Always Everywhere

writing that formulates a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience in

language chosen and arranged to create a specific emotional response through

meaning, sound, and rhythm

Merriam-Webster

Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought

and the thought has found words.

Robert Frost

Poetry lifts the veil from the hidden beauty of the world, 

and makes familiar objects be as if they were not familiar.

Percy Bysshe Shelley

You can open a dictionary to seek the definition but each dictionary chooses to vary their explanations ever so slightly with their word choices which tend to be more complicated than clear for younger readers.  Searching online will reveal a multitude of meanings.  If you ask a poet you will get at least as many ideas as there are poets. 

One way to discover how poetry is defined is by reading all types, long and short and everything in between.  Even better might be to ask your most trusted friends.  In Daniel Finds a Poem (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House L. L. C., February 16, 2016) written and illustrated by Micha Archer, a little boy decides to do this.

Daniel knows all the rocks, trees, and animals in the park.

On one of his walks at the park on a Monday morning, Daniel notices something not normally seen on his daily strolls.  It's a sign announcing 

Poetry in the Park.

Poetry is not a word known by Daniel.  Without realizing it, he has uttered a question out loud.

A voice answers.  Startled Daniel looks up at Spider clinging to a web.  Spider is speaking to him!  He stores the words in his memory.

With this wonderful discovery that he can communicate with animals, Daniel visits this natural sanctuary the next day.  Carefully clinging to an oak branch he wonders what Squirrel will say.  In the true nature of these tree dwellers, the importance of a specific kind of leaves is duly quoted and noted.  

On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday our spirited seeker finds Chipmunk, Frog, and Turtle.  None of their responses to his query,

Do you know what poetry is?

are the same.  Each is a reflection of what pleases them the most. 

It's later in the day on Saturday when Daniel notices Cricket hidden from the heat.  When the sun drops below the horizon, the insect musician chirps his reply.  As he gets ready for bed that evening the curious boy hears another friend outside nearly ready to take flight.  Owl calls to Daniel with phrases as beautiful as the soft darkness of the night.  On Sunday in the park, Daniel shares the gifts given to him by his friends.

Although Micha Archer has illustrated many books, this is her first title as both the author and the illustrator.  With the first sentence you know Daniel is an observant boy appreciating the natural world around him.  He may live in the city instead of the country but he sees with his mind and his heart.  

A rhythm is established by having Daniel visit the park on each of the seven days of the week.  His question is the same to each animal (which adds to the cadence) but the activities in which he meets them vary as do the responses of the animals, elevating our interest in his conversations.  By having Daniel speak a final impression out loud at the close of the day, we understand all that poetry has come to mean to him and to another in his presence.  Here is a sample exchange from the book.

On Friday, Daniel parts the cattails and finds Turtle.  

"Hello, Turtle.

I have a question.  Do you know what poetry is?'

"I think poetry is sun-warmed sand," Turtle says. 

When you first see Daniel climbing on the rock sharing a look with Chipmunk, you are getting a glimmer of the magic which will unfold in this book.  The patterned paper in the title text and used in Daniel's attire adds the right amount of color to the more subdued shades of the natural surroundings.  To the left on the back of the dust jacket in a swirl of grass green, Micha Archer has placed two irregular-shaped ovals which show a tiny Daniel in the distance looking at the pond fringed in cattails.  A dragonfly is nearly life size in the foreground.

As my kindergarteners now say, Archer has left us a surprise on the book case.  One of the interior images has found a home there.  The opening and closing endpapers are a rich warm red.  A smaller reversed version of another interior illustration is shown on the title page.  

Rendered in oil and collage, using tissue paper and patterned papers created with homemade stamps, the pictures invite us to pause with each page turn.  With every reading more exquisite details are revealed.  We are further intrigued by the changes in perspective employed by Archer.  We may be viewing a scene as if we are birds perched on a tree, a person standing with full vantage of the park, or as Daniel's shadow getting as close as possible to the animals.  Each double-page image is brimming with beautiful blends of color and artistic design.  Careful readers will look with delight at the final large illustration noting all the visitors, other than the humans, who are listening to the poem. 

One of my favorite illustrations (I adore every single one.) is of Daniel at the pond lying on the bank.  He is reaching into the water with one of his hands; the other is beneath his head as a pillow.  In ripples of blue and green layers, the frog leaps from a leaf boat constructed by Daniel, diving.  As he breaks the surface Archer gives us a peek at the life under the water in warmer shades of yellow and orange.  Goldfish and tadpoles swim among the water lilies and around the cattails. 

