As new picturebooks are published, I automatically evaluate them not only for their illustrations, text and authority but also for their potential to focus on an early literacy skill. The other day however, I came across an older title that I had forgotten about: 
Good Night Pillow Fight by Sally Cook and illustrated by Laura Cornell.
With it's rhyming text, phonological awareness is an obvious early literacy skill that this book demonstrates well. However, this book is even better for Print Awareness! Published in 2004, this fun tale about parents trying to get their little ones to sleep really demonstrates with fonts of various sizes and colors the importance of the written word as an "illustration". So don't forget those oldies but goodies that you may have hidden in your collection!
Comments
What's old is new again
There are a few picture books that are now out of print that I have squirreled away so that I will always have a copy for storytime. My most favorite is Virginia Walter's "Hi, Pizza Man!" Great for phonological awareness, print awareness, and just plain fun (aka print motivation!).
Looking Again at Picturebooks
I wholeheartedly agree, Carol. We all have some favorites that have been around a long time and work well with various skills. I also like to use the New York Public Libraries' 100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know. It is available online at http:legacy.www.nypl.org/branch/books/index2.cfm?ListID=61
Vicky
Oldies but Goodies
I have a great fondness for Ann Jonas' "Now We Can Go" which is fabulous for vocabulary for the very young. It was published in 1986 I think, but it is a brillinat today as it was then. A perennial favorite of mine.