Goblins

Written, illustrated and paper engineered by Brian Froud

I've had this book for a long time, but I still love it. It's a very simple story about a boy who takes his sister into the woods to show her some goblins. The pop-up work is not very special, but Froud's brilliant earth-toned illustrations more than make up for that. These are the kind of goblins that I had in mind when I was writing 'Goblin Stew'.

This book is no longer in print.

See a list of other books by Brian Froud

Visit Brian Froud's web site

The Christmas Alphabet

Designed and paper engineered by Robert Sabuda

Robert Sabuda is an exceptionally talented US pop-up artist. This book contains twenty-six large flaps, each of which conceals a beautiful pop-up representing a different letter in 'The Christmas Alphabet'. For instance, Q is for a quartet of carol singers. There is no real text and little illustration (most of the pop-ups are cut from plain white card), but the pop-up work is sufficiently delightful and entertaining in its own right.

Visit Robert Sabuda's web site

 Where the Wild Things Are

Written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak

I read this book when I was a child and it made a huge impression on me. A simple poetic text and beautiful pictures combine to tell the story of a little boy who discovers an island populated by extraordinary monsters. My son, Max, is named after the book's mischievous hero.

As well as being brilliantly illustrated, I think that this book has one of the best picture book texts that have ever been written; it's short and deceptively simple, but has a wonderful poetic quality when read aloud. The rhythm of the words is particularly clever - moving in and out of rhyme to emphasise changes in the story's pace and mood or stopping abruptly to make the reader pause and think. This book and "In the Night Kitchen" (by the same author) inspired me to write Dinosaurs After Dark.

In the Night Kitchen

Written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak

This Sendak book is less well known than "Where the Wild Things Are", but, in my opinion, undeservedly so. It's the story of another young boy, Mickey, who falls into the dream world of the 'Night Kitchen' where the buildings are made out of jam jars and cartons of food.

There must be hundreds of picture books that feature dream stories, but what makes this one so special is that it is the only one I've come across that successfully captures the surreal and often irrational qualities of a dream: The Night Kitchen is inhabited by three chefs who, for no apparent reason, all look like Oliver Hardy. The chefs mistake Mickey for milk and attempt to use him as an ingredient, but he escapes in an aeroplane that he fashions out of some left-over dough.

The book is so surreal that rational-minded adults frequently dismiss it as nonsensical, but the pre-school readers that I have shared it with (and for whom the book is intended) are delighted by it and have no difficulty accepting it's wonderful eccentricity.

The Cat in the Hat

Written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss

All of Dr. Seuss's books are good, but this one is a classic. Two children are stuck inside on a rainy day when an unruly and uninvited visitor arrives to entertain them. With its zany illustrations and lively rhymes, this is a great story to read aloud, but it's an excellent book for early readers as well.

Visit the Dr. Seuss web site

Harold and the Purple Crayon

Written and illustrated by Crockett Johnson

This is the surreal story of a little boy who inhabits a fantasy world that he draws for himself with a purple crayon. The illustrations may seem a little simplistic to the adult eye, but I can still recall the vivid impression that this book made on me as a toddler and it remains one of the most ingenious and visually witty picture books that I have ever come across.
Johnson went on to write a further five books featuring Harold and the purple crayon.

Visit the Crockett Johnson web site

Something Else

Written by Kathryn Cave and illustrated by Chris Riddell

I'm a big fan of Chris Riddell's illustrations and I think that this is one of the best picture books that he's done. It's a lovely story about a strange creature called "Something Else" who can't find anyone to be friends with, until another - even stranger - creature comes along.

Tick-Tock

Written by Eileen Browne and illustrated by David Parkins

A funny story with bold, quirky pictures. Two young squirrels race against time, trying to find someone to repair a cuckoo-clock before mother squirrel finds out that it's broken. Eileen Browne and David Parkins have done another book - 'No Problem' which is also excellent.

The Gruffalo

Written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler

When I first read this book, I was filled with a mixture of admiration and envy. It is the tale of a mouse who cleverly puts off would-be predators with descriptions of his fearsome, but imaginary, friend the Gruffalo. The trick works every time, until the mouse runs into a real Gruffalo who is anything but friendly and the mouse has to come up with an even cleverer way out.

Not only does this story have an elegant ingenious structure and a completely satisfying ending, but it's also told beautifully in rhyme. Honestly, it makes me want to spit!