Daniel Finds a Poem written and illustrated by Micha Archer is a title everyone will want to have on their professional and personal bookshelves.  It is a perfect introduction to poetry and to developing an appreciation for the simple pleasures afforded us in nature.  In the words said by many students over the years whenever they've enjoyed a title beyond description, I love this book!

To learn more about Micha Archer and her other work please visit her website and blog by following the links attached to her name.  One additional image is shown at the publisher's website.  Scholastic's Ambassador for School Libraries John Schumacher listed this as one of the 8 Must-Read Picture Books in 2016.  For a truly splendid explanation on the artistic process Micha Archer used for this title, stop by Reading Style Guide.  To hear Micha Archer pronounce her name visit TeachingBooks.net. Take a moment to enjoy the tweet below as John Schumacher shares the dust jacket and book case. 

Daniel Finds a Poem by Micha Archer https://t.co/vH6fwSA9Mg

— John Schu (@MrSchuReads) December 18, 2015

Colorful Critters

If you were to ask a roomful of students to play a word association game using the primary, red, blue, and yellow, and secondary, orange, green and violet, colors, will all their answers be the same? Based upon their ages, past experiences and thinking processes certainly some answers will be identical.  For the same reasons many will be different.  Colors are attached to some powerful memories.

If you were to throw out a shade made when adding white to a primary color such as pink, what will they say?  Does pink remind them of cotton candy, cherry blossoms, roses, candy or cupcakes, flamingos, pigs or tongues?  I'll bet not a single one would reply with the title of this new book, Pink Is For Blobfish: Discovering the World's Perfectly Pink Animals (The World of Weird Animals series) (Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, February 2, 2016).  Zoologist Jess Keating (How To Outrun A Crocodile When Your Shoes Are Untied, How To Outswim A Shark Without A Snorkel, and How To Outfox Your Friends When You Don't Have A Clue) has authored one of the most captivating and fun nonfiction books of 2016.

Think you know PINK?
Think again...

Seventeen of the animal kingdom's most interesting, sometimes rarely seen and PINK creatures are presented to readers.  The title fish, Blobfish, is known for floating in the ocean waiting patiently for food to pass by so it can be swallowed into their mouths.  It will be easily spotted as it can grow to a foot long.  Coming in at half the size, but still too big for some people is a hairy Pinktoe Tarantula.  I would avoid the hairs for reasons explained and you won't believe the color of these eight-legged creatures when they are tiny tykes.

There are insects masquerading as flowers, camera-shy, inch-long coral residents, and birds nearly made extinct due to the demand for their feathers.  If you happen to be boating in the fresh water rivers of South America, you might catch a glimpse of a pod of Amazon River Dolphins rounding up their next meal working as a team to move a group of fish toward shore.  A mention of a butt plate, negatively phototaxic and hermaphroditic will definitely up the intrigue factor.

They might be naked but Naked Mole Rats could give above-ground architects a few lessons.  Their homes have rooms for specific uses. The gross meter might break when readers discover an animal that extends their stomach through their mouth to eat. Pink sun tan oil and a double dose of mucus are prime methods of protection by two beings that differ greatly in size.

On a single location in the Galapagos Islands, Southeast Asia, in the forests of South America and among coral reefs near Indonesia four more pink occupants of our planet are found walking, creeping, swinging, and clinging.  Five continents are visited in tribute to those beings in which we share our space.  It's a fascinating feast for our minds and eyes.


With the expertise of her profession and knowledge of her audience Jess Keating breaks the narrative portion for each animal into three sections.  (All of the text is placed on the right page.)  At the top she entices us with basic but unbelievable items, moves toward riveting details which could only come from extensive research and completely hooks us with specifics in a column on the side.  She includes the name, scientific name, size, diet, habitat and predators and threats.   I wonder if others will draw the same conclusion I did from reading the predators and threats paragraphs.

We are compelled to turn page after page without stopping by the writing style of Keating.  She does not avoid particulars but presents them in a conversational manner with a great deal of wit delivered with respect.  What she chooses to disclose will be hard to forget.  Here is the text from one of the second sections.

#1 Dad
In most animal species, it is usually the female who becomes pregnant and gives birth.  But seahorses don't care about tradition.  Instead, male seahorses become pregnant and carry the eggs in a pouch on their bellies until they hatch.  If that isn't enough to earn them the Dad of the Year Award, they also keep the eggs clean and protect them from predators.

For each animal a full color representation is supplied on the left within an irregular shape. (Credits for these are supplied at the beginning of the book.)  Cartoonist David DeGrand has drawn comic images for each animal which are part of the narrative display on the right.  We are shown a crown-wearing and scepter-carrying blobfish, a spoonbill gobbling down shrimp from a take-out box, a dolphin ready to lasso a school of fish and a trio of mole rats hard at work.  Each one are more than worthy of grins and I guarantee you will laugh out loud at least once. One of my favorite pictures is of the sun-bathing, happy hippopotamus comfortably seated on a striped towel enjoying a book.


