It is with happiness I continue to showcase books published in the first six months of 2020 not previously discussed here. As I did last Tuesday (August 25, 2020) I will try to include links to author and illustrator websites, as well as links to publishers' websites. I have decided to add links to social media accounts for authors and illustrators. All these author and illustrator links, websites, and social media accounts, reveal fascinating further information about the creators' work and specific book titles. If there are other items of interest, educational resources, additional posts, or videos, I will include them, too. I will assign One Little Word to each one, provide a short summary, and a bit of first-page text. If even one of these titles connects with the right person, then I say mission accomplished. Enjoy, my reader friends.
SEASON
Green On Green (Beach Lane Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, March 17, 2020) written by Dianne White with illustrations by Felicita Sala
Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast hosted by author, blogger and reviewer Julie Danielson featuring Felicita Sala
Dianne White---Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter
Felicita Sala---Facebook, Instagram
Colors introduce the four seasons of the year, inviting readers to seek the simple pleasures in each one. These colors are enhanced by elements of spring, summer, autumn, and winter in poetic observations and marvelous images telling their own story. Even as we move through the year, green is part of each one. A rhythm is supplied in each of the four portions as we follow the colors, then the season, and how it is enjoyed.
Yellow the flower.
Yellow the seed.
Yellow and black the buzzing bee.
GREEN on GREEN by Dianne White, illustrated by Felicita Sala from Dianne White on Vimeo.
COLLABORATION
What's that Noise? (Candlewick Press, March 24, 2020) written and illustrated by Naomi Howarth
Penguin Random House (additional images)
Naomi Howarth---Instagram, Twitter
Magnus is an Arctic seal. One morning he wakes up to a weird noise, a rumbling. He cannot figure out what it is. He asks Hare first. Together they go from Arctic animal to Arctic animal, each one providing a possibility which does not prove to be the answer until they come to Walrus. Repetition is an open invitation for reader participation. Each animal is described further at the close of the book. The images are animated and lovely.
Early one morning, while the sun was rising over the icy plains of the Arctic, a long, low rumbling sound woke Magnus from a very deep sleep. "What's that noise?" he wondered.
rumble rumble rumble
GRIEF
Maybe Tomorrow? (Scholastic Press, March 26, 2020) written by Charlotte Agell with illustrations by Ana Ramirez Gonzalez
Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast hosted by author, reviewer, and blogger Julie Danielson highlights some art and a review of this title
Picture Book Spotlight on author Charlotte Agell
Charlotte Agell---Facebook
Ana Ramirez Gonzalez---Instagram, Twitter
Elba, a hippo, has a big black block she takes with her everywhere. It has been with her a long time. Norris is a happy-go-lucky alligator who befriends Elba. Through his acceptance of her sadness and patient care, little by little Elba learns to let go of her grief, realizing some will always remain, but life can be wonderful in a new normal, especially with the support of a good friend. Their conversations are truly profound.
ELBA had a big block. She'd been dragging it around for a long time. It made her walk slowly. It made her think darkly. It was heavy.
NORRIS danced everywhere he went, even uphill.
Maybe Tomorrow? by Charlotte Agell and Ana Ramírez González from Let's Talk Picture Books on Vimeo.
EXPLORE
Rover Throws A Party: Inspired by NASA's Curiosity on Mars (Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, March 31, 2020) written by Kristin L. Gray with illustrations by Scott Magoon
Kristin L. Gray---Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
Scott Magoon---Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube
Did you know NASA programmed the Mars Curiosity Rover to hum the Happy Birthday tune on its one-year birthday? This book takes that fact and fashions a day-by-day diary spoken by Rover and relates information about how and what Rover does as it makes discoveries. You'll be cheering for Rover as it hopes for guests at its party, even though we all know its alone. The two story lines work together in tandem, showcased by fascinating artwork. At the close of the book is an author's note, a bibliography, and Curiosity Rover facts.
