New Spring, New Life

You usually hear them before you see them. As one of the oldest living bird species, the call seems nearly out of place and time.  As you lift your head and scan the skies, you seek a unique silhouette.  There is apt to be a wing span of six to seven feet, graceful long legs trail behind the body.

If you are fortunate, they can be seen forging in fields or gliding across a watery expanse.  Hello, I'm Here (Candlewick Press, March 20, 2019) written by Helen Frost with photography by Rick Lieder is the most recent collaboration by these outstanding artists.  It's a poetic and visual portrait of a sandhill crane's entry into the world.

It's getting crowded 
inside this egg.

The voice of an unborn sandhill crane chick speaks directly with fervent truth.  It's hard to move any body parts when you've grown too large for your current residence.  There are so many questions in this young mind needing answers, so a tiny beak starts to peck.

Out of the shell, the newborn cries for company.  Where are its parents?  Next to a parent the tiny bundle of fluff wonders if its legs will allow it to stand.  Are they sturdy?  Walking around taking tentative steps, the bird notices another youngster, a sibling.

The newborn follows the older baby, the duo wanders around the shore, exploring the area and the use of their legs and wings.  Mama advises them of dangers.  She shows the baby the best things to eat.  A flock of cranes glide by overhead and wishes of flight fill a young heart.  All this activity means it's time for a nap.


With insight perfected from her keen and practiced observation skills Helen Frost brings us along to appreciate the first days in the life of a sandhill crane.  Told through the voice of the chick, eleven four-line verses present an intimate impression.  The final word in the second and fourth lines rhyme with a gentle and joyful cadence.  Here are four lines.

We flap our wings.
We try to dance.
Let's go swimming---
here's our chance.


The photography of Rick Lieder on the front and back of the dust jacket is the initial wondrous glimpse of what the interior pictures will depict.  You have to wonder how many hours were spent and how many photographs were taken to get the perfect presentation of the chick with the open beak, nestled in the mother's feathers.  To the left, on the back, a tiny chick is cautiously walking in grass.  Its head is turned as something has captured its attention.

On the book case, in spring green, the sandhill crane chicks, walking side-by-side are embossed and raised on the front. On the opening endpapers in a field the baby is walking from the left to the parent on the right.  Of the parent we see legs and a head and neck bent and ready to receive the child.  In shades of purple and blue, dusk is falling, and clouds move across a moonrise on the closing endpapers.  Framed between darkened evergreens, four cranes fly to the right.

Most of the eloquent images span two pages.  The single-page pictures flow together seamlessly as if they were taken mere seconds apart.  Most of the photographs are close-ups which give readers a more personal experience.  The color, definition of details and lighting are breathtakingly exquisite.  The layout and design with respect to the picture sizes and placement of the text is superb.

One of my many, many favorite photographs spans two pages.  Most of the background is a blurred dark green due to focus and perspective.  Walking along a line of a lighter color on the bottom are the two chicks and a parent.  We are very close to the chicks.  On each one of them a leg is raised, poised for the next step.  To their right are the tall legs of an adult, also in mid-step.


There is no better way to welcome this wonderful season of spring than with new life after the long, cold and snowy winter.  Hello, I'm Here! written by Helen Frost with photographs by Rick Lieder is certain to be a favorite story time book whether read one-on-one or to a group.  I know there will be requests for it to be read again.  It will promote further investigations into the study of young animal babies, birds and sandhill cranes.  At the close of the book is a page devoted to more information about these distinctive birds.  I highly recommend this title for your personal and professional collections.

To discover more about Helen Frost and Rick Lieder and their other work, please explore their websites by following the links attached to their names.  At the publisher's website you can view an interior image.  It is an incredible captured moment.  Please enjoy the book trailer.  I have included further websites and a video to be used along with this book.  You can get more information at All About Birds, Songbird Protection Coalition (This article addresses the discussion surrounding making them a game bird in the state of Michigan.), Michigan Audubon and International Crane Foundation.

O Say Can You See

For weeks flags not previously displayed have appeared among those flying three hundred sixty-five days a year.  Buntings are hanging from porch railings and along roof lines.  Flower pots contain a mixture of geraniums, white petunias and blue pansies or lobelia.  There is hardly a home in the neighborhood not exhibiting some red, white and blue.

Today is the day the United States of America celebrates Independence Day.  On July 4, 1776 the Continental Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence.  Blue Sky White Stars (Dial Books For Young Readers, Penguin Young Readers Group, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, June 13, 2017) written by Sarvinder Naberhaus with illustrations by Kadir Nelson is a moving tribute to our flag, a symbol of the American people, their country and all it represents.

BLUE SKY
WHITE STARS

BLUE SKY
WHITE
STARS 

Like a choral reading, a back and forth repetition of physical, inspirational and historical aspects of the American flag are spoken by an unseen narrator (or narrators).  From the blue background with a star for each state a salute is given to the stripes of red and white.  A nod to the name bestowed upon our flag by Captain William Driver of Salem, Massachusetts in 1831 is found. (Did you know he hide his flag with twenty-four stars during the Civil War?)

