My top 10 picture books

School Library Journal blog A Fuse #8 Production is hosting a Top 100 Picture Books Poll. Folks submit a list of their top 10 picture books by the end of March and then Fuse tabulates them and comes up with a list. The final list should be great!

So, since I like making lists, my top 10 picture books are as follows:

1. Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey - I have loved this book since I was a child. Sal and a baby bear mixing up their mothers is gentle and speaks to the caution of adults and innocent bravery of children. Lovely.
2. Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg - stunning illustrations and captivating story. I especially adore the illustration of the lion.
3. The Snowman by Raymond Briggs - a wordless masterpiece.
4. Lost & Found by Oliver Jeffers - I picked it up and read it in a bookstore about 2 years ago and I still can't walk past it without reading it.
5. Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems - a cautionary tale indeed!
6. Red is best by Cathy Stinson - also a much-loved book from childhood.
7. Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard - I have a weakness for hilarious picture books, and this one is a hoot with innovative and vibrant illustrations.
8. The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch - I was torn between this and Munsch's Millicent and the wind. The princess wins due to her stubbornness and can-do mentality.
9. Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt - a testament to the rewards of risk and adventure.
10. No! That's wrong! by Zhaohua Ji (my review) - how can I possibly resist a rabbit with underpants on its head? Turns out I can't.

I will link to the final list when it comes out. Can't wait!