To Remember

My one grandparent I knew, my dad, and my mom were mentally and physically great before a heart quit beating, ALS took over, and old age (94) claimed each one respectively.  For the last few years of her life, my mother resided in assisted living.  When I shared a meal with her and other residents in the dining room, the occupants at our table would be deep in conversation when one would suddenly pause.  You could see by the look on their face, they were desperately trying to recall a word or a thought.  It was utterly heartbreaking to watch and experience this with them.

The loss of memory through the disease of Alzheimer's is particularly difficult to see happen to those we love.  This disease is relentless and can affect people at different ages, young or old.  Never Forget Eleanor (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, February 14, 2023) written by Jason June with pictures by Loren Long explores memory loss through the affectionate bond between a grandson and his grandmother.  For as long as you can, you will remember this tender story about the power of words.

Elijah loved doing crossword puzzles with his

grandma Eleanor.  She always seemed to know 

every word in the dictionary.

Elijah read aloud the clue and Eleanor knew the answer almost before he finished.  There wasn't a word she couldn't spell or understand.  The best thing about her gift with words was the stories Grandma Eleanor would tell Elijah.  

On Saturdays, Grandma Eleanor would hold special story sessions.  Everyone in town would come to listen.  Can you guess which one was Elijah's favorite?

When Elijah and Grandma Eleanor walked around town, she knew everyone's faces.  She believed each face held a tale.  They called her 

"Never Forget Eleanor."

One day Elijah noticed his grandmother couldn't recall an answer to his clue or even remember the clue.  One Saturday she forgot about story sessions.  The next Saturday Grandma Eleanor was missing for the town tale telling.  Elijah looked everywhere for her.  He thought and thought about how to find her.

He remembered their crossword puzzle fun, their walks throughout town and meeting the individuals whose faces she always knew, and her Saturday story sessions.  That was when an idea came to Elijah.  He knew how to find and assist his grandmother.  He had listened.  He had learned.  It was all about words and love and the help of those who named her 

"Never Forget Eleanor."

From the first page of words written by Jason June, the genuine affection shared by Elijah and Eleanor is clearly present.  Their conversations are like those between the best of friends as are their walks in the community and their wonderful Saturdays.  The manner in which this story is told allows readers along with Elijah to understand the true beauty of Grandma Eleanor.  She leads by example, embracing the best things in others and raising them up through her words.  Here is a sentence.

As she spoke, Elijah felt like his grandmother's words danced in the air and wrapped him up in a warm hug.

When you look at the open and matching dust jacket and book case, the love between Grandma Eleanor and Elijah radiates from the front, right side.  The color choices of artist Loren Long are complementary, hues of yellow and purple.  The flower Elijah is offering his grandmother is worn behind her ear in many of the images.  She holds the latest issue of the newspaper, folded to show the crossword puzzle they enjoy doing together.  

To the left of the spine on a crisp white canvas is an interior illustration.  Here Elijah and his grandmother are in the park.  She sits on a bench near a small tree and a few flowers.  Bunnies are near them, one on Eleanor's knee and the other in front of her.  Elijah sits on the grass in front of her.  All of them are listening to her tell one of her beloved tales.

On the opening and closing endpapers is a hue of purple.  Under the text on the title page, the duo walk to the right with their backs to us.  On the dedication page they sit face to face along the bottom of the page.  The flower, a Black-eyed Susan, is between them

These illustrations by Loren Long were rendered using

gouache and color pencil.

There is a liberal use of white space to highlight the characters and whatever they are doing.  Their body postures and facial expressions are lively and full of emotion, even in the sad times.  It is absolutely wonderful when the inhabitants of the town all listen together when Grandma Eleanor is telling her stories regardless of their prey-predator status in our world.

The sizes of the pictures vary to enhance the pacing and to show the passage of time.  Careful readers will notice the tiny details added by Loren Long.  Words relative to this story are tucked in a newspaper article.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a double-page picture.  It is of Grandma Eleanor and Elijah on a white background.  It is in response to several sentences including the above-quoted one.  From the left we see a portion of Grandma Eleanor's body.  Her mouth is open as she tells Elijah a story.  Her trunk and right arm are raised. Elijah is in the center of the right side.  His arms are clasped as if to give himself a hug.  On the tip of his trunk is a blue butterfly.  In a circle around him are the words,

Legend says it's good luck when a butterfly lands on your nose.

Elijah looks at the butterfly and his grandmother with awe, a slight smile on his face.

Like Elijah we won't forget Never Forget Eleanor written by Jason June with artwork by Loren Long.  There is an author's note and an illustrator's note at the close of the book talking about Alzheimer's disease and their very personal connections to it.  I can't imagine a personal or professional collection without a copy of this gentle, truthful title.

To learn more about Jason June and Loren Long and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their website.  Jason June has a newsletter geared to slightly older audiences along with an account on Instagram.  Loren Long has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  This book is featured by John Schu at his Watch. Connect. Read. with a conversation with the creators.  

Of Pasta, Pachyderms and Power

Pasta is one of those wholly sensory words.  Whether you see the word or forms of pasta, hear it spoken, smell it cooking or served, taste it in its many shapes and sizes and in an array of combinations with other ingredients or touch it, cooked or uncooked, it generates an emotion.  It calls forth memories.  It transports us to other places and other times or inspires future culinary endeavors.

One thing pasta might have never done before is encourage resistance.  Noodlephant (Enchanted Lion Books, February 12, 2019) written by Jacob Kramer with illustrations by K-Fai Steele shows readers how a love of pasta provides a persistent elephant and her group of friends with necessary courage.  Their inventiveness triumphs!


Once there was an elephant who loved noodles.  She loved noodles so much that all her friends called her Noodlephant.

As you can imagine an elephant can consume quite a bit of noodles.  This elephant had all kinds of neighbors in the community where she lived.  One group, though, was unlike any of the others.  The kangaroos regulated relentlessly through their rules.  No one could enjoy the beach, Butterfly Garden or make laws, but kangaroos.

Noodlephant and her buddies knew this was not right, but they compensated with other activities.  They did not want to end up as residents of the Zoo.  The event they all enjoyed the most was Noodlephant's pasta parties.  Sometimes she even used her grandmother's secret sauce recipe made with mushrooms.

A pasta party was planned and Noodlephant was grocery shopping when a kangaroo stopped her.  She was breaking a new law.  Elephants could not eat noodles, only kangaroos could eat noodles.  The penalty was imprisonment in the Zoo.  At the party that evening the consuming of acacia branches was not delicious, it was a disaster.  Contemplating this state of affairs and her bellybutton, Noodlephant was struck with a brainstorm.

This pachyderm and her pals got right to work.  They conceived, they collected, and they constructed a marvelous machine.  No one, certainly not the kangaroos, was going to take away the joy they found in Noodlephant's pasta parties. Those wily kangaroos raided their party!

