Locomotive by Brian Floca is one of my family’s favorite non-fiction picture books. Dense with information, but told in a narrative style, it’s perfect both for a school reading and a bedtime read-aloud. The text is long (for a picture book), but my train-loving son requested we read this book over and over to him when he was just three.

The artwork is amazing, so it’s no surprise that Floca won the Caldecott Medal for this book. Made with ink, watercolor, acrylic, and gouache, the illustrations capture an old-world feel, while still coming across as fresh and contemporary. Details abound. From the expansive western scenery, to the jaw-dropping Dale Creek Bridge, to the careful replications of the locomotive itself, one could easily spend time poring over these pages without reading any of the text. And don’t overlook the endpapers! They are full of facts and diagrams, adding more hard-core nonfiction material to the book.

Locomotive is perfect for train enthusiasts and would be an excellent addition to any U.S. History study. Mr. Floca provides extra materials on his website to supplement the book, including a coloring page of the locomotive (a favorite in our house!) and teacher’s guide. I heartily recommend this book for all ages, particularly 4-12 years old.

I admit it. The first time I read Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems, I thought the book had received too my hype. Fun? Sure. But a modern children’s classic? I wasn’t convinced.

Fast forward a few years. I decided to re-visit Knuffle Bunny, and I also read Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity and Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion . Maybe I needed the full trilogy experience. Maybe it was the way my son asked me to read all the books again and again. Maybe it was the way the final Note to Trixie gave me all the feels. This time there was no doubt in my mind: the Knuffle Bunny books are indeed modern classics.

The first, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, introduces us to Trixie, her parents, and of course, her beloved Knuffle Bunny. Trixie’s toddler antics ensue when she accidentally leaves Knuffle Bunny in the laundromat, but lacks the verbal skills to tell her parents. The second, Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity, introduces us to Trixie’s classmate and fellow toy bunny lover, Sonja. Trixie and Sonja fight over who has the best bunny, but after an inadvertent switch leaves each with the wrong bunny, they have to come together in order to be reunited with their own Knuffle Bunnies. The third and final installment, Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion, takes Trixie, her parents, and Knuffle Bunny on a trip to Holland. Trixie is excited to see her grandparents, but devastated when she realizes she left Knuffle Bunny on the airplane.

The Knuffle Bunny books are funny yet poignant. I intend to gift them to newly expecting parents, as I think they belong in that special class of children’s books that are equally meaningful to parents as they are entertaining to kids. I enthusiastically recommend these books for kids ages 3-6, though don’t be surprised if the older kids still laugh and the adults fight back nostalgic tears.

I’m a big fan of narrative nonfiction. For picture books, I particularly like historical nonfiction that highlights lesser known stories from the past. The Eye That Never Sleeps: How Detective Pinkerton Saved President Lincoln by Marissa Moss, illustrated by Jeremy Holmes tells the story of the assassination attempt on Lincoln before he was inaugurated as president in 1861. I think this story is particularly effective because it takes a well-known figure (Lincoln) and tells how a lesser known figure (Pinkerton) was important in shaping the course of history through behind-the-scenes action. Lincoln serves as the entry point for the story, drawing readers in and giving them context, but Pinkerton is the true agent of change in this book.

The book begins with a little back story on Pinkerton: how he came to the United States from Scotland with his wife, how he grew a successful barreling business, and how he eventually became involved in detective work. The story then moves quickly ahead to Pinkerton’s protection of Lincoln in the days before Lincoln’s presidential inauguration. Both text and illustrations do an excellent job of showing the tension between the northern and southern states so that readers feel Lincoln’s peril at every turn.

Holmes’ illustrations are detailed and precise, in red, orange, brown, and purple palettes. Multiple fonts are used throughout, from newspaper headlines to speech and thought bubbles, and this variation brings extra life into the illustrations. Holmes has an Artist’s Note at the end that describes how he created his work in digital scratchboard style, and this is a worthwhile read for those who are curious in artistic methods.

Even the formatting of this book is worth a mention. The pages are thick, and the book is in landscape orientation, which add to the richness of the illustrations. It’s longer than traditional picture books, coming in at 48 pages instead of the default 32, but even so, each page is utilized to the max. There are five pages of back-matter, including a timeline of Pinkerton’s life, Artist’s and Author’s Notes, bibliography, and index.

I recommend this book for ages eight and up, which differs from the publisher’s recommendation of ages 6-9. I do think that readers ages 6-7 could enjoy it as well, but due to the high word count and extra length, I think it more suitable for older elementary aged kids. The interesting story and amazing illustrations may very well tempt tweens and teens into reading it as well.