From Wild Windy Weather

In mere seconds, a calm solstice evening, December 21, 2021, turns into one with winds gusting over thirty-five miles per hour.  The gently falling snow is now dancing across yards and shaking colored lights hanging from roof tops, porches, trees, and bushes.  Wind chimes are singing from house to house.  The brisk breeze whistles around pipes and chimneys.

Wind is both a best friend and a mortal enemy.  Two book titles this past autumn highlight the havoc it wreaks when it is at its worst.  They also disclose how something wonderful can rise from the damage like a phoenix.  Hurricane (Little, Brown and Company, September 28, 2021) written and illustrated by John Rocco asks us to see that a storm can be the impetus for using the best tools we have, our collective hearts.

This is my dock.

Really, it's the neighborhood's dock,

but nobody ever comes here except me.

This dock stretches into a river fed by the sea.  In this space, a boy swims, watches water creatures move under and around the dock, fishes, and catches crabs.  It is, as you might imagine, his favorite place.

One day as he returns home from the dock, his neighborhood is not the same.  At his house, his dad tells him a hurricane is coming.  That night, as the wind and rain batter the sides and windows of the boy's home, he worries about the river, now coming down the street, taking it away.

In the morning, all is quiet as the boy heads down to the dock.  His neighborhood is transformed.  So is his dock.  It all looks as though a fierce beast roamed at will.

When the neighbors are too busy to help him with his dock, he helps them.  He then decides to rebuild the dock himself.  One day of working on his dock leads to another day and then another day leads to another day.  When he feels as though the job is too much for one boy, something unexpected happens.  Something wonderful.  Something remembered.

We are immediately drawn into this story by author John Rocco through the first person point of view.  The boy gives us answers in his narration.  He tells us why the dock is his favorite place.  He presents us with real feelings, real situations prior to the hurricane, and an intense description of the hurricane's arrival and force.  The next morning and in the subsequent days, we willingly follow what the boy says because we understand loss, his loss and his determination to recreate his favorite place.  Here is a passage.  (This describes what many do to ease stress and uncomfortable events.)

I shut my eyes tight and try to sleep,

imagining what might wash up underneath my dock.

There are two different scenes on either side of the spine when you look at the open dust jacket.  On the front we are shown the boy, the narrator, with neighbors on either side of the shore as the hurricane approaches.  This illustration shows worry and fear at the unpredictability of weather.  The color palette reflects serenity and contentment on the back, to the left of the spine.

Here we see the boy, his back to us, walking down his dock.  The river on each side of the dock is almost like a mirror.  A seagull lands on one of the pilings to the left of the boy.  Ahead of the boy, in a blue sky, clouds puff up like cotton candy, the early morning light painting them.

On the book case is an expanded interior image.  The boy is nearly at the end of the dock lying on his stomach and looking down into the water over the left side.  An array of sea creatures are swimming toward, under, and past the dock.  These are what he imagines might be there as the hurricane rages on through the night.

The opening endpapers, in blue, white, and red, highlight the five categories of a hurricane.  A four-part diagram shows How a Hurricane Forms.  The Parts of a Dock are explained on the closing endpapers using brown, white, blue, and a bit of red.  Everything is labeled correctly and we are told how new pilings are placed into the bottom of the water.

Using 

pencil, watercolor, and digital color

John Rocco presents his illustrations in a series of horizontal panels on a single page, on two pages, edge to edge, or a combination of panels or two smaller images opposite a full-page picture.  To show the passage of time, smaller illustrations are grouped together.  Any dialogue is shown in small speech balloons.  The perspectives in each image are intimate and alternated to showcase that intimacy.  The boy's facial expressions and his body postures are realistic and enduring at the same time.

One of my many favorite illustrations is for the above-noted text.  In the lower, left-hand corner, the boy, eyes closed, is tucked into his bed.  He is dreaming of his favorite dock and the beauty swimming around it.  There are turtles, dolphins, a ray, smaller fish, and one huge creature.

This up-close-and-personal look at a storm, this sensory experience by this boy, in Hurricane written and illustrated by John Rocco is memorable.  This boy and his love of his favorite place brings a community together.  It is in the heart of a child that all hearts are joined.  I highly recommend this title for both your personal and professional collections.

To discover more about John Rocco and his other work, please visit his website by following the link attached to his name.  John Rocco has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website there is a video discussion with John Rocco about the art for this book.

John Rocco Presents HURRICANE from LB School on Vimeo.

