Time for a new fun little feature called “Feedback Friday”. I’d love to know…
If you were stranded on a desert island, what ONE picture book would you want to have with you? And why?
Here’s my answer:
Why this book?
Because as a young girl, I loved my stuffed animals. I thought they were real. This is exactly how Emily Brown feels about Stanley. I get Emily Brown, I really do. In the story, Stanley accompanies Emily Brown on all her adventures…into the sea, into space…and a silly, naughty Queen takes notice. The Queen begs for her Bunny-Wunny, but Emily Brown won’t budge. She’s a little firecracker, that one.
This story has adventure, mystery, royalty, and a happy ending for all. I’ve read it a hundred times and it’s never gotten old. If I can’t cuddle with a stuffed animal while I’m stranded, I’ll be fine and dandy cuddling with my copy of this book (especially if it’s paperback and not hardcover).
So tell me, what ONE picture book would you want to wash up on the shore?
Writing for Kids (While Raising Them) 
34 comments
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May 4, 2012 at 11:11 am
katiemillsgiorgio
Love this question! Hard to choose…but I’ll go with my childhood favorite The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton. Not only is the house adorable but I also loved as a child that the house enjoyed all the seasons. While I was sweltering in the island heat (I assumed tropical not Antarctic island) I’d like to at least reminiscence about the apple trees in the spring and ice skating on the little pond in winter.
May 4, 2012 at 11:26 am
Alexa
A Birthday for Francis by Russell Hoban. No one quite captures the essence of childhood like he does. Such witty and true dialog! What I’ve come to really appreciate lately about the Francis series is that their word count is considerably higher than what gets published today; yet they still withstand repeated readings. Now, who’s hungry for a Chompo Bar?
May 4, 2012 at 11:29 am
Diane Anton Sherrouse
How to name a favorite song, color, or book? Since these answers depend upon moods and circumstances, I’d choose to find the Dr. Seuss title, “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” somewhere on that desert island. It would give me hope for my future while in “The Waiting Place.”
Thanks for a thought-provoking question that I want to ask guests at my next dinner party. You have a wonderful site! Hope you’ll visit me at http://www.thereadingroad.com.
May 4, 2012 at 11:39 am
ipaperavison
Love CLICK-CLACK-MOO. Those ducks quack me up — and my grandkids, too!
May 4, 2012 at 11:40 am
Margo Sorenson (@ipapaverison)
CLICK-CLACK-MOO — those ducks quack me up — my grandkids, too!
May 4, 2012 at 11:44 am
Julie Fulton
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson (after much consideration – there are loads of favourites from my childhood I’ve left behind with a tear)! I love the rhythm & rhyme of this PB and can see myself whiling away the days making up tunes to sing the story to. I expect I’d also be keeping a lookout for the witch herself (and her broom), just in case there was room for me to ride off the island with her!
May 4, 2012 at 3:04 pm
sabrina
I LOVE this one as well… I actually had it before buying the Grufallo 🙂 It’s all worn out and whenever I get to pick the bedtime book, I try to sneak this one in… I simply love the sounds of the words used in this book, even more than in the Grufallo
May 5, 2012 at 2:51 am
Julie Fulton
Yep. It’s definitely my favourite Julia Donaldson. The Snail and The Whale does run it a close second!
May 4, 2012 at 11:47 am
Lori Alexander
I’ll go with my new love…NEVILLE. I was always a bit envious of my super-funny, outgoing brother. He made new friends in a snap. I was the shy one, so I complete relate to Neville when he moves into a new neighborhood and has to make friends from scratch. His idea is pure genius—had this book been around when I was kid, I surely would have wandered the neighborhood, yelling, “Lori! Lori!”
May 4, 2012 at 11:47 am
Elizabeth Stevens Omlor
A Sick Day for Amos McGee. It is quite possibly the warmest, fuzziest, sweetest book ever written. Being stranded on an island would be kinda lonely. Amos and his friends would be the perfect companions.
May 4, 2012 at 12:10 pm
Julie Siegel Falatko
Well that’s an incredibly difficult question! I just went and squatted in front of our bookshelf trying to decide. I was tempted by one of the Frances books too, and a little tempted by one of the Betty Bunny books, but in the end I choose Amos and Boris by William Steig. Beautiful, poetic, funny, perfect drawings, and a story I could find hope in while stranded on a desert island!
May 4, 2012 at 12:17 pm
hollyruppel
Ooh, I love this question, Tara! It would be so difficult to choose only one, but I’d go with a new favorite: Chopsticks by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Scott Magoon. It’s clever, it has fun, whimsical illustrations, and it keeps me amused. I’d need to be amused if I were on a deserted island. Plus, it’s a reminder that it’s good to do things on our own. That’s super important for deserted islands, too.
May 4, 2012 at 12:42 pm
slpstanley
With only one (!) PB to take, I would have to choose my tried and true favorite…the one that I read daily as a child…they one that inspired me to read, then write…The Seven Wonderful Cats by Wallace Wadsworth. If I was alone on this island, I would feel right at home with all those kitties for company.
May 4, 2012 at 1:07 pm
michaelsussman310115541
Great quetion, Tara.
