RING! RING! Mr. Penguin And The Lost Treasure Blog Tour

Most of us are familiar with the saying be careful what you wish for.  In other words, it's wise to prudently weigh all the consequences attached to our heart's desire.  While we can never anticipate all the possible outcomes, we can at least be prepared for some of them. 

In the world of children's literature, a new character has entered the realm.  His greatest desire is for adventure.  In fact, he recently placed an advertisement in The Cityville Times claiming:

All Adventures
considered!
No mystery too big
or too small!
Competitive prices!

Mr. Penguin And The Lost Treasure (Peachtree, April 1, 2019) written and illustrated by Alex T. Smith (Little Red And The Hungry Lion) is the first title in what promises to be a rip-roaring, laugh-out-loud, non-stop action series for those who crave mystery and adventure just like Mr. Penguin.  Grab your favorite hat, your trusty backpack and don't forget a tasty fish finger sandwich. 

CHAPTER ONE

ALL ADVENTURES 
CONSIDERED!

It was 10:32 on a Monday morning, and Mr. Penguin was twirling about slowly on his swizzly office chair and flipping the end of his beak with a crabstick.

He was bored.

On the verge of despair at the lack of interest in his advertisement, the ringing of his phone startles Mr. Penguin so much he, through a series of unbelievable events, ends with his bottom stuck in his waste basket.  It makes taking his first real job a tad bit uncomfortable, but it is Boudicca Bones from the Museum of Extraordinary Objects.  When he hears the words toilet plunging through the ceiling, stuffed walrus and buried treasure, he nearly explodes with joy.

Within minutes Mr. Penguin and his trusty associate Colin, a bowler-hat-wearing spider with the strength of a ninja master, are standing in front of the museum.  (As they make their way to the building, they encounter a friend, Edith Hedge who lives in the park.  She wears fifteen raincoats and a pigeon named Gordon is usually on her head.)

In short order, Mr. Penguin, Colin, Boudicca Bones and her odd brother, Montague are searching every nook and cranny of the museum floor by floor.  (Montague is odd because he is at least seven feet tall and has hands the size of frying pans in contrast to short, round-as-a beach-ball Mrs. Bones.)  Using a copy of A History of the Museum of Extraordinary Objects and a clue of x marks the spot the searchers are stumped until Mr. Penguin brilliantly solves the puzzle of finding the x.  During their explorations Colin hears strange sounds and feels as though someone or something is watching them.

After traversing a darkened staircase leading them under the museum, the foursome encounters a hot steamy rainforest, a cryptic note, unscrupulous thieves, a raging river, a thunderous waterfall and gigantic hungry beasts, not necessarily in that order.  It seems as if everything is conspiring to keep them from locating the buried treasure. To make matters even worse, Mr. Penguin and Colin find themselves in serious, life or death trouble.

With twists and turns as frequent as those on the underground trail, the story keeps you guessing. You will gasp at the surprises and cheer for the cleverness. And just when you think it can't get any better, it does.


Twenty-three short chapters combine descriptive narrative and snappy conversations penned by Alex T. Smith.  The chapter titles along with the final sentence in each chapter invite, sometimes demand, that you continue.  The pacing is fast, and humor is found in abundance.  Here is a passage.

Monty cracked his knuckles (which sounded like a wooden fence breaking in a tornado) and knelt down next to the X.  He pressed the button.  Then he pressed it again.
Nothing.
He smacked it with his fist, stamped on it with his shoe, grunted, and hurried off to the nearby janitor's cupboard to grab a sledgehammer.
He was just raising the hammer above his head when Colin tapped him politely on the ankle and held up his notepad.
It said ALLOW ME. (Note: Colin does not talk but uses a notepad to voice his thoughts which adds to the hilarity.)
Everyone stepped back and watched as Colin took the floor.  He scuttled over to the button and carefully observed it for a few seconds.  Then he pressed four of his feet together and bowed respectfully.  He took a deep breath, narrowed his eyes, and . . .

KA-POW!


Readers get their first glimpse of Mr. Penguin and Colin on the front of the matching dust jacket and book case.  The adventurer's hat, satchel and magnifying glass are essential to Mr. Penguin's pursuits.  On the opening and closing endpapers in hues of orange, we are privy to lush rainforest flora.  At the beginning and end of the book, a front page from The Cityville Times gives readers a peek into the community and shows how the status of Mr. Penguin and Colin as adventurers changes. 

The highly detailed, fine-lined drawings done in black, orange and white by Alex T. Smith appear on almost every page turn in a variety of sizes depending on the narrative and pacing.  At times in order to enhance the text the canvas of white shifts to orange and even black with white lettering.

One of my many favorite illustrations spans two pages.  It shows Mr. Penguin and Colin on the left speeding through the exotic plants and trees they discover under the museum.  Mr. Penguin's body shape trudging along on his tiny legs is funnier than funny.  Adding to the comedy is his hat with the arrow through it, and the magnifying glass held in one of his flippers as if he hopes to spy something important. 


Readers will hardly be able to stop reading Mr. Penguin And The Lost Treasure written and illustrated by Alex T. Smith once they start.  Who can resist mystery, adventure and giggles and grins?  I believe this would be a fun read aloud or book club selection.  Be sure to place a copy on your professional shelves and in your personal collections.  (Book two has already been released in the UK and book three is set to be released there this autumn.)

