A Double Dose Of Laughter

Regardless of your age, laughter can lift you up.  It can take an upside-down day, turning it right side up.  If you can share this laughter, the happiness it creates escalates.  Presently, it's a bit difficult to spread this form of joy with anyone other than those with whom you are sheltering or virtually, BUT . . .

When you think of authors and illustrators who make books filled with playful plots and comical characters, let us imagine they are there with us when we open the covers of their books.  As we laugh at their stories, it is as if they are laughing with us.  With this way of thinking, laughter is always shared.  Two April releases, graphic novels for younger readers (and readers young at heart), are welcome bursts of friendship and fun.

In the first title, Baloney And Friends (Disney Hyperion, April 14, 2020) written and illustrated by Greg Pizzoli, a crew of companions exhibit distinctive personalities.  It's their differences that make them dynamic.  None of them are without imperfections but together they form a flawless friendship.

A one-page full-color graphic in horizontal panels informs readers they will be enjoying a Get Started introduction, three stories and three two-page mini-comics.

Baloney + Friends
Get Started
(An Introduction Of Sorts)
Hello!
I'm Baloney!
This is my book.
All about me!
And me, too!
Oh. Hi, Peanut.

In this back-and-forth conversational exchange, we meet Baloney, Peanut, a blue horse, Bizz, a black, white, and yellow bee, and Krabbit, a cranky purple rabbit.  Baloney tries over and over to present his book and friends to readers, but he is constantly interrupted.  When it finally appears as though he can proceed without delays, Peanut is missing.  When you have to go, you have to go. (a bathroom break)

In the first story Baloney's magic show and trio of tricks are loaded with misconceptions.  What Baloney predicts does happen, but certainly not by magic.  His friends' responses are varied.  These in contrast to Baloney's actions are comedy gold.

Avoiding what you fear and overcoming that fear is addressed with candor and humor in the second narrative.  In musings Baloney reveals his hesitancy. In chatting with his friends, they become aware of his concerns.  It's Bizz's questions and then understanding which propel Baloney to be his best self with victorious though hilarious results.

To close this trio of tales Baloney and Peanut have a heart to heart chat about those things which make you feel sad.  An effort to lighten Baloney's mood only serves to display the depth of his despair.  As this is acknowledged, Baloney steps forward as true friends do.  Heart to heart is an art best buddies learn together.

In between the three stories the mini-comics range in their focus.  We are present during an arcade duel for player dominance, a rare peek at a hungry hero's craving for cookies and a closing championing the power of good stories.  Endings are the best beginnings.


By giving voice to these four characters, Greg Pizzoli illuminates those qualities which make each individual unique.  It is their singularity which endears them to us.  In them readers will see their strengths and weaknesses.  In these three stories and three mini-comics, Greg Pizzoli, through his written words, allows us to understand the benefit of embracing the complete individual, even if they are a work in progress.  (I'm looking at you, Krabbit.)  Although, to be fair, Krabbit elevates the laughter factor.  Here is a passage of dialogue.

Come and see the marvelous . . .
the masterful . . .
the magical . . .
The One And Only
Baloney!

Gasp!
A magic show! (Peanut)

Oh fun!  (Bizz)

Whatever . . .  (Krabbit)


As soon as you see the front of the book case, you'll start to fall in love with these happy-go-lucky friends.  Well, there is a scowl on Krabbit's face, but that's pure Krabbit.  The wide eyes, in the case of this book, are the secret to the soul of these characters.  They want us to be a part of their story.  The title text, Greg Pizzoli's name, the characters and the silver starburst are varnished.

To the left, on the back of the book case, the foursome is featured in four squares inside a larger square.  Above and below them is text you might see on the flaps of a dust jacket.  There are also glowing endorsements from two other admired author illustrator voices in the children's literature community, Ben Clanton and Laurie Keller.  Several elements here are varnished as well.

In a pattern of darker orange on lighter orange is a series of drawings of the fabulous four in a variety of positions.  Every so often the words:

Baloney
And Friends

are placed within the sketches. After this, prior to the title page, is a circle with the four friends and their names fashion a circular frame.  The title page is designed with a photograph of the pals.

Greg Pizzoli's panels shift in size to emphasize pacing and drama.  The color of the framing around the panels changes from white, to pale orange, purple, green, blue, black, royal blue, and red.  Sometimes the panels are outlined in a thin black line; other times the edges are scalloped or the image bleeds edge to edge.  Several times the characters appear outside a panel to designate their position with respect to each other or in reference to a memory.

Readers will recognize the masterful ability of Greg Pizzoli to create a range of emotions through his lines.  His facial expressions leave no doubt as to what his characters are feeling.  This is how we connect easily with the personalities.  This is why we love to laugh at their stories.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is on a single page.  Baloney is on stage dancing in his black pants, black bow tie and black top hat and holding his magic wand.  He is throwing a glass previously filled with ice cubes in the air.  They magically (with the use of a heater and hair dryer) turned to water.  In front of the stage Peanut is clapping and saying

Amazing!

