Is there anything better than watching children and puppies playing together? The rest of the world falls away as they focus on each other. They seem to embrace life with pure bliss and complete interest. It's as if they are connected by an invisible thread.
They are the ultimate example of "love at first sight." I Got a New Friend (Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, May 23, 2017) written and illustrated by Karl Newsom Edwards celebrates this mutual affection. As soon as you open the book it reaches out and envelopes you.
I got a new friend.
A little girl is given a puppy, receiving her with a little bit of shyness and apprehension. As you might expect this hesitancy does not last very long. The puppy and girl are soon snuggling.
This leads to running and romping with total abandon outside. They both prefer this sensory sensation. After this activity cleanliness is the last thing on their minds; napping takes precedence.
They discover they have a lot in common. There are malodorous moments, necessary baths, and overzealous eating habits. Being quiet is simply too hard for them; noisy is much more fun.
When they eventually rest they sleep together. Awake they are inseparable, showering each other with displays of devotion. Like all of the best things in life, essential efforts yield a wondrous outcome and a welcome surprise.
Fourteen sentences in total, simple declarative sentences, tell a tale of a friendship which will stand the test of time. Karl Newsom Edwardshas with a great deal of genius written in such a manner so there is no dispute as to the truth of these statements but what they are indeed open to is the interpretation as to whom is speaking. They also have openness to them allowing for visual depictions showcasing the developing relationship.
In this sample sentence who is she? There are muddy foot prints and paw prints across the carpet, the ottoman and on the chair. The little girl is covered in a blanket but her pooch pal is nestled across her body as they nap.
She messes up the house and sleeps on the furniture.
When you first see the matching dust jacket and book case, one word comes to mind. That word is adorable. Using a background of white, the child and the puppy hold our gaze. Having them nose to nose is a charming blend of curiosity and caution. A pleasing detail is the dot for the letter i matches the spots on the puppy. To the left, on the back, the background color is the same as the title text. In a small oval over the words
Have fun with your new friend!
the little girl is sharing an ice cream cone with the dog.
Across the white opening endpapers are muddy foot prints on the left walking toward muddy paw prints moving from the right to the left. On the closing endpapers are nine small pictures illustrating how to care for your new friend.
These like the narrative can be in either character's voice.
On the title page is a basket of puppies with the little girl peering at them from an open door. White space is an important element in the design of the illustrations rendered
with pencil and watercolor and then refined digitally.
For pacing and impact the picture sizes vary from double page, to single page and then to several smaller visuals across two pages. For maximum effect the perspective moves close to the characters. An excellent technique used by Karl is the shadowing (shading) around the characters and other objects. It softens each scene. The facial expressions on both the girl and the puppy will have you wanting to hug this book.
One of my favorite illustrations of many is when the duo is having a bath. They are outside in an orange and yellow polka-dotted kiddy pool on the lawn. A garden hose curves around the left side. Water is overflowing the top and being splashed by the little girl and the puppy seated in the pool. It is loaded with soap suds. Can you hear the squeals and barks of delight?
Will this book make a great read aloud? Yes! Will this book be a bedtime title read repeatedly? Yes! I Got a New Friend written and illustrated by Karl Newsom Edwards is brimming with exuberance. I cannot imagine a professional or personal bookshelf without a copy. I would pair this with Our Very Own Dog.
To learn more about Karl Newsom Edwards and his other work please visit his website by following the link attached to his name. He has a page dedicated to this title which you will enjoy. You can get a sneak peek inside the book at the publisher's website. Karl Newsom Edwards was featured at Watch. Connect. Read., the blog of Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher.
Being little, as in very young, is not easy. Everything is new. Your senses are continuously on overload as you take in every single thing that is completely unfamiliar. Your mind is constantly working to store every tidbit of information for future reference. Some days everything seems to be a challenge.
When something (or someone) asks you to step outside your comfort zone instinct kicks into high. It shouts at you to watch out, warning you of all the things which might go wrong. NOPE! (Viking Penguin Young Readers Group, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, January 17, 2017) written and illustrated by award-winning cartoonist Drew Sheneman addresses the very real issue of being afraid of heights. For a bird this is a distinct problem. This debut picture book, nearly wordless, is a classic comedic prize.