It did not go well for Noodlephant in the courtroom.  Worried for her well-being, her friends found a way to smuggle help into the Zoo.  The Town of Rooville had never seen before what happened next.  When many minds and hearts act as one, change will arrive.  The Town of Rooville was never the same.


Readers are initially engaged in the story with the three noticeable things the community is not allowed to do and the three things they do instead.  It's the strength of three in storytelling.   The word play, the use of alliteration and puns, by author Jacob Kramer additionally involve us in the rhythm they supply.  There is a pleasing and flawless blend of narrative and dialogue placing emphasis on important portions of the story.  We want to join in the community songs and speeches by Noodlephant, quatrains with rhyming couplets.  Here are two passages.

"Ummm," said Noodlephant, trying to stay calm, "I was thinking of a fresh batch of fettuccine?
Maybe curly cavatappi would be nice.  Or I could stretch a tangle of tagliatelle . . ."

As she was being led away, Noodlephant shouted,

Justice is for all of us,
Not just for the bossiest.
And though right now, it sounds absurd
One day, you'll want to eat your words!


If you love any kind of pasta you will immediately identify with the image of Noodlephant on the front of the matching dust jacket and book case.  Look at the happiness on her face! Look at the size of that bowl of noodles!  Do you notice the design on the bowl?

To the left on the back, with the same canvas shades in peach and pink, a stern kangaroo is searching in his rule book (or writing a ticket for infractions) and wearing a stick around his waist.  Framing him is a series of seven different pasta meals with noodles ribboned between most of them.  The serving dishes are varied, too.

On the opening and closing endpapers artist K-Fai Steele has painted in black and white (and hues of gray) a map of the Town of Rooville with a visible distinction on the closing endpapers.  Around a steaming plate of pasta labeled Exhibit B beneath the text on the title page are the same pasta dishes as seen on the back of the jacket and case.  Readers will smile to see the tip of an elephant trunk appearing on the right side.

Rendered in watercolor all the illustrations are fully animated and filled with details asking readers to pause.  The expressive eyes and body postures convey joy, rudeness, dismay, fear, sadness, resolve, anger, kindness and contentment.  The image sizes shift from full-page, to double-page to small vignettes on a single page; each contributing to pacing.  The alternating points-of-view assist in emphasis.

One of my many favorite pictures spans two pages.  It is a forest scene with a pathway winding through leafy branches, trees and tree trunks.  Another trunk extends from the left side as Noodlephant seeks and sniffs out a singular ingredient.  Mushrooms, looking like morels, are growing from the forest floor on the right.  There is something wonderful and funny about this pictorial moment.


This book, Noodlephant written by Jacob Kramer with illustrations by K-Fai Steele, is in a category all by itself.  It's about making necessary changes.  It's about speaking out against injustice.  It's about a love of pasta, too.  You could pair this with other pasta books like Strega Nona for a delicious story time and a comparison.  It would be a great companion for The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet if seeking to stress the value of making your voice heard.  I highly recommend this title for your professional and personal collections.

If you wish to discover more about Jacob Kramer and K-Fai Steele and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Both Jacob Kramer and K-Fai Steele have accounts on Twitter. K-Fai Steele has an account on Instagram.  The cover reveal with a Q & A is found on teacher librarian Travis Jonker's 100 Scope Notes, School Library Journal.  Jacob Kramer and K-Fai Steele visit with author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast to discuss process and art.  You can view more interior illustrations at the publisher's website.

Noodlephant — Book Trailer from Enchanted Lion on Vimeo.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like . . #5

Sometimes we need to explore and discover (or rediscover) the true spirit of Christmas.  This is the commemoration of the birth of a child who became a man asking us, again and again, to love one another.  It is about giving with no thought of receiving. 


One children's literature character who continually shines as a beacon of friendship is Little Elliot.  In each of their stories, Little Elliot, Big City, Little Elliot, Big Family, Little Elliot, Big Fun and Little Elliot, Fall Friends, this white elephant with blue and pink polka-dots and his friend, Mouse, with one notched ear, spread goodwill consistently. Merry Christmas, Little Elliot (Godwin Books, Henry Holt and Company, September 11, 2018) written and illustrated by Mike Curato is about a search for a seasonal feeling.  Sometimes it's already within us but it takes the winds of fate to set it free.

Little Elliot was not excited
about Christmas.

"Let's go see Santa," said Mouse. 

As they waited in line to see the jolly old elf, Elliot knew what he wanted.  When he asked Santa about receiving the Christmas spirit, Santa replied it was not his to give.  Elliot needed to find it himself.

He and Mouse decided to look for it.  It was not at a classic Christmas ballet presentation, at the city center showcasing an enormous decorated tree, or at the park's sledding hill.  When the duo stopped for a hot chocolate break, Elliot told Mouse he could not find the Christmas spirit.

Suddenly a gust of wind delivered a bright red envelope right into Elliot's face.  It was addressed to Santa at the North Pole.  When Elliot and Mouse arrived back at the department store it was closed and St. Nick was gone.  This was indeed a dilemma. 

After deciding to read the letter, Elliot wondered how he could help make this request a reality.  In a few moments he had a plan. He and Mouse took a trip driving hours at night.  At their destination a greeting of great joy announced their presence.  A gift is given and received.


When Mike Curato begins with our pachyderm pal having a problem, we are ready to read and listen.  We, like Elliot's friend Mouse, want to help.  Through a concise, deliberate combination of narrative and conversations the story unfolds with marvelous pacing and pleasing surprises. Here is a passage.

"How do I find the 
Christmas spirit?" asked Elliot.

"I don't know," said Mouse, "but I will help you look!"


It is said not to judge a book by its cover but looking at this opened dust jacket is going to send everyone's holiday spirit into high gear.  There is much to love about the merriment seen on the face of Elliot.  Look at Mouse riding in his Santa's hat!  The sack full of Christmas goodies on the back of the sled and the small ribboned wreath on the front add to the overall happiness.  The bright red canvas with the elegant green ribbon script and child-like writing is pure perfection. 

On the spine Christmas lights bookend the title text.  To the left, on the back, Little Elliot and Mouse are calling out a greeting as Elliot holds the letter.  The characters and text are varnished.  The book case is also red with darker outlines to distinguish the portions of an envelope.  On the front is the return address of the sender which is a delightful play on words.  On the back we can see it's addressed to Santa.  The stamp is a one cent stamp in green featuring a historic United States figure.

Mike Curato uses his opening and closing endpapers to wordlessly begin and conclude the story.  On the former a girl bundled in winter clothing is carrying the red envelope in one hand and opening the rural mailbox in her right hand.  With a page turn on the verso and title pages a single image shows a gust of wind carrying the letter away.  It swirls through white title text on darkened blue and purple sky among snowflakes.  Standing by the mailbox the child has her hands outstretched in probable dismay. 