Bizz utters disgustedly

Oh, come on!

And Krabbit, as you might expect says:

That's
NOT
magic!

Their faces tell the whole story.


This book, Baloney And Friends written and illustrated by Greg Pizzoli, is a first-class graphic novel everyone will want to have on their personal and professional bookshelves.  Regardless of the number of times you read it, you'll find yourself either laughing or sighing more than once.  Greg Pizzoli makes books you want to hold next to your heart. At the close of the book four pages are dedicated to teaching you how to draw these characters.

To learn more about Greg Pizzoli and his other wonderful work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website. Greg Pizzoli has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  Greg Pizzoli has a YouTube channel.




In the first book in a new series readers get to meet two lovable animated animal creatures plus two of their friends.  Fox & Rabbit (Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams, April 21, 2020) written by Beth Ferry with illustrations by Gergely Dudas is a gathering of adventures, one connected to the other, by friendship, fun and the letter F.  Each of the five stories is titled with three alliterative words.  The three words are a welcome to readers to participate.

STORY ONE
FAIR, 
FIREWORKS 
& FRED

 I see a whale.
Me too.
I see a
carrot.
Me too.
Now I see a
crab.
Me too.

I just made that up.
I didn't really see a crab.
Stop copying me.

I wasn't copying you.  I was
just being nice.

Humph.

In this first verbal exchange as Fox and Rabbit are lying on their backs gazing at clouds, we get an early glimpse into their personalities.  This duo sees and smells cotton candy which leads them to a fair. Immediately Rabbit wants to ride the Ferris wheel, but Fox is not excited.  Rabbit says he will win Fox a stuffed toy to hold when he rides the Ferris wheel.  Guess who wins all three games?  Guess who wins a stuffed toy lion?  Guess who ends up holding the stuffed toy lion when they finally ride the Ferris wheel at night?  Fireworks lead to a new name.  Rabbit still has to satisfy a yearning.  The result leads us into story two, but not without even more laughter at the expense of the late arrival of a turtle.

The next day, story two unfolds with an eager Fox ready for a day at the beach.  At every stage of this tale, Rabbit over prepares.  Fox presents the only thing necessary, a single item beginning with the letter F.  Rabbit stalls all day long about going in the water.  For every reason Rabbit supplies to not going in, Fox counters.  Rabbit eventually decides he loves the beach (and the water) a lot, so they stay for the sunset.  A gift floats to them in a bottle on the darkened water. 

The next day after weighing the pros and cons of their next trek into the unknown, Rabbit loads up a backpack and Fox carries a single item, a flashlight.  They have three geographic challenges with weather and fauna adding to the mix.  As they reach their goal, it's not what they expected but they learn some surprises are right in front of us all the time.

Sparrow, an already accepted foodie, steps in to assist Fox and Rabbit in their next endeavor.  As a guide Sparrow is the best.  Fox and Rabbit work harder than they thought possible all day.  Then there are days and days of watering and waiting.  When they see the outcome of their labors they are overjoyed until disaster strikes.  Forgiveness starts with the letter F and it's the foundation of friendship.

At the close of this first book of heartwarming discussions and feats, the charming companions watch a startling discovery grow.  From this a construction project and hours of time in the kitchen equal a backyard business.  Just when it looks as though this is a zinger, Sparrow turns it into a pleasant surprise.  As usual Turtle arrives at the end and the final line is the bow on this perfect present for readers.


As you read these five stories you can't help but think of all the fabulous fun (two letter Fs) Beth Ferry had finding words beginning with the letter F.  You can't help but wonder at the joy she felt creating the conversations between Fox and Rabbit.  Their banter is a linguistic delight.  They counter and contrast each other.  They question and answer each other.  They bring out the best in each other.

To tie the stories together, Beth Ferry frequently uses a phrase such as

Are you sure?
Sure as sunshine . . .
Sure as sand . . .

and the appearance of Turtle heightens the hilarity of each episode.  To enhance the personalities of Fox and Rabbit a cadence is established with repeating words and instances in their dialogue.  This is the glue that adheres and deepens their affection.  Here is one wonderful conversation of many.  Fox is speaking for most of the page.

Hurry up!
What's taking
so long?
The sun will be
setting soon.
Do you want to
pack the
toilet too?
Fred is getting 
antsy.
Ta-da!
I'm ready!
You're not bringing 
anything?
Oh, yeah.
Because flip-flops start
with F.


When you open the book case, on the right you can sense the total bliss Fox and Rabbit are feeling in the moment of being together in a field of dandelions.  This moment is extended in the image that begins on the spine and spans across the back.  In this picture the pale blue sky is filled with floating dandelion fluff.  Rabbit and Fox with Fred, the toy stuffed lion, on the ground are looking up as they stand in the same dandelion field.  Above them text like you might read on the front flap of a dust jacket is placed.  The characters, the title text and some elements on the back are varnished.

