Jon Klassen is a brilliant artist with a unique style that we just love. From his collaborations with other authors to the three books he authored himself, there are so many Klassen books to enjoy! Comment with your faves below@
The Wolf, The Duck, and the Mouse by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen is a hilarious tale of a mouse who is eaten by a wolf, and finds a friendly duck already swallowed and living quite elegantly in the wolf’s belly. Things go a bit awry for the wolf who encounters a hunter, and after many plot twists, the readers learn why wolves howl at the moon.
Sam and Dave Dig a Hole also by Mac Bennet and illustrated by Jon Klassen is awesome for kids and for adults. Sam and Dave decide to dig a deep hole, and each time they get close to an amazing discovery, they choose a different path. Finally they take a break, fall asleep, and fall through a hole to the other side that looks nearly the same (but not exactly!) as their home. My kids love spotting the differences!
Jon Klassen wrote and illustrated the hat series- This is Not my Hat, We Found a Hat, and I Want My Hat Back. Each features an animal or two who want a hat- some learn about sharing the hat, some learn about not taking from others, and some learn about revenge. All are simply written and so fun to read. It’s a great story for making predictions about what will happen next.
House Held Up By Trees by Ted Kooser and illustrated by Jon Klassen is a longer picture book that tells the story of the lifetime of a house and its yard- from well kept by a young family as they grow up to abandoned as the family moves away. Magically, trees grow up around the house, lift it off it’s foundation, and bring a new life to an old house. My oldest loved this one, and Klassen’s unique style showcased the beauty of the house at all those different stages.
Circle, Square, and Triangle are another Mac Bennett and Jon Klassen collaboration. Each story involves the other shape characters and each ends by asking readers to engage in the story. Square teaches readers about hard work and perspective when Circle dubs Square an artistically genius, which he doesn’t see in himself. Triangle shows readers the impact when friends play sneaky tricks on one another. Circle is about the three friends, Circle, Square, and Triangle playing a game where Triangle breaks the one rule and Circle must save her.