A Collective Effort

When a task presents itself to an individual; a mental assessment begins.  A list of essential endeavors is made.  Dependent on the nature of the work, tools might be necessary.  One of the hardest decisions is whether this undertaking can be completed alone or if help is vital to success.  

One of the older folktales with animal characters in which one is seeking assistance from others is The Little Red Hen. She asks multiple times, at various stages in her project, for help, but none is given.  It is only when she is completely done, affirmative replies are offered in response to her final request.  It is too late.  A lively, recent variant on this classic story is The Little Green Hen (Candlewick Press, March 19, 2019) written and illustrated by Alison Murray.  This hen's interest is not in the culinary arts.

Once, on top of a hill,

grew a beautiful, old, and

very fruitful

apple tree.

There was a hollow in the trunk of this tree where a little green hen resided.  She tended this apple tree.  She pruned, practiced pest control and planted.  When the apple seeds she planted turned into saplings, she needed help.  Her single apple tree was now part of an orchard.

For pruning she sought assistance from Peacock.  He said no, but Dog said yes.  Dogs and sticks go together very well.  Fox refused pest control duty, but the smallest of brown sparrows agreed.  There were still plenty of seeds to plant.  A ginger cat who preferred sleeping was not an option.  Squirrel offered his digging and concealing skills.

This foursome worked through three seasons, spring, summer and fall.  They shared in the abundance the orchard provided them.  They happily lived in the hollow of the apple tree trunk.  Then the rains came. It kept on raining.  The Little Green Hen, Dog, the smallest of brown sparrows and Squirrel stayed snug and dry, but Peacock, Fox and Cat were in trouble.  

They were all on Cat's lounging log floating in the flood.  They soon spotted the apple tree with hope in their hearts.  This hen was no ordinary hen.  She had hope in her heart, too.  Some visions for a future are best realized together.

With one word, once, Alison Murray has us gathered around to listen to the tale she will tell.  We know the outcome will be different.  There is an apple tree and the hen is green.  Alison Murray uses the storyteller's three enumerating the hen's tasks of pruning, pest control and planting. 

The first splendid switch comes when the hen asks for help, and a negative reply is countered with a positive response three times.  Alison Murray enhances the story by giving reasons for each character's answers; the peacock is preening, the fox would rather eat the Little Green Hen and the smallest of brown sparrows 

was partial to pesky bugs.

The second switch is the flood, the Little Red Hen's answer to a request for help and the change in attitude of Peacock, Fox and Cat.  It is through the flood and the Little Green Hen's tasks that Alison Murray invites readers to speculate about our environment and to see ourselves as caretakers.  Here is a passage.

"And who will help me sow the apple seeds?"

"Not I," said the fat ginger cat,

who was far too busy lounging

on a log in the sun. 

The vibrant, eye-catching color combinations on the open and matching dust jacket and book case are true attention-grabbers.  The brilliant shades of green and blue with red and spots of pink and orange on the front along with the happy expression on the Little Green Hen's face ask readers to open the case.  The hues on the front continue on the spine blending with the image to the left, on the back.

Here the four friends, the Little Green Hen, Dog, Squirrel and the smallest of brown sparrows are gathered in the hollow of the apple tree trunk.  One pesky pest is with them, too.  They are all looking to the left in surprise.  A sky-blue background is showing on the left and peeking through leaves above the companions.  The color of the apple tree trunk is in shades of purple and brown.

On the opening and closing endpapers Alison Murray has placed a beautiful green and cream pattern which is similar to the whorls seen in tree bark.  On the initial title page, the Little Green Hen has her beak around the stem of a large apple.  The title text is inside the apple.  This is a close-up.  On the more formal title and verso pages green leaves and apple blossoms on the left and the Little Green Hen seated on a branch near a large apple on the right give readers a larger view.

Each image digitally rendered conveys a can-do and uplifting atmosphere.  The placement of the elements, the bold lines and color choices work together to accomplish this wonderfully.  Some of the illustrations span two pages, single pages or are grouped two to a page.  The layout and design are marvelous.  To show the passage of the three seasons, two pages are divided with three vertical panels.