The opening and closing endpapers are pale blue.  For the initial title page dandelion fluff drifts on the same blue.  For the formal title page, the picture on the front is expanded, spreading over two pages.

Illustrator Gergely Dudas rendered these images

with graphite and ink and colored digitally.

Opposite each chapter page on the right, Fox and Rabbit are placed in a circle introducing readers to their following escapade.  Gergely Dudas places a series of small images on full-page pictures, places a series of panels on a single page, supplies wonder with full page pictures and generates his interpretation of the narrative with several series of wordless panels.  Most of the images are loosely bordered with a fine black line.

Readers will be fascinated with the combination of body postures and facial features on Fox, Rabbit, Turtle and Sparrow.  They convey a range of emotions.  The pacing is impeccable.  The humor is rich and true. 

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is when Fox and Rabbit are at the beach.  In a series of eight small square panels placed as two columns on a larger area of sand on most of the page beginning on the left, we are privy to a conversation and three wordless pictures at the end.

The conversation begins with Rabbit as Fox goes swimming again:

I'm going to dig for
treasure.  This was
probably
a pirate 
beach once.

Call me if you find
something good!

And by good I
mean gold!

Or silver.

Or gummy worms.

As Rabbit digs with Fred watching next to the hole, we see less of his body until only his ears are above ground.  Then on the far right is a cutaway of that beach area.  Rabbit is way, way down.  He must have dug for a considerable amount of time.  This picture leads into another comedic conversation when Fox returns from a swim.


Between the chatting of these two friends, Sparrow and Turtle, readers know they've met the best kind of individuals.  Fox & Rabbit written by Beth Ferry with illustrations by Gergely Dudas is a book, whether placed on your personal or professional bookshelves, that will have the well-loved look in short order.  We readers are fortunate another title is set to be released this year. 

To learn more about Beth Ferry and Gergely Dudas and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Beth Ferry has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  Gergely Dudas has accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.  The cover reveal for this book is hosted by Dylan Teut,  executive director of the Plum Creek Children's Literacy Festival at Mile High Reading.  Dylan Teut interviews Beth Ferry.  Betsy Bird, Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system, at School Library Journal, A Fuse #8 Production, interviews Beth Ferry about this book.

Buzzworthy Picture Book August 10 for 10 #pb10for10

Six years have come and gone but participating in the annual Picture Book 10 for 10 is a highlight every year for me.  People who love books gather their favorites of a year or favorites revolving around a theme.  This yearly celebration was created by Mandy Robeck and Cathy Mere and we extend to them much gratitude. If this is something in which you would like to participate Cathy explains how it works here.

Some years I agonize about what books to select in general or if there is a important theme.  For my first year, I shared ten plus two of my favorite alphabet books from my personal collection.  (I think it might be time to update that list.)  Many times alphabet books are some of the first books read aloud.  They need to reflect the best kind of writing and illustrations.

In 2013 I shifted toward the best dog books.  My sweet Xena choose those titles from my collection numbering more than two hundred fifty.  That year I used an application called Learni.st to host the choices.  This can now only be accessed by using the app rather than the website.  If you use the app Learni.st and search under Xena the book list, August Ten for Ten Xena's Favorite Dog Books, will appear.

For year three my list revolved around books to be used as companions to my first list. They are about counting and numbers.  Apparently I have a hard time counting as I have eleven titles.

Each year there are books I wish to add to my theme for 2015.  These books bring calm and peace any time of the day but bedtime, sleep and sweet dreams are precious.  Like dinosaurs robots command the attention of many readers.  The interest for them is a constant.  In 2016 I choose titles with robots as main characters.  Last year my attention turned to friendship.  How we model and mirror relationships to the children in our lives leaves lasting impressions.  In this topsy-turvy world we need people whose loyalty is constant.  I selected ten plus one titles.  Spirit Xena and my wild child Mulan each selected a book. (Stopping at ten is not easy for me.  The number thirteen is lucky in this list.)

For 2018 I supply a list which has importance not only to me but for everyone on this planet.  Our honeybees are in trouble.  It's only been this last week, I have seen any at all.  All bees seem to be in a frenzy to gather nectar and pollen.  You can hear their buzz among the wild flowers and in gardens.  These are books I will be sharing with my story time patrons in the next two weeks.  A link attached to most of the titles takes you to my full recommendation.


1.  Buzzy the bumblebee (Sleeping Bear Press, October 1, 1999) written by Denise Brennan-Nelson with illustrations by Michael glenn Monroe

One sunny day, in a beautiful garden, there sat a bumblebee named Buzzy.

Can you imagine believing yourself to be able to do something, having done it every single day of your life, and then to suddenly be told you are incapable of doing it?  This is what happens to Buzzy.  He reads that

"Bumblebees weren't made to fly."

Sitting on top of a flower and how to get down is only his first problem.  He also happens to be far from his home.  What Buzzy discovers is what we all need to discover.

A teacher's guide is provided by the publisher.


2.  The Bear's Song (Chronicle Books, September 17, 2013) written and illustrated by Benjamin Chaud

Deep in his den, Papa Bear starts to snore.  Winter whistles through the forest. Hibernation has begun.