The story begins with mother bird cruising in for a landing in the nest where her fledgling is clinging to the edge. She invites him to fly but as he looks over the side, the view is akin to standing on the top of the Empire State Building (at least in his tiny bird mind). He frantically rushes back to her and loudly proclaims
NOPE!
With her wing she nudges him to try again and points toward the brink of the only home he has ever known. What his mind conjures up is terrifying. He can't believe what he is seeing. He looks again and it's even worse.
Shouting more forcefully than before, he tells his mother he won't go. In great detail he explains his reasons as he forcefully gestures. As mothers are apt to do, she points toward the boundary of the nest.
With mounting apprehension he looks over and what he sees (in his tiny bird mind) would scare anyone. This time negative responses, in an assortment of languages, are pouring from his beak like raindrops in a thunderstorm. With gentleness, his mother picks him up and showers him with affection before she does the unthinkable. UH! OH! OH! NO! OH! WOW!
All it takes is one word, one single word. It's the placement of this word and the number of times it's used that give this story one humorous moment after another. It also provides the quintessential setup for the twists Drew Shenemanadds when the baby bird and readers least expect them. (I dare you not to burst out laughing.)
There is something about the expression on the face of the mother bird on the front of the dust jacket which gives a wee hint of the surprise to come. Is it affection, wisdom or the look of a plan forming in her mind? The infant bird is definitely terrified of leaving the nest. As the branch extends under the spine and continues on the back, to the left, Drew Sheneman places four small square images on the sky which also hint at the story's outcome.
On the book case another branch or an extension of the first branch has the baby bird running like crazy toward safety. He looks ready to yell out NOPE! On the opening and closing endpapers thirty-nine white sketches of the baby bird in various stages of distress (and sometimes peace and joy) have been patterned in four rows on a blue canvas. The two page illustration for the title page begins the story of mother bird happily coasting in to the nest.
Painted digitally in Adobe Photoshop the illustrations are presented in a format similar to a graphic novel; one page may contain three horizontal pictures followed by a single page picture, all framed by fine lines and white space. Then Sheneman surprises us with a large double-page illustration, edge to edge, for dramatic effect. His use of white space is brilliant as is his typography for the word nope.
One of my many favorite illustrations is actually a series of four vertical pictures on two pages. It is after the baby bird has looked over the edge for the second time imagining a horror. He first looks at us sideways with fear. Then he shakes his head in disbelief. It is followed with him hitting his head with his wing to dislodge the sight from his mind. In the final panel he looks over the edge again aghast at what he sees.
Even with few words, as a read aloud, NOPE! written and illustrated by Drew Sheneman is a winner. Students readily chanted the text and laughed and gasped as the tale unfolded. You are going to need more than one copy of this for your professional shelves. You will have to have one for yourself and to gift to others. NOPE! is a definite YES!
To learn more about Drew Sheneman and his other work please visit his website by following the link attached to his name. Drew can be found on Instagram, Facebookand he maintainsTumblrpages. There is some process art at his website for this title. You can view the endpapers at the publisher's website.
When wandering in the wild whenever you find a nest filled with eggs or an egg with no nest or parents in the area, unless you have prior knowledge of its coloring, you have no idea what this egg represents. There is a tiny life inside; growing and waiting to burst forth into the world. It's the not-knowing which gives an egg its magic. It offers us the opportunity to wonder and discover.
Unless eggs happen to be on an animal's diet, if found they might approach them with the same curiosity as we humans do. What is this? Does it belong to someone? What's inside? Beloved and esteemed author illustrator Kevin Henkes released his fiftieth title on January 3, 2017. Egg (Greenwillow Books) is full of all those little moments which make life as wonderful as it can be.
egg
egg
egg
egg
crack
crack
crack
egg
In those first eight images placed in four squares on two pages we know one very important thing. Not all eggs are cracked up to be as presented. Three of the four eggs are opening, issuing forth the joy held inside. The fourth simply is.