Multiple copies of Pink Is For Blobfish: Discovering the World's Perfectly Pink Animals written by Jess Keating with cartoons by David DeGrand is a must for your professional and personal shelves.  Everyone will want to read this repeatedly and immediately without wanting or waiting to share. It's a passel of PINK personalities with pizzazz.  A world map showing animal locations, a glossary of words in bold within the text, a suggested bibliography and cool hints at careers are supplied at the close of the book.

Please follow the links attached to Jess Keating's and David DeGrand's names to access their individual websites to learn more about them and their work.  You can see some of the interior portions of the book by visiting the publisher's website.  The book trailer was premiered at Scholastic's Ambassador for School Libraries John Schumacher's blog, Watch. Connect. Read. Jess Keating is interviewed on the Let's Get Busy, Episode #231 podcast.  Stand-on-a-desk-and-shout-I-love-reading educator Colby Sharp interviews Jess Keating on his blog, sharpread.  Design of the Picture Book celebrates this title.  Jess Keating has a collection of videos on YouTube, Animals for Smart People.  You can follow Jess Keating on Twitter at @Jess_Keating

Please stop by Kid Lit Frenzy hosted by educator Alyson Beecher to enjoy the other titles selected by bloggers this week participating in the 2016 Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge.

The Teacher

For those who dedicate their lives to the education of children, the time devoted to this profession does not begin or end at a certain hour each day nor does it begin and end during the allotted school year.  For many this extends into tutoring academic subjects, coaching sports, advising club members, chaperoning class trips or school-sponsored camping expeditions or instructing at night classes to children or adults.  For still others it includes hours in preparation for teaching on Sundays (or other Sabbath days).

For more than ten years I taught students, usually at the middle school level, during Sunday school classes.  Having worked with this age group in a public school setting for twenty-one years I was well aware of the challenges.  An individual's spiritual life is extremely personal.  

It's a rarity to find a title of distinction which would be an asset in the religion section of a public school library and valuable to those teaching Sunday school.  Miracle Man: The Story of Jesus (Abrams Books for Young Readers, February 9, 2016) written and illustrated by John Hendrix is such a book.  The stories are familiar but the interpretation by John Hendrix in his text and illustrations is extraordinary. 

Ages ago, in a dry and dusty land, the people were in need.

The land was a sick place, in need of healing. 
The land was a blind place, in need of sight.  

The land was a thirsty place, in need of water...

Walking on this land among these people was a man whose words cured the sickness, the blindness and thirst.  When he called to a group of unlucky fishermen, their nets filled with fish.  He asked them to follow him and they did.  When these fishermen witnessed the faith of a leper and his healing, they knew this man was like no other.

In search of a miracle, friends made a hole in a roof so a sick child could be placed in front of Jesus.  After hearing the words of this man, the child left the pallet and walked out through the crowd.  As the numbers of people grew who believed in these miracles, not all liked what he was doing.  These men of wealth and importance feared his power.  

The waters of a stormy sea are calmed at his command during their travels.  When he left to rest, tired of the work, the disciples carried on worried conversations but the Miracle Man returned cooking a breakfast of fish.  He then fed thousands with five loaves of bread and two fish.   

A sea crossed again in darkness revealed an ability to walk on water.  During a meal words were spoken of a betrayal.  That night this man who performed wondrous deeds was surrounded by soldiers and taken away to be sentenced to die.  His enemies sought to silence his words, stop his actions and eliminate his power.  One final wondrous happening by this Miracle Man gave them his answer.

With the introductory words by John Hendrix as quoted above readers are transported back in time to the world into which this man came.  Each portrayal, the gathering of the disciples, the multiple miracles, the final meal and betrayal and the resurrection, are written based upon accounts from various versions of the Bible but as Hendrix understands them.  He writes with clarity selecting words which vividly describe each setting, the people and the work and words of Jesus Christ.  Here is another passage.

One evening, the Man told Peter to find a boat.  He said there was work to be done on the other side of the sea.

As the tiny boat set out, the waves began to grow.  Soon a great squall was breaking high over the deck.  These fishermen were very good sailors, but the storm terrified them.

The wind and rain raged all around, but the Miracle Man was sleeping! Peter cried out,

DON'T YOU CARE IF WE DIE?

