Seasonal Sensations #2

We are in the midst of a huge pause.  The winter solstice 2021 was observed on December 21, 2021.  Today, December 26, 2021 marks five more days before the new calendar year begins.  Some seasonal holidays have been celebrated; preparations for others are still being made.  It is as if everything and everyone are holding their collective breaths, waiting for what comes next.

Waiting is an important part of life.  It is not an easy skill to learn.  In The Snowflake (Harper HarperCollinsPublishers, September 14, 2021) written and illustrated by Benji Davies, two individuals learn the rewards far outweigh the act of waiting. 

High in the sky, one winter's night,

a snowflake was made.

She wheeled and skipped and twirled

between the clouds.

Starting to fall, she panicked.  A cloud reassured her as she tumbled.  Below her, a great distance away, a girl, Noelle, wished for snow.

Every time the snowflake thought she might land, she was blown away.  She was helpless.  She passed over country and city landscapes.  In one window, she saw a star on top of a tree.  Noelle with her Pappie saw the same tree. 

It got darker and colder and still the snowflake flew and fell until the sound of laughter announced the presence of hundreds of snowflakes.  Noelle found the branch of an evergreen by the walkway, the only tree they could afford.

At home, her mother and grandfather helped her to decorate it.  She placed it on the ledge outside their window and wished again for snow.  Early the next morning, a single snowflake and a little girl discover the miracle of waiting and wishing fulfilled.

Using a combination of narration, thoughts revealed and dialogue, author Benji Davies welcomes us into this story.  We understand the snowflake's confusion at not knowing her future.  We know, like Noelle, what it is to want something beautiful, but to settle for less.  In this confusion and in this settling for less, we realize, through Benji Davies's descriptions, something memorable and something unexpected can happen.  Here is a passage.

The snowflake passed many windows that

glowed through the evening light.

In one window sat a tree strung with lights,

and on top a bright star shimmered.

For a moment, the snowflake forgot

all about falling.

Oh, to be the star on

that glistening little tree!

she thought.

In both scenes on the front and back of the matching dust jacket and book case, Benji Davies introduces us to the snowflake and Noelle.  On the front, Noelle and the snowflake stand together in an imagined meeting during an evening snowfall.  The snowflake is looking for a place to be, and Noelle is hoping for snow on her tree.  On the dust jacket the title text is in gold foil.  Gold foil is etched in tree branches, along the side of Noelle's home, and other snowflakes.  

To the left, on the back, the storm has coated the landscape in snow.  As the sun rises, Noelle's home, her yard and buildings in the distance are bathed in a contrast of light and shadow.  Noelle and her dog are outside.  She stands and holds her tree up high, the snowflake at the top, glowing in the sunlight.  The words here read:

Wherever the wind takes us,

we all find a place to land. . .

The bright red shown for the author illustrator name on the front of the jacket and case covers the opening and closing endpapers.  Tiny pieces of white cut paper are strewn across this red background.  On the right and left sides a large snowflake is circled by six smaller snowflakes, creating one huge snowflake.  They all look like they've been cut from paper.  This is visually striking.

On the two-page picture for the title page we read this dedication on the left:

For my dad who inspired

this story---the real Pappie.

This illustration is at night.  Noelle's little house sits on a hill in the country outside the city.  Light shines from her bedroom window, a large window downstairs, and the doorway.  A few stars are set in the dark sky with clouds starting to gather.

The image sizes in the book range from double-page pictures, to full-page pictures, and smaller insets with loose frames, some alone on a single page and others sharing the single page with one or more visuals.  These various sizes further emphasize the narrative.  The facial expressions on the cloud, snowflake, Noelle, and her Pappie, in their simplicity convey a range of emotions.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a two-page picture.  It is a night scene in the city, a panoramic view with us looking slightly down on the setting.  The city buildings and surrounding area are done in deeper colors of blue, purple, and gray with black.  Windows glow with different hues of yellow, and rose.  In the background a row of street lights outline a pathway.  Stores in the city, in the foreground, are festive in their window displays and the outside lights hanging on walls.  In the lower, right-hand corner is the window with the decorated Christmas tree.  The snowflake looks at it with wonder.  Pappie and Noelle are on the left, standing in front of a Fish & Chips window.

This gentle story, The Snowflake written and illustrated by Benji Davies, is full of promise and potential.  It illuminates patience.  Although the time of year is for those celebrating Christmas, this story works well in any seasonal story time or even as a bedtime story or a story to provide calm.  I highly recommend you place a copy on your personal and professional bookshelves.

By following the link attached to Benji Davies's name, you can access his website to learn more about him and his other work.  Benji Davies has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website is a short book trailer.

When cherished characters return in a book, there is nothing more satisfying.  When their appearance is in a holiday title, the happiness doubles.  In his two previous volumes, Bulldozer's Big Day and Bulldozer Helps Out, this little machine with a huge heart has won our collective hearts.  His return in Bulldozer's Christmas Dig (A Caitlyn Dlouhy Book, Atheneum Books For Young Readers, September 21, 2021) written by Candace Fleming with artwork by Eric Rohmann sends out a mighty message.

It was Christmas Eve,

and Dump Truck was carrying . . .

     carrying . . .

          carrying.

Digger Truck and Crane Truck were busy, too.  Bulldozer was still, but his mind was in overdrive.  He was worried he didn't have gifts for his friends.

Although the construction site was buried in snow, Bulldozer saw something sticking out the top of a drift.  Maybe, he could uncover a gift.  (You never know what treasures a dig will reveal.)

Three times, he raised his blade and scraped at the snow.  Three times, he uncovered nothing resembling a gift for his friends.  Did he stop?  No, he did not.  He worked until it started to get dark.  His worry increased. But then . . .

He started to push on the pile of junk he had unearthed.  He pushed and paused and pushed and paused.  He scurried to add the final touch.  The other trucks were ready to quit, but not Bulldozer.   Finally seeing his present to them, they were nearly speechless.  Bulldozer's feline friends added the top-tip treasure.  It was a one-of-a-kind Merry Christmas delight.

