Words Of Wisdom. Words For Freedom.

There are words given to us by parents, mentors and friends which serve as touchstones.  They are like mantras in our minds springing forth to reinforce or direct a decision.  Those in existence the longest do not impact us alone but have spread beyond the borders of our daily lives encompassing the world at large.

Many of these wise phrases are linked to a single man, a man believed to have lived 2,500 years ago.  The Fabled Life of Aesop (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, March 10, 2020) written by Ian Lendler with illustrations by Pamela Zagarenski presents in the best and most beautiful style the life of Aesop and his fables.  For those who have believed these short tales are jewels, this book is the treasure chest holding them for us to savor freely.

One day, a slave was born.

His parents named him Aesop.  Aesop was not allowed to live with his parents.  He was forced to work in a vineyard on an island.  Aesop, as did the other slaves, quickly learned to speak in a special language; one not offensive to their masters.  They did so to remain alive.

Aesop had a mind capable of conjuring the ideal solution to a problem.  One day solving the dilemma of low well water levels had his fellow slaves cheering.  When asked a question by the observant master, a frightened but resolute Aesop told the story of The Lion and The Mouse.  His master, Xanthus, so loved the story, he moved Aesop to his home to manage his business.

Soon Aesop was sold to another master after he ended a dispute between Xanthus and that man.  During his tenure with Jadon, Aesop's stories settled and smoothed difficulty after difficulty.  His tales, fables, used animals nearly exclusively and contained other lessons for listeners, slaves like himself.  This increased their longevity and value.

The stories contained in this volume, The Tortoise and the Hare, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, The North Wind and the Sun, The Fox and the Grapes, The Donkey and the Lapdog, The Goose and the Golden Egg, The Fox and the Crow, The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse, The Ant and the Grasshopper, and The Lion and the Statue, are a marvelous bridge between two parts of Aesop's life.  After the last story, Jadon, so pleased with the work of Aesop, offered him an unusual compensation.  As was his practice Aesop, being careful what he said, told a story.  This story, a lifetime of stories, made Aesop's deepest desire a reality.  And this reality was like the proverbial pebble dropped in a pond.  The rings are still spreading today.


As each page is turned and words written by Ian Lendler are read, you feel something, a spark glowing and growing to a flame.  Each sentence is measured, building on the struggle of Aesop's life and how he chose to respond to that struggle.  Each description of incidents and the resulting fables indicate the gift Aesop was to himself, his masters and to the other slaves.  His final reward is a reward, passed first by word of mouth and second in the written word, for all of us.  Here is a passage from the narrative of his life.

The two masters agreed that Aesop's advice was very wise.
They settled their argument peacefully.
Jadon was so impressed that he asked to buy Aesop.  You
see, no matter how clever or kind Aesop was, he was still just
a slave and slaves were something to be bought and sold.
Xanthus agreed, and once again Aesop was taken away. 


When opening the rich, golden tapestry of elements in the image fashioned by Pamela Zagarenski on the dust jacket, readers will find themselves gasping aloud at the eloquent artistry spread before them.  The elegant scrollwork, the exquisite lines, the endearing animals, the Greek architecture and design all blend to form true splendor.  Placing Aesop with a fox and bird in the large lighter circle draws our attention to him but also to each item near him as well.  By placing animals from the fables within this initial look at the book, Pamela Zagarenski issues a warm welcome for us to learn about Aesop and to read his fables.

On the book case a much simpler and lighter (in color) scene is shown. It reflects the buildings, sea, weather and flora of the area in which Aesop lived.  Several animals along with Aesop are showcased.  One of his quotes is written along the bottom on the right side.

A deep golden color covers the opening and closing endpapers.  On the initial title page, a clothed fox stands on a Grecian urn to reach a cluster of grapes set among delicate flora and fauna.  On the formal title page, on the left, Aesop sits on our planet with a lion, a fox, and a mouse.  The sun and moon lift as balloons on nearly invisible strings.  A crow is placed in the corner on the right of this left side.  On the right a rabbit leaps from some of the text.

Each turn of a page reveals images which will leave you stunned at their brilliance.  A circle holds Aesop as an infant with his parents' bodies wound around him. A weeping lion hangs from a net as the tiny mouse chews the fibers.  The depictions of the fables will have you pausing to relish every single item.  Pamela Zagarenski's illustrative interpretations are fantastic. 

The fine features on the people, their clothing and the settings in which they are placed are indicative of the time period in which Aesop lived. All the illustrations in a variety of shapes and sizes are breathtaking but the double-page pictures near the end are heart-stopping.  You simply can't help but look at them over and over.

