Around Around And Around

When two animals come face to face unexpectedly, the results are hard to predict.  If they are both living in the wild, one might become a meal for the other.  If one shares their life with humans and the other is wild, it's guaranteed for a split second time will be frozen as they stand and stare at each other.  Then curiosity and instincts will quickly assume control.

When curiosity and instincts rule, observers can sometimes witness magic.  From the adept minds and hands of author Emily Jenkins and illustrator Chris Appelhans we get to hold this very thing in our hands and experience it again and again.  A Greyhound A Groundhog (Schwartz & Wade, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, January 3, 2017) is a tongue-twisting, exuberant read, silently or aloud.

A hound.
A round hound.
A greyhound.

A hog.
A round hog.
A groundhog.

With the introductions made, we are further acquainted with the pair through elaborations on their physical characteristics; little and brown respectively.  Do you think the greyhound is a puppy?  As the groundhog waddles from his hole, the dog takes notice.  Let the chase begin!

The twosome runs and runs; first the hound is after the hog.  Then the hog tries to catch the hound.  They make a swirl of grey and brown as they go around and around and around.  They cover a lot of ground going around and around.

First comes, greyhound, then comes groundhog and then they are running side by side.  Whew!  I'm getting tired just reading about all this fun on the run.  Wait!  What's that?  They stop and stare at wings of beauty.

They're off again leaving the field for a new terrain.  One thing is certain.  This duo knows how to find joy in the moment and make it last.


Twenty words, not counting a, and and the are moved from place to place within two word statements and the final, wonderfully paced nineteen word sentence.  Emily Jenkins designs an enticing rhythm which rolls right off your tongue...if you're lucky.  The narrative these words fashion could not be more delightful; two beings meeting for the very first time and turning it into a rollicking romp.  Here are several other wonderful phrases.

A greyhound, a groundhog,
a found little
roundhog.
Around, round hound.
Around, groundhog!


Admit it!  When you first look at the matching dust jacket and book case, you can feel a smile forming.  The majestic stance of the greyhound next to the grinning groundhog is our first clue as to how their meeting will unfold.  To the left, on the back, illustrator Chris Appelhans gives us the same stance but the back view.  On the dust jacket the characters and title text are varnished.  Even on the left flap the groundhog peeking from his hole is varnished.  The opening and closing endpapers are in a pale, dusty blue.  On the title page paw prints of both animals move across the lower portion of the page.

Rendered in watercolor and pencil each image and the elements within it are delicately depicted on a canvas of pristine white.  This liberal use of white draws us toward the text and pictures.  Initially the words are on one page and the characters on the opposite page.  This is perfect pacing as they are next shown together before the text swirls around the action of the playful pals.

Appelhans's lines are superb in the motion shown.  By the facial expressions we know these two are having the time of their lives; the dog's tongue hanging from its mouth and an open-mouthed grin on the groundhog.  And yet, when the greyhound and the groundhog see beauty, they freeze.  I love that!

One of my many favorite illustrations is for the bottom two phrases noted above.  It spans two pages, like most of the pictures.  Lines of blue, pink and purple spring from the bottom representing grasses and flowers.  On the left the groundhog is running on two legs.  You can almost hear him laughing.  He is chasing after the greyhound in full run, tongue hanging out from his mouth.  The greyhound stretches from half of the left side, crosses the gutter and the nose heads toward the right edge of the page.  You can't help but wish you were running with them.


A Greyhound A Groundhog written by Emily Jenkins with illustrations by Chris Appelhans is utterly charming and filled with word play and pure play.  I highly recommend you share it with readers and listeners.  Be sure to place a copy on your professional and personal bookshelves.

To learn about both Emily Jenkins and Chris Appelhans and their other work, visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.  If you want to get a sneak peek at some of the interior, especially the dedication page, stop by the publisher's website.  Chris Appelhans is interviewed at Let's Talk Picture Books about this title.

A Bit Of Wonder In Winter

It happens every single year without fail.  In three of the libraries in which I have served one entire wall is a bank of windows.  When the first flakes of snow fall, whether the students are five or fifteen, chairs are pushed back, reading is suspended, computers are abandoned and a collective hush falls over the room as all gather at the windows to watch.  No matter how many times it's seen there is no denying the magic of winter beginning.

