Wordless Picture Book Excellence: Yellow Butterfly: A Story From Ukraine

 

Yellow Butterfly: A Story From Ukraine

by Oleksandr Shatokhin

Red Comet Press 

2022

72 pages

ISBN: 9781636550640

From Ukrainian artist Oledsandr Shatokhin this beautifully imagined wordless picture book captures the story of home and war from a child's perspective. Evocative, compelling, heart-breaking, Yellow Butterfly is an inspirational story of hope conquering despair.  

Images of barbed wire, burned out holes, and destroyed neighborhoods give way to first a yellow butterfly, then a few more, until finally a kaleidoscope (yes, a group of butterflies is called a kaleidoscope) of butterflies becomes the child's wings lifting her above the destruction up to the sun, to hope, to peace and to the future.  

The colors at the beginning of the book are gray, white and black. The two page spread showing the wings unfurling behind the child is glorious yellow. 

Yellow Butterfly is the best children's book about the desolation and destruction of war, yet it manages to handle the topic in a way child readers can understand and empathize with the plight of the Ukrainian people. 

Ages 4 and up. 

Innovative Picture Book Pick: Some of These Are Snails

 

Some of These Are Snails

by Carter Higgins

Illustrations by the author

Chronicle Kids

2023 

52 pages

ISBN: 9781797220185

This seemingly simple concept book has unlimited possibilities. Not only creative and artistic, Some of These Are Snails will encourage readers to see shapes, colors, spatial design, and patterns in nature and in their normal environment. 

A circle can become a turtle or a snail; a square can become an elephant. The first reading seems simple enough, but as a child reads it numerous times, patterns emerge and/or no patterns emerge. Their mind is the only limit. 

Carter Higgins has an artistic masterpiece here. Furthermore, entire semesters of art and design classes could revolve around this one picture book. 

Some of These Are Snals is award worthy this year. One of the best of the year! 

A must-have for creative minds. 

young readers of all ages! 

Board Book Pick: Some Dogs

Some Dogs

by Lydia Nichols

Illustrations by the author

Gibbs Smith Publishing

2023

12 pages

ISBN: 9871423663706

In this adorable layered view board book, rhyming text and cute illustrations at a dog park capture the unique personalities and wagging tails of dogs who are shaggy or sleek, big or small, thin or round.

Young readers will love all the playful canines and learn that dogs recognize each other and accept each other no matter their differences. It doesn’t matter if their dog pal is tall or fat, big or small, sleek or shaggy. Dogs all have huge doggy hearts.  

The board quality is heavier than most board books making this a solid choice for shoppers and little readers’ hands. Each page is cut and layered on top of the next double fold and the book is taller and wider than other board books. 

A must read, must have for every baby.