Accomplished

For forty-seven years and counting, it has been a privilege to work within and enjoy a world centered in children's literature.  Book by book my already considerable respect for authors and illustrators has grown every year.  With each new title I hold in my hands and read, it still grows.

One of the greatest joys of being a teacher librarian, other than sharing books with all readers, is the honor of watching an author, illustrator, or author illustrator begin and master their art.  Underlying every word they write and every element in the images they make is a passion for bringing their absolute best to children, readers, of all ages.  In 2021 one of these creators has released two books within a week of each other.  To me, these titles demonstrate this individual's skill.  Bear Island (Feiwel And Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC, January 26, 2021) written and illustrated by Matthew Cordell addresses the life-changing event of great loss. 

Goodbye, Charlie.

In a series of five wordless illustrations, with the exception of the words above on the final picture, prior to the title page, we learn of the value of Charlie, the family's canine member.  The family is Louise, Mom, Dad, and Charlie living in a home on a lake.  Near the home is an island.

One day, in a small rowboat, Louise goes to the island, thinking about Charlie.  Missing him, she wanders alone there.  She finally, after quite a while, decides to leave.  She grabs a stick and hits a nearby tree.  In a flash, butterflies surround Louise.  Several deer come from the woods near her.  Louise is starting to feel a shift in her soul, but suddenly that stops.

Large, loud noises send the butterflies and deer away.  A bear stands near Louise, roaring.  She is afraid and mad, mad about so many things.  She roars back, waving her stick.  The bear lies down.  As she goes to her boat to leave, Louise looks back at the bear.  In him, she senses herself.

Day after day, Louise returns to the island.  Some days for her, and for Bear, are better than others, but together they are making a difference.  Through the seasons, life on the island is shifting.  It is not the only place change is happening. Even though winter is coming, Louise continues to visit the island until one day, Bear is missing.  When she finally finds him, a hard truth envelopes her.  It is fortunately followed by other wonderful truths.

Each sentence by this author states succinctly what can be seen and thought.  Matthew Cordell leaves room in his narrative for readers to find connections to their own life experiences.  His word choices are sensory, welcoming us into this story.   He also employs repetition to reinforce and intensify a particular moment.  Here is a passage.

But then . . . came a noise.

A crunching of leaves noise . . .

A snapping of trees noise . . .

A chuffing of breath noise . . .

RROOAARR!!

When you stare at the bear spread across the front, right, of the open and matching dust jacket and book case, what do you see? Do you see the use of light and shadow?  Do you see the texture and color of the bear's fur?  Do you see how the top of his head and the shape of the island are one?  Why is Louise standing on his head?  There is so much in this initial image for readers to notice and understand.  The title text is varnished.  To the left, on the back, on a canvas of white, is a loosely framed circular picture.  This picture features the island, shades of turquoise water lapping against its shores.  Butterflies hover over the treetops.

A bright spring green covers the opening and closing endpapers.  On the first page is a baseball nearly life-size on white.  It is followed by Louise throwing the ball to a running Charlie.  In the next three pages we know Charlie is gone.  The color palette is sepia for the grief Louise, Mom, and Dad are feeling.  The two-page picture for the verso, dedication and title pages is a close-up of the water around the island.  Fish swim in the upper corners.  On the right, on a small stone above the water rests a gorgeous butterfly, its color in contrast to the water.

Rendered 

in pen and ink with watercolor and sometimes gouache

the images mirror and elevate the story.  At first, they continue in the sepia tones (and again at the end) altering in size from two-page visuals, single-page pictures, to a circular image on a single page and at times multiple images are placed together to depict the passage of time.  The shapes of these multiple images vary.  They are loose circles, vertical panels, squares, or rectangles.  A crisp white background heightens the impact of many of these illustrations.

Matthew has a gift for using powerful wordless visuals.  He does so with great effect in this book.  Their emotional force will leave you breathless.

One of my many, many favorite pictures is one of ten spread across two pages.  It is a small rectangle.  It is framed in a loose black line.  Inside are Louise and Bear. They are in the water, looking out across it with their backs to us.  Louise is standing with her stick, using is like a staff.  Bear is seated in the water next to her.

This book, Bear Island written and illustrated by Matthew Cordell, is one to heal the hole left by loss.  It speaks directly to how grief wraps around us, but how we can replace it with something else.  A closed door can also open.  I highly recommend this title for your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Matthew Cordell, you can visit his website by following the link attached to his name.  Matthew has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Matthew and this book are featured by Elizabeth Bird, Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system, at her space at School Library Journal, A Fuse #8 Production and by author, reviewer, and blogger, Julie Danielson at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.

Oh, there is nothing like holding a book in your hands with the return of a fiery, determined protagonist within its pages.  We first met her in a montage of modes of transportation as she, with the most heartfelt of reasons, desired to make a gift of an elephant to her Great-Aunt Josephine.  This is Special Delivery.  In The Only Fish In The Sea, she sets off on a stormy sea accompanied by a friend and a unruly crew to rescue a tiny pet, a gift, tossed away.  Sadie is back!  

This time, Sadie's Aunt Josephine takes center stage, regaling readers and Sadie with a particularly crazy feat from her youth.  Follow That Frog! (Neal Porter Books, Holiday House, February 2, 2021) written by Philip C. Stead with illustrations by Matthew Cordell is an adventure loaded with non-stop action and laugh-out-loud hilarity.  You'll begin to understand why Sadie exhibits certain characteristics as she faces life's challenges.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

Grrr . . .

