Handheld Hilarity

For those who read aloud, whether to a single soul or a group of listeners, when the story generates, first, giggles and then outbursts of laughter, the atmosphere in the setting changes.  It is charged with a special connection.  Uniting through happiness is lasting, sometimes for decades.  You don't forget it.

When it comes to wishing, you need to carefully weigh all the consequences attached to a wish.  Our favorite grumpy, not fun-loving bear is back (somewhat) in a new title, The Bruce Swap (Disney Hyperion, May 4, 2021) written and illustrated by Ryan T. Higgins.  His housemates, the mice, Rupert, Thistle, and Nibbs, and the geese, wish Bruce was less like himself and more like them.  Due to the paper-consuming geese, a comedy of errors unfolds on this day.

There was a letter in the mailbox

at 13 Go Away Lane.

No one would ever know except for a reader what the letter said because a goose ate it.  It announced a visit from Bruce's fun, fun, fun cousin, Kevin.  Bruce detested fun.  In fact, that night each of Bruce's housemates made wishes about Bruce because he lacked any inclination toward fun (or sandwiches).

The next morning Bruce left the house to go fishing.  He wrote a note explaining his absence.  Guess who ate it? Guess who showed up at the house looking like Bruce but acting like the housemates wishes came true?

Even when the bear said his name was Kevin, no one believed him.  They knew their wishes were granted.  The fun started in earnest.  Candy was bountiful.  Multiple pizzas were ordered.  Outdoor activities were celebrated inside the house.  And the noise was deafening.  Moving to the outdoors, downright dangerous stunts were performed.  

Kevin's fun, fun, fun friends arrived and added to the craziness.  Three mice and four geese looked around, saw a humongous mess and realized too much of a good thing is not a good thing.  Kevin did not like messes, so he drove away with his pals. 

Can you imagine what Bruce was going to say when he got home?  You'll be surprised more than once as this story concludes.  Three cheers for grumps!

With every sentence author Ryan T. Higgins pens in this title, you can feel the humor growing.  He uses the repetition of a single word or phrases for emphasis and to fashion a cadence.  One two-word combination he inserts into the story is guaranteed to have readers and listeners rolling on the floor laughing.  His blend of narrative and dialogue is flawless.  Here are two passages.

Early the next morning, before the first rays of sun crept

across Soggy Hollow, Bruce woke up to go on a fishing trip.

Alone.

By himself.

He left a note, of course.

Gone fishing.

Don't make

a mess!

---Bruce---

But nobody read that note either.

NOM NOM NOM

One look at the open dust jack, front and back, and you know something the exact opposite of ordinary is in the offing for Bruce and his housemates.  On a blue background on the back, to the left, is a photograph of Bruce and Kevin.  Their facial expressions could not be more different.  There is one grump and one goof featured.  This photograph is varnished.  On the front, to the right, Bruce on the left is totally unaware of Kevin.  His fun, fun, fun grin is shocking to Rupert.  On this image the title text is varnished.

The book case design mirrors that of a pizza box in red and white check.  In the center is a circle framed in green.  On the front and back a bear, wearing a chef's hat, is showcased in red on white within that circle.  One is Kevin and one is Bruce.  Let the hilarity commence.

On the opening endpapers Bruce has placed sixteen signs around his home, advising people what they can't do.  The final sign in his paws reads:

NO PLAYING.

Behind the signs and Bruce are his home on the right and the lake across both sides.

Kevin has worked his fun on the closing endpapers.  The lake, trees, and Bruce's house are all the same.  The signs have all been changed by Kevin.  Each NO has been crossed out and GO is written in green next to the crossed-out NO.  Kevin stands at the NO PLAYING sign with a green marker in his paw.  He has already altered that sign.

These illustrations by Ryan T. Higgins 

created using scans of treated clayboard for textures, graphite, ink, and Photoshop

send the hoopla soaring (much like Rupert who finds himself attached to an airborne kite).  The facial expressions on all the characters depict every emotional moment from glee to despair and other moods between the two.  Readers will pause at every page turn to enjoy all the details.  Images span single pages but cross the gutter to join spot visuals on the previous page.  Other single-page pictures, panels and partial-page illustrations accentuate pacing and the story line.  For dramatic effect double-page pictures tell a story all their own.  Most of the conversation is found in speech balloons.

One of my many favorite pictures is a single-page image.  We are in the living room of Bruce's home.  It has been transformed into an indoor swimming pool.  Water is nearly up to the window casements.  Kevin wearing a red-and-white striped swimming suit, floaties on his arms, a bathing cap, and swim goggles is having fun.  The geese and mice are not so sure.  One is grasping the floating telephone.  Two others are using a door as a raft.  Rupert remarks:

This might be an 

electrical hazard.