When you open the dust jacket there are two separate images on the front and the back, both referring to Jesus walking upon the water.  In the first the symbolic butterflies are following him with one placed upon a single letter in the title.  The flow of waves and water extend over the spine to the left into the visual of Jesus reaching out to a struggling Peter asking him to have faith.  This back picture continues to the flap edge.  John Hendrix's signature typography appears more prevalent in this second illustration.  For the book case the final two pages of the book are represented.  The rich black of the tomb's interior supplies a stunning background for the colorful butterflies and the Miracle Man walking out the opening into the warm hues of a bright, sunny new day. 

The opening and closing endpapers in white each provide a canvas for butterflies but readers can easily see the difference between the two; forming their own opinions as to why Hendrix choose the elements he did. This white is continued after the page turn with a wide gray border at the bottom and a silhouette of the fishermen in their boat placed on top to the right.  Written in branches of wood are Miracle and a portion of the m.  The word Man is completed in the next double-page illustration as the narrative starts.  

Rendered in pen and ink with fluid acrylic washes on Strathmore Bristol vellum most of the images extend across two pages.  One of the things which make these illustrations exceedingly stunning is the transformation of portions of the text in size, color and style.  Many times Hendrix will incorporate the text into the elements of the scene. 

The chosen color palette is a glorious blend of warm and cool colors depending on the particular depiction. The hues flow shifting with the words.  A single exception is when two sentences are placed on a background of white which carries over to the right where Jesus is shown carrying the cross.  A line is drawn in the dirt, left to right, as the cross is dragged.

Careful readers will see other Biblical references hidden in the illustrations.  On the double page spread representing the betrayal as the soldiers circle Jesus in the garden, a rooftop holds a serpent and a partially eaten apple.  Hendrix plans on supplying information about the other "Easter eggs" in future blog posts for children. 

One of my favorite illustrations of many is when the Miracle Man tells the child to 

Rise & Walk.

Those two words form the buildings of the village.  In the background the healed young man is skipping into the distance.  In the foreground Jesus' back is to us with his right hand raised.  In his left hand he holds a staff made from a branch.  In front of him are persons shown in the details of warm limited colors.  Jesus is portrayed here, and throughout the book, as a man of his time and geographical region would appear. 

Miracle Man: The Story of Jesus written and illustrated by John Hendrix is a beautiful celebration, a tribute forged in faith.  I have read this silently and aloud.  I have studied with great appreciation the illustrations.  This book, regardless of your religious beliefs, is a work of art.  In a personal two page author's note Hendrix offers an explanation as to the writing and illustrating of this book.  This is followed by a selected bibliography and words about the illustrations and the research for the artwork.

To learn more about John Hendrix and his work please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  This is a link to his Tumblr pages.  Enjoy these two tweets.

Miracle Man! https://t.co/bOI5iRA9hp

— John Hendrix (@hendrixart) December 15, 2015

So excited to share more work from Miracle Man: The Story of Jesus, from @abramskids https://t.co/tk44U48Q67 pic.twitter.com/bjZZKMs2X6

— John Hendrix (@hendrixart) January 21, 2016

UPDATE:  A book trailer was released.



UPDATE:  John Hendrix talks about the writing of this book at The Rabbit Room. 

UPDATE:  John Hendrix is interviewed at Illustrated Children's Ministry. 

Journeying Toward Creativity

When working with children who are pursuing a creative passion or working on an assignment, it's important to remind them (and ourselves) that it's a process which requires patience and practice.  It is an essential habit to acquire. This perseverance never ends because it is fueled by a love of creativity and the art we wish to perfect or the goal we wish to accomplish.

When we are privy to the steps taken by others, it gives us encouragement and a greater appreciation for their results.  Sweaterweather & other short stories (First Second, February 2, 2016) written and illustrated by Sara Varon is a collection of seventeen nearly wordless narratives.  Each story begins with insights and commentary by Sara Varon.

The first eight stories in this book were originally published in 2003 as part of my very first book, "Sweaterweather."  It was the beginning of my comics career, so my drawing style and choice of materials have evolved a little over the years.

We start with a story released in February 2002 featuring two friends, a rabbit and a turtle, who caught in a snowstorm, improvise on shelter accommodations and attire on the walk home.  A year earlier a short comic, four pages, follows the preparations necessary for a meal among friends.  These two are followed by an exercise in creating a story with twenty-six panels, one for each letter of the alphabet.

A trade is made and an unusual item is grown, a pie-eating contest results in more than one winner and a pool provides opportunities for an assortment of creatures.  Bees and their keepers are showcased and explained in a delightful exchange.  There are paper doll pages with humorous backs for a cat, person, baker dog and a couple of travelers.

A dog longs for a companion which is acquired but later left through an unfortunate result of their day's activities.  In the middle of the night as two campers sleep a bandit discovers their food and guilt-ridden leaves behind a substitute.  Not even a boxing match can come between these two friends.  A bookish lion does not understand the simplest fact.

