We Are Family

It's interesting to see the variety of definitions for the word home depending on the source.  For the purpose of this post I am referring to

the social unit formed by a family living together from Merriam-Webster

and

the place in which one's domestic affections are centered from Dictionary.com.

There is an interesting article from 2012 in the Smithsonian which states in the heading home is

also an idea---one where the heart is.

Home is a place where your heart is heard and protected.  Above all else it is a sanctuary filled with the love of those in residence.

Beloved author Vera B. Williams passed away on October 16, 2015.  There was one last book she wanted to release into the world.  Not sure if she had the strength to complete the pictures she asked a fellow author and illustrator, Chris Raschka, for help.  Home At Last (Greenwillow Books, September 13, 2016) written by Vera B. Williams and illustrated by Vera B. Williams and Chris Raschka, a tender story of adoption and family, is the result of their collaboration.

Lester tripped over the laces of his new shoes just as he went out the door and down the steps of the children's center.

He could hardly wait for the arrival of Daddy Albert and Daddy Rich, his new parents.  He could hardly wait to see their dog Wincka again.  It had taken a year for the adoption process to be completed.

As he climbed into their car, which he absolutely loved, he carried his little blue suitcase and his most prized yo-yo.  Daddy Albert and Daddy Rich helped him unpack and get settled in his new room.  He was assured he would never need his big suitcase again.  He was home.  Lester was reluctant to give up his little blue suitcase filled with his action figure collection.  He wanted them near...just in case he needed protection.

Every night one of his dads would read him a story or tuck him into bed.  Every night Wincka would follow them out of the room.  Every night Lester would appear in his parent's bedroom carrying his suitcase.  He just could not stay settled in his room no matter what they did; no hot chocolate, no toast, songs, stories, kind words or lots of conversations could fix the hole in his heart.  He did not tell his parents what he was really thinking.

Daddy Rich and Daddy Albert had talked a long time before adopting Lester and they were talking now about his late night walks into their bedroom.  They set up rules for Lester.  He had to stay in his own bed except on special Sunday mornings when no one had to go to work the next day.  Rich bought a new bike for Lester and spent the day playing with him.  Albert was not so patient.  One night, he became angry at Lester for not staying in his own room and waking them up.

When Lester began crying, Daddy Albert felt his heart melt and questioned the child.  His parents listened to him talk, telling them the truth.  They were worried.  There was one member of the family not worried and he took steps on four furry feet to make things right for his boy.  Now dear reader, this is not the end of this story but I'll let you enjoy the rest on your own.  With that being said, I guess you know who saved the day, made another life whole and at home...at last.


Everything about this story penned by Vera B. Williams is beautiful.  Her descriptions of Daddy Rich and Daddy Albert leave no doubt as to their personalities and parental love they have for this boy they are bringing into their lives.  The care they give to making him a part of their home is exactly what all members of a family need.  Her descriptions of Lester's hopes, fears and the reason for his living in the children's center will resonate with every reader.

Her inclusion of specific moments like Lester tripping over the untied laces of his new shoes, Lester checking to make sure Wincka is following them, Daddy Rich playfully pretending their attic is haunted, Lester talking to his action figures, and playing with his four new cousins during a sleepover so much they hardly slept at all bring this story into sharp focus.  The words spoken by Daddy Rich, Daddy Albert and Lester in comments and conversation are as real as sunrise and sunset.  Here is a sample passage.

When Daddy Rich and Daddy Albert finally opened their very sleepy eyes and saw their new son, Lester, standing by their bed, they would say, "What's wrong?  What's the trouble, sport?"  Daddy Rich would feel Lester's forehead for fever and ask if he was too cold or too hot or hungry.

A few times Daddy Rich and Daddy Albert, followed by Wincka, even took Lester into the kitchen and fixed him hot cocoa and toast.  His daddies sleepily slurped up the cocoa and Wincka sleepily crunched up the toast, because it was not cocoa and toast Lester wanted.


When opened the matching dust jacket and book case immediately fill your heart with the cozy comfort found in the two images.  You know Lester has found a home with Daddy Rich and Daddy Albert and Wincka in the illustration on the front.  To the left, on the back, is a close up of the hero of the house with Lester.  Lester, eyes closed, has his arms around Wincka in a huge hug.  I think I see the wisp of a smile on the dog's face.