There is nothing quite so unsettling as having a lifelong sailor tell you it's time to put on a life jacket as you head from the Intercoastal Waterway into the Atlantic Ocean as a storm strikes.  The wind and waves toss the sailboat like a rubber ducky in a bathtub.  You realize, once again, you are at the mercy of Mother Nature.  Hope At Sea: An Adventure Story (Anne Schwartz Books, an imprint of Random House Children's Books,  October 19, 2021) written and illustrated by Daniel Miyares is a tale of wanting, wondering, storms, and the eventual return of light.

Whenever my world feels small,

I turn to the sea.

The narrator of this story, a girl, longs to go to sea with her father, a ship's carpenter.  He is about to leave on another voyage on a new clipper ship.  She is determined to sail with him this time.  She is going to stow away.

Timing is everything.  Soon, she is tucked inside one of the lifeboats as the anchor is raised.  Under the tarp in the darkness, she begins to wonder about her decision.  And then. . . she is discovered!

Her father acclimates her to life at sea.  The work is not easy, but she begins to feel comfortable doing things which need to be done.  They travel for weeks from one destination and climate to another, adding cargo to the vessel.

Words and pictures fill her journal.  This is her story.  As they near home, a horrendous storm tosses the ship from gigantic wave to gigantic wave.  She is told to stay below, but she wants to help.  Every sailor's nightmare happens.  Rocks. Thunderous cracking as wood bends and breaks to the will of Mother Nature.  Will the lifeboats endure?  

When author Daniel Miyares begins this tale, we know an adventure is in the offing as soon as we read the first sentence.  From there, the protagonist shares her longing to set sail with her father.  She wants to be a part of this next sea story.  Short but highly descriptive sentences and phrases by the narrator bring us into this experience.  It is almost like reading entries in a diary or journal, page turn by page turn.

What we don't initially know, but is cleverly presented, is the girl's name is Hope.  This gives two distinct meanings to the word as it is used in her narrative.  It also leads us to a conclusion full of light.  Here is one of several outstanding passages.

There's no turning back now.  I can hear the

sails snap to attention and salute the wind as we

pick up speed.

In looking at the open dust jacket, we are presented with the best and worst moments of this bold undertaking.  On the front, the ship heading toward us in brisk winds, sails full, you can almost feel that breeze on your face, smell the salt in the air, and feel the pounding of Hope's happy heart.  The sky, clouds, waves with crests of foam, the details of the ship, and Hope's position all signify adventure with a capital A.  

To the left, on the back, waves as high as several stories, roll and rage.  The ship under the dark stormy sky with rain falling in torrents is riding up to the top of a wave.  It is small compared to the angry water.  The text here reads:

ALL HANDS

ON DECK!

And in such a storm,

even hands as small as

mine are needed.

The canvas for the book case is cream.  Along the top is a red and cream diamond pattern. Along the bottom are arched lines in blue symbolizing waves.  On the left side, on the back, in an oval framed by a line (rope) and anchor is a formal portrait of Hope and her parents.  (Both parents play an important part in this story.)  On the right side, the front, underneath a nautical star is a ribbon woven around an anchor.  On the ribbon is the title text.  Two birds are holding either end of this ribbon.  They are swallows which are meaningful to sailors.

Both the opening and closing endpapers request readers to pause and study what they see.  Blue lines are placed on pale gray paper.  Intricate drawings of elements of value to the beginning and middle of the story appear on the first set.  Twenty-two items are labeled.  Without divulging the end of the story, the closing endpapers include fourteen labeled things.  They are either single objects or parts of an object.  The labels are handwritten on both the opening and closing endpapers.

These illustrations 

rendered in pen and ink with watercolor

by Daniel Miyares are exquisite in their detail and emotional impact.  They place us squarely in this time and in this place.  Color choices, the use of light and shadow, will have you stopping to take in every scene.  Each image, varied in size, extends the text by telling more of the story.  We are never told when Hope will stow away, but a picture tells us she sneaks out of the house dressed in a shirt and pants and hat as her parents are saying their final goodbyes at home.

Several of the wordless pictures, like the one where Hope is peeking out from under the canvas cover on the lifeboat, will take your breath away at their depiction of moods and emotions.  We are always aware of the vastness of the sea, the power of nature, and the size of the ship.

