Searching For Sound

There are those clever and inventive few who can take apart any kind of gadget and put it back together with no extra parts.  They are also able to take bits and pieces from a collection of devices no longer working and make something else entirely new.  The most wondrous thing of all is this innovative contraption works like a dream; doing exactly what they designed it to do.

When individuals like this have the added gift for making melodious sounds, something special is added to the world.  Guitar Genius: How Les Paul Engineered The Solid-Body Electric Guitar And Rocked The World (Chronicle Books, April 9, 2019) written by Kim Tomsic with illustrations by Brett Helquist recounts the life of a man who genuinely enhanced the field of music, specifically guitar music.  At an early age his talent for making something out of nothing was apparent.

In a three-story schoolhouse near the Fox River in Waukesha, Wisconsin, children scrambled into the music room.

One student in particular, Les, loved making sounds on all the instruments even though he couldn't read a line of music.  One day after school, his music teacher, pinned a note for his mother on his shirt.  His mother ripped it up, telling Lester he could do anything he believed he could do.  (The teacher said he would never be musical.)

First Lester built his own crystal set when he saw the one built by a neighborhood friend.  Then he saved money from his paper route and bought his first guitar.  He learned to play through practicing and practicing and practicing.  He was so good; he was invited to play on a radio show.  His next invention was to build a recording lathe.  By listening to his recordings, he could make necessary improvements.

Every time Lester wanted his music to be better, he built something to make this happen.  Using a hanger he crafted a gizmo so he could play both sides of his harmonica while playing his guitar.  He figured out how to make sure those in the back of a crowd could hear him as well as those in the front.  His next innovation would be one of his best.

At seventeen he started road travel as Rhubarb Red.  By the time he was in his early twenties he formed a band called the Les Paul Trio.  By twenty-four he performed at the White House for President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  It was now time to put into action an idea he's tossed and turned around in his mind for a lot of years.

With the help of a night watchman at the Epiphone guitar factory Les Paul built his dream.  He had to make modifications, but it was the sound he wanted.  So did his audiences.  This man never stopped crafting those things which made music better.  (Even in the year of his death (2009) at the age of ninety-four, he still received an honor; one of many during his lifetime.)


The meticulous research this author, Kim Tomsic, did is evident in the personal elements included in the narrative.  Her word choices are a reflection of sounds and rhythms.  Dialogue is placed within the body of the book; making us feel as though we are walking side-by-side with Les Paul.  Kim Tomsic also uses terms common to the historic period by having Les Paul say hot dog when he is thrilled with an accomplishment.  Here are two passages.

He scrutinized the family's newfangled gizmos, tinkering in his mother's living room and his father's garage.  And then he took everything apart---things like the phonograph, the player piano, the telephone, and the radio.
"Ma," his big brother hollered.  "The kid's at it again!"
"Leave him alone, Ralph," his mother said.  "He's just trying to learn." 

It worked!  Harmonica sounds floated from one radio speaker---bazzooie-buzzlebahhh.  Guitar strumming amplified from the other radio speaker---strum-twang, strum twaaaaang. EVERYONE could hear.  It was a smashing success!  Almost.  The problem was it wasn't just strings vibrating---the hollow space in the middle of the guitar vibrated, too, making the speaker echo and screeeeeeeeeech.


One of the first things you notice about the open and matching dust jacket and book case is the color palette.  It has a kind of retro aspect to it.  Every element complements another element.  I like the word stereo along the top framed by arrows as if this is a record album.  Arrows frame the word Guitar Genius on the spine, too.  Notice on the front how the pieces of the guitar are separated.  Artist Brett Helquist does this frequently within the book, clearly showing us how Les Paul put his inventions together.  (Sometimes the parts are labeled.)

To the left, on the back, the same teal covers the canvas.  Within yellow circles we see Les Paul at work on one of his creations.  Certain items in the images break the borders.  The yellow on the jacket and case is used for the opening and closing endpapers.

Rendered in oil paint on watercolor paper the illustrations span full pages, double pages and sometimes are smaller and circular on white space.  The technique Brett Helquist uses for the guitar sounds is a series of circles set in other colored circles.  For the music from Les Paul's harmonica lovely-hued waves are presented.

The facial features on the people are signature Brett Helquist work with distinguishing eyes, noses and mouths.  They are lively.  Readers will enjoy observing the clothing, architecture, inside and outside, in keeping with the historic settings.

One of my many favorite illustrations is on a single page.  Les Paul has just figured out how he can play both sides of his harmonica and his guitar at the same time.  He is wearing the device for his harmonica.  The harmonica rests in his mouth.  He is strumming his guitar with one hand as he moves the other on the frets.  His eyes are closed in concentration and pure bliss.  Beautiful circles and waves of color burst forth from the guitar and harmonica.


Guitar Genius: How Les Paul Engineered The Solid-Body Electric Guitar And Rocked The World written by Kim Tomsic with illustrations by Brett Helquist is informative, entertaining and will have you wishing you played guitar.  This man's achievements truly did rock the world of music.  Kim Tomsic has a three-page author's note at the end along with a list of works cited.  You will want to have this in your professional and personal collections especially for those with an appreciation for music and who love all aspects of music. 