There is never any doubt as to the emotional status of the characters.  This is conveyed mainly through the eyes; a lifting or lowering of eyebrows, closed eyes, wide, happy eyes or worried looks.  This brings readers directly into the narrative.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is the two pages with the three vertical seasonal panels.  In the first one, on the left, against a pale blue sky is the top of the apple tree at the bottom.  Sitting in the blossoming branches is the sparrow chasing away a pesky pest.  In the center is the tree standing tall and covered in green apples on a lighter green canvas with the Little Green Hen tending to a sapling.  On the right against a pale red background is the apple tree at the top with Dog leaning against the tree and apples in a basket near him.  At the bottom in the top of the apple tree is Squirrel happily reaching for an apple.  Has Squirrel been tossing apples into the basket?

For a folktale or fable theme, for a unit on variants, for attention directed toward stewardship and ecology or for the wonder of a fantastic story, The Little Green Hen written and illustrated by Alison Murray is an excellent choice.  The blend of images and words is exemplary.  Whether read one-on-one or with a group, you will be requested to read it again.  You can pair it with The Little Red Pen in a fractured study.  Alison Murray has also retold other tales; Hare and Tortoise and Dino Duckling.  I highly recommend this title for your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Alison Murray and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Alison Murray has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.

He Came From The Egg

It has stood the test of time.  It's a tale of being the distinctly unusual member of a family.  There is rejection.  There is acceptance and ultimately great beauty.

Hans Christian Andersen's The Ugly Duckling was written and published 174 years ago.  Dino Duckling (Orchard Books, October 2017, UK, Little, Brown And Company, January 9, 2018, US) written and illustrated by Alison Murray is a charming, original story based on this classic.  In this tale, from the beginning, this odd child out is nurtured.  This is how a heart is made whole.

Even as an egg,

Dino Duckling was different.

BOOM

BOOM

CRUNCH

At birth he was bigger than his duckling siblings, growing faster and much, much larger.  It was hard for him not to feel as though he did not belong but Mama Duck treated him with the same love and affection as her other babies.  As one season passed into the next, he was taught the same skills as the other three.  He also learned how to be a member of a family, sharing and caring for each other.

The most important value Mama Duck cultivated in her children was to 

celebrate their differences.

Even though one has a family who cherishes uniqueness, it's another thing for the world to view you in the same way.  This is hard for the particular individual who is the object of ridicule but Mama Duck was ever attentive and reassuring.

Spring into summer and summer into fall had the ducklings practicing their flying techniques with greater diligence.  No matter how he tried, Dino Duckling could not get himself airborne.  He realized with sadness his differences separated him from his family.  He was alone.

As the cold settled around him, he closed his eyes and he cried.  In his sorrow Dino Duckling forgot Mama Duck's words but she did not.  Heading south was first and foremost a family affair.

Sentence by sentence Alison Murray puts her own special spin on this well-known tale.  This mother embraces the special characteristics Dino Duckling exhibits.  The words different and difference are used repeatedly to supply a rhythm.  When the skills taught to the ducklings are listed and Dino Duckling is trying to fly, another type of cadence is created.  Mama Duck's familial sayings are poems that rhyme and which welcome audience participation.  Here is a passage.

Sometimes Dino Duckling

couldn't help feeling different,

but Mama Duck always said,

"Big and wide,

sleek and slim,

we're a family

and we all fit in."

Different didn't make

any difference to her.

The bright pastel colors introduced on the opened book case are used throughout the title.  On the front of the United States cover all the family members are looking at Dino Duckling with devotion.  To the left, on the back, is a smaller interior scene with the three ducklings using Dino Duckling's back and tail like a slide into the pond.  Mama Duck watches proudly from the water. 

On the opening and closing endpapers Alison Murray, in cream and pale blue, has portrayed four horizontal scenes of life with Mama Duck, the ducklings and Dino Duckling.  There is a notable difference between the two endpapers in keeping with the story's conclusion.  On the initial title page Dino Duckling's egg provides a place for the title text.  On the formal title and verso pages the creamy hue is the canvas for dinosaur and duckling tracks from left to right.  A tiny duckling is quacking up at Dino Duckling as he walks off the right.  All we see is his tail.