After the three colorful little birds have flown away we watch the fourth egg and wait and wait and wait a whole bunch more. The avian trio return, puzzled. They huddle. They snuggle. They are still as can be hoping to hear a sound. Then the suspense lures them to do what comes naturally. They peck and peck and peck a whole bunch more.
crack
YIKES!
Three colorful little birds fly far away. One infant becomes sadder and lonelier by the minute. One by one, the trio, overcome by inquisitiveness, comes closer with caution.
It's not exactly a tree branch but it's green like leaves and it moves. This is something worth chirping about to all who will listen. A foursome of friends glides and rides on water watching a sunset. Or perhaps it isn't the sun...
Single words used in repetition supply a subtle rhythm pointing to the noticeable difference in the fourth egg. When Kevin Henkes does this, he creates mystery. We as readers realize the passage of considerable time when he uses the word waiting seventeen times in a wonderful and masterful sequence. It's a perfect lead into the return of the feathered friends.
Only fifteen different words on used in this title. It is their frequency and position in the story which fashion impeccable pacing. As you enjoy the tale told, you also feel amazement growing at the brilliance of this work.
Kevin Henkes' use of brown as a framing and outlining color adds a softness and warmth to all the illustrations rendered in brown ink and watercolor paint. When you open the dust jacket to the left, on the back, are a pale pink, pale yellow, pale blue and pale green eggs. The text beneath them is
crack crack crack ?
When you first see the illustration on the front all you want to do is reach out and hug those little birds and the pale green egg. They as well as the text are varnished. On the book case a large brown cloth spine reaches out to a pale blue background on each side. Egg in slightly larger letters tops the front. The elements are the same on the front and back hinting at the ending.
Small pale blue, yellow, pink and green squares separated by a fine brown line present a pattern for the opening and closing endpapers. A single informal title page edged in a larger brown line holds space for Egg. The formal title page spans two pages with Kevin Henkes' name and the publisher's name on the left and a large Egg on the right. In the spaces of the e and g letters are pale pink, yellow and blue. The verso and dedication pages feature a single illustration, the sun over the letters,
for s.k.
To provide the storytelling cadence, the ebb and flow of the narrative, Henkes may break up a page into equal squares, use a single large image on one page, or divide a page into sixteen spaces. It's his choice when to use these panel sizes on his pages and whether he includes words or not, that draw readers completely into his story. We can readily identify with all the characters.
One of my favorite illustrations of many is the special surprise! page. It is framed in a wide brown line. A portion of each little bird is shown. The pink bird is coming in from the corner of the left edge. The yellow and blue birds are looking in from the right. Front and center, wearing a huge grin, sitting in the cracked and open shell is the newborn. At the sight of this creature, the eyes on the birds are wide, wide open. I guarantee readers will gasp and laugh at this scene.
Egg written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes, even though 2017 is young, will be one of this year's best books. It welcomes discussion about expectations, patience, trust, compassion and friendship. I recommend you share this as often as you can and get copies for your professional and personal shelves. I'm heading to the book shop to get more myself.
Grouchy fictional bears, as opposed to bears in the wild, are to be enjoyed for the hilarity they prompt in readers. Perhaps it's the contrast between them and their cute, cuddly cousins, toy teddy bears. Or maybe we see a little bit of ourselves, when we are having a bad day, in their behavior. Whatever the reason, these next two titles are sure to have readers, at the very least, smiling as soon as they see the front dust jackets.
Four goslings seem to be enjoying their exploration of a rather annoyed bear in Mother Goose Bruce (Disney Hyperion, November 24, 2015) written and illustrated by Ryan T. Higgins. Clearly they are unaware of his discontent. He, on the other hand, is more than concerned with the current state of affairs.
Bruce was a bear who lived all by himself. He was a grump.
The only thing this forest curmudgeon liked...no craved...were eggs. To make matters worse for the other woodland dwellers, he took the eggs. He found them to be most delicious when made into culinary delights.
Searching online Bruce discovered the ultimate recipe,
hard-boiled goose eggs drizzled with honey-salmon sauce.
The stream, hive and nest were raided with determined glee. To Bruce's dismay when he went to hard boil the eggs, his fire needed more wood. Arriving back in the kitchen, Bruce was flabbergasted to hear four little voices cry out
MAMA!