Through a series of utterly charming double-page and full page, with and without borders, illustrations, rendered with pencil on paper and digital color in Adobe Photoshop, Mike Curato lifts and enhances his text.  Many of the pictures are wordless but as with all beautifully created images, they speak volumes.  In all the scenes Mike's use of light and shadow is wonderful!

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is when Elliot and Mouse are leaving the city (New York City of a bygone era).  They are riding in a large yellow car.  Elliot is leaning out the rear window having donned the Santa cap borrowed from the Macy's snowman.  He is grinning with glee.  Mouse is carefully peering out the front window, hanging on to the edge.  His tail and ears are perked up.  Behind the car and through the car windows lighted windows in buildings and Christmas lights shine.  It's as if Elliot and Mouse are going to drive right into our space; they are that close to us.


It simply wouldn't be a complete collection of Christmas titles without a copy of Merry Christmas, Little Elliot written and illustrated by Mike Curato.  Exquisite care has been taken with the entire creation of every portion of this book.  It's guaranteed you will smile and sigh when you view the closing endpapers.  I highly recommend this title.  Giving is the spirit of Christmas which lasts forever.

To learn more about Mike Curato and his other work, please follow the links attached to his name to access his website and blog.  On his website he has a link to activities for this title. On his blog he talks about the making of this book and the Easter eggs hidden in his illustrations.  At Mike's website and the publisher's website you can view interior images.  Little Elliot has a website dedicated to all things Little Elliot.  Mike Curato has an account on Twitter and Instagram.

Follow One. Follow Two. Follow Three And More

During recess, after school and weekends children have been playing it for generations.  Follow the leader is a game of observation and physical and mental agility.  The premise is simple, but the goal can be challenging.  If you look around in the natural world, adults and their young instinctively play their own version.

It's a frequent sight in the spring to see a mother duck and her ducklings stopping traffic on roadways as they make their way toward water.  If you happen to see a row of black and white kits trailing behind their parent during a woodland walk, changing your direction is important.  It's never a good idea to be the target of frightened skunks.
A Parade Of Elephants (Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, September 25, 2018) written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes is a day journey overflowing with delight.

Look!

Elephants!

Count them.  There are one, two, three, four, five elephants.  One in front of the other they move, all in a row.  They aren't walking, they're marching.  It's a parade!

Sometimes they travel in circles.  Nothing keeps them from marching; not even the hills on their path. Marching over a bridge and marching under palm fronds, all five elephants go.  A natural tunnel does not deter their goal.  Nose to tail they are connected like links on a chain.

Pausing is not an option for these pachyderms.  They keep on marching and marching and marching until a crescent moon begins to glow in the night sky.  They are finished for the day.

They are tired.  Each one yawns and stretches but they have one more thing to do before they can sleep.  It is a surprise of sheer wonder.

He is a master of making every single word meaningful.  His short concise sentences and phrases ring out and linger like a bell strike.  Kevin Henkes uses repetition superbly.  His introduction of colors, numbers, and concepts heightens the rhythm of his storytelling.  Here are two sentences.

Big and round

and round they are.

Big and round

and round they go.

The pastel, limited color palette of pink, green, purple, yellow and blue with soft chocolate brown for this book appears in all its precious glory on the opened dust jacket. The lift of the elephants' feet and their eyes signal their enjoyment in marching.  To the left, on the back, within a band of white the elephants happily move beneath a sun as butterflies keep them company.  Tiny leaves and flowers dot the ground.  On the front the text and elephants are varnished.

The book case is blue on the front and the back is pink with a wide, textured spine in brown.  A large elephant outlined in brown on the front is facing readers.  On the back, the elephant has his back to us.  On a canvas of the soft chocolate brown five butterflies and a sun with rays in pink are placed on the opening endpapers.  In blue on the closing endpapers are the crescent moon and a handful of five stars.  Beneath the text on the title page the five elephants march.  

The matte-finished paper accentuates the softness of Kevin Henkes's illustrations rendered in brown ink and gouache. The first two words are in huge multi-colored type filling the entire page.  The numbering of the elephants extends over two pages; five lines for the addition of each elephant.  This technique of rows is cared to the next two pages with the elephants marching in a larger band of white with a purple band above and below them.  

Kevin Henkes employs the band pattern throughout the book.  It fashions a marvelous flow for readers' eyes.  To elevate interest and pacing he inserts full page pictures and double-page images.  It's genius!

One of my favorite illustrations of many is when the concept of over and under appears.  Within a wide band at the top of the page the five elephants are crossing a stone bridge.  Yellow fish leap in the water below them.  The elephants are in constant motion.  Under this first band is a band of purple holding the text.  Along the bottom the five friends are marching through palm fronds.  Kevin Henkes changes the position of their legs and heads to supply more animation.

A Parade Of Elephants written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes is certain to become a favorite in your homes, classrooms and libraries; it will be welcome wherever it is read.  It is one of those books no one will mind reading five times a day or night before bedtime.  I highly recommend this title for your personal and private collections.

To learn more about Kevin Henkes and his other work, please visit his website by using the link attached to his name.  At the publisher's website a teaching guide is provided for this title and some of his other books.  At Kevin's website other resources are available for this book.  Please enjoy the book trailer.

In Kindness Found

It cannot be sold or purchased for any sum.  It's free.  It starts in an individual's heart, is nourished by attitude and grows stronger daily.  Many times when given the opportunity, even though it costs nothing to acquire, it is not given.  It is refused.

These individuals who chose to withhold kindness sometimes find they are denied compassion from others when it is desperately needed.  Mela and the Elephant (Sleeping Bear Press, March 15, 2018) written by Dow Phumiruk with illustrations by Ziyue Chen is a folktale set in a jungle in Thailand.  It is an adventure with unexpected results.  It is a journey of self-discovery.

Mela set out to explore the banks of the Ping River near her home. Her little brother followed to the edge of the yard, hoping she'd take him along.

Mela told him to return home because he had nothing to give her in exchange for accompanying her.  When Mela reached the edge of the river near the dock, she saw a large fish swimming. She jumped in her uncle's boat determined to catch it for dinner.  She netted the fish but the swift river current took her into the jungle.

Fortunately the boat got stuck in tree roots but unfortunately Mela could not see her village.  When she asked a crocodile to tow her home, he agreed accepting the fish as payment.  As soon as he had the fish, he quickly left her.  Moving from the rock to shore, she started to walk.

When a leopard softly approached, Mela requested help.  She was lost.  The large cat knew the way to her village.  Offering up her sweater to keep the animal warm at night, he stole it and ran.