One of my many favorite pictures is a double-page image.  Spanning across both pages, perfectly aligned in the gutter is the clipper ship; its sails closed.  On the left side of the gutter, the ship sits under a cloudy, shades of gray, sky.  Large snowflakes drift down on sailors bundled in heavy coats and hats.  An iceberg juts out of the water at the back of the ship.  A whale's tail breaks from the water, silhouetted against the iceberg.  On the right side the ship is in the tropics.  The sky is blue with large fluffy clouds, partially pink.  The sailors are wearing lighter and less attire.  One jumps into the water from the front of the ship.  Others are hauling goods up in a net from a boat below them.  A single seagull flies overhead as if to make its way toward the rocky shore, grasses and palm trees.

Each time this book, Hope At Sea: An Adventure Story written and illustrated by Daniel Miyares, is read you will be uplifted by its ingenuity and conclusion.  Hope, like love, can be found in many places . . . if you are looking for it.  I can't imagine a personal or professional collection without a copy of this book.

By following the link attached to Daniel Miyares's name, you can learn more about him and his other work at his website.  Daniel Miyares has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.  At the publisher's website are interior illustrations to view.  Daniel Miyares and this book are highlighted at Picture Book Builders.  You will really enjoy this.

Forming Fast Friendships

Lasting friendships are built on rock-solid foundations with flexibility abilities, like buildings able to withstand hurricanes or earthquakes.  These relationships weather situations involving mistrust, betrayal, inattentiveness, lack of communication (unvoiced expectations), and lies.  By contrast certainty, loyalty, respect, an open exchange of ideas and information, and truth strengthen the bonds between individuals.  No amount of time seems to break the connections between these kindred spirits.

Sometimes one of most difficult things to do is mend a crack.  Taking responsibility for your mistake and correcting it is no easy task.  I'm Sorry (Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, September 7, 2021) written by Michael Ian Black with illustrations by Debbie Ridpath Ohi is the fifth collaboration between these two talented individuals.  Sometimes when we've said or done something unkind, we want to rewind immediately.

Flamingo,

are you okay?

Potato hurt my feelings.

A little girl, friend to truest friends, Flamingo and Potato, offers to chat with Potato.  She does not want the twosome to be apart.  Within seconds, Potato realizes saying mean things is not acceptable between best buddies.

When the girl says she knows what to do, Potato wonders if making a sandwich for Flamingo will help.  No, but an apology is probably the best idea.  Potato thinks running away to Antarctica would be better.  He has two other ideas that are not apologies.  

The girl insists Potato has to say 

I'm sorry

to Flamingo.  The girl continues to reason with Potato, finally leaving the spud alone to think.  Later when Potato finds the girl and Flamingo playing, his disguise does not fool Flamingo.  

Flamingo and the girl sit down to wait as Potato struggles to say what must be said.  A sudden outburst lets loose a flood of remorse.  Shared conversations between first Flamingo and Potato, then all three lead to a renewed sense of adventure among compassionate companions.

The sentences penned by Michael Ian Black are exactly as one would expect children to speak to each other.  They are simple and direct, getting to the heart of each character's emotional moods.  Suggestions by the girl, reasonable and rational, are offered in the spirit of someone who is observing two friends at odds.  Children, more times than not, offer the best kind of solutions.  A child's heart sees the world as it should be seen.  Michael Ian Black reveals this in the words in this story told through dialogue.  Here is a passage.

Hi, Potato.

IT'S 

NOT

MY

FAULT!

Whose fault is it

when you say mean things?

Mine!  It's all my

fault!

Oh, 

Potato. 

Readers can readily see by the open and matching dust jacket and book case, beloved characters, the girl, the flamingo, and the potato, have returned.  One is clearly disgruntled, another is upset by their behavior, and the third is offering assistance.  Flamingo and Potato, pink and brown, remain the same.  The color scheme on the girl is basically the same, yellow, blue, and pink.  Her clothing styles shift as does her footwear in this title compared to the previous books.   The characters and title text are slightly raised and varnished.

On the back, to the left of the spine, the canvas remains as a lighter green.  There the author and illustrator names appear with words from Potato.  He is trying, initially unsuccessful, to say he is sorry.

On the opening and closing endpapers, in the same green, Potato appears.  First is the enlarged contraction next to him on the right side, 

I'm.

At the end, in letters stretching from left to right and top to bottom, is the word

SORRY!

Potato is placed in the center of the O, yelling.

On the verso and dedication page, the text is designed to mirror the face of a sorry Potato.  Most of the words form Potato's eyes.  The dedications are Potato's anxious frown.  