On page one, author Candace Fleming brings us into the rhythm of the construction site crew.  She uses repetition of action verbs, different ones for each vehicle, to invite readers to the story.  When Bulldozer is seeking to find presents for his friends, each time there is a 

Thunk

we know he is hopeful. (After each thunk, Candace Fleming inserts a new sound word.)  When Bulldozer and his friends speak, they usually do so with highly descriptive words like whooped, sniffled, boomed or clanged.  These word choices by Candace Fleming make this a sensory and participatory experience to be enjoyed often.  The word treasure plays a significant part.  Here is a passage.

Tossing it aside, he kept on digging.

Scra-a-a-a-ape . . .

     Scra-a-a-a-ape . . .

          Scra-a-a-a-ape . . .

Thunk-thud!

"Treasure?" hoped Bulldozer.

He may be a bulldozer, but looking at Bulldozer, smiling with the wreath draped over him, on the front of the matching dust jacket and book case will make readers want to reach out and hug him.  Two of the kittens under his care are featured along with ornaments and a present in the snow.  The snow topping the letters in the title text, embossed in red foil, and lights hanging from those two words hint at the tale's ending.  Shadows in the background on the front remind readers of the location of the construction site and also hint at the conclusion.  

To the left of the spine, shadows of the other vehicles and the cityscape are shown against the continuing night sky.  The ISBN is toward the top where more lights are draped.  A cardinal is perched on the ISBN.  Thumbnails of the front of the two previous books are tucked in the lower, left-hand corner and are wrapped in a bow like presents.

The left and right side of the opening and closing endpapers, respectively are red.  The opposite page is white with red text.  On the first is the title in block letters.  On the second is the dedication and publication information.  A two-page picture of the snowy city on the left and Bulldozer with three kittens shown through the wreath on the right is used for the formal title page.

The illustrations by Eric Rohmann 

were made using relief (block) prints.  Three plates were used for each image.  The first two plates were printed in multiple colors, using a relief printmaking process called "reduction printing."  The last plate was the "key" image, which was printed in black over the color.

Each illustration, whether it is a two-page picture or a series of four vertical panels is outlined in a thick black line.  Each element in each visual is outlined in black. (Readers will gasp at the wordless vertical image which requires them to turn the book.)

The kittens and the cardinal appear in most of the images.  The kittens are shown peeking, playing, resting with Bulldozer, or lending a paw.  Sometimes we are brought close to them and their antics.

One of my many favorite illustrations spans two pages.  Most of the background is a slowly darkening sky with snowflakes falling.  Along the bottom is a snowy surface.  Bulldozer is hurrying to the right.  He is almost off the page.  Trailing behind him is a string of colored lights.  The cardinal flies in front of him.  Racing behind him, left to right, are three of the six kittens.  The one at the end has paused to play with the string of lights.

Fans of the Bulldozer, the Christmas holiday, and ingenuity will welcome this newest edition, Bulldozer's Christmas Dig written by Candace Fleming with artwork by Eric Rohmann, to the series.  We learn, as does Bulldozer, the best presents are those made from the heart, and sometimes they are right in front of us if we use our imaginations.  This book is a wonderful addition to your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann and their other work, please access their respective websites by following the link attached to their names.  Candace Fleming has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website, you can view interior illustrations.

As we move from summer to autumn and now to winter, our clothing selections vary.  We wear more layers.  A short-sleeved t-shirt is worn under a long-sleeved t-shirt.  Sweaters are placed over long-sleeved t-shirts and turtlenecks are worn under sweatshirts and sweaters.  Although Sweater Weather (Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, October 5, 2021) written and illustrated by Matt Phelan takes place in an autumn setting, all you have to do is stand in any classroom at recess and lunch times during the winter months to know a similar version of this story is repeated hundreds of times on a daily basis in a single school building.

SWEATERS ON!

Papa Bear makes this announcement as seven cubs give him a confused stare.  Papa Bear sits to knit as he waits for those youngsters to don their sweaters.  It is taking a lot longer than it should.  And what are those loud noises coming from their bedroom?

These cubs have no clue on how to put on their sweaters.  Papa Bear reorganizes the disarray.  The cubs start again and it does not go well.

Finally, they are ready to go outside.  It took them so long, it is now dark.  Before long, the cubs make a discovery.  So does Papa Bear.  The night discloses its mysteries.

Papa Bear gathers up the group and takes them inside.  Two more two-word declarations are made.  Sweet dreams little bears.

A minimal amount of words by author Matt Phelan leaves room for reader interpretation which in turn leads to loads of grins and giggles.  Most readers among us have probably been a participant in the fine art of procrastination even when it is not entirely planned.  This increases the comedy.  The complaints and commentary by the cubs will have readers rolling on the floor with laughter, especially when the dialogue is reversed between the smallest bear and Papa Bear.  

One look at the expression on the face of Papa Bear amid the cubs on the front of the dust jacket is guaranteed to have readers smiling knowingly.  The seven cubs are struggling to get on their sweaters and creating chaos.  In an excellent design choice, Matt Phelan's name is written in yarn and the title text is stitched on a portion of sweater.  The title text is varnished.  To the left, on the back, in a horizontal swirl of red and orange we read written in red yarn:

Sweaters

     On!

The canvas for the book case is white.  On the front, Papa Bear is circled by the seven cubs in various stages of undress.  On the back, in a loose circular watercolor wash, Paper Bear is holding all the cubs.  Most of them are nearly fast asleep.

The opening and closing endpapers are red and orange with a knitted texture.  On the first set, a large ball of dark yarn is placed on the left with a single strand unwinding toward the right.  The ball of yarn is smaller at the back and is placed on the right with a single strand extending to the left side.

