[SarahW Posts: 304 Status: Offline The extraordinary in the ordinary.]

Does anyone know of any good fantasy picture books that have a hint of darkness? The ones I'm finding tend to be older books published ten years ago. Some of them the longer ones that go up to 45 pages. For example, Over Here And There and The Giving Tree.

But I'm looking for a 32 to 36 pager if possible.

[dinalapomy101 Posts: 1,875 Status: Offline Happy writing to all!]

WOLVES IN THE WALLS by Gaiman?

[SarahW Posts: 304 Status: Offline The extraordinary in the ordinary.]

Thanks, I'll check it out. Also found Dear Mili and Over Here Over There, though those are older.

[onestepp Posts: 139 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

I believe there's a Children's poetry book and I think the title is something like "The Dark Empress and Other Poems" where the poems are scare

[SarahW Posts: 304 Status: Offline The extraordinary in the ordinary.]

When I looked up the title, I ended up also finding: Dark Emperor And Other Poems.

[JulieM Posts: 995 Status: Offline]

Night School by Isobelle Carmody (2010)

[dinalapomy101 Posts: 1,875 Status: Offline Happy writing to all!]

THE DARK by Snickett maybe?

[Stephanie Ruble Posts: 1,903 Status: Offline author/illustrator]

The hat books by Jon Klassen (I WANT MY HAT BACK and THIS IS NOT MY HAT).

[SarahW Posts: 304 Status: Offline The extraordinary in the ordinary.]

Here is one I found, Fog Island. I might check that out too.

Also to add, found one set in Holland that's a fantasy. You don't find those every day. If you do, it's usually an older books. And not typically a picture book.

[Robertvs Posts: 54 Status: Offline 1 <3 PB]

Maybe some Halloween-themed picture books?

I don't know if that's necessarily "darkness" or just a fun spooky atmosphere though.

[Kimberly Lynn Posts: 63 Status: Offline]

What about The Man on the Moon by William Joyce and Moonpowder by John Rocco?

I can think of several fantasy picture books, but they are not necessarily dark.  There's The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, also written and illustrated by William Joyce.  You might also check out Michael Garland's Miss Smith series.  We love reading those and they definitely have fantasy elements and a hint of darkness.

 

[Cynthia Kremsner Posts: 688 Status: Offline Author / Illustrator]

Just A Minute and Just In Case, both by Yuyi Morales.

[Mike Jung]

I just read a fascinating PB by Kate Samworth, Aviary Wonders Inc. Spring Catalog and Instruction Manual, which I hadn't hear about before. It's fun and interesting and inventive, but it's also all aboit the extinction of bird species and the idea that humankind will continually be forced to replace the presence of nature and wildlife by increasingly artificial means. I think it's VERY dark.

[Vijaya Posts: 7,104 Status: Offline Encourage]

I love A Dark, Dark Tale by Ruth Brown.
Vijaya

[SarahW Posts: 304 Status: Offline The extraordinary in the ordinary.]

I'd want to get that, just for how blade runner like that sounds. (Yes I'm an SF geek, I admit it.)

[Stephanie Shaw Posts: 191 Status: Offline]

Despite its title, DARK EMPEROR is really a lovely nature book done in rhyme with nonfiction sidebars.

Maybe what you are looking for would be something along the lines of:

The Legend of the Jersey Devil (Trinka Noble, Sleeping Bear Press)
Creepy Carrots (Aaron Reynolds, Simon and Schuster)
The Bones of Fred McFee (Eve Bunting, Harcourt)
Your Skeleton is Showing (Kurt Cyrus, Hyperion)
Scarum Fair (Jessica Swaim, Wordsong)

[SarahW Posts: 304 Status: Offline The extraordinary in the ordinary.]

Yea I'll check those out, thanks a bunch! Yea stuff like One Candle and Over Here Over There.

Also: That Eve Bunting is something else.

[LoriA Posts: 88 Status: Offline]

THE BOOK THAT EATS PEOPLE still creeps my kids out, even though they are getting a bit old for PBs. Scary fun!

[laura-jenkins Posts: 63 Status: Offline I write and write with all my might!]

I Want My Hat Back, by Jon K