These digitally rendered illustrations by Debbie Ridpath Ohi are lively, bright, and detailed.  Layers are used with excellent effect, adding brilliance to some shades with others more faded. (When Potato is wondering, Potato and the girl are bright, but the other items are lighter variations of the same shade.)  Black silhouettes are also employed superbly.

Images span two pages, edge to edge, single pages within loose geometric shapes, and single pages, edge to edge.  Debbie Ridpath Ohi varies the perspective for dramatic emphasis.  Her pictures are tender and charming, endearing readers to the girl, Potato, and Flamingo.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a smaller picture on a single page.  The girl is listening as Potato is telling her how hard it is to say

I'm sorry. 

On an area of grass Potato is speaking to the left of the girl.  She is kneeling on the grass with her soccer ball next to her.  On tall blades of grass is an insect as curious of the girl as she is of it.  She has an open insect book on her lap.  I love that she has had this book in her pocket throughout the story.  This is a little additional pictorial story.

All the books in this series are exemplary.  I'm Sorry written by Michael Ian Black with illustrations by Debbie Ridpath Ohi will resonate with readers of all ages.  (Although the older you get, the easier it is to say I'm sorry because you realize, day by day, how short life is.  Time is too precious to waste.)  This is a book to be read often and shared widely.  I can already hear the discussions it will raise.  Make sure to have at least one copy in your professional collections and one copy on your personal bookshelves.

To learn more about Debbie Ridpath Ohi and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Michael Ian Black has an account on Twitter.  Debbie Ridpath Ohi has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images and the dust jacket.  There is an interview with Debbie Ridpath Ohi at Math Is Everywhere about this title.

The day will always come when the thing a friend needs the most is your presence.  Your presence is a sign of unquestionable support.  Your presence, without you uttering a single syllable, says where you go, I go.  Two pals we met in Stick and Stone have returned in another heartwarming happening.  Stick and Stone Best Friends Forever (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, September 7, 2021) written by Beth Ferry with illustrations by Tom Lichtenheld follows the duo as they embark on a special search of great importance.

Stick.

Stone.

A friendship full-grown.

They have no idea where their search will take them.  Stick seeks his family tree.  He is eager to find his residence of origin.  Where was his branch attached?  Stone is ready

Hills lead them into forests.  Valleys lead them over running water.  Both lead them to the highest mountains.  Unfortunately, Stick can't seem to locate the all-important tree.

When Stick tries to describe it to Stone, the portrait he paints with his words is like all trees.  Stone thinks this is funny.  Before long, the pair are lost in the darkest part of a woods.  Every sound and every shadow fill them will dread.

The last sound reveals a welcome surprise.  Two plus one equals a compass, a guide, to help them get home.  Stick is sad they were unable to find his family three, but Stone replies with the exact words Stick needs to hear.  That, after all, is what friends to the end truly are.

A delightful cadence created with rhyming words by Beth Ferry asks readers to join in Stick's and Stone's journey.  Sentence by sentence in a blend of narrative and dialogue, the quest continues.  As they search, but don't find the family tree subtle tension grows.  This makes the revelation even more desirable.  It also brings us to the beautiful moments Stick and Stone share on the final pages.  Here is a passage.

They hear something scurry.

"C'mon, Stick.  Let's hurry."

"Was that a bear?"

Was it a snake?"

"It might be a monster."

"THIS WAS A MISTAKE!"

The scene on the front, ride side, of the open and matching dust jacket and book case, continues over the spine.  Not only can we tell Stick and Stone are out and about in the wilderness, but their facial expressions tell us of their combined joy.  Don't you just love how Stick is paddling the canoe!

To the left, on the back, the canvas switching to a lighter shade of stone surrounds Stick and Stone.  Stick holds a maple and oak leaf, speculating on a possible family tree.  Stone to the right looks affectionately at the broken branch.

On the opening and closing endpapers, teal is used as a background color.  A happy pattern is made with Stick and various leaves sprouting from Stick's upper portion.  More than thirty trees are featured.  Labels appear next to the leaves.

These illustrations by Tom Lichtenheld rendered

in pen, watercolor, colored pencil, PanPastels, and Neocolor oil pastels on Mi-Teintes paper with a bit of Photoshop to fix the mistakes

span two pages, edge to edge, and full pages, edge to edge.  The background colors shift to indicate the time of day, the place, and the emotional mood of the characters.  The use of hues of blue, golden yellow, and green fashion a lasting warmth.