Little Bear is not in the den.  Oh, no.  He is merrily following the sound of a single bee.  Despite his youth, he has learned that a bee will lead him to honey.

With an instinct as old as time, Papa Bear suddenly wakes knowing Little Bear has vacated the premises.  Searching left, searching right; Papa Bear can't get the errant youngster in sight.  From the forest he runs until he finds himself among streets lined with buildings and filled with people, lots of people.

Loaded with details and humor, Little Bear searches for a final seasonal sweet treat as Papa Bear searches for him.


3.  Bees in the City (Tilbury House Publishers, November 17, 2017) written by Andrea Cheng with illustrations by Sarah McMenemy

"Aunt Celine's honey is the best in the world," I say, licking the honey off my fingers.

Papa puts a spoonful of the golden honey into his tea.  "That's because she has the best helper in the world."

If you thought beekeeping is only for those living in the country, this book highlights the story of a boy and his aunt working together to save a hive of bees.  His ingenuity and determination and her willingness to preserve the bees are a winning combination. Friends in his apartment building and supportive adults highlight the advantage of urban beekeeping.  Two pages of author notes further enhance this title.


4.  The Honeybee (Atheneum Books For Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, May 8, 2018) written by Kirsten Hall with illustrations by Isabelle Arsenault

A field..
A tree.
Climb it and see . . .

Fields of flowers stretch to the horizon.  In the stillness of watching, a soft sound floats on the air.  It's getting closer and louder.  It's like hearing one of the Earth's heartbeats.  It's a honeybee!

Its four wings, two in the front and two in the back, are creating a welcome song.  It searches in circles and loops.  It finally succumbs to the lure of the ultimate flower.  A flower filled with the sweetness of nectar.  First a sip, then the gathering begins.

Marvelous to read for the lovely words and illustrations this book is also a loving tribute to these necessary and amazing creatures.  A final page is a letter Kirsten Hall has written to readers listing the attributes of honeybees and how we can help them.


5. Bee & Me: A Story About Friendship (Old Barn Books, April 7, 2016) written and illustrated by Alison Jay

This story without words is a contemporary fable with a lasting message.  We begin with a wide view of a city scene, as if we are flying above the busy street lined with buildings on either side.  A bee loop de loops into an open window.  Needless to say, it startles a girl reading on her bed much like the bee in the author's studio.

Whether it was destiny or an accident, the arrival of the bee in Alison Jay's studio ignited a story in this nature lover's heart.  From her pen the concept is one of the value of caring for those smaller and in need.  As the bee grows, so does the friendship, blossoming into a shared desire to make their world a better place.

 This book is a heartwarming tale of compassion for each other and our world.  We learn along with the girl the value of every single living thing.  We can see how caring encourages growth.  After the final image, Alison Jay includes a Bee Aware! page listing things to do to help bees and provide them protection and preservation.

6. Please Please the Bees (Albert Whitman & Company, April 11, 2017) written and illustrated by Gerald Kelley

Benedict was a creature of habit.  He liked to do the same thing every day.

His mornings, afternoons and evenings were marked by his favorite meals and beverages.  In-between he could be seen playing his violin, knitting, riding his scooter or reading.  Life was good for this honey-loving bear until it wasn't.

The bees decide to hold a strike.  Benedict's life without honey is not worth considering.  Choices and actions are needed.  This book has several layers which beg for contemplation and discussion after a read aloud.


7.  The King of Bees (Peachtree Publishers, April 1, 2018) written by Lester L. Laminack with illustrations by Jim LaMarche


Henry and Aunt Lilla lived deep in the Lowcountry, where South Carolina reaches out and mingles with the saltwater to form tidal creeks and marshes.  Sometimes Henry felt like the whole world ended at the far edge of that water.

Included in the landscape of Henry's world beyond his home, the garden, hen house and shed were beehives.  For the bees Henry felt a genuine affection.  He longed to help his Aunt with the bees.  She finally agreed he could watch her work.  Clothed in her bee suit, wearing her hat with a net and keeping the smoker nearby, she spoke softly to them.

An impending danger puts Henry in a position to help but he can't foresee the results.  This title is for one-on-one reading or reading to a group.  It speaks to the love of family and of nature. In an author's note Lester L. Laminack talks about the premise for this book and his lifelong attraction to bees.


8.  The Bee Tree (Philomel Books, April 21, 1993) written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco

"I'm tired of reading, Grampa."  Mary Ellen sighed.  "I'd rather be outdoors running and playing."

"So you don't feel like reading, eh?  Feel like running, do you? Then I expect this is just the right time to find a bee tree!"  he said, taking down a jar and putting on his lucky hat.

The duo are outdoors in no time at all collecting three bees in the jar.  When the first is let out, they take off running to follow it.  As they weave their way through town, first one, then another person starts to follow them.  Soon a group is as eager as they are for the taste of honey.  You might be surprised what Grampa does at the close of the day but his answer will have your reader's heart soaring like a bee going home.