This new development was not to his liking at all. What was a cranky guy going to do with four newborn geese? He tried to give them back to Mrs. Goose but she had vacated her home. Leaving them didn't work. They followed him everywhere. Roaring didn't work. They had bonded with Bruce.
Seeing no other alternative his newly-assumed role as a mom was downright difficult and exhausting. When Bruce noticed the other geese flying south, he was ecstatic. The four fully-grown geese would leave him in peace. No. No. No. They stuck with Bruce like glue. In a resourceful turn of events Bruce and the geese each got what they wanted and needed.
As the story unfolds, told by an unseen narrator, it's the little snippets of dialogue inserted by Ryan T. Higgins which increase the comedic effect. Not only is Bruce a grump but he's always looking out for himself first, trying to make the best of a less than hunky-dory situation. Each of the concise single sentences has been carefully crafted to heighten the disparity between the text and images. Here is a sample passage.
Last, he went to Mrs. Goose's nest to pay her a visit. "Are these eggs free-range organic?"
When you run your hands over the front of the dust jacket the title text is raised. The x through Goose and Bruce are also designed to feel like scribbled crayon. To the left, on the back, on a textured matte-like golden yellow canvas, a shiny picture of the nest, next to cattails and the pond, has been placed. Two goslings are walking from the nest on the picture; one is half in the picture and half on the background. The fourth baby is striding away on the yellow. The book case is a close-up of Bruce's grouchy face on the front and the back of his head on the back. The opening endpapers feature an early morning sun shining through the trees and on the right is Bruce's home. The closing endpapers are different but in perfect harmony with the story's end. (My lips are sealed.)
With a page turn the woods remain on the left. To the right Bruce is sitting down to partake of his favorite food beneath the title text. Higgins alters his image sizes, the framing and perspective to elevate a mood and emphasize a particular moment. His use of white space as an element in the illustrations is first-rate. It's the facial expressions on Bruce which will have you laughing out loud over and over again. Well, that and his physique. And if you are not rolling on the floor yet in uncontrolled mirth there are the extra details; Bruce's use of a shopping cart, the gosling carrier, and the geese wearing hats, coats, scarves and boots.
One of my favorite illustrations is of Bruce standing next to the blue and white polka-dotted kiddie pool watching the goslings splashing in the water. Bruce ready to join them is wearing pink water wings with daisies, a blue and yellow striped inner tube and yellow flippers. It's a bright sunny day but his disposition is completely stormy.
Mother Bruce written and illustrated by Ryan T. Higgins is one of those books when you open the cover you expect to hear laughter ringing from the pages. I would like to think Higgins has given a hat tip to Bill Peet's Big Bad Brucewith this book. I urge you to share this title with someone as often as possible.
To learn more about Ryan T. Higgins please visit his website by following the link attached to his name. This title has been chosen by Scholastic's Ambassador for School Libraries John Schumacher and standing-on-a-desk-and-shouting-I-love-reading third grade teacher Colby Sharp as one of the books for the February #SharpSchu Twitter Book Club. Ryan T. Higgins was a guest on All The Wonders, Ryan T. Higgins: Picturebooking, Episode 41. A little more than one year ago readers were introduced to a bear who prefers to be alone and his noisy, nosy neighbor, a duck, in Goodnight Already!The mismatched friends have returned in I Love You Already! (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, December 22, 2015) written by Jory John with illustrations by Benji Davies. One glimpse at Bear's face (the deer caught in the headlight look) and we know some things (or a bear and a duck) never change. For those of you who believe in the power of laughter, thank goodness for that.
"Ahh, I really love spending lazy weekend mornings around my house."
Readers will quickly note that Duck has a different plan, nestled in bed, snacking on a cookie with his I ♥ Bear mug next to the bed, and reading
101 WALKS TO take with BEARS.
Within two shakes of a duck's tail he's on his way to Bear's place ready to roll and repeatedly asking Bear to go for a walk. Bear's morning of tea-sipping and book reading is over. Duck's six reasons for Bear to come outside are met with an emphatic
"No." and "You already said that."
