tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55038805487644808672024-03-19T00:47:00.559-04:00Librarian's QuestA place where students, educators and parents can exchange and express views about the best of books, new technologies and libraries.Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.comBlogger2843125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-7597738070349361382023-12-19T00:30:00.260-05:002023-12-19T00:30:00.138-05:00The Best Gift EverMore than twenty-three years ago, a chocolate Labrador puppy was born. As the smallest dog in her litter, a powerful name was given to her by her human. She was called Xena. For fifteen years, she was a constant companion to a woman who had endured pain and was starting a new normal. The duo wandered, walked and ran in all kinds of weather. They shared adventures firmly stored in the human's mind and heart. <div><br /></div><div>After Xena's death, fifteen blog posts beginning on <b><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2015/12/for-love-of-dog-1.html" target="_blank">December 2, 2015</a></b> and ending on <b><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2015/12/for-love-of-dog-15.html" target="_blank">December 21, 2015</a> </b>were written.<b> </b>In those posts conversations about our shared experiences lead to honoring a specific book focusing on a dog or dogs. Today I have the distinct pleasure of again paying tribute to the enrichment dogs bring to our lives. </div><div><br /></div><div>Every action they take is based on the use of their enhanced senses, any training they may have, and a deep desire to give unconditional love. The collaboration of author Maria Gianferrari and illustrator Ishaa Lobo gives readers a title filled with the return of that love. <i style="font-weight: bold;">To Dogs, with Love: A Love Letter to the Dogs Who Help Us </i>(<i>Roaring Brook Press</i>, December 5, 2023) speaks truth in lyrical words and in lovingly-fashioned and researched artwork.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KITJE79xybvapG1ccVIWkbn8HcyilP-09E4_eubC-Z-KQE8GwlE79_iYZ8dXFl_V3IZ9evVLaiqfiI4MjkakWhPmXTVONZPU-Hl3E4AoA8zE2ruB9v02txfs-KrKw7RPZ5qpXUYB-SRTwzm3u8dvXN-kdzQfyQwEkJ6j-gqs7VYcrGhuvTe-FBd1w8e9/s318/To%20dogs,%20with%20love.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="318" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KITJE79xybvapG1ccVIWkbn8HcyilP-09E4_eubC-Z-KQE8GwlE79_iYZ8dXFl_V3IZ9evVLaiqfiI4MjkakWhPmXTVONZPU-Hl3E4AoA8zE2ruB9v02txfs-KrKw7RPZ5qpXUYB-SRTwzm3u8dvXN-kdzQfyQwEkJ6j-gqs7VYcrGhuvTe-FBd1w8e9/s1600/To%20dogs,%20with%20love.jpg" width="318" /></a></div></div><div><b><i>Dear Dogs,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Thank you for your tails</i></b></div><div><b><i>that whip and thump and pump,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Even when they're stubby---</i></b></div><div><b><i>They bring joy.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div>Each of eight passages begins with thanking dogs for one of their notable characteristics. Their ears never miss a sound. It's as if they understand every word we utter. With their eyes, they see us and what we cannot see.</div><div><br /></div><div>As our hands stroke their fur, regardless of its length or texture, peace wraps around us. Their paws provide perspective in every step and stance. When we least expect it, dogs' tongues are the best kind of kisses. Kisses we need.</div><div><br /></div><div>The phrase "the nose knows" is an authentic description of dogs' ability to sniff out anything good or bad in our surroundings, even our emotions. When a dog's head finds its way next to your head as you sleep, it is the best gift ever. An unbreakable bond, a lasting connection, is formed.</div><div><br /></div><div>As the letter comes to a close, we thank them for all the actions they take every day to join us in our lives. They know when to give joy or soak up sadness. They bring calm as we drift off to sleep in their presence. We are filled with gratitude.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>With every word author <b><a href="https://mariagianferrari.com/" target="_blank">Maria Gianferrari</a></b> writes we are aware of her gift as a wordsmith and of her fondness for all things dog. As she describes each physical attribute, we know she has witnessed and enjoyed the benefits of every aspect of a dog. Her use of rhyme and alliteration create a musical flow throughout this entire ode to our canine companions. Here is another passage.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Thank you for your fur,</b></i></div><div><i><b>Long</b></i></div><div><i><b>Or short,</b></i></div><div><i><b>Coiffed</b></i></div><div><i><b>Or curly---</b></i></div><div><i><b>Fuzzy for nuzzling,</b></i></div><div><i><b>Gifting comfort.</b></i></div><div><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div>On either side of the spine on the dust jacket, illustrator <b><a href="https://www.ishaalobo.com/" target="_blank">Ishaa Lobo</a></b> has drawn a cozy setting within the same room as indicated by the walls. She features a child nestled within the curve of a dog's body, each canine offering exactly what the child needs. Shown in the eyes of the children and dogs in each image, you know they have formed an attachment. On the book case (the surprise as some of my younger students call it), a different illustration is shown. It is a stunning interior picture spanning from the left edge to the right edge.</div><div><br /></div><div>On the opening and closing endpapers, ten dogs are displayed in a variety of poses. We can see that some of them are wearing their therapy vests. On the title page and verso, dogs are cuddling with their dedicated humans and with a child reader resting on the floor. </div><div><br /></div><div>These illustrations, rendered <i>digitally with a tablet pencil, </i>evoke a genuine warmth in the color palette, perspective, settings, and realistic details. For each physical attribute Ishaa Lobo decides which picture size best conveys a pictorial message. She varies the sizes between two-page illustrations, full-page visuals, and smaller vignettes. She sometimes chooses to bring us very close to a dog's paws, their head, or their connection to a human.</div><div><br /></div><div>As you turn the pages of this book, you are aware of every line, every texture, and every setting. They work to create a window into the humans' lives changed by the presence of a dog. Outside a small cottage in a meadow is a table holding a vase, several journals and a pencil. Next to the table is a child in a wheelchair. A dog wearing a wheeled-harness rests its paws on their lap. Both move with wheels. There is an instant understanding between them and between us as readers.</div><div><br /></div><div>One of my many favorite illustrations is the one featured on the book case. It is a wordless double-page interior picture. From left to right, we see five dogs and the tail of a sixth. They are all walking on leashes with their humans heading to the right. They are eager and focused. All we see of the humans are portions of their legs and feet.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I can already hear the gasps and sighs of readers, when they view <i style="font-weight: bold;">To Dogs, with Love: A Love Letter to the Dogs Who Help Us </i>written by Maria Gianferrari with artwork by Ishaa Lobo. At the close of the book two pages are devoted to <i>A Note on Therapy Dogs. </i>This is followed by two more pages informing us about the variety of therapy dogs and available resources. I already know I will need multiple copies of this inspiring title.</div><div><br /></div><div>To learn more about Maria Gianferrari and Ishaa Lobo and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their respective websites. Maria Gianferrari has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005158935695" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/maria_gianferrari_author/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/Gianferrari_M" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. Ishaa Lobo has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ishaaloboillustration" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i> and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/IshaaLobo" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. There is an interview at<b><a href="https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/the-picture-book-buzz-interview-with-maria-gianferrari-and-ishaa-lobo-plus-giveaway" target="_blank"> Maria Marshall</a></b>'s website of these creators relative to their work and this book. At the <b><a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250244949/todogswithlove" target="_blank">publisher's website</a></b>, you can view several pages of interior illustrations.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFe8aqmoCXz2F2_ePsjjh6gsynD-upy4AdRKY1iqQCCh6pl3di3g8DHLeJxssjJmsfo0zqABnsf_E0vhv1cUbIEjCXNathR2oC1JtV5hQaiWxTZI7RTYOgglW-ajOuJIL_e2OzMTunm-ZRnTPwX4jgLHYL7wXgF6Eue7DLMxJYtgHlrJh9TJxAju0M31_s/s2014/Maria-painting-author.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2014" data-original-width="1796" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFe8aqmoCXz2F2_ePsjjh6gsynD-upy4AdRKY1iqQCCh6pl3di3g8DHLeJxssjJmsfo0zqABnsf_E0vhv1cUbIEjCXNathR2oC1JtV5hQaiWxTZI7RTYOgglW-ajOuJIL_e2OzMTunm-ZRnTPwX4jgLHYL7wXgF6Eue7DLMxJYtgHlrJh9TJxAju0M31_s/w178-h200/Maria-painting-author.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>For Maria Gianferrari, dog love is the most <i>pawsitive </i>medicine of all! <i><b>To Dogs, with Love</b></i> is Maria's seventh book featuring beloved canine characters, following <i>Being a Dog: A Tail of Mindfulness, Operation Rescue Dog, Hello Goodbye Dog, Officer Katz and Houndini</i>, and the Penny & Jelly series.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4kR_b8tgdCAQwppzrJ-6_0VU3bk32ZbssRVhscdVaqYWGQj80QxtRsNhDwn5UkYMClsTYBnv1wksMB-p9sT-FI9vRsjfmdZuCrpq0TUUttgU1Xxolcf39vikf1an05LnNqFxrI5OHLVgnrXs9TfV_KSQi7kki-_VcTKadIvSdrLlcSCjv3IRbe1HHyQM/s592/Ishaa.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="592" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4kR_b8tgdCAQwppzrJ-6_0VU3bk32ZbssRVhscdVaqYWGQj80QxtRsNhDwn5UkYMClsTYBnv1wksMB-p9sT-FI9vRsjfmdZuCrpq0TUUttgU1Xxolcf39vikf1an05LnNqFxrI5OHLVgnrXs9TfV_KSQi7kki-_VcTKadIvSdrLlcSCjv3IRbe1HHyQM/w200-h194/Ishaa.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Ishaa Lobo is (a) Children's Book Illustrator living in London. She is the illustrator of <i>The Mystery of the Love List</i> by Sarah Glenn Marsh; <i>To Dogs, with Love</i> by Maria Gianferrari; and <i>There Always Room for One More</i> by Robyn McGrath. Her next book, <i>Bigfoot's Big Heart,</i> written by Sarah Glenn Marsh, will be released next year. In her spare time she likes to visit galleries, go to the cinema, and go on walks. See her work at <a href="http://ishaalobo.com">ishaalobo.com<br /></a></div><div><a href="http://ishaalobo.com"><br /></a></div><div><a href="http://ishaalobo.com"><br /></a></div><div><a href="http://ishaalobo.com"><br /></a></div><div><br /></div>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="762" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfyHMIHOCTBmLASykj45DgAXjzXkUH3htLoXp5JyCTkw14Cgw/viewform?embedded=true" width="500">Loading…</iframe>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-20545757180335100532023-10-18T00:30:00.318-04:002023-12-17T17:45:46.790-05:00From Tiny To Mighty, Above And Below, Watch Them Go<div style="text-align: left;">Without fail near Mother's Day every year, a deliberate, planned treasure hunt began. Unlike many treasure hunts, there was no map with a large "X" marking a spot. To be sure, there were areas to check, but much depended on the weather and the type of spring we were having. As a child and then later as a teen, I am not sure which was more fun, watching my father seek and find the elusive morel mushroom or finding them myself.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">How my dad acquired his skills as a morel mushroom hunter or, for that matter, skills at finding other edible mushrooms is a mystery, but our meals were better for his knowledge. For him and every reader with a desire to learn about the fantastic abilities of living species to be found around us in the natural world, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Fungi Grow </i>(<i><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Fungi-Grow/Maria-Gianferrari/9781665903653" target="_blank">Beach Lane Books</a></i>, an imprint of <i>Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division</i>, October 17, 2023) written with infinite care by Maria Gianferrari with exquisite artwork by Diana Sudyka is a title as precious and delicious as the morel mushroom. A poetic, lively and informative narrative accompanied by detailed, colorful images highlights a realm deserving our attention.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30FPiezhFNmCc8KdSYWVY-nz30DWDXhDyBQwvlsoPm9DuXSwkKwN1RCXMkB_Xmpm6sLFuUfhfnXqmpbIbWMQz_6GjQu5kPObvg6LPmIldvR1lOMSuB_4WJ2HsHTWTnWJjnNagRW-qvyzwJgim-IZ9AE5xRFj2Yk7Oq3EyKbjqJc6mjbDtMQ1a3qoMVROa/s900/fungi-grow-9781665903653_xlg.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="718" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30FPiezhFNmCc8KdSYWVY-nz30DWDXhDyBQwvlsoPm9DuXSwkKwN1RCXMkB_Xmpm6sLFuUfhfnXqmpbIbWMQz_6GjQu5kPObvg6LPmIldvR1lOMSuB_4WJ2HsHTWTnWJjnNagRW-qvyzwJgim-IZ9AE5xRFj2Yk7Oq3EyKbjqJc6mjbDtMQ1a3qoMVROa/s320/fungi-grow-9781665903653_xlg.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><i>Fungi grow.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Start with a spore---</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> a sort of seed.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Readers journey from unusual places on fungi by unusual modes of transportation. Self-generated breezes, rain, unsuspecting animals, slim, and malodorous smells help spores to move. Once these spores have landed, they begin to fashion roots.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">These rootlike formations, named hyphae, free enzymes which act as agents of change, breaking down and taking back. The hyphae make threads, like cotton, which spread underground. These mycelium are responsible for what we see above ground.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Some mushrooms rely on trees for their life. Trees make what they cannot. They in turn provide trees with minerals. They, mycorrhizal fungi, connect trees to one another so they can send messages which can warn other trees of danger.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Some edible fungi are found above and below ground. Other mushrooms begin small, grow up and then spread out like dancers' dresses. Fungi can be found on dead wood, looking like shelves, tiny umbrellas, or colorful, striped tutus. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Fungi come in shapes and sizes and colors that defy imagination. Large or small they make their presence known. They can punch through cement or asphalt or thrive where everything else has died. They can be deadly or can help. They are an essential, magnificent piece of the puzzle we call life.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Much like the path a spore takes, <b><a href="https://mariagianferrari.com/" target="_blank">Maria Gianferrari</a></b>, through her extensive research and gifted writing, takes readers roaming with purpose through the world of fungi. Repetition of the title phrase ties portions of the narrative together like mycorrhizal fungi. Alliteration and rhyming invite us deeper into the text. Explanatory paragraphs further inform us beneath lyrical statements. Here are two connecting passages.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>Spores catapult, sail, wander with wind.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>PUFF!</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Cottony rot fungus spurts</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>plumes of spores. This action,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>called "puffing," creates wind</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>for spores to sail on.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">When you open the matching dust jacket and book case, one of the first things you notice is the artwork by <b><a href="https://www.dianasudyka.com/" target="_blank">Diana Sudyka</a></b> extends to the ends of the left and right jacket flaps. The vibrant color palette surrounds you, giving energy to the living creatures and fungi featured. We are taken into that moment depicted on the jacket and case. We cannot wait to enter the pages within the body of the book after this gorgeous introduction. The title text, fungi and creatures are varnished.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The opening and closing endpapers feature a rustic red covered in irregularly-shaped white elements. These could be spores or perhaps we are very close to the mushrooms shown on the jacket and case with those same distinguishing marks. The array of fungi on the title page extends across the gutter to the verso page. The title text is above and the author and illustrator names are in the green expanse below. In a frame with fungi growing from the edges, we find the dedication on the opposite page.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">These images by this artist,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>rendered in gouache watercolor and finished digitally,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">are highly animated. Spores fan out simulating their movement. Tiny dotted lines show their paths. Words like puff, plop, poof, and pee-ew are shown in realistic and exaggerated portrayals. Fungi are all labeled in delicate handwriting. When the narrative transitions, Diana Sudyka frames the initial illustration with an ornate oval border.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The pictures range in size from double-page illustrations to single-page visuals. As the narrative grows more powerful, so do the images. We are given huge panoramic scenes and breath-taking close-ups. The attention to detail is superb.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations is a double-page picture. It is for the words:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Mushrooms <b>SPROUT</b>.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Parasols <b>POP OUT</b>.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Mushrooms fan,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>arc,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>spread their skirts.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">A stump in ringed colors of gray and black supports <i>rusty-gilled polypore, violet-toothed polypore </i>and<i> turkey tail </i>shown in their rich hues. Leaves and grass go along the bottom to the left. There <i>red and orange pinwheels </i>open. A frog takes cover under them. Above them, on a large branch, are intricate pinwheel mushrooms that look like lace.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Whether you are hiker of forests or have never set foot in one, you will be enchanted by <i style="font-weight: bold;">Fungi Grow </i>written by Maria Gianferrari with illustrations by Diana Sudyka. Among radiant images and magical words brimming with information, you will stroll again and again, amazed by fungi and their traits. At the close of the book are several pages of back matter, including a <i>warning about never eating mushrooms found outside</i> unless they are approved by a professional,<i> a glossary, how fungi heal and help, fun fungi facts, fungi life cycle, sources, further reading for kids, additional resources, and blogs and websites</i>. I highly recommend this title for your personal and professional collections.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To learn more about Maria Gianferrari and Diana Sudyka and their other work, please access their respective websites by following the link attached to their names. Maria Gianferrari has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005158935695" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maria_gianferrari_author/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/Gianferrari_M" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. Diana Sudyka has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/diana.sudyka" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tinyaviary/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/dianasudyka" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. At the publisher's website, you can view the open jacket and interior images. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELV_0vesTAdGhwyf33rzYyiHfHiLBjm8YPmJkKVXimUEBLFy7n30c9FSEYpqS040Kb2iE_da1Ge1mKFuorYYFf1CUaEdaXe_k-B7Vbm9v-fygCZz_r0xQnR2j5JiSgVokDjPwX7T5EAF7EPtaXDiHExaHg_tjC6GY0IjuCUNdtEty7PwUgvGroAibCnfL/s1336/2Maria-mushroom.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1336" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELV_0vesTAdGhwyf33rzYyiHfHiLBjm8YPmJkKVXimUEBLFy7n30c9FSEYpqS040Kb2iE_da1Ge1mKFuorYYFf1CUaEdaXe_k-B7Vbm9v-fygCZz_r0xQnR2j5JiSgVokDjPwX7T5EAF7EPtaXDiHExaHg_tjC6GY0IjuCUNdtEty7PwUgvGroAibCnfL/w200-h128/2Maria-mushroom.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Maria Gianferrari's yard is full of fungi. From branching corals and pointy stinkhorns to smoky puffballs and colorful jack-o'-lanterns, everything's coming up mushrooms! Someday she hopes to find some morels---she'll even share them with a squirrel. Maria's favorite edible mushroom is the hearty portobello. She lives in Massachusetts.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghSDkmaHgCiRs7cCRXB8CXWN9H5312DLH2QkSBORGlU76IzFHtlz58cy0LcZalw4WeCviTkh30TmcDhNs9CLEe-RGgGsW0yMHBuLOQMYyItYR28Zj2cn5YhOZ0oiNP0TZ_fijCgvIjCw8DsJcY6_JAkcG4iPEvUI7C5ffwV6nJX3cBZjxytLSrfH2lBXSo/s250/diana-sudyka-2111002458%20(2).jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="222" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghSDkmaHgCiRs7cCRXB8CXWN9H5312DLH2QkSBORGlU76IzFHtlz58cy0LcZalw4WeCviTkh30TmcDhNs9CLEe-RGgGsW0yMHBuLOQMYyItYR28Zj2cn5YhOZ0oiNP0TZ_fijCgvIjCw8DsJcY6_JAkcG4iPEvUI7C5ffwV6nJX3cBZjxytLSrfH2lBXSo/w178-h200/diana-sudyka-2111002458%20(2).jpg" width="178" /></a></div>Diana Sudyka grew up hearing stories of her grandfather, an ardent forager, bringing home chicken of the woods and maitake mushrooms for meals. Her favorite edible mushroom is the delicious morel that popped up in her yard last spring. Diana lives with her family in Evanston, Illinois.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="802" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZRSmctMG5vwUqBZZ1FUeLU0A0c5rHcSPftGGlE94_U0CEuA/viewform?embedded=true" width="500">Loading…</iframe>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-31148938830686688412023-10-01T22:19:00.002-04:002024-02-17T15:42:42.421-05:00Shout Out Loud To Save Yourself, To Save Others<p> <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Very early this morning, before daylight, as thunder rumbled for hours, I finished </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Louder Than Hunger</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (</span><a href="https://candlewick.com/cat.asp?mode=book&isbn=1536234206&browse=Author" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Candlewick Press</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, March 4, 2024) written by </span><a href="https://www.johnschu.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">John Schu</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Stretched beside me was my loving and loyal canine companion, Mulan. I was grateful for her calming presence as my soul struggled with Jake’s (and John’s) story. I wonder what she thought of my crying off and on for hours.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVV9Jlv9hcC6Zu2_jkavXHMdEWcjZtanQLZJLVjEb-uSh_dLliBa3KuQoIKTjnJRNgYoidmzuxt3d8ag-5mi5LF7XUL-yvWIuSrezqPrxbHHI5d3m0V0UBSnnrjXoDf4SsVq8prG0c75A9JvijNYMyw9n9YD9AGUdHo5qwUXPBwcNFcRN8pXzoNKXwNN7H/s4032/20231001_073148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVV9Jlv9hcC6Zu2_jkavXHMdEWcjZtanQLZJLVjEb-uSh_dLliBa3KuQoIKTjnJRNgYoidmzuxt3d8ag-5mi5LF7XUL-yvWIuSrezqPrxbHHI5d3m0V0UBSnnrjXoDf4SsVq8prG0c75A9JvijNYMyw9n9YD9AGUdHo5qwUXPBwcNFcRN8pXzoNKXwNN7H/s320/20231001_073148.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honored to receive this galley, now filled<br /> with markers of powerful poetic words.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-16d35bf6-7fff-75f6-037e-9f9fe7d37841"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Before this novel-in-verse begins, a letter addressed to</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Dear Readers</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> is written to us by Kate DiCamillo. She speaks of thirteen-year-old Jake and his heart and his eating disorder. She is right when she says reading this story will change you. Jake’s story is John’s story. John knows the power of story. He opened his heart so others can live their best lives. For this, we readers are grateful.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Jake is struggling with who he is and where he fits into his world and the world as a whole. His middle school years have been horrible due to unrelenting bullying. Now during his eighth grade year the VOICE that started in seventh grade reiterates the verbal abuse of those bullies. It tells him one negative statement after another. He wishes he could disappear, so the VOICE helps him to stop eating. Then, he can fade away.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Spending the weekends with his Grandma is the thin thread which tethers Jake to this world. They are soulmates, sharing a love of television shows, broadway musicals and driving in her red car. There are visits to the public library and the statue in the park Jake names Frieden, a welcoming woman with an outstretched hand, guarding four cherubs. Jakes’s grandmother does notice his thinness and reminds him</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> to take care of her boy</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">As part of a school community service project, Jake provides company and reads aloud to residents at a nursing home. One of those residents, Ms. Burns, a blind woman and former teacher of thirty-five years, asks to hold Jake’s hand one day as he is reading. She instinctively knows something is not right despite Jake’s denials. A phone call changes everything.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For nearly a year Jake is in more than out of therapy at </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Whispering Pines</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> where his eating disorder can be treated. We are there with him every step of the way as John writes these poems with exquisite pacing and placement of words and letters. We experience the struggles of Jake as he navigates relationships with other patients, dietitians, therapists and a strictly regimented lifestyle. It is heart wrenching to witness and share this journey, but his courage to continue is a shared triumph. </span></p><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Louder Than Hunger </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">John Schu, through the character Jake, allows us to see how a teen can descend into a disorder due to bullying without the necessary parental support. We are given an inside look at therapy. This removes any perceived stigma attached to the word therapy. I believe you will find yourselves deeply moved by John’s letter to readers at the close of the book. Resources and acknowledgements follow that letter.</span></span>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-86324118158764923452023-09-19T00:30:00.003-04:002023-10-08T14:34:58.042-04:00Where There's Wool . . . There's A Way<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Not a day goes by without my furry friend, Mulan, stopping multiple times to wait for another walker, runner, or biker to catch up to us on our daily treks throughout the neighborhood. She pauses and sits several times along the sidewalks surrounding the elementary school where I work. It does not matter whether school is in session or not. She is listening for the sound of children.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YdusD3EKOAgqjhE6p42Kdjdg6wDG00m_Aym2O3hJMv92V0bgYhh96BvT9U38uhTpkyBu0xISFEXLJC156Nl0UyRqYQ0cRfmTH39NpJYWGycpLh4ZbflzQEZtuGnQme3DenAO4tlIyHhXvT2cHwBccvegnE9ib4-kakQtpIjdXKVbqkYJ-ZTzupOJVA4m/s750/Mulan%20pausing%20at%20school.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="412" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YdusD3EKOAgqjhE6p42Kdjdg6wDG00m_Aym2O3hJMv92V0bgYhh96BvT9U38uhTpkyBu0xISFEXLJC156Nl0UyRqYQ0cRfmTH39NpJYWGycpLh4ZbflzQEZtuGnQme3DenAO4tlIyHhXvT2cHwBccvegnE9ib4-kakQtpIjdXKVbqkYJ-ZTzupOJVA4m/w110-h200/Mulan%20pausing%20at%20school.jpg" width="110" /></a></div>She has been this way since she was a puppy. Assessing her surroundings and looking for people to greet or welcome into our "pack" is a huge part of her personality. She is one of the most caring dogs to be a part of my life. It is not that my three other Labradors were not people-loving, but Mulan will not budge until she is certain all is well.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It seems that Mulan is not alone in her desire to care for others. In Lita Judge's newest title, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Don't Worry, Wuddles </i>(<i><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Dont-Worry-Wuddles/Lita-Judge/9781665916769" target="_blank">Atheneum Books for Young Readers</a></i>, an imprint of <i>Simon & Schuster</i>, September 26, 2023), an exuberant duckling is determined to provide for the other creatures on the farm. The yellow bundle of fluff takes one look at the wooly, wooly sheep, Wuddles, and offers the perfect proposal for an impending problem.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qbdHS_MqJ9hpdn_KLinxnjwNgmUnLI0iO2UiICG2cSTkbYINOTvjZRVZt9La3S5KZuKoeOzTpwAeTwoXz9H1KuS5QpwwZY8z2LJyPlUmCPmyAd-O7705OBkyhTYPmkO6nSI8VnS8WRayFtqWrMVnR93olSprldMzFJD8X7_ba2huTw83ZQMJj1d00raT/s400/dont-worry-wuddles-9781665916769_lg.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="400" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qbdHS_MqJ9hpdn_KLinxnjwNgmUnLI0iO2UiICG2cSTkbYINOTvjZRVZt9La3S5KZuKoeOzTpwAeTwoXz9H1KuS5QpwwZY8z2LJyPlUmCPmyAd-O7705OBkyhTYPmkO6nSI8VnS8WRayFtqWrMVnR93olSprldMzFJD8X7_ba2huTw83ZQMJj1d00raT/s320/dont-worry-wuddles-9781665916769_lg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Wuddles, are you asleep?</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Wuddles, eyelids barely open, is not asleep, but trying to nap. The duckling is concerned because snow is coming. Would Wuddles share a bit of wool so the duckling can have a scarf?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The now scarf-wearing duckling notices Rooster is not protected from the approaching winter weather. Oh! Rooster needs a hat! The appropriate amount of wool is taken from Wuddles as the title phrase is uttered. Wuddles has so much wool, surely the amount needed for a scarf and hat will not be missed.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Eyes moving around the inside of the barn, the duckling comments about the lack of fur on Rabbit's ears. Earmuffs are the best garb Rabbit can use. Duckling assures Wuddles everything is under control and each creature will be ready for the upcoming chilly temperatures.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Let's see there's Goat, Goose, Dog, Cow . . . Cow!? No, Cow is huge and hairy. There is a passel of Piggies, though. Running around like an spirited, single-minded knitter, Duckling fashions an array of winter attire. Looking out the window, a satisfied duckling sees the snow. In the next second an utter disaster is discovered. Again, the clever clothier has a solution. Two universal words are uttered. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When you read this story penned by <b><a href="https://litajudge.me/" target="_blank">Lita Judge</a></b>, you can feel your mood lightening. The first person narrative of Duckling is like that of a small child discovering something wonderful in abundance. They are so excited their mind is operating like the balls in a pinball machine.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Duckling's ability to connect the right attire to each animal via Wuddles's wool is witty. As each animal is clothed, the banter will likely lead to gales of laughter from readers. Here is a passage.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Wuddles, did we forget anyone?</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Oh yes, there is Dog.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>He's fine. Furry head,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>furry tail.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>ACK! Bare feet! Wuddles, </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>this will never do!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Somehow when you look at the open and matching dust jacket and book case and witness the wooly Wuddles resting comfortably with the fuzzy, yellow duckling already on the run, you get the distinct feeling Wuddles is probably going to be worried sooner rather than later. The duckling is also shown running on the jacket flaps and across the left side (back) of the jacket and book case. It is here readers are introduced to the soft realistic color palette used throughout the book.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the endpapers is a <i>solid sunny yellow. </i>On the initial title page, Duckling is standing on a wooden box looking up at Wuddles. By the formal title and verso pages, this little being brimming with get-up-and-go is leaping toward Wuddles' head.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This artwork by Lita Judge rendered in <i>watercolor and colored pencil </i>radiates warmth as image sizes shift from double-page pictures to single-page illustrations crossing the gutter and at times pairing with circular designs. Time in quick succession is displayed with visuals on white near full-color illustrations. Lita Judge masterfully manages to separate individual moments while making them a part of a whole.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Readers will appreciate the humor present on every page. The highly animated animals' exact moods and reactions to the duckling clothing them are depicted with wide-eyed looks and exaggerated body postures. It is the growing concern in Wuddles' expressions as the wool is being used that will have readers laughing out loud.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations is a two-page picture. Wuddles fills most of the lower half of the pages. To the left, Rabbit, now wearing earmuffs, watches Goose, whose neck is stretched out tall. Duckling is seated on Wuddles' right ear, wings to its head in puzzlement. On top of Wuddles are Rooster and Goat, wearing their winter wear. Goat is being especially goat-ish and reaching to nibble on some nearby straw. Wuddles staring at readers is looking slightly aghast. You cannot look at this scene without smiling or giggling.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Written and illustrated by Lita Judge, <b style="font-style: italic;">Don't Worry, Wuddles </b>is sure to have readers begging for it to be read repeatedly. They will fall in love with all the members of the barnyard crew as the passionate little duckling wraps wooly creations around each of them. I have an idea how readers might react to the two-word wisdom of Duckling at the story's conclusion. Be ready. I cannot imagine a personal or professional collection without a copy of this book.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To learn more about Lita Judge and her other work, you can visit her website by following the link attached to her name. Lita Judge has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lita.judge/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/litajudge/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/LitaJudge" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. At the publisher's website, you can view interior images as well as the open dust jacket. It was with honor that I was able to pose questions to Lita Judge about this title. I know you will be delighted with her answers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lita, I have long been an admirer of your creative endeavors. There is a rare blend of warmth, richness, and sincere love of life in your characters and their stories. After having met you briefly last autumn, I have come to believe that there is a little bit of you in each of your characters. Everything they do, their stories, make readers better than they were before they read about them in your books.