To learn more about Alex T. Smith and his other work, please visit his website by following the link attached to his name.  Alex T. Smith maintains an account on Twitter.  At the publisher's website there is a link to Activity Sheets.  You can get a peek at the first few pages, including the first newspaper front page, here.


Be sure to stop at the other sites on the blog tour.

March 25---Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
March 26---Librarian's Quest
March 27---BOOKS4YOURKIDS
March 28---The Library Voice
March 29---Mom Read It

No Case Is Too Big

There are those individuals wired to analyze any given situation.  If presented with a problem, they seek a solution.  They are well-read in their particular field of interest.  They are not surprisingly exceptional in their endeavors.

A new character sure to be highly liked if not downright loved is to be introduced to readers on February 27, 2018.  He seeks.  He reads.  He is gifted.  Baby Monkey, Private Eye (Scholastic Press) story by Brian Selznick and David Serlin with pictures by Brian Selznick is a delightful blend of mystery, humor and the unexpected.

WAIT!
Who 
is
Baby
Monkey?

Obviously he's a baby and a monkey but what you don't know is this baby monkey has a job.  He's one of the most adorable private eyes in the business.  Presented with a series of cases, you will also come to realize his cleverness.

In the first scene Baby Monkey is cozily leaning against a cushion on the sofa in his office.  A typewriter is on the table in front of the sofa.  A variety of pictures on the visible walls and a bust of a famous person on his desk relate to the person about to open his door.  Baby Monkey is reading Famous Jewel Crimes.  

An opera star dressed in full costume bursts into Baby Monkey's office proclaiming the theft of her jewels.  Baby Monkey is confident in his ability.  He gathers and notes pertinent information.  He takes a moment to fuel his body with food (baby carrots).  He struggles to put on his pants.  After several attempts, he is ready to crack this case.  And he does!  His victory is complete when the case gets headlines in the Monkey Times.  

This first notable triumph is repeated in three more case.  Major components of Baby Monkey's investigative routine remain in place but the victims, the thefts and the criminals (plus Baby Monkey's snacks and office decor) are wildly and widely varied.  There's a huge difference between the stolen items of a chef, a clown and an astronaut. Readers can also see the toll these busy endeavors are taking on Baby Monkey. He's exhausted.

With the arrival of the next client, our precious primate can barely keep his eyes open.  His procedure is abandoned in favor of immediate knowledge of the superbly satisfying conclusion to this fifth case.

Hooray for Baby Monkey!


With a stroke of genius authors Brian Selznick and David Serlin start this book designed for early readers with a single, shouted word.  When we are told to wait, isn't our greatest desire to do the opposite?  Readers (of all ages) will be willing participants in this story as soon as they see the established pattern of the narrative.

Key phrases are constant in the cases until Baby Monkey's fatigue is evident.  His quiet exclamations as he consumes his munchies and when he tries to put his pants on shift somewhat to assist in pacing and elevate the comedy.  This anticipated tempo provides the perfect platform for the big reveal. Here is the continuation of the introduction before the first case.

He is
a baby.
He is
a monkey.
He has
a job . . .


To tell you the truth, I can hardly wait to hold a completed copy, other than an uncorrected proof shared by a colleague, this coming Tuesday. The entire book, more than 190 pages, is nearly all wordless black and white images created by Brian Selznick.  The red used in the title text on the front of the dust jacket is sparely used at the end of each chapter.  When the simple text is displayed, it is done so in a large font on pristine white.  To view the book case here is a link to a tweet by Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher.

The drawings, artwork, of Brian Selznick will literally take your breath away.  The details in Baby Monkey will have you reaching out to touch the page.  The perspectives used in portraying the youngster shift with excellence as the cases unfold.  The series of single page portraits for each case of him striving to put on a pair of pants are merry mirth inducing.

What all readers will find intriguing is the decor in Baby Monkey's office.  With each case it changes prompting us to do a bit of research prior to the door opening to disclose the next client.  If we simply can't take the time to do it then, we will be compelled to do so after the book is completed.

One of my favorite of nearly all of these illustrations is one of the single-page pictures when he is first trying to put on his pants.  We are given an indication of his size as he sits on a book on its side.  Baby Monkey is facing the gutter from an illustration on the right.  His left leg is in the right pant leg.  He is holding the left pant leg in his hands trying to figure out what to do next.  His face, wide-eyed as usual, is scrunched in perplexity.


One copy of Baby Monkey, Private Eye written by Brian Selznick and David Serlin with pictures by Brian Selznick for your professional and private collections will not be enough.  You are going to need multiple copies.  This book will be highly read repeatedly and shared extensively among the intended audience as well as anyone fortunate to read it.  At the close of the book are smaller illustrations of Baby Monkey's office with information about the decor.  There is also an index and a bibliography which you need to read with careful reflection and an urge to laugh.

If you wish to know about the creators of this book and the book, you can visit the publisher's website here or a special website for the book here.  Both places are loaded with images, information, activities and the book trailer.  Brian Selznick is featured in a Publishers Weekly article which concludes with a discussion about this book.  Brian Selznick and David Serlin are interviewed at Shelf Awareness about this title.  Just a few days ago Brian Selznick is showcased in an article in The New York Times.  There is a The New York Times  live video of his studio, his drawing and this book.