A trio of monkeys tricked the girl too.  Darkness falls and sitting on the ground Mela cried.  Suddenly noises signaled something large was coming toward her.  An elephant came into view.  Mela had nothing left to give if help was extended.  On this day a generous heart needed nothing.  

Without realizing it readers are immediately introduced to a behavior in need of help when Mela refuses her brother.  Dow Phumiruk quickly places the main protagonist in peril.  The storytelling technique of three is splendidly used bringing us to the point when the elephant comes to Mela.  The integration of dialogue with the narrative text engages us in Mela's every movement during her day.  Here is a passage.

Mela looked around her.  Tall trees blocked out most of

the sun's light.  Leaves stirred overhead and the river rushed at

her side.  She pointed herself upstream and started to walk.

A leopard slinked into sight.

"Leopard, I am lost.

Do you know a way back to the village?"

On the opened and matching dust jacket and book case the use of white as an element accentuates Mela and the elephant.  Using leaves around the title text takes us into the Thailand jungle before we even begin the story.  To the left, on the back, in a smaller image Mela is trying without luck to paddle in the splashing water back to her village.  Jungle is on both sides of the river. 

In shades of green on the opening and closing endpapers illustrator Ziyue Chen has placed darker leaves on a light canvas.  The full two-page picture on the verso and title pages is a view of the jungle, shore and river from the heights of a tree.  Throughout the title, illustration sizes vary between two-page pictures, single pages and several smaller visuals on a single page to promote pacing.  

By the expressions on the faces of Mela, her little brother and the animals we are well aware of their moods.  If we are careful observers we might see hints of their inner personalities.  Whenever we catch glimpses of the sky we can tell the time of day; noting the passage of the hours.

Each illustration is a like a framed moment enhancing the story's text.  One of my favorite illustrations is when Mela has removed her sweater.  She is happily standing in the jungle holding it up in front of her.  Her backpack is next to her in the grass.  The seated leopard has its back to us in the foreground.  It's a hopeful moment but also one filled with tension.  What will the leopard do?

Set in Thailand this tender tale is sure to resonate with readers of all ages.  Mela and the Elephant written by Dow Phumiruk with illustrations by Ziyue Chen reminds us kindness from a pure heart is freely given.  For a thematic story time on kindness this is an excellent choice.  In an author's note Dow talks about Thailand and how gratitude is portrayed there.  You could pair this book with Be Kind (Roaring Brook Press, February 6, 2018) written by Pat Zietlow Miller with illustrations by Jen Hill.  At the post for that title other books on kindness are listed.

To learn more about Dow Phumiruk and Ziyue Chen and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Both Dow and Ziyue are on Twitter.  You can find Dow on Instagram as well as Ziyue.  Ziyue has an account on Tumblr. Ziyue is featured at Miss Marple's Musings.  At the publisher's website you can view interior portions of the book.  I hope you enjoy the trailer.

A Memory Of Forever Friends

The more we know about the kingdom of animals as a whole, the more we understand about the vital importance of every single member to all life on this planet.  There is an intricate network in place.  When we choose to shift our focus to a specific animal, it's astounding what can be learned about their physical characteristics.  Each one of those qualities helps them to adapt, survive and continue to be an essential link.

It's even more interesting and exciting to discover the personality and emotional traits animals exhibit.  They are more like humans in some respects than we might think and even better than us in other aspects.  Elephants Walk Together (Albert Whitman & Company, October 1, 2017) written by Cheryl Lawton Malone with pictures by Bistra Masseva was previously highlighted here with a conversation and cover reveal.  Based upon a true story this book will increase your appreciation for these giants who walk among us.

In the wild,
two baby elephants
walk together.

Alert and animated they seek food with their herd.  As the day comes to a close and the family moves, the two baby elephants, Precious and Baba, make sounds; a conversation between friends.  All is well with the duo until the arrival of hunters.  They take the baby elephants away.

Initially separated they are joyful at discovering each other inside a circus car.  At the circus they are trained to do things elephants would not normally do.  Precious is in pain from learning tricks demanding more than her body can handle.  Baba is frightened of the trainers.  Thankfully they have each other for comfort.

Their first performance does not go well.  They are separated; Precious to a variety of zoos and Baba to one circus after another circus.  Apart for decades they mourn the loss of their companionship.

To heal Precious's feet she is sent to a sanctuary.  Healing on the outside is much easier than healing an elephant's heart.  Hope is a curious thing.  Even the smallest protected spark in one's heart can create a miracle. 

A new elephant arrives.


Having lost count of the number of times this book has been read, it still brings me to tears at the end.  Author Cheryl Lawton Malone has taken the real life affection of two elephants and fashioned a story around its center. The repetition of certain words, walking and talking, is used as a unifying rhythm several times.  She takes phrases used to describe their lives together as baby elephants and brings those full circle at the conclusion.  Here is a sample passage.

In a rattling circus car,
Precious and Baba meet again.

They trumpet their joy.
They purr, side by side.


When I look at the opened dust jacket (I am working from an F & G.), the front speaks of the joy of the two adult elephants.  To the left on the back illustrator Bistra Masseva has depicted a circus tent entrance, a circus stool and a whip.  In the foreground on the left is foliage found in a zoo setting with a steel and chain fence in front of it.  It's a poignant contrast between what should have been and what was.  On the title page along the bottom are the five peaks of a striped circus tent with flags waving.

Rendered in acrylic paints each image elevates the text by taking readers into the moment.  The time of day and setting are depicted in appropriate colors with added details of flora and fauna and people.  Bistra alternates the size of the pictures from single and double pages, page edge to page edge, to accentuate the pacing.

Her perspectives are particularly superb.  She brings us close to Precious and Baba when they are experiencing joy.  When they suffer we are given a larger scene; training in the snow, the spectacle of the first circus act, and Precious in the zoo.  The bird's-eye-view of the sanctuary is wonderful.

One of my favorite of many images is the first two-page picture.  The sky is a blend of clouds, pale yellow and green with a sun shining over several mountain peaks.  In front of this is the green of the forest with some trees towering over the others.  Birds glide above the trees.  Along the forest edge the herd forages.  In a mud patch, on the left, close to readers, Baba and Precious are playing.  One of them is rolling in the mud.  The other has her front feet on the other's back.  Their trunks are raised.  Their mouths are open.  They are happy.  To balance the scene in the lower right-hand corner several leaves provide cover for one of the birds on the ground. 


Elephants Walk Together written by Cheryl Lawton Malone with pictures by Bistra Masseva is one of those books which serve to highlight the true beauty found in the animal kingdom.  In an author's note at the close of the title we are told about the story of the real Asian elephants.  Cheryl continues by speaking about elephants in general and reminding us how much they need our help.  She includes relevant organizations with their websites and selected sources.  You will want to have this book on your professional and personal bookshelves.  It would pair nicely with Katherine Roy's new title, How To Be An Elephant: Growing Up in the African Wild.