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

HEY, AUNT JOSEPHINE!

ARF!

ARF!

Sadie has started her day, carrying a tray with a pot of tea and cups to her Aunt Josephine's bedroom.  She opens the curtains in her aunt's bedroom.  There is a steady and very loud knocking at the door to Aunt Josephine's home.  Aunt Josephine does not want to answer the door and wishes to do nothing more than sleep to noon.  

After all her around-the-world escapades, she deserves her rest.  Then she launches into a tale of 

cataloging amphibians for the scientific team of Admiral Rodriguez

in the wilds of Peru at the tender age of nine.  Admiral Rodriquez, we discover, has died in a weird event involving bananas. His son has a serious crush on Josephine.

While gazing at Josephine's beauty, this son is devoured by an enormous frog. (Are you laughing yet?)  Momentarily stunned, Josephine springs into action.  She has to catalog that frog!  Josephine and her loyal canine companion, Orion Francis Nelson, are in persistent pursuit, finding themselves in the hot regions of southern Argentina. 

The frog, tiring of riding a rhea, leaps north toward the Panama Canal.  Josephine and her dog manage to catch up as it heads west. To their dismay, the vessel they secure to follow the ravenous leaper helps them get totally lost.  Nevertheless, Josephine stays upbeat until a band of pirates near the Canary Islands take away her vessel.  They are left stranded.

As fate would have it, a whale provides much-needed assistance. Josephine, now touring around the globe searching for the frog via alternative forms of travel, tries to never gives up.  To this day she has never located that frog. This is her one regret.  Sadie, ever the optimist, offers wise words.  

KNOCK! KNOCK!

With every reading, you will be laughing more and more as the sheer absurdity of this tale told in dialogue strikes every humorous chord in your body.  Philip C. Stead has taken his well-crafted characters and heightens their exploits to extraordinary.  Just when you believe it can't possibly get more outrageous, it does in the best possible manner.

Philip C. Stead's choice of verbs and adjectives has readers following every twist and turn.  Even though, we, like Sadie, are listening to this story, it is as if we are there in every single second.  This is this author's gift to us.  There is a part of us that knows this would never happen, but as we read this story, it is the truth.  Here is a passage.

I gave chase, northward, aboard a reluctant tortoise,

disembarking at the Panama Canal,

where the frog took a sharp left turn, heading west into the tempestuous waters. 

By opening the dust jacket, you get the full advantage of the design and artwork by Matthew Cordell.  To the left, on the back, Aunt Josephine is sitting up in bed under her colorful quilt.  Sadie is standing next to the bed, sipping a cup of tea.  Chickens are meandering in the room, some looking for food and others looking up with the dog toward the front of the dust jacket.  A rooster on one of the bedposts is crowing.  Speech clouds spread from Aunt Josephine, puffing toward the spine.  One of those clouds frames the ISBN.  On the right, front, a large cloud borders the scene of a young Aunt Josephine chasing the frog with her pal, Orion Francis Nelson.  Two methods of travel, the tortoise and rhea, are moving as fast as they can.  The giant frog and the title text are varnished.  

The book case cleverly presents JOSEPHINE'S FIELD GUIDE.  The canvas is lined pages.  The larger entries are taped to the pages.  On the front, right side, are drawings and a photograph of frogs.  Some are labeled.  There are smaller sketches and flora taped to the pages. On the back, the left, is a diagram of the inside of a frog, a drawing of the rhea and several other photographs.  Smaller elements hint at events to come.

The opening and closing endpapers are a bright green.  On the first single page and first double-page picture before the verso, dedication, and title pages, we see Sadie standing inside in front of the door, her back to us.  She then moves toward her Aunt Josephine's bedroom.  Oh, my goodness . . . the intricate numerous details will have you pausing.  On the walls you will see memorabilia from Josephine's travels and those of Sadie from the two previous books.  The expressions on the chickens' faces and the antics of the dog are fabulous and funny.

The chickens and dog continue to be aggravated by the knocking on the verso and dedication page.  On the title page, Sadie opens her aunt's bedroom curtains.  This is the placeholder for the title text.

White space is an important part in all these illustrations.  They highlight each line and supply a place for the present-day Josephine to tell her story to Sadie as larger images to the right and across several pages portray her past.  In fact, in the present day readers will delight in watching how the morning proceeds.  It is guaranteed you will see something new in the illustrations every time you read this book.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is for the text:

. . . run and run and run with no particular destination in mind.

It spreads across two pages.  The cloud's background signifies the desert.  On a path of her own making Josephine speeds across on her motorcycle, wearing proper attire and with her dog at her side.  A parrot flies along with the duo.  Weaving and looping around the sand is the rhea carrying this huge frog.  The facial looks on both the frog and rhea are humorous with a capital H.  For seven of the pictures of the frog and rhea, they are together.  In the eighth set, the frog jumps from the relieved and startled rhea's back. 

Whether you've read the first two books, you must have a copy of Follow That Frog! written by Philip C. Stead with illustrations by Matthew Cordell for your professional and personal collections.  Although to be honest, having all three books makes for richer reading.  In both words and images, this is storytelling at its finest.  