For the next three pairs of lines words which sound the same with different spellings and different meanings sing of the value of flag, country and its people.  It has not always been an easy struggle nor will it be in the future.  But it unites us in a common purpose.

Those of us living here sometimes as participants and other times as spectators share dreams and goals, rejoicing in victories and appreciating the service of others.  We hold our heads high in the face of dreams and goals realized.  We continually reach higher and higher now and always.


The words of Sarvinder Naberhaus read like an anthem.  They need to be read aloud or raised in song.  If you take the text writing the lines as a continuous poem, it states indisputable features of our flag and our people but also opens the door to discussion and interpretation.  Therein is the beauty and value of this narrative.  Here is a single example of her word choices.  How would you interpret them?

SEA WAVES

SEE WAVES  


Multiple award-winning Kadir Nelson has created a series of paintings for this book beginning with the matching dust jacket and book case which will have you gasping for breath at their beauty.  Readers will have a hard time taking their gaze from the front of the jacket and case to even open the book.  Look at those faces.  Look at their eyes and expressions.  Look at the reflection of the fireworks in the glasses of two of the spectators.  Moving to the left, the back, we become part of the crowd standing behind the darkened silhouette of the original people with the fireworks bursting above their heads.  The small flag in the child's hand is visible.  Notice the light in the boy's ears.

On the opening and closing endpapers the blue sky with white stars from the jacket and case is continued.  On the title page an older, more weathered version of several stripes on the flag is shown.  For every set of words Kadir Nelson interprets the text so brilliantly as a reader you can't help but be moved.

For

RED ROWS
RED ROWS

on the left against a blanket of early snow is a row of trees bathed in autumn red.  To the right are stripes from the flag.  For

ALL AMERICAN
ALL AMERICAN

on the left is a panoramic view of a baseball game.

Red, white and blue bunting hangs along the seats at the edge of the field.  The pitcher has just thrown the ball.  There is a brush stroke for every single person in attendance.  On the right a grandfather and his grandson sit on a porch, a radio sitting on a table in front of them.  Perhaps they are listening to the game.  We are so close to them we can see they are both munching from boxes of Cracker Jack treats.  The man, his glasses reflecting light and shadow, is wearing a World War II Veteran cap.  He is a decorated veteran.   They are looking straight at us.  This is my favorite painting in this title.


This book, Blue Sky White Stars, written by Sarvinder Naberhaus with illustrations by Kadir Nelson is truly a present from these talented people you can open again and again.  It is a stunning achievement.  You will want to read the words written by Sarvinder Naberhaus and Kadir Nelson in A Note From The Author and A Note From The Illustrator at the end of this title.

To learn more about Sarvinder Naberhaus and Kadir Nelson and their work please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Sarvinder Naberhaus chats about this book at Emu's Debuts.  Uma Krishnaswami speaks with Sarvinder on her blog and official website. Kadir Nelson has an Instagram account where you can view interior images including my favorite one.  There is a wonderful conversation at Lassi with Lavina about this title with Sarvinder Naberhaus.

Honoring Wordsmith Heroes

The month of April is coming to a close but the observance of National Poetry Month need not stop.  Let's just think of this month as an introduction to a literary form allowing everyone to express themselves in a variety of writing styles every single day of the year.  If you have a flair for visualizing shapes, pen a concrete poem.  If you wish to focus on the natural world, the five-seven-five syllable haiku is the perfect kind of poem for you.  If you enjoy even more structure, the five line cinquain asking for a single noun, two adjectives, three -ing participles, a four word phrase and closing with a synonym for the first noun is what you should write.  If you like the rhythms of rhyming create a couplet.

Poetry beckons to the universal qualities found in all people.  Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets (Candlewick Press, March 14, 2017) written by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth with illustrations by Ekua Holmes expresses the admiration held by these three poets and artist for twenty other poets.  They have collaborated to inspire others as they were inspired.

In the first of three parts, Got Style?, poets are featured for creating a signature style.  With recognition and respect the poems written about them underscore their individuality.  Kwame Alexander's How To Write A Poem celebrating Naomi Shihab Nye will have you reaching for the nearest means to record your thoughts.  The same peace we find in Robert Frost's contemplations is echoed in Marjory Wentworth's In Every Season.  Gathered thoughts, separated by pauses, lyrically define poetry in a manner reminiscent of the work of Nikki Giovanni using all lower case letters.  Snapshots by Chris Colderley is a loving tribute.

