson, which won the 2016 Newbery Medal, a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, and a Caldecott Honor. The book follows a young boy named CJ as he learns to appreciate the beauty in everyday things during a bus ride. De la Peña and Robinson both drew on personal experiences when working together to create the book. Through its story and illustrations, Last Stop on Market Street tackles issues of race and class as they may be seen through the eyes of a young teen. Last Stop on Market Street was met with widespread acclaim after its release, receiving positive reviews from Kirkus Reviews and the New York Times Book Review amongst many others. Last Stop on Market Street's Newbery win was monumental, as it is extremely rare for picture books to be awarded this medal. In 2018, the children's book was adapted into a children's musical which has been performed by various children's theater groups across the country.
Mirandy and Brother Wind is a 1988 children's picture book by Patricia McKissack and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. It is about a girl, Mirandy, who attempts to catch the wind so he will be her partner for the upcoming junior cakewalk.
Journeys with Elijah: Eight Tales of the Prophet is a 1999 children's picture book by Barbara Diamond Goldin and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. It is based on the tradition that the biblical prophet Elijah can reappear to anyone anywhere at any time and is eight stories of people's encounters with him from ancient times to the modern day throughout the world.
New Shoes for Silvia is a 1993 Children's picture book by Johanna Hurwitz and illustrator Jerry Pinkney. It is about a girl, Silvia, who receives a present of a pair of red shoes that are too large for her, and what she does with them until many months later when they finally fit her.
The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll is a 2007 picture book by Patricia McKissack, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. It is about a girl, Nella, living during the Great Depression, who receives a doll for Christmas. Initially, she doesn't share it with her sisters but later relents after discovering that it's not fun to play by herself.
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is a 1997 retelling of Rudyard Kipling's classic story by Jerry Pinkney about a mongoose that protects a family from two cobras. The book won a Caldecott honor in 1998 for its illustrations.
Wolf in the Snow is a 2017 wordless picture book by Matthew Cordell. The book was favorably received by critics and won the 2018 Caldecott Medal. The story has drawn comparisons to fairy tales like Little Red Riding Hood. The nearly wordless book tells the story of a girl and wolf who each get lost in the snowstorm. Cordell used distinctive illustration techniques for the girl and the wolf.
Grand Canyon by Jason Chin is a 2017 children's picture book. The book tells about the plants, animals and habitats of the Grand Canyon, both now and in the past, using the premise of a hiking trip there. The inspiration for the book was a trip in high school; Chin had originally conceived of a Grand Canyon origin story. The book marked the first time Chin used die cuts, in addition to his normal use of pen and ink, watercolors, and gouache. The book was awarded a 2018 Caldecott Honor for its illustrations and a 2018 Sibert Honor for its informative text. Grand Canyon is one of only a few non-fiction books that are not biographies to be recognized by the Caldecott.
Before She Was Harriet is a 2017 children's picture book written by Lesa Cline-Ransome and illustrated by James Ransome, first published by Holiday House. It was awarded an honorary Coretta Scott King Award in 2018.
Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave is a 2010 picture book written by Laban Carrick Hill. Illustrator Bryan Collier won the Coretta Scott King Award and Caldecott Medal in 2011 for his artwork in the book. It was originally published by Little, Brown and Company.
A Big Mooncake for Little Star is a 2018 picture book written and illustrated by Grace Lin. The story is about Little Star gradually eating the mooncake that her mother has baked. The book was a departure for Lin both thematically and in her use of illustrative style. The book was well reviewed and was awarded a Caldecott Honor in 2019. The illustrations feature heavy use of black and rely on both the pictures and words to convey the story and its themes.
The Imaginary is a 2014 British children's novel written by A. F. Harrold and illustrated by Emily Gravett. It is about a small girl, Amanda, and her imaginary friend, Rudger. An anime film adaptation by Studio Ponoc has been announced. Initially set for a Q3 2022 release, it was later delayed to 15 December 2023 due to production issues.
We Are Water Protectors is a 2020 picture book written by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade. Written in response to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, the book tells the story of an Ojibwe girl who fights against an oil pipeline in an effort to protect the water supply of her people. It was published by Roaring Brook Press on March 17, 2020. The book was well received. Critics praised its message of environmental justice, its depiction of diversity, and the watercolor illustrations, for which Goade won the 2021 Caldecott Medal, becoming the first Indigenous recipient of the award. The book also received the 2021 Jane Addams Children's Book Award winner in the Books for Younger Children category.
When You Trap a Tigeris a 2020 children's book by Tae Keller. The novel tells the story of a biracial girl, Lily, who learns about her heritage when her family moves in with Lily's Korean grandmother. The book was well received and won the 2021 Newbery Medal as well as the 2021 Asian/Pacific American Award for Children's Literature.
What Is Love? is a 2021 picture book written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Carson Ellis. It tells the story of a boy who wants to know the meaning of love, and so is advised by his grandmother to ask to people around him.
Korean American children's literature has often been included in the study of the broader Asian American children's literature category. There are varying definitions of “Korean American children’s literature,” as this is a category that has been written by both non-Koreans and Korean Americans as well as by Koreans and Korean Americans. Scholars have outlined two main criteria to categorize these books. These include the presence of at least one Korean American or Korean character, and the identification of the author as a resident of the United States. This category represents a variety of Korean American experiences, including immigration to the United States, misrepresentation, interracial Korean adoption narratives, and multiracial Korean American children's narratives. Since the 1970s, numerous authors have contributed to the genre of Korean American children's literature.
Jane Bahk is a children book author who is the writer of Juna's Jar.
Laurel Molk is an illustrator and author of children's books.