On the formal title page, Papa Bear stands in the window of their home, holding a cup of a steaming beverage.  Around their house is an autumn-colored woodland.  Large leaves are falling in front of the home on the left and near the title text on the right.

These images were made by Matt Phelan using

pencil, ink, and watercolor on hot-pressed paper.

They are full-page pictures, double-page pictures, framed images, two to a single page, and sometimes loosely framed visuals, three to a single page.  These variations in image sizes pair nicely with the spare text.  Multiple times the pictures are wordless.  Readers will enjoy the facial expressions and body postures of all the characters.  They are hilarious!  Careful readers will see a problem in the offing when the cubs try to put on their sweaters a second time.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a two-page picture.  On the left, Papa Bear is standing in the cubs' bedroom doorway.  Spread before him across both pages are the cubs attempting to put on their sweaters.  One is upside down with the sweater not even off their head.  Another is standing up with one eye peeking out the neck of the sweater.  Two cubs are inside a single sweater.  And another cub is lying on the floor with only their feet showing out the bottom of the sweater.  The arms of the sweater have somehow managed to get tied together in a knot.

This book, Sweater Weather written and illustrated by Matt Phelan, is the ultimate title in showing how best-laid plans don't always work out, especially when seven little cubs are involved.  It does, however, depict how those same seven cubs can take a situation and make it memorable by learning something new and seeing something extraordinary.  The wearing of sweaters has never been as endearing as it is in this title.  You'll need a copy for your personal and professional collections.

To discover more about Matt Phelan and his other work, visit his website by following the link attached to his name.  Matt Phelan has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

In November of 2020, a startling discovery was made in New York City.  As is customary, a tree had been selected as the centerpiece at the Rockefeller Center.  It was cut down in upstate New York in the town of Oneonta and hauled from the woods to the metropolitan area.  Several days after its arrival in New York City, a worker found an adult Northern Saw-whet owl in the tree.  This book, The Little Owl & The Big Tree: A Christmas Story (Beach Lane Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, October 19, 2021) written by Jonah Winter with illustrations by Jeanette Winter tells this miraculous tale.

There was once an owl who lived in a tree.

She had no name, but she was the tiniest owl in the eastern United States. She lived tucked inside a hole in a tree.  She only left that hole at night to hunt.

All was well in the world of this tiny owl until one day, she woke up before the night.  There were loud noises and voices.  Her tree moved.  It fell down.  It was wrapped and placed on a truck.  The ride lasted for hours.

During all of this the little owl never moved.  She was still inside her tree when a new barrage of noises reached her, the sounds of a city.  As the protection and bindings were removed from the tree, the little owl came from her hole.  A man was staring at her!

She was exhausted from the ordeal and offered no resistance.  The man carefully placed her in a box with pine branches.  His wife took her to a rescue sanctuary.  There a woman cared for the owl until she could find another tree in another woods.  The owl now was given a name, Rockefeller.

Simple sentence by simple sentence, each one ringing true, Jonah Winter builds the story of this remarkable owl.  The more we read his words, the more we realize how incredible the circumstances were.  By the end of the narrative, our respect for the owl and the man who found her is enormous.  Here are two passages.

It was loaded onto a truck

and driven away---

with the owl inside her little hole,

inside the big bundled tree.

The noise of the truck on the highway

was unlike anything this owl had ever heard.

Hours went by,

with the rumbling and the noise and the motion.

The cooler, calming hues used by artist Jeanette Winter on the open and matching dust jacket and book case, set the tone for the resilience portrayed in this tale.  The close-up of earth's full moon set in the starry sky with the owl perched on top of her tree allows us to see how truly small and exceptional she was.  This portrait of her is framed in the same color used in the title text.  To the left of the spine, on the back, a dusty pink color is used for the background.  A square visual is framed on this canvas.  Within the frame are the boughs of the tree.  On the boughs is the box with Rockefeller and the pine twigs inside.  On the front of the dust jacket the main title text is raised to the touch.

The opening and closing endpapers are covered in the same dusty pink shade.  Within a small circle bordered by pine needles, the owl sits looking out her hole at the forest.  This image is placed between the text on the title page.

Page turn by page turn framed illustrations in varying perspectives complement the text.  We see the owl, tiny with respect to her home and the forest.  Then we are brought close to her, seeing her sleep in her hole.  When the lumbermen arrive to cut down the tree, we are looking out her hole with her, wondering at the strange sounds.

Each visual created by Jeanette Winter is individually striking, but sometimes the illustration on the left is part of the illustration on the right, even though they are separated by the framing and gutter.  This supplies readers with a valuable and pleasing continuity.  

One of my many favorite illustrations is separated by framing and the gutter.  On the left page we see the interior pine branches with a portion of the worker's arm and gloved hand.  The tiny owl, on the right side, is nestled in the palm of the worker's gloved hand.  (Jeanette Winter did her research.  The color of the gloves matches those of the worker who found the owl.)

For a story time on birds, owls, seasonal holidays, or how humans and nature unexpectedly meet, The Little Owl & The Big Tree: A Christmas Story written by Jonah Winter with illustrations by his mother, Jeanette Winter, is an excellent choice.  At the conclusion of the book is an author's note giving readers more precise facts.  Both your personal and professional collections will be enhanced by including a copy of this title.

To learn more about Jonah Winter and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  At the publisher's website, you can view interior images.  This publisher does include the entire jacket and case.

We know we are reading a great story when nonfiction reads like fiction and fiction reads like nonfiction.  Without realizing it, we've become a part of the story and it finds a permanent place in our hearts.  When you read  Red and Green and Blue and White (Inspired by a true story) (Levine Querido, October 19, 2021) written by Lee Wind with pictures by Paul O. Zelinsky, page turn by page turn, your initial sadness swells to something wonderful.  People honoring the differences of others by standing up to bigotry is about humans being their best selves.

On a block dressed up in Red and Green,

one house shone Blue and White.