9.  Bear and Bee (Disney Hyperion, March 12, 2013) written and illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier

This title shows how the right amount of understanding can fill more than an empty stomach.

Moving about as the snow melts, putting on his red sandals, Bear gets ready to venture out.  By the time he leaves his cozy den, stretching to greet the sunny day, flowers are blooming among the green grasses. A treat is hanging from a nearby tree branch.

"I'm hungry," says Bear.

There is one key thing keeping Bear from going to the tree.  Even though he has never seen a bee, he fears them.  Ensuing conversations between Bear and Bee slowly reveal the truth.  This is a truly huggable book about the relationship, real and imagined, between two of Earth's valued creatures.


10. Honey (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, March 27, 2018) written and illustrated by David Ezra Stein

It was his second year.
"I'm back!" he said.

After his long winter nap, Bear was hungry.  As he was looking for a meal or even a snack, his mind thought of honey.  Every single aspect of honey, every descriptive phrase, floated through his conscience.  He had to have honey!

As we follow Bear from place to place, activity to activity, throughout the summer we come to understand his desire for finding honey.  David's depictions of Bear will find a place in your heart.  His words will have you reaching for the nearest jar of honey and longing just a little bit more for the soothing days of summer.


It's been a hot and dry summer here and for many places in our country and continent but it is a season necessary for the cycle of life.  I hope these books will promote discussions and research.  I hope these books will have all of us working a little bit harder for bees, especially honeybees.  Happy reading to all of you.

The Beat Of Buzz

Several summers ago, honey bees swarmed by the hundreds gathering goodness from flowers on a particular set of bushes towering along one side of my deck.  They allowed me to get close enough with my camera to capture the golden pollen on their legs.  Watching them for hours was like a gift from Mother Nature.

In the following years the bees have diminished in great numbers.  Thankfully there are keepers of bees like Don Snoeyink of Thornapple Woodlands dedicated to their care. In his presentation at our summer reading program he fascinated us with facts about these essential creatures.  (A queen can lay more than 2,000 eggs a day in the summer!) When we learn about these marvels of the insect world on a personal level, our respect and desire to assist in the quality of their lives grows.  The King of Bees (Peachtree Publishers, April 1, 2018) written by Lester L. Laminack with illustrations by Jim LaMarche allows us to see their value by leaving a mark on our hearts.

Henry and Aunt Lilla lived deep in the Lowcountry, where South Carolina reaches out and mingles with the saltwater to form tidal creeks and marshes.  Sometimes Henry felt like the whole world ended at the far edge of that water.

Included in the landscape of Henry's world beyond his home, the garden, hen house and shed were beehives.  For the bees Henry felt a genuine affection.  He longed to help his Aunt with the bees.  She finally agreed he could watch her work.  Clothed in her bee suit, wearing her hat with a net and keeping the smoker nearby, she spoke softly to them.

Their buzzing was not a reply to her words but a sign of them working.  They danced when they had news to share.  It was the sister bees doing all the work.  Only a few boy bees, drones, were needed to help the queen make more bees.

No amount of begging changed Aunt Lilla's mind about Henry working with the bees.  He knew from past experiences patience on his part was important but one morning he went to the shed to look over the beekeeping items.  As he looked at each thing, especially the suit, he imagined talking to the bees.

Finding his Aunt in the garden they chatted about the queen, sister bee workers and the brother bees.  Henry was determined to help the sister bees.  He even practiced dancing around the bees telling them about a clover patch.  Can you guess what Henry saw among those flowers the next day?

One day unusually activity at the hives caused Aunt Lilla to leave on an errand.  Henry wanted to help too.  Doing what he had never done before now, Henry bravely spoke without words and danced.  What happened next is a story worth telling so all ears can hear it for years and years.

When Lester L. Laminack tells us a tale he brings us deep into the place and time with his lovely descriptions.  He enriches us with the personalities of his characters through the conversations they share.  In them we see the best people have to offer to each other.  In this particular narrative he strengthens our connection to nature through the bees.  Every living thing is integral to keeping balance.  Here are two adjoining passages on separate pages.

His eyes came to rest on the bee suit.  He
was certain there was something magic about
it.  He just knew if he had one of his own he
could get closer to the hives and bee-talk like
Aunt Lilla.

Henry left the shed and found
Aunt Lilla in the garden.  "How come
the brother bees don't help their
sisters?" he asked.  "Can't the king
bee make them do some of the work?"


As soon as you see the face of the boy on the front of the matching dust jacket and book case, you are intrigued by his hat, the net and the bees.  Is he the king of bees?  If he is, what makes him the king?  As your eyes move across the spine to the left a field of flowers is spread before you.  A low tree (shrub) line is behind them.  Two bee hives are in the field.  The soft earth and pastel tones used by illustrator Jim LaMarche draw us into this peaceful scene.  The title is embossed in foil.