One of my many, many favorite pictures is when Aesop's heart's desire is fulfilled.  On the matte-finished cream paper a bird is flying from left to right.  The bird fills most of the right side with the tips of tail feathers crossing the gutter.  The feathers on its right wing are spread as it is raised.  Aesop and a fox are seated on the bird's head.  Aesop is holding one of the pebbles.  The bird is holding an olive branch in its beak.  A pebble is held in the curve of one foot.  A portion of a large deep golden ball is shown in the lower, left-hand corner on the left side. Several other circular elements are meticulously placed.  Phrases and letters in diverse sizes flow from the body of the bird, swirling and looping across the left side of the image.  Letters curve from the bird's beak as if an extension of the olive branch.


This book, The Fabled Life of Aesop written by Ian Lendler with art by Pamela Zagarenski, is a magnificent ode to a man and his words.  A two-page Afterword provides further information.  There is a Bibliography also.  This book comes with my highest recommendation for your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Ian Lendler and Pamela Zagarenski and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their respective websites.  Ian Lendler has an account on Twitter.  Pamela Zagarenski has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  A wonderful interview, Ancient Wisdom for Trying Times. An Interview with the Duo Behind The Fabled Life of Aesop, of both Ian Lendler and Pamela Zagarenski is highlighted at Elizabeth Bird's A Fuse #8 Production.  I consider this a must read. 


To enjoy the titles selected this week by other participants in the 2020 Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge, visit Kid Lit Frenzy hosted by educator Alyson Beecher.

To Play Or To Work

Their world beneath our feet is a series of tunnel roadways leading to the queen's residence.  I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see some form of John Heywood's timeless quotation,

Many hands make light work

strategically mounted along their hidden passages.  Never at rest, always on the move, all the members of team ant know what to do and when to do it.

As a classic piece of folklore a fable uses animals to convey a moral or lesson.  None are more recognized than those of Aesop.  None are more gorgeous in their retelling than those of Caldecott Medal winner, Jerry Pinkney.

On April 7, 2015 a companion to The Lion & The Mouse (Little Brown Books for Young Readers, 2010 Caldecott Medal) and The Tortoise & The Hare (Little, Brown and Company, October 1, 2013) was released.  In the first book the setting is the African Serengeti and in the second title we travel to the American Southwest.  In the third book, The Grasshopper & The Ants (Little, Brown and Company), we find ourselves in the woodlands.

When first looking at the dust jacket, you will want to take your time to notice the exquisite details deftly depicted by Pinkney.  For mere moments a group of Ants have paused to listen to the music man, the Grasshopper, who carries his drum set, banjo and concertina with him everywhere.  The delicate wings on his back are breathtaking.

The staff in pastel shades of blue, pink and yellow swirling about him indicates the lightness of the melody.  Dandelion seeds, like wishes, float on the air.  This illustration extends to the left, the back, in a lush view of the forest floor, filled with leaves, flowers, Ants, a monarch butterfly, a caterpillar and a lady bug, wings spread ready to soar.  (It should be noted the front flap images align with the opening endpapers.)

Beneath the jacket on the book case, with a white canvas, framed in dandelion leaves and flowers are portraits of the Grasshopper and an Ant observing the reader.  On the back is the Ants' winter abode with the note laden staff twisting forth from an opening.  This picture is outlined in holly branches and leaves.

Both the opening and closing endpapers are a naturalist's delight in an array of leaves, flowers and the Ants' stump home covered in shelf fungus.  Both feature the Ants busy at work.  Only the Grasshopper is featured differently.  I wonder how many readers will stop to identify all the leaves and flowers.  With a page turn we see the title spread across two pages; the letters formed from leaves, tiny twigs, and flowers.  The Grasshopper and the Ants are busy doing what they do best.

In a series of twelve spectacular double-page visuals Jerry Pinkney gives his signature spin on the tale. (There is also a gasp-worthy surprise toward the end.) In addition readers can see two framed single pages where elements break out from the lines and two edge-to-edge single page pictures as well as the final illustration.  At one particular point in the narrative he even uses a set of smaller framed images to enhance the pacing and add a bit of tension.

"Why work so hard?"
sang Grasshopper.
"It's spring and time to go fishing."

"No time to relax,"
said the Ants.

With these three sentences Pinkney begins.  As the seasons progress Grasshopper asks the same question with alterations to his words.  The Ants reply in kind.  Each time Grasshopper's phrases are increased making his invitation more enticing.  In the autumn and winter the Ants do not reply.  Grasshopper finally realizes his activities would be better if shared.

For the remainder of the book all of the illustrations are wordless with one exception.  A wise matriarch offers a cup of compassion.  It is humbly accepted.

All these illustrations are deserving of being framed.  One of my favorites is when the first snow comes.  The Ants are nowhere in sight but Grasshopper is beside himself with glee, wings extended, hovering above trees branches and lingering fall leaves in rustic reds and browns.  Snowflakes are falling in all shapes and sizes.  Concertina music rides the breeze.  (At this point Grasshopper is not wearing his leaf snowshoes yet.)