We are keenly aware of every mood of the characters by their facial expression, their eyes, and their body postures.  The details Tom Lichtenheld includes are absolutely adorable.  For the words

A friendship full-grown,

Tom Lichtenheld has Stick measuring Stone's height on the door frame, pencil in hand.  Before the search begins, Stick is reading a tree identification book with Stone.  At the top of the mountain peak, capped with snow, Stone is wearing a knitted hat.  Readers will also enjoy seeing the other wildlife displayed in the images.

One of my many favorite illustrations is at the beginning of the expedition.  Stone and Stick are on the edge of a grassy cliff.  Stretching before them are hilly, tree-studded forests.  A golden and blue sky with a few clouds appears endless.  Stick is standing on top of Stone.  In Stick's hand is the eyepiece to a telescope.  The telescope is very, very long.  The last portion of it rests in the "v" formed by a tree branch jutting out from the cliff.

Readers will be ready to reread this book, Stick and Stone Best Friends Forever written by Beth Ferry with illustrations by Tom Lichtenheld, as soon as it is finished.  Their friendship is the kind everyone needs.  Perhaps, readers and listeners will wander and find their very own stick and stone to hold in their hands as the story is read.  I know you will want this companion title on both your professional and personal bookshelves.

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.  Beth Ferry has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  Tom Lichtenheld has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Beth Ferry and Tom Lichtenheld are interviewed about this book at Maria Marshall's site.  Beth Ferry is interviewed at The Children's Book Review about this title.

All In A Week

For those who've grown up in a small town, you know what life there can mean to you.  There will be moments when you long to leave, yearning for more of anything.  Even if you do go to make a life elsewhere in a larger community, there will come a time when you recall all the benefits of living in a quieter place where everyone knows who you are and, for the most part, is friendly and willing to lend a helping hand.

For neighbors, adults and children alike, to be able to walk their city streets feeling safe and secure is a wonderful accomplishment.  To leave the comfort of their home and stroll to the local grocery store, bakery, hardware shop, drug store, post office, bank, school, public library, flower shop, park or even a doctor or dentist is not something many are still able to do.  It seems today our communities are spread across larger distances.

If you are willing, let's step back in time and revisit a town called Bloomville.  We first traveled there in the marvelous book called Lucy (Candlewick Press, August 2, 2016) written and illustrated by Randy Cecil.  In a companion title, Douglas (Candlewick Press, September 10, 2019) written and illustrated by Randy Cecil, our attention is focused on a charming, silver screen loving girl and her new acquaintance, a mouse. Join me as we begin with the first of four acts.

ACT I
1
On a Saturday afternoon in Bloomville,
Iris Espinosa put on her sister's blue sweater
and stepped out the front door.
A familiar buttery scent wafted through the air.

Popcorn.

As Iris, wearing her sister's clothing, heads toward the movie theater, she passes a huge feline with an odd number of toes on each paw, six toes to be exact.  She also passes Everett Dunn, stuck on the stoop to his home.  He has a knack for bringing home unwanted pets, so his mother has issued a restriction.  He can't go any farther than the stoop.

Today at the local theater, the Majestic Cinema, a film called Robin Hood is playing.  (It starred Douglas Fairbanks.  It was released in 1922 to great acclaim, even though it was in black and white and was a silent film.)  Like every time Iris goes to the movies, she sits in her same seat only on this day, slightly behind her, is a mouse, who also enjoys movies.  This mouse also loves all the popcorn dropped by the Woman with the Large Hat.  Over-consumption finds the mouse settling in the pocket of a blue sweater worn by a girl who smiles at her.

When the tiny stowaway awakens, she is amazed at the sights of the outside world and terrified of the monster with the six toes on each paw who follows them all the way to Iris's house.  Iris is thrilled to discover the mouse in her pocket and promptly names her Douglas after one of her favorite actors.  The plot, as they say, thickens when Iris's sister, Adriana, takes her sweater, where Douglas is hidden, and leaves to meet her boyfriend's mother. Let's pause here at the beginning of chapter five of eight chapters in act one.

We have met most of the characters, but not all, who will play a part in one harrowing moment after another for Douglas.  True to her namesake, her remarkable skills of swinging, leaping, climbing and masterful agility assist her in barely escaping time and again with her life.  It is during one of her most frightening getaways, someone wonderful is discovered.  Make no mistake, readers, this book's conclusion promises there is always another story to be told.


