We made a lot of trips to the local library when I was a kid. Some of my favorite finds were anything by Bill Peet. Looking back at the stories and art I see playfulness, lively lines, a quirky sense of humor, and fun use of color.
Some favorites were:
“The Whingdingdilly”
“The Pinkish, Purplish, Bluish, Egg”.
Learn more about Bill Peet and see more of his work at http://www.billpeet.net/PAGES/booklist.htm