On the opening and closing endpapers we are presented with a bird's eye view of Henry and Aunt Lilla's property bordered by water on two sides.  With a page turn at the beginning we see a close-up of clover and daisies with bees humming among the blossoms.  The sky is awash in breathtaking shades of blue with a few clouds.  On the title page a hive is placed beneath the title text.  Bees swarm from the hive on this page and across the gutter to the left on the verso page.

Each two-page picture rendered in ink and watercolor by Jim LaMarche is a beautiful and loving moment frozen in time. We are transported to South Carolina in the summer season.  We can feel the humidity in the air, hear the soft murmur of the water and the call of birds.  More importantly we hear the humming of the sister bees.

Jim LaMarche alters his perspective to heighten our involvement in the story and to accent the pacing.  Several times he brings us close to Henry.  Other times we are looking at a setting from above or as a landscape.  Mr. LaMarche's artwork is nearly photographic in its details but softened by the medium.

One of my many favorite illustrations is when we are reading about Henry's need for patience in working with the bees.  A past experience in the hen house is shared with readers.  We zoom in on Henry carrying three eggs in his hands raised up to his face.  A fourth egg is under his chin.  A fifth egg is tumbling to the straw.  Behind him in glowing hues three hens sit on their nests in their boxes.  The light and shadow and colors on Henry's face are gorgeous.  And many of us have held the same expression on our faces as appears on his.


A gentle story, The King of Bees written by Lester L. Laminack with illustrations by Jim LaMarche, is for one-on-one reading or reading to a group.  It speaks to the love of family and of nature. In an author's note Lester L. Laminack talks about the premise for this book and his lifelong attraction to bees. You could pair this with  Bee-&-Me: A Story About Friendship Old Barn Books, April 7, 2016 written and illustrated by Alison Jay, Please Please the Bees Albert Whitman and Company, April 11, 2017 written and illustrated by Gerald Kelley and The Honeybee Atheneum Books For Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, May 8, 2018 written by Kirsten Hall with illustrations by Isabelle Arsenault.

To learn more about Lester L. Laminack and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  At the publisher's website you can view an excerpt, a printable poster and additional resources.  Here is a teacher's guide they created.  The cover is revealed by Lester L. Laminack at the Nerdy Book Club.  At November Picture Book Month Lester L. Laminack talks in an essay about the importance of picture books.

Bee Kind

For several months flowers have been opening and displaying their splendor in gardens and in the wilds of southern Michigan.  Blossoms on fruit trees have shed, carpeting the ground beneath the branches.  What has not been seen, not a single one, by this observer is a honey bee.  The sound of their humming as they are busily at work is alarmingly absent.


Their care has been greatly neglected by human stewards of this planet Earth.  Certainly this debut book, Please Please the Bees (Albert Whitman & Company, April 11, 2017) by Gerald Kelley as both its author and illustrator reflects on thinking of others and having a well-developed attitude of gratitude but does it ask us to expand our musings?  How can the balance of give and take be best maintained?

Benedict was a creature of habit.  He liked to do the same thing every day.

His mornings, afternoons and evenings were marked by his favorite meals and beverages.  In-between he could be seen playing his violin, knitting, riding his scooter or reading.  Life was good for this honey-loving bear.

This all changed one morning when the expected three jars of honey were not full but empty.  The sign-carrying bees buzzed about informing him of their strike.  Benedict's day went from bed to worse to downright terrible.  He was in a full-blown funk.

As he was lying in the grass contemplating the current state of affairs a small bee loudly informed him of exactly what had been accomplished for him.  He was also told how the condition of his property and their hive was deplorable.  If Benedict wanted honey, it was up to him to alter conditions and his outlook.

As the bear give this some thought, he knew there was only one thing to do.  It was a goal not easily reached.  Benedict tried; he really did.  What would the bees see and feel now?  A small bee exclaimed in a loud voice all he needed to hear.


This story comes full circle but as it returns something very special has been added and gained through the creativity of Gerald Kelley.  After his opening sentence we understand why Benedict enjoys being a

creature of habit.

We also empathize with the impact of the shock of no honey but when the small bee with the loud voice points out other important factors, we can see the value in the bees going on strike.  These opposing opinions, both sides of the story, are what set change in motion.  The matter of fact tone of the bee, Benedict's voice and thoughts are realistic to a fault.  Here are some sample passages.

Just then he heard someone say, "Hey, you!  In the fur coat!"
It was a very small bee with a remarkably loud voice.
"We need to talk!" said the bee.

"Talk? Hmmph!" grumbled Benedict.  "I let you
all live in my yard.  All I ask is for a few jars of
honey.  You should be grateful.  Not go on strike!"

"A few jars?" said the bee.
"Buddy, we deliver three jars 
of honey to you every day.
Every month! Every year!
Do the math, Einstein!"


The design of the front of the matching dust jacket and book case puts readers directly in the position of both the bear and the bees.  We can, by the look in Benedict's eyes, easily sense his state of mind.  We can also understand the frustration of the bees by the signs they are holding.  To the left, on the back, the bear is looking up but we see him from the back.  A bee is flying out of sight with his parting words written above Benedict.

