A Feast For the Eyes: 9 Children’s Books With Stunning Illustrations

The Incredible Book Eating Boy, by Oliver Jeffers
Irish artist Oliver Jeffers is perhaps more widely known for his illustrations in the New York Times #1 bestseller, The Day The Crayons Quit, a series of complaint letters from overworked crayons, but his sense of outlandish humor really goes wild with The Incredible Book Eating Boy. It’s the story of Henry, a boy who chomps on books instead of reading them, and the accompanying illustrations burst forth from an assemblage of graph paper, maps, Latin dictionaries and book bindings.

Jeremy Draws a Monster, by Peter McCarty
When Jeremy draws a monster who comes to life, Peter McCarty playfully smudges the line between artist and subject, since it’s difficult to tell where McCarty’s world ends and Jeremy’s begins. The story is sweet and sparse, while the characters are inky, textured creatures. The work also feels like a nod to one of the most distinctive children’s books of all time, Harold and the Purple Crayon.

Zen Shorts, by Jon J. Muth
A Caldecott Honor book, Zen Shorts gives us three classic Zen tales—a poor man who offers gifts to a robber, a farmer who learns that luck can’t be predicted, and a monk who carries an old burden—all told by Stillwater, a lovable and wise panda. The book’s illustrations are every bit as subtle and gentle as the stories, with lush watercolors punctuated by the occasional ink drawing.

Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker, by Patricia Hruby Powell and Christian Robinson
Recipient of the Coretta Scott King Book Award illustrator honor, Josephine is a portrait of performer and civil rights advocate Josephine Baker, the woman who emerged from humble beginnings in the St. Louis slums and sashayed onto the grandest stages in the world. Artist Christian Robinson, who has worked with Pixar, Jib Jab and the Sesame Street Workshop, showcases Baker in all her bold, beautiful glory through masterful acrylic paintings.

Lost & Found, by Shaun Tan
A collection of three insightful stories originally published as separate titles in Australia, Lost & Found is the kind of book that will captivate kids and adults alike. The stories all struggle with the concept of belonging and what it means to be lost, while the illustrations transport the reader into an often bleak, but deeply compelling landscape, like a kinder, gentler “Blade Runner.” It’s easy to see why Tan won an Academy Award in 2011 for the short film, “The Lost Thing,” based on one of the stories in this collection.

Uptown, by Bryan Collier
Harlem as seen through the eyes of a young boy, with each page a riff on what the boy loves best about his neighborhood’s sights, sounds, tastes and culture. The illustrations are a distinctive collage-and-paint mix, where barbershops, basketball courts and a row of brownstones leap to life. The text is jazzy and sparkling, but the illustrations are truly electric, with textures that match the energy and joy of the city.

Flotsam, by David Wiesner
It’s an ordinary day at the beach when an underwater camera washes ashore and a young boy develops the film. The photographs are anything but ordinary, though, revealing the magical worlds that exist both above and below sea level. Flotsam is a wordless and wondrous romp that proves why David Wiesner is recognized as one of the most inventive visual storytellers in children’s literature.

Red Knit Cap Girl, by Naoko Stoop
Though Red Knit Cap Girl lives in an enchanted forest and there is so much to do, her biggest desire is to meet the moon. This parable-like story, as still and quiet as meditation, meshes perfectly with the accompanying wood-grain paintings. Red Knit Cap Girl and her woodland friends are so cozy and familiar, you’ll close this book reluctantly.

The Farmer and the Clown, by Marla Frazee
Two-time Caldecott Honor medalist Marla Frazee has done what few others can do—create a totally endearing, non-creepy clown. A baby clown is separated from his family when he bounces off a circus train and ends up in a sweeping wheat field, near a hard-working farmer. As this unlikely friendship blossoms, so does the joy in this wordless story.

 Who are your favorite children’s book illustrators?