To learn more about Philip C. Stead and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  At Penguin Random House, you can view a few images.  The book release party was at The Book Stall.  You can watch it now.  At Books of Wonder, you can register for a future event. 

An Eye For Adventure

Some say they were blacksmiths for the gods of Greeks.  Others say they were shepherds living with humans.  Those that lived among humans were less than cordial.  (Just ask Odysseus.)  As to their physical characteristics, there seems to be a consensus.  They were large, strong and had a single eye in the middle of their foreheads.

Apparently, they also had a dose of immortality pulsing through their veins.  As Cyclops of Central Park (G. P. Putnam's Sons, February 11, 2020) written by Madelyn Rosenberg with illustrations by Victoria Tentler-Krylov clearly discloses, one is alive and well, residing in New York City.  This particular Cyclops is rather apprehensive, a stay-at-home kind of guy who loves his sheep, all eighteen of them.

Late at night, just before he closed his eye and went to sleep in his Central Park cave, Cyclops counted his sheep.

When Cyclops awakened the next morning, one of his sheep was gone.  It was Eugene.  That sheep would not stay home.  Eugene loved the world.  Cyclops loved the cave.

Knowing he had to find Eugene and save him from all possible harm, Cyclops admonished the remaining sheep, seventeen, to stay at the cave.  Cyclops visited the Empire State Building and stopped at the Guggenheim, but Eugene was not there.  He made Lost Sheep posters to hang around Times Square.  No one seemed to notice when Cyclops searched for Eugene during a Yankees' game.  Where was Eugene?

Cyclops bravely went to a place he knew Eugene loved.  Unfortunately, he was not at the Statue of Liberty.  This one-eyed giant was heartsick, and he knew he needed help.  Back at the cave the flock was ready to assume their roles as super-finders.  Believe it or not, Cyclops and the sheep had an entire subway car to themselves.

At the correct station, the band of eighteen raced to an aptly named ride, the Cyclone, a loop-de-loop, high-in-the-sky roller coaster.  There was Eugene at the tip top, at the front of the first car, and happy as any sheep could be.  When the ride was completed Eugene wanted Cyclops and his seventeen pals to ride the Cyclone with him.  Cyclops had already pushed himself more than he thought possible.  His reply and the remainder of the day revealed the value in embracing more than one point of view, even though, initially, you simply couldn't comprehend it.


Readers will readily recognize and understand the contrast between Eugene and Cyclops as written by Madelyn Rosenberg.  There are those of us who welcome adventure and those of us who feel much braver inside the walls of our homes.  Within the narrative occasional dialogue, word play, and the inclusion of place names involves us more personally in the story.  We are out in the world with Cyclops, touring New York City, in search of a bold sheep.  At the close of the book, Madelyn Rosenberg cleverly brings us back to the beginning repeating phrases with a slight change.  Here is a passage.

Cyclops looked behind the ficus tree and under the bed.
He searched the meadow where the sheep often stood, taking
in the view.  The meadow was empty.
Cyclops bit his nails.  He had explained 1,022 times about
the dangers lurking nearby.  The grass was too sharp.
The carousel was too twirly.  The new restaurant on
Fifth Avenue did not serve spaghetti.


When you open the dust jacket, the scene on the front continues past the spine to the left edge.  The cityscape in hues of blue and the green of the meadow complement each other.  Even though the chances of us seeing Cyclops with his sheep in Central Park are unlikely, artist Victoria Tentler-Krylov takes the impossible and makes it real.  The postures of the sheep blend in perfectly with the dog walkers, bicycle riders and a jogger pushing a baby stroller seen on the left.  None of the beings seemed surprised in the slightest to see each other.  The expressions on the faces of the sheep and Cyclops here, and throughout the book, are fabulous. [I am working with an F & G.]

On the title page the use of green and blue for the text on a white background is engaging and supplies a wonderful space for many of the running sheep.  Rendered

in watercolor and gouache, and completed in Adobe Photoshop,

the illustrations are exquisitely detailed with fine lines and a wash of colors.  You'll find yourself pausing at each page turn to study all the elements.  On the first full-page picture when Cyclops counts the sheep, each one has a bed a bit different than the other sheep.  Their quilts are not identical either.

The next image, a double-page picture, gives us a hint of their living quarters complete with modern conveniences and a large round table.  You'll be fascinated by all the breakfast food and the kiddie swimming pool in their front yard.  In a word, these visuals are enchanting but also fun-loving.

Sometimes we are high above the action, looking at a panorama spread before us.  Other times we are in the thick of the moment with Cyclops.  The reactions of people around him range from treating him like every other person to panic at the sight of him. (Wait until you see the expression on the face of the Statue of Liberty.)  Each illustration, whether on a full page or two pages, is an amazing snapshot of New York City.  You will notice some new element each time you look at an image.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is on a single page.  We are inside the subway car.  The background is white but the items inside the car are vibrant.  The signage is placed in a row along the ceiling on either side.  A street name and map are visible.  The seats are an orange red shade.  The sheep are sitting in them, holding their walkie-talkies.  Curled up, bent over and between them is Cyclops.  He is barefoot, wearing his blue pants, blue and white striped shirt, his furry vest and aviator's hat with a single goggle.  He is carrying a satchel.  He is looking a bit worried and undoubtedly uncomfortable.