The Uncanny Express Blog Tour-A Conversation with Kara LaReau

Images copyright Jen Hill

Happy Monday morning, Kara.  It’s an honor to have you making a stop here at Librarian’s Quest on your blog tour for The Uncanny Express, the second title in your The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters series.  It’s been absolutely bitter cold here in Michigan but on the bright side it’s a wonderful opportunity to get cozy wrapped in a blanket, sipping hot cider and leave the confines of a comfy chair through the pages of a book.  It’s been a distinct and happy pleasure to travel with the Bland Sisters, Jaundice and Kale, first with a band of swashbuckling pirates on The Jolly Regina and second with a group of passengers concealing their true identities aboard The Uncanny Express.

I was wondering if you could tell readers who have not read these two books a little bit about the title of the series.  Why are the adventures unintentional?  Why are the Bland Sisters bland?

Images copyright Jen Hill

A lot of it is just their nature — the Bland Sisters inherently shy away from any kind of excitement or emotional upheaval, but they’ve become even more set in their uninteresting ways since their parents left to run an errand of an unspecified nature. (They’ve been gone for some time now, but Jaundice and Kale don’t tend to think about it too much. They’re sure their parents will return any day now.) It becomes clearer in The Uncanny Express that their strict adherence to routine is one of the ways they cope with their parents’ absence. It’s the only control they have over their situation.

Of course, Bland Sisters want to stay in their comfort zone. So an adventure on a pirate ship, or even — gasp! — on a speeding train, is the last thing they want to experience. Or so they think.

Images copyright Jen Hill

In the beginning of each book two pages are dedicated to the cast of characters in each adventure.  As a high school senior and college student in the seventies, I laughed out loud at the name of one of the pirates, Captain Ann Tennille. Would you tell us about the process of naming your characters?

I’m glad you appreciated that one! Of course, most of the humor in the series is for kids, but I try to include a laugh or two for the adults who might be reading along with them.

I’ve always had a thing for names, perhaps because my own first and last names have given me so much trouble, especially when I was growing up; no one seemed to be able to spell or pronounce them correctly, perhaps because of all the vowels. (FYI, it’s KARE-uh la-ROW.) As a result, I make an extra effort to remember people’s names and how to pronounce them, and this has led to a focus on names in general. I’m particularly interested in words that almost sound like they could be first names — whenever I hear a good one I try to write it down. Most of the names in the Unintentional Adventures come from that running list, though if nothing on that list seems to fit, I try to think about the character’s personality and do my best to find a name that complements it. For instance, there’s a tweedy, wan, put-upon maid on the Uncanny Express, so of course her name is Vera Dreary — and then there’s the brilliant, not-terribly-humble detective, Hugo Fromage (which, for the uninitiated, is French for “big cheese.”) I’m sure you can tell I’ve had a LOT of fun with this!

Images copyright Jen Hill

Each chapter in The Uncanny Express starts with one of Tillie’s Tips and second with a message from Professor Magic’s Rules of Illusion. The tips and rules are really quite good. I particularly like this one:

The closest thing to feeling real magic is performing for people and helping them to experience the impossible.

Why did you decide to employ this technique?  

Images copyright Jen Hill

In the first book, The Jolly Regina, Kale brings along the Bland Sisters’ favorite (and only) reading material, their illustrated children’s dictionary, so the chapter heads in the story all feature dictionary definitions. That dictionary falls by the wayside — quite literally! — in the first book, but I really loved the way it worked and wanted to do something similar in The Uncanny Express. I thought it would be a nice way to show the Bland Sisters’ character development to have them toting around a pretty mundane book of housekeeping tips at the outset of the story, but venturing a bit outside of their literary comfort zone by the end. Also, just as each word defined in the chapter heads is a word used in that chapter in The Jolly Regina, the housekeeping tips and magical advice in the chapter heads of The Uncanny Express are always relevant to the action in each chapter. It’s an extra bit of fun for my readers, and it was a fun sort of challenge for me to work it all out.

As a fan of mystery and detective stories I couldn’t help but make the connect between the Bland Sisters’ trials and tribulations aboard this train and those experienced by characters in Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express.  Are you an Agatha Christie fan?  Do you have favorite mystery and detective titles or authors?

Oh, yes, I am a huuuuuge Christie fan, and a mystery fan in general. I grew up watching Masterpiece Mystery and started reading Agatha Christie from an early age. Just as The Jolly Regina takes place on a ship, I knew I wanted the second book to take place on a train, and since I’d already had so much fun with the tropes of classic pirate stories, I was eager to try my hand at a Christie parody/homage. Many of the mysteries I read now are all pretty adult — I love Gillian Flynn, Kate Atkinson, Tana French, and Ruth Ware, for instance. (Interestingly, all women. Hmm…) But I also recently read (and loved) Kristen Kittscher’s The Wig in the Window and The Tiara on the Terrace, I just finished The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie, which was terrific, and I know Lauren Magaziner has a new choose-your-own-adventure-style mystery series called Case Closed launching this spring that I can’t wait to get my hands on.

Did you have to do any special research about magic and illusions prior to writing The Uncanny Express?  If so do you have a favorite resource?  (Students enjoy learning about magic and illusions.)