To learn more about Kim Tomsic and Brett Helquist and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Kim Tomsic has accounts on Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.  Brett Helquist has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  Here is a link to The Les Paul Foundation and their take on this title.


Be sure to visit Kid Lit Frenzy hosted by educator Alyson Beecher to enjoy the titles selected this week by others participating in the 2019 Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge.

Courtly Contenders

Any time of the year, anywhere in the world, it is guaranteed a sporting event is taking place in which the opponents have the spectators rooting for a favorite with every fiber of their being.  Why they cheer for one over the other is usually based on a combination of reasons.  They may believe one is superior in skill.  They may focus on the challenger from their home town, state or country.  They may have a connection from having played the sport themselves.  They may even know one or more of the participants personally.

Some rivalries last for a season.  Others have been going on for as long as anyone living can remember.  Martina & Chrissie: The Greatest Rivalry in the History of Sports (Candlewick Press, March 14, 2017) written by Phil Bildner with illustrations by Brett Helquist gives readers the reasons this competitive relationship is decidedly distinctive.

Hey, guys---
yeah, I'm talking to you.
You see those two names on the cover?
Martina and Chrissie?
That's Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert.

If you have never heard of Martina and Chrissie, the narrator of this book is about to reveal the most interesting things you need to know.  To begin we meet Chrissie who was born and raised in the state of Florida. Between five years of age and eighth grade she managed to perfect her game to be ranked the number one tennis player in the country.  Her persona on the court was one of quiet determination.  Her distinguishing two-handed backhand was legendary.

She was still in her teens when she played in her first Grand Slam tournament.  She didn't win but she never gave up, fighting her way back to take a match.  You better believe the crowd was cheering for Chrissie Evert.

Martina was from Czechoslovakia.  At the early age of four and a half you could see her swinging a tennis racket and hitting balls.  By the age of fifteen, she was the national champion.

One could say Martina's demeanor when playing was super-charged with emotion.  This woman's feelings were released for the entire world to see.  Her best strategy was rushing the net.  This was not typical for women tennis players but this is the way Martina wanted to play her game.

When Martina and Chrissie finally met on the tennis court, Chrissie won.  She did it again and again and again.  No one could beat her for five years.

Given this competition between the two you would consider them adversaries.  Add in the fact one is from the United States and the other is from a Communist country during the Cold War era, you would expect them to hardly speak.  This was not the case.  They were the best of friends.

After Martina won her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon their rivalry was stepped up a notch.  Spectators never knew from year to year who would be the champion or who would be the runner-up.  In the midst of this constant exchange of being the best of the best, a new coach challenged their friendship.  It was tested.  After all was said and done, who was the winner?


Imagine sitting in a room with a circle of friends.  You are about to hear a story of one of the greatest rivalries in sport's history.  You lean in toward a guy who looks you straight in the eyes and starts chatting about two of the best female athletes in tennis.  This is exactly the way you feel when reading the words penned by Phil Bildner.  It's as if the setting wherever you are reading vanishes and you are in the same space with him.

His delivery is eager and passionate.  We know this because the enthusiasm he has for his subjects is conveyed through his sentence structure, word choices and punctuation.  For emphasis and to create a cadence he repeats certain key words.  Here is a sample passage.

Chrissie was this All-American girl.
Patience and poise and precision.
Calm and collected and completely in control.
Her ground strokes were perfect, perfect.
From the baseline, she was automatic, automatic.
And that two-handed backhand of hers---oh, man!
Everyone copied the way she hit it.
EVERYONE!


Rendered in acrylic and oil on paper the illustrations by Brett Helquist we first see on the matching dust jacket and book case (and throughout the title) are utter excellence.  Look at the design on the front.  The net holds the title text.  The two opponents, the two friends on either side of the net, are eyeing each other, ready for action.  To the left, on the back, in the center is what appears to be a replica of a photograph of the duo when they are older.  They are walking off the court side by side, holding their rackets.  Martina has her arm around Chrissie's shoulders.  The opening and closing endpapers are a deep, bright teal blue.

When featuring Chrissie, Helquist has a golden wash to his images.  For Martina the color is hues of blue.  Regardless of the size of the illustration, which he alters to heighten the narrative, there is intensity in the facial expressions and body movements.  To portray the emotional nature of Martina, he brings us very close to her face at one point.

The close-ups of the crowd scenes during games will have you pausing to look at each person in the stands.  When a match is being played he alters his style going from Chrissie to Martina almost like panels in a graphic novel.  He uses a thicker white line to separate the action, placing the frames on a diagonal.  Like the game of tennis, his images are dynamic and lively.

One of my favorite illustrations of many is when Martina and Chrissie are younger.  They are seated at a table eating lunch.  Martina is speaking and Chrissie is listening with a smile on her face.  It is an intimate moment during their friendship.  They nearly fill the left page with the table extending to the right.  A small bouquet is setting on the table with the text above it.  In this case the background color is a wash of purples.


