5 reasons why some picture books are irresistable

I was extremely delighted upon receiving my orders from the Book Depository online bookstore. My children and even my husband were excited too! These are my best picks due to reasons which I have summarised in 5 points below:

1. Detailed, unique and beautiful illustrations

A picture speaks a thousand words so I place this at the top of my list. For some books like Gorilla by Anthony Browne, the images alone capture the hearts of readers. For example, the sad expression of the orang-utan and the chimpanzee in the zoo was depicted so well, anyone could tell at a glance the feeling of animals which are caged up and not having freedom to move around freely.

2. A unique storyline

Amongst these 5 books, Dear Zoo has the simplest illustrations but the most adorable plot - a simple but unique story which teaches children about different animals in the zoo and their characters (e.g. grumpy camel, dangerous snake, etc). It is amazing how such a simple book could be a favourite for both children as well as adults!   

3. A moral value for both children and adults

I would like to mention about Gorilla again - an amazing story which gives me a great slap in my face as a parent. It teaches us how important it is to spend as much time as possible with our children no matter how busy we may be with work. (Even right now, I'm typing this post while my toddlers are asleep!)
Another fantastic book, Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns by Hena Khan, invites the readers to appreciate the colours of family - every colour plays an important in creating the beauty of a family.

4. Having historical elements

The Grand Mosque of Paris may be a book which is suitable for readers 16 years old and above due to the complicated history which it recounts, but the illustrations are sufficient for us parents to tell a story about how one group of people (the Muslims in Paris) helped another (the Jews) to escape from the bad guys (Nazis) during a time of war a long time ago (World War II).

5. Having something to count!

I simply love illustrations which contain things that can be counted. Demi is well known for her small and unique illustrations. Her book One Grain of Rice is one of my favourites because my 3 year old son can count the number of rice and baskets of rice or even animals carrying the baskets of rice on some of its pages even though he may not understand the concept of multiplication yet.

And there you have it, 5 reasons why some books are a must buy for me! How about you? =)