The opening and closing endpapers are a wash of varying shades of golden orange on honeycombs.  A full page image of Benedict lying in a hammock and reading beneath shade trees, a cup of tea next to him, sets the initial tone for his life of perfection, a life of sameness.  The majority of the pictures cover a single page with shifts to small images over two pages for pacing or two-page visuals for impact.

These illustrations shift in their perspective; a larger point of view of Benedict reading in his bed at night to his startled discovery in the morning of only feet and empty jars in view.  The use of light and shadow by Gerald Kelley is marvelous.  His lines and brush strokes depict an array of textures.  You want to reach out and touch the page.  Benedict is one of my favorite bears portrayed in children's literature.

One of the many illustrations which stand out for me is of Benedict at night having one last cup of tea sweetened with honey.  A crescent moon and stars can be seen through his window as an owl sits on the sill.  An empty jar of honey is tipped on his floor next to his pink slippers.  His toy bunny sits at the foot of his bed.  Resting on his raised knees is his cup of tea.  Wearing glasses he sits in bed reading Pride and Prejudice with the patterned quilt pulled up to his chest.


I simply can't wait to read Please Please the Bees written and illustrated by Gerald Kelley aloud to students.  It has several layers which beg for contemplation and discussion.  As his debut book as author, it's wonderful.  You are going to want a copy for your professional and personal bookshelves.  You could pair this with Bear and Bee by Sergio Ruzzier, The Case of the Vanishing Honeybees: A Scientific Mystery by Sandra Markle, The Bear's Song by Benjamin Chaud and Bee & Me: A Story About Friendship by Alison Jay.

To learn more about Gerald Kelley and his other work please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  He maintains an account on Twitter and on Instagram.  In both those feeds you can see additional images from and about this book.  At the publisher's website you can view several interior illustrations.  This title is discussed at School Library Journal by Betsy Bird celebrating small publishers, at Kirkus by Julie Danielson showcasing books contributing to Earth Day is every day and at Publishers Weekly highlighting bee books.

Buzzing For The Best

If we are fortunate we will hear them before we see them or before we accidently step on one.  Most of them are only a half inch long (about the size of a paperclip), so they will use their defenses when necessary.  In most encounters they are not aggressive, allowing us to watch them conduct their work of gathering nectar and pollen.  We rely on them to help supply our planet with food.  In North America they enable the production of at least 90 commercially grown crops.

In addition to their pollination potential studies show they can be trained to smell certain cancers and to assist in the killing of cancer cells.  As small as honey bees are, their impact on our lives now and in the future is huge.  Their larger insect relative, the bumblebee, although not a producer of our honey, is highly valued as a pollinator.  In her picture book debut as both an author and an illustrator, Alison Jay brings us a memorable tale, Bee-&-Me: A Story About Friendship (Old Barn Books, April 7, 2016) sparked by a personal unexpected experience.  This story without words is a contemporary fable with a lasting message.

We begin with a wide view of a city scene, as if we are flying above the busy street lined with buildings on either side.  A bee loop de loops into an open window.  Needless to say, it startles a girl reading on her bed.

Finally captured in an upside-down glass, the bee collapses.  Concerned the girl looks up the care of bees, revives it with some sugar water and releases it.  A thunderstorm rages through the city that night and into the next morning.  Guess who lands on the girl's window sill looking bedraggled?

Under her care, the bee flourishes, joins in her fun and games and grows and grows.  It is soon taller than the little girl.  As fall descends on the city, the bee seems preoccupied.  It asks the girl for help.  A plan with a purpose is put into action.

As a new day dawns the duo completes their mission with no one but us aware of their endeavors.  Knowing winter is fast approaching the bee leaves.  Spring showers and warmth reveal an unprecedented beauty throughout the city and in several particular dwellers.


Whether it was destiny or an accident, the arrival of the bee in Alison Jay's studio ignited a story in this nature lover's heart.  From her pen the concept is one of the value of caring for those smaller and in need.  As the bee grows, so does the friendship, blossoming into a shared desire to make their world a better place.


Rendered alkyd oil paints all the images beginning with the matching dust jacket and book case are replete with intricate elements.  When you open the jacket and case the city scene extends over the spine to the left with a river winding through rolling hills in the countryside.  A curious, smiling sun rises, lighting up the sky and giving the clouds a golden glow.  The seeds framing the illustration hint at the work of the two friends as do their actions on the front.

On a delicate blue canvas the opening and closing endpapers feature flowers and leaves looking as though they have been pressed in preservation.  In an oval beneath the title text the girl is riding the bee, her hand outstretched tossing seeds.  Jay shifts her picture sizes from two-page visuals, edge to edge, to single page or multiple illustrations on a single page.

These smaller pictures are loosely framed as squares, circles, or rectangles.  A group of smaller images of the same shape and size provide pacing and the passage of time.   At one point seventeen tiny pictures across two pages illustrate the shared experiences of the bee and the little girl.  There are several times when a picture will be placed in a larger white space, defining a specific moment.

