Perfecting A Talent

Each one of us has one gift or more.  In our lifetimes, we will determine whether to embrace or set aside these gifts.  We will decide to use them to benefit a few or many.  Ultimately, the choice is entirely our own.

As a child, opportunities seem plentiful.  We look around noticing what others do and wonder what is best for us.  It's selecting one thing and then achieving it which can be a challenge. In the newest collaboration by author Atinuke and illustrator Angela Brooksbank (Baby Goes to Market and B Is for Baby) Catch That Chicken! (Candlewick Press, July 7, 2020) introduces readers to a little girl with the gifts of speed, agility, and courage.  These traits make her the best chicken catcher in her village. 

This is Lami.
Lami loves chickens.
Luckily, Lami lives
in a compound . . .

with lots and lots of chickens.

As Lami races through her village after a particularly fast bird, friends, siblings, and adult family members call to her.

"Catch that chicken!"

Using all the right moves, Lami is soon holding that hen in her arms.  No one can surpass the skills of Lami.

Her sister Sadia is a whiz at spelling, but not as fast as Lami is catching chickens.  No one can braid hair as quickly as Lami's friend Fatima, but Lami is quicker at catching chickens.  Lami's brother, Bilal works with bulls.  This takes bravery, but Lami has more courage.

Running with her usual speed, one morning Lami bolts through a pen for the livestock.  Everywhere she goes in her village, everyone shouts at her to

"SLOW DOWN!"

Lami is so focused on getting that chicken, she chases it up a gigantic baobab tree.  Everyone is still calling for her to slow down.  She does not listen.  YIKES!  Lami falls from the baobab tree.

Her sprained ankle swells, and she cries in pain.  How will she catch chickens now?  Nana Nadia comes, sits next to her, and offers her some wisdom.  Lami takes Nana Nadia's words and rolls them around in her mind.  She knows what she must do. She does it because her reputation is consistent and constant, unwavering.


In one of the best storytelling traditions, the words penned by Atinuke invite reader participation.  Her simple, declarative sentences blend perfectly with the exclamations of people residing in the village with Lami.  Repetition of words creates a catchy cadence.  Alliteration is used to great effect.  Comparisons in a sequence of three lead readers to the fateful day when Lami learns of another gift she possesses.  Here is a passage.

Lami leans!
Lami lunges!
Lami leaps!


You simply cannot look at the matching dust jacket and book case front (on the right of the opened jacket and case) without smiling.  Lami and the chicken she is embracing are colorful and endearing.  You expect them to begin moving at any moment.  The cream canvas is ideal for accentuating Lami and the hen.  Lami, the chicken and the title text are varnished.  To the left, on the back, text from the interior of the book is placed above three other chickens casually standing in the village.  They are in different postures.  The spine is decorated with a spring green and yellow pattern.

On the opening and closing endpapers two shades of spring green and brushes of white supply readers with a folk pattern found in the fabric of clothing.  The title, dedication and verso pages are one and the same with Lami already running after that chicken.  The background here and throughout the book is white.  The vibrant hues reach out and wrap around readers.

Each of the illustrations rendered in mixed media by Angela Brooksbank portray the liveliness of Lami and her gifts.  The image sizes range from double-page pictures, to a group of smaller visuals on a single page and to full-page pictures.  White space acts as an additional element, framing all the bright elements within each image.  For two pages to heighten the drama unfolding, Angela Brooksbank places three horizontal panels on each page.  Three of them are wordless.  She employs this same technique on another single page.  The point of view in her illustrations shifts to heighten the rhythm of the narrative, moving from close-up to the characters and then to a more panoramic outlook.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is the first double-page picture as the story starts.  We are close to Lami and the chickens.  Five chickens cover, left to right, the lower half of the image.  On the right Lami squats. Her left hand is resting on her left knee.  Her right hand is outstretched as if in greeting.  Her lips are parted as she speaks.  In this moment we know Lami does indeed love chickens.  They must love her, too, because they look as if they are listening, even as two lower their heads seeking food.


If you are looking for a joyful story with a clever protagonist, this book, Catch That Chicken! written by Atinuke with illustrations by Angela Brooksbank is the perfect choice.  Readers will readily join in repeating the phrases.  This would be a great selection for readers' theater.  I know you'll want a copy for your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Atinuke, follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Atinuke has an account on Facebook.  Angela Brooksbank has an account on Instagram.   At the publisher's website you can view an interior illustration.  At Penguin Random House you can view other interior illustrations.

Ever-Present Pal

To be faced with something different and untried is a challenge.  Depending on the task at hand, past endeavors, and previous successes, what is before us can be easy, hard, or somewhere in the middle.  We assess the situation, prepare for possible outcomes, and then proceed with caution or sometimes complete abandon. 