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Thank you! My husband teases me that my characters are all a little autobiographical. On the outside I can seem a little quiet and shy, but inside, I'm a kid bubbling over with excitement.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">With this being said, do you see yourself in either the duckling or Wuddles? Or is there a little bit of you in each of them?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>I'm definitely more duckling! Eager to do something and ready to jump in. But I hope my friends also see I have some Wuddles in me. I try to be a safe harbor and a good listener, which is a way of caring for others given I don't have a wooly fleece I can share.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt; font-weight: 700; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">How did you arrive at the name Wuddles?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt; font-weight: 700; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>I was trying to think of a name one day while walking with a close friend. Her cat is named Wuggies, and I've always loved that name. But then I remembered that's a character from a Daniel Pinkwater book. So then I just started playing a word game to think of something that fit my own dear, sweet, over plumped-up sheep and the name Wuddles came to mind. I find names are often really fun to come up with!</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Are there real-life animals on which the characters are based?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Duckling was originally a mouse in need of a tail scarf, inspired by my own pet mouse, Pantalaimon. At first I wanted so badly to keep him a mouse (I had all the drawings originally done with him). But Pan has already appeared in a LOT of my books. Then one day I was holding and sketching a baby duck at a farm I often visit and thought how perfect. He had just the right energy. Wuddles is inspired by a big mama sheep that lives on the farm. I have visited her often and sketched during lambing season and always wanted to put her in a story.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Did a weather event inspire this story? We readers are curious as to how this tale started?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>This story actually started during a blackout in the first week of Covid lockdown. We had a terrible wind storm which blew hundreds of trees down and left us without power for several days. With that and the beginning of covid, I felt a little bit like duckling in this story. Writing and drawing Wuddles, by headlamp one evening, made me feel like eventually, all would be ok.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Did the list of winter attire come first or did the animals which are finally clothed in the warmth?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Hmmm, neither really. I drew all the animals first without clothes and thought about what they might need and want if they were cold. It took a lot of drawing and experimenting to find the right clothes for each critter. Someone else would have probably just written a list, which would be much more efficient! But I always start stories with pictures before words. They just come to me that way.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">For those that follow you on <i>Instagram</i> or <i>Facebook</i>, you are always generous with sharing your artistic processes. Did the animals come first as sketches? Did they ask you to tell a story about them or did the story come first? Would you briefly tell us the order in making the artwork for this book? Colored pencil first, then watercolor? Or perhaps, sketches and then watercolor and colored pencil? We would be grateful to know this.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Stories almost always begin with random sketches for me. I used to try to write first and then draw, but it never worked out. I draw in sketchbooks all the time, producing hundreds and hundreds of sketches. I try to draw nearly every day. Then every once in a while an animal becomes a character that feels like it has a story within. At that point, I rarely have a plot in mind, but I have a character and I can start drawing various things that could happen to that character, and then, little by little a plot develops. My nonfiction books begin with sketches as well, though I'm doing a lot of research to learn about the topic while drawing so that eventually I can organize the material into a book.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>The art starts with graphite pencil. I do endless sketches to get the characters just the way I want them. Once they are developed, I paint in watercolor and then I layer colored pencils on top of that to bring out the line work and build in richer colors.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">I thank you, dear Lita, for answering these questions. I know readers will love Wuddles, the duckling and other creatures and their story as much as I do.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwQXR1s6YetPSYFyRFiz5XKgZDHcPeSO5KXeu5uKpGUH6xphB3GqMSZ_7KOUYLYFPmEryHeAOz6lwWp7cO-wehY15sHXac4g_UMiNTo-fss0_ubzCqLv1DSoHXVoLZYf2IvTiM1X71-0c0E2gZXscYR4jWv-gswAz7uUe90h96EgrsKBJDH0Cd8iBewQ8/s1500/Lita%20Judge%20(courtesy%20of%20Lita%20Judge).jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwQXR1s6YetPSYFyRFiz5XKgZDHcPeSO5KXeu5uKpGUH6xphB3GqMSZ_7KOUYLYFPmEryHeAOz6lwWp7cO-wehY15sHXac4g_UMiNTo-fss0_ubzCqLv1DSoHXVoLZYf2IvTiM1X71-0c0E2gZXscYR4jWv-gswAz7uUe90h96EgrsKBJDH0Cd8iBewQ8/w160-h200/Lita%20Judge%20(courtesy%20of%20Lita%20Judge).jpg" width="160" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Thank you so much! I'm so eager to share this with young readers, and older readers who are young at heart!<br /></b></div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-8783809406149354862023-07-31T15:27:00.002-04:002023-07-31T15:36:32.675-04:00Oh Happy Day!<p>To begin, I wish to apologize for the long lapse in blogging here. After my May 9, 2023 post about the delightful <i><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2023/05/every-little-bit.html" target="_blank">One Small Thing </a></i>(<i>Beaming Books</i>, May 9, 2023) written by Marsha Diane Arnold with artwork by Laura Watkins, my writing mojo took a long vacation. Major blogger block has been haunting me. I have a thematic post partially completed honoring five titles. My stacks of books, especially picture books, are growing. I have many titles to share with you before the upcoming school year.</p><div style="text-align: left;">Speaking of the upcoming school year, I am thrilled and honored to announce I applied for, was interviewed, and offered the position of Library Specialist at Charlevoix Elementary School. (I was previously their certified school librarian for thirteen years.) The current posting description allows for structured and unstructured student, classroom, and staff use. I will be serving the Charlevoix Elementary School students and staff, K-6, for the entire school day, five days a week. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>It is my hope to assist and continue to create a vibrant reading community within the school through their library whether patrons are seeking fiction or nonfiction materials in a variety of formats. It is exciting to be able to work with students and their educators once more. In accordance with my final words to my students on many of their visits in the past, amid laughter, <i>Read until your eyeballs fall out, </i>I am currently reading all six of the hilarious <i><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/PIZ/pizza-and-taco/" target="_blank">Pizza and Taco</a> </i>books by <b><a href="https://stephenshaskan.com/" target="_blank">Stephen Shaskan</a></b>, award-winning <i><a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250259639/frizzy" target="_blank">Frizzy</a> </i>by <b><a href="https://www.claribelortega.com/" target="_blank">Claribel A. Ortega</a></b> with art by <b><a href="https://rosemakesart.com/" target="_blank">Rose Bousamra</a></b> and I think it's time I started the <i><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/p/cityspiesseries" target="_blank">City Spies</a></i> series by <b><a href="https://www.jamesponti.com/city-spies" target="_blank">James Ponti</a>. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrls_hpGNfgZr8rTtDimdkJklaHoN4owVBPj9fGc7_rRlIvCekMBa95JJFZelHqVyqzU2bpsJM-QceeNUmXbI6D0EqQzxynkAOE76LQy4_0qsJgM7VZjRGtUru-5W-_smN1LojT_BxxxcKkjLq7KGk5n5Iny1PoS7rZEq2lLTS9vcxybQn9u55NzArMBe6/s1600/Untitled.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrls_hpGNfgZr8rTtDimdkJklaHoN4owVBPj9fGc7_rRlIvCekMBa95JJFZelHqVyqzU2bpsJM-QceeNUmXbI6D0EqQzxynkAOE76LQy4_0qsJgM7VZjRGtUru-5W-_smN1LojT_BxxxcKkjLq7KGk5n5Iny1PoS7rZEq2lLTS9vcxybQn9u55NzArMBe6/s320/Untitled.png" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_tH_AlVFH3aw-xzVlU1MizfTlMpH2MrVfD6MtfkhYknRsTKpT-nymIIwPaCMPhNkherVz-g2zIDCWrl6xnuh78xKRxQ25xbmZkFaY5ctJeifplc-rTHjPmJBfVA723pRQKqPtVsLmVCBGdcDB9i1p71oVcXiWZ566qgLRjooWDhr5mZblmq1Imh1Vb1U/s487/A%20River%20of%20Dust.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="487" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_tH_AlVFH3aw-xzVlU1MizfTlMpH2MrVfD6MtfkhYknRsTKpT-nymIIwPaCMPhNkherVz-g2zIDCWrl6xnuh78xKRxQ25xbmZkFaY5ctJeifplc-rTHjPmJBfVA723pRQKqPtVsLmVCBGdcDB9i1p71oVcXiWZ566qgLRjooWDhr5mZblmq1Imh1Vb1U/s320/A%20River%20of%20Dust.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I just completed <i><a href="https://www.chroniclebooks.com/products/a-river-of-dust" target="_blank">A River of Dust: The Life-Giving Link Between North Africa and the Amazon</a></i> by <b><a href="https://jilannehoffmann.com/my-books/" target="_blank">Jilanne Hoffmann</a> </b>with art by <b><a href="https://eugeniamello.com/" target="_blank">Eugenia Mello</a></b>. You will be amazed at what you learn about our planet.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGa-d-SYDRGj7yZ-v2aQYaUAV-y-LpKDL8x117zLcjqtHbdu9lUWDg8RyxN5d8Gjnh4aC54PqJ3uQ8KAMOxoE8UT-7rIElCGUcK2gkAyHF6ycHLBPrdhxCCI-DGJypDAhG4de0FvCpyoHgBHsIBZerJZmVAr_byTPI8mFZlrfDHLcbVmNcAjIjb91mmmeH/s499/When%20the%20world%20runs%20dry.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="332" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGa-d-SYDRGj7yZ-v2aQYaUAV-y-LpKDL8x117zLcjqtHbdu9lUWDg8RyxN5d8Gjnh4aC54PqJ3uQ8KAMOxoE8UT-7rIElCGUcK2gkAyHF6ycHLBPrdhxCCI-DGJypDAhG4de0FvCpyoHgBHsIBZerJZmVAr_byTPI8mFZlrfDHLcbVmNcAjIjb91mmmeH/s320/When%20the%20world%20runs%20dry.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>I am still reading <b><a href="https://nancycastaldo.com/books/young-adult-books/when-the-world-runs-dry/" target="_blank">Nancy Castaldo</a></b>'s <i><a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/nancy-f-castaldo/when-the-world-runs-dry/9781616209711/" target="_blank">When The World Runs Dry: Earth's Water Crisis</a></i>. I have always been careful about how I use water, but now my caution is upgraded. Personally, I believe this is a must read title. <br /></div><p><br /></p>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-45785975575494908242023-05-09T00:30:00.001-04:002023-05-09T00:30:00.147-04:00Every Little Bit . . .<p>Each morning Mulan, my canine companion, and I take the same route on our morning walk. More than half of the route is without sidewalks and when there are sidewalks, we tend to stick to the edge of the roadway due to other walkers, runners, and dogs. Without fail, there is one driver each day who not only ignores the posted speed limit, but comes so close to us that we have to move off the road or jump aside. They drive as if their hair is on fire and they are the only person on the planet.</p><div style="text-align: left;">Despite this one soul without regard for other living things, there are multiple drivers who slow down and nod, wave or smile. Those small acts of kindness when added together have a huge effect on our morning walks. Those people are used to seeing us and respond accordingly. I have no idea who they are, but I consider them friends. The mutual respect we have for each other has established a community of sorts. Today is the book birthday for a title, <b><i>One Small Thing</i></b> (<i><a href="https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506483771/One-Small-Thing" target="_blank">Beaming Books</a></i>, May 9, 2023) written by Marsha Diane Arnold with artwork by Laura Watkins, which presents the practice of rising above ourselves to assist others. Every little bit helps and does not go unappreciated. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rXe72rRYahxPFcX6EccPINa-YG48-uXGzjl7q9oAJqNff4UNQa9AkO3xf84y-n_kVK3CLDZyXNQJjOhSS0JERNXkOdTxZKd883cfUNzojctOoqIKUBc6p9N2vAdRV3Ojei6BjZSzIh69sGVjxPD23pITuLUeD-kYdElVJaI9RHQr3zZ48VAuLrBfKg/s2139/One%20Small%20Thing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2139" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rXe72rRYahxPFcX6EccPINa-YG48-uXGzjl7q9oAJqNff4UNQa9AkO3xf84y-n_kVK3CLDZyXNQJjOhSS0JERNXkOdTxZKd883cfUNzojctOoqIKUBc6p9N2vAdRV3Ojei6BjZSzIh69sGVjxPD23pITuLUeD-kYdElVJaI9RHQr3zZ48VAuLrBfKg/s320/One%20Small%20Thing.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>All the animals in Brightly Wood were </i><i>talking about what happened.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">During a storm the previous night, lightning struck Raccoon's home. All that remains are ashes. Squirrel, Badger, Beaver, Mouse, and Rabbit are recreating the event in their conversation. In addition to the loss of his home, Raccoon has suffered burns on his feet and his cricket companion is missing. In the concerned comments made by Raccoon's friends, readers get a hint at their personalities. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Beaver wonders where Raccoon will live now. Rabbit hardly knows Raccoon. Mouse is so little and this problem is huge. Badger, seemingly a curmudgeon, wonders where the </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>silly cricket</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">is. Squirrel is overwhelmed by the sadness of this event. They all leave for their respective homes except for Badger. Badger heads to the darkest part of the forest.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Squirrel, Mouse, and Rabbit start on tasks exemplifying their talents. Beaver knows she excels at home construction, so she works all day to build another home for Raccoon. As Squirrel sips her tea, she begins to think. As Mouse hangs herbs from his rafters, he begins to think. As Rabbit nibbles on honey bread with honey, a single thought pops into Rabbit's mind. The four friends find Raccoon and snuggle inside the new house drinking tea and eating honey bread with honey. Mouse rubs a balm made from his herbs on Raccoon's feet.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Where is Badger you ask? Is Badger lost among the shadows of Brightly Wood? That thunderstorm created a major loss, but much was found the next day because Beaver, Squirrel, Mouse, Rabbit and Badger decide to do . . .</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A bit of a mystery introduces us to this narrative with the first sentence. Author <b><a href="https://marshadianearnold.com/" target="_blank">Marsha Diane Arnold</a></b> has piqued our interest. She leads us, as she does so often, to examine our hearts as each of her characters do the same. By having each of the animals offer an opinion several times, she establishes a rhythm to her story.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As we follow their actions and thoughts, we see how each personality works through a tragic event and responds as they are able. Readers will see themselves in one or more of these characters' reactions. The title of the book is beautifully woven into Squirrel's, Mouse's and Rabbit's ultimate decision. Here is a passage.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Beaver stepped back and looked at her work, then hurried off to find Raccoon.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>All the other animals hurried off to find Raccoon too.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Except Badger. He kept wandering through Brightly Wood, muttering,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"Where is that silly cricket?"</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">A single, full-color image extends from the left edge of the book case to the right edge. It is the dawn of a new day in Brightly Wood. Mouse, Squirrel, Rabbit, Badger, and Beaver, eyes closed in affection, offer a group hug to their friend, Raccoon. We can see by Raccoon's eyes, this hug is needed. Everything about this scene, the brightening sky, soaring birds, glowing sunlight reflected on the grass and calm breezes, suggests warmth and connection.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A pale lemon yellow covers the opening and closing endpapers. On the title page is a close-up of Raccoon's mailbox secured to a tree. Careful readers will see with the opening single-page picture, artist <b><a href="https://www.laurawatkins.co.uk/" target="_blank">Laura Watkins</a></b> uses the background sky to indicate weather and time of day. She continues this throughout the book. The colors in her outdoor scenes tend to not only reflect the time of day and weather, but the mood of the characters.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The facial features and body postures on each of the animals reveal their emotional status and personality traits. While their physical characteristics are realistically portrayed, there is also a quality about the animals that depicts them charmingly enough that you might want to hug them. Two of them are more motivated to immediate action, while the other three tend to mull over circumstances. This is mirrored in Laura Watkins's art.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As the pages are turned, Laura Watkins moves from single-page pictures to groups of vignettes, and to large double-page images, one, a bird's eye view of Brightly Wood. She also shifts perspectives to enhance the text. Within Squirrel's, Mouse's, and Rabbit's homes, readers will be fascinated by the attention to detail. They will also come to understand how a certain moody friend can walk unafraid into the less inviting portions of Brightly Wood.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations is a two-page picture. Beaver has found Raccoon seated on a log near the river, soaking his burned feet in the water. The river mirrors the sky as the day comes to a close. There are hues of orange, golden yellow, and purple in the sky, silhouettes of trees and trees near the river. Beaver is seated next to Raccoon on the fallen tree, embracing her downcast friend. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This book, <b><i>One Small Thing</i></b> written by Marsha Diane Arnold with illustrations by Laura Watkins, is a quiet but compelling tale reminding us that we are never too small to effect change or an action we take for good is never too small to make a difference. It demonstrates how like single snowflakes can combine to make a blizzard that many small things can create a huge shift in someone's life. It might be fun to do this as a reader's theater. You will want to have a copy of this on your personal bookshelves and in your professional collections.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To learn more about Marsha Diane Arnold and Laura Watkins and their other work, please visit their websites by following the link attached to their names. Marsha Diane Arnold has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/marshadianearnold" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/marshadianearnoldauthor/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/prancinglily/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/marshadarnold" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</i> Laura Watkins has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/watkinsprints" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/watkinsillustrations/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/watkins_books" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. There is a wonderful thirteen-page activity guide at the publisher's website for you to download.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-91287145989837731322023-04-18T23:29:00.000-04:002023-04-18T23:29:02.695-04:00For the Elders . . ., <div style="text-align: left;">At the beginning of this year in an effort to highlight as many wonderful books as possible in posts before the <i><a href="https://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2023/01/american-library-association-announces-2023-youth-media-award-winners" target="_blank">ALA Youth Media Awards</a></i>, I included seven titles under the word <b><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2023/01/happy-new-year-2023-one-little-word_26.html" target="_blank">Elder</a> </b>in the second of three posts for fiction picture books<b>. </b> These books focus on relationships between the generations, mainly between grandparents and their grandchildren. They revolve around a generational tradition, the passing of seasons and those with whom we share them, customs and food in different countries, how finding the perfect gift reveals more about the giver than the recipient, activities shared with all kinds of grandparents, the wisdom of grandparents and how it seems magical, and returning joy to a grandparent who needs to remember.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In March and April of this year, two more outstanding books showcasing grandmothers and their grandchildren speak to our collective minds and hearts. Despite the recent return of winter in the upper Midwest, daffodils, tulips, delphiniums, and peonies are poking through the soil, eager to add color to our landscape. Parsley, dill, thyme, sage, and chives are thriving in the vegetable and herb gardens. Author Jordan Scott and artist Sydney Smith have collaborated again to bring us <i style="font-weight: bold;">My Baba's Garden </i>(<i><a href="https://holidayhouse.com/book/my-babas-garden/" target="_blank">Neal Porter Books, Holiday House</a></i>, March 7, 2023). Memories of Jordan Scott's grandmother grace the pages of this book, lovingly lifted in tribute by the luminescent images by Sydney Smith.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3q80-ZuylDp-p-yikoK6ZZkjSL-0p7CnbTfJ2JLLMnmFuNLJJMQRLwTIbzeP_Yui6gUBlMnJWIBdcBqVbNm0--EeTgOCYs8rQQVu-kMF8Nt6Q1ItypoUP5yLh-eXGtb7463KAJeWbVBui3XLv5qvp8Fur-snF2ab2oR4anCdzqb4_Uq-LwJwHn-Wzw/s450/My%20Baba's%20Garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3q80-ZuylDp-p-yikoK6ZZkjSL-0p7CnbTfJ2JLLMnmFuNLJJMQRLwTIbzeP_Yui6gUBlMnJWIBdcBqVbNm0--EeTgOCYs8rQQVu-kMF8Nt6Q1ItypoUP5yLh-eXGtb7463KAJeWbVBui3XLv5qvp8Fur-snF2ab2oR4anCdzqb4_Uq-LwJwHn-Wzw/s320/My%20Baba's%20Garden.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>My Baba lives in a chicken coop beside a highway.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Her home is near a sulfur mill, a pile of yellow as a testament. Every morning his father drives the child to Baba's home. She does not greet him, but each morning there she is in her kitchen. She cooks, moving with her own rhythm within the small space.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Every place around the kitchen table is filled with preserved food from her garden. When Baba brings him breakfast, it is the same each morning. She does not eat, but if the child should happen to drop any food, she picks it up, kisses it and puts it back in his bowl. They speak through gestures, a few words, and a shared affection. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">If it's raining when Baba walks with her grandson to school, she moves slowly watching for worms. She picks them all up and places them in a jar with dirt. They will find a new home in her garden. After school, her grandson watches her place them in the dirt of her garden, explaining their purpose to him.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This goes on for years until Baba leaves her chicken coop to live with her grandson and his parents. A building replaces the chicken coop, but the garden remains, now overgrown without Baba's care. Before school, her grandson feeds Baba the same thing each morning. He has planted some seeds in a pot on her windowsill. One day when it's raining, she clasps his hand and draws a familiar line on his palm. Remembering other rainy days, he runs outside.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Lovely similes are woven into vivid descriptive text by <b><a href="https://www.jordanscottwrites.com/" target="_blank">Jordan Scott</a></b> taking readers into his warm remembrances. Each place the child is with his grandmother, her kitchen, walking with her to and from school, sometimes in the rain, her garden, and in his home, are replete with intimate details. We become that child, experiencing their love built on those shared activities. Here are several sentences from different portions of the narrative.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>My Baba hums like</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>a night full of bugs</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>when she cooks.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>We don't talk very much. She points and I nod;</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>she squeezes my cheeks and I laugh.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Using watercolor and gouache</i>, artist <b><a href="https://www.sydneydraws.ca/" target="_blank">Sydney Smith</a></b> brings us deeply into this story. On the front of the open dust jacket Baba and her grandson are shown walking into Baba's garden. Do you notice how the characters and the larger flowers are outlined in white? It's as if we are walking with them. This image crosses the spine, extending to the left edge of the back flap. (The front also extends to the edge of the right flap.) Two birds are flying over the garden. The sulfur hill juts up in the far left, upper corner. Text on the back showcases praise for <i><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2021/01/happy-new-year-2021-one-little-word.html" target="_blank">I Talk Like A River</a>. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the book case, on either side of the spine are two framed portraits. On the left, seated at his Baba's kitchen table is the boy. Hands resting in his lap he looks at us. An apple from his grandmother's garden sits on the table. Garlic bulbs woven together hang from the ceiling over a basket of fruit. The play of sun and shadow is stunning. On the right side is Baba. She, too, is seated in her home. To her right are shelves of dishes. To her left is a table holding a jug with flowers. Bright sunlight glows all around her. She sits straight in the chair, her hands resting in her lap. Her face reflects her survival of World War II and living a simple, hard life in Canada where she and her husband emigrated from Poland.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The opening and closing endpapers are a golden, orange yellow. Sydney Smith begins his pictorial story on the title page, displaying the grandson and his father getting into the car in the dark hours of morning before the sun rises. He then, with a double-page picture, continues as they drive along the sea on a highway. This provides a place for the publication information and the author's note titled, <i>My Baba</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The next two-page picture is a drawing the grandson has made of him and his Baba in front of her house. Two-page images, full-page visuals, edge to edge and some with wide white borders bring readers into the shared days of Baba and her grandson. Sometimes to show the passage of time and to enhance the pacing, smaller illustrations will be grouped on a single page. These represent cherished personal moments. Sometimes, they only show eyes, hands or a portion of a body.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There are seven wordless pictures of varying sizes on four pages near the end of the book. They represent the grandson taking and sharing breakfast with Baba. They are tender and extremely touching.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations is a two-page image. It is a wide-angle view of Baba's kitchen as sunlight streams in the window over her sink. She stands on the right side working at the counter, dishes displayed in open cupboards above her. Kettles steam on the stove to her right. On the left, we see her refrigerator, more cupboards, and shelves filled with preserved food. Warmth radiates from this scene.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is a book for all ages. With each reading, <b><i>My Baba's Garden</i></b> written by Jordan Scott with illustrations by Sydney Smith will be more endeared to each reader. It will help us to recall our own memories of our grandmothers or if we have none, how wonderful to be able to share those found in this book. You will want to have at least one copy of this title on your professional bookshelves and one in your personal collection.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To learn more about Jordan Scott and Sydney Smith and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their websites. Sydney Smith has artwork from this title on his website. Jordan Scott has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/squeezedlight/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i> and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/jscottwrites" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. Sydney Smith has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/sydneydraws/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i> and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/Sydneydraws" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. At the publisher's website is an educator's guide. At <i><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/714396/my-babas-garden-by-by-jordan-scott-illustrated-by-sydney-smith/" target="_blank">Penguin Random House</a></i>, you can view the title and verso pages. At Mel Schuit's <i><a href="http://www.letstalkpicturebooks.com/2023/03/my-babas-garden.html" target="_blank">Let's Talk Picture Books</a></i>, she has a short video of the book case reveal. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Have you ever searched for buried treasure? Did you ever find something unexpected and wonderful when you were turning over dirt for a vegetable or flower garden or planting a tree? Have you ever buried something, hoping to dig it up years later? If you did bury something, what did you or would you put inside the container? In <i><b>The Red Tin Box</b></i> (<i><a href="https://www.chroniclebooks.com/products/the-red-tin-box" target="_blank">Chronicle Books</a></i>, April 4, 2023) written by Matthew Burgess with artwork by Evan Turk, a young girl buries a red tin box early one morning just before sunrise. This is a secret she will hold in her heart for decades.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGB4ACLXhZrQNg3U4TtbcSE2lfPuIFN5-S15JvKKAE3FJCzTQdlJ2nl4qQ9T2GN0FDhyZlZOjzs6bUKoGE0iK-zfCENYu1L17ttP3j4ODG1i_TIIy-1TLpuKniSe0G2zWldmNtU8YsfxB0sxVV2e9dy59JazWEgRTLprbP5vMKfAIKrfDCyMgvGpd-w/s750/The%20Red%20Tin%20Box.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="750" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGB4ACLXhZrQNg3U4TtbcSE2lfPuIFN5-S15JvKKAE3FJCzTQdlJ2nl4qQ9T2GN0FDhyZlZOjzs6bUKoGE0iK-zfCENYu1L17ttP3j4ODG1i_TIIy-1TLpuKniSe0G2zWldmNtU8YsfxB0sxVV2e9dy59JazWEgRTLprbP5vMKfAIKrfDCyMgvGpd-w/s320/The%20Red%20Tin%20Box.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>On her eighth birthday, when the sun</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>was peeking over the treetops</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> and everyone in the house</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> was still asleep,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Maude stepped outside</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>and across the wet grass</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>to the edge of the woods.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">There was a special spot at the base of the tree where she buried that red tin box. No one else but Maude knew what was inside the box. No one else heard Maude speak a promise to herself.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Maude grew up. Soon she had a daughter of her own. Maude always remembered the red tin box, even if her memories of the items inside faded.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now a grandmother, Maude felt something stir inside her one autumn afternoon. She picked her granddaughter up from school the next day. In Maude's red pickup truck, they traveled several towns away. Maude told her Eve about the red tin box and the promise she made as a little girl. When they arrived at Maude's old home, the dogwood tree was still there.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Would they find the red tin box? Both were eager to discover it and see what was inside. Maude walked until she was sure she was standing on the special spot. The duo dug and dug and dug until they heard a </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>clink!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">For each of the seven items inside, there were stories. Eve listened and questioned as Maude talked all the way home. Do you know what Maude did when they arrived home? Eve knew what to do and she did it under the starry sky.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Each word written by <b><a href="http://www.matthewjohnburgess.com/" target="_blank">Matthew Burgess</a> </b>fashions an eloquent atmosphere of a special place and time. There is a bit of mystery and magic in finding the spot for burying the red tin box and the whispered words by Maude. It returns when Maude is a grandmother, and she knows she needs to take Eve to the red tin box's site. This shared event is beautifully represented with reminiscent phrases as the pair travel to the dogwood tree. Matthew Burgess uses repetition to elevate the feeling of an unbreakable bond between grandmother and granddaughter. Here is a passage.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>One November afternoon,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Maude was seized with a feeling---</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>a feeling like a bright spring sunrise.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Rendered in gouache</i>, these breathtaking visuals by <b><a href="https://evanturk.squarespace.com/" target="_blank">Evan Turk</a></b> are first shown to readers with a single illustration on the dust jacket spanning from left to right, across the spine. There we see how night is turning into day, as the sun pushes back the darkness with pinks and oranges and reds. Little eight-year-old Maude has dug the hole near the dogwood tree and is gently placing the red tin box inside. I don't know about you, but the mystery and magic in this illustration envelope me. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the book case, Evan Turk takes us into the branches of the dogwood tree. Their blossoms and boughs are highlighted by the blushing sunrise sky behind them. The opening and closing endpapers are a deep red with darker hints . . . like a red tin box. On the initial title page, the light text is placed in a starry sky with clouds. On the formal title page, it is still dark outside. The blossoms on the dogwood tree are depicted in hues of purple, blue, pink, and red.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The color palette by Evan Turk emanates warmth with every page turn. His use of light and shadow is marvelous in each of the lush settings. He shifts his perspectives to intensify the text. Sometimes we are shown a dramatic panoramic view, other times it is as if we are in the hole looking up at whoever is there, and sometimes we are given a bird's eye view.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Most of the illustrations span two pages. When Maude and Eve are riding in the truck, walking on the property near the dogwood tree, digging, and speaking we are close to them. We can see their eyes. Their facial expressions invite us into this story. There are two wordless images near the end which are superb.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations accompanies the above-noted passage. Maude, on the left, her gray hair ringing her face like a halo is lifting her head up as if listening. She is dressed in warmer clothing in shades of green and red as she works in her garden. The garden foliage and surrounding trees are in rich autumn browns and golds and cream. The sky is golden with a much lighter color of turquoise. Over Maude's left shoulder is an outline of her home. She is wearing her signature red glasses.