The Dark by Lemony Snicket

Little Laszlo is terribly afraid of the dark. But the dark is all around him, outside his window and house at night. The dark is even in his house. It lives in his basement!!
One very dark night, Laszlo is forced to confront his fear of the dark and meet it head on. Summoning his courage he goes out to meet the dark in his basement. Instead he discovers that the dark isn't so frightening after all. The dark does its thing and Laszlo does his. Everyone can relate to little Laszlo's fear. 

Lemony Snicket is the pen name of author Daniel Handler who wrote A Series of Unfortunate Events. As most younger readers know, Snicket is both author and narrator in the series.

The Dark is filled with Jon Klassen's gouache illustrations bearing his typically expressive, appealing touch. The illustrator of a picture book is so important because their drawings must portray a part of the story visually. Klassen always succeeds remarkably in this way.

Book Details:
The Dark by Lemony Snicket
Toronto: HarperCollins 2013

This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen

I love picture books, because they offer so many creative ways to tell a story. The saying, "a picture is worth a thousand words" is never more true than for a picture book! Author-illustrator Jon Klassen's second book tells a delightful story using just enough text and simple but effective illustrations.

This Is Not My Hat is the story of a little fish who steals a big fish's bowler hat. The little fish tries to justify his theft and attempts to hide. Unsuccessfully. Klassen's artwork was created digitally and using Chinese ink and conveys what happens as a result of this outrageous theft.

Los Angeles based Jon Klassen worked as a illustrator and concept artist on both Coraline and Kung Fu Panda 2. Klassen has illustrated a number of picture books for children, including Cat's Night Out and The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place and more recently, Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett. Last year he made his move as a solo writer/illustrator with his debut, I Want My Hat Back. And it's a move children and librarians will be thankful for!

Book Details:
This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
Candlewick Press 2012