As we approach this undertaking, we are usually unaware of an unseen partner at our side.  The Magical Yet (Disney Hyperion, April 14, 2020) written by Angela DiTerlizzi with art by Lorena Alvarez discloses to all the true nature of this presence.  It never wavers from its dedication to us.

There are days when your dreams haven't come true,
or you're upset by the things you can't do.

The protagonist has attempted and failed to ride her new bike.  She has wavered, wobbled, taken a tumble, and bent her front wheel.  Trudging home, she vows to never ride a bike again.  Walking is far safer.  In the midst of her despair, she meets

The Magical Yet!

She discovers this being has been with her since birth.  She realizes it has offered encouragement.  Yet shows her up when she's down.  Yet dares her to do what she has never done.  Yet promotes thinking beyond ordinary, aiming for extraordinary.

Yet points the girl toward a plan.  Yet helps to fix that which is broken.  Yet knows practice is necessary.  Yet knows there will be errors, but there will also be successes.

If you are a hopeful melodic musician, stunning sports star, wizard wordsmith, marvelous muralist, or dazzling dancer, Yet strengthens your resolve to never give up, regardless of the time it takes.  You, wonderful you, can do what you desire to do.  There is another secret about Yet; one you can hold in your heart.  First to recognize it, you must start.


There is an undercurrent of hope on every page of this narrative.  Angela DiTerlizzi uses a lilting, lyrical series of couplets to fashion a flowing narrative.  Woven into the story of the young character who does not at first succeed in riding her new bike, are examples of other young people pursuing their dreams.  Another wondrous component in this book is making Yet a character, an individual.  Each person's Yet is seen as a positive power in their lives.  Here is a passage.

Tongue twisters twisted
your tongue in a knot?
Yet says, "Keep trying and practice
---a lot!"


If you are in need of happiness, looking at the open dust jacket is certain to bring some to your soul.  On the front, the right, the bicycle rider, wide-eyed and smiling has benefited from the optimism supplied by her Yet.  The Yet, hitching a ride on her helmet, is enjoying the results of its wisdom.  This scene continues on the other side of the spine.  Two children are running over the rolling hills.  One is playing a lute.  The other is holding a high-flying kite shaped like a bird.  The kite, the title text and the Yet are decorated in glitter.  Our main character is varnished.  Yet elements on both flaps are adorned in glitter.

A fantastical image spreads across the book case on either side of the spine.  Within a series of intricate insets and abstract shapes we are introduced to four Yets.  Each one is a different brightly colored hue and performing a feat desired by their human.  This is enchanting!

Using a two-color palette on the opening and closing endpapers illustrator Lorena Alvarez portrays seven diverse young people beginning and continuing their most passionate endeavors.  They, except for the child on the bike on the sidewalk, are shown in windows of various shapes.  A series of exquisite designs are part of this wall of possibilities.  It is pleasing to see them again at the end, older and more proficient in their pursuits.

Each illustration rendered using Procreate extends over two pages, edge to edge, on a single page with a white frame, in a smaller circle, or as a small group on a single page. These choices of size contribute to the pacing and the pictorial interpretations of the narrative by Lorena Alvarez.  Readers will enjoy seeing the delicate Yets among the vibrant colors in the landscapes and settings.  (Mulan likes that the main character's pup grows up and stays with them.)  Each image is highly animated, but the wonder of the first encounter with the Yet is stunning.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is a double-page picture.  In this scene the girl with her broken bike is facing left as she watches other children at work in a room.  Each one is accompanied by their Yet.  In the lower left-hand corner, a girl is making a doghouse following a blueprint she made that is hanging on the wall.  Between her and our protagonist is a child on a ladder making geometric art designs.  There is a scholar, a musician, a knitter, and a kite flyer.  The tools of their trades are shown in separate shelves.  The kite is huge and floating across the top of the right side.  This is a place where goals are met.  This is a place where children from all cultures engage in their heart's desire.


When you hold The Magical Yet words by Angela DiTerlizzi with art by Lorena Alvarez, you hold hope in your hands.  You feel as though anything at any age is possible if you remember to value the existence of your Yet.  This title will be valuable in a range of thematic storytimes.  Be sure to read it as a bedtime story so dreamers will know, as they fall asleep, dreams do come true.  I highly recommend this title.

To learn more about Angela DiTerlizzi and Lorena Alvarez and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their respective websites.  Angela DiTerlizzi has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.  Lorena Alvarez has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher, showcased this title and interviewed both creators on his site, Watch. Connect. Read.  The publisher has a PDF you can print and color of the Yet.

Puppy Persistence

Every being has a talent which sets them apart.  If you were to ask a group of students to write down the one thing for which they are the most adept, you would get a few similar answers but most would have replies as unique as they are.  For some this skill is apparent when they are young.  For others the gift will not shine until hope is nearly lost as to excelling at anything.