Two pages give a nod to a favorite new book, a five day diary chronicles the artist's life and panels highlight a subway ride in Mexico.  An ice cream truck goes prehistoric.  To support a big life choice the conclusion contains artists' interviews on time well spent.


The conversations Sara Varon has with her readers preceding each story are lively, informative and personal.  These paragraphs help readers to feel as though they are talking with their best friend.  They work splendidly with her intuitive visual storytelling. Here is the second half of one of those essays.

I remember using my Gocco Printer to print the covers, and I remember laying out all the slightly sticky prints on my kitchen floor to dry and trying to keep my dog (in her perpetual effort to be as close to me as possible) from stepping on them.  I think this story was inspired by Eun-ha Paek's story of a flying elephant, which I'd seen on her website.


The dust jacket front is only the beginning of the connections made in this illustration.  It continues over the spine with the mouse's scarf extending like a winding path over a group of characters engaged in a variety of activities.  The book case is completely different.  Most of the background is pale blue with white snowflakes and reversed in a border along the bottom.  Two snowmen walking from the left and right edges are reading a purple book.  The book's title is arched over the snowman on the right.

In the colors of a bright rose-pink and blue and white the opening and closing endpapers have a white island placed on a pink wavy sea.  Characters from the comics are enjoying themselves floating on a raft, sailing, peeking out from a lighthouse, sunning on the beach, swimming, reading, walking, entering into a subway (?) and participating in an interview.  This is a comical introduction to the quirky whimsy found within the book.

Varon uses a limited color palette for her stories, blue, white, pink and purple and shades of those.  She may frame her panels in white with a heavy or fine border or place her images within lots of white space.  Her panel sizes shift according to the story.  The delicate details in her Bee Comic are impressive.

One of my favorite pages of panels is of the campers enjoying a treat of roasted marshmallows at night with an excited raccoon waiting for them to retire into their tent.  The look on its face is hilarious.  No one else could eat those gooey treats as fast as this thief.


Sweaterweather & other short stories written and illustrated by Sara Varon is an inventive gathering of original tales.  It explores process and the power of imagination.  Readers will see what the freedom to follow your dreams can attain.

To learn more about Sara Varon and her other work please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  At the publisher's blog in a post by Gina Gagliano you can see more images of and from this title.  Teacher librarian Travis Jonker highlights Sara Varon and her projects plus a couple of interview questions with her on his blog, 100 Scope Notes.  There are many pieces of the artwork.  Sara is interviewed recently on Let's Get Busy, Episode #236, at Pen & Oink, and at the Los Angeles Times.

Handle With Care

When placed on the outside of a package it indicates special consideration, whether the contents are known or not.  We use the words handle with care when something holds value to us or to others.  The value is determined by the individual using those three words. 

What we deem worthy, be it concrete or abstract, requires a commitment.  This promise is freely given.  How to Grow a Friend (Random House, January 6, 2015) written and illustrated by Sara Gillingham guides the youngest of readers (everyone) on how to cultivate a lasting companionship.  

To grow a friend,

first plant a seed in good soil.

Already the two children have the beginning of a bond; the act of starting something new together.  Like a seed it is essential for them to nurture common interests in total freedom.  They discover sometimes it's better to be silent as another chats.

As they watch their seed sprout and flower they realize good things take time, some longer than others.  During those days, weeks and months harmony does not always happen but working as a team can create change for the benefit of everyone.  If your friend seems lost, lend a hand. 

Lifting their spirits is imperative so you can stand side by side no matter the weather.  If you want more friends be ready. They can blossom or appear when least expected.  You can never have too many flowers or friends.

Twelve sentences parallel gardening and friendship in a wonderfully wise sequence leaving room for discussion and illustrative interpretation.  Sara Gillingham understands the thought processes of her intended audience as evidenced by her inclusion of all things plants and friends need to realize their full potential.  It's important that she speaks about the times when everything is going well and those times when things are not so grand.  Here is another sentence from this book.

And don't let your friend 

get stuck in the weeds.

Parents, caregivers or anyone who has worked in education with children will tell you they are drawn to colorful books like bees to honey.  When you open the matching dust jacket and book case for How to Grow a Friend an image extends from book flap to book flap.  The bright turquoise background overlaps slightly giving way to white on the flaps but the floral border continues.  The bold circular patterns and vivid pastel colors on the flowers shout happiness as does the wide-eyes on the four children.  The variations in their clothing and skin tones allow children to see themselves in the pages of this book.  On the back, to the left, a boy wearing glasses is shaking hands with a girl carrying a garden tool beneath the words

To grow a friend...

open this book!