Images copyright Jen Hill

Yes, I always do tons of research. For The Uncanny Express, I read a great instructional book for kids called Big Magic for Little Hands by Joshua Jay. I also read a lot about the history of magic in books like Hiding the Elephant by Jim Steinmeyer, and I did online research on Adelaide Herrmann, the real-life Queen of Magic, on whom Magique in The Uncanny Express is based. (There is now an excellent picture book biography about her called Anything But Ordinary Addie by Mara Rockliff, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno.)

Images copyright Jen Hill

And of course, I read and re-read Murder on the Orient Express and other Hercule Poirot mysteries. In addition, I watched every episode of the Poirot mystery series and took copious notes, and I read David Suchet’s memoir about playing the great detective, called Poirot and Me (Suchet was committed to playing Poirot exactly as Christie wrote him, so I appreciated his insights).

The portions of the plot when Kale and Jaundice are dreaming add tension and intrigue to the story.  When and why did you decide to include these in The Uncanny Express?

I tend to have very vivid dreams, so I’ve always been interested in dreaming and how our subconscious takes over while we’re sleeping. Jaundice and Kale are so reticent in their waking life, but there’s quite a bit bubbling beneath the surface. It seemed right that their dreams would be pretty telling. Also, dreams continue to play a part in the third book in the series, though I don’t want to give too much more away!

As a writer you have a gift in bringing the characters to life using somewhat quirky traits.  Are the characters fully developed before the plot begins or do their personalities grow as the story progresses when you are writing?

Images copyright Jen Hill

I create character profiles before I start writing, especially for this series, where there are so many characters in each story, and I really need to feel like I have some semblance of control. But they still end up surprising me! For instance, Countess Goudenoff didn’t have a dog at first, but the line “The tea spilled, all over my Chrysanthemum” came to me, and I realized, of course she would have a yappy little lap dog, and of course it would be named Chrysanthemum! Those moments when the story takes on a life of its own are so exciting.

As I was reading both The Jolly Regina and The Uncanny Express I found myself placing sticky notes at bits of life wisdom you weave into the stories.  The final sentence in the first book makes reference to a letter.  Is this why you have the sisters’ parents communicating with them through letters?

Well, given the distance between them, their parents can only communicate with them through letters (at this point, at least). Though all that might change, sooner rather than later!

Although these stories are totally absurd, it’s important that they also have some kind of emotional resonance so the reader can feel invested. Just as the Bland Sisters are learning (however slowly and obliviously!) from their experiences, I hope my audience might be taking something away from the stories, too.

Continuing with this train of thought I enjoyed what Magique says to the Bland Sisters:

I told you that the mind is our most powerful tool.  And that if we use it often and well, it will tell us many things and show us many secrets. . . .”

In addition to the adventure, action, magic and mystery what else do you hope readers will take away from reading about the Bland Sisters and The Uncanny Express?

Among other things, Magique and Hugo Fromage encourage the Bland Sisters to be present and observant, and how important it is to go through life with your eyes and ears open. That piece of advice is also extremely relevant to me as a writer. In that way, I’m a bit of a magician and detective, too!

I think I’ll end with twelve questions.  I know the Bland Sisters would appreciate the fact the number is divisible by three.  I wish you safe travels as you continue your journey on this tour.  I can hardly wait to step into another exciting episode in the lives of these two girls.

Thank you so much — your questions were so thoughtful, and so much fun to consider and answer!

Kara LaReau was born and raised in Connecticut. She received her Masters in Fine Arts in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts and later worked as an editor at Candlewick Press and at Scholastic Press. She is the author of picture books such as UGLY FISH, illustrated by Scott Magoon, and NO SLURPING, NO BURPING! A Tale of Table Manners, illustrated by Lorelay Bove; an award-winning chapter book series called The Infamous Ratsos, illustrated by Matt Myers; and a middle-grade trilogy called The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters, illustrated by Jen Hill. Kara lives in Providence, Rhode Island with her husband and son and their cat.

THE UNCANNY EXPRESS

BLOG TOUR

1/9   The Little Crooked Cottage

1/10 MG Book Village

1/11 Mrs. Knott's Book Nook

1/12 YAYOMG!

1/15 Librarian's Quest

1/16 Storymamas

1/17 All The Wonders

1/18 Project Mayhem

1/21 Nerdy Book Club

Timed Treachery

The dust jacket, but not the flaps, and the book case are examined. Anticipation builds and questions gather as the volume is held in your hands.  The endpapers may increase the excitement, possibly offering more hints.  If page turns past the title, verso and dedication pages reveal a map, surely an adventure is in the offing.  To encourage reader participation if words invite you to scan QR codes strategically placed throughout the book, you know you are going to be experiencing something out of the ordinary.

On the dust jacket of The Van Gogh Deception (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, August 29, 2017) written by Deron Hicks, two tweens are running down the steps of the National Art Gallery in Washington, D. C.  Shadowy figures watch from the top of the steps.  Already we know trouble is surrounding these two children.  The opening and closing endpapers feature three paintings by Vincent van Gogh.  Interestingly enough those on the back, have been altered.  Specific places in a radius around the gallery have been named on a map.  Why?  With the added inclusion of the QR codes the stage is set for a true page-turner and thrilling present-day, high-stakes mystery.  Once you start this book, you, like the children on the run, won't be able to stop.