For those students who believe they have no talent, skill or gift, they need to recognize they do.  Antoinette (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, February 14, 2017) written by Kelly DiPucchio with pictures by Christian Robinson is a companion to the delightful Gaston (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, June 3, 2014). Lovable characters return to offer readers insights into the abilities which make each individual distinctive.

Mrs. Bulldog watched her puppies race through the yard.

She names each one---

Rocky, Ricky, Bruno and Antoinette.  

If you think those names don't quite mesh as a foursome it's because the first three are bulldog brothers and their sister puppy is a poodle.  The boys' gifts are already shining, clever, fast and strong.

Antoinette is not sure yet about what makes her special.  Her mother, Mrs. Bulldog, cheers her on with encouragement.  She is sure Antoinette is an extraordinary being.

Each day Mrs. Bulldog and Mrs. Poodle take their puppies to the park.  Rocky, Ricky, Bruno and Antoinette love to play with Fi-Fi, Foo-Foo, Ooh-La-La and Gaston.  (Antoinette's affection for Gaston is apparent.)  In the middle of their play one day, the mothers notice something is wrong.  Ooh-La-La is missing.

Antoinette's three brothers use their skills to attempt to locate Ooh-La-La but she is not to be found.  Antoinette wants to bring the missing Ooh-La-La home.  She puts her nose to work winding her way through the streets of Paris with courage and determination.  Nearing the city museum Antoinette starts barking as the canine crew follows close behind her.

Are dogs allowed in the museum?  They are not.  One persistent poodle is about to find her skill and a good friend as she woofs and weaves her way through the crowd.


It's clear Kelly DiPucchio enjoys fashioning a playful undertone with words throughout her narrative.  Several times during the story she repeats groups of words which are simply fun to read out loud.  You can't help it!

During the search for Ooh-La-La she creates a cadence as each brother employs their skills. Further rhythm is felt in her comedic puns and use of alliteration.  Here is a sample passage.

Well, unlike her burly brothers, she still hadn't quite discovered what she was good at.
"Chin up!" barked her mother.
"You have something extra special.  I can feel it in my bones!"


Looking at the opened, matching dust jacket and book case you can feel a question forming in your mind.  Why is Antoinette racing through the crowd of people?  The image stretches from the back, left, edge to the front, right, edge.  All the people seem to be in a hurry, walking in full stride, just like Antoinette.  There's something alluring about the brush strokes Christian Robinson uses in painting his background.  If you run your fingers over it with little imagination it feels like pavement.  The title text is raised.

The brown skirt patterned in blue flowers with green leaves worn by one of the people (on the back) is used on the spine and the opening and closing endpapers.  The title and verso pages have a white background highlighting activity from the street as Antoinette races along with the vehicles, a scooter and rider and a bicycle rider.  Rendered in acrylic paint all the pictures are like frozen moments of animation.  You expect them to leap to life at any second.

When Christian Robinson paints in this book, first you focus on the puppies and Antoinette but then your eyes drift over all the details he places in each scene.  You'll notice the bluebirds drinking from the birdbath in the yard, the place setting for one person in Mrs. Bulldog's home, the interpretation of the words clever, fast and strong for the brothers, the butterfly in the park, the bubble blower, the activities of the people on the Paris streets and in exactly which museum Ooh-La-La is discovered.  The heavy, matte-finished paper is ideal for Christian's style in these images, nearly all spanning two pages.

One of my favorite illustrations is when the four puppies are in the living room of Mrs. Bulldog's human's home.  The background is a darker khaki color on the walls and floor.  A single painting hangs on the wall, a large circle of rusty red on black.  Rocky the clever is seated in a wagon attached to Ricky the fast.  To entice Ricky a stick is holding a bone on a string over his head.  Rocky is indeed clever.  Bruno the strong is lifting up the edge of the sofa to get a ball.  Antoinette is seated on the sofa wondering how she is special.


This book, Antoinette, written by Kelly DiPucchio with pictures by Christian Robinson is a celebration of the singular skills each person can and will discover within themselves.  For those not sure where their talents are, this book will inspire them.  You could not ask for a better companion title to the first book, Gaston.  I think you will have multiple requests for read it again.

To learn more about Kelly DiPucchio and Christian Robinson and their other work please take a few minutes to explore their websites by following the links attached to their names.  Kelly DiPucchio maintains a blog which is linked to her name.  At the publisher's website you can view six interior illustrations.  Christian Robinson is a guest on The Horn Book podcast 1.33 October 17, 2016.

What's A Dog To Do?

By their very nature our canine companions are pack animals.  When they become a part of our families they instinctively long to be participatory members.  They want to have a job to do.  When their task is completed to the best of their ability, they wish to enjoy all the benefits of being a part of Team Dog and Human.