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Whether you read this book, <b><i>The Red Tin Box</i></b> written by Matthew Burgess with illustrations by Evan Turk, to yourself, one on one with a single listener or as a group read aloud, you might want to have a supply of red tin boxes handy. This supremely gentle generational story on time and memory is certain to promote discussions as readers are wrapped in the love exuding from the pages. You will want to have multiple copies of this title in your professional collection and one in your personal collection.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To discover more about Matthew Burgess and Evan Turk and their other work, please access their websites by following the link attached to their names. Both Matthew and Evan have interior images from this title displayed on their websites. Matthew Burgess has an account on <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/matthewburgessj/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>. Evan Turk has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/evanturkart/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i> and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/evanturkart" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. </div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-40486547563589121832023-04-14T17:56:00.348-04:002023-04-24T20:57:26.075-04:00Every Day Is Earth Day #2<p>On January 6, 2023, in an attempt to provide readers with 2022 publications related to our beautiful planet and its protection prior to the ALA Youth Media Awards, I compiled a post of <b><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2023/01/every-day-is-earth-day.html" target="_blank">seventeen books</a></b>, including early readers through middle grade titles. During the course of 2022 I talked about other climate crisis and earth-friendly books, but these were books I categorize as too-good-too-miss tomes. </p><p>I am setting up this post in the same manner as the previous post. Author, illustrator, and publisher links, when available, are provided. Social media accounts will be included. Passages from the books are shown. Short summaries, observations, are supplied. If there are other valuable resources about these books, links will be attached. These six titles are listed in order of release date.</p><p><br /></p><p>There are warning labels on plastic bags for a reason, usually involving children. To me, it seems as though our planet is in the same situation. We are suffocating under an overabundance of plastic. Titles like <i><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2020/03/in-her-care.html" target="_blank">One Earth</a> </i>by Eileen Spinelli with art by Rogerio Coelho, <i><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2020/05/covered-with-life.html" target="_blank">Ocean! Waves for All </a></i>by Stacy McAnulty with art by David Litchfield and <i><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2023/01/happy-new-year-2023-one-little-word.html" target="_blank">Washed Ashore: Making Art From Ocean Plastic</a></i> written and illustrated by Kelly Crull draw our attention to this dilemma and offer solutions.</p><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Last Plastic Straw: A Plastic Problem And Finding Ways To Fix It </i>(<i><a href="https://holidayhouse.com/book/the-last-plastic-straw/" target="_blank">Books For Better Earth, Holiday House</a></i>, February 21, 2023) written by <b><a href="https://www.deeromito.com/" target="_blank">Dee Romito</a></b> with illustrations by <b><a href="https://ziyuechen.com/" target="_blank">Ziyue Chen</a> </b>not only gives us answers but provides us with information about the evolution of this serious issue. At the end of the book is an author's note, a list of sources, and more information to be found online, in books and by watching documentaries. There is an index, too. At <i><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/714390/the-last-plastic-straw-by-by-dee-romito-illustrated-by-ziyue-chen/" target="_blank">Penguin Random House</a></i>, you can view the endpapers. At <b><a href="https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/the-picture-book-buzz-interview-with-february-steam-team-authors" target="_blank">Maria Marshall</a></b>'s website, you can read about Dee Romito and her work on this book.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxA92sx_ReUDtjfyYxDqLdZUQwd_JuUwjHvsTgXB6td7TebItEKfTved2PNwEbLLzKJQI6AAQI-gGCvYyVxZuk0Tf9Z2XAKOQkAP3nLNUczp9VDtJgLvXueHYPD-hrbcNXRiE9O6Q-9g0UZv3XAyZ1Zz4_mBCHM8lOQFYV-yV5ft5IsNBNQElPaQSYNg/s700/The%20Last%20Plastic%20Straw.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="541" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxA92sx_ReUDtjfyYxDqLdZUQwd_JuUwjHvsTgXB6td7TebItEKfTved2PNwEbLLzKJQI6AAQI-gGCvYyVxZuk0Tf9Z2XAKOQkAP3nLNUczp9VDtJgLvXueHYPD-hrbcNXRiE9O6Q-9g0UZv3XAyZ1Zz4_mBCHM8lOQFYV-yV5ft5IsNBNQElPaQSYNg/s320/The%20Last%20Plastic%20Straw.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><p><i>Over five thousand years ago, the ancient Sumerians had a problem.</i></p><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>They needed a way to avoid the icky substances in their beverages. The barley-based drink they brewed was thick, and the undrinkable solids sunk to the bottom.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">We feel like time travelers as a fascinating history of the straw is presented. It began with reeds, hollow grasses. Over time, different substances were used to fashion a hollow tube. In South America, they even devised a <i>filter </i>on the end of their <i>"bombilla" </i>when drinking tea.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Believe it or not, by the 1800s, rye was being used. Who wants pieces of rye in their drinks? Marvin Stone is credited with inventing the first paper straw. Another gentleman, Joseph Friedman, invented the bendable straw. As you might imagine, paper was not very durable. Now plastic enters.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To address this problem, a boy named Milo Cress, when he was nine years old, began a campaign titled <i>"Be Straw Free"</i>. Twelve years later, it is still active. Other options are offered for readers with straws fashioned from more earth-friendly materials. The last three sentences deliver a challenge to each reader. The choice is ours.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The text for this title penned by Dee Romito reads like a one-on-one conversation. She informs us with facts and offers doable actions. Rather than feeling overwhelmed, readers will feel as though they can make a difference for the greater good.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Dee Romito has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DeeRomito.author" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/writeforapples/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/writeforapples/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></i>, <i><a href="https://writeforapples.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Tumblr</a></i>, <i><a href="https://twitter.com/writeforapples" target="_blank">Twitter,</a></i> and <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo_dwnofHngklxICTcaa8Aw" target="_blank">YouTube</a></i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The full-color lively artwork by Ziyue Chen was rendered with<i> Procreate on iPad</i>. The two-page, full-page and partial-page pictures enhance the narrative leading us through history. Actual items are featured with tape on the corners like in a scrapbook. Her dramatic two-page image of the damage plastic does to our oceans and ocean life grasps your attention, as does the final two-page visual of hands from around the world from all walks of life stacked together to make a change for the benefit of our world.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Ziyue Chen has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ziyuechen/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i> and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/zzzyuair" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It hardly seems possible that nearly five years have passed since fifteen-year-old Greta Thunberg began her <i><a href="https://fridaysforfuture.org/what-we-do/who-we-are/" target="_blank">Fridays for Future, a global climate strike movement</a></i>. <i><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2019/10/to-create-change.html" target="_blank">Our House Is On Fire: Greta Thunberg's Call to Save the Planet</a></i> written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter is a wonderful picture book biography about this outstanding teen who started a worldwide youth awakening. She is also featured in <i style="font-weight: bold;">No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change </i>(<i><a href="https://www.charlesbridge.com/products/no-world-too-big?_pos=1&_sid=06b988c6f&_ss=r" target="_blank">Charlesbridge</a></i>, March 14, 2023) edited by <b><a href="https://lindsayhmetcalf.com/" target="_blank">Lindsay H. Metcalf</a></b>, <b><a href="https://www.keiladawson.com/" target="_blank">Keila V. Dawson</a></b>, and<b><a href="http://www.jeanettebradley.com/" target="_blank"> Jeanette Bradley</a></b> with illustrations by Jeanette Bradley. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This beautifully illustrated collection of poems is certain to inspire readers of all ages. At the close of the book is extensive back matter beginning with two pages dedicated to what an individual can do and what a group can do. There is a glossary, an explanation of greenhouse gases, and definitions of eleven different poetry forms. The fifteen poets are listed with short biographies. They are David Bowles, Jeanette Bradley, Vanessa Brantley-Newton, JaNay Brown-Wood, Keila V. Dawson, Dalia Elhassan, Rajani LaRocca, Renee M. LaTulippe, Lindsay H. Metcalf, Aka Niviana, Sally J. Pla, Teresa Robesson, Traci Sorell, Heidi E. Y. Stemple and Carlon Zackhras. Stephen Porder is listed as the Science Consultant. At the publisher's website, you can download an activity kit. Here is a link to the youth-in-action pages at the <i><a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/youth-in-action" target="_blank">United Nations</a></i>. At <i><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/712909/no-world-too-big-by-lindsay-h-metcalf-jeanette-bradley-kelia-v-dawson-illustrated-by-jeanette-bradley/" target="_blank">Penguin Random House</a></i>, you can view the opening and closing endpapers as well as interior images.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBvwbQWIu9n4lb1EiNXxJ8RcoUiXe4BrxmVpzTYY5G4CyaPrAkAK6jrIb8z0nnqE3Pl3e07YaNH_YXk1t4fEASp_gdstrlg7dcNyrFMTZref0TRTqV0HUZUVTTgTv-iAYHS0JjI5H7BTbKZoDj2TTclWH62T_j48B0L-mwLJeTZgLbMi2G0n_MLSaIig/s3000/9781623543136.tiff" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBvwbQWIu9n4lb1EiNXxJ8RcoUiXe4BrxmVpzTYY5G4CyaPrAkAK6jrIb8z0nnqE3Pl3e07YaNH_YXk1t4fEASp_gdstrlg7dcNyrFMTZref0TRTqV0HUZUVTTgTv-iAYHS0JjI5H7BTbKZoDj2TTclWH62T_j48B0L-mwLJeTZgLbMi2G0n_MLSaIig/s320/9781623543136.tiff" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>ON CLIMATE CHANGE</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>A found poem from the "Paris Agreement" by Lindsay H. Metcalf</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Guided by</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>the need for</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>a just transition,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>humankind</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>should respect</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>the rights of</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Mother Earth. . . .</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">This first of sixteen poems launches the span of activities taken by ten individuals, a two-student team, and five groups, including the call-to-action poem, <i>a golden shovel poem</i>, at the conclusion. Through the efforts of these young people, in particular places on our planet, real change for the good has happened. Zanagee Artis gathered like-minded students to organize the <i>first youth-led climate march </i>in our nation's capital. They formed <b><a href="https://www.thisiszerohour.org/whoweare" target="_blank">Zero Hour</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">By learning of Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, readers will realize they can use their talents, like music, to raise awareness. A group of youth from the Marshall Islands have presented at the United Nations about the rising sea levels. You are never too young to advocate for change. Artemisa Barbosa Ribeiro was only seven years old when she started planting trees in Brazil. The same can be said about fifteen-year-old Leah Namugerwa who planted <i>two hundred trees. </i>Have you heard of her<b style="font-style: italic;"> </b><i>Birthday Trees</i><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>project?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Youth from the Philippines, Canada, Sudan, the states of Georgia, Ohio, and Colorado in the United States, Ukraine, and Indonesia have held their government accountable, become <i>the chief water commissioner of the Anishinabek Nation, </i>written newspaper articles about climate change, formed their own company of <i>upcycled clothing, </i>inspired a government to place compost bins at schools, designed and made bio buses, earned the title of <i>America's Top Youth Scientist </i>for an invention, and won a grant to install solar panels on their school buildings. After reading about these accomplishments, you'll be ready to be the next individual to make a difference for our planet's preservation.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Editors and poets, Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila V. Dawson, and Jeanette Bradley, have gathered some of the foremost names in children's literature to write the poems about these outstanding young people. After each poem, shown on the left, a paragraph on the right gives further details about the youth, youth team, or group. At the bottom of the right page, one or more sentences supply ideas to individual readers. For example, after the description about Leah Namugerwa we read:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Celebrate your birthday by planting</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>a tree. Gather your friends and have</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>a tree-planting party!</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Lindsay H. Metcalf has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/lindsayhmetcalf/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i> and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/lindsayhmetcalf" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. Keila V. Dawson has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/keila.dawson/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/keilavdawson/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i> and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/keila_dawson" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. Jeanette Bradley has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/jeanette.m.bradley" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jea_bradley/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/jeanettebradley/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/jeanettebradley" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">The illustrations by Jeanette Bradley for this title were <i>painted digitally in Procreate for iPad on a digital paper design by Paper Farms. </i>On the black opening and closing endpapers, a loose map of the world is drawn in white. Here we can see all the contributions made by the young people labeled with their names and their country. A double-page picture accompanies each poem, varying in perspective, but usually bringing us close to the individuals as they worked.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This morning when Mulan and I were walking, I was reminded once more of how surprising and majestic our world truly is. As we were passing an association clubhouse, a sight stopped me in my tracks. More than a dozen birds were perched along the roof and its edges and perched on chimney tops. They looked like weathervanes or metal sculptures. Many of them had their wings fanned out to their sides as if drying them which is strange as we are under a red flag warning. They also looked like they were welcoming the sun's rising as they faced east.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It called to mind a book paying homage to our planet. <i><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2020/03/in-her-care.html" target="_blank">My Friend Earth</a> </i>written by Patricia MacLachlan with illustrations by Francesca Sanna is a letter of love to this place we all call home. It can be paired with this gorgeous portrait and newly released title, <i><b>ThÃs Is The Planet Where I Live</b></i> (<i>Beach Lane Books</i>, an imprint of <i><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/This-Is-the-Planet-Where-I-Live/K-L-Going/9781481465632" target="_blank">Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division</a></i>, March 21, 2023) written by K. L. Going with artwork by Debra Frasier. <b><a href="http://klgoing.com/" target="_blank">K. L. Going</a></b> and <b><a href="https://www.debrafrasier.com/" target="_blank">Debra Frasier</a></b> have collaborated to create a poetic, picturesque tribute to Earth. At the publisher's website, you can view some of these marvelous interior spreads. There is also a link to a performance activity there. Here is another link to an activity titled <i><a href="https://www.debrafrasier.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/PLANET-coloring-BIRD-POEM.pdf" target="_blank">Bird Sky Poem</a></i>. At Debra Frasier's website, you can view a video where she explains her illustrative process for this book. Please take a few moments to watch this.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4W-qPPUmx2121qN2ZPiPCnrwZy2B5z21_xfnov5kQpOP6oBV8N7iDMzMADzgtOdODOP-lAE0UfqLUl7KA1wjXY-5pHJlZRU76j6iIXmbm4XJPtD7KQ-8sSFU7iO7oGCrX4fUkb_AlCv78igWjRU70YVsmlvTPJZl4lgWsymw10G4tK84NuNHEoDjrpQ/s400/this-is-the-planet-where-i-live-9781481465632_lg.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="381" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4W-qPPUmx2121qN2ZPiPCnrwZy2B5z21_xfnov5kQpOP6oBV8N7iDMzMADzgtOdODOP-lAE0UfqLUl7KA1wjXY-5pHJlZRU76j6iIXmbm4XJPtD7KQ-8sSFU7iO7oGCrX4fUkb_AlCv78igWjRU70YVsmlvTPJZl4lgWsymw10G4tK84NuNHEoDjrpQ/s320/this-is-the-planet-where-i-live-9781481465632_lg.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>This </b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>is the </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>planet</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>where I live.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Here are the <b>people</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>who share the planet</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>where I live.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">With each page turn, our view of this planet is enlarged. We see a variety of homes supplying shelter for the people and the fields near those abodes. Animals domesticated and wild are shown.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Insects are presented as are the birds who consume them. Trees are exalted for their purpose in giving homes to the birds. We go to new heights in looking toward the clouds.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The water cycle is uplifted as we dive into the oceans and the occupants that reside there. In a final stanza, the interconnectedness of life is offered to readers. We circle back to the beginning.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Author K. L. Going has written a cumulative narrative, inviting reader participation. A delightful cadence is fashioned as a phrase is added each time and ends with <i>the planet where I live </i>except for the last three words. There <i>I</i> becomes <i>we</i>. Reading this aloud is a joy.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">K. L. Going has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/KLGoing" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kl_going/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/KLGoing" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As soon as you look and then study the depiction of Earth on the deep royal blue canvas on the dust jacket and book case, you know the images within this title by Debra Frasier are breathtakingly rendered. They were made in <i>photo-collaged elements and Canson papers</i>. The intricate details ask you to pause page after page, starting with the partial sunflower on the opening and closing endpapers portraying the sun and the tiny yellow blossoms radiating between the sun's rays.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Debra Frasier has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/debra.frasier" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/debraspapercamp/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/debrafrasier/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When I read Scott Magoon's first book in his <i>The Extincts </i>series<i>, <a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2023/01/every-day-is-earth-day.html" target="_blank">Quest For The Unicorn Horn</a> </i>I found myself increasingly attached to the characters, Scratch, a Saber-Toothed Tiger, Lug, a Woolly Mammoth, Martie, a Passenger Pigeon, and Quito, a Collins' Poison Frog, all extinct. During the course of their first adventure a new member was added to the team, Ursa, a Cave Bear. Their team, ROAR, <i>Rescue Ops Acquisition Rangers</i>, is dedicated to helping preserve our planet, one exciting escapade at a time.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Extincts: Flight Of The Mammoth </i>(<i><a href="https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/extincts-flight-of-the-mammoth-the-extincts-2_9781419752520/" target="_blank">Amulet Books</a></i>, March 21, 2023), a graphic novel written and illustrated by <b><a href="https://scottmagoon.com/" target="_blank">Scott Magoon</a></b> turns up the heat for the friends as they face their newest challenge. At the publisher's website and at Scott Magoon's website, you can view interior images from this title. Scott Magoon has loads of resources and activities at his website about this series. At the close of the book is extensive, engaging, and informative back matter. It includes pages of <i>The Extinctiary, </i>two pages on how we can help <i>The Extincts</i> to preserve our planet, <i>About Wildfires</i>, <i>About Smoke Jumpers</i> and <i>Gear</i>, and discussions about <i>The Elephant's Trunk Nebula</i>, <i>The Griffith Observatory</i>, and <i>The La Brea Tar Pits</i>. There is a page on how to make your own telescope. <i>Further Reading</i> is grouped for young readers, older readers and websites along with a bibliography. If you are like me, you will enjoy the acknowledgements and information about Scott Magoon.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgen5B0MVl8dHJlgyjFiO2Au0Ugc2c3voLuWKYakviFJAvLTiZXfBaLeZmy52l8iIqcFCq2iRRf7OyGvcmWjm-WVby_tS99aKEVOjEYGo7caCT5kiREQNNKnnpIeZwTrdnajdjY8B2HUfXLjFDA1J43GXA2Kp1Qb0DruiX663CQVrjumwbO-1wssJd1_g/s1479/The%20extincts%20flight%20of%20the%20mammoth.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1479" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgen5B0MVl8dHJlgyjFiO2Au0Ugc2c3voLuWKYakviFJAvLTiZXfBaLeZmy52l8iIqcFCq2iRRf7OyGvcmWjm-WVby_tS99aKEVOjEYGo7caCT5kiREQNNKnnpIeZwTrdnajdjY8B2HUfXLjFDA1J43GXA2Kp1Qb0DruiX663CQVrjumwbO-1wssJd1_g/s320/The%20extincts%20flight%20of%20the%20mammoth.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">India 1998</div><div style="text-align: left;">10:27 PM</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>WASAN!</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Wasan!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Where are you?! </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>SON?!</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Kahali,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Come!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Run!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>There!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>There he is!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Mom!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Dad!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Kahali!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>This way!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>I tried</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>putting out</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>the fire.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>It's no use.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>I'm too weak.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>WASAN,</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>JUST RUN!</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the present day, <i>The Extincts</i> have decided to open a zoo with themselves as exhibits in order to raise money for their continued efforts. Lug is not happy about this enterprise and explodes in anger at a malicious teen. He believes they should be out helping to quell all the wildfires. That night when the others are sleeping, Lug leaves.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Several days later, readers find Lug working with a team of smokejumpers. Wildfires are springing up faster than they can contain them. Someone is setting these fires, hoping to burn as much as possible. In case you thought, the others in ROAR would let Lug go, think again. They are searching for him and have tracked him to the area where he is working with the smokejumpers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Lug and the smokejumpers find themselves in one intense situation after another. When the arsonist, a Mastodon, is discovered, they find themselves fighting for their lives. To the credit of the ROAR team, they find Lug and the smokejumpers, but just when you think the tension is easing . . . it surges again. Nonstop action takes readers to a conclusion you won't see coming.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This title, like its predecessor, is full of witty dialogue, punny humor, and bits of information cleverly woven into the narrative. Scott Magoon's highly detailed artwork moves us quickly from one panel to another panel. Even in moments of stillness, there is an aliveness to his characters. This reader is ready for book three.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Scott Magoon has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/scottmagoonbooks/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/skortch/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, <i><a href="https://twitter.com/smagoon" target="_blank">Twitter</a> </i>and<i> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk62Tdo0P8UZ44CI_eCT1XQ?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank">YouTube</a>.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The past twelve months have shown us how unpredictable our weather can be. Extremes are becoming more of the norm. This week rainfall records were broken in <i><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/photography/interactive/2023/fort-lauderdale-south-florida-floods/" target="_blank">Fort Lauderdale, Florida</a> </i>with extensive flooding. It would be nice to think that we humans have made greater strides since that first <i><a href="https://www.earthday.org/history/" target="_blank">Earth Day</a></i> on April 22, 1970, and in some respects, we have, but we cannot deny climate change and overwhelming pollution are facts of our lives now.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Nonfiction picture books are a constant, enlightening source of information for readers of all ages. <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Day the River Caught Fire: How the Cuyahoga River Exploded and Ignited the Earth Day Movement </i>(<i><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Day-the-River-Caught-Fire/Barry-Wittenstein/9781534480834" target="_blank">A Paula Wiseman Book, Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers</a>, </i>March 28, 2023) written by <u><b><a href="https://www.onedogwoof.com/" target="_blank">Barry Wittenstein</a></b></u> with artwork by <b><a href="https://www.jessiehartland.com/" target="_blank">Jessie Hartland</a></b> is an excellent example, highlighting historical truths and bringing us to the present. It asks readers, based on facts, to continue what was started. As the saying goes---<i>There is no planet B. </i>At the conclusion of the book is a one-page <i>Author's Note</i>, a two-page <i>Environmental Timeline</i>, and two pages of videos to watch, organizations to join or read about, a link to the Earth Day website, and <i>books for further reading</i>. There is also a bibliography. At the publisher's website, you can view interior illustrations.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYJyz4Clu96Y2WI7tuIlibB6UR6Zf5B6gQI_tuNeRil9zKyh92yYyiCsBQi3MBZW28-5OBdwOT8qcmw-vBuylIKilgtQTt4yvcAOuKOQByvdRIz2bbtmPDfZ_NhDkgZevrYoy-Rnej5JmyeRxBpZWz8NhbK7WXaszMdxUW7Dz1ueiAjsZkdzS_M4QiQ/s900/the-day-the-river-caught-fire-9781534480834_xlg.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="900" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYJyz4Clu96Y2WI7tuIlibB6UR6Zf5B6gQI_tuNeRil9zKyh92yYyiCsBQi3MBZW28-5OBdwOT8qcmw-vBuylIKilgtQTt4yvcAOuKOQByvdRIz2bbtmPDfZ_NhDkgZevrYoy-Rnej5JmyeRxBpZWz8NhbK7WXaszMdxUW7Dz1ueiAjsZkdzS_M4QiQ/s320/the-day-the-river-caught-fire-9781534480834_xlg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>On a sticky and sunny Sunday in the summer of 1969, the Cuyahoga River </i><i>in Cleveland did something rivers should never do.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>KABOOM!</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Why might you ask would a river catch on fire? Sparks from a passing train fell in the river which was highly polluted. It was another fire in a long line of fires since 1886, numbering thirteen.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This river used to be clean. It was used as a source of travel and recreation. Fish caught in the river could be eaten. Native Americans enjoyed what this river offered.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Industrial Revolution changed everything. There were more people wanting more of everything. All the waste from producing all this "more" went into the river. After a while, the river was declared dead, unable to support life. It was disgusting, but no one did anything about it until that fire. Cleveland's current mayor, Carl Stokes said enough is enough.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">News of the fire spread. So did the challenge to make changes for the better. Congress got in on the action passing the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. The celebration of the first Earth Day was massive. By 1990 it had spread around the world and is still growing today.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Each time you read the words penned by Barry Wittenstein in this title, you feel as though a trusted friend has told you a story, making you feel as though you were present when each event was happening. His word choices, adjectives, verbs, and repetition, captivate us throughout the pages. Specific details like this quotation---</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>If you fall in, go straight to the hospital.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Better to be safe than sorry.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">told to factory workers, emphasize each issue.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Barry Wittenstein has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/bwittbooks/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i> and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/bwittbooks" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Rendered in <i>gouache</i> by Jessie Hartland, the visuals in this book are brimming with tiny elements asking us to stop and read the words and then look at the illustrations again. Elements from the interior images are grouped on the opening and closing endpapers. The buildings and vehicles are representative of the historical context in which they are placed. Facial expressions on humans (and some pets) reflect the current environmental state. You will also see little tidbits of humor.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Jessie Hartland has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/jessie.hartland" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jessiehartlandart/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/JessieHartland" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Time and time again, our Earth has shown us in big and little ways the true definition of resilience. Devastating occurrences have completely altered the environment and those that lived in that environment, but the planet seems to always have a plan. It comes back, never the same, but sometimes better.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Several books which ask us to appreciate this resilience and beauty with joy are <i><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2021/11/noticing-nature-2.html" target="_blank">Dear Little One</a></i> by Nina Laden with artwork by Melissa Castrillon and <i><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2021/04/earth-week-2021-3.html" target="_blank">Zonia's Rain Forest</a></i> written and illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal. You will want to add <i><b>Little Land </b></i>(<i><a href="https://www.lbyr.com/titles/diana-sudyka/little-land/9780316301763/" target="_blank">Little, Brown And Company</a></i>, April 11, 2023) written and illustrated by <b><a href="https://www.dianasudyka.com/" target="_blank">Diana Sudyka</a></b> to form a trio of wonders. This gem reminds us of what has been, what is, and what can be. At the close of the book there is<i> an author's note, some words, concepts, and questions that inspired this book, some animals and plants in this book in order of appearance, different epochs represented in this book in chronological order and more resources</i>. At Diana Sudyka's website, there are two stunning double-page pictures from the interior of the book for you to enjoy. At <i><a href="https://afuse8production.slj.com/2023/02/08/a-relationship-of-reciprocity-with-the-earth-diana-sudyka-discusses-her-new-picture-book-little-land/" target="_blank">School Library Journal, A Fuse #8 Production</a>, </i>Betsy Bird chats with Diana Sudyka about this book. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-ZbZHR1enjJqpIQZfBuiUra-OfL8MOY_e6VojdbfsL68b_hlTWrsitGaNlLeaqzxu0dA2-CXfmsHiSkJ_jt8PWwystpTGUgU04oTlgDi4bT7GpZBgpar6X_oOBu1Ni-C5Ez0TziSyufKCC-jZBAgoWeMQ-Ct2lvpt7rA975Kh5iw8DyyG5yrPeXf6g/s400/Little%20Land.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-ZbZHR1enjJqpIQZfBuiUra-OfL8MOY_e6VojdbfsL68b_hlTWrsitGaNlLeaqzxu0dA2-CXfmsHiSkJ_jt8PWwystpTGUgU04oTlgDi4bT7GpZBgpar6X_oOBu1Ni-C5Ez0TziSyufKCC-jZBAgoWeMQ-Ct2lvpt7rA975Kh5iw8DyyG5yrPeXf6g/s320/Little%20Land.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><i>ONCE</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>there was a little bit of land.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">This little bit of land was not enormous or teeny, tiny, but just the right size for all those who made it their home. It had existed for a very long time going back to the beginning, through the age of the dinosaurs and the Ice Age. It always survived.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Life began anew.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Regardless of the changes, the land remained steadfast in its abilities to care for all that resided there. It provided essentials for all the flora and fauna. But sometimes, those changes were shocking. A fire could alter the landscape tragically. Slowly . . . life thrived again.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When people became more involved, the land shifted in appearance. More people meant the building of more structures. Soon the land was covered, and the people dug into the land to get what they believed they needed. Most people did not notice. Some children did notice.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The beauty of the land was becoming less and less visible. Then land was suffering. Could anything be done for the land? Remember those children? They decided to look at the land and listen to the land. Their looking and listening spread to others. This is how we help the land, our land, the planet </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>to begin anew</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Is it working? The final sentence in this title is your answer.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This melodic text written by Diana Sudyka draws readers into the narrative, involving them in the history of the little land and its inhabitants, animals and plants. She gently, but with purpose, guides us on this journey so we can understand how the land changed and how it adapted as best as it could. When she shows how the smallest of us can make a positive difference, she is also showing all of us to be more mindful of where we reside.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Diana Sudyka has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/diana.sudyka" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tinyaviary/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/dianasudyka" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When you look closely at the artwork on the open dust jacket and the open book case, different from the jacket, dazzled by the colors, lines, shapes, and intricate elements, you feel as though you can hear the heartbeat of little land. Throughout the book, each image, even the most destructive, is teeming with life. Sometimes, it is hidden and muffled by change, but it is always there . . . waiting. These visuals rendered in gouache watercolor on watercolor paper with digital enhancements will take your breath away. All of the images, regardless of how the pages are divided or displayed span two pages.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