Regardless of how many times The Bruce Swap written and illustrated by Ryan T. Higgins is read, laughter will resound each and every time.  The return of beloved characters coupled with the narrative, dialogue, and comical illustrations are an unbeatable combination.  You'll want to have a copy of this title for both your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about other titles by Ryan T. Higgins go to his page at the publisher's website by following the link attached to his name.  Ryan T. Higgins has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website is a link to a lengthy guide on the work of Ryan T. Higgins.  It would be great for an author study.

Several weeks ago, when I stepped out on the front porch with my canine companion to begin our last stroll for the day, panic and a stench overwhelmed me.  It was not quite pitch black outside yet.  Where was the skunk?  Was it on the lawn?  Was it under the porch?  Was every person's nightmare about to unfold?  We were lucky this time.  Something Stinks! (Penguin Workshop, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, June 15, 2021) written and illustrated by Jonathan Fenske is about a being with an experience similar to mine with one huge difference.  A skunk can't figure out where a horrible smell is emanating.  (I don't know about you, but I am laughing already.)

Pee-yew!

Something STINKS!

The narrator continues by telling us how fortunate we are not to smell what he is smelling.  We are then told exactly how stinky it is.  Comparisons are made to three kinds of stink.  How can it be stinkier

than a rotten tuna and onion sandwich?

Skunk then informs us he will track down the source of this odoriferous aroma.  No nook or cranny will be overlooked.  When he offers up the source as underpants, he is mistaken.  The scent is increasingly worse.

It seems to be following Skunk.  He then asks the reader to move in closer so he can make sure it is not they who stink.  Really?  

By now Skunk is getting nauseous.  He asks for readers' help.  When there is a response, he can't comprehend the words or gestures.  Skunk is at his wit's end.  Suddenly, a change clears the air.  What has happened?  We know, but Skunk is oblivious.

From the first words out of Skunk's mouth, written by Jonathan Fenske, the hilarity begins.  We are active participants in the story as Skunk speaks directly to us in short sentences.  Questions are asked and replies are given.  To elevate the humor, another character, a fly, adds commentary.  Here is a passage.

Wonderful.

Now the smell is

getting WORSE.

Like someone or someTHING

has been dragging a great big

cloud of stink everywhere!

The two hues of green shown on the front and back of the open book case clearly indicate an odor capable of inducing illness.  By the placement of the darker of the two, readers realize the origin of the stink.  The presence of the fly, first smiling on the front, and then with eyes crossed in displeasure on the back, suggests the extent of the stench.  The text on the back is an introduction to the story with Skunk speaking to us.

On the opening and closing endpapers is a pattern of Skunk, much smaller, standing almost sheepishly amid the smell.  He has no idea he is the cause of the odor.  Zipping around him in loops and swirls is a dotted white line on the green canvas.  This is the flight pattern of the fly who makes an appearance on the closing endpapers.  On the title page, a perplexed Skunk stands trying to locate the source of the stink.

These illustrations by Jonathan Fenske range in size from double-page pictures to single-page images, and groups of smaller visuals to supply pacing.  Often, we are brought very close to Skunk, further inviting us into the story.  His expressive wide-eyed looks, exaggerated facial features, and gestures contribute to the laughter factor.

Background colors are either gruesome green or crisp white.  Every line is spotlighted.  This raises our awareness of the situation in which Skunk finds himself.  You can't help but laugh!

One of my many favorite pictures is on a half-page.  Skunk is trying unsuccessfully, to figure out what the reader is telling him.  In this image he is saying:

I see you pointing.

On the green background with the green odor gathering at the bottom is the upper part of Skunk's face with one arm.  His hand is placed on his forehead as he tries to see.  His eyes are wide open.  He is looking squarely at us.  He just doesn't get it.  Therein is increased comedy.

With a book like Something Stinks! written and illustrated by Jonathan Fenske, you know how readers will respond.  Even now I can hear peals of laughter.  And once this laughter starts it won't stop, even when the story ends.  This is going to be a much-requested story time favorite.  You'll need a copy in your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Jonathan Fenske and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  Jonathan Fenske has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you get a peak at the initial title page.

Bat and the End of Everything Blog Tour

There are fictional characters so vividly portrayed, they became a part of the here and now.  They remind you of the diverse nature of human characteristics.  They remind you we all have struggles; some more visible than others.  They remind you to put your best self forward whenever you can because we need each other.  We are here to make every day better than the previous day.

On March 14, 2017 readers met a character named Bat, short for Bixby Alexander Tam, in the first book of a trilogy titled A Boy Called BAT (Walden Pond Press) written by Elana K. Arnold with illustrations by Charles Santoso.  It was and still is unthinkable to not feel affection for this boy, his family and his friends.  Every chapter pulled (pulls) us deeper into his world.