Rendered digitally and with screenprinting the illustrations printed on a heavier matte-finished paper spread across two pages, single pages and with several smaller pictures on a single page to emphasize pacing.  Most of the images are loosely framed by the background placed on the cream color.  With a few lines the expressions on the duckling's, Mama Duck's and Dino Duckling's faces convey each mood.

The settings Alison Murray depicts are made more realistic through the inclusion of details.  Blackbirds are nesting in the tree Dino Duckling breaks as he walks, squirrels scampering on the branches.  Schools of fish in the pond, a hovering dragonfly and reed-lined banks clearly define their home. As the seasons shift the sky, flowers and trees reflect those changes.

One of my many favorite illustrations spans across two pages.  There is a heavy use of hues of blue to represent the time of day and Dino Duckling's mood.  He is lying down along the length of the pond, eyes closes and crying.  Behind him tree trucks in black stretch skyward.  Three fall leaves tumble among the fresh falling snowflakes.  Patches of reeds frame Dino Duckling.  On the other bank two tiny mice watch him, concerned.

From the first time to the fifth time my fondness for Dino Duckling written and illustrated by Alison Murray continues to grow.  It is a joy to read aloud.  In fact, you will undoubtedly be asked to read it again and again.  Alison Murray has a gift for reaching her intended audience with a lovely blend of words and art.  I highly recommend this for your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Alison Murray and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  I think you will enjoy watching her Merry Christmas Dino Duckling short drawing video.   She also has a resources link.

Ready...Set...Go

With every race there is a chase.  Even if the contestants begin on equal footing there will be a constant shift in pace as strategies dictate.  First one party takes the lead, then another moves ahead. Predictions will be made naming one as the possible winner.  Sometimes it's so close only the final seconds will reveal the victor.

One of the oldest known races in literary history is found in a collection of stories, Aesop's Fables.  In The Hare & the Tortoise the animals leave us with more than one point to ponder.  In a new retelling, Hare And Tortoise (Candlewick Press, May 24, 2016) written and illustrated by Alison Murray, readers are presented with a lively and entertaining perspective.

Here comes Hare.
Hello, Hare.
Hey, Hare.  Hellooo!
Could you stand still for a 
minute, please, Hare?

As the frisky fellow pauses the attributes of his physique are duly noted; his ears, eyes, head, paws, nose, whiskers and hind legs in descriptive detail.  Three exemplary qualities of his are listed as well as his obsession with carrots.  And admittedly he is not shy about proclaiming his abilities when speed is a factor.

We are next introduced to Tortoise when she is eventually found.  (She can be mistaken for a rock when at rest.)  She does not have a long list of characteristics.  She cannot do any of the three fast facts but her life outlook tops the positive and optimistic scale.

The racers are ready.  The course is set, winding through the farm and ending at the gate near the barn.  With a rooster crow the contest begins.  Hare takes the lead leaping toward certain triumph.  If you've ever seen a tortoise move, you might be ready to concede at this point on Tortoise's behalf.  Tortoise is not exactly whizzing down the trail.

Then two very specific details, an irresistible temptation and The Shady Tree on a knoll, generate a shift in the narrative.  A short time later the spectators at the gate are cheering wildly.  A gracious champion offers a new delicious challenge.


Alison Murray adds new threads to the timeless fabric of this tale repeatedly with great effect.  In acquainting us with Hare and Tortoise prior to the race focusing on the characteristics of one and drawing our attention to the absence of those same traits in the other, our anticipation is heightened.  This approach also provides Murray with the opportunity to supply liberal doses of humor.  Allowing Hare and Tortoise to comment within the body of the story enriches this version.

As we read the tale, the voice of the unseen narrator is exactly like listening to a commentator at a sporting event.  The use of repetition, rhyme and alliteration contributes to the rhythm and rate at which the story unfolds.  Verb choices reflect specific moments during the race.

Hare races through the tickliest grass.  

"I'm so fast, I fly past," sings Hare.

Tortoise trundles through the tickliest grass...

"I may be slow, but watch me go," hums Tortoise.