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<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/806816713">Book Chat with the Illustrator featuring Diana Sudyka</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/lbschool">LB School</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-64093281295590927872023-04-04T20:55:00.001-04:002023-04-04T20:55:34.212-04:00Early Reader Extravaganza #3<div style="text-align: left;">Waiting for the next book in a series is far more exciting than waiting for your birthday or a special holiday. As the saying goes, <i>a book is a gift you can open again and again. </i>(attributed to Garrison Keillor)<i> </i>For early readers, those beings who are feeling the fire of story ignite in new ways, the return of beloved characters is like welcoming home our best friends. We can hardly wait to read about their new adventures and discoveries. Where will they go? Who will they meet? Will their new story make us laugh or cry or think about possibilities or maybe all of those and more?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Early readers and the books written for them are a joy to watch when they connect. As said in the previous posts, <i><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2022/04/early-reader-extravaganza.html" target="_blank">Early Reader Extravaganza</a></i> and <i><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2022/05/early-reader-extravaganza-2.html" target="_blank">Early Reader Extravaganza #2</a></i>, the engaging characters in these stories make lifelong bonds with readers. These characters stay with us for the rest of our lives. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For those of us who love canine characters, there is no better way to celebrate our shared experiences with them than through the laughter they provide and their special outlook on their lives and our lives. How fortunate we are to have within the past week two releases of the third book in an early reader series featuring dogs we cannot help but love. <b><i> Doggo and Pupper Search For Cozy</i></b> (<a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250621030/doggoandpuppersearchforcozy" target="_blank"><i>Feiwel and Friends</i>, an imprint of <i>Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC</i>,</a> March 28, 2023) written by Katherine Applegate with illustrations by Charlie Alder is seven chapters of dog and cat logic destined to have readers smiling and laughing out loud before the final sigh at the end.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGY13LNxPADJ_db0HJgILCn5Wi7spenIAPT6Oq9RM91eAqsey7dkLt5j-8w4IVLOzFwTQB2NYtCNQb4WDfN5XgTelm24SLrcEIeyRMIAwpCx88RB3ZeUDNKioccUCutZBORVtIx_YrcxxlYsuWxJUB6BDyUh8eXZ0hNUVFT2pm3X5t9K4iRiQNswadJQ/s1224/Dogger%20and%20pupper%20search%20for%20cozy.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGY13LNxPADJ_db0HJgILCn5Wi7spenIAPT6Oq9RM91eAqsey7dkLt5j-8w4IVLOzFwTQB2NYtCNQb4WDfN5XgTelm24SLrcEIeyRMIAwpCx88RB3ZeUDNKioccUCutZBORVtIx_YrcxxlYsuWxJUB6BDyUh8eXZ0hNUVFT2pm3X5t9K4iRiQNswadJQ/s320/Dogger%20and%20pupper%20search%20for%20cozy.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>Chapter One</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>Bad News</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"Bad news," said Cat. "The humans</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>had another idea."</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"Uh-oh," said Doggo.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"Oh no," said Pupper.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">As Doggo and Pupper question Cat about the bad news, they find out it is not ridiculous hats, bubble baths, fireworks, or vacuum cleaners. This bad news only affects Cat. The humans have purchased a new bed for Cat.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While the bed is identical to the previous bed, it lacks one essential property. It has no cozy. Cat declares there will be no more sleep for this feline fussbudget.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">An outside adventure does not lift Cat's spirits. Neither does a discussion on pickiness. When Nap Time rolls around Doggo is ready for a snooze. Pupper, as you might expect, is not. Pupper can't quit talking and wondering about Cat and her bed. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That night during a storm, Pupper is truly glad to have Doggo close. Cat can not get settled; no place has cozy. So, guess what? No one sleeps. Doggo and Pupper know they have to fix this dilemma. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The next day after clever trickery (humans are gullible) on their parts, Doggo and Pupper go outside to locate the old bed. Digging in garbage cans is smelly business, but triumphant, or is it? Sometimes, cozy arrives exactly when it should.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Through a marvelous blend of narrative and dialogue, author <b><a href="https://katherineapplegate.com/" target="_blank">Katherine Applegate</a></b> further endears us to these individuals, Doggo, Pupper, and Cat. Their distinctive personalities are revealed in their conversations and antics. We sympathize with the sometimes-unsettling nature of change. The friendship between the trio has never been more apparent. Amid our empathy (and love) for them, we cannot help but find the hilarity in their reasoning. I found the parallels between the storm and Cat finding cozy to be fantastic storytelling. Here is a passage.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"Cat is never going to sleep again," said Pupper. "Why do I have to?"</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Doggo opened one eye. "Trust me," he said.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"Cat will sleep again. Sleeping is her superpower."</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"I wonder where her old bed is," said Pupper.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Doggo made an extra-loud snore.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Artist <b><a href="https://thebrightagency.com/us/childrens-illustration/artists/charlie-alder" target="_blank">Charlie Alder</a> </b>enhances an already joyous story with her fun and funny illustrations. Her full-color pictures are lively and captivating. We can tell Doggo and Pupper extend their full sympathies to the plight of Cat by looking at the front of the book case. On the back of the case is text we would usually find on the front and back flaps of a dust jacket. There is a blurb for the book, information about the creators, and reviews for the series. The entire case is varnished.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The color of the title text on the front of the case is replicated on the opening and closing endpapers. Small images of Pupper, Doggo, Cat and pet toys decorate the title, verso, and contents pages. Prior to the beginning of each chapter, there is a large image on the left foreshadowing the chapter highlights with the text on the right.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Throughout the book, the picture sizes vary. We have dramatic double-page pictures followed by colorful single-page visuals. Sometimes, there is a group of smaller images on one page. These different illustration sizes amplify the text. By bringing us close to the activities portrayed, we feel as though we are a part of the story.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">What readers will enjoy most are the facial expressions, body postures, and antics depicted of Doggo, Pupper, and Cat. They are highly animated, leaving no doubt as to their mood at any given moment. Readers will find themselves laughing page after page, sometimes for most of a chapter.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations is actually a group of images. There are six smaller pictures of Pupper doing everything but napping. He is flying with a balloon, ready for a swim with flippers, a tube, and snorkel, zooming on his belly on a skateboard, roller blading, standing on his head and hopping over a lounging Cat, sipping her drink through her striped straw, and Doggo on his back eating popcorn, the bowl on his stomach. This trio is comic and highly entertaining.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Readers will be cheering for these animal friends page after page in <i style="font-weight: bold;">Doggo And Pupper Search For Cozy </i>written by Katherine Applegate with artwork by Charlie Alder. I can only imagine readers will be rereading the first two books again after reading this one and then reading the third book for a second time. We simply don't want to let our favorite friends go. At the close of the book is <i>Cat's Guide to Napping. </i>These ten recommendations are sure to bring on the giggles. You will want at least one copy of this title in your professional collections and one for your personal bookshelves.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To learn more about Katherine Applegate and Charlie Alder and their other work, please visit the websites highlighting them by following the link attached to their names. Katherine Applegate has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/kaaauthor" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kaaauthor/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/kaaauthor" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. Charlie Alder has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/charliealderillustration/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/chuckie346/" target="_blank">Instagram,</a></i> and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/chuckie346" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. At the publisher's website, you can view interior pages to get a glimpse of the fun waiting for you.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A third dose of comedy (and truth as only dogs can tell us) is charming its way into our hearts and minds today. <i style="font-weight: bold;">Fenway And The Loudmouth Bird </i>(<i style="font-weight: bold;">Make Way For Fenway </i><i>series</i>)(<i><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/677134/fenway-and-the-loudmouth-bird-by-victoria-j-coe-illustrated-by-joanne-lew-vriethoff/" target="_blank">Putnam, G. Putnam's Sons</a></i>, April 4, 2023) written by Victoria J. Coe with illustrations by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff is a treasured look in ten chapters at how our canine friends perceive their worlds and us. In this newest early reader, we can see Fenway is learning more with each experience. He is also making us better humans. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajXnUe2il52YxB1VINSiuWCnN1-IN6s4j11CKl4BOHhefZwk69kJqYwWzwxCd6-pm7YqEsuvZUK4CvcRTNndj8fFiCV1gxasvg6bOY6rDZy51X0mg2eDDzQ1qrSMngChuJXqPvcPUXZip8_q56Q4lQr3mla8Bgi9epfF8l0T3rM7uxaXBhbyWGGDI3w/s2396/9780593406977.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2396" data-original-width="1539" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajXnUe2il52YxB1VINSiuWCnN1-IN6s4j11CKl4BOHhefZwk69kJqYwWzwxCd6-pm7YqEsuvZUK4CvcRTNndj8fFiCV1gxasvg6bOY6rDZy51X0mg2eDDzQ1qrSMngChuJXqPvcPUXZip8_q56Q4lQr3mla8Bgi9epfF8l0T3rM7uxaXBhbyWGGDI3w/s320/9780593406977.tiff" width="206" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>1</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>NANA'S</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>As soon as my short human, Hattie,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>opens the car door, I hop outside.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>My ears are perked. My nose is high.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>And my tail is wagging.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>I hear a lawn mower. I smell the</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>faint aromas of coffee, licorice,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>and a little bit of cherry. And I</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>see sidewalks, grass, and rows of </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>buildings.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now that Fenway has assessed his surroundings with his senses, he is delighted to know they are at Hattie's grandmother's home. This always means good things for Fenway. They will play his favorite game, <i>Abracadabra, </i>which involves treats.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Can you imagine Fenway's shock to discover a bird in Nana's home? Birds and squirrels (those nasty sneaks) belong outside. But Merlin is Nana's new feathered friend. To Fenway's chagrin, Merlin can talk human! And everyone is giving this bird their undivided attention. Fenway wants to play the <i>Abracadabra</i> game and get some treats. But wait, the treats are in the car.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As the group heads to the car, Fenway is hopeful, but Fetch Man and Food Lady leave with the treats. Now it's just Nana, Hattie, Fenway and that dratted bird, Merlin. Nana and Hattie play the <i>Abracadabra</i> game with Merlin who now knows how to call out Fenway's name in the you're-in-trouble voice. Fenway decides to turn his attention to the squirrels outside Nana's window. As he barks at them to protect Hattie and Nana, Merline starts squawking out <i>SQUIRRELS! </i>Fenway is wondering if Merline might get that squirrels are not a good thing.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Activities progress on day two, which puzzle Fenway and make Merlin uncomfortable. Fenway is starting to empathize with the bird. The afternoon gets interesting when Hattie and Nana leave the bird and dog alone. Fenway is awakened from a nap by calls from Merlin. The bird is even starting to bark. Yes, you read that right . . . bark. Something has upset the bird and Fenway, as is his purpose, is on the job.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Readers suddenly find themselves cheering even more for the determined little terrier. Will he be able to accomplish this newest feat? Merlin's calling of his name has changed in tone. Is that bird cheering for Fenway, too? When Nana and Hattie return, they are greeted by several surprises. The best one, according to Fenway, is the new words Merlin utters. <i>GIVE FENWAY A TREAT!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">With every book showcasing Fenway, we readers learn more about dogs and their minds and hearts. This is a gift author <b><a href="https://www.victoriajcoe.com/" target="_blank">Victoria J. Coe</a></b> gives to readers with each title. It is easy to understand how Fenway acts and reacts in each situation in this story through narrative, his thoughts, and dialogue. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Each individual, including Fenway, approaches each situation with expectations. When those are altered, adjustments must be made. The results of those adjustments are sometimes surprising and, in this case, highly favorable. Fenway learns a bump in the road can lead to a new pathway, one shared with friends. Here is a passage.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"FEN-way! FEN-way!" comes</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>from the big cage. I hear rustling</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>and jabbing sounds. What a racket!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>I try to ignore him, but it's no</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>use.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"FEN-way! FEN-way!"</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Why does Merlin have to be so</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>loud? It sounds like he's freaking</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>out in the cage. Is he mad at it </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>or something?</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>I get up and trot toward the cage.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"Quiet down, loudmouth!" I bark.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>I watch him flit back and forth and</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>peck the metal bars. He's clearly </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>upset about something. Is he just as</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>sad as I am that Nana and </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Hattie left?</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Nobody looks more surprised than Fenway at the appearance of a parakeet at Nana's house. What's a dog supposed to do when a bird, who is clearly to be outside, is now inside? This bird looks as though it has something to say to Fenway. This image on the front, right side, of the matching dust jacket and book case, will have readers asking all kinds of questions before they start to gobble up the goodness of the story. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To the left of the spine is an introduction to this title, along with thumbnails of the three books in the series. There is also a nod to the original Fenway and Hattie title for older readers. On the title page, Fenway, tail wagging in happiness, greets readers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">These images in black, white, and gray by <b><a href="http://joannelewvriethoff.com/" target="_blank">Joanne Lew-Vriethoff</a> </b>throughout the book on cream-colored canvases convey the best moments in each chapter. We know exactly where Fenway is, who Fenway is with, and what all the characters are feeling. You will be pausing at page turns to study the details. Each illustration is as lively as our favorite Jack Russell terrier. Through these pictures our understanding of Fenway grows stronger. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations is actually a series of three smaller images on two pages. We see Fenway on the hunt for something lost. He is peering around the drapes in Nana's apartment. Then, we see the back portion of him snooping under the drapes. In the final one, all we see is Fenway's nose peeking from under the bottom of the drapes. This is so typical of dogs looking for something, I laughed out loud. They are always led by their super-sniffer noses.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The best part about Fenway is his ability to learn. In this third book in the early reader series, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Fenway And The Loudmouth Bird </i>written by Victoria J. Coe with artwork by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff, Fenway does not falter from his job of protecting his young human Hattie and the older humans around her. But, he, wise dog he is, shows us how friendships can form in the most unlikely of places. You will most definitely want more than one copy of this title on your professional bookshelves and one for your personal collections. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To learn more about Victoria J. Coe and Joanne Lew-Vriethoff and their other work, please take a few minutes to visit their websites by following the link attached to their names. Victoria J. Coe has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/victoriajcoe/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, <i><a href="https://twitter.com/victoriajcoe" target="_blank">Twitter,</a></i> and <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyuCJJpG9m4qTKtCt3AZnzA" target="_blank">YouTube</a></i>. Joanne Lew-Vriethoff has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joannelewvriethoffillustrator/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/joannelewvriethoff/" target="_blank">Instagram,</a></i> and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/jlewvriethoff" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. At the publisher's website, you can read an excerpt from the book plus view the chapter contents.</div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-85751565064846520082023-03-30T14:32:00.000-04:002023-03-30T14:32:40.979-04:00Spreading Sunshine<div style="text-align: left;">By definition, they shelter us from an abundance of rain or sunshine. They are unique by design to fold together when not in use. Sometimes, though, depending on the quality of the ribs and fabric, they may falter in their purpose.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There were many days, windy, wet days in spring and autumn, when on the campus of Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, where umbrellas failed students scurrying from dorm to class, class to class, class to library, and hopefully to the university center. It was like living in a wind tunnel. You would be walking with your umbrella only to have the wind turn it inside out; the ribs breaking like toothpicks.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You would see broken umbrellas stuffed in trash cans, or simply thrown down by frustrated travelers. If you were fortunate, someone with a sturdier device would offer you protection until you reached your destination. Most of us gave up buying new umbrellas after the third purchase. But, quite unexpectedly, these portable canopies will offer us something wildly wonderful when we need it the most. Let's see what happens in <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Umbrella </i>(<i><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-umbrella-beth-ferry?variant=40550204997666" target="_blank">Clarion Books</a></i>, an imprint of <i>HarperCollins Publishers</i>, March 21, 2023) written by Beth Ferry with artwork by Tom Lichtenheld. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxbGaRS-17i8O2b6OPfuUCBC0KIEKa0TTXllNCTCcHZMfbrwluvgud_05W3dtcZohjsgvyVF4148ae7Ggn5PCpzwqZOQnfiTvd2keAK5kqCUeJ2se0OmJH3PW1LE2wdym7Y5SmhjeJ2HZuMVOzkqyweJlF0iUfso5YnvnRhSNvnO9QpW8JCo3ml422fw/s400/The%20umbrella.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxbGaRS-17i8O2b6OPfuUCBC0KIEKa0TTXllNCTCcHZMfbrwluvgud_05W3dtcZohjsgvyVF4148ae7Ggn5PCpzwqZOQnfiTvd2keAK5kqCUeJ2se0OmJH3PW1LE2wdym7Y5SmhjeJ2HZuMVOzkqyweJlF0iUfso5YnvnRhSNvnO9QpW8JCo3ml422fw/s320/The%20umbrella.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><b>Dreary.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>Weary</b></i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Everyone is tired of rain, day after day. The grayness of the outside world is seeping into people's homes, minds, and hearts. Will it ever stop raining?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One small child ventures out with their canine companion. Whatever the weather, dogs need their outside time. They make it to cover under the awning of a neighborhood store. This shop is filled with an eclectic assortment of new and old, familiar and odd items.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Inside one trunk, multiple possibilities are unearthed. The dog discovers an old, seen-better-days yellow umbrella. It is free! As the pair make a mad dash for home in the rainstorm, the umbrella does not survive the wind and rain. To say the child is disappointed is an understatement, but the duo get cozy in bed for the night. And it keeps raining . . . for days.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One morning when the child and pup head outside, they are greeted with a huge surprise. Somethings bloomed where they were planted. A compassionate heart knows what to do with this discovery.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With <b><a href="https://www.bethferry.com/" target="_blank">Beth Ferry</a></b>'s writing we are privy to the power of a single word. The first seven words in this story stand alone, followed by a period. To add to the pacing and the adventures of the pup and child, sometimes words are combined as they move from one point to another. Then, one word at a time, the narrative continues, taking us on a rhyming romp from gray to glad. Her use of alliteration is perfect. Here is a passage.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Dashing.</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Splashing.</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Pitter-patters.</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">The selection of shades of purple and yellow throughout the book, as first seen on the open and matching dust jacket and book case, is a wonderful choice. Complementary and contrasting, they provide depth to each image. On the right side, we see what the child and dog have found in the trunk. What is it exactly? What can it be if we use our imaginations? The rainwater and umbrella are vanished on the jacket.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To the left of the spine, still on a bright white background, is the illustration depicting the dog finding the tattered umbrella in the trunk of the whatnot shop with the child wondering what it is. On the opening endpapers in a muted lavender, vertical dashes of white signify falling rain. The rain creates puddles around a sandbox, itself turning into a pond. A sand shovel is sticking up and a rubber ducky floats in the water. On the closing endpapers, a vibrant yellow covers the pages. The child is calling to the dog as they race over a yellow hill toward a rising sun.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Back at the beginning of the book, the first page turn reveals the verso on the left. In a design genius choice, the rain continues to fall. With a closer look, we see the long drops of rain in white are the dedication and publication information. This is brilliant! To the right, on the title page, the umbrella lays on the floor of the shop.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">These illustrations rendered by <b><a href="https://tomlichtenheld.com/childrens-books/umbrella/" target="_blank">Tom Lichtenheld</a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>in pencil and watercolor on Stonehenge paper with a bit of Photoshop to put it all together</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">contain the right amount of humor and details. Is that someone in a canoe going down the street? Clothed in a raincoat, a weary but hopeful citizen dreams of sunshine while throwing a coin in an overflowing fountain in the square. An insect seeks shelter under a broken branch on a hollow tree trunk. In that hollow trunk, a mother rabbit holds out a paw to check if it is still raining. Her babies huddle under her. Inside the shop, the pup glances up at a painting of a group of dogs. They might be playing poker. Next to that is another Easter egg. (Did I just laugh out loud?)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The expressive looks on all the characters' faces skillfully convey every mood. They are clearly exhausted by this nonstop rainy weather. They long for change and this child and her pup are agents for that change. We can feel this building with every page turn.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite images is a single page illustration. It is when the child and dog make it under the awning over the front of the shop. Graphite and purple hues color the page. A loud <i style="font-weight: bold;">BOOM!! </i>is shown between dark clouds at the top and the roof of the store. <b><i>Thunder!</i></b> in white is embedded in the brick upper story. And <i style="font-weight: bold;">Under! </i>is placed in the doorway. Still on a leash, the dog shakes off the wetness of the rain and the child happily spreads their arms at the success of finding a dry spot. Rain falls around them and puddles on flat surfaces.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This book, <i><b>The Umbrella</b></i> written by Beth Ferry with illustrations by Tom Lichtenheld, is full of delightful revelations. If readers ever think they are too small to make a difference, this dispels that notion. One act by one soul can make a difference. You will want to have a copy of this title in all your collections. This book is one to gift to others often. You also might want to be on the lookout for yellow umbrellas. You never know what can happen with one.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To learn more about Beth Ferry and Tom Lichtenheld and their other work, please access their websites by following the link attached to their names. Tom Lichtenheld has many illustrations from this title at his website. Beth Ferry has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/bethferry1/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i> and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/BethFerry1" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. Tom Lichtenheld has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tlichtenheld/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i> and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/tlichtenheld" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. At the publisher's website, you can view the opening endpapers. You will enjoy this discussion on <i><a href="https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/91808-new-picture-book-the-umbrella-honors-amy-krouse-rosenthal.html" target="_blank">Publishers Weekly</a></i> between the creators about who this book honors.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-20406819661487325172023-03-23T22:21:00.006-04:002023-04-18T18:02:29.954-04:00To The Trees #2<div style="text-align: left;">In a movie about a legendary hero and his band of merry men, when under enemy attack one of the patriotic thieves shouts, <i>To the trees! </i>The trees were a refuge for them and a more strategic vantage point from which to defend themselves. Around the world for centuries, trees equal life for what they supply humans and an array of plants and animals. I wonder how often throughout time those same three words were uttered by other humans or in the language of birds taking a sudden turn in flight to roost in treetops or of squirrels racing over grass and scampering up tree trunks?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Small or tall, the size is of no importance. Standing next to a tree offers, for those open to embracing it, a true sense of solitude and strength. For most of us, they've always been there and hopefully, they always will be. Two recent publications highlight this almost immortal quality of trees. In <i style="font-weight: bold;">Maple & Rosemary </i>(<i><a href="https://holidayhouse.com/book/maple-and-rosemary/" target="_blank">Neal Porter Books, Holiday House</a></i>, February 28, 2023) written by Alison James with illustrations by Jennifer K. Mann readers are witness to a remarkable friendship. In the best, truest friendships, you are never apart, but entwined forever.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInpvOX-xgKpeYfHiJCksIKk7Th30E5RvTtLSGPZiMm9SQJch5zZirgoh7jouRmO041JkBc9J_AiuvMXp406G0s6zz7ubvM-kSkzGbwFHd9Dj5Vq7B4oNYiuFrRi2YsvqTYtb4uo8anlNXOpkFM9ZZ_mhToMmn90JGpselXbSwNtaNYz-xR-yet8Uhqw/s450/Maple%20&n.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="368" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInpvOX-xgKpeYfHiJCksIKk7Th30E5RvTtLSGPZiMm9SQJch5zZirgoh7jouRmO041JkBc9J_AiuvMXp406G0s6zz7ubvM-kSkzGbwFHd9Dj5Vq7B4oNYiuFrRi2YsvqTYtb4uo8anlNXOpkFM9ZZ_mhToMmn90JGpselXbSwNtaNYz-xR-yet8Uhqw/s320/Maple%20&n.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Once there was a tree who was very lonely.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>She was a sugar maple, so she was sweet and lovely</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The evergreens around the sugar maple didn't talk to her because she was different. One day, something out of the ordinary happened. This something climbed into her branches, echoing the maple's feelings of loneliness. The tree spoke, wanting to know who this was and if they would be her friend. Maple the tree met Rosemary the girl.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As the days passed, Rosemary visited her every day after school. They taught each other what they knew about their worlds. As Maple's seeds spun down from her branches, Rosemary planted them. When Rosemary left, they exchanged the same words.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One day Rosemary didn't come. Many seasons passed and Maple was lonely in her absence. Tiny maples sprouted around Maple, but the familiar creatures walked and flew by her without speaking.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Then, in the autumn one year, a young woman came to Maple. It was Rosemary. She was a teacher now at the nearby school. First, she hung a swing from Maple's branches. When Rosemary returned, she brought a group of happy children. She showed them all the wonders around the tree and they laughed and swung on the swing.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Maple grew bigger and taller. Rosemary grew older and shorter. She still visited Maple but now she came alone with her book, reading aloud to the tree. During one of the last times, we see Rosemary visit Maple, she tells Maple something. At first Maple is puzzled, then she realizes the meaning of those words and the power of friendship.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Author <b><a href="https://thealisonjames.com/maple-rosemary/" target="_blank">Alison James</a></b> builds her story on what we know of trees, their endurance and their necessity in the continuance of this planet. She establishes a parallel between a tree and a human, both experiencing their own forms of aloneness. Using a careful blend of narrative and dialogue, we see a lasting friendship evolve. The repetition of similar phrases each time they part, strengthens their bond. What also strengthens their bond is the passage of seasons and the tree's growth. Regardless of their time apart, as it is chronicled, their affection is as strong as ever. Here is a passage.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Maple felt the tug on her branch when Rosemary swung back</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>and forth. Rosemary laughed and laughed. Maple's leaves</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>fluttered with delight.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"You will always have friends when you have a swing,"</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Rosemary said.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"But it is a good friend who makes me a swing," said Maple.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Rendered </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>with pencil, monotype printmaking, collage, and digital paint, </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>all combined in Photoshop</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">the heartwarming, eloquent artwork for this title by <b><a href="http://www.jenniferkmann.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer K. Mann</a> </b>radiates those qualities when we first see them on the open and matching dust jacket and book case. In full color we see Rosemary reading aloud to Maple on the front, right side. Here the title text is varnished in a cheery red.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The trunk and tree branches continue flawlessly over the spine and to the left, on the back. The seasons have changed from spring to winter. Rosemary is now an elder, leaning on the trunk of Maple, her white hair in a bun. She is holding a stick Maple dropped from her branches. It helps her walk. Readers will see a red fox watching in the meadow as an owl takes flight. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The opening and closing endpapers are autumn orange. On the initial title page, rows of evergreens stretch across the top. The field is filled with snow. Maple stands in the foreground. Between her branches, the fox walks through the snow to the right. On the formal title page, we are brought close to the fox amid the snow and dried out Queen Anne's Lace stems. In the distance the owl flies through a wintery sky hanging over a nearby pond.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">These visuals span two pages, full pages, square-like shapes in groups of four, six, and sixteen on a page and two and three vertical pictures on a page. The sizes of these illustrations and their varying perspectives enhance the text and the pacing. They fashion an inescapable emotional mood within the passage of a lifetime. They capture the beauty of each season. The fine details in each scene are not fragile but as strong as this relationship. Readers will be looking in each setting for the fox, owl, and robin.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations is a double-page picture. It is winter. Rosemary and her students are under the bare branches of Maple, looking up. They are waving goodbye to her. Maple's trunk is on the left and the branches, dark gray and snowy, spread to and along the top, left and right sides, and to the bottom of the left side. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of the things we need to remember as humans is to maintain a connection to the living things outside our homes, especially trees. <i><b>Maple & Rosemary</b></i> written by Alison James with artwork by Jennifer K. Mann is a wonderful observation on the natural world and how to establish respect and affection for it. This story defines friendship in a way you will remember long after the covers of this book are closed. I highly recommend this title for your personal and professional collections.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To learn more about Alison James and Jennifer K. Mann and their other work, please visit their websites by following the link attached to their names. Alison James has artwork for you to view from this title on her website. Alison James has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/thealisonjames" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i> and <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thealisonjames/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>. Jennifer K. Mann has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.k.mann1" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jen_k_mann/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/Jennifer_K_Mann" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. You can view the title pages at <i><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/714391/maple-and-rosemary-by-by-alison-james-illustrated-by-jennifer-k-mann/" target="_blank">Penguin Random House</a></i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In his newest, expansive wordless endeavor, author illustrator Aaron Becker presents possibilities. He asks us to examine our beliefs on the relationship between the natural world and humans' place in it. In this gorgeous, highly detailed presentation of the passage of time, <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Tree and the River </i>(<i>Candlewick Press</i>, March 14, 2023), we take a journey unlike any other.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qtIupSzs0V7ZCKKIjPR-UduLmfynuTkNHZf8SQDL3o8pKrOffFhXl3G1UrX5Op_6A0H6__fx31ZmgVcbL2KFqr4aPyegZWuyY3jjbUKr1E_Z7g21QywAHbB43ZYrwQgT0zHG59P-gtPg8NRTjQ6wk3faENJ_yTOWfjodQkhRbEmB0EmIUFeSavIwLA/s3267/9781536223293.tiff" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2929" data-original-width="3267" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qtIupSzs0V7ZCKKIjPR-UduLmfynuTkNHZf8SQDL3o8pKrOffFhXl3G1UrX5Op_6A0H6__fx31ZmgVcbL2KFqr4aPyegZWuyY3jjbUKr1E_Z7g21QywAHbB43ZYrwQgT0zHG59P-gtPg8NRTjQ6wk3faENJ_yTOWfjodQkhRbEmB0EmIUFeSavIwLA/s320/9781536223293.tiff" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the beginning, there is the river, winding through tree and shrub studded meadows. Our attention is drawn to one particular tree, situated on land as the river wraps around it. With a page turn, our view of that area widens. A large farm is being constructed of wood on the shore opposite the tree. We can see the river wind behind this farm and curve to a large ridge of mountains.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We are next brought in closer as the agricultural buildings are expanding and growing in size. A mill has harnessed the water of the river for its use. There are more people, adults and children.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Two distinct societies seem to be forming on either side of the river. On the original side the structures are sturdier and more industrial. Across the river, this community seems to adhere to the more natural materials and farming. As pages are turned, there are more and more people, and the modes of transportation are changing. The buildings are crowding out the land. Walls are built. The two societies are preparing for war.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When we next turn the page, an entire new civilization is before us, perhaps a blend of the two previous peoples and their societies. The river has been redirected. Then, we see airships and motor vehicles. Animals are no longer used for transportation. Lights shine from windows at night. (The landscape scenes are becoming more like steampunk.) Then, there appear motor vehicles more like automobiles on streets with tree-lined avenues and more individual homes. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With each page turn now, there are drastic differences. We go from a space-like scenario to one of flooding and devastation with people only moving about in boats. The tree is a skeleton of its former self. Soon, there is no sign of human life. It is now that Aaron Becker shifts our view of his narrative. He takes us very close to the tree. Something remarkable is occurring.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Rendered </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>in pencil, gouache, and digital paint</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">the luminescent, intricate artwork begins on the open dust jacket and open book case. On the first, we see a pastoral setting with the tree and the river. Take note though of the reflections in the water. They foreshadow a possible future. The title text is varnished on the jacket. To the left of the spine on a deep cornflower blue canvas is just the tree. Beneath its branches, a single musician sits and strums an instrument.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the book case, the image is the same on the left side, the back. The background is now a deep purple. This corresponds to what we see on the right side, the front. It is a close up of the tree and the river with a highly advanced society in the background. The color palette is in shades of purple with glowing lights in the buildings. This is set against a red, orange, and yellow sky. An airship floats above a bridge. This image seems to portray yet another possibility.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The opening and closing endpapers are in two shades of purple. They show a bird's eye view of the river winding through the natural, untouched landscape, like the rendering of a landscape architect. For the title page, the tree and river are depicted on a single page, close to readers. With the next page turn, we begin. Tucked in the lower, left-hand corner is the publication information. There is also something tucked into the scenery on the far-left side. What is <b><a href="https://www.storybreathing.com/" target="_blank">Aaron Becker</a></b> trying to tell us?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Readers need to pause at each page turn to study the landscape, the architecture, and the people. How are they changing their natural surroundings? What advances in their lives have they made? Are these beneficial to the land? Watch how the air becomes different. How does the color palette shift with the altering landscape?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations of these double-page pictures is the one between the steampunk setting and the too bright, too busy nearly space-like community. For this image Aaron Becker uses hues of purple and rust and pink. Behind the river is a collection of buildings featuring advanced but not too industrial buildings. There are aqueducts and bridges over bends in the river, which is flowing freely, now. Vehicles similar to cars move on those aqueducts and bridges. A boat floats down the river. There are bicycle riders and a person walking their dog. Neighbors chat in front of single-family homes. There is an effort to landscape with trees and shrubs. In the rosy-skied distance, a plane is either landing or taking off.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This book, <b><i>The Tree and the River</i></b> written and illustrated by Aaron Becker, is a marvelous glimpse into the past, present, and future. It is filled with opportunities for us to question what we believe and to discuss this with others. Every time I read it; I find something new. This title will be read over and over. You will want at least one copy on your personal bookshelves and multiple copies in your professional collections.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To discover more about Aaron Becker and his other work, please access his website by following the link attached to his name. On his website is the <b><a href="https://www.storybreathing.com/the-tree-and-the-river/" target="_blank">book trailer and a process video</a></b>. Aaron Becker has accounts on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aaronbeckerillustration" target="_blank"><i>Facebook</i></a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/storybreathing/" target="_blank"><i>Instagram</i></a>, <a href="https://vimeo.com/aaronbecker" target="_blank"><i>Vimeo</i></a>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/storybreathing" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. Aaron Becker has written a guest post at the <i><a href="https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2023/03/15/on-visual-learners-by-aaron-becker/" target="_blank">Nerdy Book Club</a></i> reflecting on visual learners. You can view an interior image at the publisher's website. At <i><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/724422/the-tree-and-the-river-by-aaron-becker-illustrated-by-aaron-becker/" target="_blank">Penguin Random House</a></i>, you can view the title page and the first few page turns. At <i><a href="https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/2023/03/aaron-becker-discusses-the-tree-and-the-river" target="_blank">The Children's Book Review, The Growing Readers Podcast</a></i>, you can listen to Aaron Becker chat about this book.</div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-53972136229670828712023-03-18T21:53:00.019-04:002023-04-03T20:17:58.785-04:00Coming Home . . .<p>For many of us entering a library, whether it's for the public, a school or even our personal collections, it supplies us with a sense of homecoming. In this space, an infinite number of stories are housed. They enrich and enlarge our imaginations. Through them we travel into the past, present, and future with greater understanding and compassion. These stories give us answers to questions while leading us to more discoveries and answers we didn't even know we desired. Armed with the truths they provide, our knowledge of our planet and its inhabitants, plant and animal, grows. Not only does our knowledge grow but so does our admiration for the complexity of intertwined systems functioning every second of every day.</p><p>For those of us who have spent most of our adult lives serving patrons of all ages in libraries, we are witness to the remarkable moments when readers are connected to the story they need or want. We not only listen to them with our minds, but also our hearts. This is how bridges are built between books and readers. When that bridge is built, when that connection is forged, something nearly indescribable happens. We see it in their eyes, their demeanor, and their body posture. It is joy. This joy is wonderfully expressed in words by John Schu and in artwork by Lauren Castillo in their first collaboration, <i style="font-weight: bold;">This Is A Story </i>(<i><a href="https://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?browse=Title&mode=book&isbn=1536204528&pix=y" target="_blank">Candlewick Press</a></i>, March 14, 2023). This book shows us the power of story, our stories and the stories of others.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwC47FwnjVAveNuAlaYlLmX0Y2lWuBvFEOAQAwGk8q2rOGzSZi9piupq0TVDzDhqLZemSzrYhNw40JquYMXHAeKVae_pEuoqBjFxlvjmQb-BkpuSsPzlN75eD8H99ivUlbkobsje_0d5wLE7IyigPiHPY8wf0WpuqZshxC_o2osM_VfciFtgRY-E266Q/s648/This%20is%20a%20story.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="648" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwC47FwnjVAveNuAlaYlLmX0Y2lWuBvFEOAQAwGk8q2rOGzSZi9piupq0TVDzDhqLZemSzrYhNw40JquYMXHAeKVae_pEuoqBjFxlvjmQb-BkpuSsPzlN75eD8H99ivUlbkobsje_0d5wLE7IyigPiHPY8wf0WpuqZshxC_o2osM_VfciFtgRY-E266Q/s320/This%20is%20a%20story.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><i>This is a word.</i></p><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>SEA</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">That word, sea, is then shown on a page, a page within a book. That book is one of many on a shelf. It is waiting on one of many shelves in a library. (We are beginning small and keep seeing a larger view.) When we step back farther, there are people in a city, a city with that library.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Some of the people in the city are traveling to the library, seeking help, help in finding answers. That book, one of many on a shelf of many shelves, is given to a child by a librarian. So begins the reading. So begins a special connection.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There are other readers here, finding what they need and finding what they want. In the pages of the books they read, their minds keep stepping back, (like we do in the beginning of this story) enlarging what is known, imagined, and hoped. Each of these readers have something else, a valuable something else . . . hearts. Their hearts will increase in their ability to make connections in the books they are reading and in every facet of their lives.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Walking through the doors of a library is walking into a</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>world of reading.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Like most seeds, this world starts with the tiniest thing and the youngest person. An early interest is nurtured and encouraged to flourish. It is nurtured and encouraged to flourish through a story. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With intention author <b><a href="https://www.johnschu.com/" target="_blank">John Schu</a></b> builds his narrative, his poem, from a single word. He takes us on a journey with that word until the book with that word is placed in the hands of a child by the librarian. Word, book, reader, and story create an unbreakable and lasting link.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We go from that single reader to other readers, who similarly have <i>questions, ideas, hopes, imaginations </i>that can blossom without limits through reading. John Schu, then, takes us back to the beginning. It is here the idea of starting small is reinforced. Word by word, they are strung together to give us a story. The final sentence he writes will resonate with every reader and every person who has brought a story to a reader. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">(The text in this book is very precise. At this point I usually supply readers with a passage from the book, but I will not here. I do not want to diminish anyone's experience in reading this title.) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For every time I have seen a child hug a book, or every time I have hugged a book, for the sheer happiness that book brings, the visual on the front, right side of the matching dust jacket and book case, is pure perfection. This is STORY. The colors around the child radiate warmth. Along the bottom they mirror her love of the sea and sea horses. Her eyes are closed because that is what we do when we are overwhelmed by the joy in a moment.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To the left of the spine on a white background, the girl is carrying an armload of books, followed by her little brother. He is carrying his beloved stuffed toy cat. This is a nod to author John Schu's cat, Lou Grant.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When the jacket is removed from the case, readers get a larger glimpse of the meticulous care and exquisite details artist <b><a href="http://www.laurencastillo.com/" target="_blank">Lauren Castillo</a></b> brings to this book. On the underside of the jacket are eleven children, from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, seated in a semi-circle reading. Our sea horse-loving girl is included. For nearly all the books, we can see enough of the jackets and cases to recognize the titles. (At this point, you might want to get your magnifying glass and start making a list of titles. I did.) One of the boys is wearing a yarmulke. Another child has a hearing aid. In bright red under this array of readers are the words <i>HAPPY, HAPPY READING!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">That same red covers the opening and closing endpapers. On the title page is an intimate scene of the little girl's father giving her a library card. For the dedication page, Lauren Castillo has created a double-page view of the father carrying his son down the stairs of their home. A cat looks out the window. Ahead of them on the sidewalk, the little girl walks carrying a sea horse kite and striped bag.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A pure white page supplies the space for the first sentence, opposite a wash of blue green for the word, </div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>SEA</i>. Each illustration in this title was rendered</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>in ink, watercolor, and pastel</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p>They are single-page pictures and glorious two-page visuals. We are brought as close as possible to each setting, giving us a personal, participatory experience. For the words,</p><p><i>This is a book on a shelf . . .</i></p><div style="text-align: left;">we see the book that is the focus of the first portion of this title. It is shelved with other like books, many which we can identify. (Readers will see friends here on this shelf, too.) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Just like the words of John Schu, Lauren Castillo's artwork begins small, growing and increasing our view until a double-page wordless picture features the front of the library. When we step inside that library with the girl, her father, and brother, we might gasp. Not only is a librarian looking like John Schu standing there, but along the top of the shelves are books we know and love. Again, the artwork enhances the words to the point where we believe we are there in every moment written and illustrated. With each page turn, readers are shown with or around books we have read and enjoyed. (I started to cry in the visual of a child reading the <i>One and Only Ivan</i>. Here Lauren Castillo has placed elements from the books above the readers' heads.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations is a double-page picture. Across the top hangs a series of colorful pennants. On the right side in the background, in shades of golden orange, are three adjoining shelves outlined in darker lines. In front of them, the librarian is squatting down to be at the level of the girl. In his hands he holds the book about sea horses. The child is reaching toward it, knowing he is</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>connecting</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">her to what she wants and needs. To the right of them on the floor is the sea horse kite, its string wound around a spool. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Love of story, books, reading, readers, authors, illustrators, librarians, and libraries is tucked into every page of <b><i>This Is A Story</i></b> written by John Schu with artwork by Lauren Castillo. Like the child on the front of the jacket and case, readers will finish this book and hug it close. It is most definitely a heartprint book. It invites discussions about story, books, reading, readers, authors, illustrators, librarians, libraries, and favorite books. I can't imagine a professional or personal library without a copy on its shelves.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To discover more about John Schu and Lauren Castillo and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their websites. At John Schu's website are two videos about this title. John Schu has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/schujohn" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mrschureads/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/MrSchuReads" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. Lauren Castillo has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/laurencastillo" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/studiocastillo/" target="_blank">Instagram,</a></i> <i><a href="https://twitter.com/studiocastillo" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>, <i><a href="https://vimeo.com/laurencastillo" target="_blank">Vimeo</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/LaurenCastilloBooks" target="_blank">YouTube</a></i>. The cover is revealed by author, blogger, and teacher librarian Travis Jonker on <a href="https://100scopenotes.com/2022/08/16/exclusive-cover-reveal-this-is-a-story-by-john-schu-and-lauren-castillo/" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">School Library Journal, 100 Scope Notes</a>, including a chat with the creators. Through the publisher, author, podcaster, and fifth grade teacher Colby Sharp has prepared a <i><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mfT3Cu5As9GFBXQjF-wkxRORNyvMBWRG/view" target="_blank">Teacher's Guide</a></i>. At <i><a href="https://sites.libsyn.com/455388/this-is-a-story-with-john-schu-and-lauren-castillo">The Children's Book Podcast</a></i>, author John Schu and artist Lauren Castillo chat with Matthew Winner about this title. At the publisher's website, you can view an interior image. At <i><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/724406/this-is-a-story-by-john-schu-illustrated-by-lauren-castillo/" target="_blank">Penguin Random House</a></i>, you can view a series of interior visuals.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">UPDATE: Author <b><a href="https://www.erindealey.com/book-birthday/7-qs-with-john-schu-this-is-a-story-this-is-a-bookbirthday/" target="_blank">Erin Dealey</a></b> hosts John Schu on her blog with a seven-question series about this book.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nuRckrsc2S8" title="YouTube video player" width="500"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="810" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfrGYUvMu4MPBdr0NSIfR82rQgXzJfkp7AgfBOQ6WBHvj3t_A/viewform?embedded=true" width="500">Loading…</iframe>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-78163401211819636442023-03-16T16:50:00.000-04:002023-03-16T16:50:08.916-04:00Maternal Marvels<p>With mothers, the best approach is to expect the unexpected, especially concerning their offspring. Mothers are a study in contrasts. They may be calm one minute as nurturers and fierce in the next moment as protectors. They may choose to ignore you or chase you depending on the threat you pose. They know when to keep their children close and when to set them free. </p><div style="text-align: left;">They are master pretenders, architects, providers, healers, and transporters. Authors Heather Lang and Jamie Harper have collaborated to provide readers with the inside scoop on marvelous mothers in <b><i>Supermoms!: Animal Heroes</i></b> (<i><a href="https://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?mode=book&isbn=1536231835&browse=Illustrator" target="_blank">Candlewick Press</a></i>, March 7, 2023) with artwork by Jamie Harper. These creatures perform remarkable feats to supply the best possible life for their children for as long as necessary.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVnM1o0TQ6BSsXplYWYi7uO_X8nuUxMGK8rtC_y_NkV_0kUhMESaxkP_FDUrcZ7jdlswFpkgrcY4Gq446KFmwFyZerWJny9Jzu_EdSsTYfUNs2lQkVlLjsE084sGca1d10J3rFS9PIe9qC4ohmV3mXh62JsinRrp5QNQ-P3OAUygVRx2UzREgzM_x0g/s700/Supermoms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><b><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="700" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVnM1o0TQ6BSsXplYWYi7uO_X8nuUxMGK8rtC_y_NkV_0kUhMESaxkP_FDUrcZ7jdlswFpkgrcY4Gq446KFmwFyZerWJny9Jzu_EdSsTYfUNs2lQkVlLjsE084sGca1d10J3rFS9PIe9qC4ohmV3mXh62JsinRrp5QNQ-P3OAUygVRx2UzREgzM_x0g/s320/Supermoms.jpg" width="320" /></b></i></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Supermoms are everywhere. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Regardless of their species, size, shape or color, mothers are on the job all day and all night. You'll be surprised at the design ingenuity groundhog moms employ in housing their young. An underground bathroom?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Did you know emperor penguin females leave for up to two months to get food for their chicks? Some mothers like the bearded capuchin monkey even feed other monkey babies that are orphaned. There's nothing quite as strange or amazing as how moms transport their littles. Baby alligators hitch a ride inside their mother's mouths to the water.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Some mothers move their charges repeatedly to keep them safe. There is no use giving a predator a head's up by staying in the same place. Other moms along with female family members can build a wall of bodies around a calf to protect them. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>BUMS</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>TOGETHER,</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>LADIES!</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Have you ever seen a bird pretend to have a broken wing to keep enemies away from a nest?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Animal mothers know every day is an opportunity to teach their children to survive and flourish. Sea sponges are placed on the end of bottlenose dolphins so they can get food from the bottom of the ocean floor without injuring themselves. You will never guess how many years an orangutan mom teaches their children to get food, select items to use as tools, and to make their beds in the tops of trees. Supermoms all around the world are everything the word implies.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Authors <b><a href="https://www.jamieharper.com/" target="_blank">Jamie Harper</a></b> and <b><a href="https://www.heatherlangbooks.com/" target="_blank">Heather Lang</a> </b>filled this title with facts and fun. For each of five supermom specialties, they highlighted at least three animals for a total of eighteen creatures featured. The fun is added in all the commentary by the youngsters and their mothers shown in speech bubbles. For example, a red-knobbed hornbill mother uses mud and poop to stuff the entrance to the nest to protect her eggs and chicks. This is what we read in the commentary.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>P. U.!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Some fresh air</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>would be nice.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Or a fan.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Using traditional and digital collage </i><b>Jamie Harper</b> begins to entertain, engage, and educate readers on the open and matching dust jacket and book case. Not only do we see the giraffe mom doing what she does best to protect her young, (They really do kick.) but other animals are supplying us with alliterative comments as well as the younger giraffe. These full-color illustrations here, placed in panels, are a preview of the artwork throughout the book. A variety of sizes of panels is used. On the jacket, the panels are varnished.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To the left of the spine, on the back, using the same polka-dotted green canvas, we read the words in yellow,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>MEET THE SHINING STARS</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Above the words are three animal moms bursting forth from a cloud of orange and a yellow and blue-dotted star. Their facial looks are determined, and their stances are definitely heroic.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The opening endpapers are two tones of a gold-dotted pattern with darker and larger golden spaces. On the closing endpapers is a green background with white dots and darker and larger green spaces. These could easily be the replication of skins of animals. On a crisp white background, three animal children are commenting about an animal flying over their heads. This is the two pages for the title page information.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With a page turn, a two-page image greets readers. Here all eighteen of the moms are spread across yellow rays shooting across both pages. It is as if we are reading a superhero comic. This is followed by a series of illustrations ranging in sizes from two pages to two smaller panels on a page and to a full-page visual. Sometimes there are three panels to a page. The collection and combination of panels may be squares and/or rectangles, vertically or horizontally placed.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">All the animals are lively, portrayed with typical characteristics and others are exaggerated to enhance their remarks. These creatures are placed in appropriate environments. At times we are given a more wide-angle view of their lives and other times, we are brought closer to them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations is a two-page picture. On a ruddy background, from a slightly bird's-eye view, across most of the two pages, nine large female elephants have formed a tight circle around a baby elephant. They are facing outward, trunks raised. In the left-hand, lower corner a female lioness is rethinking her objective. One of two birds on the back of one of the elephants says,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Poor guy . . .</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">The young elephant with huge, open eyes says,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Is this really necessary?</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">When laughter and fun are attached to learning, that learning tends to be remembered. <i style="font-weight: bold;">Supermoms!: Animal Heroes </i>written by Heather Lang and Jamie Harper with illustrations by Jamie Harper does both superbly. At the close of the book, two pages are dedicated to providing further information about the superpowers of each of the eighteen animals. These extra facts are certain to promote more study. On another page are lists of children's books, online resources, audiovisual resources, authors' websites, and acknowledgements.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To learn more about Heather Lang and Jamie Harper and their other work, please access their websites by following the link attached to their names. There are a lot of extra resources for this title at Heather Lang's website. Heather Lang has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/heather.b.lang" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/heatherlangbooks/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/hblang" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. Jamie Harper has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/JamieHarperBooks/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jamieharperillustrator/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/jharper_art" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. At <i><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/724645/supermoms-animal-heroes-by-heather-lang-and-jamie-harper-illustrated-by-jamie-harper/" target="_blank">Penguin Random House</a></i>, you can view interior images.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-32029300248997187742023-03-14T18:57:00.000-04:002023-03-14T18:57:53.069-04:00Taking A Moment<p>Sometimes, we forget to look beyond ourselves. We fail to seek what might be hidden from our immediate viewpoint. In these situations, one of the best alternatives is to step outside and embrace what the outdoors might offer. If you are fortunate, take your canine companion with you. They give new meaning to a <i>walk on the wild side</i> with all their senses on high alert.</p><div style="text-align: left;">More times than not, they suddenly stop. It's in these moments our outlook shifts. We see, hear, or smell something we might otherwise miss. <i style="font-weight: bold;">Beneath </i>(<i><a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/cori-doerrfeld/beneath/9780316312264/" target="_blank">Little, Brown and Company</a>,</i> January 17, 2023) written and illustrated by Cori Doerrfeld is about looking with new eyes. It is about opening up our minds and hearts in order to understand the wholeness of someone or something. This is when we are our best selves. This is when life is richer and larger.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGpanxA3iYCROZCYtjF8oEPEbwm4Jxr_deUCoQ0k0-p4_pVaSGGLb6gvRDanl4TXXFc1dWMPRy888YkLcXGyhBk25qeED5XS_0ggIaagO_-mVA_fuhYhz-w3sdsaYUutWtfdipsSRIlMVwU1WpgsjZkXM2uEpkacyFncHKcSN4h0TMG8q7rJYrat8ZzA/s400/Beneath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="311" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGpanxA3iYCROZCYtjF8oEPEbwm4Jxr_deUCoQ0k0-p4_pVaSGGLb6gvRDanl4TXXFc1dWMPRy888YkLcXGyhBk25qeED5XS_0ggIaagO_-mVA_fuhYhz-w3sdsaYUutWtfdipsSRIlMVwU1WpgsjZkXM2uEpkacyFncHKcSN4h0TMG8q7rJYrat8ZzA/s320/Beneath.jpg" width="249" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Finn was in a horrible mood.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Grandpa wanted to talk about it.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">When you are in a horrible mood, talking is the last thing you want to do, and Finn was no different. Grandpa suggested they take a walk. Finn agreed, reluctantly, as long as staying under the quilt was an option.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is when Grandpa suggested that even though Finn was hidden, he would remember what he could not see. Walking among the trees, Finn listened as Grandpa explained there was as much underground as there was above ground.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It was the same for a boat they saw floating on the calm water. What was moving underneath that boat? At times, we can make a guess as to what we cannot see, but sometimes we wonder what is being seen, heard or smelled by another animal. Why are they doing what they are doing? Why is the fox's nose pointed toward a hole in the ground?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">What we see on the outside is only a portion of what might be happening on the inside. This is true for plants, animals, and humans. (Do you think it's true for other things like the moon, planets, and stars?) Last season's leaves are dying, but beneath them new shoots are sprouting. As daylight turns to dusk and the moon rises, Grandpa offers his final <i>beneath </i>words. We know Finn tucks these away like the treasure they are because of the reply given. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As you read these words penned by <b><a href="https://www.coridoerrfeld.com/" target="_blank">Cori Doerrfeld</a></b>, one of the first things you think of is how wonderful it would be to have walked with Finn and Grandpa. And then, with gratitude, you realize that every time you open the covers of this book, you are there with them on that walk. We can read their heartfelt and sincere conversations, ponder what they are saying, and wonder about all the <i>beneaths</i> in our world.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With the exception of a few sentences, this entire story is told in dialogue. This helps readers to connect with Grandpa and Finn on a personal level. Here is a passage.