One year later on March 27, 2018 Bat and the Waiting Game (Walden Pond Press) continues the story of this irresistible child and his best animal friend, a skunk kit called Thor.  In this book Bat has to navigate big changes in his normal routine.  His sister, Janie, has won a part in the school play.

Her practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays mean Bat can't stay at home alone which translates into less time with Thor AND he must go to his friend's house after school.  Bat really does like Israel, but this new place is an adjustment for him.  Strengthening the boys' friendship is a school project.  They are building and planting a vegetable garden for Thor.

At the center of Bat's world is his relationship with Thor.  The skunk helps him deepen ties with his family and friends, figuring out challenges through comparisons. As the night of the musical gets closer Bat can hardly tolerate any more waiting for everything to go back to the way it was before Janie got the part.  An unexpected turn of events has disastrous results, but support of friends and family help Bat find a perfect silver lining.  Here are a couple of passage from this second title.

Bat liked it when he could concentrate on just one thing, and he liked it even better when the one thing he was concentrating on was something he loved, like taking care of Thor.
With his thumb, Bat gently stroked the white strip of fur that ran up Thor's snout and over his head.  Thor closed his shiny black eyes and it looked to Bat like he grinned, short milky whisker hairs curving upward.

Bat had never been in such an interesting vehicle.  Mom drove a perfectly average station wagon, and Dad had an uncomfortable tight sports car, with a hump in the middle of the back instead of a seat.
Israel's dad's truck was totally different.  It was like seeing a Great Dane after a lifetime of Chihuahuas.  It was the ostrich of the car world: impressively large.  (This comparison further illustrates Bat's love of animals.)

"I give up," Bat said.  "What's your favorite thing about baseball?"
"It's this," Dad said, relaxing in his seat and putting his arm around Bat's shoulders again.  "This, right here.  Sitting next to someone I love, having a snack and something to drink, enjoying the outside air together.  Spending time together.  Being with you."
Bat could point out to Dad that they could do most of these things back at the apartment, or at the park.  It didn't have to be at a baseball game.  Technically, Dad's argument was flawed.  But instead of pointing this out, Bat paid attention to the warmth and weight of Dad's arm across his shoulders.  He pinched off some cotton candy and popped it into his mouth, enjoying the way it changed from fluff into melting sweetness.  He looked out across the field, not trying to keep track of the players or the score.  Instead he tried to melt a little, like the cotton candy, and just be happy to be right there at the game with his dad.


Another year has passed.  Bat and the End of Everything (Walden Pond Press, March 26, 2019) written by Elana K. Arnold with illustrations by Charles Santoso begins with uncertainty for Bat and for readers.  Thor is growing and thriving under Bat's care.  The time to release him back into the wild is growing nearer. 

Chapter 1
An Offer

How do you say good-bye to a friend?
That's what Bixby Alexander Tam (known to everyone as Bat) was thinking about, sitting with Babycakes, the class rabbit, in the pen at the back of Mr. Grayson's class.  It was the first Monday in June.  In four days, the school year would end, and Bat would have to say good-bye.

Third grade will be finished.  Babycakes will no longer be his classroom pet.  Babycakes will be staying with another classmate for the summer.  Bat's best friend, Israel, is going to Canada for weeks to stay with a cousin.  Everything certain in Bat's world is changing.  The unknown makes him very anxious.  Every time anyone mentions Thor going to live in the wild, Bat changes the thread of the conversation.  As Thor grows so does the dread in Bat's heart. 

On the last day of school, Bat's dad picks him up and Janie at her school.  It's an Every-Other-Friday which means they spend the weekend with their dad.  As if there aren't enough shifts in Bat's life, his dad has a surprise which upsets Janie and puzzles Bat. 

Once summer vacation starts, Bat is spending the days with his mother at her vet clinic and working with her assistant, Laurence.  Bat is thrilled with this arrangement.  He gets to work with animals and have Thor close to him all day.

As the summer progresses there is a bit of alarm with Babycakes and her caregiver, a revealing talk with Janie, Bat and their dad, unexpected generosity by Janie, a first on mail day and a hard day for Bat which further endears readers to the bond between this boy and the skunk.  Chapter by chapter a gentle tension grows as we know Bat is going to have to part with Thor.  At the close of the last chapter in this book, and of the trilogy, readers will be totally and emotionally moved.


With Elana K. Arnold's writing readers are drawn to her stories and their characters.  Her use of language paints pictures as realistic as a photograph.  Her understanding of human nature, friendship, family dynamics, the bonds we develop with animals and of a child on the autism spectrum is what connects us to this story.  The conversations between the characters and Bat's thought processes are remarkable.  Here are a few passages.