The opening and closing endpapers are a repeating vertical pattern of three kinds of leaves in black on white.  Insects and some flower buds appear.  The subtle difference between the two endpapers will have readers nodding knowingly and smiling.

Gillingham begins her narrative on the title page as the hummingbird flies over the pail of soil.  When we see her again on the starting visual she is carrying the seed.  With a page turn the seed is dropped into the soil.  Pictures shift from a larger overview to a close-up of the two children, a girl and a boy, as their friendship and the seed grow.  Gillingham brings us farther into the story with a zoom-in of the children's hands among the flowers at one point.

The hummingbird is never far from the children or the pail.  Readers will enjoy finding her in each image.  They will also be able to spot the tiny worms, lady bug, bees, butterfly and flies.

One of my favorite illustrations is for the sentence

To grow a friend, talk and listen.

On a background of white to the left of the gutter at the top we are looking down at the pail.  A tiny bud has appeared.  The hummingbird is hovering nearby.  Pink blossoms are scattered around the children.  They are lying on colored blankets next to each other.  The boy on the left is talking and his hands are moving.  The girl on the right is listening with her hands and arms behind her head.

Toward the end of 2015 Sara Gillingham released a companion book, How to Mend a Heart (Random House, December 22, 2015).  She depicts similarities in sewing a damaged beloved toy with fixing an emotional hurt.  She clearly demonstrates the process of making repairs which create a stronger new whole.

To mend a heart,

you need gentle hands.

the right tools,

and lots of patches. 

With the same patience you give to threading a needle, tying in a knot and making each stitch, you need to do for sadness.  At times it will take more sewing than others, which means more thread... a lot more thread.  If you are mending a heart what does this mean?

If you get stuck (sewing can be tricky), there are those willing to help loosen the tangles.  Remember even a lovingly pieced project can break apart again and again.  You might need to rethink your process.

You can do it, even if it takes several attempts.  Each time a heart (or a toy elephant) is restored something happens.  Can you tell me what that is?

Little hands will be more than ready to fashion repairs after reading the careful and clever words of Sara Gillingham.  In only six sentences which are spaced to provide a slow pace, she outlines each step.  As she did in the first title, she addresses the challenges but recommends to keep going.  She draws our attention to the results of this practice.  Here is another sentence.  

Some hearts need a little bit of thread,

and others need

the whole spool.

The cheery cherry red as a canvas for the matching dust jacket and book case is warm and welcoming.  The illustration crosses the spine spilling into the flaps especially the border of hearts and patches of fabric.  The thread being held by the two children on the front extends to the back where another two children hold the end and the threaded needle.  The little robin on the front is found throughout the book.  The toy elephant is a key character.  

The opening and closing endpapers are a series of red vertical stitches repeated over and over.  The background is of a much lighter red fabric.  Spanning the verso page, on the left, and the title page, on the right, is a single image showing the passage of time.  The boy's puppy is playing with the elephant.  Then he chews parts of it.  Finally in front of the boy and his friends, the puppy is saddened to see the elephant in bits.

Gillingham does shift how we view the illustrations.  We are farther away, close to the boy or the elephant, looking at them from above or very, very near as in looking at the boy's two holds holding the scraps of his toy.  More than once she features his friends watching closely, ready to help if asked.  The facial expressions on the boy, his friends and even the puppy, portray the appropriate emotions.

One of my favorite pictures (I really like them all.) is of the boy beginning to take the pieces of his elephant, laying them on the table like a puzzle.  Spread before him are fabric, scissors, thread, a pencil, buttons, a needle and thimble, two types of pins, a measuring tape and sewing ruler.  The puppy has his paws on the table watching.  He is holding the tiny red cloth heart.

How to Grow a Friend and How to Mend a Heart written and illustrated by Sara Gillingham are charming models for starting, building and strengthening friendships and our emotional hearts.  It's important that the two key elements in both of these are using our hands and our time.  These two titles work together very well.  They both invite further discussion and possible projects.  I plan on getting out my sewing machine to make an elephant.  What will you do?

To learn more about Sara Gillingham and her other books, please visit her website by following the link attached to her name.  How to Grow a Friend is part of a trifecta hosted at Nerdy Book Club, Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries John Schumacher's blog Watch. Connect. Read. and standing-on-a-desk-yelling-I-Love-Reading third grade teacher, Colby Sharp's sharpread. Sara Gillingham was recently interviewed at Kids' BookBuzz.  This interview is as adorable as her books. 

Happy Hares

It was the first time in more than fourteen years.  She had never shown any interest in my flower or vegetable gardens.  There was absolutely no digging ever which was something for that dog.  This spring was different.  There was lots of nose-in-the-year sniffing and intense glances in one particular direction in one particular garden.