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"And people?" Finn wanted to know. </i>(page turn)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"Of course!" Grandpa answered.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"Everyone is more than what you see.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"Beneath appearances</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>are experiences. </i> . . .</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Using <i>digital paint</i>, Cori Doerrfeld created the images for this title beginning with the open dust jacket. Here, on the front, Finn is strolling through the forest, using the beloved quilt as a hooded coat. Moss speckles tree trunks as a squirrel and blue jay move and rest above ground. Beneath Finn's feet is another world of tunnels for chipmunks, a mouse, and food. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The illustration moves flawlessly over the spine to continue on the back of the jacket. The tunnels underground continue as homes and pathways for mice, chipmunks and a frog. Above them, Grandpa travels between the trees with his walking stick.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the book case, the seasons have passed. It is now winter. On the right side, the front, Finn, happily, with open arms is turning to speak with companions. Behind Finn, are Grandpa and Gramma, holding hands on the left side. This time Gramma is holding the walking stick. Snow frosts the surroundings and blankets the ground.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the opening endpapers is a close-up of a portion of Finn's quilt. We can see the patterns and prints in the squares. They contain items from the outdoors in bright, cheerful colors. On the closing endpapers is the underside of the quilt in squares of blue. On the left in several of the squares is what we would normally see on the verso page. On one of the squares in the lower, right-hand corner is a hand-stitched message. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>to Finn</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>(heart-shape)</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Gramma</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">The pictorial story begins on the title page with a double-page visual. Beneath a wedding picture of grandfather and grandmother is a sewing machine. Grandpa is peeking into the bedroom. Finn is a bump on the bed, totally covered by the quilt. Through the subsequent double-page and full-page pictures from various perspectives with cut-aways, Grandpa's and Finn's conversations are brought to life.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As they move through the forest, Finn starts to uncover more and more from the quilt. When Finn asks Grandpa to keep walking, the quilt is removed and wrapped around Grandpa's shoulders. In the final scene, as they are seated under the stars, they are wrapped together in the quilt.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The facial features on Finn, Grandpa, and the other characters will engage readers. The details in each scene ask us to pause and think like Finn. What exactly is beneath us and others at any one time?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations is a two-page picture. On the left side, Grandpa and Finn are looking up as we look down at them. They are placed between a leafy branch and leaves along the top. On the right side, close to us, is a bird sitting on a nest snug among another kind of tree and its branches. In a cutaway, we see four tiny eggs in the nest. (The bird might be a cardinal or a cedar waxwing.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">All of us can use a hug when the wrong sort of mood moves into our day. This book, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Beneath </i>written and illustrated by Cori Doerrfeld, is exactly the kind of hug we need. It asks us to rethink our mood and appreciate that which we cannot see. This title is certain to promote discussions about our relationships to each other and the world around us. I highly recommend you place a copy in your professional and personal collections. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To learn more about Cori Doerrfeld and her other work, please visit her website by following the link attached to her name. Cori Doerrfeld has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/coridoerrfeld/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/coridoerrfeld/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/CoriDoerrfeld" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. At the publisher's website, Victoria Stapleton talks in a video with Cori Doerrfeld about her artwork in this title. </div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-45289233092034956272023-03-12T17:19:00.000-04:002023-03-12T17:19:05.263-04:00There's Magic In The Melody<p>We are time travelers when notes from a certain song reach our ears. Those notes take us back to people, places, and events. We remember where we were, who we were with, and how those songs were sung or played for us. In this respect, music is magic. It is everywhere if we listen.</p><div style="text-align: left;">It whistles through the masts of "on the hard" sailboats in winter. It splashes on the sandy shore when waves roll across the lake. It floats from branch to branch when chickadees and cardinals call to each other in the morning. For this reason, music is a bridge, too, between us and what surrounds us daily as well as to our past. <i style="font-weight: bold;">Bravo, Little Bird! </i>(<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Bravo-Little-Bird!/Annie-Silvestro/9781665906920" target="_blank"><i>A Paula Wiseman Book</i>, <i>Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers</i></a>, February 21, 2023) written by Annie Silvestro with artwork by Ramona Kaulitzki is the heartwarming story of an old man and the bond his music makes with a bird. Their relationship transcends death in a truly beautiful tribute to the power of music, family, and friendship.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_e2THH04S_-RsUQMXLoaEDxA41C0royqFCswueoQpDXvj7l_FuN-GR4ig7cSMi-KY0XgIsSwnL1EftcUM-K5pSanDQ8j3jffbFhDeeEYInCMII-FLk0sdYRVwUYZw0k-r5v0JGSRdl4ayj_pOMeEvan53-njnt8ivIWksCzHyIfP_RfVml5fiR6ibuQ/s400/bravo-little-bird-9781665906920_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="329" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_e2THH04S_-RsUQMXLoaEDxA41C0royqFCswueoQpDXvj7l_FuN-GR4ig7cSMi-KY0XgIsSwnL1EftcUM-K5pSanDQ8j3jffbFhDeeEYInCMII-FLk0sdYRVwUYZw0k-r5v0JGSRdl4ayj_pOMeEvan53-njnt8ivIWksCzHyIfP_RfVml5fiR6ibuQ/s320/bravo-little-bird-9781665906920_lg.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The old man and his wife lived high on a hill. Each</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>day, notes from the old man's piano drifted out the</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>window, down the hill, and into the valley below.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A small bird, Little Bird, heard every note. Those notes lead her from the valley to the old man's window. She built her nest outside that window. Soon Little Bird joined the old man in making music. The old man exclaimed,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Bravo, Little Bird!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Each day Little Bird would serenade the old man playing on his piano as the old woman painted next to her husband. Before long, a boy, the couple's grandson, came for a visit. When introduced to him, Little Bird sang a celebratory tune.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The house on the hill was filled with melodies as the grandson learned everything he could about making music from his grandfather. Little Bird warbled and the old woman hummed along. Where do you think all this music went? It whirled around on currents of air, winding down to the valley.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">During this time, Little Bird had three babies, the boy grew bigger, and the old man grew older. The boy played the piano in his grandfather's place as Little Bird and her babies sang. One morning there was no music except for a single sorrow-filled note by Little Bird. Little Bird, her babies, the boy and his grandmother simply did not have the heart for making music.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Down in the valley, a cardinal missed the music. Traveling to the hilltop, the cardinal heard from Little Bird about what happened. Curious from this encounter, Little Bird flew to the valley. What she heard there, gave her an idea. In the evening, the boy and his grandmother stepped outside, hearing a symphony of sound, all the music, all the songs, previously played by the old man. It was enchanting! (Who do you think made that music?)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Like your favorite pleasant place or cozy comforter, the words in this story penned by <b><a href="http://www.anniesilvestro.com/" target="_blank">Annie Silvestro</a></b> wrap around you and send your soul soaring. She uses alliterative word combinations and repeating phrases to fashion a welcoming cadence. Whenever an individual masters a musical melody, the word </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Bravo</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">is used as praise and encouragement. The right amount of dialogue is blended into the narrative to make the story more intimate for readers. Here is a passage.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The old man played joyful, jolly music.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Sad, soulful music.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Beautiful, bountiful, breathtaking music.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>All the while the old woman listened</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>and hummed as she painted beside him.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the right side, the front of the open and matching dust jacket and book case, we see Little Bird, the boy and his grandfather. They are enveloped in a swirl of musical notes, one of the many songs played by Grandfather on his piano. One man, an old man, and his music reshaped the hearts of the residents of the hillside and valley. As this image suggests, it began with Little Bird and the boy. The title text is raised to the touch and embossed in foil.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To the left of the spine, a smaller circular illustration is placed on a canvas of palest green, almost a cream. It is of the boy with outstretched arms, dancing. Little Bird's babies fly and sing around him. The background in the circular picture is a pale green.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A sky-blue hue covers the opening and closing endpapers. On the initial title page, Little Bird sings a melody which loops around the title text. On the formal title page, verso and dedication pages, musical notes dip and wrap around the text. They come from a song being played by Grandfather on his piano on the right page of the two pages.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">These visuals by <a href="https://www.ramonakaulitzkiart.com/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Ramona Kaulitzki</a>, </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>rendered digitally in Photoshop</i>,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">span two pages or full pages, edge to edge or surrounded by liberal amounts of white space. They are highly animated, uplifting, and feature a merry mix of human and animal residents of the valley. Readers will pause after page turns to notice all the delicate details.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One thing which I find comforting and intentional is the clothing worn by the old man, the old woman, and their grandson. It does not change throughout the book. Neither does that of the other residents in the valley. I believe this brings the humans closer to the showcased animals who do not change their feathers or fur.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations is a full-page picture placed on a crisp white canvas. Little Bird is poised at the top of the pages singing. Notes loop from her, go around the old man playing at his piano on the right, and the old woman, painting toward the bottom of the page under Little Bird. The old woman is painting a picture of Little Bird on a leafy branch. Each of these individuals is content and happy.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We can never have enough hope in our lives. Hope is held in the pages of <i style="font-weight: bold;">Bravo, Little Bird! </i>written by Annie Silvestro with illustrations by Ramona Kaulitzki. In this title, hope is carried on the notes of shared music. Use this book for a study on the power of music to weave stories, stories that never end. It should have a place on your personal and professional bookshelves.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To discover more about Annie Silvestro and Ramona Kaulitzki and their other work, please access their websites by following the link attached to their names. Annie Silvestro has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/annie.silvestro" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/anniesilvestro/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/anniesilvestro" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. Ramona Kaulitzki has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.behance.net/RKaulitzkid0cb" target="_blank">Behance</a></i>,<i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ramonakaulitzkiart/" target="_blank"> Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ramonakaulitzki/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/ramonakaulitzki/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/RamonaKaulitzki" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. At the publisher's website, you can view the open dust jacket and multiple interior images. At author Tara Lazar's <i><a href="https://taralazar.com/2022/06/16/bravo-little-bird-cover-reveal-with-annie-silvestro-and-ramona-kaulitzki/" target="_blank">Writing For Kids (While Raising Them)</a></i>, the cover was revealed. </div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-86276367173732968042023-03-10T13:02:00.000-05:002023-03-10T13:02:13.549-05:00Weathering The Weather<p>Sometimes the beginning is as subtle as a change in the air. It feels a bit charged or heavier or both. The breeze gets a bit stronger. Looking skyward, the shape of clouds and their color is quickly transforming. A disturbance is threatening.</p><div style="text-align: left;">Birds gather near the shore or in trees. In the distance, rumbling begins as the sky darkens. Writer Laura Purdie Salas and artist Elly MacKay collaborate to vividly portray this usually sudden shift in the weather in <i><b>Zap! Clap! Boom!: The Story Of A Thunderstorm </b></i>(<i><a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/zap-clap-boom-9781547602278/" target="_blank">Bloomsbury Children's Books</a></i>, February 28, 2023).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYUXIy-gUWDK7WNVu4-uhyx_983Heiixhryfung-7AHuWdYPT2XyaLPwy9EJPhy3CE0GcCg6E9vGCSkOM_w0TG3_mE7ZHDFq5dXhLi8tEj2Y0gv0dpBEDHPiTkP9JiUoc1xqZnUvKfpUjEKHpJbcWed_77EOtFhNmXR5T0RFgi3ct8i1vqvaIz0WZJsA/s691/Zap!%20Clap!%20Boom!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="691" data-original-width="568" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYUXIy-gUWDK7WNVu4-uhyx_983Heiixhryfung-7AHuWdYPT2XyaLPwy9EJPhy3CE0GcCg6E9vGCSkOM_w0TG3_mE7ZHDFq5dXhLi8tEj2Y0gv0dpBEDHPiTkP9JiUoc1xqZnUvKfpUjEKHpJbcWed_77EOtFhNmXR5T0RFgi3ct8i1vqvaIz0WZJsA/s320/Zap!%20Clap!%20Boom!.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Sunny day sits warm and dry.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>No wind,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>no rain,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>no stormy sky.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Morning's calm.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Outside is still.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>A blue forever day,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>until . . .</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Without us being aware, warmer air is moving upward toward the cooler clouds. They start to fill and get larger, gathering overhead. In the distance loud sounds partner with gray skies and blowing winds. Spears of light fork downward in the distance.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Rumbles roll through the air, shattering any remaining silence. Rain begins to drop, slow at first, then faster. The breeze is now a howling wind. The sounds are nearly deafening.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Shelter is sought and shelter is found. Children snuggle inside, safe from the tumult. The thunder shakes the walls, the lightning flashes on and off, the wind sings like a banshee, and the rain pounds on the windows.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Then, after what seems like minutes (or sometimes longer), the thunderstorm moves to cast its chaos on another place. Those on the inside slowly venture to the outside, savoring the clear air, the rain-washed spaces and calming breaths of air. Everything feels new. Let's play!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The writing, the poetry, of <b><a href="https://laurasalas.com/" target="_blank">Laura Purdie Salas</a></b> has entertained and educated us for more than two decades. In this title her rousing rhythms woven with words move through the pages like a thunderstorm. They begin and end with a soothing quiet, coming to a crescendo in the center with the title words repeated three different times. Laura Purdie Salas uses poetic techniques, rhyme, metaphor, and alliteration, like a master. Here is a passage.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Swollen clouds begin to drain,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>spilling</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> splashing,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> chilling</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> rain.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">In looking at the open and matching dust jacket and book case, readers feel the full force of the thunderstorm on the front, right side. Trees bend in the wind and rain diagonally cuts across the view. Dark clouds release roaring thunder and jagged lightning. We wonder how the residents of the hilly island are surviving. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To the left of the spine, on the back, we see the left side of the island in a closer view as the storm lessens and moves away. The breeze is still brisk, but the sky is beginning to lighten. The land seems to be holding its breath.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the opening endpapers, we are given a panoramic perspective of the top of the island. Three children play with a red ball. The land, trees, shrubs, and homes are kissed with morning sunlight. Bathed in deeper hues of golden yellow, the same scene shows the aftermath of the wild weather on the closing endpapers. The children stand, this time, together as silhouettes. The ball is at the feet of one of them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A two-page picture supplies a background for the verso and title page text. A small barn is tucked at the base of a series of rocky slopes. Traversing those slopes, as the sun rises, are a goat and two leaping kids.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Each of the full-color double-page images in this book portrays three children and three goats on this island pleasantly enjoying the company of each other. In subsequent page turns we see what the goats are doing separately before, during and after the thunderstorm. When the children are running toward home, the goats are running toward their shelter. As the goats look out the front of their barn during the storm, the children peer out the window of their home at the wind and rain.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">These illustrations by <b><a href="https://www.theaterclouds.com/" target="_blank">Elly MacKay</a></b> were </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>created three dimensionally with layers of paper</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This artistic style gives a realistic and fluid motion to the children and goats as they are placed in each setting. The color palette alters to indicate the path of the thunderstorm and how it is reflected in the children and the goats. The results of this illustrator's skill fashion an immersive experience for readers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations is when the children are running home and the rain starts to fall. The trio are jumping in puddles and leaping over the wet ground. Behind the figures the dark clouds on the left appear to be chasing them as the sky is a blend of blue and purple hues. The rain falls in streaks toward a pebbled surface with pools of water forming. We are close to the children and can see their delight in this moment.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For those of us who live in areas with four distinct seasons, this book, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Zap! Clap! Boom!: The Story Of A Thunderstorm </i>written by Laura Purdie Salas with illustrations by Elly MacKay features a wonderfully true portrayal. For those who have never experienced a thunderstorm, you will do so in the pages of this book. At the close of the book is a section titled <i>The Science Behind Storms</i>. It is divided into three sections, <i>Here Comes The Rain, Lighting Up The Sky, and Boom! </i>Following this is a short list of <i>Selected Sources </i>and <i>websites, time-lapse videos</i> and <i>books for further exploration</i>. For a study of seasons, weather, and poetry, this book will be a welcome addition on your professional and personal bookshelves.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To learn more about Laura Purdie Salas and Elly MacKay and their other work, please visit their websites by following the link attached to their names. At Laura Purdie Salas's website there is a book trailer, an activity sheet to download, and a video of a Minnesota lightning storm. You will enjoy reading about Elly MacKay's process featured at her website. Laura Purdie Salas has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LauraPSalas" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/laurapsalas/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/salaslp/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></i>, <i><a href="https://twitter.com/LauraPSalas" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, </i>and<i> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/salaslp" target="_blank">YouTube</a>. Elly MacKay has accounts on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theaterclouds/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elly.mackay/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, </i>and<i> <a href="https://twitter.com/theaterclouds" target="_blank">Twitter</a>. </i>At the publisher's website, you can view interior pages.</div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-35445418905462264782023-03-07T20:26:00.005-05:002023-03-07T20:46:36.346-05:00Just Reach Out<div style="text-align: left;">The thing about being outdoors is that in a matter of minutes something wild can happen. We are surrounded by the possibility of sensory situations. We can either seize these moments when they appear or dread the prospect of this occurrence.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The same can be said of any situation in which we find ourselves, regardless of where we are. We might be nervous or worried, but once we are in that moment, if we are doing something we love, everything and everyone else disappears. That passion we hold close to our hearts is released. <i style="font-weight: bold;">Something Wild </i>(<i>Nancy Paulsen Books</i>, an imprint of <i><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/646568/something-wild-by-written-and-illustrated-by-molly-ruttan/" target="_blank">Penguin Random House</a></i>, February 28, 2023) written and illustrated by Molly Ruttan connects to that apprehension all of us feel at times. It shows us how that apprehension is transformed into something unexpectedly marvelous.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5lXydVnRxfwrV201vBUT6Cq7VE-ZNMa8WQ-khMBPhAKwsiflTYKlM1KHdyLS00n2bLc_JoxcJHXUq1En1LBtxN3qYoRHFMXmd53OUgUdLGHG6hzeclGp2WRPFjFP-bLLiZHnUUl5DAWyLFNTn-n36L2ahvn1I17n6wTxZLscXTvuI5_QiRZRrbmG-w/s3588/9780593112342.tiff" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3588" data-original-width="3588" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5lXydVnRxfwrV201vBUT6Cq7VE-ZNMa8WQ-khMBPhAKwsiflTYKlM1KHdyLS00n2bLc_JoxcJHXUq1En1LBtxN3qYoRHFMXmd53OUgUdLGHG6hzeclGp2WRPFjFP-bLLiZHnUUl5DAWyLFNTn-n36L2ahvn1I17n6wTxZLscXTvuI5_QiRZRrbmG-w/s320/9780593112342.tiff" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Ever since she was small, Hannah</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>loved to play her violin.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">To hear the music she made, sent Hannah's heart soaring. But . . . Hannah did not want to play her violin in front of anyone else. The day of her recital Hannah was so afraid to stand on a stage with an audience spread before, her heart's desire was for </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>something wild</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">to appear and save her.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Before she even left the house, in her mind's eye, she dreamed a group of special someone's would sweep in on a breeze and steal her recital clothing. Or perhaps, a colony of rabbits would leap through a hole in the floor near the kitchen and whisk away her violin. You cannot be in a recital without a violin.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Unfortunately, neither of those things happened. On the way to the recital with her family, Hannah kept wishing. Nothing rose from the watery fountain either. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now behind the curtain at the recital, Hannah was next. On the stage, her fear blossomed. Hannah and her violin were a perfect match. (When you love something, sometimes that love guides you.) And in that moment, every draw of the bow on strings</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>since she was small</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">created a remarkable memory.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">First, author <b><a href="https://www.mollyruttan.com/" target="_blank">Molly Ruttan</a></b> helps us to understand Hannah's love of making music on her violin. It is a lifelong passion. Then, with adept descriptions, she reveals her true fear of playing on stage. Using a series of repetitive phrases, we experience her lively imagination and the subsequent disappointment three times. This cadence binds us in a universal experience with Hannah. We identify deeply with her. This leads us to rejoicing at the exuberant ending. Here is a passage.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>It was almost time to leave.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Every time Hannah thought about</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>being on stage, her stomach lurched!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>She felt a little queasy.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>If only something wild would happen . . .</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">How can you look at the open and matching dust jacket and book case and not smile? The child playing her violin is joyful amid creatures from the wild. They look as if they are finding pleasure in her music. Next, readers will be wondering how a dolphin, rabbit and blue birds are together as this girl shines under a spotlight. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To the left of the spine, on the back, curls of waves continue with the dolphin's tale held high. Rocks form a base beneath the water. On the far left is another tree. Peeking around the trunk is another rabbit.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In golden and white lines on a paler golden background, dolphins and smaller fish swim, rabbits leap, and birds glide. Careful readers will also see other objects important to the story. On the title page, a small illustration between text shows a very young Hannah trying to pull away from her mother's hand to stay and listen to a street musician play his violin.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">These images by artist Molly Ruttan were</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>brought to life with charcoal, pastel, acrylic paint, and digital media</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Their sizes, full pages, edge to edge or surrounded by significant white space, mirror Hannah's moods while leading us to luminescent double-page visuals. Just as Hannah wishes for something out of the ordinary to happen, readers will see a circle of light forming around the very thing she craves. Humor abounds in the reactions of the characters when the </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>something wild</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">takes place in her imagination.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Careful readers will see that while Hannah is focused on the upcoming recital, other stories are genuinely taking place around her. I believe readers, unlike Hannah initially, will love to look at the audience and see what everyone is doing. A gorgeous, wordless two-page picture will have readers cheering.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations is a double-page picture. Hannah is standing near the bottom of a staircase after wishing for </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>something wild</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To her left, in the kitchen area, her family including the dog are aghast at what they are seeing in front of them on the right side of the visual. A family photograph and a picture near the sink on the walls are askew. The father was thrown the tickets to the recital in the air. The only one enjoying the ruckus is the baby seated in a highchair. A group of animals have captured the violin in its case and are stealing it away.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After every reading of <i style="font-weight: bold;">Something Wild </i>written and illustrated by Molly Ruttan, I cannot help myself. I am smiling. My heart is filled with joy for this girl and anyone who has felt the jitters or outright fear before performing or speaking to a group. A lot of readers will be empathetic to her situation and will laugh out loud at her beautiful creativity. This book is certain to promote lively discussions. Please be sure to place a copy in your professional and personal collections.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To learn more about Molly Ruttan and her work, please visit her website by following the link attached to her name. Molly Ruttan has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mollyruttanillustration" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mollyillo/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, <i><a href="https://twitter.com/molly_ruttan" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmS4WTZgoc_jRhhRC3DV-Cg" target="_blank">YouTube</a></i>. There is a book trailer for you to view and share with others. This book is celebrated at author illustrator <b><a href="https://debbieohi.com/2023/02/interview-with-molly-ruttan/mollyruttan-samplespreads-somethingwild-flat1000/" target="_blank">Debbie Ridpath Ohi'</a></b>s site, author <b><a href="https://viviankirkfield.com/2023/02/28/happy-book-birthday-something-wild-plus-giveaway/comment-page-2/" target="_blank">Vivian Kirkfield</a></b>'s site, <i><a href="https://www.goodreadswithronna.com/2023/03/02/something-wild-by-molly-ruttan-a-guest-post-giveaway/" target="_blank">Good Reads With Ronna</a></i> and writer and illustrator <b><a href="https://jenabenton.com/2023/03/06/simply-7-with-molly-ruttan-something-wild/" target="_blank">Jena Benton</a></b>'s site.</div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-84555002227334109042023-03-02T22:44:00.001-05:002023-03-02T22:44:57.708-05:00Both Are Needed<p>My best friend has four legs with four paws, shiny chocolate brown fur and a sense of hearing that can differentiate between the sound of the opening of the refrigerator fruit, vegetable, or cheese drawers. When expressing joy she zooms like a roadrunner in the house or yard, leaps like a gazelle through snow drifts, and jumps straight up in the air off her four paws. She is not much of a conversationalist, but she knows I know what every sigh, whimper, bark, and pointed look means.</p><p>In moments of quiet and aloneness, I have witnessed some remarkable occurrences, but nothing is as welcome as the sound of her claws clicking on tile or wood floors to find me or the jingle of her collar tags as she walks or runs next to me. In <i style="font-weight: bold;">Sometimes It's Nice To Be Alone </i>(<i>Neal Porter Books</i>, <i><a href="https://holidayhouse.com/book/sometimes-its-nice-to-be-alone/" target="_blank">Holiday House</a></i>, February 14, 2023) written by Amy Hest with illustrations by Philip Stead readers are soothed by the contentment of being alone and awakened to the joy of shared experiences. Rhythmic text presents the solace found in ordinary activities but also elevates those through imagination coupled with exquisite artwork.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqnNaBiNZJqFw5O96qGP5kQk1SAVRO1j3RTsPqwvL6UPEpDdSEFBeEC9slraRpqywBLeB4QTJfB5-9FFdDB0yUcCfcOXOvFwJOjmaPZuQ7A7vqg6tnlnCb8q25Gr7FYvwX5d9MUr9pwRBMkkFRsCzJja0CTjrg5y_yiPzuUrQTzQ_wZEhAO305NJHtA/s450/Sometimes%20It's%20Nice%20To%20Be%20Alone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="348" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqnNaBiNZJqFw5O96qGP5kQk1SAVRO1j3RTsPqwvL6UPEpDdSEFBeEC9slraRpqywBLeB4QTJfB5-9FFdDB0yUcCfcOXOvFwJOjmaPZuQ7A7vqg6tnlnCb8q25Gr7FYvwX5d9MUr9pwRBMkkFRsCzJja0CTjrg5y_yiPzuUrQTzQ_wZEhAO305NJHtA/s320/Sometimes%20It's%20Nice%20To%20Be%20Alone.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Sometimes it's nice to </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>be alone.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Just you, eating your</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>cookie, alone.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the other hand if unexpectedly a friend appears, eating a cookie with them is really quite nice. What if you happen to be reading a book alone and suddenly you are not alone? It is a different feeling to be reading a book with a friend there. It is as if you both have stepped into the pages of the story.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Do you remember days when it is just you outside tumbling on the grass, somersaulting to your heart's content? Then a voice asks to tumble with you. You and your friend are now a team of tumblers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Head down and legs and feet pumping, you might be bicycling up, up and up hills all alone. With arms stretched out and feet kicking, you might be dancing among a whirlwind of colorful leaves in the autumn all alone. When a friend is with you, the downward slope is more thrilling and the fall frolic is more exhilarating.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Doing something alone is one kind of special. Doing the same thing with a friend is another kind of wonderful. What will you do alone next?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The writing in this book by <b><a href="https://www.amyhest.com/" target="_blank">Amy Hest</a></b> is marvelous. The title text begins each lyrical portion. This is followed by a description each time of what the child is doing. We then read the question about the appearance of a friend. Each reply to this question begins with the same seven words. This establishes a cadence and participatory invitation to readers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The mastery of this writing is that certain words are altered as the narrative progresses. The descriptions become more vivid and sensory. Here is a passage.