Whether he liked it or not, summer was coming.  The warm weather, the end of school, even how big Thor was getting---all of it meant that summer was pretty much here already.  And there was nothing Bat could do to stop it.
He couldn't make time slow down.  He couldn't make Thor stay small.  Sitting in the back of Mom's station wagon, being driven home, Bat felt uncomfortably aware of how many things were out of his control.
"What would you like to eat for dinner?" Mom asked.  She turned on her blinker and steered them down Plum Lane, their street, toward their house in the middle of the block.
"Macaroni and cheese," Bat said decisively.  "And cupcakes for dessert."
"Okay," Mom said. "Maybe you and Janie can make the cupcakes while I work on the macaroni and cheese."
Bat nodded.  He felt better.  He wished everything was as easy to figure out as what to have for dinner.

"When I grow up and become a vet," Bat said, "maybe we could both work here.  And we could put a second hook on the wall, and we could hang our coats next to each other's, and it wouldn't matter who wore which coat, because we would both be Dr. Tam, DVM."
Mom's fingers were buttoning her coat, but they stopped when Bat spoke.  She reached over and put a hand gently on top of his head, a warm soft weight that Bat liked.  "There's nothing that would make me happier," she said.
Bat had his mom's warm hand on his head, and Thor's carrier in his hand, and a whole day of helping at the vet clinic in front of him.  He took a deep breath of lavender-peppermint, and he felt wonderful.


For this post I'm working with an ARC but nevertheless, the illustrations in black and white by Charles Santoso throughout the title further engage readers in the story, and to Bat, Thor and the other characters.  Each image coincides with memorable moments in the narrative.  The facial expressions on the characters, particularly their eyes, convey moods and emotions candidly.  Most of them are smaller but there are several full-page pictures.

One of my many favorite illustrations is of Bat and Thor after Bat has a particularly hard day.  Exhausted Bat holds Thor in his arm as he curls up on his side on his bed.  Tears start to fall, and Thor gently licks them from Bat's face.  They fall asleep together.  This is the picture Charles Santoso draws for us.  I nearly started to cry at the tenderness depicted. 


This book, Bat and the End of Everything written by Elana K. Arnold with pictures by Charles Santoso, is a beautiful story of a boy and his beloved skunk.  It's a portrait of love; the love of a child for an animal and the love of others for this child and his skunk.  I highly recommend this title for your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Elana K. Arnold and Charles Santoso and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Elana K. Arnold has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  Charles Santoso has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can read a sample.  Here is a link to an extensive educator's guide.


Elana K. Arnold is the author of books for middle-grade readers and teens. Her middle grade titles include A Boy Called Bat, A 2018 Global Read Aloud Book and Bat and the Waiting Game. Her teen titles include Damsel, a 2019 Michael L. Printz Honor Book and What Girls Are Made Of, a National Book Award and California Book Award Finalist.




BLOG TOUR STOPS

Nerdy Book Club----------------------------March 26
Kirsti Call------------------------------------March 27
Read Now Sleep Later----------------------March 30
Bluestocking Thinking----------------------April 1
The Book Monsters--------------------------April 2
Educate*Empower* Inspire* . . .Teach---April 3
Librarian's Quest----------------------------April 4
Novel Novice
Unleashing Readers
Lit Couch Lou--------------------------------April 5

Nature's Champions

She entered our hearts and minds from the pages of a book eight years ago; a middle child in a family of seven, three older and three younger brothers.  Eleven years old in the summer of 1899 Calpurnia Virginia Tate thought and acted differently than girls did or were expected to during this time period in the hot heat of Texas.  The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate a debut novel written by Jacqueline Kelly and the recipient of a 2010 Newbery Honor award revealed to readers the quiet and not so quiet determination of a girl wanting to be allowed to pursue her own interests.  Not quite two years ago on July 7, 2015 The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate continued this young woman's journey to follow her own convictions amid history's events, the ups and downs of family life and the large disparity between what was appropriate for young men and young women.

In this second book the relationship between Callie Vee and her younger brother Travis strengthened.  Her pursuit of the natural sciences and his love of animals (wanting to make each one a pet) forged an unbreakable bond.  This past fall a new series for early readers, Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet began featuring these two memorable characters.

Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet Skunked! (Henry Holt and Company, October 4, 2016) written by Jacqueline Kelly with illustrations by Jennifer L. Meyer and jacket art by Teagan White begins as the title suggests with a skunk.  We all know the scenarios that single word raises in our collective minds.  The results are sure to be smelly.

None of the terrible things that happened need have happened at all if the skunk hadn't drawn attention to itself by ripping up our garden and stealing a bunch of vegetables.