If for no other reason than to get some peace of mind, Bear reluctantly agrees to stroll along with Duck. The winged walker chatters non-stop eliciting the same responses from Bear. He only wants Bear to like him. Bear tells him over and over that he does like him...ALREADY!
Finally telling Duck he needs some space and longs for a nap, Bears heads to the shade of a tree. Duck is bored, bored, bored. Without Bear knowing he climbs the tree intending to snare Bear's attention. YIKES! A startled Bear knocks Duck right out of the tree.
In the following conversation a role reversal reveals Bear's true feelings. Duck's euphoria sets him off and running again. Bear's final sentence, as he stares right at the reader, sums up his personality perfectly.
You have to admire the skill necessary to form two distinct characters as different as night and day. The old adage of opposites attract as written by Jory John is indeed true but not readily visible. The story, told entirely through dialogue, pulls back Bear's outer shell for a few moments before falling back into place. This is what maintains the humor from beginning to the end. Here is a sample passage.
"Take a look around, Bear! Who wants to be alone on a day like this?" "Me." "Nonsense!" "Would you like an ice pop, Bear?" "I suppose..." "Um, Bear, I might need to borrow a little money." (Grrr.)
The bright red on the dust jacket catches your eyes at first glance. You will notice the shape of the tree branches in a heart and the heart-shaped individual leaves as you look more closely. Duck hugging Bear with his eyes closed will start the giggles. To the left, on the back, Bear is sitting on a blue bench in a dejected pose wearing his yellow straw hat as Duck on the other end is talking non-stop. On the book case the canvas is composed of a diamond and square pattern. On the right Bear is sitting on the floor, hiding behind a curtain. On the left Duck is peeking in Bear's window trying to locate his best buddy. The opening and closing endpapers are the same bright cheerful yellow as the hill on the front of the dust jacket.
The title page is a mirror image of that on the front of the dust jacket with the exception of the changed hues in the leaves and title text. The publication information and dedication pages show the friends' homes as the sun rises. The use of yellow, turquoise, grass green, pink, orange and red throughout the book lifts the merriment level.
To provide pacing Benji Davieshas created single page images, two illustrations on one page framed in white, and a series of pictures on two pages. He alternates the background hues to actively engage his readers. The body movements and postures of both Duck and Bear depict their personalities to a T.
One of my favorite illustrations is of Bear resting against the tree trunk. He has lowered his hat to partially cover his eyes. A single daisy is hanging from his mouth. This image spans across two pages. This is the "pregnant pause" filled with anticipation. You know something is coming.
I Love You Already written by Jory John with illustrations by Benji Davies is a fun-filled companion to the original title. Use it to celebrate Valentine's Day, friendship and the often hidden love between two unlike souls. To learn more about Jory John and Benji Davies please follow the links attached to their names to access their respective websites. Enjoy the book trailer.
If you were to ask your readers how many have ridden on a wagon pulled by a tractor, depending on your location, you might receive a favorable response. When asked how many have had the pleasure of actually riding on the tractor your numbers will probably diminish. Factoring in their ages the amount who have actually driven a tractor will be even less. Having done all three myself, I can say in all honesty, after the third option, with the broken barn door as evidence, I was delegated to the open fields.
Life on a working farm is busy with long days of work; the epitome of there never being a dull moment. When it's Farmer's Brown's place laughter is a given. Click, Clack, Peep! (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, February 10, 2015), the newest installment in a much-loved series written by Doreen Cronin with illustrations by Betsy Lewin, is a rousing rendition by the famous animal crowd.
Click, Clack, peep! Farmer Brown stuck his head out the window. The farm was too quiet.
There is not a sound to be heard because all the critters are gathered around a straw nest. In the exact center is an egg ready to open. There's one crack, two cracks, three cracks, four, five, six and seven cracks. A furry, fuzzy yellow baby duck pops out.
This little duck is so happy to be hatched it laughs, waddles, plays and peeps. It peeps a lot. And it keeps on peeping when all the others are yawning.
Each of the animals, the chickens, the cows, and the sheep, draw on their maternal instincts trying without success to get the baby duck to quit peeping and sleep. They all leave the barn, even the mice, to get much needed rest. Baby Duck keeps on peeping.