Author Emily Jenkins and Paul O. Zelinsky have collaborated in the past to entertain readers with the chapter books, Toys Go Out: Being the Adventures of a Knowledgeable Stingray, a Toughy Little Buffalo, and Someone Called Plastic (Schwartz & Wade Books, 2006), Toy Dance Party: Being the Further Adventures of a Bossy-Boots Stingray, a Courageous Buffalo, and a Hopeful Round Someone Called Plastic (Schwartz & Wade Books, 2008) and Toys Come Home: Being the Early Experiences of an Intelligent Stingray, a Brave Buffalo, and a Brand-New Someone Called Plastic (Schwartz & Wade Books, 2011).  On September 22, 2015 a picture book, Toys Meet Snow: Being The Wintertime Adventures Of A Curious Stuffed Buffalo, A Sensitive Plush Stingray, and a Book-Loving Rubber Ball (Schwartz & Wade Books) featuring these beloved characters was released.  This trio celebrates the joy of welcoming a new season.

Lumphy is a stuffed buffalo.  StingRay is a plush stingray.  Plastic is a rubber ball.  She can't help it that her name doesn't match her body.

The Little Girl, who is on winter vacation, is the toys' caretaker.  On the window sill the three gaze outside upon a wintry landscape.  Lumphy asks why it snows.  StingRay believes it's an emotional response.  Plastic, the reader of the group, states with certainty that it's a combination of rain and below zero temperatures.

They, with three individual reasons, can hardly wait to get outside.  After donning appropriate attire there is the dilemma of getting the door open.  Hooray!  They're in the snow!

Lumphy thinks the snow has transformed a familiar tree into an entirely new one.  StingRay is sure it's now a sweet treat tree.  The voice of truth, Plastic, confirms it as the original one.  As they continue exploring, Lumphy's curiosity provides more questions.  Replies are beautifully poetic and thoroughly bookish.

With effort and teamwork a snowman takes shapes.  Guess who ends up as the head?  Discoveries by the friends lead to more fun.  As the sun sinks toward the horizon another query prompts a descriptive and tasty comment and one happy surprise.  Cuddled together inside again Lumphy, StingRay and Plastic, now warm and cozy, all agree this day is one to be cherished.


After reading this title, you will want to read the chapter book series whether you have read them before or not.  Emily Jenkins uses language to draw us into this story endearing us to her three characters.  The narrative, told almost solely in conversation, showcases their distinctive personalities which complement their friendship.  Simple sentences, many times in groups of three, supply pacing, reading like a musical score.  Here is one of StingRay's responses.

"A snowflake is a tiny ballerina," says StingRay.  "If you look closely, you can see it dance."


Tiny fingers (and mine too) will enjoy caressing the front dust jacket rendered by Caldecott medalist Paul O. Zelinsky.  The snow on and around the companions is raised and glittery even on the F & G, which I have.  The initial title page takes the outlining color from the text on the front for the font color.  Enlarged snowflakes, no two alike, surround the words.

On the gorgeous two-page image for the title page, the yard is nearly covered in snow.  A fallen leaf and a holly plant are placed in the foreground. The house sets back on the left.  A car, tail lights glowing, is leaving.  Like the master he is, Zelinsky knows how to set the scene for storytelling to start.

Layout, design and illustration sizes are impeccable enriching the written words.  Two-page spreads edge to edge will have readers pausing in sheer delight.  When panels are used across both pages, it's as if they are one single picture flowing flawlessly.  You will want to wrap yourself in the color palette as if it's a blanket.  It captures the essence of winter inside and outside.

One of my favorite illustrations of many is for the words

It is the first snowfall of the year.

The text, in white, is divided with the beginning on the left at the bottom along the window sill and the words, of the year, on the right.  It's a close-up of Plastic, StingRay and Lumphy, in that order from left to right, looking out the kitchen window above the sink.  You can see part of the faucet and a scrubber on the far left side.  StingRay's tail is around Plastic as if in a hug.  The snow is softly coming down, coating the trees like frosting.