The year was now 1901.  The skunk in question was a mama skunk.  One fine morning out for a walk, Travis heard the sound of what he believed was a kitten in the hollow of a tree truck.  It was a kit, a baby skunk and an orphan.

Of course, Travis enlisted Callie's help with the skunk's care.  She was dead set against keeping it, but Travis had already named it Stinky.  She simply couldn't resist his kind heart.  The two kept it hidden in a rabbit cage in the darkest part of the family barn.

All seemed to be going well, until with the help of a frantic Stinky another kit, near death, was discovered in the hollow trunk.  Now a cover story for items needed for its care was fabricated by Callie and Travis.  It was touch and go for the life of the second skunk, Winky, and for the devoted brother and sister in protecting their secret.  They might have succeeded except for one thing...the family dog named Ajax and a crazy decision by Travis one day at school.


In the second full length novel a veterinarian arrived in the town of Fentress, Texas.  Dr. Pritzker allowed Callie Vee to assist him with jobs around his office, to accompany him when he tended to sick animals and even read his books.  As you might expect this was kept strictly confidential from Callie Vee's mother who would be very unhappy with this arrangement.

In the second early reader title, Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet Counting Sheep (Henry Holt and Company, April 4, 2017) written by Jacqueline Kelly with illustrations by Jennifer L. Meyer and jacket art by Teagan White Mrs. Tate might have need of the skills acquired thus far by her daughter.  Callie knows she walks a fine, well-guarded line but her Grandfather, an extraordinary and brilliant scientist living with them, offers continuous wisdom. A morning jaunt with him challenges her skills before they are critically tested.

What I am going to tell you about took place on our farm in Fentress, Texas, in the early spring of 1901.  Now if you don't live on a farm, you might not know that spring is the season when most of the animals have their babies, and places like ours were overrun with lambs and calves and piglets and kittens.

After one early morning expedition digging in the mud, Callie Vee earned the stern discipline of her mother but managed to venture out later with her grandfather.  During their time together she found a leaf containing three dots.  In true scientific investigative style, she studied them until the fateful day when they hatched into beautiful butterflies.

One of the three had an injured wing.  Over the course of several days with the help of Grandfather and encouragement from Travis, Callie Vee performed a minor miracle.  If sheep could talk one would be grateful for this butterfly's injury.

Mother Tate had a prize sheep with wool known for its unique softness.  She bred the sheep hoping to sell the lambs for their fine wool.  When it came time for the mother to birth, she demanded Travis fetch Dr. Pritzker. (Of course Callie Vee explicitly told her it would take several hours.  That shared knowledge did generate some uncomfortable questions.)  Ease turns to unease leaving no one but Calpurnia to demonstrate being smart, ready and lucky was an advantage with brothers and life.


With her adept use in painting a setting with words Jacqueline Kelly takes us back in time to the farm, surrounding meadows and woods and the banks of the river.  We can hear the gentle sound of the water, the hum of insects and the call of birds.  Through conversations with her brothers, especially Travis, her mother, Dr. Pritzker and their cook, Viola, we come to admire all the characters and find ourselves laughing out loud more than once.  The comparison between what is acceptable to Mrs. Tate and what Callie Vee actually does are miles apart.  Here are sample passages from both books.

Skunked!

I watched him to see if he got the joke.  It took him a moment, but then he laughed.  I always enjoyed making him laugh.  It was like the sun bursting out from behind the clouds on a gloomy day.

"Oh, boy, another one!" Travis cried, all excited.  Stinky grew even more excited at being reunited with his brother (or sister, who could tell?).  The three of them would have thrown a party if I'd let them.  The only one not excited by the reunion was yours truly.  No, not excited.  Not at all. 

Counting Sheep

Mother said, "Send us your bill, Doctor."
"Good heavens, Mrs. Tate, I did nothing to help.  I can't send a bill on Mother Nature's behalf.  No, no.  I bid you good day.

I left Mother and Travis staring at the lamb and walked the vet back to his buggy.  I gave his mare Penny a quick pat while he loaded up.

"Well, Calpurnia, is that the first lambing you've attended?"
"Yessir, although I've read all about it in your books."
He paused.  "Have you now?  Have you...uh...told your mother about your reading those books?"
Was he crazy?  Mother would likely have a fit if she found out.  "Never, Dr. Pritzker."


Each volume contains a variety of delicate black and white illustrations drawn by Jennifer L. Meyer.   The chapters begin with a thematic picture carried throughout each book, a reflection of the main storyline.  The size of the images heightens the emotional mood of the text varying from a partial page to a full page or spanning across two pages.