What are really intriguing about all these illustrations is the stories with the larger story.  Careful readers will notice the connection made between the girl and a boy in her apartment building.  It is also fun to watch some of the people residing in the neighborhood and their accomplishments, especially the pastry chef.  Each visual is vibrant and full of life.  You need to stop and look at each one to fully appreciate the depth and breadth of this book.

One of my many favorite illustrations is of the bee returning during the rain storm.  The one-page picture is looking through the girl's window, the left side framed by her blue curtain with white daisies on it.  The bee, dripping puddles of water, stands on the sill, arms upraised in a plea for help.  It's equally enjoyable to look in the other windows (behind the bee in buildings) to see what the residents are doing.  Some of them are outside braving the weather.


Bee-&-Me: A Story About Friendship conceived and illustrated by Alison Jay is a heartwarming tale of compassion for each other and our world.  We learn along with the girl the value of every single living thing.  We can see how caring encourages growth.  After the final image, Alison Jay includes a Bee Aware! page listing things to do to help bees and provide them protection and preservation.

To learn more about Alison Jay and her work follow the link attached to her name. This title is one of the CILIP Greenaway Medal nominations for 2017.  At Writing and Illustrating by Kathy Temean, Alison Jay is a featured artist.  It's a wonderful interview with process information and loads of illustrations. Playing by the book highlights this title and offers activities.  Walker Books Classroom offers Classroom Ideas.

Bee-Ginnings Of The Bear-y Best Kind

Out walking in April seeing the first robin after a long, chilly, snowy winter never fails to make me feel like dancing.  It's a sure sign that soon the air will be filled with more than birdsong, the gentle, almost imperceptible, hum of awakening insects will gradually fill the silence.  The telling perfume of skunks, and tracks of turkeys, rabbits and squirrels left in the receding snow are indications spring is coming and coming soon.

With spring comes renewal.  With renewal comes growth.  It has always seemed to make sense for growth to be most successful, understanding needs to be present.  

But if you're a bear whose winter nap is drawing to a close, renewal, growth and understanding are the last things on your mind.  Your big bear belly is telling your brain to find some food and find it fast.  Bridging the gap between hunger and honey Bear and Bee (Disney Hyperion), penned and pictured by Sergio Ruzzier, shows how the right amount of understanding can fill more than an empty stomach.

Moving about as the snow melts, putting on his red sandals, Bear gets ready to venture out.  By the time he leaves his cozy den, stretching to greet the sunny day, flowers are blooming among the green grasses. A treat is hanging from a nearby tree branch.

"I'm hungry," says Bear.

Bear's nose gives him the news a hive filled with honey is ready to be enjoyed.  A tiny being asks him if he would like some of this sweet delectable delight.  Of course he wants some but his fear of the bee stops him.

His reply when asked if he has ever seen a bee is a hearty no and he never wants to either. He believes them to be frightful, big with large teeth and sharp claws.  His small companion points out he is big...he has large teeth...and...sharp claws.

At these revelations Bear exclaims in despair,

"I AM A BEE!"

The ensuing conversation clears up the identity of each.  With that issue resolved Bear's big belly's emptiness prompts a query.  The answer is exactly what Bear and Bee need and want.


Told entirely in dialogue between the two characters, the spare text moves the narrative forward flawlessly.  Pausing at the precise point prior to a turn of page, Sergio Ruzzier elevates interest and ignites humor; knowing what to say and when.  The progression of Bear's befuddlement to bliss contrasted with Bee's complete kindness and knowledge makes this story simply charming.


A nearly matching jacket and cover introduce, in a two-page visual, the characters and color palette. (The cover includes the text from the front jacket flap in the cloud on the back.) Opening endpapers done in a steely navy feature a pattern of snowflakes, each one different.  The next six pages, introductory, title, dedication and copyright, immediately invite readers to the story as they show a passage of time from winter into spring.  It's as if we've heard once a upon a time and we get to begin right away; as it should be.

Ruzzier's expressive pen and ink drawings colored digitally on the heavier matte paper span across both pages in all the illustrations in this title.  The looks on his character's faces and their body movements conveying mood and mannerisms are priceless.  As the day moves toward night the background reflects the peaches and oranges of a setting sun.  Stars are sprinkled across the rich, bluish-purple evening-sky color on the closing endpapers.


If you are looking for a huggable, lovable tale, then Bear and Bee written and illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier is the perfect choice; fear is erased with sweetness, literally and figuratively.  Please follow the link embedded in Ruzzier's name above to his official web site.  He has generously provided downloadable activity sheets for this title.

Follow this link to TeachingBooks. net to hear how he pronounces his name.  These two links are to interviews and highlights courtesy of Julie Danielson at Kirkus and Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  On both of these blog posts at Pen & Oink (here and here) more information is shared about the process of creating this book.

"Sergio Ruzzier, we're glad you are an illustrator and an author."