As a read aloud, Cyclops of Central Park written by Madelyn Rosenberg with illustrations by Victoria Tentler-Krylov is a first-class winner.  The blend of narrative, dialogue, inventive wordplay and imaginative, whimsical artwork will engage readers from beginning to end.  I know there will be requests of read it again.  This book will also promote discussions on Greek mythology and how different personalities can work to the benefit of each other.  You'll want to have a copy on your personal and professional bookshelves.

To learn more about Madelyn Rosenberg and Victoria Tentler-Krylov and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their respective websites.  Here is a link to a post Madelyn Rosenberg wrote about her ideas and process for this book.  Madelyn Rosenberg has accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  Victoria Tentler-Krylov has an account on Instagram.  Madelyn Rosenberg and this book are featured at KidLit 411.  At Penguin Random House you can view the title page.

Here is a brief glimpse of the endpapers.

Me, opening hardback copies of CYCLOPS OF CENTRAL PARK, gorgeously illustrated by Victoria Tentler-Krylov. Filmed by @WendyShang and sped up a smidge, which is why we sound like Alvin and the Chipmunks. #kidlit, #picturebooks pic.twitter.com/sy0AaaS75s

— Madelyn Rosenberg has a sly sense of the absurd. (@madrosenberg) November 6, 2019

A Visit To Our Nearest Neighbor

It was still there, white against a blue sky, early on Sunday morning.  It didn't reappear again until seconds after midnight today.  It's received more attention than usual as people everywhere are commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 first moon landing on July 20, 1969.

Wherever you are on Earth, looking at the moon fifty years later, it's still hard to comprehend traveling 238,900 miles through space to complete the journey there and repeat that distance to return home.  If you happen to be pondering a similar voyage, two best friends, Anna and Crocodile, who readers met in How to Find Gold, are happy to share their latest experiences.  How To Be On The Moon (Candlewick Press, June 4, 2019) written and illustrated by Viviane Schwarz will have you making your own plans for a lunar expedition.

"LET'S GO TO THE MOON!" said Anna.

Crocodile patiently points out the lack of light and people in space and the many, many miles from their home to the moon.  Effervescent Anna thinks all this sounds wonderful.  Then Crocodile reminds her of expertise needed to accomplish a trip to the moon.

Math is highly important; especially the ability to count backward.  Anna successfully demonstrates her stellar talent in this area. The length of time to arrive on the moon requires extreme patience.  Anna's questions and Crocodile's answers to this are not scientific but hilarious, nonetheless.

A formula for sandwiches and speed has Crocodile preparing one aspect and Anna working on the other requirement.  In a heartbeat the duo is ready. As the word one is uttered, they launch.  The first words out of Anna's mouth are:

"Are we there yet?"

An invented game helps pass the time as they float inside the rocket.  So does much needed sleep on Anna's part.  Touchdown completed and spacesuits in place, they take in the sights on and around the moon.  Conversations and contemplations concluded, Anna and Crocodile, inseparable as always, pursue all the world and their imaginations offer.


Told in an excellent blend of lively conversations and straightforward narrative by Viviane Schwarz this story actively engages readers from the first sentence to the final thought.  The personalities of Anna and Crocodile are revealed through their dialogue, indicating the balance between their characteristics.  The exuberance (and sometimes charming frankness) of Anna is met with the willing but reflective considerations of Crocodile.  Here is a passage.

"Hang on," said Crocodile.  "We will need special
skills to go to the moon."

"What skills?" asked Anna.

"Math.  Without math, it will go wrong."

"I can do math," said Anna.

"Can you count backward?" asked Crocodile.

"Five, four, three, two, one," Anna said.  "Zoom!"


The rich black background peppered with stars extends across the front and back of the matching and open dust jacket and book case.  As their conversations disclose their personalities, so, too, does the image on the front of the jacket and case.  We can see the love Crocodile has for the spirited Anna.  Their color of Anna's dress and Crocodile's green-hued skin against the moon accentuate those very elements which make them the perfect pair.  On the jacket the title text is embossed in foil.  Depending on the angle the light strikes it, it appears silver or gold.

To the left, on the back, the rocket ship is pictured on the moon.  Anna has already jumped out, ready to explore.  Crocodile is carefully climbing from the top door.  They are both wearing spacesuits.  The rocket ship is an array of collaged colors and textures.

On the opening and closing endpapers, in black and white, is a scene from outer space with stars and celestial bodies.  A small visual on the initial title page shows a teapot and some board game pieces.  On the formal title page, beneath the text, Anna and Crocodile are playing a board game.

Each illustration, rendered in pencil, crayon, and watercolor, fills a full page with text on the opposite page on a white canvas or for dramatic effect the picture crosses the gutter creating a column for text.  Several double-page pictures, one without words, are stunning in their depictions.  To show the movement of Anna and Crocodile on the moon, two pages are divided into five panels.  This is absolutely wonderful and one of my many, many favorite pictures.

In the first panel Crocodile and Anna are floating slighting above the surface of the moon.  In the second panel they are driving in a vehicle by a crater.  In the third panel they are sliding past that crater.  In another visual Anna is standing at the edge of a dark hole, pulling Crocodile to safety.  In the final and largest panel, they are lying on their backs, chatting and looking at Earth.

The color choices throughout the book mirror Anna's buoyancy and Crocodile's acceptance and affection.  The facial features on both characters along with their body postures are sheer delight.  All the details and design items will have you pausing at each page turn.