A first glance at the front of the matching dust jacket and book case tells us Hare and Tortoise at the very least have a healthy respect for one another.  They might even be best buddies.  The color choices radiate warmth.  To the left, on the back, a portion of an interior image shows Hare charging ahead over a hill shouting,

Byeee!

with Tortoise at the bottom exclaiming,

Oh!

The opening and closing endpapers in crisp white with shades of turquoise depicts The Race Course.  Within the rectangle for the Scale 1:100 Alison Murray exhibits the disparity between the two visually and textually.  On the informal title page along with the text Murray places a bunch of carrots and a tree leaf.  The verso and titles pages are a single illustration of Hare and Tortoise frozen in a moment of friendship, looking at each other.

Rendered digitally, these illustrations varying in size, double page, single page, extending across the gutter creating a column for text, or horizontally paired across two pages, literally sizzle with energy or strum slow and steady depending on the character being depicted.  Page turn by page turn Murray is giving us an up-close-and-personal view of the action on the course.  The first eight pages dedicated to readers meeting Hare and Tortoise are sure to induce laughter; Hare leaping over the field filled with tall grasses and flowers, an almost scientific portrait of his physical traits with descriptions in boxes and arrows pointing to portions of his body,  the search for Tortoise among rocks and the "scientific" names assigned to each of them are another example of Murray's comedic details.  The facial expressions on all the characters but especially on Hare and Tortoise are bursting with joy.  Murray cleverly indicates the passage of time by inserting the sun's position in some of her pictures.

One of my favorite of many illustrations is that following a description of Hare as he rests.  He suddenly is aware the real world and his dream world might be one and the same.  On the left of this two-page picture we move close to Hare startled and standing next to The Shady Tree, a look of disbelief on his face.  It matches the text perfectly.  To the right other farm animals are gathered outside the gate watching and cheering as Tortoise moves down the path.  In the distance the barn is decorated with pennants, bluebirds flying past.


You simply can't help but love this interpretation of an enduring fable.  Hare And Tortoise written and illustrated by Alison Murray captures the soul of the original but gives readers charming extension, more breadth.  I highly recommend adding this title to your personal and professional bookshelves.  You will want to pair it with Jerry Pinkney's gorgeous The Tortoise & The Hare.

To learn more about Alison Murray, who lives in Scotland, and her other books, such as Apple Pie ABC and One Two That's My Shoe!, please visit her website by following the link attached to her name.  At the publisher's website you can view one of the interior double-page images.

I made a hare and tortoise race map game - download pdf here ... https://t.co/Ivhm8lvmGH

— Alison Murray (@a1isonmurray) August 4, 2016

Chasing That Shoe

I love it when my mind's eye sees something while my conscience eyes are focused on something else entirely.  While looking ahead at a special section in the public library this past week, what should register on my radar but the new Alison Murray book, One Two That's My Shoe!(Disney-Hyperion Books, June 5, 2012)  I was as pleased as could be to see the rascally familiar black and white pooch on the cover in all his lovable glory. 

As in the first book, Apple Pie ABC, Georgie and his human, Grace, are characters in the retelling of an old nursery rhyme.  Alison Murray's version of "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" is a series of classic "catch-me-if-you-can" snapshots.  This youthful chant has never been better than when altered by the clever words and artwork of Murray.

Grace is all comfy in the big red chair reading with Georgie comfortably resting, his head on her lap.  When she leaves the room, Georgie follows.  Spying her pair of red shoes unattended on the floor, keeping his eyes on Grace, Georgie picks one up, running away.  One and two have been counted.

Once three and four have been noted Georgie has left the house.  Leading his girl on a merry path through a group of butterflies, into the tulips, through the trees, past laundry on a line and into chicks with hens, the dog on the run is clearly having great fun as the counting is done.  Finding himself in a bit of trouble, Georgie is grateful for Grace's intervention; giving her the most favored show of affection, a doggy kiss. 