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Just you, alone, on a </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>seaside walk, making</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>big footprints, and heel</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>and toe prints, at the </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>edge of the choppy sea.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">The pictorial interpretation of the text by artist <b><a href="https://philipstead.com/" target="_blank">Philip Stead</a> </b>is superb. We are introduced to his limited color palette on the open dust jacket. His use of primary colors here is at once strikingly ordinary and remarkable in their depictions. (The sky, sea, and sand continue on the other side of the spine.) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The presentation of the sky in blue and white gives the perception of the white being either clouds or sea birds. The added elements of the footprints leading from left to right and the handprints on the sand castle create an air of innocence and sheer happiness in spending a day at the beach. On the left side a red and yellow and blue and white beach ball rests in the sand. The title text is varnished.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The book case is identical to the dust jacket without any text on the front or the back. The opening and closing endpapers are the golden color of the sand. Beneath the text on the title page, a golden butterfly tinged with purple has been placed.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">These two<i>-</i>page visuals by Philip Stead were rendered </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>entirely by hand using monoprinting techniques</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As the story progresses, we can see by the clothing worn by the girl that the seasons are shifting. We begin in spring and end in winter. Hints are featured in the first picture about the form the friend will assume in the second picture. These second illustrations are highly and delightfully ingenious.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Philip Stead also initially puts his own signature spin on </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>pushing and panting</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>to the top of each hill.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">and in the sea scenario.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">He does this, too, when showcasing the friend with the girl in the autumn leaves. I love what the friend is holding in their mouth. I think readers will gasp at the one vertical image. And I believe readers will sigh and perhaps shout aloud knowingly at the final illustration.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations is when the girl is somersaulting in the grass in the morning. Mid tumble on the right side, we see her wearing her red and white striped short-sleeved shirt. Her bare feet are kicking her over as her hands brace the roll. Bluebells decorate the grass. Above her on a white canvas is the butterfly we saw on the title page. Her feet do cross the gutter to the left. Under the text and in the grass on the left side is a stuffed toy whale. The girl's red and white striped socks are laying across the whale.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With every reading you will be more endeared to the book, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Sometimes It's Nice To Be Alone</i> written by Amy Hest with illustrations by Philip Stead. This is a magical pairing of writing and artwork. Listeners will request this to be read again and again. There will be discussions about what we enjoy doing alone and who might appear to share it with us. I highly recommend you include this title in all your collections.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To learn more about Amy Hest and Philip Stead and their other work, please visit their websites by following the link attached to their names. Amy Hest has an account on <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/writtenbyamyhest/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>. Philip Stead shares an account with his wife, Erin Stead, on <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/number5bus/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>. At the publisher's website are activity sheets to download. </div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-30748946202901798492023-03-01T22:36:00.005-05:002023-03-02T22:27:25.541-05:00Bright Light, Night Light<p>As those of us sharing our lives with canine companions often say, one of the many benefits is being outdoors to witness some extraordinary phenomenon. Very early on a November morning this past year, my furry friend and I were coming to a point in our walk where there is a break in a hedge along the shore of a large lake. This break allows you to see the lake, the north and east shore and the horizon. There was a front clouding and hanging in the northeastern sky.</p><div style="text-align: left;">Suddenly, a large fiery ball, with a hint of green color, with an equally fiery tail broke from under that front and dropped into the lake. It had to have been a falling star, but that close to the horizon it looked huge. To say I was stunned is an understatement. Not for the first and certainly not for the last time, I wish we could take pictures with our eyes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In those moments when we remember to look up, especially at night, the sky holds infinite wonders. In 1900 a girl guided by her curiosity was born. We learn of her accomplishments in <b><i>The Fire of Stars</i></b><i style="font-weight: bold;">: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of </i><span>(<i><a href="https://www.chroniclebooks.com/products/the-fire-of-stars" target="_blank">Chronicle Books</a>, </i>February 07,</span> 2023) written by Kirsten W. Larson with illustrations by Katherine Roy. When you read the words in this narrative and gaze at the artwork, it is as if the magic of a star-studded sky has come to earth and you are holding it in your hands.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJ4N3X_CP6bfWHYzBoGeYI48qXS2DR2kY8FnTBNyF7JPqjgOwMeesqOvyH5HE5_kqtSw2bthtt3tS264PlQBlTUeRU7rNzYo1u0248_MsNSAE10sjsqBFpkQXWR9eBmWK6Du8JPWTsjRizXXDpKvUuUKtIp2nt5-PXu-E2y5PN1hO3lYliBqBcZGHkw/s1000/Fire-Of-Stars_3D_BookCoverSM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="1000" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJ4N3X_CP6bfWHYzBoGeYI48qXS2DR2kY8FnTBNyF7JPqjgOwMeesqOvyH5HE5_kqtSw2bthtt3tS264PlQBlTUeRU7rNzYo1u0248_MsNSAE10sjsqBFpkQXWR9eBmWK6Du8JPWTsjRizXXDpKvUuUKtIp2nt5-PXu-E2y5PN1hO3lYliBqBcZGHkw/s320/Fire-Of-Stars_3D_BookCoverSM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Cecilia kicks and cries.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Until her mother</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>sets her down</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>so Cecilia can feel with her own tiny toes</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>the cold and crackly snow,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>which isn't soft and warm like she expected.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">As she grows up, Cecilia is often found outdoors exploring nearby gardens and their inhabitants. One day, she discovers how orchards lure bees into carrying pollen from place to place. This fascination with finding the truth makes her feel truly alive.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Unfortunately, the family leaves the country for the city of London so Cecilia's brother can attend a more appropriate school. The school Cecilia has to attend is more like a prison than what she desires. She finds solace in a chemistry lab at the school (not meant for her) and science books at home. She has found her niche.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A Miss Dalglish, a teacher of science, comes to her school and the two become friends. Before she becomes too sick to teach, she gives Cecilia a book about astronomy. Still encouraged through correspondence by her teacher's support, Cecilia receives a scholarship to study at the University of Cambridge. After hearing a renowned astronomer speak, she changes her field of studies.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Science degree in hand, Cecilia leaves for the United States. At Harvard her heart's and mind's desire is to discover the composition of stars. Her observations and calculations are still not giving her answers and she is required to submit her research results to the Observatory director. Then, like the day she discovered snow was not soft and warm, Cecilia has an explanation. She is twenty-five years old! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Readers will immediately connect with Cecilia through the descriptive writing of <b><a href="https://kirsten-w-larson.com/the-fire-of-stars/" target="_blank">Kirsten W. Larson</a></b>. Her inclusion of specific events gives us a very personal perspective of Cecilia. Her word choices in the chronological portrayals are such that we feel layer by layer a tension growing. We find ourselves wanting this girl to succeed despite obstacles. When she does triumph, we can share in her</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>lightning bolt of discovery.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">At the same time Cecilia's life is unfolding, a parallel story in space begins, the formation of a star. This is told to the left of the main narrative in a column fashioned by text and artwork about Cecilia. This is sheer genius. Here is a passage about the star and a companion one about Cecilia. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>But it doesn't disappear. Heat builds up deep inside.</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Pressure growing. Never slowing until---</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Cecilia hears a talk by astronomer Arthur Eddington. His work is an incandescent</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>combination of astronomy and physics, a brand-new field to study---<b>astrophysics!</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Cecilia feels the jolt, that lighting bolt again.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>And her brain buzzes with the possibility of new things just waiting to be discovered.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>From memory, she scribbles down every word Eddington said.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Then she switches her studies to physics.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Rendered in pencil and walnut ink with added digital color </i>by artist <b><a href="https://www.katherineroy.com/fireofstars" target="_blank">Katherine Roy</a></b>, the illustrations in this book are in a word---radiant. On the open dust jacket we see a younger, curious Cecilia enjoying an evening under the stars. She is already dreaming of discovering the secrets they hold inside. On the other side of the spine, to the left, the tree's leafy boughs stretch to the center of the back of the jacket. Surrounding them is a continuation of the bountiful display of stars in the night sky. The main text title is embossed in copper foil.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Across the book case, we shift to the formation of a star. It is a glorious portrait of the <i>sudden jolt </i>necessary for a star to begin. It is as if we are in space witnessing this.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The opening and closing endpapers are covered in two different views of space filled with stars. It is like being within the Milky Way. This presentation of stars is spread across the next two pages, the verso and title pages. On the left, an older Cecilia stands on an observation deck staring into the sky.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The placement of Cecilia's life in images of various sizes and sometimes two to a double-page are usually framed by the story of the star's formation. This gives the very real impression of the two growths happening at the same time. Once her conclusions are happily reached, there is a series of double-page pictures of Cecilia, Harvard's observatory, an immense bird's eye view of the city, and then of the United States from space.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Each of the settings in Cecilia's life are realistically shown. Colors and fine details mirror her status and emotions. Wherever she is, regardless of the perspective, our eyes are drawn to Cecilia. We are usually very close to her.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations is when Cecilia has her first </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>lightning bolt of discovery</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This image fills the right side of two pages and crosses the gutter. It looks as though it has been placed on the starry expanse of space which has had</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>a sudden jolt</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Cecilia is kneeling in the garden observing an orchid attracting a bee. Her eyes are open in excited wonder. Much smaller and in the lower, right-hand corner large boxes and crates are being loaded into a horse-drawn moving van. The colors in this area are in sharp contrast to the beauty in the garden. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Author Kirsten W. Larson and illustrator Katherine Roy have created a truly impressive nonfiction picture book biography in <b><i>The Fire of Stars</i></b><i style="font-weight: bold;">: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of. </i><span>The words and images will have you pausing at every page turn. At the close of the book is a page dedicated to more information about Cecilia Payne. Following this are three pages explaining how a star is born. There are two pages for a timeline and two more for a bibliography. You will want to add a copy of this outstanding title to your personal and professional bookshelves.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>To learn more about Kirsten W. Larson and Katherine Roy and their other work, please access their websites by following the link attached to their names. </span>There are some extras for you to enjoy regarding this title on Katherine Roy's website. Kirsten W. Larson has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/KirstenLarsonWrites/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kirstenwlarson/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/KirstenWLarson/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></i>, <i><a href="https://twitter.com/kirstenwlarson/" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjwKoOIW6SXxEEI32KONMnQ" target="_blank">YouTube</a></i>. Katherine Roy has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/katherineroystudio" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/katherineroystudio/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/KRoyStudio" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. This book is showcased with interviews at <i><a href="https://afuse8production.slj.com/2023/02/14/twin-stars-one-light-a-fire-of-stars-dual-interview-with-kirsten-larson-and-katherine-roy/" target="_blank">School Library Journal, A Fuse #8 Production</a></i>, <a href="https://jenabenton.com/2023/02/07/simply-7-with-kirsten-larson-the-fire-of-stars/" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">Jena Benton Writer & Illustrator Simply 7</a> and at <i><a href="https://www.goodreadswithronna.com/2023/02/28/an-interview-with-kirsten-w-larson-about-the-fire-of-stars/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=an-interview-with-kirsten-w-larson-about-the-fire-of-stars" target="_blank">Good Reads With Ronna</a></i>.</div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-27876766526886638402023-02-28T17:54:00.000-05:002023-02-28T17:54:53.194-05:00To Remember<p>My one grandparent I knew, my dad, and my mom were mentally and physically great before a heart quit beating, ALS took over, and old age (94) claimed each one respectively. For the last few years of her life, my mother resided in assisted living. When I shared a meal with her and other residents in the dining room, the occupants at our table would be deep in conversation when one would suddenly pause. You could see by the look on their face, they were desperately trying to recall a word or a thought. It was utterly heartbreaking to watch and experience this with them.</p><div style="text-align: left;">The loss of memory through the disease of Alzheimer's is particularly difficult to see happen to those we love. This disease is relentless and can affect people at different ages, young or old. <i style="font-weight: bold;">Never Forget Eleanor </i>(<i><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/never-forget-eleanor-jason-june?variant=41000094335010" target="_blank">Harper</a></i>, an imprint of <i>HarperCollins Publishers</i>, February 14, 2023) written by Jason June with pictures by Loren Long explores memory loss through the affectionate bond between a grandson and his grandmother. For as long as you can, you will remember this tender story about the power of words.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtap5IXR_PBeQcrRZq8DwASfjwKmeOiH6TIe8tax2mr6zahdPbZ7Z_CZHh5Pr7eETNvpB-KxpIQHKbw-WQ1B4LrO7RkHAhaG_Z7cpgP9hfNS82nsjxIgHVyXNESKTJh-yaUFVFUTvGWpa6AHfI5ouHzj57CVg1tRA9IMKxXeEEjq0WJikVm1OfPo-ZWw/s1773/Never%20Forget%20Eleanor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1773" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtap5IXR_PBeQcrRZq8DwASfjwKmeOiH6TIe8tax2mr6zahdPbZ7Z_CZHh5Pr7eETNvpB-KxpIQHKbw-WQ1B4LrO7RkHAhaG_Z7cpgP9hfNS82nsjxIgHVyXNESKTJh-yaUFVFUTvGWpa6AHfI5ouHzj57CVg1tRA9IMKxXeEEjq0WJikVm1OfPo-ZWw/s320/Never%20Forget%20Eleanor.jpg" width="289" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>E</b>lijah loved doing crossword puzzles with his</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>grandma Eleanor. She always seemed to know </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>every word in the dictionary.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Elijah read aloud the clue and Eleanor knew the answer almost before he finished. There wasn't a word she couldn't spell or understand. The best thing about her gift with words was the stories Grandma Eleanor would tell Elijah. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On Saturdays, Grandma Eleanor would hold special <i>story sessions. </i>Everyone in town would come to listen. Can you guess which one was Elijah's favorite?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When Elijah and Grandma Eleanor walked around town, she knew everyone's faces. She believed each face held a tale. They called her </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"Never Forget Eleanor."</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">One day Elijah noticed his grandmother couldn't recall an answer to his clue or even remember the clue. One Saturday she forgot about <i>story sessions. </i>The next Saturday Grandma Eleanor was missing for the town tale telling. Elijah looked everywhere for her. He thought and thought about how to find her.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">He remembered their crossword puzzle fun, their walks throughout town and meeting the individuals whose faces she always knew, and her Saturday <i>story sessions. </i>That was when an idea came to Elijah. He knew how to find and assist his grandmother. He had listened. He had learned. It was all about words and love and the help of those who named her </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"Never Forget Eleanor."</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">From the first page of words written by <b><a href="https://www.heyjasonjune.com/" target="_blank">Jason June</a></b>, the genuine affection shared by Elijah and Eleanor is clearly present. Their conversations are like those between the best of friends as are their walks in the community and their wonderful Saturdays. The manner in which this story is told allows readers along with Elijah to understand the true beauty of Grandma Eleanor. She leads by example, embracing the best things in others and raising them up through her words. Here is a sentence.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>As she spoke, Elijah felt like his grandmother</i>'<i>s words danced in the air and wrapped him up in a warm hug.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">When you look at the open and matching dust jacket and book case, the love between Grandma Eleanor and Elijah radiates from the front, right side. The color choices of artist <b><a href="https://lorenlong.com/" target="_blank">Loren Long</a></b> are complementary, hues of yellow and purple. The flower Elijah is offering his grandmother is worn behind her ear in many of the images. She holds the latest issue of the newspaper, folded to show the crossword puzzle they enjoy doing together. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To the left of the spine on a crisp white canvas is an interior illustration. Here Elijah and his grandmother are in the park. She sits on a bench near a small tree and a few flowers. Bunnies are near them, one on Eleanor's knee and the other in front of her. Elijah sits on the grass in front of her. All of them are listening to her tell one of her beloved tales.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the opening and closing endpapers is a hue of purple. Under the text on the title page, the duo walk to the right with their backs to us. On the dedication page they sit face to face along the bottom of the page. The flower, a Black-eyed Susan, is between them</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">These illustrations by Loren Long were rendered using</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>gouache and color pencil</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There is a liberal use of white space to highlight the characters and whatever they are doing. Their body postures and facial expressions are lively and full of emotion, even in the sad times. It is absolutely wonderful when the inhabitants of the town all listen together when Grandma Eleanor is telling her stories regardless of their prey-predator status in our world.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The sizes of the pictures vary to enhance the pacing and to show the passage of time. Careful readers will notice the tiny details added by Loren Long. Words relative to this story are tucked in a newspaper article.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations is a double-page picture. It is of Grandma Eleanor and Elijah on a white background. It is in response to several sentences including the above-quoted one. From the left we see a portion of Grandma Eleanor's body. Her mouth is open as she tells Elijah a story. Her trunk and right arm are raised. Elijah is in the center of the right side. His arms are clasped as if to give himself a hug. On the tip of his trunk is a blue butterfly. In a circle around him are the words,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Legend says it</i>'<i>s good luck when a butterfly lands on your nose.</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Elijah looks at the butterfly and his grandmother with awe, a slight smile on his face.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Like Elijah we won't forget <i style="font-weight: bold;">Never Forget Eleanor </i>written by Jason June with artwork by Loren Long. There is an author's note and an illustrator's note at the close of the book talking about Alzheimer's disease and their very personal connections to it. I can't imagine a personal or professional collection without a copy of this gentle, truthful title.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To learn more about Jason June and Loren Long and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their website. Jason June has a <b><a href="https://heyjasonjune.substack.com/p/never-forget-eleanor" target="_blank">newsletter</a></b> geared to slightly older audiences along with an account on <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/heyjasonjune/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>. Loren Long has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/loren.long.58" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thelorenlong/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/lorenlong" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. This book is featured by John Schu at his <i><a href="http://mrschureads.blogspot.com/2022/06/never-forget-eleanor-by-jason-june-and.html" target="_blank">Watch. Connect. Read.</a> </i>with a conversation with the creators. </div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-52112587758178411052023-02-27T22:35:00.002-05:002023-02-28T16:21:42.443-05:00Get Lost And Found In A . . .<div style="text-align: left;">It happens to all of us regardless of the length. When the last word is read and the cover is closed, we look up. For a few moments, we are confused as to where and when we are. We are still lost in a story, a story other than our real lives. Not only are we still part of the world within those pages, but we come away with having found something. It may be something we have misplaced or misunderstood or something fresh and new.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the gift of a book, given to us again and again whenever the cover is opened. Authored by Grace Lin and Kate Messner with illustrations by Grace Lin, <b style="font-style: italic;">Once Upon a Book </b>(<i><a href="https://www.lbyr.com/titles/grace-lin/once-upon-a-book/9780316541077/" target="_blank">Little, Brown And Company</a></i>, February 07, 2023) is a layered narrative with hidden references to other titles and different cultures. It is a story of longing and belonging.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoJn3TUdMoclFGpsyhOph1x3rcQGCS0NPtx4DQDTdCPD4vB3ZMoZAPZeQiIHlJMrKcJImJyX-r8XBiF6nMN9RXZWockMWl2HcpofcmeirHGRj8Hk1667DsRUTyuYuUWjkuI2YR7yWBeG3PKYfefaacvl6dskthVp9Lot-4oKDTS1Kjafy6u8pjmTdOGg/s400/Once%20Uon%20a%20book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="308" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoJn3TUdMoclFGpsyhOph1x3rcQGCS0NPtx4DQDTdCPD4vB3ZMoZAPZeQiIHlJMrKcJImJyX-r8XBiF6nMN9RXZWockMWl2HcpofcmeirHGRj8Hk1667DsRUTyuYuUWjkuI2YR7yWBeG3PKYfefaacvl6dskthVp9Lot-4oKDTS1Kjafy6u8pjmTdOGg/s320/Once%20Uon%20a%20book.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Alice was tired of heavy sweaters and thick</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>socks and staying inside with nothing to do</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As she grumpily walked away from her mother, wishing to be away from the constant chilly and cloudy weather, she noticed a book on the floor. Its pages gently flipped in the air. Reading it aloud prompted the birds in the illustration to invite her into the book.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When Alice stepped into the book, the book she was reading appeared there, too. The warm air and the birds as playmates suited Alice perfectly. until it started to rain. Using the book like an umbrella, Alice continued reading and wished for somewhere dry.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Several camels asked her to join them in the desert. Riding on a camel through the desert was grand until a dust storm began. Alice did not stop reading. What she read next encouraged the inhabitants to welcome her into their world. Away she went.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Two more times, Alice was not quite as satisfied as she believed she would be in a new and distinctive setting. With her final wish, she read words describing a place memorable and comfortable to her. A voice she had heard her entire life said,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"Turn the page."</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">What do you think Alice did?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Authors <b><a href="https://gracelin.com/" target="_blank">Grace Lin</a></b> and <b><a href="https://katemessner.com/" target="_blank">Kate Messner</a></b> have penned an imaginative, immersive and original circle story. They have masterfully used classic storytelling elements. The places Alice visits are enticingly descriptive, appealing to the reader's senses. Each time Alice reads from the book, the inhabitant (s) of that place request she joins them. This is followed by the same reply from Alice. Now at a new setting, she continues to read until something specific interrupts her satisfaction. This repetition fashions a participatory rhythm. We can't wait to read where Alice will venture next! The blend of text from Alice's book, her commentary, and the words of the beings inside the book take readers on a remarkable journey. Here is a passage.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"I wish I were someplace that wasn't so</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>cramped and crowded.</i><i>" Then Alice read,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>So the girl went to a place of wide-open blue,</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>where she would be boundless and free.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"That sounds like our home,</i><i>"</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>said the clouds. </i><i>"Turn the page</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>and come in . . .</i><i>"</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">The open dust jacket reveals a single large image. It is the open book read by Alice. Four of the book's corners bleed off the edges of the jacket. Tropical birds fly from the upper, left-hand corner, across the spine to the lush flora of the forest. Hidden in this forest is a white rabbit, a companion who joins Alice on her adventures within the pages of the book. Notice the fabric of the dress Alice is wearing. This is intentional by artist Grace Lin. The title text and Alice are raised to the touch on this glossy dust jacket.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The book case is a bright, shiny red. The only element on the case is a white rabbit in the lower, right-hand corner on the front, right side. The rabbit is leaping upward. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the opening endpapers is Alice's home. Icy sleet falls on the snow-covered roof and ground. A snowman creates a mound in the snow with only a head and one arm remaining. A flamingo is walking to the left, placed at the far corner of the house. A cat sits in the large picture window. Alice looks outside from a window on the right. She is not happy.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the closing endpapers is Alice's home. What we see in the windows is altered. It is evening and the sleet has stopped. A full moon hangs in the sky. A rabbit is curled within its boundaries.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With a page turn we find ourselves at the dedication, verso and title pages. Rabbit slippers belonging to Alice are tossed on the far left. Clothes make a pathway to Alice as she takes her print, sleeveless dress from her dresser. On top of the dresser, readers will want to notice the items there.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">These gorgeous illustrations by Grace Lin were rendered </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>in gouache on Arches hot press Watercolor Paper</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Pausing to look at each visual will reveal to readers undisclosed tiny elements. When Alice first begins to read the book before stepping into the story, the mix of reality and imagination is wonderfully portrayed. I can only wonder at the gasps when readers see her first walk into the book.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The luminous, vibrant colors in each setting are breathtaking. Whether we are viewing the story from a more panoramic perspective or close-up, we cannot help but feel as if we are there with Alice. Astute readers will notice that each time Alice goes into a new setting, her dress becomes the hue of her surroundings, forest green, sandy brown, sea green, sky blue or charcoal or black, until she arrives where she began. All of the illustrations are double-page images except for the first one.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations is when Alice is still in the forest. She is holding the book over her head in the rain and continues to read. She is looking up at the open book. We see the book as if we are Alice. The gutter in the book matches the gutter in this book. A tropical bird rests on her arm, looking at the book. To the left of the gutter, two other birds look at the book along with a butterfly. Peering down from the upper, right-hand corner is a part of the rabbit's head. Superb.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This title, <b style="font-style: italic;">Once Upon a Book</b>, written by Grace Lin and Kate Messner with artwork by Grace Lin is wondrous. To read this book aloud is to take listeners on the best kind of adventure, one of the mind's inventions. I can already think of wonderful discussions. Where else might Alice go? What might cause her to want to leave? This is a book to share often and widely. It is a book to gift to others. I highly recommend it for all your collections.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To discover more about Grace Lin and Kate Messner, please access their websites by following the link attached to their names. Grace Lin has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGraceLin/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/pacylin/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, <i><a href="https://twitter.com/pacylin" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/gracepacy" target="_blank">YouTube</a></i>. Kate Messner has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/KateMessner" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/katemessner/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/KateMessner" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. At the publisher's website is a video you must watch. Here Grace Lin talks about her illustrations. Grace Lin, Kate Messner and this book are featured on <i><a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/02/12/1156391919/grace-lin-and-kate-messner-on-their-new-childrens-book-once-upon-a-book" target="_blank">NPR Books</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.kidlit.tv/2023/02/featured-kidlit-once-upon-a-book-by-grace-lin-and-kate-messner/" target="_blank">KidLit TV</a>, <a href="https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/61018/want-kids-to-love-reading-authors-grace-lin-and-kate-messner-share-how-to-find-wonder-in-books" target="_blank">KQED Mindshift</a>, <a href="https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2023/2/14/grace-lin-kate-messner-profile/" target="_blank">The Harvard Crimson</a>, </i>and an upcoming <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtxrvkNZneU" target="_blank">PBS Books</a></i> event on March 1.</div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-46859471158140681532023-02-25T20:36:00.002-05:002023-02-27T20:24:55.436-05:00Returning Home<div style="text-align: left;">Wherever we go or whether our absence is planned or unforeseen, we feel the same. Regardless if hours or weeks pass, when we enter a feeling of welcome washes over us. It is as if everything is as it should be. As the now famous words were spoken in the summer of 1939, </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">It seems that many of the living beings who share this planet with us, either through instinct or natural progression, prefer to reside in a familiar habitat. When they are displaced, they seek to return if they are able. <b><i>Destiny Finds Her Way</i></b><i style="font-weight: bold;">: How a Rescued Baby Sloth Learned to Be Wild </i>(<i>National Geographic</i>, February 07, 2023) written by Margarita Engle with photographs by Sam Trull is a true story filled with heart and hope.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJ024ihO4Mp1-bGkz1ZSPXahoPMYPnt7Zvm8_-5cTvKU0zZ2KR3zNxHVR-CWLoc9VFYXNrffk5Y1Bw1O8fiIGruH1X7OLp1RH7lzQuR8msf4w9svMuOGuoikSPmKyqklUBz21NagPwwCwzGNWeVzdmV6p4lYhPayl7f_42MkLjSTuCD_Cts-sb_hALA/s500/Destiny%20Finds%20Her%20Way.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="500" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJ024ihO4Mp1-bGkz1ZSPXahoPMYPnt7Zvm8_-5cTvKU0zZ2KR3zNxHVR-CWLoc9VFYXNrffk5Y1Bw1O8fiIGruH1X7OLp1RH7lzQuR8msf4w9svMuOGuoikSPmKyqklUBz21NagPwwCwzGNWeVzdmV6p4lYhPayl7f_42MkLjSTuCD_Cts-sb_hALA/s320/Destiny%20Finds%20Her%20Way.