As you are well aware Duck is no ordinary duck. This Duck always has a plan. This time it involves earphones, Farmer Brown snoozing in his hammock, a bucket, a blanket and seat belts. This is one ride you won't want to miss.
The beat began in the barn continues throughout the story with the playful use of words by Doreen Cronin. Each animal's voice is repeated as are the title words among all those peeps. Repetition of phrases in different portions of the narrative is a warm welcome for participation. They are also great building blocks to a hilarious conclusion as only Duck can provide. Here is another sample passage.
Not a moo. Not a click. Not an oink. Not a clack. Not a baa. Not a cluck. Not a thing. Then...a crack.
Rendered in watercolor the unmistakable line work of Betsy Lewin is evident from the dust jacket (I'm working with an F & G). There is liveliness in every brush stroke. Her full color palette is a reflection of life on the farm no matter the time of day. On the back, to the left, on a canvas of pale yellow, there appears to be the very tractor I drove in days long past. Not an inch of space is wasted as Lewin starts the story before the narrative begins with the cows and Duck waiting for a delivery, the truck arriving, and Duck receiving a box tied with a bow. These are placed on a page before the title page, on the title page, verso and dedication page.
Her image sizes are a mix of single pages, double pages and small vignettes clustered on pages to highlight the text and supply pacing. At times we view the scene as a whole or we are moved in close for emphasis. One thing is apparent with every page turn. The details on the animal faces (and Farmer Brown) are loaded with emotion. We can't help but burst out laughing.
One of my favorite illustrations is of the chickens singing a lullaby to the baby duck. One is rocking the little peeper. Three others with beaks wide open are creating a chorus. Of the four mice pictured, one is running away and another is plugging its ears. Two others are looking on with what I am sure is hope. Lewin uses a purple wash to generate the evening hour.
Click, Clack, Peep! written by Doreen Cronin with illustrations by Betsy Lewin is not to be missed. Use this for a unit on life on the farm, to demonstrate the art of writing with rhythm, to show how humor is infused in writing or as a bedtime treat. I think it would make a delightful reader's theater. I can already hear the voices joining in as words are read aloud.
To learn more about Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin and their other books access their websites by following the links attached to their names. At Reading Rocketsare video interviews of Betsy Lewin. If you follow this link to the publisher's website you can find some activity sheets.
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 Marris 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 Weeklyand Brightlyabout the very personal reasons for this book's birth.
Have you ever noticed how the familiar things you walk by every single day may suddenly get your attention? When you stop and stare you wonder why you never fully appreciated what has currently grabbed your focus. It may be the slope of snow sculpted by the wind, a tiny bird's nest comfortably resting in the bare branches of a tree, the way a folded blanket drapes across the back of a chair or the new grayness around your dog's face. There is a special contentment in the simple.
For our youngest readers and listeners learning to appreciate the music of language, a few words can become a melody moving through their minds. Taking commonplace things and putting them together can create pure playfulness. Smick! (Viking, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), February 10, 2015) written by Doreen Cronin with illustrations by Juana Medina does this superbly.
Smick.
Having heard his name called, Smick, one ear cocked, is ready for action. Tail wagging he easily follows the request of the unseen speaker. He receives phrase with a doggy smile on his face.
One word, the next word, makes him sit up and take notice. The word is stick. For reasons unknown to me, dogs love sticks. (I have seen Xena drag sticks three times her size down roads, through fields and out of the water in total bliss.)
With one thought in his mind, he retrieves the thrown stick in mere seconds. What he hears next is a tad bit unusual. It sounds like a chicken. It's a baby, a mere bundle of fluff. Wow!
When seen side by side (Chick and Smick), it's easy to see Smick is a big dog, a big, big dog. He's huge! Smick crouches down ready to play but he needs to proceed with care. When you add Chick, chasing a stick and Smick together you get a rousing romp of goodness.
After I had read this book multiple times, I couldn't help but think about which word came to author Doreen Cronin first, Smick, Chick or stick? Or what picture popped into her head before the others, was it the dog, the baby chicken or the stick? Did she see something which sparked the idea for this story?