Readers are certain to be astounded by how Randy Cecil ties all the character threads and plot twists together to supply them with nonstop action.  It's a continuous series of knowing something is about to happen, watching it unfold, open-mouthed, and breathing a sigh of relief when Douglas is unharmed.  The connections between seemingly unrelated incidents are nothing short of miraculous.  (If you think about it, life is a lot like this, if we stand back and look at the larger picture as an observer rather than a participant.)

There is no dialogue in the narrative, but we are very aware as to what each character is thinking during each incident.  Randy Cecil brings us into the story with thoughtful descriptions and meticulous pacing.  Here are two passages.  (I will verify their accuracy once my finished copy arrives.)

This is going so well, thought Adriana as they all sat down
for a cup of tea in the living room.  And then she sneezed.

She reached her hand into her sweater pocket,
hoping to find a handkerchief.
Instead she felt something furry.  And whiskery.

It wriggled in her hand.


Exhausted, Douglas collapsed in a tiny heap on the rooftop.
As her racing heart slowly quieted and her shaking legs slowly stilled,
night began to fall, and the first real stars Douglas had ever seen
appeared in the sky.

She watched as they twinkled, so beautiful yet so impossibly far away.


Poised on the edge of the roof like a superhero examining the world, we are introduced to Douglas.  (I'm working with an ARC generously supplied by the publisher.) Even though Douglas is tiny, she is able to appreciate the world as a larger whole, not confining herself to her immediate surroundings of the cinema.  No matter where she finds herself, she adapts to every challenge.  On the title page, she is standing on top of a barber's pole.  The introduction of each act gives readers a broader view of a portion of Bloomville's streets and the buildings lining them.

All the interior illustrations, rendered in oil, appear in the same shades of white, gray and black as seen on the front of the cover.  They are placed in loose circles on single pages.  These draw our center of attention to all the details Randy Cecil includes in his artwork.  Sometimes he asks us to step back to see more of a scene and then he shifts to show us a close-up of Douglas.  It's like we are watching our own private movie.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is when Douglas, yet unnamed, is in the movie theater.  Mrs. Pennington, the Woman with the Large Hat, is dropping as many popped kernels of corn on the floor as she is eating.  We move in close to the theater seats.  All we see of Mrs. Pennington are her legs, lower and middle portion of her body, and one arm holding the box of popcorn. Douglas, on the floor next to her, is leaping, mouth wide open, and ready to grab her next kernel of popcorn.


Whether you read this one-on-one, as a read aloud to a large group or silently to yourself, Douglas written and illustrated by Randy Cecil is simply splendid.  It's about friendship, being your best self, and how individual stories are connected to the larger story of us.  I highly recommend this for your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Randy Cecil and his other work, please follow the link to his website attached to his name.  There is an interior illustration available through the publisher's website. At Candlewick Press you can also read most of the first three chapters, act one.
  

In Search Of A Definition

There will be times in the course of our everyday lives, or perhaps in the middle of an out-of-the-ordinary experience, when we make a discovery.  We find ourselves in uncharted territory.  We see, hear, smell, taste or touch something entirely new.  It peaks our curiosity.  It challenges us to seek answers.

We are never sure where this search will take us.  We are never sure if the information we find will be favorable.  Love, Z (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, December 18, 2018) written and illustrated by Jessie Sima is about such a discovery, quest and revelation that will leave a print on your heart.

On a bright, chilly day, Z went out looking
for adventure and stumbled upon a piece
of half-buried treasure.

On a piece of paper, the little robot found, the only legible words were at the bottom.  They said:

Love, Beatrice.

Love was a new word.  The little robot had no idea what it meant.  And who was Beatrice?  At home in the evening he got ready to power down.  A series of rituals helped him to get ready.  When he asked the question weighing heavily on his mind, none of his caretakers, the old, rusty robots, had an answer.

After spending a sleepless night, Z left to look for Beatrice.  Surely, she would know about the word love.  Z met the captain, a cat, of the S. S. Catnip.  Together they sailed down the river in search of Beatrice and the definition of love.  Along the way they met three other beings but none of them were Beatrice.

One did say what love meant.  This caused the travelers to alter their direction.  At a bakery another said love was being patient and teaching new things to someone.  Another path was taken by Z and the cat captain.  They were now at a school.  A whole chorus of voices told them what love was.  Unfortunately, none of these computed for Z.