The collaboration of Emily Jenkins and Paul O. Zelinsky in Toys Meet Snow has fashioned a cheerful, charming winter tale.  I can't imagine a collection, personal or professional, without this title on the shelves.  I am certain you will want to have a brown buffalo, a turquoise stingray and a red rubber ball on hand when this story is shared over and over again, as children will each want to hold their favorite characters with each reading.  I will most certainly be adding this book to my Mock Caldecott list.

Please follow the links attached to Emily Jenkins' and Paul O. Zelinsky's names to access their websites.  It's a great way to learn more about them and their work.  Additional images can be viewed at the publisher's website.  This creative duo was interviewed at The Compulsive Reader about this title.  Julie Danielson featured Paul O. Zelinsky's artistic process for this book at her blog, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.

Chilling Encounters

Fear is a curious thing.  We can carry it with us constantly for reasons easily explained or for no reasons at all.  Fear can creep up quickly causing us to go from calm to panic in mere seconds.  Some fears are shared.  Other fears belong to the individual alone.

People may tell us to face our fears but what they should really do is encourage us to assess each situation, if possible, weighing the reality of whom or what gives us the jitters or fills us with dread.
The Fun Book Of Scary Stuff (Frances Foster Books, Farrar Straus Giroux, August 11, 2015) written by Emily Jenkins with illustrations by Hyewon Yum is a lively look at one boy's fears.  His two canine companions join the conversation.

Dad says I should make a list of everything that frightens me.  He says it will help me be brave.

The bull terrier with a shake of his head voices his opinion of the dad.  His boy agrees. This dog wants to know what scary things the boy put on his list.  Not sure the dog can endure the sheer terror of those listed items, he is hesitant.

Of course the bull terrier proclaims his fear of absolutely nothing.  With confidence the boy shares the position of monsters; they're at the top.  It doesn't help what the boy's mom says about monsters and staying in his own bed.  The dog cleverly points out how he never sleeps in his bed but on the boy's bed.  He goes on to say ghosts are afraid of dogs when the boy mentions them.

Cauldron stirring witches make an appearance but mister-I'm-not-afraid-of-anything is sure it's something to eat rather than a hex.  With total lack of tact he points out how the boy seems to fear things which might not be real.  Irritated by this remark a particularly nasty relative is named.  Joining the discussion the pug admits his lack of fondness for this obnoxious cousin.

The boy names three other possible encounters found in their neighborhood which give him and the pug the willies.  The nonchalance and downright laughter they receive in response leads him to mention the final thing---the dark.  In a twist, perhaps bolstered by the remarks of the bull terrier, the boy is able to banish another's growing alarm.  It's time for treats given in love.


Tapping into her inner dog, Emily Jenkins gives the personalities to the boy's bull terrier and pug perfect for them and their relationship with him.  The casual way they all feel free to express themselves openly supplies ample opportunities for outbursts of laughter for readers while revealing how much they care for each other.  In the course of the narrative, told entirely in dialogue, the rhythm is formed with the boy naming a fear and why it's scary with the dogs either agreeing or pointing out why it might be unfounded.  This makes the twist even better.  Here is a sample passage.

THE CROSSING GUARD BY SCHOOL
Hee Hee!  Scared of the crossing guard. (Bull terrier)
She's so bossy. (Boy)
I'm scared of her, too.  She smells like gasoline. (Pug)


On the matching dust jacket and book case, we are introduced to the three main characters and some of those things the boy finds scary; things other readers might find frightful, too.  You can readily see which of the three are not comfortable and which one is confident in the face of unnerving situations.  On the back, to the left, Hyewon Yum cleverly depicts the view of the front as if we are looking at the back of the scene.  The opening and closing endpapers are the same shade of red as the text color on the jacket and case.

The title page background looks like notebook paper; the same used by the boy to make his list.  The three characters are named.  The humor begins immediately with

Bull Terrier the Bravest Dog Ever.

On the verso and first page the trio starts the story.  White space is used as an element in many of the pictures to bring the dogs and the boy to the center of our attention.  Speech bubbles hold their comments.

The pacing of the narrative is enhanced with the variations in illustrative sizes.  For most of them the scary thing is introduced with a single page visual followed by a group of smaller ones.  Several times Yum inserts double-page images for impact.  This works to great effect when moving from the fear of the swimming pool to sharks.