PROLOGUE
The boy appeared out of nowhere.

This boy sits in a room filled with people, paintings and sculptures.  Who is watching him?  How long has he been there?  Why is he there?  These unanswered queries lead us into the first part.

First we travel to France three years ago.  A highly-planned plot of trickery involving enormous sums of money is put into play.  This is followed by a terrifying scene in a parking garage late at night in present day Washington, D. C. It does not end well for the gentleman being pursued.

The boy from the prologue is the center from which all further action radiates.  There is also the spider.  At closing time a docent from the gallery comes up to the boy.  It is discovered he has no recollection of why he is there or who he is.  He has lost his most recent memories.  Examined by two different doctors and questioned by Detective Brooke Evans at the Metropolitan Police Department, he is eventually placed in the care of Mary Sullivan who fosters children temporarily.  She has a ten-year-old daughter named Camille.

After conversations that evening and in the following morning, the Sullivans and the twelve-year-old boy they are calling Art, decide to take the train back to the National Gallery of Art hoping it will help him to recall more memories.  At the same time a highly trained group of covert operators guided by a leader, Dorchek Palmer, a millionaire ten times over, twenty-eight years old and a computer genius, are in pursuit of the boy.  He needs to be taken by any means necessary.

Mounting tensions escalate in part two when Art and Camille and Mary Sullivan are getting a snack in the Garden Cafe in the gallery.  Dorchek Palmer is seated a few tables away.  A sudden recognition as to a clue in Art's pocket has the children quickly leaving.  Mary panics when she discovers the children are missing.  Palmer and his team give chase.

In less than an hour the children realize their very lives are in terrible danger.  High-speed action at every page turn tests the resourcefulness of Art, who still does not remember recent circumstances or his name, and Camille.  They are pitted against the best money can buy.  Time is running out for everyone.

Two final destinations will test the ingenuity of the children and the skill of the highly trained adults.  Their goals are at odds; one to reveal a forgery and the other to keep it concealed.  Survival is paramount.


The page and one-half page prologue will hook readers immediately.  When author Deron Hicks follows this with the multi-million dollar forgery scheme meeting and the parking garage confrontation, you know hours will be willingly spent following this story to the end.  By dividing the narrative into three separate parts Hicks intensifies the action.  (An appropriate Vincent van Gogh quote begins these parts.)  It is increased further with time of day, date and place notations at the beginning of almost all the chapters and even within the chapters.  The majority of this 306 page book takes place in a single day.

Descriptions of places, famous artists, their work and the criminal activity of forgery do not detract from the fast flowing tale.  The dialogue between the children and all the adult characters is realistic and true to the genre.  Deron Hicks also has an adept knack for ending his chapters with edge-of-your-seat comments. Here are a few of my marked passages.

The middle-aged man wanted to laugh.  There was no way he would ever be allowed to go free.  He'd be lucky to make it through the rest of the night alive.  But he didn't panic.  There was too much at stake.  He backed up against the trunk of his rental car and took a deep breath.  It was time.

Palmer pushed the button on the side of his watch to illuminate the time.  It was getting late, but he knew that there would not be any sleep tonight.  Events had taken an unexpected turn the night before, and the stakes had increased significantly---the spider was loose in the city.

The man paused.  Palmer could tell there was something else the man wanted---needed---to ask.
"And what happens to the boy when you find him?" the man finally asked in a low voice.
Palmer carefully folded up the newspaper and took a final sip of his americano.  Before he stood to depart, he reached down to pick up his messenger bag and looked the man directly in the eyes.  "There are questions, Dr. Belette, that you should not ask."


This book, The Van Gogh Deception written by Deron Hicks, is one you will need to add to your collections to broaden and deepen your mystery, adventure and thriller titles.  It's going to be eagerly passed from reader to reader.  I can't wait for the opportunity to chat with others about it.  (I read it once as fast as I could and more slowly today.)

To learn more about Deron Hicks and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  At the publisher's website is an excerpt.  Deron Hicks talks about this title at the HMH Young Readers blog and is the featured author at School Library Connection.  Deron Hicks maintains an account on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

"It's elementary my dear..."

When an event occurs with no initial logical explanation it can be considered a mystery.  Likewise any story in which this type of event drives the main plot is named a mystery.  As you read collecting the clues, it's like going on a scavenger hunt.  Following along with the characters is almost as exciting as being there with them.

Down through the history of mystery fiction there are classic and contemporary detective teams; Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, Frank and Joe Hardy (The Hardy Boys), Nancy Drew, Bess Marvin and George Fayne (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories) Emily Crane and James Lee (The Book Scavenger), Detective Rick Zengo and Detective Corey O'Malley (Platypus Police Squad), and Detective Wilcox and Captain Griswold (Wilcox and Griswold Mystery).  For younger readers a new duo hits the scene in their first puzzler.  The Missing Mola Lisa (Case #1 Q & Ray series) (Graphic Universe, a trademark of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., August 1, 2017) presented by the collaborative wife and husband team of author Trisha Speed Shaskan and illustrator Stephen Shaskan.

Before the first of ten chapters begins we are introduced to an assortment of characters on a page titled

Who's Who.

