Kid Konnection: Oh So Pretty Picture Books!

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week I'm going to share with you two picture books that are visually beautiful.

Summary: A group of beautiful and feisty young wildflowers on skateboards and scooters zoom through the pages of this stunning book, spreading flower seeds as they go. Together they transform their urban environment into a place that is no longer gray, but filled with color and scent. Nature’s magic is revealed in all its glory, embodying Ralph Waldo Emerson’s idea that a weed is “a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.” Budding environmentalists will respond to the underlying themes of conservation and stewardship of the earth. -- Random House

POPPY, BUTTERCUP, BLUEBELL & DANDY by Fiona Woodcock is hands-down one of the most beautiful picture books I've ever seen. Even the endpaper is lovely! This delightful picture book tells the story of a group of wildflowers who go on adventures, spread their flower seeds, and make the world a more beautiful place!

Polly, Buttercup, Bluebell and Dandy make a gray urban environment more colorful (and fragrant) with their seeds. The author/illustrator of the book brought to life the colorless urban landscape with gorgeous colors of the various flowers. As you can see from the cover art, these flowers look a bit like fairies and are adorable with their sweet little faces.

POPPY, BUTTERCUP, BLUEBELL & DANDY also has some terrific messages about conservation and the environment that will appeal to many parents. There is definitely an underlying message that we can work together to make the world a more special place.

POPPY, BUTTERCUP, BLUEBELL & DANDY is an absolutely gorgeous picture book with a few good messages thrown in too! Highly recommended!

Summary: Actor and New York Times bestselling author Alan Cumming and artist Grant Shaffer imagine what their dogs do when they’re not around—and it’s no surprise that the dogs aspire to lead lives as action-packed and glamorous as their dads’!

Honey and Leon are rescue mutts who love their dads very much. But their dads often have to go away on glamorous and important business, which worries the dogs. Honey and Leon are done staying home and fretting—they’re off on a dad-protecting adventure! Careful to remain incognito, the two pups shadow their dads on a trip across the sea, keeping them out of danger at every turn! How did they survive without Honey and Leon’s protection for this long?!

Alan Cumming and Grant Shaffer wrote this story as a tribute to their own dogs, based on their frequent conversations about what Honey and Leon get up to while they’re away. -- Random House

Another fun picture book with cute illustrations is THE ADVENTURES OF HONEY & LEON. This book is written by the famous actor Alan Cumming and illustrated by Grant Shaffer, and it's their take on what dogs do when their owners aren't home.

THE ADVENTURES OF HONEY AND LEON stars two adorable dogs who are rescue mutts and very grateful to their dads. However, their dads are often away on travel for their jobs; and Honey and Leon worry about them. Isn't it the job of dogs to guard their owners? Rather than just worry and wait, these two dogs decide to go on an adventure to protect their dads.

The minute after their dads leave, Honey and Leon hail a taxi and follow them to the airport. They slip in the back of the plane and end up in a very glamorous (and fun!) place. They followed their dads everywhere including a show, on a yacht, and even a fancy party. When Honey couldn't resist prancing on the red carpet, she gained some instant notoriety. How could these two canines keep their secret from their dads now?

THE ADVENTURES OF HONEY AND LEON is absolutely adorable from the story to the beautiful watercolor illustrations. I loved these two pampered pets and found their adventures to be both fun and funny! Dog owners, both kids and parents, will appreciate the loyalty these two have to their owners. Highly recommended!

Thanks to the publisher for providing review copies of these picture books.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!