As in Apple Pie ABC the front cover foreshadows the storyline Murray will chose to follow but the back cover, rather than a continuation of the front, again gives readers a hint about the book's conclusion.  The endpapers, front and back, feature large blocks framing elements from Georgie's romp with Grace in the upper left-hand corner pursuing the wayward dog as he scurries off the page in the lower right-hand corner.  In this volume red is still prevalent but in use as more of an accent color.

Alison Murray has chosen to vary her palette from the warmer shades of red, orange and yellow with spots of blue found in Apple Pie ABC to the cooler hues of greens and blues with more white space; numbers are in white within squares of blue.  Beneath each number in a paler, dusty turquoise are small representations of the objects used in the counting; three teddy bears, five butterflies, seven trees.  The two page spread including the verso and title page actually begin the story. 

With the exception of four pages all the visuals are two page spreads; indicating the chase is on.  Despite Georgie's escape with Grace's shoe, Murray has made it clear with the lift of an eyebrow, the curve of a mouth and open-eyed looks, this game may have been played and even enjoyed before...well, at least on Georgie's part.  Combining digital drawings with textures created using other mediums, works in these illustrations to give readers a sense of lightness, playfulness and inviting openness. 

One Two That's My Shoe! is not only a rousing variation of an old favorite but the illustrations by Alison Murray are so charming readers will be leaning in as the pages are turned.  Join in the counting waggery with this delightful duo.  This title begs to be used in creative drama.

The Alphabet Never Tasted So Good

Recently browsing through one of my favorite local bookstores, a book resting on the shelves beckoned to me.  Scottish author/illustrator, Alison Murray, has fashioned an alphabet book, Apple Pie ABC (Hyperion, May 31, 2011), that is good enough to eat.  Her take on the classic nursery rhyme is fresh, vibrant, unique and just plain delectable.

Georgie, a lovable mutt, is on a quest for the apparently unattainable.  His forever friend, Grace, has made an apple pie.  Nothing will deter her canine companion from acquiring that apple pie.

Every letter of the alphabet follows Georgie in his persistent efforts.  A apple pie, B bake it, C cool it, ...N not giving up, O ogle it, P pine for it, ...U underneath it, V very nearly, and W whoops!  Despite Grace's attempts to protect her perfect pastry Georgie's goal is met.  Love for Georgie shines through in Grace's final peek at her best buddy.

It was color that first brought my eye to Apple Pie ABC.  Rich reds radiate throughout the book beginning and continuing with vibrant text. Large blocks of red surround each creamy alphabet letter or they are shown entirely in red. 

Murray's endpapers are a collage of squares highlighting A, B, and C with Grace and Georgie silhouetted in opposite corners as ingredients and cooking utensils fill the others.  The title and publication information is laid out across double pages picturing Grace at a table reading a recipe book with Georgie smiling looking up.  Letters A, I and Z are illustrated using two pages while the remaining letters may have a single page or share space with letters; pleasing in its effect but also creating tension as Georgie nears his objective.

Use of orange, blue, golden yellow, spots of pale green and black coupled with the illustrative design bring a warm nostalgic feel to the title. Apple pie is definitely comfort food.  Murray's interpretation of two friends sharing while the one is the creator and the other the consumer is lovable in every aspect; word choices are the kind that roll around on your tongue in joyful anticipation.

In an email request as to her techniques employed in illustrating this book she generously responded as follows:

I mainly work on computer.  First I draw the characters and some of the background objects in Adobe Illustrator.  Then by hand, I create different textures using pastels, paint strokes and various print techniques.  I scan these into my computer and then combine the two in Photoshop.  I think the blotches and happy accidents that you can make by hand humanise the line work drawn on computer.  I built up the image in layers a bit like the process of screen printing but on the computer. You can keep changing the colours till you (are) completely happy with the final illustration.

I see that another book, One Two That's My Shoe, featuring at least Georgie, will be released in 2012; lucky readers one and all.  Sharing Apple Pie ABC with others as a group or one on one is something to be relished repeatedly.  I can visualize a group acting out Georgie's antics as we weave our way through the alphabet toward a taste of that perfect pie. 

Alison Murry has a picturesque web site devoted to Apple Pie ABC.   Please see it by clicking on the link at the top.  Offering interesting information and fun activities it is a plus for viewers.