Librarian's Quest: Food For Thought---Frank And Bean Blog Tour

Two words with similar sounds have completely different meanings. Being alone is empowering, reminding us to seek and experience our best qualities in silence, contemplation and creativeness. It's energizing. In some respects, lonely is the opposite of alone. It's a feeling of being lost, unsure and out of balance. It's an unwelcome weight.

When people see someone alone, they might believe they are lonely but a verbal exchange, a short conversation, can reveal the truth. Sometimes in this conversation the two individuals discover wonderful attributes about each other. Two perfect personalities exhibiting this possibility are being introduced to the children's literature realm soon.

Frank And Bean (Candlewick Press, October 8, 2019) written by Jamie Michalak with illustrations by Bob Kolar will have readers nodding their heads in agreement between bouts of laughter. Humans generally consume these two items of food together, finding them to complement each other. Frank and Bean, as fictional characters in this early reader, are complete opposites. In four concise charming chapters, we meet this duo and join them as a friendship forms.

Chapter 1
Frank
This is Frank.
This is Frank's tent.
This is Frank's pencil.
This is Frank's spork.
This is Frank's secret notebook.
Everything here is Frank's.

Being alone is exactly what Franks wants so he can write his private thoughts in his notebook. He moves from the croaking frog and the hooting owl and even startles himself when he wanders into a pond. Seeking solitude and quiet is not as easy as he thought. None of the night creatures respond to his wishes for a good night, so lying in his tent he tells himself good night.

The next morning quietly eating his breakfast Frank is surprised by a loud honking. It's a bus, Bean's bus. It's loaded with all sorts of things to generate noises, loud noises. Bean has a trumpet, a drum, a triangle, a motorbike and a gong. He plays more than one of those instruments. He rides his motorbike. Frank is frustrated and keeps trying to get Bean to stop. Bean is so loud he misunderstands Frank's requests, substituting words. Before Frank's knows what's happening, Bean is at his tent expecting pie. (Frank said goodbye.)

As the two chat Bean discloses the nature of his quest to Frank. Frank, in turn, explains to Bean, the shortest and easiest way to complete his search. Of course, Bean being Bean, interrupts repeatedly with noise, antics and his own request of Frank. Frank must eat a jelly doughnut hole.

SQUIRT!
SPLAT!

As the final chapter begins Frank is snuggled in his tent attempting to sleep when Ben's trumpet echoes through the campsite. Frank, going to Bean's bus, implores him to be quiet. After a second endeavor for silence, Bean shows up at Frank's tent. Remember the word lonely. This is Bean on this night. A frank discussion takes the best of both these beings and supplies readers with a perfect complementary resolution.

As you read through the narrative and the dialogue, you can't help but wonder how much fun Jamie Michalak had writing this book. She gives us very clear descriptions of the personalities of both Frank and Bean through examples. The contrast in their traits is a source of comedy. Repetition of sentence structure provides a cadence for readers. It is in the fourth chapter, Jamie Michalak gets to more profound statements, statements ringing true for readers of all ages. Here is a passage.

"I am Frank," says Frank. "What are you doing here?"
"YOU WANT ME TO CHEER?" yells Bean. "OK. HOORAY FOR FRANK!"
"I did not say cheer," says Frank.
"Turn off your bike so I can talk with you."
"MOO?" Bean shouts. "DO I HEAR A COW?"

I don't know about you, but when I look at Frank and Bean on the matching and open dust jacket and book case, I can't help but grin. Their facial expressions here (and throughout the book) reflect their true natures. Frank looks quiet and studious. Bean looks boisterous and ready to romp.

The sky filled with a few clouds, the evergreens and forest trees continue on the other side of the spine. The frog mentioned in the story is sitting on a rock in the lower left-hand corner of the back. The text framed by the clouds reads:

Some friendships are
just meant to be.

The opening and closing endpapers are striped in two hues of golden yellow. The stripes are similar in size to the stripes on Frank's tent. On the title page Frank's secret notebook and Bean's hat are featured between the text. Under the Contents text Frank is pulling a tiny wagon loaded with his goodies. It is labeled Frank Furter. This is one of the many humorous details illustrator Bob Kolar includes in his images for this title.

Frank's tent is a mini version of a circus tent with an initial "F" on the roof with a red circle, knob, on the tip of the top. Bean's bus has large windows on all its sides. The lettering reads Bean The Musical Fruit. There is a "B" on the front of it.

The illustration sizes vary according to the text, pacing and emphasis on the activities of the characters. They alternate between full-page pictures, insets on crisp white backgrounds, and double-page pictures. It's guaranteed readers will be giggling and guffawing.

One of my many, many favorite pictures is a double-page picture. It's Frank's first night in the forest. A few clouds remain in the darker sky, but stars frame the top and curve down the sides. There are several evergreen trees, one large tree for the owl and a pink tree in full bloom. The frog is sitting on his rock. A few crickets surround the area. Frank's hat with the head lamp, his secret notebook, pencil and spork are laying on the ground right outside the tent. Frank, due to his height, is mostly outside the tent. He is wearing a striped nightcap and his glasses.

Excellent for the intended audience but certain to be enjoyed by readers of all ages, Frank And Bean written by Jamie Michalak with illustrations by Bob Kolar is a topnotch early reader. The use of language and the lively, joyous images work a special kind of spell. You'll want a copy of this for your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Jamie Michalak and Bob Kolar and their other work, please visit their respective websites by following the links attached to their names. Jamie Michalak has accounts on Instagram and Twitter. The link to her blog is here. Bob Kolar has an account on Instagram. At Candlewick Press and at Penguin Random House you can view interior images. I was honored to host the cover reveal for Frank And Bean. Both Jamie Michalak and Bob Kolar discuss their work and this book.

Here are two interior images provided by author Jamie Michalak done with skill and hilarity by Bob Kolar.