In Isaac's home he and his family were preparing for Chanukah.  Across the street in Isaac's friend's house, Teresa and her family were decorating their home for Christmas.  Isaac was a poet.  Teresa was an artist.

Though they expressed themselves differently in their creativity and in their religious beliefs, Isaac and Teresa had loads of fun enjoying their similarities.  When darkness fell, one house glowed red and green and the other house glowed blue and white.  Deep into the night, while everyone was asleep, people approached Isaac's home.  A rock smashed their window and their menorah went out.

Though they were frightened, the next night the menorah light shone in the new window in Isaac's home.  To support her friend and his family, Teresa drew a picture of a menorah and labeled it

FOR ISAAC.

She placed it in her family's window and the light from their Christmas tree made it glow blue and white.  Can you imagine Isaac's joy at seeing this artwork in Teresa's window?

Teresa's idea spread from friends to institutions, and then to businesses.  Weeks passed.  Do you know how many drawings of menorahs there were in their community?  The number was staggering and uplifting and overwhelming in all the right ways.  Well done humans, well done.

To begin, author Lee Wind designs a subtle rhythm with his words.  We go back and forth between the two friends, learning about what makes them unique and what makes them alike.  Through his word selections, we form an emotional attachment to the friends.  We feel the fear of Isaac's family, their strength, and Teresa's relief when they light their menorah again.  It's all we can do not to start dancing with joy at the words we read when Isaac sees Teresa's drawing for him.  As the response by the community is recounted by Lee Wind, we feel the joy growing and growing.  Here is a passage.

They both loved playing in the snow,

counting down to

the holidays,

and thought you couldn't have

too many sprinkles on a cookie.

When you look at the open dust jacket and open book case, you realize they are similar.  Through the shattered window on the front of the dust jacket, we see homes decorated for the holidays.  We see people lining the street in front of those homes with joined hands.  In the face of prejudice, this community stands with Isaac's family.  In the broken opening stands Isaac's family and Teresa's family.  On the outside of the opening, the shattered glass is varnished.  On the back of the jacket, a cluster of six decorated homes is placed on the deep blue canvas. 

The book case has the same artwork except on the front.  The street is empty of people.  The open door is closed.  The shattered glass and text are removed.  It is calm.

The artwork on the opening and closing endpapers is stunning.  Tiny people from all walks of life frame the canvas.  Their arms are linked.  On the opening endpapers, the background is dark.  A scroll of red ribbon joins a scroll of green ribbon.  The green ribbon joins blue ribbon and on the far right white ribbon loops.  On the closing endpapers, the two pages are again divided into four vertical panels.  On the first, green ribbon loops on red.  Then on the second, a richer blue is placed on green.  Red loops through blue before blue loops through white on the final panel on the right. 

This artwork by Paul O. Zelinsky on matte-finished paper

was drawn on a Wacom tablet, in images of up to 150 layers,

using brushes of the artist's own creation.

For the initial and formal title pages, we are looking through clouds down at the community.  We move in closer at night to view rows of houses in the community decorated for the holidays as the story unfolds.  There is a superb blend of double-page pictures, full-page pictures working together as one idea, and a collection of smaller images to denote the passage of time.  You find yourself pausing after each page turn to study the details and marvel at the perspectives.

One of my many favorite pictures is a double-page picture.  It is at night and it is snowing.  Isaac has just seen Teresa's picture in her window.  It glows blue and white from her tree decorations.  On the left, Isaac runs across the street, arms outstretched.  He shouts one of his poems which appears written in white and the words float from left to right.  They are underlined in blue with blue menorahs at the end.  Teresa stands in the doorway of her home with her family behind her.  Light from that doorway shines outside.  The supreme happiness in this moment is palpable.

Although this title, Red and Green and Blue and White (Inspired by a true story) written by Lee Wind with artwork by Paul O. Zelinsky, focuses on the holiday season, it can be read any time of the year to remind us of the power of standing up instead of standing by.  This book is a classic to be shared widely and often.  Be sure to read the author's note at the end.  I highly recommend you place a copy in both your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Lee Wind and Paul O. Zelinsky and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their websites.  Lee Wind has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Paul O. Zelinsky has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  This title is featured on The Book Of Life podcast.  It is highlighted by author, reviewer, blogger and librarian Elizabeth Bird at School Library Journal, A Fuse # 8 Production and by author, reviewer, and blogger Julie Danielson at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  At the publisher's website, there is a coloring sheet to download, interior images to see, and three videos to watch about this book.

Every year there are children around the world who wonder if Santa Claus will be able to find them.  They know the stories about where he lives and his method of transportation.  Perhaps, they have moved or live in more than one house or have no home at all.  Santa In The City (Dial Books For Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, November 2, 2021) written by Tiffany D. Jackson with illustrations by Reggie Brown is about a little girl with multiple worries about Santa visiting her home.

Every year, Deja counted down the days, hours, minutes, seconds until Christmas.

But some kids at school didn't believe in Santa like she did.

And truthfully, the insights of her classmates did sound reasonable, and this upset Deja.  Finding her crying in her room that night, her mother took her on a tour explaining how the magic surrounding Santa worked.  First, they journeyed to the first floor to observe their superintendent.  Then, they went all the way to the roof.  That solved the parking problem of Santa's sleigh and his reindeer.

The next morning despite her mother's reassurances, worry plagued Deja again.  Their city block was not decorated properly.  Santa might miss them.  Question after question popped into Deja's mind no matter how her mommy answered.

Her family always celebrated together on Christmas Eve.  Now, there was a whole group of people to help her solve all the pieces in her Santa worry puzzle.  Each and every reply made perfect sense to her, but the questions kept coming into her mind.

Even tucked into bed that night with mommy reading her a story, she still had things she needed to know.  Something her mother said gave her an idea.  Later, she sneaked into the living room to wait for Santa.  You'll never guess what happened.

If you are looking for an explanation of Christmas magic, look no further than the words written by Tiffany D. Jackson for this book.  The responses of the adults are creative and as Deja says:

Makes sense.

