This is the story of a girl made of paper: bright, kind, and eager to please. But no matter what she folds herself into, it never feels like enough. A tender fable of self-care and discovering who you are.
★ “Stunning illustrations utilizing the Japanese art of kirie—paper cutting—enliven this fabulistic feminist tale.” —Foreword Reviews, Starred Review
“…a memorable, meaningful reading experience.” —School Library Journal
Illustrations are what bring picture books to life. They’re often what helps draw in early readers, so finding books with beautiful illustration styles can make the reading experience even more fun and accessible. Cut art and collage art picture books are one style I find particularly enchanting. They have a certain childlike playfulness in every illustration. They invite children to take part in an art form that feels more accessible, almost like they could create art like it themselves, in some way, shape, or form.
Classics like The Snowy Day and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom are great examples of collage-style picture books. But the name almost everyone is going to think of when it comes to the cut collage style art is Eric Carle, and rightly so. Eric Carle is almost synonymous with this style of illustration, with dozens of books to his name and an entire museum of his artwork. His hand-painted tissue paper collages are so recognizable that my now-four-year-old nephew used to pick out his books at the library, knowing they were from one of his favorite authors from style alone.
But Eric Carle isn’t the only illustrator to utilize this style of artwork to great effect. Many authors and illustrators of books, both new and old, fill their pages with cut art collage-style illustrations, and it is just as fun and delightful as anything you’ve seen before. Go deeper into the wonderful world of collage-art picture books with these beautiful recommendations.
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Nimesh the Adventurer by Ranjit Singh
A little boy with a big imagination finds a shark in the hallway and a dragon in the library. There’s even a road in his neighborhood leading to the North Pole! Nimesh the Adventurer shows that with a little–or big–imagination, even the most ordinary moments can turn into something incredible.
Unbound: the Life and Art of Judith Scott by Joyce Scott, Brie Spangler, and Melissa Sweet, illustrated by Melissa Sweet
The twin sister of artist Judith Scott tells her sister’s story in this beautiful picture book about how our differences make us unique. Judith Scott, born deaf and with Down Syndrome, was institutionalized until she was reunited with her sister, Joyce, who enrolled her in art classes. Soon, Judith was proving that limitations are only imposed by others, as her art became celebrated and displayed in museums and galleries around the world.
Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert
Together, a mother and daughter watch a garden grow into a rainbow of colors in this classic cut-art picture book from Caldecott Honoree Lois Ehlert (Eating the Alphabet, Growing Vegetable Soup, and Snowballs). It’s a celebration of colors, gardening, and mother-daughter relationships that might even inspire children to start a garden of their own.
American Desi by Jyoti Rajan Gopal and illustrated by Supriya Kelkar
A young girl trying to figure out where she fits in realizes she doesn’t have to choose between her American and Indian identities in this lovely story about being bicultural. The story is paired with a collage of Indian and American fabrics to bring this colorful tale of cultural celebration to life.
Grow Big, Little Seed by Bec Nanayakkara and illustrated by Sarah Capon
A little girl and her mother experience loss in this gorgeous book from Bec Nanayakkara and Sarah Capon. When Nina plants a pumpkin seed in the garden, she imagines herself and her little sister playing in the leaves of a fully grown plant. But just as her little plant fails to grow, her mother experiences pregnancy loss. Nina can’t imagine planting another seed, but after a year, she’s ready to try again. Soon, she’s enjoying the garden with not just one little sister, but two.
One Yellow Ribbon by Marthe Jocelyn
In this delightfully imaginative picture book, the yellow ribbon from a girl’s hair transforms into a winter scarf, a field, and even a lion’s mane. Written without words, the collage-style illustrations encourage little readers to look closely and use their imagination to see all the things a ribbon might become.
I’m From by Gary R. Gray Jr. and illustrated by Oge Mora
This poetic picture book, featuring dreamy cut-paper art by Caldecott Honoree Oge Mora and debut author Gary R. Gray, is all about the things that define the place one young boy is from. It’s the homemade pancakes he wakes up to and the raucous bus ride and games with his family and friends that make his day–and his life–so wonderfully unique.
Clothes to Make Your Smile by Dr. Eric Darnell Pritchard and illustrated by Shannon Wright
I had the privilege of attending a reading of Pritchard’s lovely picture book at my local book festival earlier this year (shout out to NWA Bookfest!), and it’s one I can’t wait to share with the kiddos in my life. It tells the biographical story of influential Black fashion designer Patrick Kelly and how he learned to sew from his grandmother as a child. It’s a lovely story about being true to yourself and not letting others dictate your style or who you are.
For more cut art and collage-style picture book recommendations, check out these picture books with collage illustrations and our picks for the 10 best Eric Carle books.
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