When you first hold this book in your hands, after you look at the dust jacket and book case, you can't help but run your fingers over the heavy smooth matte-finished paper.  It's like you have to touch the beauty.  Please add The Grasshopper & The Ants written and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, a true national treasure, to your professional and personal collections.  Share it with everyone as often as you can.  You will enjoy reading the Author's Note on the final page.

To learn more about Jerry Pinkney and his other work please visit his website by following the link attached to his name.  If you access the TeachingBooks website they have many resources about Jerry Pinkney.

A Race...Life Lessons

Tucked in a corner of one of my bookcases is a much loved set of four books.  These four books, The Tall Book of Make Believe, The Tall Book of Bible Stories, The Tall Book of Christmas and The Tall Book of Nursery Tales are my earliest childhood connection to a vast array of classic stories and poems.  They all show signs of repeated readings; only one still has its jacket.

Illustrated by the 1956 Caldecott Medal winner, Feodor Rojankovsky, The Book of Nursery Tales, introduced me to fairy tale and fable favorites.  The lesson taken from the race of mismatched opponents has served me well again and again over the years.  Jerry Pinkney's latest release, The Tortoise & The Hare (Little, Brown and Company) is a gorgeous retelling of a cherished tale, a companion to his Caldecott Medal winner, The Mouse & The Lion.


Every single time I hold a book with illustrations by Jerry Pinkney, its like I have an incomparable treasure in my possession.  A heavy matte-finished jacket with a double-page illustration edge to edge introduces the two main characters, front and center, and several smaller supporting members of the cast on the back.  Set in the American Southwest, the color palette reflects the warm and sunny, dry and dusty surroundings.  Beneath the jacket, the cover is wordless, in two frames a close-up of the Tortoise and the Hare facing one another appears on the front.  On the back in a single, framed picture, the duo are walking away side by side.

Opening endpapers feature a desert vista, filled with rocky formations and flora native to the region; a barn, silo, windmill and garden are tucked in the upper left-hand corner.  Dotted lines show the route the racers will soon follow.  Tortoise is resting on a stump, head tucked into his shell, as hare hops hurriedly down the trail toward him.

The first page turn reveals another two page visual dedicated to the title as well as beginning the story.  Animals are running toward Hare and Tortoise as the two converse.  Another group off to the side are chatting excitedly.

On your marks, 
get set...
Go!

Hare's walking stick and black and white checked kerchief given to Coyote, to use as a visual starter, has dropped as the verbal signal is given.   Hare leaps away down the route.  Tortoise negotiates the path at a much slower pace; mice, bees, a grasshopper, moths, a bird and lizard offering advice and encouragement.

Startled frogs scurry and splash as Hare hops unannounced over their watery residence.  They gleefully guide and ride Tortoise as he swims through the pond.  So far ahead he has lost sight of Tortoise, Hare can't help but notice and slow for a lush garden full of lettuce.

Digging, eating and sleeping are the next order of business for Hare.  Tortoise, on the other hand, tumbles, plods and passes.  The race ends as it has for centuries but Pinkney enhances the outcome with his personal perspective; much can be learned from both sides of a story.


Jerry Pinkney uses the text of the closing line,

Slow and steady wins the race!

to add energy and tension to his retelling.  As we readers watch Tortoise picture by picture move along, the first word is added.  In the next visual the first two words are included.  Each time, a new word is added until the thought is complete.  In your reader's mind it makes a rhythmic beat, building to the finish.  Other than the opening lines these are the only words used in the narrative.

In an Artist's Note at the book's end, Jerry Pinkney explains his choice of setting, color palette, ending and reason for clothing his characters.  Rendered in graphite, watercolor, colored pencils, gouache and pastel, these illustrations pulse with life.  A very real sense of emotion and personality traits of all the characters is conveyed with affection.

Readers are treated to colorful, animated double page illustrations or smaller framed panels with some elements leaving the confines of the lines to represent life and movement.  The choice of clothing for each of the animals is sure to evoke smiles among all readers.  I believe my favorite illustration is of Tortoise emerging from the stream, one frog perched upon his back, another still in the water, arms upraised and a third leading the way laughing and leaping.


Jerry Pinkney's The Tortoise & The Hare, is a brilliant and masterfully artistic interpretation of a well-known fable.  I, for one, am thrilled with his illustrating of classic fables, nursery rhymes and fairy tales.  His valued perspectives contribute more than can be measured to the world of children's literature.  I believe every collection should include these titles.

Make sure to visit Jerry Pinkney's website by following the link embedded in his name.  PW KidsCast: A Conversation with Jerry Pinkney is an audio interview in which he discusses this latest book.  The widget below allows you to see pictures from inside the book.  Enjoy Jerry Pinkney talking about his work in the video below.