Through narrative and dialogue, the rhythm supplied by the questions, answers, and the above-noted repetitive phrase generates an enchanting atmosphere of its own.  This builds toward a most satisfying ending which surprises even Deja.  Here is a passage.

"Uncle Ronnie, how can Santa live up at the North Pole?

It's really cold up there!" Deja asked.

"Well, Santa works in tunnels underground, like

the subway, where it's much warmer.

Plus, he drinks plenty of hot cocoa."

"Oh," Deja said. Makes sense.

As you look at the open and matching dust jacket and book case, you cannot help but smile.  The shadowy cityscape on either side of Deja's apartment building frames the colored lights outlining her windows and the warmth of inside lights.  Dressed for winter, she stands on the balcony, hand outstretched to catch a falling snowflake.  We see what she cannot see.  Those red pants and black boots on the rooftop signify someone special visiting her home.  To the left of the spine, a large green bag full of presents sits on the roof.  On the back, the words read:

NOTHING

STOPS SANTA

FROM COMING

TO TOWN

On the dust jacket, Deja, Santa, the title text, the words on the back, and the bag of gifts are varnished.

A pale turquoise covers the opening and closing endpapers.  Inside a circular image on the title page, between the text, is a view of Deja's desk.  It contains some winter clothing, notebooks, a list, a pencil, an eraser, and a tablet counting down the days, minutes, and seconds before Santa arrives.  It's called

ELF ALERT.

Illustrator Reggie Brown made these images

digitally using photoshop, and a pinch of Christmas magic.

Bold, bright, and colorful they span two pages, and single pages.  Smaller illustrations are grouped together to depict a passage of time and enhance the pacing.  Sometimes, we are looking directly at the scene.  Other times, the perspective shifts, and we are looking at it as if we are Deja.  We are treated to wider views and close-up views.

The facial features on all the characters and their body postures make us feel as though we are walking along with them in real time.  We immediately find Deja utterly charming.  When she asks her questions, we know by looking at her they are heartfelt and express a curiosity known to many children.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a two-page picture.  The elements are placed on a white background.  Deja and mommy are talking about the reindeer and the parking issue.  Across most of the two pages in a row, we see, starting on the left, a green vehicle, nine reindeer, and then, a red vehicle on the right.  You'll be laughing out loud looking at the reindeer.  Their faces are hilarious, as is the attire worn by some.  The one wearing the Reindeer Games Runner-Up sash is scowling.  Rudolph is lounging on the ground in front of the other eight reindeer.  He is wearing a first-place ribbon.  Deja is on the left in the foreground asking a question.  Mommy is on the right in the foreground giving her answer.

Santa In The City written by Tiffany D. Jackson with artwork by Reggie Brown is one you'll want to read right before drifting off to sleep during the Christmas holiday.  The realistic concerns of Deja and the marvelous replies of the adults paired with the lively illustrations will have listeners asking you to read it again and again and again.  This title is one you will want to include in both your personal and professional holiday collections.

By following the link attached to Tiffany D. Jackson's name and Reggie Brown's name, you can access their websites to learn more about them and their other work.  Tiffany D. Jackson has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.  Reggie Brown has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  This title is highlighted with an author interview at We Need Diverse Books.  You will really enjoy reading this interview.  At the publisher's website, you can view interior illustrations.  There is also an audio clip of the reading of this title.

Countdown To 2019 #5 Snow

Winter is in full swing in northern Michigan.  Prior to Christmas five inches of freshly-fallen snow coated our landscape.  Although currently switching between rain, snow and freezing rain, by tomorrow night there's supposed to be a temperature drop into the teens.  Waking up each morning in this season is full of surprises.

Winter and snow are heartily embraced by some and utterly avoided by others, humans and animals alike.  Good Morning, Snowplow! (Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., October 30, 2018) written by Deborah Bruss with art by Lou Fancher and Steve Johnson depicts a dedicated man and his canine companion hard at work while the rest of the community nestles in for the night.  The duo work their magic in the middle of a storm. 

Good night, homes, and good night, cars.
Clouds move in to hide the stars.

Seeing the snow start to fall, the man and his dog take the snowplow to get ready for its job.  As the snow gets deeper and deeper, they push through the city streets moving snow and dropping sand and salt.  All through the night they work, sometimes listening to the radio and singing to a tune.

A car driving without regard for the weather is towed.  The plow keeps going.  A sound and a sight caution the driver.  The snowplow stops.  A train creating billows of snow, chugs past the crossing and down the track.  After hours and hours morning light begins to shine.  It's a snow day!  It's time for partners in plowing to rest.


The rhythmic writing of Deborah Bruss rings with realism and warmth.  Every aspect of the man and the snowplow's labor during the storm from dusk to dawn is beautifully represented with four-line stanzas. The first two lines and second two lines ending with words that rhyme.  It's a lovely flawless flow.  Here is a stanza.

Waves of white curl off the blade.
In its wake, a trail is laid.
How's the road?  A little slick?
Salt and sand mix does the trick.


The artwork of Lou Fancher and Steve Johnson rendered using acrylic paint, colored pencil, pen, and collage is first given to readers on the splendiferous front and back of the open dust jacket.  The solitary aspect of the driver and his dog using the snowplow brings us into an important moment.  Certain elements are varnished, snowflakes, the windshield, snowdrifts and text.  The title text is raised to the touch.

To the left on the back as the morning begins, we see children sledding, and building snowmen.  Homes are in the background and along the lower left-hand corner is the plowed roadway.  On the book case we see the plowed roadway extending from the back (left) to the front (right) with the snowplow, lights glowing out in front, driving off the upper right-hand corner.  A royal purple covers the opening and closing endpapers.

Each two-page image is a stunning depiction, a pictorial interpretation and extension of the author's words.  The illustrators alter their perspective to bring readers into the story.  It's a rewarding participatory experience.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a close-up of inside the cab of the snowplow.  The man is holding the steering wheel with both hands.  His dog is next to his right side.  Both are staring intently through the windshield as the snow swirls outside.


