Sandy's Picks 2013 - Picture Books

Now that the year is drawing to a close, it's time for me to look back on the books that I have read this year and pick my favorites.  According to my Goodreads account, I read a total of 74 books in 2013.  This number is down quite a bit from years past, but does not truly reflect every books that I read this year.  These 74 books do no include very many picture books (which I do not always remember to take the time to review), several volumes of a manga series or two (where I generally review the series as a whole, not each individual volume), or some self-help or reference non-fiction (which I feel a tad self-conscious about reviewing).

This is the first of a series of three posts, each covering a different type of children's book.  Today we will be looking at books that are generally written for our youngest readers:  Picture Books.

Journey by Aaron Becker

A girl draws a door on her bedrooms wall and travels to a fantastical world.  With her red marker she is able to travel by balloon, boat, and flying carpet until she is captured and imprisoned.  It will take a little daring and some help from a friend to escape.  The book reminds me a bit of Harold and the Purple Crayon in its theme, though the style is much more vibrant and complex.  I've had a hard time pinning down my top pick for this year's Caldecott Medal, but I think that I'll place my bets with this book.

Locomotive by Brian Floca

This train story takes readers back to the time of great steam engines, roaring down the track through the West.  I love this story for its beautiful sepia-toned illustrations.

Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great by Bob Shea

Goat was doing just fine until Unicorn showed up.  Unicorn can fly, turn things into gold, and make it rain cupcakes.  Ugh.  But what if the two teamed up?  I don't want to spoil what happens, but the phrase, "Taste my cloven justice" is part of the equation.  This book cracks me up.

The Dark by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Jon Klassen

Laszlo is afraid of the dark.  The dark lives (naturally) in Laszlo's basement, but is not afriad of Laszlo.  One evening the dark comes upstairs to visit Laszlo, and poor Laszlo has to learn to not be afraid anymore.  It was only a matter of time before this author and illustrator teamed up, and the result is subversively brilliant.  Snicket's wordy, stylized text matches perfectly with Klassen's simple, moody, stylized artwork.  Perfect.

Dinosaur Kisses by David Ezra Stein

A baby T-Rex is good at lots of things.  She can stomp and chomp with the best of them.  But one day the dinosaur observes two other animals doing something different - kissing!  She decides to try that next, but unfortunately our baby T-Rex is too good at stomping and chomping and kissing does not come easily.  The illustrations really make this story work, rendering the poor dino's failed kissing attempts hilarious.  Great toddler story.

Mr. Wuffles by David Wiesner

Mr. Wuffles is a cat.  His owner brings him a toy, but (in the way that cats are) Mr. Wuffles shows no interest.  Why should he care when there is a spaceship full of tiny aliens in his house?  The aliens are in some real trouble.  Can they escape to safety in the walls of the house?  And are the insects who live there friendly?  This wordless picture book is done in Wiesner's signature style, showing a side of our fantastic world that we humans might never think to look for.

What were your favorite picture books of 2013?  Tell me about them in the comments.