A week or so later working in that garden I noticed something a little different around one of my heather plants as I was removing fallen autumn leaves.  Upon lifting up a portion of the plant, there was a hole partially covered and lined with dried grass and little tufts of fur.  The grass was moving gently in a rhythm like breathing.  I had discovered a rabbit's nest with one baby remaining.  Thankful I was wearing gloves, I carefully and quietly lowered the heather branches.  Eventually the tiny hollow was empty.

The presence of rabbits was a constant source of joy regardless of the partially nibbled flowers each year.  Their footprints in the snow each morning was a constant reminder of what I hoped were late-night dance parties.  The Wonderful Habits of Rabbits (little bee books, an imprint of Bonnier Publishing Group, February 2, 2016) written by Douglas Florian with illustrations by Sonia Sanchez follows a herd of these bunny buddies as they celebrate the days of a year.

The habits of rabbit are many, not few,
with plenty of things that they love to do.

If you are out and about for an early morning stroll you might enjoy greeting the sun with a few of these furry friends.  They zig and zag on long and leaping runs.  Spring, summer, fall and winter will find them appreciating the special things each season brings like floating in a favorite pond keeping cool on a warm sunny day.

Their large ears and legs provide for protection and play.  They are keenly aware of the smallest of sounds.  Treasures may be unearthed during their digging competitions.

You'll find high hoppers, race runners and veggie nibblers.  A symphony of sound may drift from a gathering on a grassy knoll.  It's a unique percussion section composed of feet keeping a beat.

As dusk darkens the sky rabbits head to their homes some curling for a night's rest in cozy comfort.  Others are known to cuddle and snuggle.  Final signs of affection welcome the silence of the night.


A lilting, lyrical blend of words written by Douglas Florian flows flawlessly from page to page.  His narrative begins with daybreak and closes with nightfall but seamlessly introduces seasonal activities and singular routines.  Each sentence is a reflection on the essence of rabbits.

Using rhyme and alliteration the words whether read silently or aloud are like singing a song.  As any observer, casual or committed, can tell you, this poetic piece depicts the joy in which these creatures seemingly embrace their lives.  Here is another sample passage.

There's leaping
and creeping and
digging up holes.
There's frightening frogs
and discovering moles.


The lightly colored sky, grass and clouds on the identical dust jacket and book case take us into the rabbit realm where they can play with abandon and without fear.  The delicate, lacy flowers in the grass extend over the spine to continue the illustration to the left on the back.  In the far lower corner a single bunny is munching on one of the finely drawn leaves from a cluster of plants.  None of these eight rabbits are completely alike in color or size.  On the front of the dust jacket the rabbits and red text have a slight lift and shine to them.

On the opening and closing endpapers circular dots in earth tones in a variety of sizes have been placed on the cream-colored background.  On top of these are rabbits; small rabbits, large rabbits, rabbit silhouettes and rabbits in shades of brown, black, gray and white and combinations of these.  Long-stemmed flowers are grouped in three spots.  In the far lower right-hand corner a rabbit reaches on their hind legs to sniff a single blossom.  In the upper left-hand corner a rabbit peeks from the edge watching all the others.

With each page turn readers are treated to a single large image spanning both pages with the exception of four single page pictures.  These rabbits are frisky and fun pausing when necessary but not wasting a moment of their days.  The matte-finished paper is perfect for the subject; as soft as fur.  It's a wonderful canvas for the natural palette.

If you stop at each visual, you will notice the extra details included by illustrator Sonia Sanchez, contributing to the whimsy of her work.  The tiny paws rubbing eyes in the morning, the kerchief worn like a bib as one rabbit enjoys a springtime snack, a bunny eating a carrot as they make a snow rabbit, and a rabbit playing a found recorder as thumping commences are only a few of the smile-worthy extras.  No matter the setting, season or time of time Sanchez's rabbits attract your attention.

One of my favorite of many illustrations is the one depicting spring and summer activities.  It takes place at a pond ringed in edible flowers and leaves.  On the left two rabbits are eating delectable goodies as four other rabbits are floating in the water on the right.  The sky and water are in white, greens and blues.  The flora is shown in hues of gold and green with bright red flowers.  You want to jump right in and join them.


The Wonderful Habits of Rabbits written by Douglas Florian with illustrations by Sonia Sanchez is an utterly charming portrayal of their lives in text and images.  These rabbits' marvelous movements and distinctive moments will leap right into your hearts.  Be ready for requests of read it again.  (I've read it at least ten times.)

To learn more about Douglas Florian and Sonia Sanchez and their work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  This link will take you to the full jacket, the verso and title pages and two interior images.  Douglas Florian is interviewed at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, KitLit 411, and most recently at Today's Little Ditty.