Readers of all ages are reminded of the power of imagination in How To Be On The Moon written and illustrated by Viviane Schwarz.  We can see, through this story, how adventures taken in our minds offer us the opportunity to address more important concepts.  I know you'll want to have a copy of this title in your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Viviane Schwarz and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Viviane Schwarz has accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  There is an interior image available at the publisher's website.  You can view other interior pictures at Penguin Random House and Walker.  I believe you will enjoy this video by the Arts Council England where we are introduced to Viviane Schwarz.

An introduction to the author and illustrator VIVIANE SCHWARZ from CLPE on Vimeo.

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow---Together

They are next to you as you fall asleep.  When you wake, they are still there.  The schedule of your day revolves around their meals and their necessity to take walks.  There are times when you wonder who exactly is walking who.  Their attention to every movement, sight and sound is astounding. When they mimic human characteristics, nothing is funnier.

Dogs make life infinitely better.  They are eternal optimists.  They radiate unconditional love.  Good Boy (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, February 12, 2019) written and illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier depicts their insatiable desire for adventure.


Sit.

Stay.

Roll over.

These actions asked by a boy of his dog are done quickly with practiced skill.  To further demonstrate the intelligence and adept physical qualities of the pup, the boy requests him to assume positions only done on two legs.  His companion is certainly acting more human than canine.

With ease, commonplace, single word declarations are answered by the dog for his boy.  It's not until the pooch begins to juggle, readers start to suspend belief.  As the duo sit together at a table enjoying a meal prepared and served by the dog, laughter is struggling not to burst forth.

Leaving the house as best friends, the twosome power a covered, open-air vehicle by pedaling. (At this point, giggling surely will commence in earnest.) Reaching a beach, they work to fix a damaged boat.  With one at the rudder and the other managing the rigging for the sail, they glide over choppy water.  Landing on a tiny island, more construction ensues. 

Within several page turns this dog and this boy experience an other-worldly escapade.  A shared view results in coming full circle.  The more traditional day-end tasks (well, most of them) bring a sense of calm to the story.  Like this reader when walking her dog, you will wonder who the final two words reference.


One-word sentences, except for two two-word sentences, direct this narrative penned by Sergio Ruzzier.  All of them except for one are punctuated by a period.  Most readers will expect certain actions on the part of the dog or the boy when they read those sentences.  Humor fills the story when unexpected words appear and when the illustrations tell a surprising tale.  It's this not knowing what a page turn will bring, that elevates the word choices and pacing to wonderfully inventive; masterful. 


Upon opening the matching dust jacket and book case, readers notice the crisp white canvas extends over the spine to the left on the back.  The color palette seen on the front is the same on the back for the dog and his boy.  This advises readers the events are taking place during the same day.  On the back the boy tosses a ball of yarn for the dog to fetch.  All the elements placed on the background on the dust jacket are varnished.

The opening endpapers are covered in a bright, golden orange.  On the back the closing endpapers are a rich muted brilliant blue, a complementary color.  The formal title page shows the boy running after the dog.  It's here we notice, not for the first time, the socks on the boy.  The one on his right foot is always sagging lower than the one on the left foot.  On the dedication page the friends have stopped.  The dog's position indicates he is ready for action.

Rendered in ink and watercolor Sergio Ruzzier uses white space expertly to frame each picture of the dog and the boy for the first thirteen sentences.  When they are ready to leave the home, full color spreads across full-page and double-page pictures, taking them from one place of excitement to the next.  For pacing some white canvas images are inserted.  As noted above, the sagging sock is an endearing detail; others are the characters' noses, the occasional sight of the child's belly button, the dog's tongue appearing in concentration or in making a funny face, two fish watching the best buddies sailing or the signature flowers in Sergio's landscape scenes. 

One of my many favorite illustrations is one of two on a background of white.  It's for the word

Sing.

The boy is tucked under the covers, a blue blanket, as he rests, eyes closed, on his pale red wrought iron bed.  A green book the dog and he were reading is laying on the floor.  On top of the blue blanket sits the dog, leaning back on one of his extended paws. His other paw is on his chest.  His head is lifted as he softly croons for his boy.


Without a doubt whether you read this book, Good Boy written and illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier, alone, share it one-on-one or with a group, all will come under its spell.  The simple words are superbly selected to be open to interpretation by the marvelous artwork.  I can't imagine a professional or personal book collection without this title.

To learn more about Sergio Ruzzier and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  Sergio Ruzzier has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.  At author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson's site Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast you can view an abundance of process art.  It's fascinating!

Flight Of The Bluebird Blog Tour-Chatting With Author Kara LaReau

It’s a pleasure to have you back at Librarian’s Quest, Kara, on the first Monday in 2019.  It’s hard to believe that nearly an entire year has come and gone since your last visit showcasing The Uncanny Express, the second title in The Unintentional Adventures Of The Bland Sisters.  Once again the landscape outside my window is cloaked in more than eight inches of snow.  And it’s still snowing, but the absolute beauty and fun of the books in this series is they reach out, wrap around us and pull us into the current adventure.  We’ve been on a ship brimming with rowdy pirates (The Jolly Regina) and a train full of mysterious travelers.  Now we find ourselves airborne with the twins, Jaundice and Kale, in an effort to save their lives.

When reading the Flight Of The Bluebird (Amulet Books, an imprint of ABRAMS, January 8, 2018) the first thing readers might be curious about is why are the sisters traveling by plane this time and why is the name of the plane, Bluebird?