This title, Good Morning, Snowplow! written by Deborah Bruss with art by Lou Fancher and Steve Johnson, is a perfect book for one on one reading or during a snow/winter theme for story time.  At the publisher's website are extra materials to use with the book. You can also get some information about the illustrators here.  Deborah's website is linked to her name.  Deborah Bruss and Lou Fancher are interviewed by author Deborah Kalb about this title.  Author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson talks about this title on her blog, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  Interior images are included.  Arthur A. Levine chats about the title in the video below.




In their fourth title together (Goodnight Already!, I Love You Already!, and Come Home Already!) Duck and Bear are still at odds.  Their wants and desires never seem to coincide, thus supplying readers with non-stop laughter.  In All Right Already! A Snowy Story (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, November 13, 2018) written by Jory John with illustrations by Benji Davies, the duo tackle whether playing in the snow is a good thing or a horrible idea.

"Ah, another magnificent day.  I love my morning routine."

Looking out his window Duck discovers everything is coated in white.  It has snowed . . . a lot.  Duck can hardly wait to tell Bear.

Duck interrupts Bear taking his bath.  There is no way Bear is going outside.  It's too cold.  It's too bright.  For every idea purposed by Duck, Bear replies in the negative.

Duck finally convinces Bear to make snow angels.  Duck is not satisfied and wants to have a snowball fight, but Bear is cold and . . . ACHOO!  Bear is sick.

For every cure mentioned by Duck, Bear says no.  Finally Bear agrees to let Duck help him get well.  (With Duck, that's a mistake.) Duck just keeps asking and Bear is too sick to argue.  Not able to stand another second of Duck's chatter, Bear orders him home.  In a hilarious twist Duck needs care from Bear.  Bear issues his signature statement

I must get some new neighbors.

It's the contrast generated by the conversations between Duck and Bear by Jory John which consistently connect with readers.  With dialogue telling the entire story we can readily identify with both characters.  It's like watching a ping-pong ball tournament with hilarity as the main event.  Here is an exchange between the two characters.

"Do you want to play freeze tag?"
"No."
"Build a fort?"
"No."
"Make a snowbear?"
"No."
"Sled over here?"
"No."
"Sled over there?"
"No."
"Play freeze tag?"
"You already
said that."


One look at the open dust jacket will have readers giggling and grinning.  You know Duck has finagled Bear into a situation in which he has no desire to participate.  And why is his yellow rubber ducky present?  To the left, on the back, Duck and Bear are racing down a hill on a toboggan.  Bear is wearing his shower cap and his towel has flown off the back.  Duck looks sporty in his red hat and scarf.  Everything but the blue background is varnished.

On the book case an intricate diamond and square pattern in varying shades of blue covers the front and back.  To the left on the back Duck is balancing a huge snowball, ready to throw.  On the front, right, Bear is sitting in the snow, wearing a hat and scarf.  The opening and closing endpapers are a rusty red.

Benji Davies begins the story, visually, with Duck snuggled in bed on the title page under the text.  On the verso and dedication pages we are shown both houses at night with the snow falling in earnest.  A candle glows in Duck's window.  With each page turn the canvas changes from yellow to orange, winter blue in various hues, pink, red and white.  The illustration sizes differ from double-page pictures to full-page visuals and a group of images sharing a page.  Some of the illustrations are framed in white and others span page edge to page edge.

One of my favorite illustrations spans two pages.  Bear is in the middle of a huge sneeze.  His cap has blown off.  He is standing in his towel only.  The force of the sneeze has Duck off his feet, scarf trailing behind him.  Snow is scattered with the breeze of breath.  To the left of Bear, who is on the left, is the edge of his house.  A giant drift of snow is about ready to fall off the roof.  Anticipation builds as readers get ready to turn the page.

Whether you are acquainted with Duck and Bear or not, you will find yourself smiling from beginning to end of All Right Already! A Snowy Story written by Jory John with illustrations by Benji Davies.  This is a great title for a theme on winter/snow or a group of humorous books.  It would be wonderful with a bear theme unit.  There is a chat with Jory John at Brightly. There are links to both the author and illustrator websites attached to their names.



Instinctive behaviors found in nature do appear in domesticated relatives.  When walking in the deep snow, my canine companion will freeze.  Then she jumps, pounces and sticks her head as far into the snow as possible.  During these few seconds, it's as if I am watching a fox in action.

Little Fox In The Snow (Candlewick Press, November 13, 2018) written by Jonathan London with illustrations by Daniel Miyares is a journey in the life of a young red fox on a single day.  Through descriptive text and marvelous illustrations, we shadow this wondrous creature.  A season alters a lifestyle.

Little foxling, little fox,
asleep in your hole,
in your halo of warmth---
it's time to wake up!

Raising its nose into the air, the fox walks out into the wintry world.  The youngster is hungry.  It hears something under the snow.  Mouse in mouth, the fox knows this will not suffice.

Over fields blanketed in thick snow, the fox travels, a nearly empty belly as a motive.  A snowshoe hare grabs the fox's attention.  With practiced leaps it tries to get away.  The fox is faster.

With a full stomach and thirst quenched, the fox continues.  He catches what he believes is the scent of a vixen.  It is not!  Run fox run!  The hunter becomes the hunted.  Quickly, the fox flees to his hole.  As a crescent moon rises what are the dreams whirling in a sleeping fox's mind?


With a precise choice of words Jonathan London invites us to accompany this young red fox.  It's as if we are one with this beautiful being.  He depicts not only the actions of the fox but the other woodland animals he encounters; all within a setting in the wild.  The unseen narrator observes and questions.  A repetition of a key phrase ties moments together.  Here is a passage.

Little foxling, belly full,
you make your way down
   to the snow-patched stream,
lap tiny tongue-curls of icy cold water.


