[Monday Reading] Wild Ideas and Stunning Illustrations in Picturebooks

Fats here.

It’s Monday, What are You Reading is a meme hosted by Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers (new host of Monday reading: Kathryn T at Book Date). Since two of our friends, Linda from Teacher Dance and Tara from A Teaching Life have been joining this meme for quite awhile now, we thought of joining this warm and inviting community.

Most of the books I borrowed for our current theme are very immersive. Today, I am featuring two books by the same author who never seems to run out of ideas for kids. You may have seen Press Here, but I hope you find a copy of the other one as well. I have also included three other picturebooks that you would love, all of which are set in the dreamy city of Paris. ♥ Happy Monday Reading, everyone!

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The Book with a Hole

Written and illustrated by Hervé Tullet
Published by Tate (2011)
ISBN-10: 1854379461
ISBN-13: 978-1854379467

This book literally has a hole, and it goes right through the middle of the book when you open it! The creative genius that is Hervé Tullet engages readers in an artistic and imaginative journey as they come up with wild drawings and fun ideas. Sometimes, he even drops clues and idea prompts to get them started. This book encourages creativity and is great for group discussion.

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Press Here

Written and illustrated by Hervé Tullet
Published by Chronicle Books (2011)
ISBN-10: 0811879542
ISBN-13: 978-0811879545

Three years before the publication of Mix It Up, there was Press Here. Known as the “Prince of Preschool” because he enjoys working with and writing books for children, Hervé Tullet creates another engaging read in Press Here. Although it is shorter than The Book with a Hole, Press Here is more interactive. What starts as a big yellow dot in the middle of a page becomes a series of instructions that would open a tiny world of fun and colors. I don’t know how anyone can turn a page without following the instruction!

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Paris Up, Up and Away

Written and illustrated by Hélène Druvert
Translated from the French Paris s’envole
Published by Thames & Hudson (2016)
ISBN-10: 0500650594
ISBN-13: 978-0500650592

This is one of the most stunning picturebooks I’ve read. I came across this book while browsing for titles for our previous theme, Literatura Europa. In Paris Up, Up and Away, the Eiffel Tower gets bored and decides to fly away and around Paris. The book celebrates the beauty of the city with intricate laser cuts. It’s absolutely gorgeous!

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Henri’s Walk to Paris

Written by Leonore Klein
Illustrated by Saul Bass
Published by Universe (2012)
ISBN-10: 0789322633
ISBN-13: 978-0789322630

I fell in love with this book immediately after seeing the cover. Henri’s Walk to Paris was originally published in 1962 and features the work of American graphic designer, Saul Bass. The story was crafted by Leonore Klein who was a former librarian. Henri’s Walk to Paris is the charming story of a boy named Henri who lives in a very small town and dreams of going to Paris. When he finally decides to go, an interesting encounter with a bird changes the course of his journey. Find out how!

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A Lion in Paris

Written and illustrated by Beatrice Alemagna
Translated from the French by Rae Walter
Published by Tate (2014)
ISBN-10: 184976171X
ISBN-13: 978-1849761710

This beautiful and over-sized picturebook is the winner of the Bologna Ragazzi Special Mention Award. It tells the story of a young and curious lion who leaves his grassland to go to Paris and build a future. Any picturebook about Paris is a celebration of its beauty and grandeur. Beatrice Alemagna once again captivates readers with her illustrations and unique style. This book was inspired by the statue of a lion in Place Denfert-Rochereau in Paris.

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