The most words read in combination are three. Usually all that appears is a single word. It's the use of punctuation, a comma, a period, a question mark, or an exclamation point, which determine the rhythm of the narrative. It's spirited and catchy.
Rendered digitally in combination with alstroemeria petals and rosemary tree sticks the illustrations of Juana Medina are in lively synchronization with the narrative. The royal blue background spanning the dust jacket and matching book case make Smick and Chick the perfect pals to bring on readers' grins. On the back, left, we see the back portion of the duo in the same position. The opening and closing endpapers with the identical blue background are a series of nine new poses of Smick and Chick together; upside down, running, resting, walking away from and running toward us. They are, in two words, utterly charming. The picture for the title page spreads from left to right featuring the stick in Smick's mouth. Chick is perched on the tip.
Crisp white pages make Smick, shaped with thicker black lines (and sometimes Chick), the real stick and Chick formed with flower petals seem like they could jump off the pages at any minute. Medina alters her perspective of Smick, making him smaller or larger in response to the action of the story. She crosses the gutter with energetic abandon just like Smick.
One of my favorite of many images is when Smick first encounters Chick. The speaker cries out
No, Smick, no!
Smick is lying down, larger than life on the left spanning over the gutter to the right. Wings sticking up in the air is Chick calmly walking right by Smick's nose going toward the left edge. You can feel the gentle tension wondering what the page turn will bring next to readers.
It's easy to understand why the first three letters of the dog's name are the first three letters in smile. That's exactly what readers will be doing from beginning to end of Smick! written by Doreen Cronin with illustrations by Juana Medina. My gaze was captured by the dog on the cover but the spare rhyming text masterfully combined with the pictures makes this a little treasure for the youngest listeners and readers (and those of us young at heart). Make sure to read this aloud with zip and zing.
To learn more about Doreen Cronin and Juana Medina please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites. Julie Danielson, author and blogger at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, featured the artwork from this title. Enjoy the book trailer.
Note to reader: I am not sure of the gender of Smick so feel free to substitute female pronouns whenever you wish.
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?
Given their coloration and mannerisms penguins attract a good number of fans. It's highly unlikely any of my students will ever see them in the wild, considering they reside beneath the equator in the Southern Hemisphere. This does not deter their enthusiasm one little bit. When Happy Feet was released more than seven years ago, penguins' popularity increased tenfold.
Their body shape, tuxedo-like feather placement coupled with their movement on land make penguins the perfect characters in stories about babies, mothers and family dynamics. In her debut picture book, Baby Penguins Everywhere (Philomel Books, 2012) Melissa Guion acquainted readers with a penguin who enjoyed her solitude but did have days when she felt lonely. Imagine her surprise when she discovered a top hat floating in the water near her ice floe one day.
When first one, then another and yet one more baby penguin popped out of the hat, her astonishment grew. In short order there were oodles of baby penguins. Alone and lonely had been replaced with busy, happy and a whole lot of play.
Hold on to your top hats! Melissa Guion has written and illustrated another title filled with this wonderful Mama and her babies. Baby Penguins Love Their Mama! (Philomel Books) follows these lively birds during their learning of penguin-ish antics.
Once there was a family of penguins. A mama penguin... and lots and lots of baby penguins.
Each day was filled to the brim with activities. Swimming, sliding and waddling took their proper position at the beginning of the week. While preening has its place, it wasn't exactly a crowd favorite.
When Friday rolled around it was plain to see the joy on all those penguin faces (and surely their stuffed stomachs were mighty pleased too). Lessons on fishing were positively popular. Closing out the week's learning was the best thing of all, squawking.
Taking a much-needed nap after six days of teaching her babies, Mama is filled with pride for each and every one. After offered words of encouragement, Mama questioned one of the baby penguin's replies. Little did she know what they had been planning for her? No one could have asked for a better answer.
The sheer charm of this title is in the simplicity of the text. Melissa Guion has a gift in stating the known so even the youngest readers can follow the narrative. Her commentary sentences after the daily statements make readers feel like wanted members of the penguin population. Every time this title is read it's easy to hear the various voices and sense the range of emotion behind the words. Here is a single example.