In a moment of despair Z wanted to go home but a place to spend the night suddenly appeared. Here they found someone and something very important.  Z made a new discovery.  Sometimes that which you desire is closer than you think.


When a story begins with an encounter of something extraordinary, readers find themselves immediately engaged.  Jessie Sima continues to build this relationship with a blend of narrative and conversations.  She employs the use of "storytelling three" in Z's bedtime rituals, who he questions on the river and the places he visits to acquire replies.  This gently leads us to not one but two surprises.  Here is a passage.

"I don't know any Beatrice,"
said the crow.  "But to me . . ."

"Love is sharing your food,
even when it's delicious."

That did not compute.  But Z thanked the crow anyway
and changed course toward a place with delicious food.


A warm, reddish peach provides the canvas for the open dust jacket.  If love were a color, would it be this?  To the left, on the back, within a circle of blue and green, a green, corked bottle floats.  We see a rolled-up piece of paper and the word Love.  On the front, to the right, Z is thinking the title, but this also appears again at an important point in the story.  The rusty, old robots and the cat captain, his companions, are smiling and wrapping around him in a circle.  Careful readers will notice the letters on the robots.  If you move them around, what do they spell?  The title and Z are varnished.

The book case, front and back, appears to be knitted in shades of the warm, reddish peach.  The stitches are very clear.  In the middle of the front in hues of blue is the letter Z.  This is a huge hint of what is to come.

On the opening and closing endpapers in blue and purple a series of robot heads, outlined, supply a pattern.  Across the verso and title pages, Z is standing in and on an abandoned footed bath tub, wearing his paper sailor cap and holding a telescope.  Each illustration rendered in Adobe Photoshop by Jessie Sima spans double pages, single pages, or are grouped in a cluster on a single page.

When the individuals are replying to Z about what love is to them, these are encased in a speech bubble.  They reflect an experience from the past.  To enhance an emotion Jessie Sima will shift her perspective.  This is apparent when Z can't sleep, when he is setting out on his quest, when he is discouraged or when he experiences his first of two surprises.  She also uses eyes to great effect when conveying mood.  Readers will want to pause at each image to notice the details Jessie includes.

One of my many favorite illustrations covers two pages.  It's snowing and the river has widened.  It looks like a vast expanse of water.  On the right is an island with a dock reaching into the water.  A mailbox is placed on the shore.  Nestled among evergreens covering the island is a small cottage with smoke billowing from the chimney.  Lights glow in the two windows on the first floor.  The S. S. Catnip is tied to the dock.  Z and the cat captain have just left the boat.


If you want to set the tone for a day or night, read Love, Z written and illustrated by Jessie Sima.  It is a labor of love about love.  It will wrap around readers like a hug.  It will certainly promote discussions about what love is.  I highly recommend this title for your professional and personal collections.

To discover more about Jessie Sima and her other work, please follow the links attached to her name to access her website and blog.  Jessie has accounts on Twitter and Instagram. At the publisher's website you can view interior images.

UPDATE:  Jessie Sima is highlighted at Let's Talk Picture Books on January 22, 2019.

A Conversation with Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White

Authors Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White, known for middle grade books The Pirate Who’s Afraid of Everything (Shivers! Volume 1),  The Pirate Who’s Back in Bunny Slippers (Shivers! Volume 2)  and the upcoming Time Tracers: The Stolen Summers to be released in May, 2018, are starring in a new web video series, The Truth About Libraries.  As you can see when you watch the video below, Connor has a lot to learn about libraries and Annabeth is just the person to guide him in making the right discoveries.  Annabeth’s calm, quiet, and confident presence in contrast to Connor’s overly exuberant, loud and skeptical personality provide viewers with an engaging blend of comedy and information.

If you’re like me after watching this first episode I had some questions I wanted to ask Annabeth and Connor.  Fortunately, they agreed to chat with me here at Librarian’s Quest.  I’ve got pizza dough rising and the sauce simmering, so I’m hoping we can all sit down and have lunch together.  If they bring their pug, I know Mulan will enjoy romping around the yard with her.

It’s a pleasure to meet you Annabeth and Connor.  

Connor: Thank you for having us and for that incredibly kind introduction. Maybe you could come with us everywhere we go and introduce us like that?

From reading your bios at your website you are both graduates of Northwestern University.  What were your areas of study?

Annabeth: We both studied Theater and I got a certificate in Creative Writing for the Media.

Connor: I also got a certificate, but it was for Most Pizza Consumed. I printed it myself and hung it on my wall.