A collage of words,

home, who will take care of me, mommy, daddy, keep me safe, hug me, Grandmother and love,

covers the opening and closing endpapers in shades of black, purple pink and white.  Across the title page is a picture of the dormitory, a row of beds, with Lester sitting on one, waiting.  The sizes of the illustrations flow with the narrative shifting from two pages, to a single page, a half page or several smaller ones on a single page.  The signature color palette and loose lines of Chris Raschka are clearly evident.

In his illustrations there is motion and emotion with an underlying color of golden yellow casting a feeling of warmth.  Changes in perspective match the narrative perfectly.  Careful readers will notice the tiniest of details; lattice work on a balcony, the gas burners on the stove, books stacked on the shelves next to Lester's bed, and the tear on Lester's cheek.

One of my favorite pictures of many is of Lester and Daddy Rich biking around the neighborhood.  It is a half-page illustration.  The park is spread out behind them.  In front of them on the left a man is seated on a bench reading a newspaper.  On the right a man is scooping out ice cream to waiting children.  Lester and Daddy Rich are just finishing up their ice cream cones, standing next to their bicycles.


This is the kind of book. Home At Last, written by Vera B. Williams with illustrations by her and Chris Raschka which clearly defines home and family.  It's about where hearts reside in true affection.  This is an important book.  Home At Last is where children can see themselves and others in the pages of a book.  (We Need Diverse Books)

To learn more about the life of Vera B. Williams and her work please follow the link attached to her name to read her obituary at Publishers Weekly.  Publishers Weekly also has an article about the process of completing this title.  There is an enlightening and wonderful post with additional links and artwork at author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson's blog, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  At the publisher's website there is a link to a five page article about the collaboration between Vera B. Williams and Chris Raschka.

A Loving Heart Knows

The first of May was always cause for celebration growing up in my home.  For at least two days cone-shaped baskets with handles would be crafted from colorful construction paper.  On May Day early in the morning before beginning the day's activities or going to school, we would pick small bouquets of flowers from my Mom's gardens, placing them inside the paper containers.  The best part of all came next.

We went like fairies skipping from home to home in the neighborhood hanging the spring treats on door knobs.  Extending small kindnesses to others was one of Mom's gifts.  Mothers instinctively provide comfort.  In Bunny Roo, I Love You (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), April 14, 2015) written by Melissa Marr with illustrations by Teagan White a child is warmly welcomed into their new world by a loving mother.

When I met you, 
you were small
and trembling,
and I thought
you might be
a little bunny.

The unseen narrator, a new mother, carefully watches her child.  Each time the child displays a different behavior she likens it to an animal.  She responds as the mother of the particular animal would.

A trembling bunny would want to be cuddled and cozy.  A pouch might be a secure sanctuary for an active joey.  A hill bright with sunlight would be the perfect perch for a special someone to learn about their world.

If you've ever heard the howling of a wolf at night, you know a youngster of the pack needs a home with their own special spot.  There's nothing like the cool sip of milk to quench hunger or thirst.  Soothing suds are in store for another.

A final facial expression, no doubt in response to the care given and received, tells this mother exactly what she needs to know.  This being is unique.  This being will be hers to love as long as she can.


With the presentation of each of the six animals, Melissa Marr is telling the reader, the child, no matter what you do, I know what to do in return.  Using the words when and then to introduce the actions creates a questioning note followed by the nearly musical answering words of I thought you might be.  When the mother explains what she does, a pleasing pause wraps itself around us.  Here is the passage which follows the first sentence.

I held 
you close
so you were 
warm.


Children like to run their hands over the dust jacket, book case and pages of books. (I do too.)  They are completely captivated by the texture.  The matte finish and heavier interior pages pair wonderfully with the theme of this title, a beckoning tenderness.

The delicate pale sage green with tiny white dots on the dust jacket and matching book case are a gentle invitation as well as an exquisite canvas for the palette used by Teagan White.  On the back to the left, we see the bunny sitting among the flowers and grass, wondering.  If I had to pick one word to describe a reader's first look at this book it would be comfort.

The opening and closing endpapers are done in the deeper rose shade with a pattern of white and peach flowers scattered along with clusters of dots. On the title page the text and the happy bunny, in four positions moving across the page, are framed with floral corner arrangements.  On the publication and dedication pages a single garden scene, flowering trees, flowers, a stony path and wooden fence, are the ideal place for the bunny.  This illustration crosses the gutter to the left.