Our terrific twosome, Quillan Lu Hedgeson aka Q and Ray Ratzberg followed by Mr. Shrew, media specialist, Ms. Boar, classroom teacher, Ms. Easel, art teacher, Jimmy, magic shop owner, The Great Don Realo, magician and Officer Rocco all play various and vital roles.  As readers will note Mr. Shew and the media center serve as the hub of the Super Sleuth happenings.

After an exchanged greeting between Mr. Shrew and Ray, we discover the new student from France is really Q attempting to fool Ray with a disguise.  It's her goal to become a master.  Ray wants to be a master of something else besides cheese-and-onion sandwiches.  Magic is his aim.

Their second grade classmates are going on a field trip today to see the famed Mola Lisa at the Elm Tree Art Museum but first the students are entertained by The Great Don Realo, a surprise visit by the magician.  In the afternoon as the children of Elm Tree Elementary stand before the Mola Lisa suddenly the lights go out, fire is sighted but before they can exit the lights are back on and the fire has disappeared.  The fire is not the only thing missing. The Mola Lisa is gone.

Sharp-eyed and on the job, Q and Ray quickly discover two clues.  Visits to three locations increase their knowledge of the culprit responsible for the crime but they lack real evidence.  Like the great detectives before them, they reexamine all the gathered clues, leading them to the truth. Q and Ray, masters of magic and disguise, deliver the final surprise.


Nearly the entire narrative is told through conversations between the characters.  Trisha Speed Shaskan weaves interesting facts about magic into the story which careful readers will eventually see are key to locating information about the theft.  She also cleverly uses Q's passion for disguise as part of the plot details.

The dialogue between the characters will be easily understood by the intended audience.  When Q and Ray are trying to solve the case, it's as if we are joining in the chat.  Humor appears when you least expect it.

Class:  ABCs!
Raise your paws!

Here is another passage during lunch between Ray and Q.

How about a magic trick?
Sure!
Look at the quarter.
It's been in my family for years.
We've passed it from one rat to the next.
Ha! It's gone!

Don't worry.  I won't let history
slip through my paws.  It's
right here! Or---right ear!
Aces! How did
you do that?


When you first look at the front of the book case, it's hard not to think of Saturday morning cartoons.  The characters are cute and comical at the same time.  Illustrator Stephen Shaskan has tied all the elements in the image together to look like a display at a gallery.  And he includes a huge clue or is it a red herring?  To the left, on the back, is text relative to the title you might find on a jacket flap.  The opening and closing endpapers are a crisp, pristine white.  A design technique similar to the case is used for the title page with text and images like pictures hanging on a wall.

In this graphic novel the panels are varied in size with the frames having rounded corners.  Smaller panels are placed within larger panels.  Sometimes we will be given a different perspective to draw our focus to a specific point as when Ray is doing his magic trick. Stephen's signature geometric rays radiant from his characters in some of the scenes.

The placement of the speech balloons will assist early readers.  For emphasis and dramatic effect text is enlarged, made bold and placed in jagged speech balloons.  Readers can easily discern the elevated volume of the speaker's voice.  I think readers with any art knowledge will find the depiction of The Scream, Girl with a Pearl Earring and the Mola Lisa hilarious.  A nod is given to two specific artists in the clothing worn by Ms. Easel.

One of my favorite of many illustrations is when Q and Ray are talking over a twist in the case.  They are standing facing each other.  Q is wearing a yellow jacket and skirt with purple accessories and shoes.  Ray is wearing another combination of his usual checked shirt (light blue and white) with red pants and shoes with light blue socks.  Their expressions are animated, endearing and funny.

During an impromptu and very short questions and answer on social media several nights ago, Trisha had this to say about this first title in the proposed series.

Like our picture book Punk Skunks, Stephen and I created Q & Ray together from its conception.  While brainstorming which type of story we wanted to create, we decided on a mystery for a few reasons.  For years, I taught mystery-writing classes to elementary students; it was my most popular class.  From teaching it, I always wanted to write a mystery.  Like the students, Stephen and I loved mysteries as kids.  At first, Q & Ray was a chapter book, but two things happened.  One: Stephen and I read tons of graphic novels for kids to prep for a class we taught kids on the subject.  In the meantime, I worked as a literacy coach with elementary school students.  Some of the emerging readers wanted to read the Babymouse and Lunch Lady graphic novel series, but they didn't have the reading skills to read them, yet.  I though the format could provide a readable text, but also visual cues for young readers.  Stephen and I chose the names Q & Ray as a riff on Q & A, questions and answers, which are the basis of mysteries.  While writing the story, I drew upon my love of Sherlock Holmes.  While illustrating the story, Stephen drew upon his love of the aesthetics of Harvey Comics (Little Dot, Richie rich, Casper the Friendly Ghost),---for the use of thick black lines and flat colors.  Together, Stephen and I drew upon the power of friendship; how a team versus an individual can be best suited to tackle the odds of solving mysteries---and of course, creating books!


