Best illustrated books all over the world
Original title: Пико — хрустальное горлышко Piko — The Crystal Throat by Nikolai Kosmin is a fairy tale about a small thrush named Piko, born in the kingdom of Vrunglupia — a land where lies, flattery, envy, and spite are part of daily life. Piko is different: he speaks the […]
Original title: Послушай-ка, слон One day, instead of taking the vitamins his mother so thoughtfully gave him, Pinya secretly feeds them to Dominic, a white porcelain elephant he found in the attic. After a while, Dominic suddenly discovers that his bookshelf has become a bit cramped. Thus, Pinya gains a […]
Art is like plasticine — in human hands, it takes whatever form they choose. It is a powerful tool, that is capable of changing people’s opinions, becoming both a means of protest and a call to action. In “Art is a Voice”, Kripa shows that art can not only tell […]
Original title: Ognivo Andersen’s tale of the soldier, the witch, and the magical tinderbox is one of his earliest works, first published in 1835. Behind its simple plot of greed, chance, and power lies a story about desire and its consequences, about how quickly fortune can turn. Viktor Chizhikov’s illustrations […]
Original title: Zagadki The first riddles by Korney Chukovsky appeared in 1928 in the children’s magazine Yozh. For decades, the poet returned to this playful form, weaving rhythm, humor, and hidden meaning into short verses. In this edition, the riddles unfold with the illustrations of Viktor Chizhikov. His images add […]
You? by Vladimir Radunsky tells a quiet, simple story of connection between a girl and a small dog, separated by a hedge. Both are alone in their own worlds: she watches the dogs that pass by, he watches the people who walk past. Their curiosity finally brings them together, and […]
Thomas Handforth was not Chinese, but that did not stop him from publishing one of the most iconic children’s books of the time in 1939, dedicated to the peculiarities of Chinese culture and tradition. A successful American engraver and artist, Handforth traveled a lot, having traveled almost half the world. […]
The neighbor’s house has been empty for a long time. Looking at it from her window, Stella sighs. She has already stopped hoping for a neighbor her age, when suddenly a miracle happens: Moon itself descends from the sky, and moves in next door! A friendship quickly blossoms between them […]
A hundred years ago, in 1920, Hugh Lofting’s The Story of Doctor Dolittle was published. Just a few years later, in 1923–1924, Korney Chukovsky adapted it into Russian and soon created his own verse tales about Doctor Aybolit. In 1936, the fairy tale Doctor Aybolit was published, and since then […]
Original title: Vniz po volshebnoy reke This fairy tale introduces readers to Mitya, a boy who spends his summer in the countryside and unexpectedly crosses into the world of Russian folklore. Alongside characters such as Baba Yaga, Vasiliisa the Wise, the Gray Wolf, and the Tsar, he faces Koshchei the […]
Original title: Dobryy den’ Good Day is a collection of poems and tales by Lev Kuzmin. His writing combines simplicity and warmth, with themes that speak directly to children. Everyday situations turn into playful verses and short stories, full of humor and rhythm. The book is illustrated by Viktor Chizhikov. […]
A beautiful, slightly dark book that reinterprets the plots of well-known fairy tales, with authentic illustrations by Anthony Brown that rhythmically fit the poetry of Gwen Strauss. The characters familiar to us from childhood find themselves in a metaphorical dark forest, where they face their fears, experiencing moments of love, […]
This picture book is a warm collection of short verses and little stories about children playing, pretending, and figuring out the world together. Ruth Krauss’s text is simple and playful, and Maurice Sendak’s drawings capture the small, everyday dramas and joys of childhood. It’s an early example of how well […]
My Dolly is based on a song by Woody Guthrie and features illustrations by Vladimir Radunsky. The book uses collage techniques and incorporates elements of children’s drawings. The text follows the song, describing the doll singing, dancing, eating, and sleeping, while the illustrations create a playful visual context. Radunsky’s approach […]
Original title: Otkuda berutsya sny Every day, a boy in a striped cap named Didis works tirelessly. He catches fluffy clouds and shadows of rainbow butterflies in his magic net. Sometimes he manages to catch the bright tail of a big rainbow and add the buzzing of bees and croaking […]
Original title: Dvadtsat’ let pod krovat’yu Twenty Years Under the Bed by Viktor Dragunsky is a humorous short story from the Deniska’s Stories cycle. The children decide to play hide-and-seek in a communal apartment. Denis hides under a neighbor’s bed, but the game ends before anyone remembers about him. Left […]
Waffle shows a small character who wants something but moves with uncertainty. Each hesitant action meets a crowd of tiny laughing faces, forming patterns and shapes across the pages. Typography and symbols wobble and shift, echoing the tension and movement. Words and faces interact, responding to each step, reflecting hesitation […]
The books in the E. H. Minarik series about the Little Bear are practically classics of American children’s literature. The series of six collections, the first appeared in 1957, is addressed to beginning readers and consists of simple stories from the life of a mother bear and her Little Bear […]
Animali in città (2019) by Bruno Cignini, illustrated by Andrea Antinori, is an exciting journey into the secret lives of animals living in the heart of cities. From familiar pigeons and seagulls to unexpected visitors like foxes, parrots, and crabs, zoologist Bruno Cignini and illustrator Andrea Antinori invite readers to […]
Peter and the Wolf is Chris Raschka’s retelling of Sergei Prokofiev’s classic musical tale. The story follows Peter as he ventures outside, meets animal friends, and finally comes face to face with the wolf. Raschka doesn’t just illustrate — he also plays with the text. His words are short, rhythmic, […]