If you follow the links attached to Cheryl Lawton Malone's name and Bistra Masseva's name you will discover more about them and their other work at their websites.  At the publisher's website is a Q & A with Cheryl Lawton Malone about this book.   Also at the publisher's website you can view interior pages.

A Change of Pace

An early morning walk this week heralded the difference.  The sky was a bit bluer.  The air was crisp and much cooler.  The humidity prevalent in this Great Lakes state was thankfully lower. In less than three weeks the advent of autumn is official.  This season awakens treasured memories of family vacations taken annually in the fall.  The normal routine of school and work left behind for an entire week to explore and enjoy the wonders of this time of year in northern Michigan.

Readers fell in love with a very special blue-and-pink-polka-dotted elephant and his equally small friend with one notched ear introduced in Little Elliot, Big City (Henry Holt and Company, August 26, 2014).  When they returned in Little Elliot, Big Family (Henry Holt and Company, October 6, 2015) our affection for the pals grew.  Little Elliot, Big Fun (Henry Holt and Company, August 30, 2016) strengthened the duo's friendship, making us lifelong followers of whatever adventure they chose to take.  Like my family fall getaway the charming companions are taking a break from life in the city with Little Elliot, Fall Friends (Godwin Books, Henry Holt and Company, August 29, 2017) written and illustrated by Mike Curato.

Little Elliot and his best friend, Mouse, loved living in the big city.

Despite this love, the city could be too much of everything sometimes.  Mouse's declaration of them needing a vacation found them on a bus to the country as soon as possible.  As they left the hustle and bustle and noise behind, they were welcomed with the colorful array of fall foliage.

The views as far as their eyes could see left them nearly speechless.  It was so wide.  It was so open.  Before too long Elliot's need for food had them heading down a hillside toward some apple trees.  With full stomachs and play in piles of leaves, Elliot and Mouse were having the time of their lives.

At Mouse's suggestion of a rousing game of hide-and-seek, Little Elliot was hiding and Mouse was seeking.  They discovered nooks and crannies in the nearby forest and on the farm.  When Elliot hid among the rows of corn stalks, he was sure Mouse would never discover this spot.  Mouse did not find him.

Sunshine turned to sunset.  There was no Mouse.  As Elliot wondered about this situation, his nose for sweet treats caught a whiff of something scrumptious.  He followed the scent to an open farmhouse window.  A freshly-baked pie sat on the sill.  There was more, much more, waiting for the elephant than pastry.  A friend knows a friend's nose.


In this fourth title through conversations, thoughts and the narrative, Little Elliot and Mouse find a forever place in readers' hearts. Simple sentences with meticulously chosen words by Mike Curato ask us to enjoy the vacation with the two friends.  We experience their exuberance at discovering what the season and location have to offer.  The wisdom presented to us through this friendship is lasting and profound.  Here is a sample passage.

Elliot and Mouse got off the bus
and smelled the fresh air.

"Wow," said Elliot.  "This country
is even bigger than the city!"

"I'll race you up that hill!" said Mouse.


The design and elements on the front of the dust jacket are reminiscent of driving down a country lane to your favorite farm and enjoying the fruits of a fall harvest.  The autumn leaves along the top, the sign holding the title text, the rolling hills, the colored trees, the pumpkin and basket of apples are all part of a best-day-ever scenario.  Clearly Elliot and Mouse are enjoying themselves.

To the left on the back amid a burnt orange background Elliot and Mouse are having a romp in a pile of leaves.  A yellow oval, like a spotlight, draws our attention to them.  The ISBN is framed in wood.  Significant items on the front and back are varnished.

On the book case, done in two shades of a textured orange, with a wider, darker shade along the spine, Elliot and Mouse are featured.  On the front they are gobbling up apples.  Elliot is tossing an apple in the air to the left, on the back. In both images grass provides an area for them to sit and stand.  The opening and closing endpapers are patterned in apples in various positions, with and without leaves attached.  One is a core.  The colors used are nearly the same as Elliot's hues.

The verso and title pages is a single scene of a barn on a hill in the country in the background with a signpost and arrows in the foreground on the right containing the title text. The dedication on the left reads:

For city sunrises and country sunsets.

Rendered in pencil on paper and digital color in Adobe Photoshop Mike Curato brings all the charm of this relationship and life in the country in the autumn to his illustrations.  He alternates between breathtaking double-page spreads to single page pictures framed and other single page pictures edge to edge.  Sometimes more than one visual will be on a single page.  Each of these choices contributes to the pacing; asking us to pause and notice. (One particular picture using silhouettes reminds me of a famous fairy tale.)

It's interesting how Mike shifts his color palette between his city scenes and the country life.  In the first illustration we understand why Elliott and Mouse love their life in the city but we also understand why they need a break through the following pictures.  Perspective, bringing us close to the characters and then shifting to a panoramic vista, is used to marvelous effect as is white space in one sequence.  (I love the snail.)

I have many, many favorite pictures.  One is a wordless scene on a single page.  On either side of a grassy lane are apple orchards. At the end of the lane sits a farmhouse. In the foreground Mouse is sitting on a branch among apples throwing one down to the waiting Elliot with outstretched hands.  Once again a friend is helping a friend.  In this illustration, as in all of them, the choice of shades and the use of light and shadow are stunning.


I know readers familiar with these characters are going to ask for this book to be read repeatedly.  For those not yet introduced to Elliot and Mouse, Little Elliot, Fall Friends written and illustrated by Mike Curato is a wonderful choice, perfect for this time of year.  There is something extraordinarily special about these two friends and each book in which we find them.  I highly recommend this title for your professional and personal bookshelves.

To discover more about Mike Curator and his other work please follow the links attached to his name to access his website and blog.  He has several images from this book on his website.  The publisher's website also contains interior illustrations from this title.  There is a special website dedicated to the Little Elliot (and Mouse) books.  Mike Curato is featured at All The Wonders, Episode 379.  Make sure to check the previous posts to learn more about Mike Curator, his art and his process.

Elephants Walk Together Conversation and Cover Reveal

On March 1, 2016 Dario and the Whale debut picture book by author Cheryl Lawton Malone with illustrations by Bistra Masseva was featured here.  At the close of a question and answer conversation with Cheryl it was revealed another book similar in theme to Dario and the Whale was being written.  I am honored and excited today to be revealing the cover for Elephants Walk Together created by the collaborative team of author Cheryl Lawton Malone and illustrator Bistra Masseva and published by Albert Whitman & Company.  Both Cheryl and Bistra have agreed to answers questions about this new title prior to and after the reveal.