For readers eager to read graphic novels and solve mysteries while enjoying the companionship of two likeable characters hand them The Missing Mola Lisa (Case #1 Q & Ray series) written by Trisha Speed Shaskan with illustrations by Stephen Shaskan.  I think it might be fun to act out some of the chapters or scenes from the chapters like a reader's theater.  I know there will be a copy of this on my personal bookshelves and ready to hand out at Halloween.  You will want one on your professional shelves too.  On the final page under Fun Facts readers can learn about Leonardo da Vinci upon which Leonardo da Squity is based in this book.

To learn more about Trisha Speed Shaskan and Stephen Shaskan and their other work please visit their respective websites by following the links attached to their names.  To view interior portions of this title please stop by the publisher's website.  Both Trisha and Stephen wrote posts for Picture Book Month.  Trisha was featured at KidLit 411.

Wacky And Wild Fun In The Sun

Spring Break.  Are there any two words sweeter than those to students and their educators?  As a child, memories of a visit to Parrot Jungle in Miami, Florida with the colorful birds sitting on my arms and shoulders linger.  Later as an educator when the mass exodus began in April, cars with students and their parents would honk and pass my husband and I as we all traveled south.  For those living in the northern regions of the United States, the lush greenery, vivid floral displays, sun, sand and surf are an annual welcome respite.

Staying at a variety of motels with swimming pools, eating at restaurants serving local cuisine and exotic dishes, and exploring all the historic and unique attractions leave unforgettable impressions no matter your age.  In the autumn of 2016 a new series which completely recreates spring break memories while shaping and sharing the life of year-round residents was released.  Welcome To WonderLand Home Sweet Motel (Random House Children's Books, October 4, 2016) written by Chris Grabenstein with illustrations by Brooke Allen introduces a cast of characters in comedic situations which will have you exploding with laughter one minute and on the edge of your seat the next minute.  

Gator Tales

Like I told my friends at school, living in a motel is always exciting---especially during an alligator attack.

"To this day, nobody knows how that giant alligator made it up to the second-floor balcony of my family's motel on St. Pete Beach," I told my audience.

The cafeteria was so quiet you could've heard a taco shell snap.

This is readers' introduction to Phineas Taylor Wilkie, known as P. T. to his friends, student at Ponce de Leon Middle School and resident of the Wonderland Motel, formerly known as Walt Wilkie's Wonder World.  All that's left of the motel's glory days in the 1970s are a bunch of large, eclectic decorations like a giant dinosaur, rocket ship, and jackalope, a small train not currently running on tracks and a miniature golf course.  His grandfather, Walt, owns the place and his mother is in charge of managing it.  P. T. is a spinner of outlandish and humorous tales taking after his grandfather who looks at life with a twinkle in his eye and is constantly tinkering on his next big dream.

In short order we become acquainted with P. T.'s staunch friends, Pinky, Kip and Porter as well as new long term guests at the motel, Gloria Ortega (P. T.'s age) and her sports newscaster father.  Gloria has a knack for business unlike most people her age (or many adults).  Her sensible pragmatic approach paired with P. T.'s flare for fiction is a match made in hospitality heaven.

P. T.'s fabulous life with his mother and grandfather at Wonderland Motel is in serious trouble!  A balloon payment on a loan his grandfather took out on the motel and forgot to tell his mother about is due.  They need to raise one hundred thousand dollars in thirty days!  

Gloria, P. T. and his grandfather hatch one outlandish marketing scheme after another which seem to be working but trouble is never far behind their successes in the form of a middle school history teacher, Mr. Frumpkes, a beautiful woman from Grandpa Wilkie's past and two notorious criminals.  An Unsolved Mysteries television segment elevates the action and the hilarity.  Will Wonderland Motel be saved?  Only time, a baloney with yellow mustard on white bread sandwich and a tiger will tell.

Here are several passages from Welcome To WonderLand Home Sweet Motel.

We can't afford to give away free ice cream, Dad," Mom told Grandpa when she saw me and my friends swirling our cones under the pump handle.

Pinky Nellington wasn't using a cone.  He just stuck his face under the nozzle.

"Spring Break also means no school," I said, because as you'll see, I like to look on the bright side, even when it's darker than the inside of my pants pockets at midnight.

Not that I've ever actually looked inside my pants pockets that late at night, but you get the idea.

"P. T., tell me:  what makes Walt Disney World so special?"

"Um, everything?"

"Nope, nope, nope.  It's the stories.  Why do kids want to meet all those Disney princesses at the castle?  Because they know their fairy tales backward and forward before their families even pull into the parking lot.  Pirates of the Caribbean?  That ride tells such a great story they turned it into four different movies."

When he was all laughed out, he belches up another cloud of Cel-Ray salad gas.

"Of course," he said, rubbing his face, "no one wants to hear my corny old stories anymore."

"But it used to work?"

"Like a hot knife through presliced butter.  Because everybody needs a little wonder in their lives, P. T.  That's why vacations were invented.  To give us room for amazement!"

Fortunately for readers another stellar title in this series was released this year.  Welcome To WonderLand Beach Party Surf Monkey Book 2 (Random House Children's Books, May 23, 2017) written by Chris Grabenstein with illustrations by Brooke Allen follows further escapades of P. T., Gloria, Grandpa Walt, P. T.'s mom and Gloria's dad as they try to save the motel from further trouble, this time at the hands of a hotel developer.  The sun isn't the only heat coming to the residents of Wonderland Motel.

Scary Tales

"When you live in a motel," I told my audience, "you never know when your neighbors might be fiendish jewel thieves!"