JULY 27
Rise and shine!
Time to capture another sunrise.
On Mars, sunrises and sunsets appear blue, while the daytime sky is rust. Fine dust particles in the Martian atmosphere absorb blue light and scatter colors like red and orange. This makes Mars' sky the opposite color of Earth's.
APPRECIATION
In the Woods (Candlewick Press, April 7, 2020) written by David Elliott with illustrations by Rob Dunlavey
Penguin Random House (more images)
Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast hosted by author, reviewer, and blogger Julie Danielson is a fabulous post with artist Rob Dunlavey about this book with lots of artwork and process information
David Elliott---Facebook, Instagram, YouTube
Rob Dunlavey---Facebook, Flickr, Tumblr
This stunning collection of fifteen poems leaves readers with a deeper respect for those animal, bird, and insect dwellers of our woodlands. Each poem, in a variety of forms, is accompanied by a breathtaking double-page image in varying perspectives. Together the words and artwork will have you longing for a walk to make your own observations. At the close of the book are short paragraphs of further information about each of the forest residents described.
The BEAR
The shadow stirs
in its musky den.
A yawn,
a stretch,
a muffled snort,
and then
the shadow emerges
breathing in the snowmelt air. . . .
IMAGINATION
Mermaid and Me (Little, Brown and Company, April 7, 2020) written and illustrated by Soosh
A young girl's fascination with mermaids causes her to be a bit of a loner until one day her dream comes true. As she gazes into the water at the sea, a mermaid gazes back at her. A friendship develops between the two as they share mutual experiences and acquaint each other with their worlds. A storm scares both of them and surprising help forges unlikely bonds. A promise is made. A promise is kept. You'll enjoy the author's note at the end.
This is me, the girl wearing a mermaid tail, in an old class photo. I really love mermaids.
REVELATION
Baby Clown (Candlewick Press, April 14, 2020) written by Kara LaReau with illustrations by Matthew Cordell
Candlewick---A Conversation with the author
Penguin Random House (additional images)
School Library Journal-100 Scope Notes hosted by author, and teacher librarian Travis Jonker with the book trailer premiere
Watch. Connect. Read. hosted by Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries John Schumacher includes an interview with both the author and the illustrator
Nerdy Book Club guest post by Kara LaReau
Kara LaReau---Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
Matthew Cordell---Blog, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
Everyone at the circus was excited at the birth of a baby to Boffo and Frieda Clown. No one was more thrilled than the ringmaster. The problem, the big problem, was Baby Clown would not stop crying. Nothing worked to turn this child's frown into a smile. Everyone tried to help. At Mr. Dingling's, the ringmaster's, insistence the show went on. That night in the center ring to a sold-out house, the circus people learned the truth about Baby Clown.
When Boffo and Frieda Clown had a baby, everyone in the circus was over the moon. "A STAR is born!" said the big boss, Mr. Dingling. "We'll call him Baby Clown."
FRIENDSHIP
The Word For Friend (Farrar Straus Giroux, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, June 16, 2020) written and illustrated by Aidan Cassie
Jena Benton, Writer & Illustrator features Simply 7 with Aidan Cassie-"The Word For Friend"
Aidan Cassie---Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
A pangolin named Kemala is excited to begin school after recently moving. She loves to talk, but when she arrives at school the language the other animals are speaking is not her language. She introduces herself, but she is met with silence. No one can understand her. She curls into a ball until she can escape to a tree at recess. There she meets an anteater named Ana, who is intrigued by Kemala's ability to cut shapes from the tree's leaves. Each of them, pangolin and anteater, work on their needed skills. One evening their friendship and a shared passion builds a bond. Artwork, charming text, and conversations make this a huggable book. Two pages at the close of the book discuss the new language and pangolins.
From her new house, Kemala could see her new town. Somewhere in her new town was her new school. It was filled with new friends.
She was sure of it.
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