In Your Shoes, the second section, focuses on poetry written by one author (us?) which reads like it was written by a favorite poet.  Beginning with basketball and continuing the analogy dreams are shared, glory days of youth are remembered and heroes of Harlem are saluted in Walter, Age Ten celebrating Walter Dean Myers by Kwame Alexander.  We travel to the private place in Chile beloved by poet Pablo Neruda in The Music Of The Earth written by Marjory Wentworth.  Calm is found in nature by a man devoted to poetry, politics and his people.  Majestic musings about those who walked before us on Tambourine Mountain pays tribute to Judith Wright.  Chris Colderley asks us in Tambourine Things to hold a found fossil in our hands, listening and watch the shadows fall as the sun sets.

In the final part, Thank You, the three contemporary poets write poems regarding those poets who affected them in a deeply personal manner.

A poem can sometimes be so powerful that it might even feel as though the poet is speaking directly to us, as if we are in the middle of a private conversation.

They showcase Gwendolyn Brooks, Sandra Cisneros, William Carlos Williams, Okot p'Bitek, Chief Dan George, Rumi and Maya Angelou.  These poems do indeed beckon but they wrap themselves around you in the glory of the words.  You cannot help but feel the love as each poet's life story is revealed.


This collection of poems written by Kwame Alexander, Marjory Wentworth and Chris Colderley not only pays homage to twenty poets but introduces readers to the particular voice of these three poets.  After reading several of their poems you sense the similarity in how they approach the poet they are showcasing.  No matter which poem you are reading, whether written by Alexander, Wentworth or Colderley, you will find yourself without conscious thought sighing or gasping as you read the last line.  They are all brilliant.  I will share a portion of a poem written by each one.

From Walter, Age Ten
celebrating Walter Dean Myers

I'd like to soar one day
like Sweetwater Clifton high above the rim---
I wanna trot the globe
grab the world in my hands and
twirl a big ball of hope
from corner to corner.  ...
     Kwame Alexander

In Every Season
celebrating Robert Frost
... I have stopped to shake the dry snow
from the branches and watched the outline

of each bare tree sharpen like stone
and considered that quite often

life is too much like a pathless wood.
Still I have lived so long and traveled so far,

and I have climbed these hills and looked
at the world and descended.
    Marjory Wentworth

Snapshots
celebrating Nikki Giovanni

people forget...poetry is not just words on a page...it is...
a snowflake on your tongue...a tattoo on the inside of your arm...a dashiki and a kaftan...
tripping down the streets of Lincoln Heights...shouting from the hills of Knoxville, Tennessee...
    Chris Colderley


The warmth of the color palette and design radiates from the front of the matching dust jacket and book case.  The figure, arms raised and fingers spread, is moving to an unseen music, the poems we have yet to read.  On the back, to the left, on a golden background with hints again of musical notes, a list of the twenty poets is shown.  The deep purple of the title words is spread across the opening and closing endpapers.  The poets being celebrated are royalty in the world of literature.  Portions of geometric golden suns are displayed on the title page.  This design is used throughout the book as accents and for each of the three parts.

The artistic technique for creating these illustrations, collage on paper, used by Ekua Holmes presents readers with unique portrayals spreading across two pages, framed on a single page, as insets on a single page or edge to edge on a single page.  Vibrant colors are woven into each one.  Various papers give a texture to each visual, inviting readers to touch the pages.  Holmes varies her perspective in keeping with the poems.

With each page turn it's as if you are walking through an art gallery.  Elements in the illustrations reference the poet and the place in which the poem is set.  As soon as you finish, you will flip the pages to see all the pictures again.  They are striking...every single one.

One of my many favorite illustrations is the two-page spread for Snapshots.  Page edge to page edge a cool shade of green (teal?) provides a canvas for large snowflake designs.  Small white dots are blended with them.  Some of the snowflakes are in the foreground, some in the background.  On the left a boy wrapped in winter clothing is leaning back tasting the flakes with his tongue.  Opposite him on the right a girl is doing the same thing.  All we see is her face peeking out of a hooded coat.  Red, a darker shade of green and a golden yellow are chosen for their clothing.


Every bookshelf needs to hold a space for one or more copies of Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets written by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth with illustrations by Ekua Holmes.  In a word this title is stunning.  Prior to Kwame Alexander's Preface is a Contents.  At the conclusion of the book six pages are dedicated to giving readers more information about the twenty selected poets.  They are also listed by Ancient And Foreign-Language Poets, Nineteenth-Century Poets, Twentieth-Century Poets and Contemporary Poets.  Short biographical paragraphs are included for Kwame Alexander, Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth.

To acquaint you further with Kwame Alexander, Marjory Wentworth and Ekua Holmes please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites. NPR Morning Edition features this title in an interview with Kwame Alexander.  Marjory Wentworth is highlighted at knowitall.org   The Horn Book podcast 2.8 has Ekua Holmes as a guest.  Ekua Holmes visits The Brown Bookshelf for an interview.  At Penguin Random House you can view the first ten pages.  Candlewick Press has created a teacher's guide. Teacher librarian Jennifer Reed wrote a blog post at Reederama about using this title in her school library.
Collage Artist | Ekua Holmes Video from AugustineMonica Films on Vimeo.