6 Photography Picture Books
"The deer saw it from the depths of the forest and the grass stayed unchewed in his mouth."
Deep dives on great picture books are here.
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Last week we talked about the photographic work of Tana Hoban, and this week we’re recommending six more photography picture books not by Tana Hoban, including a top-five Margaret Wise Brown book for Mac, a book recommendation that is also a movie recommendation, and an honorable mention book that Jon got so excited about when he saw it at Mac’s house that he tracked down a copy for himself, apparently forgetting that Mac gave him a copy as a gift.
I feel, by George Ancona
You’ve probably seen books like this: a list of emotions, illustrated by photographs, one emotion per spread.
I feel, by the prolific Ancona, is distinguished by the richness of the images and his interest in conveying the complexity of feelings. His picture of pride, for instance, contains more than a smidgeon of embarrassment.
And Ancona’s depictions of “negative” emotions — fear, anger, jealousy, loneliness — are unflinching while remaining sympathetic. Maybe they’re more sympathetic because they’re unflinching? These are feelings children’s books often frame as problems to solve — or even exclude altogether from stories’ emotional palettes. Look at Ancona’s spread for “hurt.”
Here’s a kid in real pain, crying at the park. It’s a harrowing photograph. But it’s also something kids see every day on the playground, and very seldom in their picture books.
—MAC