I am currently obsessed with the artists and children's book authors Aleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinski. We recently borrowed two of their books from our local library and I have sheepishly reached the renewal limit… I can't bear to give them back!
Maps is an illustrated tour around the world, complete with adorable and tiny illustrations of local cuisine, wildlife, dress, customs, entertainment, and geographic highlights of each featured country.
Hand-lettered blurbs, tucked beside illustrations, briefly describe the country's history and provide some context for the pictures. My daughter wasn't totally into this one (she's, um, 2) but for an older kid, what a wonderful and fun way to introduce a child to geography, history, and the wonder of travel.
Welcome To Mamoko is a gorgeously illustrated book that takes readers into a fantasy world that looks a lot like a modern city, only the animals behave just like humans (and happen to be dressed as hipsters). It's a bit of puzzle, too… follow along scene by scene to help solve a mini-mystery. Of course, each page-spread is a feast for the eyes, with a richly colored, slightly distorted perspective on a cross-section of urban life.
Locals, I promise to return these soon so you can enjoy them, too.