One of my favorite illustrations is for the dialogue highlighted above.  It spans across two pages.  On the left the bull terrier is rolling on the ground in laughter at the boy and the pug.  The boy looking fearful is supported by the pug looking disgusted at the bull terrier.  In the center of the crosswalk a rather formidable, frowning crossing guard stands with outstretched arms.  Wearing a whistle, vest, official hat, white gloves and orange-tinted sunglasses as extras to her pants, shirt and boots, she presents an imposing picture.  Behind them a woman driving her care has stopped.  She's looking a little scared herself.


Addressing fears, real or conjured in his mind, The Fun Book Of Scary Stuff written by Emily Jenkins with illustrations by Hyewon Yum will generate giggles and grins during any reading.  Possible voices to use for the characters promptly pop into your mind based upon the charming, detailed illustrations and the heartfelt words each speaks.  You couldn't have picked a better title as this book truly helps us to see the lighter side of scary stuff.

To learn more about Emily Jenkins and Hyewon Yum please take the time to visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.  At the publisher's website eight interior images can be seen.

A Sweet Delicacy Travels Through Time

There is an abundance of moments brimming with calm (not to be confused with quiet), comfort and connection when people gather to share a meal.  If it's been prepared by one or more of them, it's even better.  It's almost like a dance when you work with someone in the kitchen making food for family or friends.

Some of my most treasured items are handwritten recipes from those friends and family members.  They are like Valentines, expressions of love and a willingness to share something of value.  A Fine Dessert:  Four Centuries, Four Families, One Delicious Treat (Schwartz & Wade, January 27, 2015) written by Emily Jenkins with illustrations by Sophie Blackall offers readers an opportunity to follow a recipe from place to place from time to time.

A bit more than three hundred years ago, in an English town called Lyme, a girl and her mother picked wild blackberries.

They picked with purpose but enjoyed an occasional taste as they filled their baskets. Saved cream from daily milk given by their cow was beaten with twigs gathered and bound in a bunch.  Fifteen minutes passed before the cream was whipped.

Washed with cool clean well water the berries were smashed and strained in muslin to remove the seeds.  Added sugar sweetened them before they were folded into the whipped cream.  To wait to be eaten with supper, the confection was stored near ice carefully saved inside a cellar carved within a nearby hill.  It was served to the immense satisfaction of the family with the younger cook later savoring every last taste from the bowl.

This is the pattern painted with words in which the three other places, Charleston, South Carolina, Boston, Massachusetts and San Diego, California are visited.  For each the gathering and assembling of the ingredients alters.  For each the people who enjoy the dessert changes according to the historical period in which they live.

When we move forward one hundred years, a mother and daughter again picked the berries but they were slaves on a southern plantation.  The utensil for beating improved from wood to wire as had the acquisition of the cream.  Storage prior to dinner was now inside in a specially conceived box in a basement.  The mother and her daughter hid to enjoy the last of the blackberry goodness from the bowl.

In the year 1910 a girl and her mother purchased the blackberries from a street vendor.  The cream in a glass bottle was delivered in the morning.  After a cookbook was consulted for the recipe, beaters cut the whipping time to five minutes.  Water for rinsing and storage for cooling were accessible in the kitchen.  When the time was right nothing was left in the mixing bowl.  It was licked clean.

About five years ago a father and his son went to a store to purchase the berries and the cream.  While his dad used the computer to locate the recipe, the boy whipped the cream with an electric mixer.  As you can imagine the time was considerably shorter than in 1710 and not nearly as physically taxing.  Water for rinsing and storage for cooling were modernized.  A diverse array of family and friends gathered to enjoy the meal and this Fine Dessert.  And the bowl left in the kitchen...


Emily Jenkins with the sure knowledge of a storyteller supplies listeners and readers with a guide, like an extended hand beckoning us to follow, for each of the four scenarios.  We are eager to meet the new families.  We want to know how they get the berries, cream and water.

It's interesting to see the time expended and tool used to whip the cream.   For each of the family members whipping the cream, three separate phases are delineated. Word choices vary depicting a sound.  Within three hundred years, once the Blackberry Fool is made, the means for keeping it cool are similar but much more convenient as the years pass.

What makes each of these stories more intimate is the repetition of certain acts and phrases.  The parent asking the child if they want to lick the spoon or spatula, the use of different colored dishes for serving, the

Mmmmm.  Mmmmm.  Mmmmm.

after family members eat the dessert and the final bowl licking in the kitchen or hidden from view in the cupboard.  We find ourselves looking for the changes and ties across time.