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The tropical rainforest of Costa Rica</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>echoed with music from colorful birds,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>the <b>eee, eee, eee</b> of darting squirrel monkeys,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>boom, boom, boom</b> from howler monkeys,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>chirps and clicks of cicadas, and a whispering</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>rustle from the wandering breeze</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>in green treetops.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Injured and alone, a baby sloth cries for help. These cries alert would-be predators. Fortunately, humans find the sloth, taking her to a scientist. The scientist is one of two who founded a sloth rescue center.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The tiny sloth is taken home each night to be fed as often as necessary. All rescued sloths are named. Destiny's injured eye does not heal but her appetite is healthy. Eating guarumo leaves and hibiscus flowers makes her grow.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Climbing is difficult for a sloth with one eye, but Destiny is determined. She even assists other rescue sloths in their eating to build their strength. Soon Destiny graduates from </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>sloth preschool.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">She is taken outside to study life in the wild. She learns to relieve herself by doing the</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>poop dance</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">She becomes acquainted with the rainforest animals, their sounds, and the smells. Due to the loss of one eye, her other senses are stronger. She slowly moves and climbs from tree to tree. One day, a year later, her weight is heavy enough for her to be released into the wild. She wears a tracking collar, so the rescue people and the volunteers can monitor her and keep her safe. To the top she climbs, toward a life she is meant to live.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Take a moment. Go back and read the first sentence in this title, quoted above and written by <b><a href="http://margaritaengle.com/index.html" target="_blank">Margarita Engle</a></b>. This author has mastered the ability to take readers into her narrative with her sensory descriptions. We experience the assistance received by Destiny. We experience her growth, her adaptations, and the exhilaration of her delivery into the wild. Through her personal research at <i>The Sloth Institute</i>, Margarita Engle expertly adds facts to this nonfiction story. Here is a passage.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Smells were fascinating, too.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Hot, moist air rich with savory leaves</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>and fragrant flowers.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The stink of a tamandua</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>and the stench of a porcupine.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">With the exception of only a few photographs as noted at the close of the book, all visuals for this title are the work of photographer and cofounder of <i>The Sloth Institute</i>, <b><a href="https://samtrull.photoshelter.com/index/G0000ibQJNKUhbZI" target="_blank">Sam Trull</a></b>. On the front, right side, of the open and matching dust jacket and book case is Destiny in her natural habitat in Costa Rica. To the left of the spine on the back, the left side, we see her again in two other circular visuals. Here, too, other books in the <i>Baby Animal Tales </i>are shown.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A muted red orange covers the opening and closing endpapers. Prior to the formal title<i> </i>page, we are brought close to Destiny peeking between two tree branches. A gorgeous double-page image brings Destiny into focus with a blurred leafy background for the title page.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Throughout the book there are large pictures crossing the gutter. They create a sizable column on the opposite page in which other circular pictures are placed along with text. Any not featuring sloths are labeled with the name of the animal. The borders and background textures mirror the rain forests of Costa Rica and its people.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There are also informative and beautiful full-page pictures. If Destiny is not the showcased sloth, the sloths shown are captioned with their names. There are also half-page horizontal images with decorative borders. These photographs not only document the sloths, their recovery and release into the rain forest, but take us into the rainforest by showing us other flora and fauna.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite photographs covers three-quarters of a page. Destiny is embracing another sloth at the rescue center. They are nose to nose, gazing at each other. It is a close-up horizontal visual. This is one of numerous images that highlights the photographic skills of Sam Trull.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This nonfiction picture book, <b><i>Destiny Finds Her Way</i></b><i style="font-weight: bold;">: How a Rescued Baby Sloth Learned to Be Wild </i>written by Margarita Engle with photographs by Sam Trull, is one to be enjoyed by readers of all ages. I guarantee everyone will learn something. At the close of the book is a full-page author's note and a full-page photographer's note. This is followed by a map showing where sloths reside. There is another page with information about <i>The Sloth Institute</i>, sloth books and a video to watch, and <i>Facts About Sloths. </i>I know you will want to place a copy of this book in all your collections.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To discover more about Margarita Engle and Sam Trull, access their websites by following the link attached to their names. Margarita Engle has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/margarita.engle.1" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/engle.margarita/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/margaritapoet" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. Sam Trull has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/primatography.photo/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/samtrull/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/SamTrull" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. Here is the link to <i><a href="https://www.theslothinstitute.org/" target="_blank">The Sloth Institute</a></i>.</div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-82046920077346547362023-02-21T23:22:00.000-05:002023-02-21T23:22:45.315-05:00Wisdom At Every Age<div style="text-align: left;">To be guided by the belief that we are all students and teachers is to embrace learning every single day. On the wall under the windows in my library office, there was a banner voicing this conviction. Students and those younger than us, need to know adults, teachers, or mentors value their opinions. They need to know we are learning for and with them. And if they say something that astounds us, praise their insight, their thinking, and their wit. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There is something exceptionally beautiful about the relationship between a grandparent and a grandchild. The one is young enough to appreciate the wisdom in the elder and the elder is old enough to welcome the wisdom of the youth. This mutual affection and respect is lovingly presented in <i style="font-weight: bold;">Just Like Grandma </i>(<i><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/just-like-grandma-kim-rogers?variant=40390212550690" target="_blank">Heartdrum</a></i>, an imprint of <i>HarperCollins Publishers</i>, January 24, 2023) written by debut picture book author Kim Rogers with illustrations by Julie Flett.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWt3HqIaH_4Zvfkwi3SZAOoNDkMJYkC2E59tg8MCIj4wkDldyqmRyoPhF_O8Rtui21AvHiiACBesFiESgDwhnlYqI4IU1esEuK9OLWId2ZqN5gTPX3tEX88JTgHapDAQxq3AlOy02RRKIL4kUe-10mZFxOSycdr7S_y2NIeT0iHqOtdIrv_6zG1WgCIA/s400/Just%20Like%20Grandma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="329" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWt3HqIaH_4Zvfkwi3SZAOoNDkMJYkC2E59tg8MCIj4wkDldyqmRyoPhF_O8Rtui21AvHiiACBesFiESgDwhnlYqI4IU1esEuK9OLWId2ZqN5gTPX3tEX88JTgHapDAQxq3AlOy02RRKIL4kUe-10mZFxOSycdr7S_y2NIeT0iHqOtdIrv_6zG1WgCIA/s320/Just%20Like%20Grandma.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>On the steps of a house at the end of the street,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Becca watches</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Grandma bead and bead</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>buckskin moccasins.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">When Becca asks her grandmother if she can try, she hands her the tools she needs. The two of them bead side-by-side until Grandpa says dinner is ready. Next, Becca watches Grandma dancing barefoot in the backyard outside the house at the end of the street.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Becca leaves the house and joins her grandmother. The two spin until dinner is ready. Tonight Grandpa has made fried chicken.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When Becca sees what her grandmother can create with paint, she </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>wants to be </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>just like Grandma</b>.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Together they work on the canvas until day's end. What will Grandpa serve for dinner tonight? Watching her Grandma win the grand prize for dancing the Fancy Shawl Dance at the powwow, Becca's heart soars. During another portion of the event, they dance together until Grandpa signals their dinner is ready.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Back home, Grandma watches Becca. She joins her outside because she wants to be like Becca. The next day, the grandparents wait and then celebrate with Becca. As the narrative closes, a grandchild is grateful for her grandparents, and Grandma perceives the precious gift she has in Becca.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Author <b><a href="https://www.kimrogerswriter.com/" target="_blank">Kim Rogers</a></b> uses the storyteller's gift of repetition masterfully, fashioning a rhythm which reaches out and wraps around readers. She calls us back to the house and its description repeatedly. Each time Becca sees Grandma doing something she wishes to replicate, the same words are used. Each of these shared experiences is followed by Grandpa inviting them to eat a different meal for dinner, even at the powwow. When Grandma surprises Becca and wants to be like her, the narrative takes on an expanded cadence. Everything is tied together superbly by the duo's musings at the end. Here is a passage.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Becca sits down next to</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Grandma and her pretty palette.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>Let me try,</b> she says.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Grandma shows her brushstrokes</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>on the textured canvas.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Together they paint the most spectacular sunrise</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>anyone has ever painted,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>until the sun dips below the tree line</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>and Grandpa calls them in for pancakes for dinner</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The portrait of Becca with Grandma seen on the open and matching dust jacket and book case introduces readers to these people bound together with love and admiration. The dragonfly to the right of them is seen one other time in an illustration within the book. Is there significance in its placement?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To the left of the spine, on the back, Becca and Grandma are seated next to each other. This time their backs are to us. A gorgeous shawl or blanket is wrapped around them. I like to think that based on the sky, the day is coming to an end. Perhaps Grandpa has just called them to dinner.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A golden tan covers the opening and closing endpapers. The artwork on the back of the jacket and case is used for the title page. It is also an interior visual. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://www.julieflett.com/" target="_blank">Julie Flett</a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>used pastels and pencil and digitally rendered</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">the images. Her color choices radiate warmth and a closeness to earth. She shifts from double-page pictures to full-page illustrations which cross the gutter. Her full-page visuals sometimes contain tiny drawings and large amounts of white space. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Her depictions of Becca, Grandma, and Grandpa are lively and full of emotional closeness. Readers can readily understand the shared love. Whatever they are doing, they do it with an extension of the rhythm we find in the author's narrative.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite illustrations is when Becca and her grandmother are dancing barefoot in the grass in the backyard. It is a double-page picture. Above the large expanse of grass is a sky streaked in peach and cream. Tall leafy trees are placed on the left. Lovely dark pink and red butterflies float above the grass. To the right of the gutter, Becca and Grandma swirl, their skirts like wings. In the lower, right-hand corner are some flowers and a single butterfly.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Listeners will be captivated hearing the words written by Kim Rogers and viewing the artwork of Julie Flett when <i style="font-weight: bold;">Just Like Grandma </i>is read aloud to them. Both the story and images will linger long after the book is finished. At the close of the title is a letter by Cynthia Leitich Smith. Here she speaks about the value of role models and elders and <i>Heartdrum</i>. This is followed by an author's note, a section on beadwork and a glossary. This title has my highest recommendation for all your collections.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To learn more about Kim Rogers and Julie Flett and their other work, access their websites by following the link attached to their names. Kim Rogers has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/kim.rogers1" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i> and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/kimrogerswriter" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. Julie Flett has an account on <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/julie__flett/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>. The cover reveal can be found at <i><a href="https://diversebooks.org/cover-reveal-for-just-like-grandma-by-kim-rogers-illustrated-by-julie-flett/" target="_blank">We Need Diverse Books</a></i>. There is a letter from Kim Rogers there and the letter from Cynthia Leitich Smith. Kim Rogers is interviewed at <i><a href="https://cynthialeitichsmith.com/2023/02/author-interview-kim-rogers-finds-inspiration-everywhere-plus-her-debut-picture-book-just-like-grandma/" target="_blank">Cynsations</a></i>, the site of author Cynthia Leitich Smith. It is a wonderful question and answer post.</div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-10868954327263529832023-02-16T21:06:00.002-05:002023-02-28T12:49:25.244-05:00In Every Season There Is . . .<p>If I had a dime, no, a penny, for every time my dad said <i>actions speak louder than words</i>, <i>Forbes </i>would have me on their billionaires list. He was a doer of the highest order. For him, every belief, emotion, and statement, and even those things unsaid, were backed by noticeable efforts. </p><div style="text-align: left;">When I read <i style="font-weight: bold;">In Every Life </i>(<i><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/In-Every-Life/Marla-Frazee/9781665912488" target="_blank">Beach Lane Books</a>, </i>an imprint of<i> Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division</i>, February 07, 2023) written and illustrated by Marla Frazee for the first time, it was as if my dad was looking over my shoulder. When I read it a second time, it was as if every illustration was a testament to something I had heard over and over and over until it became a part of me. It is one thing to read or hear words, but when those words are made visible, their truth is revealed. This is what Marla Frazee gives to readers with this book.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUABZcs18q7bmBZ3OdRC3xFGzWM38SZ2s5s82SRubyOeKWWii8AEJJaC35IwX5m1L43Be6QzxqDKoa6ewy_LCR1LhdSqsiKZLKKn4Vhz0g6vrLaNcvKzjrLFcG1JzRLXI4uMRe33P6GCgDc7ELA9zPMQX9SWJslb2zemGn8mlA-lasdohHj18d6ltyA/s900/in-every-life-9781665912488_xlg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="897" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUABZcs18q7bmBZ3OdRC3xFGzWM38SZ2s5s82SRubyOeKWWii8AEJJaC35IwX5m1L43Be6QzxqDKoa6ewy_LCR1LhdSqsiKZLKKn4Vhz0g6vrLaNcvKzjrLFcG1JzRLXI4uMRe33P6GCgDc7ELA9zPMQX9SWJslb2zemGn8mlA-lasdohHj18d6ltyA/s320/in-every-life-9781665912488_xlg.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>In every birth,</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>blessed is the wonder.</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the first of seven declarative sentences. Each sentence speaks to a different experience in human life. Some are more readily seen than others like a smile. Some happen for a few seconds like coming face to face with an animal in the wild, but are captured forever in our memories.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We read of goals brought to fruition. We read of mourning eased with solace. We read of the many forms of love and how deeply those loves can leave a mark on our lives.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Most of all, these words ask us to embrace our lives, enjoying all they bring to us. They ask us to be grateful for the happiness and for the heartbreak. These distinct words and what we find in each one makes us fully human.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the verso, beneath the dedication, <b><a href="https://www.marlafrazee.com/" target="_blank">Marla Frazee</a></b> addresses how this book began to form in her mind. She was attending a church service and listening to</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>a call-and-response version of a Jewish baby-naming blessing</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This was in 1998.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Her text for this book begins with the same two words. After the comma are the same three words for each sentence. In my mind, Marla Frazee has sought to redefine those seven words in the beginning of the blessing by reminding readers of an extraordinary or uncommon meaning embedded in each one. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There have only been a few times in my life when I've been hiking in the forest, strolling down a beach, or sailing on the water and witnessed sunlight shooting rays through the trees or clouds. It does not last, but seems to have a spirituality attached to it. When you see this on the front of the open dust jacket, you realize a special moment is being depicted. This moving glimpse of time featuring three generations is universal in its appeal. In the colors of the leaves on the trees, Marla Frazee gives us hints of the passing of seasons. The palette for the title text is just the beginning of the marvelous artwork we find in the interior of this title. It is varnished and raised to the touch.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the other side of the spine, on the back, is a small vignette surrounded by white space. It is one of the images for the words <i>moment</i> and <i>mystery</i>. It is of a child ready to blow out a single lighted candle on a piece of cake. Is she thinking of a wish?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the book case the front and back are covered in a cream canvas. A wide band of a darker shade of the purple hue used in the title text covers the spine and an inch and a quarter on either side. The title text on the book case is identical to the dust jacket. It is varnished but not raised to the touch.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The turquoise blue in the title text covers the opening and closing endpapers. The title text is enlarged for the title page. Opposite the verso page is a swirl of pastel shades of the colors in the title text beginning from a central focal point. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In a style which is uniquely her own, Marla Frazee has from eight to fourteen smaller images grouped on the two pages dedicated to each phrase. These smaller visuals represent an array of interpretations of the two main words in each blessing. Through her delicate use of color and intricate fine lines, she draws us into each of these illustrations. They are a marvelous mix of generations and ethnic backgrounds.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Each of these seven blessings is followed by a dramatic double-page wordless picture. These wordless scenes further reinforce the final word in each sentence. All of them are striking and panoramic. With the exception of the final one, the people and their companions are small in light of the majesty of their surroundings.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite smaller vignettes is of a young woman and a young man seated on a rustic wooden bench with small boulders under the bench. They have stopped to sip a bottled drink. They are looking directly into each other's eyes with their heads turned. To me it's that instant when you know the other person loves you as much as you love them. You wonder why it has happened at this exact second.</div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my many favorite wordless visuals is the vast seascape for the same blessing. Spread before readers across these two pages are crests of waves rolling toward a sandy beach under a sky with storm clouds moving away. Rays of sun are breaking through those clouds. A few brave sailors are out in their boats in the distance. Three dolphins are leaping from the water under the sunshine. An elder and a smaller child, their footprints making a path in the sand, are watching the dolphins. Seabirds crowd the beach and a few have taken flight. These two illustrations, like all of them in this book, are completely sensory.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This book, <i style="font-weight: bold;">In Every Life </i>written and illustrated by Marla Frazee, is rich and rare. Its eloquence needs to be savored often and shared widely. It will certainly promote discussions about what each day holds for all of us. It might be interesting to pair it with <i><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2017/07/ongoing.html" target="_blank">Life</a></i> by Cynthia Rylant with illustrations by Brendan Wenzel or <i><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2020/09/where-to-start-look-in-your-heart.html" target="_blank">You Are A Beautiful Beginning</a></i> by Nina Laden with illustrations by Kelsey Garrity-Riley. (And for some reason, it prompted me to watch and listen to <i><a href="https://youtu.be/TH2OaaktJrw" target="_blank">The New York Times, An Illustrated Talk With Maurice Sendak</a></i>.) I highly recommend this title for both your professional and personal collections.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To learn more about Marla Frazee and her other work, please access her website by following the link attached to her name. Marla Frazee has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/marlafrazee/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> </i>and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/MarlaFrazee" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. At the publisher's website, you can view interior images including the open dust jacket. Marla Frazee talks with Roger Sutton at <i><a href="https://www.hbook.com/story/marla-frazee-talks-with-roger-2023" target="_blank">The Horn Book</a> </i>about this title. Travis Jonker, host of this chat on <i><a href="https://theyarn.slj.com/2023/01/29/a-book-25-years-in-the-making-marla-frazee-visits-the-yarn/" target="_blank">The Yarn, School Library Journal</a></i>, talks with Marla Frazee about this book. Author Pat Zietlow Miller showcases this book at <i><a href="https://picturebookbuilders.com/2023/02/a-new-picture-book-to-love-and-hug/?doing_wp_cron=1676573178.0358560085296630859375" target="_blank">Picture Book Builders</a>.</i></div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503880548764480867.post-91068639221999841822023-02-15T16:50:00.001-05:002023-03-01T22:37:02.148-05:00It Spoke Volumes For HerOne of many things history teaches us is the power of a single individual to make a significant impact. This effect can ripple through a community, a state, a region, a country or the entire world. It can be damaging or beneficial. It can be temporary or lasting. <div><br /></div><div>Some names are more well-known than others; people like <b><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2019/02/in-1983-group-of-prominent-names-in.html" target="_blank">Elvis Presley</a>, <a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2019/01/reaping-everlasting-riches.html" target="_blank">Pura Belpre</a>, <a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2021/12/a-world-imagined.html" target="_blank">Stan Lee</a>, <a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-difference-of-one.html" target="_blank">John Lewis</a>, </b> <b><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2021/01/collecting-culture-its-who-we-are.html" target="_blank">Zora Neale Hurston</a> </b>or<b> <a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2019/10/to-create-change.html" target="_blank">Greta Thunberg</a>. </b>Even if we think we know all we need to know about these individuals and their accomplishments, through the efforts of authors and illustrators collaborating on biographical picture books, we learn more. The value of the work of these authors and illustrators cannot be stressed enough, especially when they introduce people who are unfamiliar to us.</div><div><br /></div><div>For whatever reason these individuals are lesser known (to me), they did contribute to the betterment of life for residents on this planet. How much did we know about <b><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2019/09/from-one-small-object-large-idea-grew.html" target="_blank">Todd Bol</a></b>, <b><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2021/05/an-eye-for-truth.html" target="_blank">Ben Shahn</a></b>, <b><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2019/09/she-gave-him-joy.html" target="_blank">Teresa Carreno</a></b>, <b><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2020/01/words-and-freedom-to-fly.html" target="_blank">Mary Walker</a></b>, <b><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2020/09/baby-love.html" target="_blank">Helen Martini</a></b> or <b><a href="https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2019/05/never-doubt-power-of-one.html" target="_blank">Jadav Payeng</a> </b>before we read outstanding picture book biographies about them? Their achievements are inspirational, far-reaching and enduring. <i style="font-weight: bold;">Love Is Loud: How Diane Nash Led the Civil Rights Movement </i>(<i><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Love-Is-Loud/Sandra-Neil-Wallace/9781534451032" target="_blank">A Paula Wiseman Book</a></i>, an imprint of <i>Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers</i>, January 10, 2023) written by Sandra Neil Wallace with illustrations by Bryan Collier is a book vital to any discourse on the history of the Civil Rights Movement. Although, Diane Nash was not given the same platform as her male counterparts at the same time, she was and is a woman powered by and empowered by love.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdNnJpsCvyR2CK7CiO2k8zqFCQxZxVWLNb02ClIllsb9nsPvl6s40gJDlxSIzkD4xMLnZ8TRoBk3c0qKGXHCz_U4-bGO7OJhOEhtFyLVbgaH-g1QmQhgA-SmsPVS94K4SEYRlHtV0DYiynKr_TohDdsT2ZF3crZNu-Y4fsu296WfdWfRV_dW_qbTzbw/s900/love-is-loud-9781534451032_xlg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="740" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdNnJpsCvyR2CK7CiO2k8zqFCQxZxVWLNb02ClIllsb9nsPvl6s40gJDlxSIzkD4xMLnZ8TRoBk3c0qKGXHCz_U4-bGO7OJhOEhtFyLVbgaH-g1QmQhgA-SmsPVS94K4SEYRlHtV0DYiynKr_TohDdsT2ZF3crZNu-Y4fsu296WfdWfRV_dW_qbTzbw/s320/love-is-loud-9781534451032_xlg.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><div><i>You arrive in the spring of 1938 on the South Side, when</i></div><div><i>Chicago's leaves unfurl, emerald green like your baby girl eyes.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><b>CELEBRATION, JUBILATION. </b>Your parents baptize beautiful, </i><i>honey-brown you, <b>Diane Judith Nash.</b></i></div><div><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div>For the first four years of her life, she lives in a home her parents fill with love until World War II comes. With her father in the army and her mother working all day, Grandmother Bolton comes from Tennessee to embrace this child in her special kind of affection. When she attends high school, love sustains her as classmates from a variety of ethnic backgrounds sit around Diane. It is not until she goes to Tennessee to stay with Grandmother Bolton to attend college that segregation is blatantly on display.</div><div><br /></div><div>Signs in Nashville say <i>WHITES ONLY </i>and <i>COLORED ONLY. </i>It is not right to not share a drinking fountain or a school or a lunch counter. Diane Judith Nash, raised in love, knows something must be done but she refers to not get arrested. She and other students learn and practice peaceful persistence in church before classes. </div><div><br /></div><div>They calmly sit at lunch counters and their numbers grow through the winter months of February and March. In April, Diane is ignited by an act of violence; she silently leads six thousand souls in a march to meet Mayor Ben West to desegregate the lunch counters in Nashville. Victory is theirs. The next focus for Diane is the Freedom Rides. She is twenty-three years old. </div><div><br /></div><div>Pregnant with her first child, Diane Judith Nash faces time in a Mississippi jail for organizing student protests. She does not post bail, but goes to jail for the sake of freedom and explains her actions in a letter to the world. Her two year sentence lasts ten days, dismissed by the judge. Love wins.</div><div><br /></div><div>Diane is not done. She works tirelessly to make the Voting Rights Act a reality. Wherever she can, whenever she can she believes in justice and peace forged from love. She spreads her truth for fifty years. On July 7, 2022 this remarkable woman is the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom given to her by President Joe Biden. She is eighty-four years young.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>When you read what author <b><a href="https://sandraneilwallace.com/" target="_blank">Sandra Neil Wallace</a></b> has written in this title, page turn by page turn a cadence grows. She includes specific facts and quotations in her narrative to build and define the distinguished and formidable Diane Judith Nash. Within each section <b>at least</b> two words are capitalized and bolded.</div><div><br /></div><div>These particular words are like roots or foundations from which the other thoughts grow and form. There is a poetic, almost musical, quality to them through rhyme, repetition, and alliteration. Toward the end of the book, three </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Love is . . .</i></div><div><br /></div><div>statements are repeated to create a powerful and exhilarating meter. Here is a passage.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Seeing twenty-one-year-old you sit down with your pearls and your books shakes</i></div><div><i>the cooks and the waitress. She breaks plate after plate as you wait to be served.</i></div><div><i>Inside, you shake too. <b>HANDS SWEATING, NEVER FORGETTING</b> the danger,</i></div><div><i>the fear of being arrested for ordering a sandwich.</i></div><div><i>Your family is also afraid. Of what can happen to you over lunch. They worry</i></div><div><i>you've gotten in with the wrong bunch.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>The open and matching dust jacket and book case first reveal a vibrant persona on the right side, the front. Diane Judith Nash is looking straight ahead, focused on her goal. The colors radiating from her are warm tones, reds, oranges, and yellows. These are reflective of her beliefs that love is the way to win. <i>Love Is</i> is varnished as is Diane Judith Nash. The ray from her mouth is a glazed white with a bright red varnish on <i>Loud</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>To the left of the spine, on the back, are three visuals taken from the interior of the book. They are shown to us in three different rays divided by a wide yellow border. They show a progression of Diane's life, birth, her lunch counter sit-in, and her speech to secure voting rights. In each of these Diane presents calmness with intention.</div><div><br /></div><div>A rich orange red covers the opening and closing endpapers. Artist <b><a href="https://www.bryancollier.com/" target="_blank">Bryan Collier</a></b> continues his use of rays like a megaphone on the title, verso and dedication pages adding a bold sky blue hue to the red, yellow and white. His images rendered</div><div><br /></div><div><i>in watercolor and collage</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>span two and single pages. They are historically accurate in their depiction of clothing, interior design, buildings, fair grounds, and signage in Chicago and the southern states.</div><div><br /></div><div>Readers cannot fail to notice the outstanding portraits of Diane Judith Nash in every setting. Underlying her facial features, regardless of her current mood, is love. We see it in her eyes and in her stance. It is her <i>North Star.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>One of my many favorite illustrations is a double-page picture. On the left, Diane appears straight and tall at a lunch counter sit-in. She is wearing a yellow V-neck sweater rimmed in cream with a green blouse. A strand of pearls rests around her neck. She is looking to the right. There we see a scene which might have been at that moment or one of other moments during the sit-ins. A waitress holding coffee pots is flinging plates. Some of the customers are displaying anger. The participants are calm and well-dressed.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Through the stirring, informative words of Sandra Neil Wallace and the equally informative and expressive artwork of Bryan Collier, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Love Is Loud: How Diane Nash Led the Civil Rights Movement </i>is a superior nonfiction picture book. At the close of the book is an author's note and an illustrator's note. There is an extensive <i>time line</i>, several sources to learn about Diane Nash from <i>video interviews</i> and books <i>for young readers</i>. There is a page of <i>quote sources</i> and a <i>selected bibliography</i>. This is an essential title for all your collections. </div><div><br /></div><div>To discover more about Sandra Neil Wallace and Bryan Collier and their other work, please visit their websites by following the link attached to their names. Sandra Neil Wallace has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sandraneilwallace" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/sandraneilwallace/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/SandraNWallace" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. Bryan Collier has accounts on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/bryan.collier.921" target="_blank">Facebook</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/brycollier2/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://twitter.com/BryanCo98882573" target="_blank">Twitter</a></i>. At both the publisher's website and the website of Sandra Neil Wallace, you can view the book trailer. At Sandra Neil Wallace's site is a link to a six-page curriculum guide. At the publisher's website, you can view interior images including the open dust jacket.</div>Xena's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10148266875207885836noreply@blogger.com0