There can be one or usually several duties at which they excel.  Excellent Ed (Alfred A. Knopf, May 17, 2016) written by Stacy McAnulty with illustrations by Julia Sarcone-Roach is a pooch with a problem.  He's not quite sure how he fits in with the Ellis family.

All the Ellis children were excellent at something.
Except Ed.

The excellent Ellis guys and gals were able to eat at the table, ride in the van, sit on the couch and use the indoor bathroom. The five children had gifts; soccer player, math masters, ballet dancer and cupcake maker.  While Ed did his best to match their superior skills, his results were not quite the same.  Does cupcake taster count?

Ed's canine mind is whirling with ideas.  He wants to be able to eat at the table, ride in the van, sit on the couch and use the indoor bathroom.  A checklist is forming in his head.  His first possible superior skill could be breaking stuff.  That backfires when Elaine rushes into the family home with an announcement of breaking a soccer record for the season.

Two more times, Ed is sure he has discovered what he does best but the Ellis children are better as he assess their news.  It looks as though he won't be allowed a seat in the van or the cozy comfort of the couch.  At this point, Ed is feeling a little dejected.

When Ed being Ed shines in several situations, his doggy logic begins to understand why there are better places for him to be than at the table, in the van or on the couch.  With each event Ed can feel his excellence growing and his place in the family assured.  But...


Readers can readily see why Stacy McAnulty has dogs at the top of her Things I Love list on her website.  Her affection and understanding is apparent in the narrative.  When Ed is comparing his abilities to their excellence the humor begins to unfold.

Edith was an excellent soccer player.
Ed preferred to carry the ball in his mouth.

She establishes an enticing storytelling rhythm with Ed wanting to be excellent, thinking of what his excellence is and then discovering he is not quite as excellent as one of the Ellis children.  It is during these portions of the story readers are privy to wordplay through double meanings.

By having the tale told by a narrator and Ed's point of view in combination with dialogue from the Ellis family members, we are completely immersed in every moment.  Here is another sample passage.

Just then, Ernie dropped half of his peanut butter
sandwich.  Ed gobbled it up.
"Wow, Ed! You are excellent at cleaning the floor," Ernie said.
Yes, I am an excellent floor cleaner.
Maybe that's why I don't eat at the table?


My enthusiasm for the illustrations in this title begins on the matching dust jacket and book case.  The golden glow seen on the front and back of each is carried throughout the book.  There is nothing more endearing than seeing a dog on their back, eyes wide, mouth open and tail thumping in sheer happiness.  This is the essence of dog.  On the back, to the left, the Ellis family is pictured all looking down at Ed as Emily hugs him.  Ed's eyes are closed in contentment.

The brilliance of the artwork rendered in acrylic paint, watercolor, crayon and grease pencil created by Julia Sarcone-Roach continues on the opening and closing endpapers.  In the first set the Ellis family has placed a red and white, striped sweater on Ed.  In three rows, left to right, twelve small pictures altogether, we see Ed trying to get that sweater off.  His body contortions are hilarious.  This continues across the two title pages and the page opposite the first page of the story.  Ed sits triumphant and sans sweater at the beginning.  The closing endpapers feature Ed in totally canine bliss in ten different positions.  The golden yellow hues with green are predominant.

To enhance the pacing of the text Sarcone-Roach alters her image sizes.  We see a group of eight across four pages followed by several single page pictures.  As Ed discovers his excellence the perspective changes bringing us closer to the characters.

Throughout the narrative the expressions on all the Ellis family faces are full of warmth and sincere kindness.  Ed's looks as depicted by Sarcone-Roach are eager, full of fun and guaranteed to have you burst out laughing.  She captures the looks, tail wags, perky ears, woebegone body postures and true delight perfectly.

One of my two favorite illustrations is of Ed leaning over the arm of the couch watching the Ellis children seated together.  They are reading a book spread across their laps.  One of the children is holding a bowl of popcorn.  His tail is thumping in anticipation of enjoying their company and also that popcorn.  The second image I really like (there are more actually) is when Emily and Elmer walk through the door.  Ed's body is stretched toward Elmer, giving him a doggy kiss.  Both children are hugging Ed.  In each of these pictures Sarcone-Roach through her skills conveys the mood of the moment masterfully.


Dog lovers' hearts are going to fill with love every time they read Excellent Ed written by Stacy McAnulty with illustrations by Julia Sarcone-Roach.  Other readers and listeners are going to ask it to be read over and over again too because it's superb storytelling in words and images.  It's about the excellence of being exactly who you are.  This book deserves and receives four paws way up!

To learn more about Stacy McAnulty and Julia Sarcone-Roach along with their other work please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  By following this link to the publisher's website you can view interior illustrations from the book.  Scholastic's Ambassador for School Libraries, John Schumacher, chats with author Stacy McAnulty at his blog, Watch. Connect. Read.