As a mother of two little ones, I spend a fair amount of time reading (and re-reading and re-reading) children's books. I admire many authors and illustrators and I have long planned a blog series on awesomely illustrated and designed children's books. Today it begins with Mo Willems and his 3-book Knuffle Bunny series. (For a funny and simultaneously academic look at the danger of reading children's books be sure to check out my friend's hilarious, insightful, and intelligent blog.)
The Knuffle Bunny books were a gift for my daughter from my brother and his wife. The first book involves a pre-verbal Trixie losing her precious bunny at the laundromat - dramatics ensue. The second book examines what happens when Trixie brings Knuffle Bunny to school and another girl has the exact same bunny - a crisis we can all relate to. The series ends with an overseas trip to visit grandparents in Holland. I won't give anything away but I may or may not have gotten choked up at the ending.
These books are great. I truly don't mind reading them over and over and over and over again. Mostly because I'm totally absorbed in the illustrations while I read them. Mo Willems (author and illustrator) uses photography as a backdrop for his simple, colorful, and funny illustrations. I love the dynamic between the page background, the photographs, and the illustrated people. There is so much attention to detail - the photographs are manipulated to create a simple aesthetic for the background (no wires, no A/C units), shadows are added in under the illustrated characters, and the characters can walk right out of the frame of the photographs making them come to life.
Enjoy!
The Knuffle Bunny books were a gift for my daughter from my brother and his wife. The first book involves a pre-verbal Trixie losing her precious bunny at the laundromat - dramatics ensue. The second book examines what happens when Trixie brings Knuffle Bunny to school and another girl has the exact same bunny - a crisis we can all relate to. The series ends with an overseas trip to visit grandparents in Holland. I won't give anything away but I may or may not have gotten choked up at the ending.
These books are great. I truly don't mind reading them over and over and over and over again. Mostly because I'm totally absorbed in the illustrations while I read them. Mo Willems (author and illustrator) uses photography as a backdrop for his simple, colorful, and funny illustrations. I love the dynamic between the page background, the photographs, and the illustrated people. There is so much attention to detail - the photographs are manipulated to create a simple aesthetic for the background (no wires, no A/C units), shadows are added in under the illustrated characters, and the characters can walk right out of the frame of the photographs making them come to life.
Enjoy!
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