It’s indeed a pleasure to have you both back at Librarian’s Quest.

Are the elephants in this book based on a true story?  If so, how did it come to your attention, Cheryl?

Cheryl: Yes, that’s the part I love the most. ELEPHANTS WALK TOGETHER is inspired by the amazing lives of two real Asian elephants named Wanda and Gypsy. Like the majority of elephants in captivity today, Wanda and Gypsy were captured in the wild. At some point they were sold to the same circus. Film clips show them performing together. Their story turns extraordinary, when, after decades of separation, they reconnect at the Performing Animal Welfare Society’s (PAWS) elephant refuge in San Andreas, California. In real life, as in my story, they spend their remaining days walking side by side. Wanda died in 2015 from complications related to chronic captivity. To date, Gypsy is still roaming the reserve with her other elephant friends. I first heard about Wanda and Gypsy when my agent, Clelia Gore at Martin Literary Agency, asked me to watch an HBO documentary titled An Apology To Elephants. Wanda and Gypsy are featured in the film. The elephants’ historical facts and video are also published on the PAWS website. Clelia believed the plight of captive elephants could be brought to children in a heartfelt and appropriate way. After I discovered Wanda and Gypsy, I agreed!

I know, Bistra, in your comments regarding your art for Dario and the Whale that as soon as you get a manuscript images start to form in your mind like frames of a film.  Was it the same for Elephants Walk Together? Did you imagine the elephants first or the scenes in which they are placed?

Bistra: That's right. I can't seem to read a text without my visual thinking being switched on. Sometimes, it's just a word that can kick things off. I often know exactly how I'd like an illustration to look, however sometimes I'll just go with the flow and let the work emerge from the sketches.

Getting the characters right is very important. They guide you through the story. In this book my challenge was to create two elephants of the same species that are distinguishable from one another. In the illustrations they differ slightly in colour and Precious has freckles on her trunk, whereas Baba has them only on her ears.

What is the medium you used for the artwork, Bistra?

Bistra:  I used acrylic paints as I do in most of my art.


Would you talk a little bit about your research process, Cheryl and Bistra, for Elephants Walk Together.  Were you able to conduct most of it online?  Did you speak or consult with elephant experts?  Were you able to see elephants in person?  

Cheryl: The HBO documentary highlights the poor treatment and difficult living conditions endured by captive elephants in North America. The material was so intense I spent months noodling over approaches and story lines before I realized the friendship of Precious and Baba offered the perfect vehicle for telling this story. After that, I began reading everything I could about the life and care of captive elephants, including psychological studies, the use of training devices like bullhooks, medical reports, and articles about poaching and conservation efforts. I relied heavily on the PAWS’s website and their suggested reading material, as well as information published online by metropolitan zoos and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, an organization devoted to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education and recreation. I even traced the individual histories of Wanda and Gypsy in the Asian Elephant North American Region Studbook—an online publication that strives to provide complete and accurate origin and transfer data about all Asian elephants held in zoos and private collections. Unfortunately, I was not able to meet the elephants myself.

Bistra:  I actually first got acquainted with elephants as a little girl, during an extended stay in India.  I still remember being in awe of these funny-looking giants.  And then, years later, I went to the zoo to sketch elephants for a University assignment.  Observing a subject in real life and its natural habitat is the best visual research method.  That is not always an option obviously, but luckily there is a wealth of information online on elephants nowadays.  I looked through a large number of pictures and some videos to acquaint myself better with elephant appearance and personality.  And I made a lot of sketches.

With the reading of each new article or book, my fascination continues to grow regarding the emotions displayed by animals.  Their connections to each other and to humans in their lives are extraordinary.  Do you Cheryl or Bistra have another story about elephants which you find intriguing?  About any other animals?

Cheryl: Elephants are so intriguing, and so human-like in their family connections, interaction, grief, and care-giving that I find myself sharing videos of elephants on social media whenever possible. My current focus and writing efforts, however, have shifted to another fascinating, endangered species—wolves!


Bistra: I think stories like this one teach us to be more aware and accepting of others, be that people or animals. We share this earth with so many amazing creatures. We should learn to be more respectful of what we don't understand or know little of. How we treat one another is what distinguishes us.

Would you speak a little bit about the particular illustration on the cover, Bistra?  Why did you choose to show the elephants as older adults rather than as babies in the wild?  Did this cover go through many revisions?

Bistra: Baby elephants are adorable, but on the book cover I wanted to show the passage of time and also suggest that the elephants go through a lot of trials and tribulations. They are symbolically leaving hard times behind them and walking towards freedom and sunnier skies, together. This was my concept from the start and the final art matches my initial sketch.

I was wondering Cheryl about your impression when you saw the front cover illustration for the first time?

 Cheryl: Quite simply, I fell in love. With their pink and gray skin tones and trumpeting trunks, the elephants look ready to march off the page. In one illustration, Bistra captured the soul of an extraordinary story. The interior art amazes as well.  

Now we readers need to wait for the release date on October 1, 2017 to discover the story of two remarkable elephants, Precious and Baba, in Elephants Walk Together.

Cheryl Lawton Malone and Bistra Masseva have my sincerest thanks for creating this book which will certainly increase readers’ appreciation of the marvelous creatures we call elephants.

Started in 2012 for the past five years around the globe we have been celebrating World Elephant Day on August 12th. You can learn more about how PAWS views this event here and be sure to visit the PAWS's section dedicated to the elephants.

You Look, You See, What Can It Be?

a collapsible shade for protection against weather consisting of

fabric stretched over hinged ribs radiating from a central pole;

especially: a small one for carrying

Merriam-Webster

For most people an umbrella is exactly as defined and written by the authoritative folks at Merriam-Webster.  For others in addition to the more practical uses, it is a fashion statement, a piece of wearable art, a proclamation of one's lifelong pursuits or a declaration of one's viewpoint on a specific issue.  An umbrella may be a solid color on the outside but colorful on the inside for the bearer.  Some have a Monopoly board along the edges; others are shaped like large leaves found in a rainforest.  

For those with the gift of imagining, umbrellas can be a little bit more.  The Green Umbrella (NorthSouth Books, Inc., February 1, 2017), by author Jackie Azua Kramer and illustrator Maral Sassouni, takes us into the realm of marvelous maybe.  This debut picture book for these collaborators encourages readers to challenge what they know.  Like all good stories it asks them what if?

One rainy day an Elephant was taking a walk with his green umbrella.

Clearly enjoying his walk, the Elephant was surprised to be stopped by a Hedgehog.  This Hedgehog accused him of having his boat.  A BOAT?  Without a doubt, Hedgehog perceives the umbrella as a boat describing in great detail his adventures in THAT boat.

