19 Comments
User's avatar
Shelby Bistayi's avatar

This post transported me back to reading anything I could get my hands on as a kid, starting at one page for minutes. Jan Brett is an absolute favorite, so fun to see she was included here as well! I always try to read some of her things to my students around the winter - they love the multiple storylines in her illustrations.

Expand full comment
Savannah Payne's avatar

This was so fun! I love the Angelina Ballerina illustrations too. I think my current favorite series for illustrations is Brambly Hedge. These fictional mice all live in the most magical homes! I honestly have kind of a hard time reading the Brambly Hedge books aloud to my kids because I find myself getting so distracted by wanting to soak up every detail in the pictures.

Expand full comment
Gabby Llewellyn's avatar

My niece is deep in a Brambly Hedge phase and I agree they’re so so stunning

Expand full comment
Victoria Bolduc's avatar

This was a delight to read! I dont have kids, but do have a copy of Velvateen rabbit & a friend gifted me a beautifully illustrated kids book called Where the Path Leads that I love 🫶🏻

Expand full comment
Averi Whitman's avatar

This is such a thoughtful list. 🥲

Have you seen Britta Teckentrup’s work? She’s one of our fave illustrators (her words are beautiful too!).

Expand full comment
Gabby Llewellyn's avatar

I’m definitely going to check her work out!

Expand full comment
Rachel DeMeyer's avatar

If you don’t know her already, I recommend anything illustrated by Marla Frazee! The Seven Silly Eaters is my personal childhood favourite

Expand full comment
Kira Levy's avatar

We're also a HUGE fan of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler books (Monkey Puzzle, Jonty Gentoo, The Smartest Giant in Town). I'm a massive children's books lover and my kids have quite the collection. It's something I'm always thrifting or picking up second hand. There are worse things to collect. ;)

Expand full comment
Gabby Llewellyn's avatar

Love love love Julia Donaldson!!! Stickman has been one of the best books we've added to our family library of late!

Expand full comment
Sandra Sanchez Roige's avatar

While my favorite picture books tend to use simple illustrations (I talk about my favorites here: https://open.substack.com/pub/sandrasanchezroige/p/the-day-i-recommended-picture-books?r=15ezkv&utm_medium=ios ), these are wonderful recommendations!

Expand full comment
Mary Richert's avatar

Just reserved a ton of these at the library 😄📚

Expand full comment
Cné Elizabeth's avatar

This post has inspired me to curate a little children’s library in my home both for my own children and for visiting littles 🤍

Expand full comment
Jen's avatar

Oh yesss I love this! Within the last year I reignited my love for Beatrix Potter and decided I want all my future tattoos to look like they could have walked out of one of her books.

Expand full comment
Jennifer McLamb's avatar

I loved this post so much, particularly the 'mice' picture books, and I've immediately gone and bought Angelina Ballerina for my children.

Expand full comment
Rui Nakata's avatar

I want to get all of these books now

Expand full comment
Gabby Llewellyn's avatar

My work here is done!

Expand full comment
Cosette's avatar

thank you for the most perfect, delightful read to start my weekend with!

Expand full comment
Lisa Hensley's avatar

Herman and Rosie by Gus Gordon is one of my favorite books that I ever read my kids. We always got it from the library but I always joked that I was going to buy a copy for myself. Not for the kids, for me.

Expand full comment
Gabby Llewellyn's avatar

I've never read that one but it's officially on the list now!

Expand full comment