Marilyn's Monster and Other Incredible Children's Books

Spoiler Alert:  For those of you who like to read children's books without knowing what's going to happen first, please be aware that there are some spoilers below.

I recently came across an incredible children's book called Marilyn's Monster written by Michelle Knudson and illustrated by Matt Phelan, and I love it so much.

What it's about:  All the kids get chosen by their very own monster except Marilyn, who waits and waits for her monster to find her.

What I love about it:  I love how well they describe Marilyn's emotions changing from hope and excitement to loneliness and anger.  And I love that she takes the initiative to go out and get what she wants, even though everyone tells her that's not the way it's supposed to work.  Combine that with incredible pictures and make it a world where monsters are coveted, not feared, and it is just irresistible.

After becoming so infatuated with this book, I started thinking about my other favorite children's books, and here are a few highlights:

Little Robot by Ben Hatke

What it's about:  A little girl who plays outside all day, mostly in a junkyard, and becomes friends with a robot she finds there.

What I love about it:  There are very few words in this comic strip style book, but it doesn't need many because the pictures are so incredible and entertaining.  They really tell the story so beautifully, even making me laugh out loud in places.  I love when the cat touches a robot and all its hair stands up on end, and I love that even though one big mean robot eats a cat, the cat just sits inside the robot until it is rescued and the robot becomes good again.

I Know a Lot written by Stephen Krensky and illustrated by Sara Gillingham

 

What it's about:  There are a bunch of books in this series, and all of them are fantastic.  They are early reader books focused on being proud of all of the amazing things toddlers learn and do.

What I love about it:  The rhymes and pictures are fantastic, and I love the way it captures the excitement and challenge of young children learning everyday things.  I love that it features a father, too, because there are not that many children's books that do.

Is Your Mama a Llama? written by Deborah Guarino and illustrated by Steven Kellogg

What it's about:  This is a fun, easy to read book about a llama who asks all of his friends if their mama is a llama.  It is full of cute rhymes that allows the reader to guess the answer on the next page. 

What I love about it:  Again, the pictures are just incredible.  I am a big fan of nature and animals, and all of these pictures are done just beautifully.  Plus, I love that each page shows the day getting a little closer to night, until it is completely nighttime at the end.

Where the Wild Things Are written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak

 

What it's about:  This book is a classic, and has been turned into a movie too, which is pretty incredible for a picture story.  It's about a little boy who gets in trouble for causing mischief, is sent to his room without eating supper, and travels to an imaginary place far away where he gets to be king of all wild things.

What I love about it:  The writing feels like poetry - 

 ". . . he sailed off through night and day

and in and out of weeks

and almost over a year 

to where the wild things are."

I love how he tells his mother he will eat her up when she calls him wild thing in the beginning, and then later the wild things tell him they'll eat him up, they love him so when he leaves.  And I love the wild rumpus, and most of all that his supper is waiting for him in his bedroom and is still hot.

Es hora? by Marilyn Janovitz

What it's about:  A little wolf getting ready for bed, and a series of questions about whether it's time to take a bath, brush his fangs, etc.

What I love about it:  This is such a fun book to read, and the sentences just flow together in a very sing song way.  This is a great Spanish book, but for those of you who don't know Spanish, there is also a Spanish - English version here.

I know there are so many other fun books that I didn't feature here.  What are some of your favorites?

10/14/16: Update - There are two other essential books that I can't believe I forgot!

Fancy Nancy written by Jane O'Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser

What it's about:  This is a series of books about a little girl who loves everything fancy.  This means sparkles, extravaganza, and big words.

What I love about it:  The art is amazing, and I love the contrast between fancy, decorated Nancy and her parents - who are not fancy at all.  In this book, I love how her parents pick her up after she trips over her super fancy shoes and spills the fancy ice cream all over the restaurant.  There are a series of books like this one and all of them focus on fancy words, or bigger words, and explain in a fun way what they mean so it helps young readers build their vocabulary.  Plus, there are a few French words sprinkled in here and there, which is fun too.

The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton

What it's about:  This is a sweet rhyming book about getting ready for bed.  Specifically, about a bunch of cartoon animals on a boat getting ready for bed.

Why I love it:  The rhymes are adorable and catchy, and while you can remember them easily after a few reads, they don't get that obnoxious stuck in your head feeling.  Again, this is a series of books, and they all show Sandra Boynton's incredible talent for rhyming.  I am also impressed that a lot of her books are manufactured in America and sold at an affordable price.

10/20/16: Update - As I was brainstorming ideas for this post a few weeks ago, I wrote down a list of a few books that I wanted to include.  When I sat down to write the post, I couldn't find the list so I wrote it just based off of my memory.  And now that I've published the post, I found the list and have two more books to add . . .

Tuck in the Pool by Martha Weston

What it's about:  A little pig's transformation from not wanting to go to swimming lessons, and learning to love swimming.

Why I love it:  I love when his mom comes in to tell him it's time for his swim lesson, he says he's busy.  Then, instead of rushing him or telling him to get ready anyway, she asks, "What are you busy doing?" and he responds, "Showing Snyder the dark." because he's playing with his toy spider under his bed.  I just love that whole transaction.  And I love that at first, his favorite part of swim lessons is going home, but that by the end he even stays for free swim after the lesson.

Owl Moon written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by John Schoenherr

 

What it's about:  A little girl goes out owling at night with her father, trekking through the snow and hooting owl sounds for the hopes of glimpsing a beautiful owl at night.

What I love about it:  The words, pictures, and phrases create an incredible atmosphere that is dark, silent, calm, and full of excitement at the same time.  I feel like I am right there, walking through the snow with them and I love to be sucked into the calm, peaceful experience of going owling at night in the winter.  I love the awe and respect for nature and animals that comes through in this story as well.

That's it!  If I come across any other children's stories, they are going to have to have their own post, because this one, with its two updates, is done.  If there are any other essential children's books I've forgotten, please leave them in the comments!