it seems like you are already well inundated but if you are still looking for more: Triangle (Jon Klassen), Frederick (Leo Lionni), Duck, Death and the Tulip (Wolf Erlbruch), Don’t call me little bunny (Gregoire Solotareff), The Salamander Room (Anne Mazer), and Grandfather Twilight (Barbara Berger)
(i should say that i don’t have kids but do remember being a kid who absolutely *hated* being condescended to so hopefully that barometer is useful here. why does nearly all children’s media think children are stupid and underserving of respect)
i do not know but it drives me up the wall. children are people and they are perfectly capable of noticing when the tone of the book is "eat your slop, hogs"