Today we're talking with Sarah McKinsey about what makes a good picture book.

Welcome to the Simply Charlotte Mason podcast. I'm Sonia Schaefer. If there's one thing Charlotte

Mason homeschoolers love, it's good books. And today we have a treat in store for you. We are talking with Sarah

McKinsey from Read Aloud Revival all about what she looks for in a good picture book. Sarah,

it's great to have you back. Oh my goodness. I'm happy to be here and really happy to be talking

about my favorite thing on the planet. Absolutely. Now, you know, this one might go for, you know, four hours or so. Yeah, baby. We'll see. We can cut it off. But, all right, let's talk about, I know you have guidelines for all kinds of books that are out there, and you recommend all kinds of books on your Read Aloud. Yes. As in for all the different ages.

Yes. Yes. So let's focus in on picture books. My favorite. Okay, good, good. Tell us what you

look for in a good picture book. Okay, so this is one of those things where I feel like when I was first,

I remember when my oldest was one year old, I went to the library.

I wanted to get some new books because we had like 10 board books that I had read and memorized.

Forever.

Yes.

And I thought, well, I'm going to get some new books to read from the library.

And I walk into the children's room and I just thought, there's this sea of books.

And I know some of these are better than others because we all have that experience of reading a picture book and thinking I think I'm going to drop this one behind the couch. Yeah. It can't be found again. Yeah. Or the ones that we really love and don't mind reading again and again. So I got very curious, but what was it? What is it that makes me want to pick up a book again?

And so I have to develop some opinions with a capital O about this. But one of the things

that I look for is good illustrations. So what does that mean? What does like a good illustration mean?

For me, it really just means illustrations that make me want to look longer than necessary.

I love that definition. And might be art that I would actually hang on my wall.

Not always, maybe though.

It's just art that makes me want to look at it.

And I feel like this is very Charlotte Mason idea because it is respecting a child as a

...