There is no one who can compare to Dr. Seuss. His beginning reader books are more words than pictures because one is supposed to focus on the words and learn to read them. The next level up – books like Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are – have more background illustration in them. His early titles (McElligot’s Pool) are even done in watercolor. It’s the breadth and depth of his work over time that makes him so amazing. Consider, also, that he was often teaching a lesson of some kind. That’s what the Berenstains attempt to do, but they’re all preachy about it. And what was Brother Bear’s name before Sister Bear was born? And the parents call each other Momma and Poppa. That’s just creepy. Richard Scary had too many pictures for me. I just couldn’t pay to attention to all that stuff. Granted, that may be more my shortcoming than his, but hey, this is my opinion! I learned to read on Seuss, as did my daughter. I never read her Berenstain or Scary. I also really liked Sendak, and I call one of my friend’s little boys “Pierre” after the Sendak character.
Did Van Allsburg write any words? Jan Brett’s illustrations are beautiful, but I don’t know that she’s appreciated by kids as much as adults. What about the Madeline books? I think there’s only half a dozen of those, though. They’re dated and the illustrations are kind of lame, but it’s pretty incredible to have such a strong little girl in so old a book!
Truth is, there are so many great kids books out there, and anything that gets a child to read is OK in my book. It’s just better if it happens to be Seuss. 