The Elephant did not know what to make of this but nevertheless invited the Hedgehog to join him under the umbrella.  In no time at all a Cat stops the twosome making another equally strange claim.  He too relates how the umbrella served him in another capacity as he roamed the woods and stopped for a cup of tea.

Now there are three creatures under the Elephant's green umbrella.  As they walk along they are approached by the Bear whose claims are unbelievable.  The leap from umbrella to flying machine is extraordinary.  To further justify his ownership the Elephant relates all the things the umbrella has been and done for him.  It simply could not belong to anyone else but his justifications do seem to prove a point.

The Elephant begins to walk away when it stops raining.  As the Hedgehog, the Cat and the Bear start to protest up walks an old Rabbit.  An extended but familiar scenario is presented.  As is his custom Elephant offers an answer but this time another voice becomes part of the chorus.  This makes all the difference.


In a rhythm as old as time, Jackie Azua Kramer spins a tale drawing all readers into the woven tapestry with her words.  Not once but three times the Elephant is challenged in his belief but his response is one of kindness.  After the third time the cadence shifts, then is repeated with a fourth encounter.  As the final threads finish the entire scene the Elephant's generosity becomes part of a new adventure for strangers who are now forever friends.

The mix of dialogue and some narrative offers readers a chance to participate in the story.  Repetition of key phrases supplies an ebb and flow.  The explanations of all the animals are vivid and lyrical.  Even though an article precedes each of their names, by capitalizing the first letter they become very significant characters.  Here is a sample passage.

"I crossed the deep oceans on my boat and faced the crash of icy waves.  I saw dolphins leap two by two and tasted the salty spray of whales.  The stars were my guide and my boat a faithful friend," said the Hedgehog.  


Rendered in a mix of painting and cut paper collage all of the illustrations by Maral Sassouni beginning with the dust jacket (I am working with an F & G.) are whimsical and utterly charming.  Her landscapes even in the rain are welcoming.  When you first see the front of the dust jacket, the colorful elephant carrying the green umbrella literally sings out to readers.  (Is anyone thinking of Singin' In The Rain?)  As our eyes drift left to the back, a group of friendly mice wearing raincoats and boots and carrying umbrellas are sure to elicit smiles.

The opening and closing endpapers are an extension of the dust jacket.  The Elephant is now walking over a rolling hill.  He is accompanied by a village of mice wearing raincoats, jackets, scarves, boots and carrying umbrellas.  They are joined by a small bird in similar attire.  One smaller mouse is leaping with joy.  The Elephant is placed under the text on the title page carrying an unopened umbrella.  To the left on the verso is a container filled with unopened umbrellas.

Each page turn reveals either a two page picture, single page visual or a circular image placed on a single page in white.  These shifts in size compliment the narrative superbly.  When the Elephant and the old Rabbit expand on the theme, Maral alters her style giving the one a sepia-toned color palette with spot color and the other a more vibrant depiction looking like places on a map of life.  The inclusion of extra details, the arc of lines, the smiling faces of the characters and open positions of body placements convey an exuberant outlook by the characters.  The pictures when each animal is speaking of their name for the umbrella are so inviting you want to step right into the page.

One of my favorite illustrations is of the Cat explaining the importance and use of the green umbrella.  A tranquil forest is the stopping place of the Cat.  She is seated on the right on a log with a Raccoon.  They are enjoying sweet treats and cups of tea.  To the left the umbrella stands opened over a cozy bed and a rock holding a lantern.  An open book is placed nearby.  Red birds, small red-capped mushrooms and leafy plants frame the duo.  Strung between trees are two rows of pennants.


Sharing The Green Umbrella written by Jackie Azua Kramer with pictures by Maral Sassouni with readers and listeners is sure to generate a cheery connection.  This story will inspire others to think of possible uses for umbrellas pointing out the value in everyone's viewpoint.  The next time it rains be sure to take an umbrella.  You never know who you will meet and what stories they will have to tell you.

To discover more about Jackie Azua Kramer and Maral Sassouni and their work, please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.  Yesterday they graciously answered a series of questions about this title and a little bit about themselves in a blog post found here.  Maral includes many pictures of her process.  At a publisher's website you can view several interior images.  John Schumacher, Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, reveals the book trailer on his blog, Watch. Connect. Read.  Be sure to read the posts by other bloggers participating in this blog tour.

UPDATE:  There is a wonderful article at Pen & Oink about the art process for this book, March 29, 2017.

A Chat With The Creators Of The Green Umbrella

Wind in Michigan, no matter the area, is a given.  The influence of the lakes and the land formations contribute to its presence sometimes day after day for weeks.  A calm day is a rarity.

It's easy to recall no one on campus at Central Michigan University made it through one semester let alone four years without more than one umbrella.  On windy afternoons a common site was a cluster of umbrellas, inside out, abandoned in garbage receptacles.  Many rainy days would find students scurrying to class, huddled under their umbrellas, only to have them ripped from their hands, tumbling across campus usually looking nothing like their original shapes.  It was hilarious to watch until it happened to you.


Seeing the cover of The Green Umbrella (NorthSouth Books, Inc., February 1, 2017), a debut picture book by both author Jackie Azua Kramer and illustrator Maral Sassouni, is like walking across campus all those years ago eager to see what the day, instructors and students will reveal.  It's full of possibilities.  It also makes you curious about the two individuals responsible for this children's literature gem.


I was thrilled to be able to send them both questions.  Their answers are delightful, as if the three of us are seated in cozy chairs around a crackling fire.  I know you will feel as if they are good friends once you read their replies.  I do.


Let's start first with author Jackie Azua Kramer.  My questions are in bold.  Her answers are in italics.

1: Was there a particular incident, an object, a thread of conversation or something you read which placed the seed for this book in your mind?

The catalyst for The Green Umbrella (TGU) were these illustrations I discovered which all revolved around a green umbrella. That began the wild ‘what if’, the chemical reaction, otherwise known as, inspiration. What if a cast of characters each saw the umbrella as something else, like when you look up at a cloud?

But perhaps the seed for the story was planted long ago when I was a child. As a child into my teens, I travelled all over the world with my family. My father used to remind us as we met new people, saw new things, ate new food and heard new languages--that we were American ambassadors. We, as ambassadors, should reflect the best in people. Maybe, the Elephant in the story is that ambassador, with the Hedgehog, the Cat, the Bear and the old Rabbit, reflecting the different people and cultures, that see the umbrella in unique ways.

2: Your choice of characters, the Elephant, the Hedgehog, the Cat, the Bear and the old Rabbit are an interesting combination.  In the real world it would be unlikely to see them together but it works in this book adding to the whimsy.  Did you have a particular reason for choosing these specific animals?  Why was the Elephant chosen as the main character?