Well, I already had them on a ship in The Jolly Regina and a train in The Uncanny Express, so putting them on a plane seemed like the next natural step! The plane is called the Bluebird for two reasons: 1. Amelia Earhart named one of her planes “The Canary,” and since she is one of the inspirations for the character Beatrix Airedale, it seemed fitting to name the plane in my story something similar, and 2. It’s a bit of an insider joke with myself! I have a freelance editing business called Bluebird Works, which I started almost ten years ago and named after the bluebird of happiness. It took a lot to get that business off the ground, much like the airplane in the book!

You have continued with two wonderful elements in this book, employed in the first two titles.  At the beginning on two pages you have The Unintentional Cast of Characters.  The two villains are called Victor and Uggo.  Is this in reference to Victor Hugo, the French writer?  If so, why do you focus on him?

Victor Gazebo doesn’t have anything to do with Victor Hugo; I chose the name “Gazebo” because I liked the way it sounded, and the combination of “Victor” and “Gazebo” worked (to my ear) as a good villain’s name. Uggo is a play on Ugarte, Peter Lorre’s character from Casablanca, on which the character in my story is based. So there is a method to my naming madness!

I won’t ask about the other character names because I prefer to have readers discover the answers for themselves.

Secondly, you have each chapter heading highlighting insights and suggestions from a book the Bland Sisters are currently reading or happen to be carrying with them.  In Flight Of The Bluebird, the book referenced is Taking Off! With Trip Winger  (Your character/fictional names are fantastic, Kara.  You most definitely have a gift with word play.) As in the past, do each of the recommendations have to do with something happening in each chapter?

Yes, I made sure that each bit of aeronautical advice is somehow relevant to the action in the story. And I don’t want to give too much away, but the culmination of all this knowledge proves vital at the end of the story!

Is there a reason you decide to have one of the Bland Sisters participate in the method of travel this time?

I thought it was important to show that even though Jaundice and Kale retain much of their Blandness throughout the series, there is still character development and a clear arc to that development through the stories. I don’t want to give too much away, but that moment where one of the girls takes control (and one of them doesn’t) felt necessary on their journey together and as distinct personalities.

Do you ever plan on getting a pilot’s license Kara?  The reason I’m asking is my girlfriend had her pilot’s license when she was sixteen.  We used to go to a small airfield after school and on weekends and she would fly us in a two-seater airplane.  We had to spin the propeller sometimes to get the engine fired-up and going.

I don’t have any plans right now to get my pilot’s license; I can barely tolerate it when someone else is flying the plane!

This leads me to another question.  You mention in your author’s note that Beatrix Airedale is a blend of women like Bessie Coleman, Amelia Earhart and Nellie Bly.  Is there a favorite book you’ve read about any or all of them you would like to share with us? Candace Fleming’s book, Amelia Lost: the Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart, was an utterly gripping account.  I could not put it down.

In the interest of time, I did some reading and watched some great documentaries during my research. Candace Fleming’s book is great, and I also learned a lot from reading Ten Days a Madwoman: The Daring Life and Turbulent Times of the Original “Girl” Reporter, Nellie Bly by Deborah Noyes. I happened to watch a biography of Bessie Coleman which was streaming on her birthday last year (January 26th!) and really inspired me; though I can’t seem to locate the name of it, I see there’s a new documentary about her life called The Legend which is streaming on Amazon Prime right now, and I can’t wait to check it out!

In the portion of the book where the plane lands for refueling (the plane and food for the characters) you make several references to the film Casablanca.  I burst out laughing at one of them.  Why Casablanca?

Casablanca takes place at about the same time as Raiders of the Lost Ark (which is also when Flight of the Bluebird is set), so it seemed like a fun choice and definitely ripe for parody!

I think readers are going to be fascinated with the setting of this title.  Did you know this is where the third adventure would unfold when you were writing the first two titles?

I didn’t know what the second or the third book would be when I wrote the first book, but when I sold it to Abrams, I roughly fleshed out the rest of the trilogy. I wanted to “go big” with the final story, so an action-packed adventure in Egypt filled with lots of villains and mysteries and dreams and revelations (and a curse!) felt right!

The cryptic postcards the children receive from their parents add to the mystery and adventure.  Also what prompted you to use their mother’s journal to be a part of explanatory flashbacks?

I got the idea of the journal from Indiana Jones’ father’s Grail diary in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I thought it would be a great way to introduce some of the Bland Sisters’ parents backstory, and also a few clues that help along the way with Jaundice and Kale’s adventures.

There are other items I would like to chat with you about but I don’t want to spoil anything for readers.  I will leave them with several of my many favorite lines from the book.

Beatrix tells the twins---

Life’s not worth living unless we’re taking risks and challenging ourselves.

I find both of these sections hilarious and typical of the Bland sisters.

Reading something so dry and practical was always a comfort.

“What now?”  asked Kale.

“I don’t know,” said Jaundice.  “I’ve never been trapped in a rug on a moving truck, surrounded by assassins.”

LOL. I’m so glad you enjoyed these lines, and the book in general — I had so much fun writing Flight of the Bluebird and all of the Unintentional Adventures. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to talk about these stories!