Like always, the whole cafeteria was hanging on my every word. Even the lunch ladies in their plastic shower caps had come out to hear what I'd say next.  It was so quiet you could hear a straw squeak its way into a milk carton.

As P. T. and Gloria bask in their recent success another villain finds his way into the lobby of their motel.  Edward Conch aims to acquire the Wonderland Motel as he did three neighboring motels to make his hotel bigger and better.  He and his equally devious daughter always get what they want...or so they say. 

His proposition appeals to P. T.'s mom who longs for a solid future for her son and the loss of worries about making ends meet.  Believe me when I say P. T., Gloria and Grandpa Walt are not about to let this happen.  In the middle of their first money-making weekend gone wrong, a miracle in the form of a Hollywood star taking cover in the rump of their large dinosaur changes everything for the motel residents.

To their utter amazement a pitch at a movie production meeting winds up winning their motel as the setting for Beach Party Surf Monkey. Chaos in the form of a movie crew, a male star with a meltdown temper, a down-to-earth female star and a YouTube sensation monkey fills the Wonderland Motel rooms and grounds.  While you might think this ends the financial troubles for our characters, it's only the beginning of battling those who want them to lose.  Enemies known and unknown will do anything to see this movie fail.

The ins and outs of movie-making, competition in the motel-hotel trade, a kidnapping and a notable disappearances increase the excitement and mystery amid zany day-to-day events.  A chicken gobbling gator, a cannonball pool winner, a poop-throwing monkey, and the arrival of a four hundred pound pig certainly contribute to the high laughter factor.  A stinky smell eventually tells the true tale. 

As soon as you read the first few sentences penned by Chris Grabenstein you realize this man has a pure humor gene in his makeup.  The one-liner thoughts and statements and the stories P. T. thinks, says and tells will have you smiling from cover to cover, page after page.  This boy thrives on the power of story.  

In the other characters of Gloria, Grandpa Walt, P. T.'s mom and Gloria's dad we see wonderfully human people who reach out and grab life through their bold and bright personalities.  P. T.'s and Gloria's friends, the actors, film crew and the figures of Mr. Conch and Victoria and the secondary characters all provide essential parts.  Through all their conversations we find ourselves fully connected to every moment.  Here are some sample passages.

"ESPN is the leader of the pack," Mr. Ortega tells me all the time.  "And if you're not running with the lead dogs, P. T., all you see is a bunch of furry butts."

"And who, pray tell, is Kevin the Monkey?" asked Mr. Frumpkes.  "One of your pimple-faced pop stars?"

"Kevin the Monkey is a supercool capuchin from the Sunshine State Primate Sanctuary," said Kate.  "He's a total YouTube sensation!"

"And a savvy PR vehicle," added Gloria.  "Last year Kevin the Monkey's channel earned one point six million dollars for the animal rescue charity, thanks to rollover ads.  Net-net, he and the primate sanctuary have put together a rock-solid monkey business plan!"

When Gloria said that, the class cracked up.

"Monkey business!"  

The laughter grew louder when somebody (probably Kate Mackenzie Williams, because she's a total gadget freak) used their phone to hack into the Smart Board's Wi-Fi connection and run a hysterical Kevin the Monkey clip.

Gloria and I have since turned it into our private clubhouse.  It's a great place to hang out, swap stories, and plot schemes---except in August.  Then it's more like a sauna inside an oven located at the molten core of the earth.

Grandpa proudly displayed his package of luncheon meat to the crowd.  "Bologna, ladies and gentlemen.  It is the duct tape of foods.  There ain't nothing it can't do!"

Throughout both titles the artwork of Brooke Allen, done in black and white, further defines the narrative adding to the hilarity.  Her full page illustrations, partial page pictures and single page visuals crossing the gutter are brimming with details.  Images spanning two pages add impact to the given event.

Many of the illustrations contain speech bubbles with additional text enhancing the given moment and mood.  They clarify the personalities of the characters further.  The chapter beginnings all contain a single small picture in keeping with the book title.

Welcome To WonderLand Beach Party Surf Monkey Book 2, following Welcome To Wonderland Home Sweet Motel, written by Chris Grabenstein with illustrations by Brooke Allen is exactly what readers need---action, mystery and laughter...lots of laughter.  These characters find themselves in situations with hilarious results as they seek to solve realistic problems.  Using P. T. as a narrator amid the upbeat conversations of all the characters ties readers to his stories.  We want these characters to succeed.  And amid the fun there are issues which will promote discussions.  I can't imagine a professional bookshelf without multiple copies or a personal bookshelf without a set.

To discover more about Chris Grabenstein and Brooke Allen and their other work please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  At Chris Grabenstein's pages for these books you can view book trailers, read excerpts and listen to audio.  At the publisher's websites you can read excerpts and view the interior of the second title.  Chris Grabenstein is the winner of the 2017 Sid Fleischman Humor Award for the first title.  There are more participants in the Welcome To WonderLand Beach Party Surf Monkey Blog Tour. Here are three of them.  Teacher librarian Laura Given interviews Chris Grabenstein at LibLaura5.  Educators Jen Vincent at Teach Mentor Texts and Michele Knott at Mrs. Knott's Book Nook talk about the title.