Beware The Tale

When you have a canine companion who needs a minimum of four miles of walking or running every day, you find yourself exploring known and unknown pathways.  You frequently find yourself having to traverse through unexpected brush, fallen trees, and flooded trails.  Sometimes as you come around a bend or reach the top of a hill, you find yourself face to face with a creature who is just as surprised to see you.  Every situation is different.  Each one deserves your best and careful assessment.

In the newest release by brothers Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey, four residents of a southern watery realm find themselves in a dilemma.  Somewhere in the Bayou (Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W. W. Norton and Company, March 1, 2022) brings readers directly into the animals' predicament.  As we read this tale, we have to ask ourselves how we might react in a similar situation.  Would we act like Opossum, Squirrel, Rabbit, or Mouse?  Or would we fashion an entirely different response?

We need a place to cross.

Does anyone

see one?

All I see is plants.

My feet hurt.

The foursome finally find a place to cross.  They discover the presence of a log.  A log is a perfect bridge across water, but this log has a tail snuggly against it.  Rabbit thinks it is

a sneaky tail.

After a brief discussion, Opossum decides the only way to trick a sneaky tail is to quietly walk along the log.  Two loud sounds indicate his idea was not a success.  Where is he?

Now there are three not-so brave animals wondering how to cross on that log with the tail.  Rabbit changes the definition of that tail.  Squirrel decides to show that tail a thing or two.  A loud Squirrel screech echoes in the watery realm.  It is followed by those same two loud sounds.

For the third time Rabbit gives an opinion on the type of tail they are facing.  Rabbit decides to address the tail with a stick.  You guessed it, readers.  Two loud sounds pierce the air in that bayou.  

Mouse asks a question but is met with silence.  Mouse ventures onto the log trying to decide what kind of tail it is.  Mouse makes a decision and acts.  It is followed by those same two loud sounds, but are they for the same reason?  The ensuing conversation will leave readers pondering and probably laughing.  And Mouse . . . is shocked and completely relieved.

Authors Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey certainly can spin a story masterfully.  Told entirely in dialogue, we easily come to understand the personalities of the characters.  Each phrase they utter seems to finish the thoughts of the previous speaker.

After Opossum tries to cross the log and fails, a pattern is established.  This pattern invites reader participation.  The single word sounds will be shouted by readers and listeners as Squirrel and Rabbit try to cross on the log.  

The established cadence shifts with Mouse.  This creates anticipation and tension especially when the single word sounds are read.  That anticipation and tension stays until the very end.  The final sentence supplies us with a huge pause.  Here is a passage.

THAT'S A 

SCARY TAIL!

THAT'S NOT SCARY.

I'LL SHOW YOU SCARY!

BUT---

When you open the dust jacket, you can see the design extends flap edge to flap edge.  To the left of the spine, on the back, the log reaches to the shore.  A long plant sticks out of the water.  On the far left, shrubs and trees frame the scene.  The grass goes to the edge.  On the front, the right side, the cattails, log and water go to the far right.  The color palette of the bayou and each of the characters is introduced in this image.  We are also privy to the expressive eyes of the characters.  It is fabulous how much emotion Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey can show with a round white circle and a black dot.

On the book case, from edge to edge is the same scene from the right flap edge to the middle of the back of the jacket.  It is the log, trees, and some plants.  The tail and four creatures are absent.  Is this before or after the story?

On the opening and closing endpapers is an alligator green hue.  The splendid signature artwork of the brothers begins after the opening endpapers.  So does the narrative.  We briefly pause for the title and verso pages, but the back and tail of Mouse are shown on the far right.

The visuals alternate between double-page pictures, a series of vertical panels, a full-page picture, some horizontal panels and two full-page pictures.  Sometimes elements from one panel are part of another panel.  We are usually very close to the action.  At times we might just see a face or the lower portion of an animal's body with their legs and feet.  This technique of shifting the image sizes and perspectives further draws us into the tale.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a double-page picture.  It is after Opossum has failed in an attempt to cross on the log with the tail.  On the right side we see the water, the log, a portion of the tail and two cattails.  On the left side on the grassy bank, standing upright are the three remaining animals, Rabbit, Squirrel, and Mouse.  There are bushes and trees behind them.  They are all holding their front paws in front of them.  But, their eyes are hilarious.  Rabbit is looking down at Squirrel.  Squirrel is looking up at Rabbit.  Mouse is looking down at the grass.  Their looks are most definitely wide-eyed as their minds wonder what just happened.

This book, Somewhere in the Bayou written and illustrated by Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey, is engaging and thought-provoking.  It is also laden with tension, possibilities, and humor.  It will surely promote discussions and requests for it to be read again, repeatedly.  You will want to have a copy for your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about the Pumphrey brothers and their other work, please access their website by following the link attached to their names.  Jarrett Pumphrey has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  Jerome Pumphrey has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  At the publisher's website, you can view interior images.

