Reviewing the Best Children's Picture Books

What criteria are used to review a children’s picture book? 

For the books that will be reviewed in this blog, I intend to look at them in several ways:

1. What story does the book tell? What are the key elements of this story that makes it stand out – its humor, moral, surprise, wit, imagination, etc?
2. How do the illustrations compliment the story?
3. To make it into publication a story must have some spark of imagination. What do I think is the spark that caught the eye of the publisher, and would catch the imagination of the reader?
4.  How does this story speak to children? Does it make them laugh, question, or understand something? Is it scary or comforting? Why would a child like this? Would they want to read it (or have it read) again and again?
5. Is there something that makes this book unique?
6. Finally: Why would you want to read this book to your child? What makes it so special?
7. Summary:  How I would describe and recommend this book to a friend.

My intention is not to critique the books and say this one is bad and that one is good (although I may like some better than others.) If a story has made it through the maze of publication, there has to be some reason it got this far… so I approach each book wondering why it “made the list” and why I would want to read it to a child.

For more about Alan Elliott visit www.alanelliott.com