I have already read this book not once, not twice, not three times but four times!  The words of Phil Bildner complemented by the art of Brett Helquist make Martina & Chrissie: The Greatest Rivalry in the History of Sports one of my favorite picture book biographies of 2017.  I highly recommend it for your personal and professional bookshelves.  There is a three page timeline of Martina and Chrissie Through The Years at the conclusion of the book.  It is followed by a list of sources, books, articles, audiovisual and websites.  It's also important to note that Phil, with clarity, explains the Cold War in the context of his narrative keeping the flow going.

To learn more about Phil Bildner and Brett Helquist and their other work please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.  Brett maintains a blog here.  You can view an interior image at the publisher's website.  Phil chats about the book at educator Alyson Beecher's website, Kid Lit Frenzy, during the cover reveal.  Educator Michele Knott offers talking points for this title on her blog, Mrs. Knott's Book Nook.  Enjoy the book trailer.






I hope you will all take a moment to stop by Kid Lit Frenzy hosted by educator Alyson Beecher to view the other selections by bloggers participating in the 2017 Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge.

Frustrated Forecaster

There will be days when you not only feel unappreciated; you are unappreciated.  The stress of being stuck in a rut weighs heavily on your entire outlook.  You are locked into a time schedule over which you have no control.  To make matters even worse you are just plain tired.  You NEED a vacation.

For most people making a checklist and following it to the letter means you are good to go on that much needed rest.  For others their absence leaves a huge hole in the scheme of things affecting a great many individuals. Groundhog's Day Off (Bloomsbury, December 8, 2015) written by Robb Pearlman with illustrations by Brett Helquist calls our attention to a holiday hero who has had it.

Every year, on one special day in February, Groundhog wakes up extra early.

On this day hordes of people hover around Groundhog's hole.  Every year the only thing of interest to them is whether there will more winter weather or will the signs spring begin to appear.  Most disheartening to Groundhog is these women and men and girls and boys have no real interest in him at all.  They could care less about his likes and dislikes.

THIS year is different.  Groundhog pens a letter, packs his bag and heads off to the spa for a vacation.  And...he takes his shadow.  Thinking as quickly as she can, the mayor decides to hold auditions for replacements.

Well, let me tell you, this does not go well at all.  An elephant, an ostrich, a monkey, a bat, an owl, a mole, an opossum, a puppy and one quirky human have distinct physical characteristics and habits which hinder their bids for the position.  The mayor realizes there is only one animal that can do this job correctly.

A newscast is heard by a relaxing rodent who rallies in a heartbeat.  Could it be true?  Have the townspeople and the reporters changed?  That special day in February comes and goes.  In case you and Groundhog think all is right in the world, a double dose of twists awaits.


Author Robb Pearlman creates a pleasing blend of narration and dialogue with heaps of humor.  He assigns funny features to the contestants elevating the laughter.  His gift to readers is when they think happily ever after has happened but the comedy continues.  Here is another sample passage.

But the one thing they never ask Groundhog about is him.

No "How are you feeling?"
No "Have you seen any good movies lately?"
No "Do you like mushrooms on your pizza?"
Not even "Who does your fur?"


Brett Helquist's signature use of line, color and the facial features on his animals (and people) is apparent on the dust jacket (I am working with an F & G.)  The layout, the use of an arch, the circle of Groundhog's suitcase and the shape of his tennis racket combined with the rays of yellow and blue welcome the reader into the story.  On the back, to the left, the background is a brighter shade of those rays framed in scallops of reds and triangles of orange along the top and bottom.  Groundhog is diving into his hole.

Prior to the verso and title pages a two-page image depicts the town with people gathering around Groundhog's fenced-in home.  A winter weary man is reading a newspaper with the headline reading,

NEWS
WILL WINTER EVER END?
(I believe this is the opening endpaper.)

A page turn shows a small inset of Groundhog brushing his teeth.  On the opposite page he is startled awake by his alarm ringing.  Helquist begins his visual story even before the text starts.

With the remaining illustrations he uses small ovals, circles or free forms with elements outside the border, full page pictures edge to edge or loosely framed with a combination of his brush strokes and white space.  For emphasis his images span both pages.  The expressions on all the characters, particularly Groundhog, are wonderfully funny.  It should be noted that for three of the illustrations there is hardly any color to match Groundhog's initial mood.

One of my favorite images is of Groundhog at the spa.  He is resting on a bed, bamboo growing behind him.  Candles are burning around the room.  Cucumbers are placed over his eyes.  His body is under an herbal wrap.  As he listens to the news on a television with a remote in one paw, the other is lifting a cucumber slice. He is definitely startled by the news.


While you may think you have the ultimate collection of Groundhog Day books, it is lacking without this title, Groundhog's Day Off written by Robb Pearlman with illustrations by Brett Helquist.  Pearlman has cleverly inserted the facts associated with the holiday but continues with a charming narrative.  Everyone will be laughing from beginning to end because they will see bits and pieces of themselves, even if they are not a groundhog, in this story.  The final double-page wordless illustration (closing endpaper) by Helquist is hilarious.

To learn more about Robb Pearlman and Brett Helquist please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.  Brett Helquist posted about his process for this book on his blog here, here and here.