Kara LaReau was born and raised in Connecticut. She received her Masters in Fine Arts in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts and later worked as an editor at Candlewick Press and at Scholastic Press. She is the author of such picture books as UGLY FISH, illustrated by Scott Magoon, and Good Night Little Monsters, illustrated by Brian Won; an award-winning chapter book series called The Infamous Ratsos, illustrated by Matt Myers; and a middle-grade trilogy called The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters, illustrated by Jen Hill. Kara lives in Providence, Rhode Island with her husband and son and their cat.

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Countdown To 2019 #3 Bears

There are eight surviving species.  Of these eight, six are in trouble and facing possible extinction.  One of them can smell prey more than one-half mile away and more than three feet under the snow.  Another spends half their time in trees, even building platforms on which to rest. A third can exist for at least six months without eating or drinking or eliminating body waste. They have been known to run at least forty miles per hour.  They are clever enough to wipe away their trail to evade hunters and can spring a trap without hurting themselves to eat the bait.

When formed into toys they've comforted countless children for generations. They are beloved characters in classic and current children's literature.  We humans have an affinity for bears.

Little Bear's Big House (Chronicle Books, October 9, 2018) written and illustrated by Benjamin Chaud is the fourth companion title in a delightfully detailed series (The Bear's Song, The Bear's Sea Escape, and The Bear's Surprise).  This small guy is off and running on another adventure.

The sun streams through the pines, melting the snow and warming Teeny Tiny Bear as he naps.  Mama and Papa Bear are careful not to disturb their slumbering cub.  They don't see the frown on Little Bear's face or the restless twitch of his tail.

Little Bear is bored with life in the forest.  He seeks excitement other than among the trees.  He wonders what a little boy would do.  As he passes by other animals in his search, they all want him to stop and play or eat or hunt.  He keeps on walking until sunset.

Before him is a clearing he has never seen.  A tall many-windowed, many-floored estate rises in front of his eyes.  The open front door is an invitation he can't resist.

Running from room to room Little Bear sings, plays and explores galore.  He loves doing what he wants to do when he wants to do it.  In the middle of all this fun, a loud

BANG!

freezes him.

It must be monsters, lots of monsters.  He wonders what a little boy would do.  He bravely walks toward the sound, whispering a mantra to give himself courage.  He stops. Terrified.  It IS a monster, a three-headed monster!  There are roars.  There is running.  There are tales to tell in the morning.  

Amid the elaborate descriptions of setting and actions by Benjamin Chaud runs an impish thread of humor.  He inserts just enough dialogue in his story to give us a better idea of Little Bear's thoughts.  Piece by piece the anticipation grows until Little Bear knows he is not alone.  What readers know, and Little Bear does not, is a perfect hilarious twist.  Here are two passages.

Monsters!  Little Bear hides under the covers.  And, just like a little boy, his imagination takes flight.  The monsters probably have long fangs and large claws and black eyes, not to mention grumbling stomachs!

Thump, CRASH, thu-thump, CRASH! What should a little boy do?  What should a little bear do?

When readers open the matching dust jacket and book case the night scene before them is brimming with questions.  Why is Little Bear running and carrying a floor lamp?  Why is he wearing that polka-dotted frock?  Where is he?  

To the left, on the back the image extends to show his family walking toward the clearing.  Teeny Tiny Bear is followed by Mama Bear and Papa Bear.  The local animals are on high alert.  The red opening and closing endpapers are patterned in a repeat of three plants found in the forest.  Beneath the text on the title page stands Little Bear posing like a hero attired in a cap, cape and stockings.  

With the exception of five pages all the images are double-page pictures.  With intricate details every single one tells an ever-expanding story of its own.  The smaller images on single pages accentuate the pacing and increase the comedy.  Readers will be unable to contain their laughter when Little Bear is visiting every room or playing in a series of eighteen small visuals.

One of my many favorite illustrations spans two pages.  It is a cut-away of the large red house in the clearing.  It shows us three floors of rooms and stairways.  In each room we can see what Little Bear is doing.  It's funnier than funny at how much he is enjoying all this freedom.  

Little Bear's Big House written and illustrated by Benjamin Chaud is another fabulous title in this set of books.  I highly recommend it for your professional and personal collections.  At this link the publisher gives us an inside view of Benjamin Chaud's studio.  Here is an interview with Benjamin Chaud at PictureBook Makers.

One of children's literature's favorite bears is back. In the season of winter it's a widely known fact, certain species of bears engage in a form of hibernation but a beloved bear is having problems.  Bear Can't Sleep (Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, October 23, 2018) written by Karma Wilson with illustrations by Jane Chapman is a precious presentation of exemplary friendship.

In his home in the forest,

while the cold wind blows,

Bear snuggles in his quilt

from his nose to his toes.  

We all have those nights when falling asleep is a struggle.  With snow falling and drifts getting deeper and deeper, Bear should be having sweet thoughts of summer honey.  Instead he flips from side to side under his cozy quilt.  He is wide awake!

His friend Mouse scampers inside to make sure Bear's fire is going.  He's shocked to see Bear not sleeping.  Even a cup of fresh mint tea does not help Bear drift into dreamland.  Badger and Hare stroll into Bear's den, each doing their best to help him sleep but nothing works.

Other animal friends, Mole, Gopher, Wren, Owl and Raven check on Bear.  A soothing lullaby might work.  It does not.  Finally Bear roars the truth.  He's awake and completely bored so he decides to entertain his best pals.  