The intricate details draw readers into the illustrations, making us feel as though we are participating in the story beside the characters.  The facial expressions on the characters not only depict the current mood but endear us further to the people.  The flora and fauna are portrayed with realism and also an underlying appreciation for the natural world.

One of my favorite pictures in the first title is of Travis sneaking the newly found kit into the barn.  It covers one page.  As he walks past the horses, cow, and kittens he is holding a finger to his lips asking them to not utter a sound revealing his secret.  Jennifer L. Meyer has tucked a tiny mice into a ladle, up in the loft and around a hanging lantern.  In the second book one of my favorite illustrations, on a full page, is of Callie Vee holding a jar with the lid in her hand.  The butterflies are being released.  Travis watches while holding his beloved Bunny, an angora rabbit.  Two mice and several kittens watch too.  Both of these visuals create a vivid sense of time and place.


Calpurnia Tate Girl Vet Skunked! and Calpurnia Tate Girl Vet Counting Sheep written by Jacqueline Kelly with illustrations by Jennifer L. Meyer and jacket art by Teagan White are absolutely wonderful!  I have read them both twice and they get better with every reading.  The humor is genuine, the sense of history is true and the characters are irresistible.  Volume three is set to be released the first part of October 2017.  You won't want to miss a single one.

To learn more about Jacqueline Kelly and Jennifer L. Meyer please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names. Jennifer L. Meyer has a blog here.  The artist responsible for the jacket art, Teagan White, has a website here and Tumblr pages here.  You can read an excerpt from volume two at the publisher's website.
  

The Art Of Being Yourself

During the tenure of your career thousands of children will walk into your classroom, the school library.  If you are fortunate you will be able to offer opportunities to students in grades kindergarten through graduation from high school.  You will learn all their names.  You will learn to support all their learning needs with access to materials inside and outside the walls of your facility.  You will give the right book to the right reader at the right time. And just like snowflakes no two of them will be alike but you will be stunned by the beauty each one reveals to you.

This past week a boy, similar but not exactly like any previous students, walked into my life through the pages of a book.  As soon as I met him, he had my heart.  I cheered for him from page one until page one hundred, ninety-two.  A Boy Called Bat (Walden Pond Press, March 14, 2017) written by Elana K. Arnold with pictures by Charles Santoso will find a place in your heart too.

Bixby Alexander Tam stared into the refrigerator, trying to decide what to eat.  He knew that the longer he took, the more energy he was wasting, and Bixby Alexander Tam did not like to waste energy.  But he also didn't like to eat leftovers, or cheese that had to be sliced, or any of the yogurt flavors in the fridge.

Very early in this title we are aware of the characteristics making Bixby Alexander Tam (Bat) wonderfully unique.  Vanilla yogurt, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with no crusts, specifically organized dresser drawers and an animal encyclopedia are a few of his favorite things.  Trying not to panic when five o'clock comes and goes without his mother, a veterinarian, arriving home, Bat urges his older sister Janie to call the police.  In the next moment his mother comes home but she has no vanilla yogurt.  Bat can feel his anger rising but his mother calms him and reveals the reason for her tardiness.

His mother has a baby animal.  It's an orphaned baby skunk!  They will keep him for about four weeks.  The kit will be passed to the wild animal rescue center who will keep him for about five months until he can be released back into the natural world.  Bat can hardly contain his excitement.  When he first holds and feeds the baby, he knows with every fiber of his being the kit needs to stay with them.

Days at Saw Whet School, a private school, are full of support and challenges for Bat.  His teacher, Mr. Grayson understands Bat and the other students in his classroom, even providing a white angora bunny, Babycakes, for students to hold when they need her comfort.  Working in groups is difficult for Bat; he knows he can work faster and better alone but he's learning.

Balancing between what he feels and what he has to do is tricky for Bat at home with his sister and at his father's apartment every other Friday for the weekend.  It is obvious they all love each other but they are three different individuals.  It's Bat's mother who anchors his life.  They share a kinship in their care and understanding of animals.

A particular paragraph on skunks in his cherished book gives Bat an idea which he puts into action with the help of Mr. Grayson.  Time is running out for Bat and Thor (the name Janie give the skunk kit).  Will Bat lose this animal he has grown to love?  What will Bat gain as the final page is turned?


I do believe with the first sentence author Elana K. Arnold connects with many readers. As she continues her narrative sentence by sentence, conversation by conversation, we feel our compassion for Bat, his family, his educational mentors and his classmates growing.  Each individual is navigating their way through relationships.  Each one is trying to connect with the signature personality of the marvelous boy named Bixby Alexander Tam.  Through the use of very specific details in day to day situations we form a clear and genuine picture of who this child is.  Here are some sample passages.