Tempest Endurance

For every moment of our lives together Xena has been my barometer.  If a weather change is coming her behavior is directly affected.  As she ages her movements are slower when a front is on its way.  Her nose will lift skyward as if she can smell the shift.

If bird song dies away you can be sure a storm is advancing.  A light breeze will still as the air gets heavy.  Over in the Wetlands:  A Hurricane-on-the-Bayou Story (Schwartz & Wade Books, July 14, 2015)  written by Caroline Starr Rose with illustrations by Rob Dunlavey takes readers on a striking tour of a vital ecosystem.

Over in the wetlands
where the silky mist weaves,
Dragonfly lights on a slender reed.

By all appearances everything is well in the bayou but the wind softly speaks otherwise.  As the speed ever so slightly increases a crab family moves.  Varieties of birds continue to feed in shallow water but the ripples have become waves.

A mother gator carries five babies toward a hidden hole.  As clouds move toward the wetlands so do fish seeking safety in deeper water.  A hurricane is approaching landfall as winds grow wild.

Turtles scramble toward security.  Graceful egrets lean low in shelters of green.  It's as dark as night within the blowing trees.  They and the wind, an eerie orchestra, create a haunting melody.  It seems as if this fierceness will go on without end.

The harsh hurricane finally fades.  Mothers and babies play, glide, bask and settle as sunset red colors the now still waters.  As stars shine and reflect Dragonfly glides.


With every reading the writing of Caroline Starr Rose takes us deeper and deeper into the Louisiana wetlands teeming with flora and fauna.  Her word combinations are a true sensory experience.  If we close our eyes and listen to her narrative we are transported.  As the storm intensifies we are acutely aware of an ever-growing tension due to the shift in her sentence structure.  Her use of punctuation creates a nearly musical rhythm of life before, during and after the hurricane.  Here is another sample passage.

Wind-whipped waves
smash up debris.
Turtles swim for safer seas.
Dark clouds snarl, press down the skies.
The hurricane grumbles,
the hurricane writhes.


Portions of interior illustrations are placed on the front and back of the matching dust jacket and book case.  Each, the egrets and the diving fish, portray a growing sense of unease in the wildlife.  Their movements are indicative of the impending storm.  Shades of teal and wetland green are used on the opening and closing endpapers.  Tiny, almost imperceptible, wavy lines stretch across both, row after row.  It's an interesting texture much like the changing water of the bayou area.

A paler, muted shade of green supplies the canvas for the verso and title page.  A narrow oval picture of the bayou and Dragonfly is placed between the text on the right.

Rendered in watercolor ink, pencil, paint, collage, and Adobe Photoshop  

the images span edge to edge across two pages.  Rob Dunlavey heightens the words of Caroline Starr Rose.

We feel the humidity, feel the changing air, hear the crabs crawl, hear the splash as pelicans dive, gaze in wonder at mothers and babies, watch the shifting sky colors and clouds, and hear the roar of the hurricane as it wages a windy war on the wetlands.  Varied perspectives bring us near to the animals or depict the vastness of the area.  A blend of fine, flowing lines, hues prominent in the region in all kinds of weather and naturalist-like details on the animals and plants draw readers to Louisiana.

One of my favorite pictures is the first one.  Against the backdrop of the trees, water, reeds and leaves of the bayou we zoom in on Dragonfly resting.  One wing is dipped to make ripples on the otherwise smooth surface.  It is most definitely the calm before the storm.


Over in the Wetlands:  A Hurricane-on-the-Bayou Story written by Caroline Starr Rose with illustrations by Rob Dunlavey is a breathtaking look at a habitat probably not known by others except those living near to the area.  It's a tribute to the strength and adaptablility of both the flora and fauna.  It's a plea for preservation.  At the end an Author's Note further explains the wetlands of Louisiana including five websites for more research.  On the opposite page more information is given about the highlighted animals.

To learn more about Caroline Starr Rose and Rob Dunlavey please visit their websites by following the links embedded in their names.  They both have an online presence in other venues.  At the publisher's website you can view more interior illustrations.  When I read Caroline Starr Rose's post at Nerdy Book Club  today about this book, I knew I had to write a post.  A four-page printable discussion guide is located here.

Barking It Up In The Bayou

There has not been one single day since Xena entered my life, more than fourteen and one half years ago, when I have not longed to speak with her.  It most certainly would be simpler to share our thoughts verbally.  Instead we have a fine-tuned system of reading each other's body language, realizing certain words are attached to certain moments and knowing what specific snorts, growls, and barks convey. Sometimes I think when you have worked harder for understanding your relationship is better.

