ERIC CARLE
Eric Carle has written and illustrated well over 50 books for children, and he’s still creating at age 90. His best-known work, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has eaten its way into the hearts of millions of children all over the world and has been translated into 65 languages and sold over 46 million copies.His illustration style includes hand-painted papers that result in images that are happy, colorful, and characters that appear full of energy. Combining these beloved characters with simple phrasing that is often easy for young children to memorize has made him a beloved and bestselling author of picture books for the last six decades.
Most known for: The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?
Ian Falconer
Ian Falconer is the author and illustrator of the Olivia book series, including Olivia, Olivia Helps with Christmas, Olivia and the Fairy Princesses, Olivia and the Missing Toy, Olivia Saves the Circus, to name a few. Falconer’s illustrations have graced numerous covers of The New Yorker. If you have young kids or a love for picture books, Olivia books have a place in your home. The precocious pig, who has earned Falconer many awards, is a beloved favorite for her wise insight and hyperactive impatience.
Sandra Boynton
Sandra Boynton infuses her books with a sense of joy, silliness, and -- well, lots of farm animals. With her fun board books, the woman famous for the adults' mantra ""Don't Let the Turkeys Get You Down"" has become a natural favorite for children. The popular author delights babies and their grownups alike with lighthearted, silly, and rhythmic reads like Perfect Piggies, Moo, Baa, La La La, and Pajama Time. Fun to read and paired with animal illustrations, almost all of Boynton’s many books are winners.
YANGSOOK CHOI
This writer and illustrator grew up in South Korea and now splits her time between New York and Seoul. Her life is reflected in her books, ranging from the story of a girl newly in America and nervous if her classmates will to learn to pronounce her name to the mixing of Korean street dancing traditions with American Halloween. All of her books are illustrated mixing soft, dreamy colors with strong graphic images.
ADAM RUBIN AND DANIEL SALIERI
Adam Rubin and Daniel Salieri have created some of the best contemporary classic picture books around. There is something about their books that feel incredibly modern, whether they feature dragons eating too spicy salsa or raccoons scheming to plan their own secret pizza parties. Children adore these books. And in my experience as a teacher, if you read one they will ask if you can read the book again and again and again and again…
MAURICE SENDAK
Maurice Sendak once said, “You cannot write for children. They’re much too complicated. You can only write books that are of interest to them.” This high respect for children’s intelligence and autonomy is easy to see in his weird, slightly dark stories and illustrations. It is hard to imagine a picture book character more iconic and emotionally resonant than Max, the boy in a wolf suit who tames the wild things after a fight with his mother. Sendak’s other books present equally twisty and entertaining tales.
DR. SEUSS
It’s hard to imagine a list of great picture book authors that doesn’t include Dr. Seuss. Theodore Seuss Geisel wrote and illustrated over 60 books for children. He created many of the world’s most loved and best selling children’s books. Every school year my many Dr. Seuss books take up space on Student's deskd for Read Across America.
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