For each action by the child, the text is on the right with the little one placed in a circular image.  I like this because the lines of a circle, like a mother's love, are continuous and constant. When the mother gives her reply White has painted lovely two page pictures in muted hues with graceful brush stokes and intricate details.  The clothing and accessories worn by the mothers are absolutely darling.

I adore all of these illustrations but one of my favorite is the first two page spread.  It looks to be a fuller view of the garden in which the bunny is originally seen.  On the left is a bird bath occupied by a happy cardinal with a sparrow watching on a flower stem.  Flowers are growing out of a watering can.  On the right a bird house is in a nearby tree with small wind chimes handing from a branch.  Another sparrow is sitting on the T of clothes line.  Clothing is in a basket and on the line.  Clothes pins are scattered on the ground.  Mother Rabbit is holding her bunny.  Both their eyes are closed.


Bunny Roo, I Love You written by Melissa Marr with illustrations rendered in watercolor and gouache by Teagan White will fill your heart with its charm.  Whether you share this with a group at storytime or one on one, each listener will know they are loved.   You might want to have the children think of other animals and their antics.  What would a mother's response be?  This is a book my Mom would have loved, every single word.

To learn more about Melissa Marr and Teagan White and their other work, please follow the links embedded in their names to access their websites.  This link will take you to Teagan White's Tumblr page where you can see interior pictures from this title.  Melissa Marr was interviewed at Publisher's Weekly and Brightly about the very personal reasons for this book's birth.

UPDATE:  Enjoy this podcast interview at Storybook Spotlight. 

Look At The Size Of That Rabbit!

No matter how much we pleaded and presented our case for having a dog, my parents stood firm in their resolve.  My dad, the oldest of four brothers, was the only one to ever have any children.  Perhaps my Uncle Don took pity on my sister and I or maybe he was trying to pull a prank on my dad but one Easter, a pure black and a white rabbit with black spots appeared as if left but the famous Bunny himself.  Midnight and Sniffer were immediately welcomed into the family.

Good sport and genius designer that he was, Dad built a great house for our two new furry friends including an enclosed open air porch in the front and cozy hutches in the back.  We had harnesses and leashes for walking them.  As far as we were concerned they were our "dogs".

When you want something more than anything else, sometimes you see what you want to see.  Your belief defies common sense or the very laws of nature.  Wolfie The Bunny (Little, Brown and Company, February 17, 2015) written by Ame Dyckman with illustrations by Zachariah OHora is full of one surprise after another.

The Bunny family came home to find a bundle outside their door.

Lo and behold when Mama, Papa and Dot take a look they discover a baby wolf.  Thrilled could not even begin to describe the glee the parents feel.  Dot, on the other hand, is sure the family is doomed to be an entree.

Dot does not dare sleep a wink at night.  She is like a voice crying in the wilderness, a voice of reason, amid all the picture taking and praise making of her mom and dad.  Her friends can see the problem but her parents are blind to reality.

Wolfie does hear Dot and her friends.  To her distinct displeasure Wolfie decides to become Dot's new best friend, shadowing her everywhere.  Wolfie does not stay little for long.  Everything is growing on this Canis Lupus including his appetite.

The Bunny family cupboard, like Mother's Hubbard's, is completely bare; there is not a carrot in sight.  Bag in hand Dot leaves for the market but to her disgust Wolfie wants to help.  Ever ready to fight for her life, Dot's suspicions are confirmed when at the market Wolfie's mouth opens wide.

A massive bear makes his presence and purpose known.  It's time for some bunny-tastic action.  A bunny does what a bunny needs to do.


The first thing you notice about the text of this title is the pure flawless pacing designed by author Ame Dyckman.  The play of dialogue between Mama and Papa and Dot will have you howling with laughter no matter how many times you read it.  The added sentences in the voice of an unseen narrator elevate the humor even higher.

Dyckman has us all following with the back and forth cadence between Dot and her parents, only to throw in a couple of twists near the end.  A bear can do this to a plot.  A bear can change everything; everything for the better.  Here is a sample passage.

Mama served carrots for breakfast.
"He likes them!" said Mama.
"He's a good eater!" said Papa.
"Speaking of eating," said Dot, 
"HE'S GOING TO EAT US ALL UP!"

But Mama and Papa were too busy taking pictures to listen.


