just imagine!

Today’s five books are an exuberant celebration of imagination!
Check out these fizzing titles!

Imagine! a wordless book by Raúl Colón
published in 2018, a Paula Wiseman Book, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

With his drop-dead gorgeous illustrations, richly textured, shimmering with color like the iridescent feathers of a butterfly’s wing, Raúl Colón leads us on another journey of Imagination and the Arts.

Drawing on his own experience as a young person astounded by the splendors in an art museum, Colón introduces us to one Brooklyn boy who visits MoMA and encounters art that literally comes alive.

This boy and several figures who have clambered out of their paintings tour all the iconic sites of New York City until, at the end of the day, he travels back home, pausing to unfurl his own artistry on a vacant brick wall.

Sparkling with wonder, it’s a wordless story that celebrates fine art, museums, and the power of creativity. Enjoy it with ages 5 and up.

The Night Box, written by Louise Greig, illustrated by Ashling LIndsay
published in the UK in 2017; first US edition 2018 by Clarion Books

Imagine a box in a little boy’s room.

Imagine a small key, kept by the boy.

It’s his job to open that box at bedtime with a *click* unleashing the Night. Watch it sweep out in all its inky splendor, chasing away the colors of Daylight, turning up the sounds against the stillness, spilling out across the sleeping world, stretching up to display a thousand shining stars.

I am smitten with this enchanting, lyrical, gorgeous spin on the beauties of Nighttime. Striking illustrations grace every page with the glow and velvet richness of midnight. A treasure to share with ages 4 and up.

Charlie’s Magical Carnival, written and illustrated by Marit Törnqvist
first published in Dutch in 2014; English edition 2018 by Floris Books

Charlie’s imagination is running in overdrive as he anticipates going to the carnival with his Mama. As she distractedly rummages for Charlie’s belongings, he poses outlandish what-if questions: What if the town had elephants instead of cars?! What if people lived in soaring treehouses?

When these two finally do enter the throngs of carnival visitors, they’re both astonished to see Charlie’s what-ifs coming true in spectacular, fantastical fashion! It’s a carnival to top all carnivals!

Jubilant color, fanciful compositions, and snazzy gate-folds that open up a world bubbling with curiosity and pizzazz make this book like a walk through a candy store!

Delicious, unquenchable joy and magic to inspire sweet dreams for ages 3 and up.

Twinkle, written by Katharine Holabird, illustrated by Sarah Warburton
published in 2018 by Little Simon, a division of Simon & Schuster

Fairy dust. Sparkling wands. A shimmer of pink dancing from every surface. Ethereal, petal-shaped tutus. A charming village of tiny, colorful, sleeping pods suspended in the lithe branches of a magical tree.

What’s not to love about the bewitching fairy world in this new tale from the author of the Angelina Ballerina series.

Twinkle begins fairy school with her best friends, eager to learn spells that change teapots to tiaras, but swishing her wand and recalling those charms doesn’t come easily for her. Instead, she creates messes, muddles, and mayhem, until her patient teacher, Miss Flutterbee, helps her discover a solution.

Sweet as cotton candy, raspberry lemonade, marshmallow cupcakes with candy sprinkles…what other similes can I come up with? You know the children, ages 3 and up, who will happily gobble this up!

Animalphabet, written by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Sharon King-Chai
published in 2018 by Dial Books for Young Readers

Finally, an alphabet book that simply sparkles with beauty and charm!

A series of riddle-some questions leads us through an alphabetical sequence of animals from ant to zebra. The magical part comes from the exquisite artwork. A lush riot of color and design emboldens and snazzles every page.

Adding immensely to the delight are the fanciful cut-outs, layered die-cut pages to unfold, gatefolds to open, pages dancing with scalloped and curving and saw-toothed edges. It’s like a wonderland of enchanting surprises and discoveries.

Here’s a clip showing off the first few pages:

 

It’s rather a fragile book, so use your judgement with little ones or simply prepare to tape a lot of pages! So tantalizing, though. A visual extravaganza for ages 3 and up.