Journey (2013) by Aaron Becker
This wordless picture book tells the story of a young girl who, feeling ignored by her busy family, draws a door in her bedroom to escape into new lands. Using her red crayon to save herself from dead ends and near disasters, she finds adventures and even a new friend.
This beautifully illustrated book won a 2014 Caldecott Honor. Quest and Return are the other two books in this trilogy.
Me, Jane (2011)
written and illustrated by Patrick McDonnell
The moment I spotted this book at a friend’s house, I knew it was a must-have for us. This Caldecott Honor book has delightful illustrations by MUTTS comic creator, Patrick McDonnell. The picture book tells the story of Dr. Jane Goodall as a young girl dreaming about living in Africa and helping animals. It’s short and sweet and has inspired me to learn more about this amazing woman. Filled with true anecdotes and even a page of puzzles and drawings that Jane made as a young girl, Me, Jane is a book I can’t wait to add to our collection. And, yes, this mama did get choked up on the final page, which is always evidence of a great book.