Speaking In Stones

When you have been chosen by an energetic Labrador puppy as a life partner and you live near lakes and state parks, lots of long walks are in your future.  Most days weather permitting will find you strolling along beaches and wading in the water.  If your dog loves to dive for rocks, bring them ashore and dig huge holes, you will probably join in the fun by renewing or starting a rock collecting hobby.

On these daily treks you will also notice the remains of other people's similar endeavors in the form of holes, partially washed away sandy architectural creations and stacked stone monuments of varying sizes.  In the Arctic for thousands of years people have left stone landmarks.  In her most recent book on this topic, An Inuksuk Means Welcome (Owlkids Books, September 15, 2015), Mary Wallace pays homage in her words and illustrations to this ancient art of communication.

"...A single marker is called an inuksuk.  It can mark where to find food or how to get home.  It can even be a way of saying, "Welcome."...

For the seven letters in inuksuk we learn the meaning of seven different words beginning with the same letter, the pronunciation of the word and how it is written in Inuktitut characters.  Inuktitut is one of the Inuit languages. Making perfect sense the first letter is assigned to the word inuksuk. This group of stones is said to be messengers.

To acquaint us with the animals of the region we learn the name for polar bear.  A different inuksuk is displayed in the accompanying image. (Throughout the book most of the large illustrations contain a new inuksuk.)  What does someone want us to know?

An oo-me-ak is the name given for the best kind of transportation on water used by a family during the summer months.  The word for a special boot made from seal and caribou skin is kamik.  Perhaps these are worn by the members of the family when riding in their boat or when traveling by dog sled when snow falls or the ice freezes.

Once the word for Arctic sea ice is pronounced it's easy to understand why this word identifies that particular area.  The muskoxen are called umimmat.  It is pronounced as it is spelled except for the u.
It is fitting that k also begins a word which provides a form of comfort.  It is a delicate kiss given to those people who are part of a family.  These glimpses into a way of life at the top of our world inform and inspire.


As each letter is showcased Mary Wallace begins a sentence with that letter followed by is for, the word and finally a short easy explanation.  With a page turn the pronunciation appears on the left with the Inuktitut word written for readers on the right.  The seven sentences may contain a few words reflecting on the significance or specific interpretation of the represented word.  Here is a sample.

N
is for nanuq,
the powerful polar
bear of the North.

From this we can infer the bear's size and its distinctive habitat and location.


The striking color palette on the matching dust jacket and book case immediately draw the reader's attention.  Having the bear and inuksuk extending into the front illustration from the page edges depicts a world in constant motion.  The family in their sea boat, paddles rowing, is gliding over the water.  To the left, on the back, the same inuksuk appears on the top of a small cliff jutting out over the background.  Above it, in the upper left-hand corner, is the letter, definition, Inuktitut writing and pronunciation for Inuksuk.  The opening and closing endpapers are in a deep, dark blue indicative of the climate and land forms of this region.

On the verso and introduction pages Wallace has placed an illustration which crosses the gutter to the left.  The publication information is in a panel.  This is the format of the layout throughout the book.

In a cream panel on the left most of the text appears.  To the right is a single picture on a crisp white background.  These two colors are separated by a thin gray line.  The word being defined is shown at the top and bottom of the narrative column with the specific letter underlined.

For each word stunning two-page paintings showcase the letter in a framed box in the left-hand corner with the pronunciation and Inuktitut word in a banner across the entire bottom.  These larger pictures place the word within the Arctic landscape and way of life giving the reader a greater understanding. A cadence is established with this repetitive design encouraging exploration.

One of my favorite illustrations is of the family in their sea boat.  They are surrounded by ice shapes, swirling waves and sea in shades of blue and turquoise.  They are riding on top of a particular wave.  Beneath them are three whales; one a narwhal.  The hues within the animals are mirrored in the clothing worn by the people and on their faces.  I believe the sun is shining.


Whether you are studying the region, the people or simply curious An Inuksuk Means Welcome written and illustrated by Mary Wallace is a beautiful presentation of a form of expression which has stood the test of time.  It's the type of nonfiction which tells you enough but invites you, almost entices you, to learn more.  On the final page seven thumbnail paintings show inuksuit which were placed in the larger illustrations.  We are given their Inuktitut writing, what the word is, the pronunciation and a definition.  Within the verso section is a selected bibliography.

At the publisher's website you can view the first double-page picture. More illustrations can be viewed in an illustrator gallery at 49th Shelf.  A three page author illustrator interview which can be enjoyed by all ages is provided by the publisher.

Please visit Kid Lit Frenzy hosted by educator Alyson Beecher to enjoy the titles selected by other bloggers participating in the 2016 Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge this week.