Go Ahead, Judge These 5 Gorgeous Picture Books by Their Covers

House Held Up by Trees, by Ted Kooser and Jon Klassen
House Held Up by Trees is an ode to love, loss, and nature. Penned by Ted Kooser, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, the book centers around a family of three, a father and his two children.

Love Is, by Diane Adams and Claire Keane
This book’s charming cover introduces an equally charming story. Diane Adams’s picture book follows a young girl and her feathered friend, a lost duckling. As the girl watches the bird grow from fragile duckling to creature ready for flight, she discovers the nature of love to be selfless, patient, and kind. A sweet story told in rhyme, this picture book is a winner from cover to cover.

The Night Gardener, by The Fan Brothers
The Night Gardener has one of the all-time best picture book covers; it draws you in immediately. The tree, the moon, the boy and the magic of twilight give the cover an almost spectral quality. Readers new to the book might think they are about to embark on a mysterious and spooky adventure. Though The Night Gardener is free from scares, it is indeed filled with wonderful mystery.
A boy watches as topiary art appears unannounced in his neighborhood. There is a leafy owl, cat, rabbit, and parrot. Soon, the neighborhood is populated by a zoo of animals made from branches and leaves. The Night Gardener, a modern classic, is the work of brothers Terry and Eric Fan.

Why Mosquitos Buzz in People’s Ears, by Verna Aardema, Leo Dillon, and Diane Dillon
Verna Aardema was a master storyteller, known for her children’s books centering around African folklore. Winner of the 1976 Caldecott Medal, Why Mosquitos Buzz in People’s Ears is one of Aardema’s most well-known works.
A collection of animals narrate this joyful cumulative tale. Each animal adds a layer to the story, until the tale reaches its comical conclusion. One of the book’s greatest strengths is its playful use of sound effects. Speaking from experience, children love this book! They delight in making the sounds of the jungle and its animals.

Cozy Classics: Pride & Prejudice, by Jack and Holman Wang
From first look, it’s clear, the Cozy Classics series is something special. Twin brothers Jack and Homan Wang use needle-felted creations to tell the stories of some of literature’s greatest works. Cozy Classics: Pride and Prejudice may be the best book of the lot!