We've all seen wolves dressed up in sheep's clothing in children's literature again and again but rarely, if ever, have we seen one dressed to the nines in a pink bunny suit grasping a carrot in his paw.  On the back of the matching dust jacket and book case are three snapshots of Wolfie taken from interior illustrations.  (The book case back is different but my lips are sealed.) The spine has tiny face pictures of Wolfie and Dot along with a trio of teeny carrots.  Already the attention to detail by Zachariah OHora is notable.

The opening and closing endpapers done in the same pink as the suit provide a background for the faces of Mama, Papa, and Dot in a pattern with a bunch of carrots framing their faces on the bottom of each.  A single portrait of Wolfie can be found in the mix.  On the verso we see Dot in her red hooded jacket, arms on her hips, looking with a no-nonsense glare at Wolfie in the basket beneath the title on the opposite page.

Most of the illustrations rendered in

acrylic on 90-pound acid-free Stonehenge paper

span two pages.  OHora extends the text with his size shifts and perspectives, zooming in on the characters to add emotional impact.  His use of white space in several images is fantastic as is the limited color palette.  The heavier black lines, a signature style, especially for the fur works to marvelous effect.  Readers will delight in the details; the cameras used by Mama and Papa, the carrot on Wolfie's bib as he sits in his high chair, Mama knitting the bunny suit, or the design on the bear's T-shirt and the items in his shopping basket.

One of my absolute favorite illustrations is the first night Wolfie and Dot sleep together.  It's a close-up of their faces with the covers pulled up around their necks.  Dot is wide awake wearing a head lamp, shining it at a blissfully asleep Wolfie.  The shadow cast by her light shows a grinning wolf behind Wolfie.  In this picture the only colors are black white, gray, golden brown and a spot of red on the lamp band.


Wolfie The Bunny written by Ame Dyckman with illustrations by Zachariah OHora is going to be one of 2015 best books.  The mix of writing and pictures invite, no insist, this book be read aloud.  For even more fun, if that's possible, try it as a reader's theater.  I've read this book over and over.  Every single time I continue to laugh especially at one phrase by Dot before they head to the market.  The look on her face with those words will have listeners rolling on the floor in fits of giggles.  Both Ame Dyckman and Zachariah OHora have notes at the book's end which you should read.  I'm off to stock up on carrots.

To discover more about Ame Dyckman and Zachariah OHora please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Zachariah has several proposed dust jackets shown on his blog at Tumblr.  Zachariah is interviewed at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast by author and blogger Julie Danielson and at The Little Crooked Cottage.  

When I communicated with Ame recently she said she had a sort of fuzzy without glasses image of Wolfie following her around as she wrote this book but when she saw Zach's early sketches he appeared crystal clear, perfectly perfect.  Zach was gracious enough to send me three sketches showing the evolution of Wolfie.  What's not to love about this guy?

Update:  Ame Dyckman and Zachariah Ohora are guests at KidLit TV twice.  Follow this link to view videos about this book.  January 15, 2016

Minion by John David Anderson Blog Tour

Remember thirty years ago when Bonnie Tyler's voice rang out loud and clear singing the lyrics for Holding Out For A Hero?  She sang about what readers of mythology and folktales have always known; people throughout history seek a champion.  People want to believe goodness with always be triumphant over evil.

The line between right and wrong can get very fine; people who are basically honorable can make flawed choices and those thought to be bad can unexpectedly be downright respectable.  John David Anderson created the alternate world of Justicia in his novel, Sidekicked (Walden Pond Press, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, June 2013); a world much like our own but populated with superheroes, supervillains and their sidekicks.  In the newly released companion volume, Minion (Walden Pond Press, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers) in another town, New Liberty, no superheroes or supervillains have chosen to make an appearance for years.  This does by no means equal the absence of good and evil.

I want you to know, right from the start, that I'm not evil.  I'm not saying I'm Captain Fantastic, either.  I just don't want you to misinterpret everything that I'm about to tell you.

Michael Marion Magdalene Morn has been raised by nuns at the St. Mary of the Woods School for Wayward Boys having been found as a baby abandoned in a White Castle restaurant.  When he had all but given up hope of ever being adopted a Professor Benjamin Edson shows up one day and three days later Michael is no longer a resident of St. Mary of the Woods School for Wayward Boys. His life with Professor Edson does not follow what people would call the straight and narrow.