In addition to authoring children’s books you both work with Story Pirates located in Los Angeles.  What can you tell us about your roles in the organization?  Were you part of the founding group in 2004?

AB: We weren’t part of the founding group, though Connor has been with the company since graduating college in ‘09. I became a teaching artist for the company in 2014.

C: I was originally cast in the New York branch and when we moved to Los Angeles, I became a national tour director and the Associate Education Director for the LA branch of Story Pirates. Through Story Pirates, we have worked with thousands of elementary students in California, teaching them creative writing and then turning their stories into sketch comedy musicals.

AB: If there is a better company to work for, we haven’t heard of it!

What prompted the two of you to make the web video series, The Truth About Libraries?

AB: Since our book Shivers! The Pirate Who’s Afraid of Everything came out, we’ve been fortunate enough to travel to schools all over the country, using comedy to promote literacy. Along the way, we've witnessed firsthand how incredible and unique every library is.

C: We wanted to showcase all of the cool stuff about the library that kids may not know about. Plus, we’ve met so many wild and wonderful librarians, we thought the world deserved to know them!

I enjoy in the first episode how you focus on the aspects of the materials being free, the adult staff being welcoming and well-read and the existence of story time.  So often those of us who have been in the field awhile, tend to take these things for granted but when you point them out in the video, they are pretty amazing.  Can you give us a hint of things to come?  How many episodes are you planning?

AB: Well, to be honest, Connor was pretty taken aback when he learned that libraries existed earlier this year…

C: An endless trove of great books and fun community events...all for free?? Could it really be true?

AB: We’ve completed four episodes of The Truth About Libraries, with more on the way in early 2018. In the first season, we learn that there’s more to the library than we could have imagined.

C: Including Ukuleles and a book bike that brings the library out to the streets of LA!

AB: At the end of the season, Connor finally takes the plunge and attempts to sign up for his very own library card. But does he get it? Does he even remember his full name? You’ll have to watch to find out!

Is a script written before filming begins?  Do you do the filming or do you have a cameraperson?  Do you do your own editing?  Can you describe the process?

AB: We write an outline of each episode, but we really leave it to the librarians to guide us. After  all, they are the ones who know why each library is so uniquely awesome. We’ve bribed some generous friends who have helped us with camerawork and editing.

C: But overall, it’s a pretty low tech operation. We shoot on our phones and Annabeth does most of the editing. I’m no help; I don’t even know how to how set my alarm. Fortunately, a really loud bird lives right outside my window.

On a completely personal note, I am confident my readers might like to know:

What do you enjoy most about living in Los Angeles?

AB: We’re fortunate to have a lot of great friends here who are writers, actors, and comedians - so there’s never a dull moment.

C: In the summer, we like to cram our pug and our friends into the car and hit the beach. And in the winter, we like to wear heavy coats and pretend it’s cold. Pizza is a year-round thing for us.

What are your favorite memories of libraries?

C: Storytime! I loved storytime with my elementary librarian, Mrs. Jewels. It felt like daydreaming but for the whole class. Last year, Shivers! was the most checked out book at my elementary school. Learning that was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.

AB: I spent a ton of time in the library in elementary school. My best friend and I had a book club… well, we were the only members, but we did recommend lots of books to each other! I remember we loved Half Magic by Edward Eager. We talked about that one for weeks.

Do you have a favorite children’s book?  What are you reading now?

C: My favorite children’s book is Don’t Bump the Glump by Shel Silverstein. I’ve always been inspired by the inventiveness and wordplay in all of Shel Silverstein’s books.

AB: I’ve got to go with Matilda by Roald Dahl. A girl who loves reading and moves things with her mind? Sign me up!

C: Right now, we’re reading Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky and Holes by Louis Sachar. They’re basically the same book.

How long have you had your pug? What is her name?

AB: Our pug’s name is Agador but everyone calls her Aggie. We’ve had her for over five years.

C: 39 dog years to be exact! She snores while she sleeps, which is most of the day. She has a whimsical mysticism about her and is a real source of inspiration. We are big fans.

I am happy both Annabeth and Connor were able to chat with me today.  I’ve gotten a huge dose of laughter, certain to last for several days.  I can hardly wait to see what the next episode of The Truth About Libraries will bring to viewers.

If you want to know more about Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White you can access their website here.

You can also follow them on Facebook or Twitter (@ABandConnor) or follow them around in person if you live in LA!