I get to play in the most fun, raucous and fantastical playground…a child’s imagination. The idea of characters who are unlikely to be seen together remind me of why I love my work as a storyteller. I’m not the first one to do this. Not to compare myself, but perhaps I was channeling AA Milne, in the classic, The House at Pooh Corner.  Alongside Pooh, there’s Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger and Roo. Both, the Elephant in my story, and Pooh, remain at the center of the story and the action. There’s a scene in The Green Umbrella, when they’re all sitting together having tea, and part of the text reads: “…shared their stories.” I love the idea of all of us sharing our journeys with each other. The world is becoming flatter, and the unlikeliness of this bunch becoming friends, to my thinking, makes it a universal story.

3: Throughout the book the green umbrella becomes many things depending on the character’s voice we are hearing.  Other than a shelter from weather, what object would the Green Umbrella be for you?

Not actually an object, but a TREE, without a doubt! I was born on April 22nd, Earth Day and right before Arbor Day. I have a strong and deep connection to trees. A day doesn’t go by that I don’t stop and notice a tree. I write, dream, think and pray, under and around trees. Under the branches of a tree, like the green umbrella, they both provide a place where all are welcome. I have many wonderful memories of family dinners and laughing with friends under a tree.

4: Do you have a writing nook or a spot where you prefer to write over other locations, Jackie?  Would you describe it for us, please?

Oh, Margie, I can’t pick just one! Different settings create certain moods for me. My most favorite place is my mind. A story lives and percolates in my writerly mind for a long time. It starts with an idea and then I move quickly to images. Moving images allow me to play, imagine, and edit easily in my imagination. Inspired by Hurricane Sandy, “The Boy and the Eight Hundred Pound Gorilla” (Candlewick Press, TBD), lived in my imagination for two years. 

When I’m ready to begin a draft, I’ve lovingly nicknamed my back yard, ‘The Canopy’.  It’s a secluded spot surrounded by large leafy trees and bushes that I have the privilege to write under during the spring and summer. Throughout the day the quality of light shifts through the leaves and branches. And the trees are filled with all kinds of visitors-- birds, squirrels and insects that become my soundtrack. And often in winter, you can find me at my beloved local library. In a quiet corner, with giant windows that face an ivy-covered church, it becomes a perfect writing nook.

5.  What is my favorite place to read?

My bed surrounded by a pile of books.



Let's hear what illustrator Maral Sassouni has to share with us.  My queries are in bold.  Her replies are in italics.


1.   Your artwork for The Green Umbrella has a distinct essence to it. Would you please describe to us how these images were rendered?


My artwork is a combination of painting and cut paper collage. Sometimes the painting dominates, and other times the collage dominates: it depends on the project. In any case, I paint with both acrylics and oil paints. Occasionally, I also incorporate other materials/ techniques —fabric scraps, India ink, monoprints, oil crayons — just to get closer to the image in my mind’s eye.

For The Green Umbrella, the collage elements were dominant. I created the backgrounds and the characters separately. Essentially, it was like paper figures in a little paper theater on each page. Even though the composition is always sketched out in advance, I like the freedom of making adjustments to the characters and setting until I get them just right and finally glue them together.

After that, I just scan the images into Photoshop and tidy up stray pencil marks, glue crumbs, cat hairs— and occasionally add a touch of sparkle and glow digitally.

2.  In my way of thinking the settings for each scene add to the underlying imaginative quality of the pictures. I am curious as to why you had the animals chatting in a city and eventually meeting together outside of their community. Was this something you thought of the first time you read the manuscript or did this evolve?


The idea of setting the story in a city came to me immediately. Rainy days in cities are visually interesting to me, with their shiny sidewalks, wavy reflections and puddles providing bright mirrors here and there.

Then of course, cities are where you might cross paths with all kinds of unexpected characters — and this is what happens in the first half of the story. Later, the animals set aside their differences and become friends, and I wanted this to take place out of doors. The wide open spaces go along with the sense of new possibilities that the characters now have, as well as giving them somewhere to go as they light out for the territories.

3.  Is your choice of color palette expressly for this title or are these colors your signature hues?

In The Green Umbrella, I wanted to create a contrast between everyday reality on the one hand, and the world of imagination and adventure on the other. So the rainy town is in cool colors— it’s dim, damp, dreary and practically monochromatic… as opposed to the scenes described by each animal, which are in warm and vivid colors.

My other guiding principal in terms of color was to follow the day as it progressed from morning to night. From a somewhat soggy morning stroll to warm late afternoon light, then the glowing sunset colors and beyond — to the first twinkling stars and dreams of new explorations.

4.  Would you please describe for us your working space?


It’s a spare room at the top of the house. I’ve got three tables (just barely enough!), two bookshelves and one flat file (bulging with sketches, illustrations, prints and blank paper). When I’m working on a project, the walls are covered with sketches from the project as I try to figure out the characters, setting, page composition, color schemes and all of the other things that might help along a narrative. There are all kinds of inspiring scraps and swatches as well, there to trigger memories or new stories. It’s like the inside of my head!

5.  Where is your favorite place to read?

My very favorite place to read would be on a train at night. There are no distractions, you can’t see or even guess at the landscape, and the rhythmic sounds and gentle motion concentrates the mind wonderfully.  Total immersion…bliss!

(Sadly, night trains are not as much a part of my everyday life as they once were, so my favorite place to read that’s within reach in real life is the library on a rainy day.)


I am grateful to both Jackie Azua Kramer and Maral Sassouni for taking the time to help us become better acquainted with The Green Umbrella, their process and a little bit about themselves.  Be sure to visit this site tomorrow for more about The Green Umbrella.  You won't want to miss the double giveaway we have to offer! 

Jackie earned her Masters of Education from Queens College. She is a member of SCBWI and has written for the SCBWI Bulletin. In 2014, she was invited to be a member of the Bank Street Writers Lab, Bank Street College. In 2015 Jackie was a presenter at the 1st nErDCamp Long Island.  Her picture book, The Green Umbrella (North South Books) debuts February 2017 in English/German. Out soon --The Boy and the Eight Hundred Pound Gorilla (Candlewick Press, TBD) and If You Want to Fall Asleep (Clavis Books) in English/Dutch.  You can learn more about Jackie at her  website on  Twitter Facebook or Instagram 

Maral Sassouni was born in Philadelphia and grew up in California.  She's been an illustrator for over 20 years and has won many awards, including the SCBWI Portfolio Grand Prize.  Her work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators, NY, and exhibited in group shows of children's illustrations around the world.  Based in Paris since 1992, Maral now divides her time between France and California.  The Green Umbrella is Maral's first picture book.  You can discover more about Maral at her website.  You can find her on Twitter, Flickr and Tumblr



I know you will want to know more about both of these talented ladies.  Stop by the other blogs on the tour.  There are giveaways at several.  Simply follow this link.