I would have to choose The Shrinking of Treehorn, by Florence Parry Heide. I never tire of her dry wit and the way she captures a child’s sense of not being understood–or even listened to–by parents and other adults. Plus, Edward Gorey’s illustrations are just perfect.
May 4, 2012 at 1:24 pm
Tim Brandhorst
There are so many, but if I had to choose one, I’d probably go with the first Babar story. Babar leaves home, finds himself in a strange place, is cared for by a stranger, and winds up returning home to a huge celebration–that would be a comforting story, stranded on a desert island!
May 4, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Susanna Leonard Hill
Oh my gosh! Just one? Really? I seriously don’t think I could choose! I’m going to have to think about this for SOME TIME!
May 4, 2012 at 1:51 pm
Stephanie Shaw
LILLY’S PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE by Kevin Henkes…I’d just love to imagine that jaunty tune that the purse plays —- not to mention the cheesy snacks.
May 4, 2012 at 2:11 pm
Penny Klostermann
I can’t believe I can only have one…can’t a box of books wash up…or a boat of books???? Ummmm….
A Visitor For Bear
May 4, 2012 at 2:44 pm
You can't hide the spark
That is a really REALLY hard question…I have a library of picture books any 6 year old would be proud of! I’m going to have to go with ‘Horton Hatches an Egg’ (Dr Seuss) or ‘There Is a Bird on Your Head!’ (Mo Willems). Both are genius. Both never fail to make me smile and put life into perspective 🙂
May 4, 2012 at 2:56 pm
sherry taylor
Tara,
What is the title and author of your favorite picture book? It sounds wonderful.
May 4, 2012 at 4:45 pm
Brianna Soloski
The Polar Express (or Sector 7 by David Weisner, because this one has no words so you could make up 100s of stories to pass the time).
May 4, 2012 at 5:34 pm
Cathy Ballou Mealey
The Snowman by Raymond Briggs
My son has been addicted to this video for about 3 years…but I prefer this wordless picture book that inspired the movie. Gentle and sweet, the ending could really become its own beginning.
Plus, it might get hot on that island and this would help cool me off!
May 4, 2012 at 10:33 pm
Rebecca
These types of things are so hard for me! I love so many picture books…but if I HAD to choose I think it would be Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson because it is so fun to read aloud.
Ask me tomorrow and I might have a different answer. Ha.
May 5, 2012 at 9:45 am
gobunnybooks
Reblogged this on Go Bunny Books and commented:
I’ve never heard of this book, but the cover is very cute.
May 5, 2012 at 1:34 pm
Kim Pfennigwerth (@kpfenni)
My choice I read over & over to my kids: King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Audrey & Don Wood A fun read and magic illustrations.
May 5, 2012 at 6:29 pm
Sharon K Mayhew
My choice would be Home Place by Crescent Dragonwagon. I fell in love with it when I first started teaching. I used it in my class every year. It’s the book that made me want to be a writer.
May 6, 2012 at 8:12 am
Bigfoot
If I were stranded on a desert island, I’d probably want a book that would remind me that we all have rotten luck now and then—I’d want one of my all-time favorites: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst.
May 6, 2012 at 10:39 am
Ellen L. Ramsey
I love Emily Brown too! For the Desert Island question, it’s a toss-up between Sarah Stewart’s The Library (a book about books so I could dream about all the libraries full of books I’d enjoy once I was off the island, or maybe I’d start writing books on the rocks) and David Small’s Paper John (like Paper John, maybe I could fashion an amazing paper boat that would get me off the island!) Look forward to reading some of the other books mentioned in the comments–particularly Crescent Dragonwagon’s Home Place and Room on the Broom.
May 6, 2012 at 8:15 pm
Jennifer Worrell
I’d have to say the Cow that Went Oink. I also love Judith Viorst books. I know this is mostly about picture books, but I still need my Judy Blume books:)
May 7, 2012 at 10:09 am
Rebecca Van Slyke
My new favorite: PIGGY BUNNY by Rachel Vail. I love Liam’s belief not only in himself, but what he COULD be! *whispering* “Yes!”
May 7, 2012 at 11:02 am
JoAn Watson Martin
Just received to review: Ambition’s Not An Awful Word by Zack Zage, published by Ivy Court Press,Williamsburg,VA. Zack’s ambitions are humorously described, but shot down for valid reasons. A glossary is included. The spec sheet: “A gift to parents who have struggled to stay awake while reading a bedtime story to the kids.” A picture book for older kids.
May 7, 2012 at 1:51 pm
Jurneemom
Stand tall Molly Lou melon written by Patty Lovell with illustrations by David Catrow. Not only is it awe inspiring for children and adults for all ages, but the illustrations are a text of their own.
May 7, 2012 at 6:53 pm
carol gordon ekster
Madeline was a favorite when I was young and a favorite to read to my daughter. But there are so many amazing picture books that I wish I were clever enough to have written!
May 14, 2012 at 7:37 pm
Olga Loya
I would like Where the Wild things are by Maurice Sendak
I liked it that Max was able to have an adventure and still have his dinner!
I also liked the way he was the one that controlled the Wild things.
This was a favorite book of my grand daughter and grandson and mine too.