The skunk's little pink tongue lapped at the formula.  Droplets gathered at the corners of his mouth, and some ran down his chin onto the towel, but most of it made it into the baby skunk.
"I'm doing it," Bat whispered.  "I'm feeding him." 
"You sure are," Mom said.
Bat knew he was doing a messier job of it than Mom had done, but the baby skunk didn't seem to mind.
"I love him," Bat said.  He hadn't meant to say it out loud.
Mom laughed.  "Careful, or you might make me jealous," she said.
"But it's true," Bat said.  "I love him."
Mom said they'd have to hand the kit over to the rescue center in a month.  But Bat, holding the tiny animal in his arms, made a silent promise that he'd figure out a way to keep him.


Bat loved braiding Janie's hair, even though he usually wasn't very good at hand things.  He liked the feeling of the damp, heavy hair; he liked organizing it into a series of smaller, neatly contained braids; he liked feeling close to Janie like this, by helping her and touching her, without having to have a big conversation that might turn into a fight.
Getting along with people was hard for Bat.  Figuring out what they meant when they said something, or when they made certain faces at him...People were complicated.  But braiding was easy.


The image on the front of the dust jacket of Bat and the skunk kit, Thor, accomplishes several things at first glance.  That frozen moment between a boy and a skunk is one of total trust.  We can already see the affection Bat has for Thor.  And we are wondering how this boy comes to be holding a skunk.

The black and white illustrations by Charles Santoso are like snapshots of intimate moments in the life of Bat, his family, teacher and classmates.  Most of them bring us close to the people.  Each one radiates warmth.

One of my many favorite pictures is of Janie standing on the corner waiting for Bat and his father to pick her up on one of the Every-Other Fridays weekends.  It's raining outside.  She is standing in a small puddle wearing a rain slicker and carrying her backpack on top of it.  This is the accompanying text:

She was standing near the corner, wearing her bright-yellow rain slicker.  Bat admired the way she looked, like a shiny yellow sun.


As I read through most of this story a second time, I kept thinking about using A Boy Called Bat written by Elana K. Arnold with pictures by Charles Santoso as a read aloud either as a parent with children or a teacher with students.  It's a charming story about all of us being our best selves and connecting with others by choosing kindness.  I recommend you place this on your professional and personal bookshelves.

To learn more about Elana K. Arnold and Charles Santoso and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Elana K. Arnold has a blog here.  Charles Santoso maintains a Tumblr and Instagram account.  At the publisher's website you can read or listen to a sample of the book.  At the Nerdy Book Club the cover was revealed and Elana K. Arnold wrote another guest post about this title.  A Boy Called Bat Educator's Resource is located here.

A Boy Called Bat
by Elana K. Arnold
illustrated by Charles Santoso

On Sale: 03/14/2017

ISBN: 9780062445827
ISBN 10: 0062445820

From acclaimed author Elana K. Arnold and with illustrations by Charles Santoso, A Boy Called Bat is the first book in a funny, heartfelt, and irresistible young middle grade series starring an unforgettable young boy on the autism spectrum.

For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life tends to be full of surprises—some of them good, some not so good. Today, though, is a good-surprise day. Bat’s mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a wild-animal shelter.

But the minute Bat meets the kit, he knows they belong together. And he’s got one month to show his mom that a baby skunk might just make a pretty terrific pet.

Critical Praise

“Delightful, endearing, and utterly relatable, Bat Tam is destined to be a dear and necessary friend for young readers. I adore him and his story.” — Anne Ursu, author of The Real Boy

“Written in third person, this engaging and insightful story makes readers intimately aware of what Bat is thinking and how he perceives the events and people in his life. With empathy and humor, Arnold delves into Bat’s relationships with his divorced parents, older sister, teachers, and classmates.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Comfortably familiar and quietly groundbreaking, this introduction to Bat should charm readers, who will likely look forward to more opportunities to explore life from Bat’s particular point of view.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Brimming with quietly tender moments, subtle humor, and authentically rendered family dynamics, Arnold’s story, the first in a new series, offers a nonprescriptive and deeply heartfelt glimpse into the life of a boy on the autism spectrum.” — Booklist

About Elana K. Arnold

Elana K. Arnold grew up in Southern California, where she was lucky enough to have her own perfect pet—a gorgeous mare named Rainbow—and a family who let her read as many books as she wanted. She is the author of picture books, middle grade novels, and books for teens. She lives in Huntington Beach, California, with her husband, two children, and a menagerie of animals. You can find her online at www.elanakarnold.com.