You may be familiar with Spencer Quinn as the writer of the Chet and Bernie series for adults or as Peter Abrahams, author of The Outlaws of Sherwood Street series and The Echo Falls Mystery series for middle grade readers.  Using the pen name of Spencer Quinn Peter Abrahams is beginning another series with a dog as the narrator.  Woof A Bowser and Birdie Novel (Scholastic Press, April 28, 2015) is certain to receive a four paws up plus a vigorous tail wag from the canine crowd (and their human pals too).

TWO HUMANS STOOD OUTSIDE MY CAGE, A
white-haired woman and a gum-chewing kid.  Gum chewing is one of the best sounds out there, and the smell's not bad, either.  I liked the kid from the get-go.

Grammy and her granddaughter, Birdie, age eleven, are at the shelter fulfilling a birthday wish. A large mutt has caught Birdie's attention.  To his complete and total joy he soon tastes freedom riding in the front seat of Grammy's beat-up pickup truck.  Their arrival at the Gaux Family Fish and Bait is tainted by the discovery of the family heirloom, Black Jack, a mounted black marlin, missing from a prominent space on the wall.

Right away Birdie brings a noticeable scent to everyone's attention including the local sheriff but it is dismissed because Bowser is the only other being who can detect its prominence.  He likes it so much; she leads her to the source of the odor.  Birdie thinks he's a genius.  Bowser knows what he likes, pure and simple.  He has no clue that it's a clue.

As if the missing fish is not enough of a mystery, on a visit at Rory's house, the sheriff's son, Birdie learns of a treasure map.  Supposedly on his return home from serving overseas during World War II, Grammy's dad took long rides by himself into the bayou.  The story of those treks and the map are two more pieces in a growing puzzle.

Clandestine journeys in the dark of night, entering forbidden buildings, frightening swims in the black bayou water, an attempted kidnapping, a dog chase revealing more than Birdie's buddy can process, strange visitors, and a too-close encounter with a monster create action nearly faster than Bowser can run.  And that's pretty fast, folks.  Secrets are shared.  Secrets are kept.  The truth is consumed in a conclusion leaving you gasping for breath.


Spencer Quinn removes us from where we might be reading to the bayous of Louisiana.  His descriptions of the small town and its inhabitants envelop us like the heat and humidity found there.  Care is given to the details of the buildings, homes and the layout of the streets and roads.

Each of the characters, residents and visitors, friends and foes, are revealed in the dialogue heard and explanations supplied through Bowser's narration.  Using a canine viewpoint gives us a true sensory experience and a whole bunch of side-splitting humor.  Bowser's roundabout perceptions coupled with Birdie's more linear ideas give us a unique trail to follow.

Relationships are introduced and explored through a series of incidents; Birdie's online chats with her absent mother and her mention of the town public librarian, eavesdropping on Nola's (Birdie's best friend) sister and company in the dead of night, casual encounters with Rory, the sheriff's methods of investigation (He's no Barney Fife.), questions and answers with Snoozy, an employee who slept through the fish theft and his uncle Lem who once coached Birdie's late father, the Straker family members who own the competitive business and treat the Gaux family with distain, visiting old Maybelline at the local assisted living complex and Grammy's constant care of Birdie and reluctantly of Bowser.  These people are as real as real can be; a dog's nose knows.  Here are a few of the many notable passages from this book.

Was this a good time for growling?  Probably not, which I didn't realize until it was too late.  I should have been doing everything I could to make a good impression.  But you'd be growling yourself if the reason you ate like a bird was because you got feed like a bird.  And, by the way, the whole thing about birds not eating much needs looking into.  Ever seen one of those little red-breasted ones gulp down a long, fat, struggling worm?  Enough said. 

For example, in the human world you've got those who take regular showers and those who don't.  Snoozy was of that second type.  His smell reminded me of a hunk of old cheese I'd once found at the bottom of a tipped-over trash barrel, only more so.  I'd left that hunk of cheese strictly alone, believe you me, except for one quick taste, or possibly two. 

"Eyes peeled?" Birdie said, like she hated the idea.  I was with her on that:  It sounded horrible.  

"Yikes---what was that?  Did you feel something?"
Huh? Why did Birdie look so scared, her face all twisted in the moonlight?  All I felt was the bayou, bubbling pleasantly by, although in those bubbles I did pick up an odd smell---snaky, but not snake.  Froggy, but not frog.  Toady, but not toad.  Lizardy, but not lizard.  I sniffed the air. 


Hand this book off to your readers loving non-stop action, mystery to the max, characters ready to walk off the pages and loads of laughter courtesy of a lovable dog.  Woof A Bowser and Birdie Novel written by Spencer Quinn is a run on the best side there is; sheer fun.  Dog lovers are going to gobble this up in big bites. 

To learn more about Spencer Quinn please visit his website by following the link attached to his name.  Scholastic has devoted a page to this new series to be found by following the link attached to the title.  An excerpt from this book is there.  Start reading people.  You'll be ready for the next book as soon as you finish the first.  The cover reveal is coming soon.