Upon opening the matching dust jacket and book case, readers are greeted with a gorgeous double-page image of a woodland in winter with the bright red fox striking a contrast in the snow.  Shades of dawn are breaking in the distance.  You can sense the silence except for the soft sound of paws on snow.

The opening and closing endpapers focus on a close-up of a snow-covered field.  Each is different reflecting the time of day and movement of the fox as he leaves (or not) a trail.  A turn to the verso and titles pages gives readers a breathtaking vista of the sky, forest, sunrise and snowy expanse at the bottom.

Each picture rendered by Daniel Miyares in ink and watercolor on paper heightens and extends the narrative.  All of them span two pages but the passage of time measured in mere seconds or minutes is sometimes shown from left to right.  The play of light and shadow is fabulous.

In one setting the fox's shadow, to his left, is huge.  It enriches the words but asks readers to spring toward a possible future.  Within some of the illustrations the point of view changes from one side to the other side; the fox in the distance and the snowshoe hare ready to leap toward us.  We are keenly aware of the time of day through the changing hues in the sky.

One of my many favorite illustrations is when the fox stops, leaps and dives into the snow to capture the mouse.  Daniel Miyares, from left to right, gives us four images of the fox in one picture.  Only the front of the fox leads in from the left.  He springs front paws up and back legs steady.  His entire body flies through the air and then near the right corner, head and upper body are buried in the snow.  Back, back legs and tail extend above the ground.  It's a highly animated and realistic portrait.

We become one with this young red fox through the blend of words and illustrations.  Little Fox In The Snow written by Jonathan London with illustrations by Daniel Miyares is an excellent collaboration.  This would be a stellar selection for a study of winter, animal behavior or foxes.  At Candlewick Press and Penguin Random House you can view interior illustrations. Please follow the links attached to the author and illustrator names to access their websites.  Jonathan London is interviewed at The Children's Book Council. Daniel Miyares has accounts on Twitter and Instagram.
Enjoy the book trailer.

I Must Have My BFF

True friendships are a valued state of being, sometimes fragile but still with the strength of steel should circumstances present themselves.  At times we look at friendships, ours and others, wondering how the relationship endures. The individuals involved are totally opposite, two sides of the same coin.

These companionships are worth noting because they reveal the complexity of personality characteristics.  They also, if we are being truthful, supply us with endless happiness at the comedy the contrasts provide.  When we met a reluctant bear and an over-zealous duck in Goodnight Already! (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, December 2, 2014) we knew this was a duo destined to find a cherished place in our reader's heart held open for laughter.  In the following title, I Love You Already! (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, December 22, 2015) both members of this twosome freely admit, even momentarily, how important their affection is for each other.  Come Home Already! (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, December 5, 2017) written by Jory John with illustrations by Benji Davies will have you smiling as soon as you see the dust jacket and you'll be laughing out loud at the book case.  The story inside will have your sides aching from pure glee.

"Another glorious morning 
full of possibility!"

Duck, beverage in hand and munching on breakfast, can hardly wait to see what his best buddy, Bear, is doing.  Once at Bear's home knocking at the door and listening at the keyhole result in silence.  It's only when Duck looks up he finds an explanation for the quiet.  Bear has gone fishing . . . for a week.

Duck is aghast.  He can't believe he wasn't invited to go.  He wonders how he will survive an entire week without his friend.  Meanwhile . . .

Bear is traveling on a well-known path through the woods to his favorite camping spot next to a lake.  He is happier than happy to be alone.  He is soaking up all the peacefulness of his surroundings.

Back at inside Bear's home Duck is unsuccessfully trying to convince himself he will be perfectly okay.  He tries to occupy himself but nothing works.  He's bored.  He's alone.  He wants Bear to come home.  At the lake Bear is having another set of numerous problems.  To make it worse, it's raining.

True to his nature, Duck, efficient, organized and energized, has a plan.  Surprises are in store for both friends . . . and readers.  Duck's parting words on the last page bring on the Bear stare we know so well.  It's certain you will be closing the book laughing loud and long.


As in the previous two titles Jory John begins with Duck going next door to Bear's house, he uses the technique of grouping phrases to further define a situation, in these groups of phrases he will repeat one of them followed by

"Wait, I already
said that."

or

"You already said that"

and at some point there will be a loud exclamation.  In this story a switch is in play.  Duck and Bear are separated in the beginning.

We alternate between their two versions with a subtle tension developing until they are joined by a single soft word.  This is the point when you feel a change is coming.  There has already been humor galore in the two narratives but you know it's going to be heightened.  You know another truth about the relationship is going to be revealed.  Here are a few sentences when Duck discovers Bear is gone.

"Bear's gone fishing?
He's back next week?

BEAR'S GONE FISHING?
HE'S BACK NEXT WEEK?

He's gone fishing?
Without me?
But . . .
but . . .

NEXT WEEK?!


The look on Bear's face on the front and back, right and left, of the unfolded dust jacket has him in a continuous daze whenever he thinks about Duck or is in the presence of Duck.  The feathered talk machine never gives him one peaceful moment.  The banana hanging on the end of his fishing pole is a bit of a hint at events to come.  On the back Bear and Duck are walking along carrying camping gear, the one in silence and the other chattering nonstop, a wing extended to make a point.

Across the book case, as a canvas, is a pattern of small orange and yellow diamonds.  In the center of the front and back are dark forest green larger diamonds.  On the right Bear,, wearing his red hat with flaps, is holding his pink bunny.  He is scared.  On the left we see the same picture but Bear's back is to us.  Behind him is Duck with a wing tip to his lips, forming Shhhh...  (I dare you to look at this and not laugh.)  The opening and closing endpapers are orange.

On the title page Bear is already walking, gear on his back and map in hand.  On the verso and dedication pages we see the sun rising over the evergreens behind the two neighbors' houses.  Benji Davies uses each page to begin his visual interpretation.