March 1-Read, Write, Reflect

March 2-A Foodie Bibliophile In Wanderlust

March 3-Bluestocking Thinking

March 6-The Official Tumblr of Walden Media

March 7-For Those About To Mock

March 8-Maria's Melange

March 9-Novel Novice

March 10-Unleashing Readers

March 13-The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia

March 14-All The Wonders

March 15-Teach Mentor Texts

March 19-Nerdy Book Club

March 20-LibLaura5

March 22-The Book Monsters

March 27-Librarian's Quest

March 29-Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

A Funky Follower

One animal given a wide berth by humans is a skunk.  If you have a dog, your vigilance is continually on high alert.  The slightest glimpse of a furry flash of black and white will send your heart racing.  A skunked dog is a miserable incident for everyone but the potent pest.  A peek in pantries of people with pooch pals should show baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and liquid dish soap at the ready, specifically for a deodorizing concoction.

Despite all precautions, these smelly critters have a way of appearing as if from thin air.  The Skunk (Roaring Brook Press, April 14, 2015), story by Mac Barnett, art by Patrick McDonnell, offers readers a preposterous possibility.  It will leave you with more questions than answers.

When I left my house there was a skunk on my doorstep.

Wait a minute!  Stop right there!  There's a skunk on your doorstep?  Not only is there a skunk on this fancily-attired man's porch but after edging past him with extreme caution, the skunk trails behind him on the sidewalk.

As they get closer to the city, the man is fairly certain the skunk is shadowing his every move.  Regardless of his speed or random turns, the skunk is persistently in pursuit.  In apparent desperation, the man inquires as to the skunk's intentions.

Obviously, he receives no reply.  But then again, how often do skunks follow in your footsteps?  Frustrated to the max, the man takes a taxi to his destination.  So does the skunk.  (Yes, you read this correctly.)

Upon his arrival at the opera house, the man takes extra measures.  Once inside he sighs with satisfaction, sure he has evaded the determined follower.  Guess who shows up on the head of the woman seated next to him?

Panic filling him from head to toe, the man runs from the performance.  There seems to be nowhere he can go without the skunk.  As a last resort he sinks into the sewer system.

Appearing above ground after some distance, the man makes a series of decisions.  The skunk seems to have made some choices too.  With great care, dressed in black and white, a creature moves through the night.


You have to wonder what triggered the idea for this book in the mind of Mac Barnett.  I seem to recall several close encounters his dog had with a skunk from posts on Twitter.  However it happened, readers will laughingly agree this book is like no other they've previously read.

Each sentence is an attentive phrase in a symphony of silliness building to a startling and remarkable conclusion.  Readers are up close and personal with the man due to the first person narration.  It's like reading an entry in a diary but the puzzle has missing pieces.  Here is the passage where Barnett sets readers up for a huge dose of hilarity.

Success! I bounded up the steps and took my seat.  I was relieved to find myself between a lady and a gray old officer.  But then of course skunks can't buy tickets to the opera! ...


When you open the dust jacket you are introduced to the color palette used by Patrick McDonnell throughout most of the book.  The similarities between the man and the skunk, the fur and red nose and the tuxedo with a red tie, accentuate the ridiculous situation in which the man finds himself.  On the back, to the left, a circle is set in a red background.  The man is running from the skunk.

Six large black and white stripes supply the canvas for the front and back of the book case.  A circle on the front repeats the illustration found on the jacket.  The opening and closing endpapers continue the black and white pattern with representations of the two characters respectively.  Above the red text on the title page, a zoological, textbook-type image of the skunk is shown.

McDonnell has provided page after page of gentle tension, comedy and surprise.  With the subtlest of shifts in the characters' eyes and through the use of body language we are taken into the moment.  Regardless of the landscape in which the characters appear, we first look at them.  All of the illustrations are single pages or several on one page.  Most are loosely framed by white space.

One of my favorite illustrations in this title is the first one.  The man is looking out his front door nose bent toward the nose of the skunk.  All we see is his face and stunned eyes behind his glasses.  Calmly looking up is the skunk seated on the porch.  There is the barest hint of the house siding with a blooming rose bush and grass along the bottom.  Ever time I see this, I laugh out loud.


When you finish reading The Skunk written by Mac Barnett with illustrations by Patrick McDonnell, you can't help but read it again immediately.  You are seeking solutions.  This book is filled to the brim with possibilities.  This is a story leaving you wanting more.  It's up to you now.

I know you'll want to learn more about Mac Barnett and Patrick McDonnell and their work.  Please follow the links attached to their names to access websites.  To view interior images from the book, follow this link to the publisher's website. You will enjoy reading this recent interview with Mac Barnett at School Library Journal, Avant-Garde Children's Lit: Mac Barnett on "The Skunk" and Writing Picture Books.  TeachingBooks.net has numerous resources on Mac Barnett.
UPDATE:  Mac Barnett was interviewed at Bookish, Mac Barnet on Skunks, Good Art, and the Occupational Hazards of Writing for Children.