From The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats to Frederick by Leo Lionni to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom illustrated by Lois Ehlert, there are lots of beloved classic picture books that use collage to create beautiful illustrations. And with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the more than 70 other books he created using a distinct collage style, Eric Carle is in a category all his own!
But there are also newer picture books that contain gorgeous collage illustrations. And today, I wanted to highlight a few of my favorites, while also shining a light on the illustrators keeping this art form alive and innovative within the picture book medium.
You Matter by Christian Robinson
Christian Robinson’s use of paint-stroked paper and collage feels reminiscent of Eric Carle. But the bold illustration style he uses to create the worlds within his picture books is also entirely his own. In this book, he zooms in and out on our world, highlighting the diversity among humans and the importance of all living things. If you like the vibrant collages in this story, also take a look at Another, School’s First Day of School, and The Bench.
My Cat Looks Like My Dad by Thao Lam
The patterned paper collages in this picture book are bright and humorous. The illustrations emphasize the ways the narrator’s cat and father are similar: from bright orange hair, to similar yoga poses, to a love of sardines. Then the narrator lists the ways they are like their mom, before revealing a truly surprising twist at the end of the book. The spare text and colorful collage work together for a silly, but satisfying story. For more of this author’s bold style, you can also check out Everybelly and The Line in the Sand.
Whose Bones Are Those? by Chihiro Takeuchi
Chihiro Takeuchi is a celebrated paper cut artist and illustrator from Japan. She’s published many books in Japanese, but there are now several available in English as well. This book introduces the concept of skeletons while asking readers to look closely in order to guess the animal from just the bones. I love how Takeuchi’s collage style is both childlike and very intricate. Her Paper Peek series also encourages readers to look closely. Can You Find My Robot’s Arm? is also visually delightful!
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Oscar Seeks a Friend by Paweł Pawlak, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones
In another book about bones, albiet a very different one, the Polish artist Pawel Pawlak uses collage to create a gloomy, almost spooky world within the story. Oscar is a vain skeleton with a missing tooth. He is lonely and assumes he has no friends because of his ugly smile. When a living human girl offers him her recently lost tooth in exchange for his help finding a friend, he jumps at the author. But after a day-long adventure together, he discovers that maybe the friend part is more important than the perfect smile. I love Pawlak’s illustration style. The different textures of his papers give a great depth to Oscar’s world. Pawlak has created over 30 books for children, but most of them are not in English yet (please consider this my petition to translate Moko into English because it looks so fun!).
Bug Hotel by Clover Robin
Clover Robin’s collage style is deeply inspired by nature and botanical patterns. Her illustrations feel intricate and organic at the same time. This beautiful lift-the-flap book provides interesting insect facts along with information on how to create ideal homes for different bugs. If you want more gorgeous illustrations combined with nature facts, round this book out with her companion books Animal Homes and Bird House.
This group of five books is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to picture books containing beautiful and bold illustrations. My advice is next time you read one of these, or another picture book that uses collage, you let the shapes, colors, and textures inspire you and any young readers with you to try out the art form yourself!
For more beautifully illustrated kids’ books, try these beautiful children’s books or these whimsical wordless picture books.
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