Depending on the setting the background colors from page to page vary between yellow, pale blue, orange, spring green, darker teal, forest green, rainy day blue, and night sky blue.  Benji Davies alternates his image sizes and perspectives to flow with the narrative pacing.  Readers will enjoy the added details; the duck springing out of Duck's cuckoo clock, the map Bear uses to get to his favorite camping place, the presence of Bear's little pink stuffed bunny, the titles on books, and the banana.

There are many, many funny and favorite pictures in this book.  Two of my favorite ones are of Duck climbing into Bear's house through the kitchen window over the sink.  He's so at ease with entering, one foot on the counter and one wing holding up the window.  The other picture is of Bear at the lake.  His back is to us next to the water on one side and a large evergreen on his other side.  A wire tent frame is zig-zagged across his back.  Tent stakes and a hammer are scattered on the ground. He is trying to stretch out the tent with his paws and one of his feet.  It is not going well.


It's like a breath of fresh air to have this duo back in another book.  Come Home Already! written by Jory John with illustrations by Benji Davies will have you smiling and laughing no matter how many times you read it.  And you will go back and revisit the other two books too.  Readers are going to thank you for reading it during story time and ask you to read it again.  You will certainly want a copy for your professional collection and your collection at home.

To learn more about Jory John and Benji Davies and their other work, please access their respective websites by following the links attached to their names.  Jory John has a Tumblr account.  Benji Davies also has a blog.  You can watch the child friendly book trailer at the publisher's website.  Jory John is featured at Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries John Schumacher's blog, Watch. Connect. Read. and at Brightly.  Miss Marple's Musings showcases Benji Davies.  This past summer musical wizard Emily Arrow released a song about the second title.  Enjoy.

Friends Find A Way

For more than forty-eight hours snow fell steadily.  Most of the area was under a warning or advisory.  This morning they were lifted.  Hundreds of schools throughout the state of Michigan are closed for today.  Everything is blanketed in white.  Winter is officially nine days away but a look out the window shows otherwise.

Changes in the weather can shift slowly or quickly without warning.  In The Storm Whale (Henry Holt And Company, September 30, 2014 US) we met Noi who lives with his dad, a fisherman, and their six cats by the sea.  A wild weather night delivers a small whale from the sea to the nearby sandy beach.  As a result we read of a compassionate son who is loved equally by his father.  The Storm Whale in Winter (Simon And Schuster, September 22, 2016 UK, January 24, 2017 US), a companion title, written and illustrated by Benji Davies reminds us that acts of kindness are always remembered.

Noi lived with his dad and six cats by the sea.
Last summer, Noi rescued a little whale after a storm washed it ashore.

Noi remembers this whale, this found friend.  On his daily beach walks he looks for this whale.  He hopes to see him again.

One snowy morning Noi's father leaves their island for one final day of fishing.  As night comes, Noi's dad has not returned.  The little boy is worried.  He looks through the falling snow from their home out to the sea.  He waits.  What's that?!  Something is there.  Noi knows it must be his dad.

Making sure their cats are snuggled inside, Noi leaves to greet his dad.  He takes his boat but the water is frozen solid.  Leaving it on the shore, lantern in hand, Noi sets out across the ice.  In the falling snow everything looks the same.  Noi realizes he is lost.

Far ahead he sees something.  Later Noi feels something.  His heart surges with hope.  Friends always find a way.


There is a special quality to the narrative when Benji Davies writes.  You get the one-on-one feeling as if he is telling a tale to you and you alone.  It's a feeling of comfort and possibility.  Every word is carefully chosen in his spare but meaningful text.  The use of dialogue in one particular point of this story intensifies the emotions of the moment.

Now and then he thought he caught a glimpse
of the whale, its tail tipping the waves in the distance.

But it was always something else.


When you open the book case left to right, the scene on the left is from an interior piece.  It shows Noi, net in hand, scanning the sea from the beach in front of his home.  His father sits outside on an overturned trap mending a net.  One of their cats sits near him and another is perched on his shoulder.  Snow covers the roof tops and portions of the beach.  The front, on the right, is a blend of the events in the book, showing us what might unfold in the story.  It promises us a nighttime adventure.  The opening and closing endpapers are a steely blue pepped with snowflakes.

Opposite the formal title page on the verso, we see Noi in his room in the peak of the roof, busy at work making another picture of his friend, the whale.  On the wall are snapshot drawings of highlights from the previous book, drawn by Noi.  You can see he gets his light at night from candles placed around the room, one in a lantern hanging from the rafter.  A single sock hangs over the heat register and another hangs on a line stretched across his room.  Two cats are keeping him company, one watching the sea through the window.  All these little details make the work of Davies extremely engaging and endearing.

The illustration sizes vary from double-page pictures, to single page images, edge to edge, or pictures framed in large portions of white on a single page.  Davies shifts his perspective bringing emotion into the scenarios as when Noi strikes out across the ice.  We watch him as if we are above him. (In one visual we are below him.)  Davies' use of light creates striking visuals.

One of my favorite of many illustrations is at night when Noi is watching for his dad's return.  There are several other seaside homes to the right and slightly behind Noi's home. He is looking out the window of his bedroom.  One cat is peeking out next to him. A light glows in the background.  Snow is falling.  You can see the small snowman in the shape of a cat on their deck railing.  The many shades of blue, gray and black contrast beautifully with the snow and small bits of yellow.


The Storm Whale in Winter written and illustrated by Benji Davies is an outstanding companion to the earlier title.  It's the kind of tale to add warmth to any day but particularly welcome in this winter season.  Friendship does not forget and love endures.  You need to have this title and the first one on your professional and personal bookshelves.

To read more about Benji Davies and his other work please follow the link attached to his name to access his blog.  Davies also maintains a Tumblr account.  You can view six interior images at a publisher's website.  There is a post at Bright Group about this title and an interview with Benji Davies.

Be Aware Of These Bears And Their Books Part II

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 Bruce with 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 Davies has 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.