First and foremost Michael has a gift, the ability to look people straight in the eyes and command them to do his bidding.  Secondly, Professor Edson, Dad, is a genius creating small black boxes of various sizes filled with technology capable of doing anything you can imagine...really.  This duo, son and adopted father, have made a life for themselves, carefully leaving no real trace of their existence except for a few carefully selected friends.  They have survived by crossing that fine line drifting into the criminal element.

For protection Michael is homeschooled studying year round.  His best friend, Zach, is a henchman for one of the local mob kings, Tony Romano.  Romano is also a business associate of his father.  After a trip to the local mall one afternoon, on their return home, Michael and Zach witness a crime the likes of which New Liberty has rarely seen.  What makes this event even more startling is the ear-shattering sonic boom which announces the return of a superhero, a streak of blue which drops from the sky and returns with equal speed, named by the media as the Comet. The game being played by Michael, his Dad, Zach and the controlling mobs in town is about to change in far-reaching and frightening ways.

Relationships will be tested, the meaning of family will be defined by the actions of Michael, his Dad, Zach and Tony Romano and a chance meeting with a girl named Viola adds a new dimension to Michael's musings about the direction his life will take.  Understand that woven into all the action of superheroes, supervillains, mobsters and the three teens (not to mention several plot twists and turns) is the constant weighing of choices balanced by intention.  Even the final sentence leaves readers wondering, albeit with a smile on their faces.


The writing style of John David Anderson in this title, as in Sidekicked, keeps you constantly on the edge of your seat, flipping through the pages as fast as you can to discover what happens next.  Chapter by chapter he builds his plot, fleshing out his players' personalities, through Michael's voice and character dialogue.  You have to remind yourself to breath during the descriptive battles between those for whom you are silently cheering and those you hope will lose.

To provide understanding to the reader about the relationship between Michael and his Dad Anderson skillfully employs a technique of flashback at the beginning of many chapters blending it with the present.  His perception of how teens think, act and speak is right on target.  You can't help but want the less than good guys but not quite bad guys to win.  What follows are a few samples of his writing from this book.

"Are you planning on taking over the world?" I asked.
"No," the man said.  "That was a joke.  Why? Are you interested in taking over the world?"
"Are you kidding?" I cringed.  "That's like asking to have everyone's problems dumped on you all at once."
Professor Benjamin Edson pounded on the table with hairy-knuckled fists, causing me to jump out of my seat.  "That's exactly what I keep telling them, but they never listen to me."
I said I didn't know who them was.  He said he didn't either.  This man was bizarre.  I kind of liked him.

Villains wear masks because it gives them courage to do something extraordinary, something they might not have the guts to do otherwise.  But heroes?  Heroes wear masks because deep down inside, I'm guessing, they just want the chance to be normal.  That's my theory, anyway.
Personally, I don't trust either of them.

Minion written by John David Anderson is one wild roller coaster of a read exploring what it means to be good and evil.  Even when the last page is read, you will be reluctant to leave New Liberty and the people you have come to know very well.  I, for one, certainly hope this series will continue.

To learn more about John David Anderson follow the link to his website embedded in his name.  To read an excerpt from this title follow this link to the publisher's website.

ABOUT JOHN DAVID ANDERSON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR, IN HIS OWN WORDS:

John David Anderson writes novels for young people and then, occasionally, gets them published. Besides Minion, he is the author of Sidekicked, and Standard Hero Behavior. He lives with his patient wife and brilliant twins in Indianapolis, Indiana, right next to a State park and a Walmart. He enjoys hiking, reading, chocolate, spending time with his family, playing the piano, chocolate, making board games, chocolate, not putting away his laundry, watching movies, and chocolate. Those aren't his real teeth.

To read other posts on this tour please visit:
June 23 Maria's Melange
June 24 The Library Fanatic
June 25 The Next Best Book
June 27 The Book Egg
June 28 Word Spelunking
June 30 Ms. Yingling Reads
July 1 The Book Monsters
July 2 The Book Monsters
July 3 Read Now, Sleep Later
July 7 The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia
July 8 Candace's Book Blog
July 9 Middle Grade Mafioso
July 10 Librarian's Quest
July 11 Unleashing Readers
July 12 Trisha Perry
July 14 This Kid Reviews Books
July 16 Charlotte's Library
July 17 Literacy Toolbox
July 18 Small Review