And waddling on Wednesday. Waddling was harder than it looked.
The first thing you notice when looking at the matching dust jacket and book case is the return of the colorful balls and ribbon seen in the first book. (They magically appeared from the top hat along with the penguins.) The illustrations on the front and the back are similar to ones appearing in the body of the title. Having one of the penguin babies looking at the ISBN is a nice touch.
The shading of the turquoise blue along with the liberal use of white space in the portrayed scenes easily transports readers to the colder region where this penguin family resides. Details in body movement and facial expression attained with the minimum of lines sets the watercolor and pencil artwork of Melissa Guion apart from others. Her penguins have pizzazz.
How can you not fall in love with a penguin swimming on his back blowing out a stream of water, penguins building ice castles, a conga line of penguins grasping the colored ribbon, the seal friend who learns along with them, and Mama covering her ears during squawking practice? Careful readers will notice in several of the illustrations the penguins carefully preparing something special for Mama. Bringing back the enchanted top hat as an element in many of the pictures adds to the continuity.
I think my favorite two-page illustration is of the squawking on Saturday. Every single pictured penguin is in a different position and their enthusiasm is evident; so is Mama's tolerance for the noise. With little effort you can envision the joyful hullabaloo.
Baby Penguins Love Their Mama! written and illustrated by Melissa Guion is a title meant to be shared with others...repeatedly. It's one of those books which creates a sense of warmth, belonging and security between the reader and listener whether it's one-on-one or with a group. You can pair it with the titles by Salina Yoon, Penguin and Pinecone, Penguin on Vacation and Penguin in Love, Kristi Valiant's Penguin Cha-Chaand Toni Buzzeo's and David Small's One Cool Friend.
To learn more about Melissa Guion and her work visit her website by following the link embedded in her name. Be sure to check out her links. This title was recently reviewed by author Julie Falatko(Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book)) on Katie Davis Brain Burps About Books.
For several years in January, the month when the Caldecott Medal is given by the American Library Association, our kindergarten students partake in an author study of Denise Fleming. In the Small, Small Pond brought her a Caldecott Honor Award in 1994. Throughout her career her books have repeatedly appeared on the annual American Library Association, Assocation for Library Service to Children Notable Lists.
Beginning with the title page illustration, Denise Fleming's unique technique of pulp painting softly lulls readers into her newest offering, Sleepy, Oh So Sleepy (Henry Holt and Company, August 3, 2010).(Pulp painting is a papermaking technique using colored cotton fiber poured through hand-cut stencils.)Readers can not help but sit back, unwind and gently begin this tale when presented with the sleeping fledglings all cuddled in their cozy nest. We are very close to them as if we are peeking through the leaves of the tree.
Fleming's choice of color for this theme evokes tranquility as does her selection of twelve animals which are perennial favorites of children. Each two page spread features a small animal in the protective embrace of its parent as the words, Tiny baby panda, sleepy, oh so sleepy...Tiny baby ostrich, sleepy, oh so sleepy...tiny baby lion, sleepy, oh so sleepy. Where's my sleepy baby? create a lullaby cadence.
Her artistic talent is prominent in the positioning of the young babies and their parents. In none of the illustrations is the full adult in view. In some just the feet are showing, a mouth, a nose, back or stomach where the baby nestles in quiet repose. As each animal is presented readers will long to reach out and stroke the page.
It is in the final pages that the question, Where's my sleepy baby?, is answered. Closing with Sleep tight, sleepy babies, tiny sleepy babies curved around our blue planet Denise Fleming reminds us of our universal similarities and all that unites us. For good reason she dedicates this book to her daughter, Indigo, who will be 32 this year.
Please check out Denise Fleming's web site by flowing the link attached to her name at this blog's beginning. It is just as colorful and full of life as her books and loaded with activities to enhance each title as well as other information about her and her art. To view some interior pages please follow this link to the publisher's website.
They are the ultimate example of "love at first sight." I Got a New Friend (Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, May 23, 2017) written and illustrated by Karl Newsom Edwards celebrates this mutual affection. As soon as you open the book it reaches out and envelopes you.