As he tells a tale, they lean in, comfortable and warm.  It's a new one, never heard by any of them.  Just as he gets to the end . . .

When Karma Wilson weaves words together in this book, she fashions a gentle fabric to envelope her readers in peace and calm.  A beat is formed by the entrance of Bear's friends, their attempts to help him rest and the repeating phrase of

And the bear can't sleep. 

Lines two and four of each group of sentences rhyme like a soothing song.  Here is a passage.

"Ho, Mouse!" says Hare.

"We were just out walking.

Bear should be asleep,

but we both heard talking!"

The image on the front of the matching dust jacket and book case extends over the spine to reveal more of Bear's den.  Even though we understand by the title he is unable to sleep, he is also surrounded by all his friends.  Their concern is obvious as is his frustration.  The colors used in this illustration, throughout the book, radiate congeniality.  

The opening and closing endpapers show us the wintry woods as snow falls and wind blows.  A small opening in a drift reveals Bear in his glowing den.  There is a distinct difference in his face between the first and second double-page visuals.

Rendered in acrylic paint Jane Chapman's pictures alternate in size from small spot illustrations, to full-page images to double-page visuals.  She gives us a variety of inside views of Bear, his cave and his friends.  The size of the pictures pairs beautifully with the cadence of the story.

One of my favorite illustrations spans two pages.  On the left we can see the snowy woods through the opening in Bear's abode.  He is stretched across the center covered in his patchwork quilt.  Badger and Hare are standing on either side of him.  Mouse is placed in front of his nose, deep in mint leaves.  In the right-hand corner, the fire burns with a tea kettle hanging over it.

Readers will come to understand this story, Bear Can't Sleep written by Karma Wilson with illustrations by Jane Chapman, ties in marvelously with another of Bear's books.  It is a must-have title for those who enjoy the series, for those who love a good story and for those who need to fall fast asleep.  Links are attached to both Karma Wilson's and Jane Chapman's names for accessing their websites.  Karma Wilson maintains an account on Twitter.

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

When a call for help is answered, it's a sign of friendship or friendship in the making.  Got to Get to BEARS! (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, October 30, 2018) written and illustrated by Brian Lies is an action-packed adventure of forest friends intent on reaching someone in need. Nothing will stop them.

When Izzy read the note, she knew she had to go.

Izzy was a chipmunk.  The sky looked like bad weather was coming but if Bear asked her to come as soon as possible, that was all she needed to know.  It started to snow.  Soon it was so deep, she was stuck.

Scritch, a squirrel, asked where Izzy was going.  He offered to help her by leaping from tree top to tree top with her on his back. They finally reached a point where they were unable to keep going.  Bingle, a duck, was more than willing to fly the duo.

The snow storm turned into a blizzard and Bingle was blinded.  They tumbled onto a snow-covered roof.  They each decided walking should be tried again.  The duck was moving slower and slower.  When a raccoon came along, they were more than ready to ride on his back.  Snaffie kept going.  Soon only Izzy was above the snow now, guiding the raccoon.

A glow in the distance gives them hope.  Are they too late?  What Bear and all her friends do next is the very best kind of surprise.

As a storyteller Brian Lies has a gift for engaging his readers immediately.  With the note Izzy receives from Bear, a mystery begins.  To have this call for assistance come at the same time as the beginning of the snow storm heightens the tension.  We become further involved as each animal makes an appearance and offers support.  This tension and tempo increase in tandem with the depth of the snow and intensity of the blizzard.  This is why the surprise is pure perfection.  Here is a passage.

As they went, the sky darkened, the wind grew

wild, and snow stung their faces like tiny bees.

"Can't see!" Bingle screeched.  "Can't see!"

Rendered in acrylic paint on Strathmore paper the illustrations reach out to readers as soon as we see the double-page picture featured on the matching and open dust jacket and book case.  Tall trees and the forest floor are fully blanketed in snow.  A huge mound provides a placeholder for the ISBN on the back.  A lantern glows above it.  The four friends lean into the wind, determination etched on their faces.  The text and friends are varnished on the jacket.

The same shade of red in the title text is used to cover the opening and closing endpapers.  On the initial title page Bear is leaning against her window looking out into the snow.  On the formal title and verso pages, a note is delivered to Izzy with a bear paw print sealing it closed.  It flutters down from a retreating bird who seems to be carrying a mail bag on its back.  (These are the kind of wonderful details Brian includes in his artwork.)

Each illustration speaks to and enhances the narrative.  Some of the pictures are full-page, others are small loosely framed circles.  A series of four horizontal panels extend over a double-page visual.  And then we are treated to a large image over two pages.  Brian also has four vertical panels on two pages.  Layer by layer, image by image we become more a part of this story.  You will cherish the realistic portraits of the animals and their facial expressions.

One of my many favorite illustrations is when Bingle is flying straight into the blizzard.  All around the duck is dark blue and snow.  She is streaking toward us on the right side of a double-page picture.  Her right wing crosses the gutter.  The squirrel and chipmunk are hanging on for their lives with their eyes closed.  

Without a doubt readers are going to love Got to Get to BEARS! written and illustrated by Brian Lies.  They will be captivated by the mystery and adventure . . . and shocked at the surprise.  I know they will ask to have the story read to them again.  If you follow the link attached to Brian Lies' name, you can access his website.  Brian has an account on Twitter and Instagram.