In my previous posts about building a homeschool library, I wrote about including nonfiction and poetry. Today I am going to focus on interesting fiction picture book authors to include in your homeschool library. I always like it when I find a really good picture book, only to discover that the author has written even more books!
I am going to assume that most of you have heard of authors like Robert McCloskey (Make Way for Duckings) and Don Freeman (Corduroy). This booklist is meant to highlight other well-known and maybe lesser well-known authors. Here are some of my favorite interesting fiction picture book authors that I am sure you and your kids will also enjoy.
Jan Brett
Jan Brett is an author and illustrator. She’s one of my favorites. When one of my boys was five years old, he always went straight to the section in the library with her books. He loved them all. Her most popular books are The Mitten, The Hat, and The Gingerbread Baby. She lives in Massachusetts (I always like to know where an author lives).
Karma Wilson
I wish I was Karma Wilson. She’s an interesting picture book author because she can write a book in a month. Her books are funny, well-written, and full of rhymes. Some of her books that we have enjoyed are Bear Snores On and Bear Says Thanks. These books are great for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Jane Chapman is the illustrator (I always enjoy her illustrations). Karma Wilson lives in Montana.
Valeri Gorbachev
I never see his name on booklists, so I am adding him to mine. First of all, he’s Russian and he’s a he. Before moving to the US, he was one of the most popular Russian illustrators. One of my boys loved Nikki and the Big, Bad Wolves. I enjoyed The Lost and Found Ducklings and Red, Red, Red. His stories are short, simple, and charming. I discovered him at the library. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Katy Hudson
Katy Hudson is also an author and illustrator. I love her simple plots and cozy illustrations. My kids have read her books many times. Some of our favorites are Too Many Carrots and A Winter’s Nap. She lives in England.
Karel Hayes
Karel Hayes writes what I call “The bear books.” She has a series of books about a bear family that lives in family’s cabin when the family is not there. The bear family and the human family was identical in many ways (mom, dad, son, daughter). Karel is also the illustrator, and she’s super attentive to detail in her illustrations. There’s a lot of consistency between her books (For example, trees being in the same spot in each book).My family has enjoyed all of her books, but my favorite is The Christmas Visitors. There are about five or six sentences in each book. That doesn’t seem like a lot, but so much of the time is spent looking at the illustrations and noticing the details. I have a lot of fun reading her books, and I am sure you will too. Karel Hayes lives in New Hampshire.
Gene Zion
Gene Zion is known for the Harry the Dog books. His wife, Margaret Bloy Graham, was the illustrator for his books. An interesting fact about them is that they were friends with Hans and Margaret Rey, the author and illustrator of Curious George. Gene and his wife wrote and illustrated many picture books, but I have only read the ones of about Harry. There are four: Harry the Dirty Dog, Harry by the Sea, No Roses for Harry, and Harry and The Lady Next Door. The books are set in the 1950s and have a simple, old-fashioned style. All my kids have enjoyed these stories. Gene Zion lived in New York City.
Paul Galdone
Paul Galdone wrote and illustrated classic folk tales. If you want a good collections of picture books like The Little Red Hen or Little Red Riding Hood, then these books would make a great addition to your homeschool library. He is also known for Anatole, the French mouse who gets a job tasting cheese. He was born in Austria-Hungary, and later lived in New York City.
Jane Yolan
Jane Yolan is well-known for Owl Moon, but she has also written a really funny series about dinosaurs. The illustrations, by Mark Teague, make her dinosaur books a fun read aloud. Some of her titles are How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? and How Do Dinosaurs Say I am Mad? They feature human parents with dinosaur children. One of my kids was into dinosaurs for a few years, so we read these books over and over again. Jane Yolan currently lives in Massachusetts.
I hope this list helps. Knowing what interesting fiction picture books to include in your homeschool library can be hard if you are not familiar with the world of picture books. Building a homeschool library is one of the many exciting jobs that come with homeschooling. Finding good fiction picture books is hard work, but it’s rewarding when you have a bookshelf full of books your children (and you!) will enjoy.
Carly from DesertHomeschoolDays.com