The cream color on the dust jacket, used as a backdrop for all the illustrations throughout the book, speaks to us of a shared history.  Sophie Blackall frames the first daughter with the brambles from a blackberry bush, her home in the background.  On the left of the opened jacket, the back, beginning with 1710 each child is holding a bowl of the Blackberry Fool as they walk toward the right above the appropriate dates also framed in the leaves with berries.

Beneath the dust jacket, the book case is a striking array of blackberry branches filled with leaves and ripening or ripened berries.  Small white butterflies flutter among the vines.  For the endpapers Blackall

squished blackberries through a sieve with a spoon and used the purple juice

like paint.  The title page is a swirl of leaves and berries with five circles framed to showcase the title and each of the dates with the homes.

Like Emily Jenkins with her words Sophie Blackall has formed a lovely layout depicting the expected shifts but also featuring the timeless quality of making this dessert between the generations.  Using Chinese ink, watercolor, and the blackberry juice she varies her images in size from two pages, to smaller pictures on a single page, to three images on one page showing the passage of time, to four small vignettes encased in delicate blackberry vines done in two colors, to a single page and finally to a large visual crossing the gutter to form a column for text on the opposite page.  Her fine lines draw attention to all the detail given to each home, the clothing worn by the families, and the furniture and decor in each dwelling.

The facial expressions, body movements and actions of the family members endear us to each of them.  We smile knowingly at the son giving a scrap of food to a nearby cat at the table, we join in the cheerful conversation of a mother and daughter picking berries, we can't help but giggle at the baby tugging on his sister's skirt and gaze longingly at the gathering beneath glowing jars hung in a garden as a child chases a firefly.   The matte-finished paper adds to the sensory texture of Blackall's pictures.

One of my favorite scenes is of the mother in 1910.  She is first shown reading a recipe book with the bowl and beaters in front of her on the table.  She is next using the beaters to whip the cream intent on her task.  In the final element in this image she is holding the bowl of whipped cream with the beater standing up in the bowl.  I love the expression on her face!  She's looking off the page.  You don't know if someone else has got her attention or if she is looking to see if she can sneak a taste of the cream unnoticed.


Every aspect of A Fine Dessert:  Four Centuries, Four Families, One Delicious Treat written by Emily Jenkins with illustrations by Sophie Blackall is scrumptious.  The dust jacket, book case, endpapers, interior illustrations and fascinating narrative will captivate and charm readers of all ages.  It's a delectable blend of history, family and food.  This title will be placed on my 2016 Mock Caldecott list.  Both Emily Jenkins and Sophie Blackall include wonderful notes at the book's end.

To discover more about Emily Jenkins and Sophie Blackall please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.  Sophie Blackall chronicles her illustrative process on her blog. On the School Library Journal Curriculum Connections blog a post provides for educational extensions.  TeachingBooks.net lists numerous resources including four interviews.  At Publishers Weekly both Emily Jenkins and Sophie Blackall are interviewed about this book.  Here is a link to This Picture Book Life paying tribute to the work of Sophie Blackall. UPDATE October 23, 2015 Sophie Blackall writes a response to comments on Calling Caldecott on her blog.

I am about to clean my purchased blackberries with water running from my kitchen sink.  I will strain the berries with a spoon in a small-holed colander.  Whipping the cream with my electric mixer, I will gradually add in the sugar and probably double the amount of vanilla listed in the recipe at the back of the book.  There is no doubt in my mind I will be spooning this treat directly from the mixing bowl into my waiting mouth. Yum...yum...

Chilly Mathematics

Regardless of the fact the calendar shows spring arrived almost a month ago, the piles of snow in my yard coupled with the forecast for wind gusts over forty-five miles per hour with more snow signifies Mother Nature is having her way.  Nevertheless, driving down one of the side streets in town the other afternoon (during Spring Break), I saw children gathered in front of one of the houses.  Industrious and hopeful they had set up a table, a pitcher filled with their beverage of choice and cups on top, with crates for seats.  A sign lettered by hand proclaimed their product and price.

Clearly those girls and boys had caught spring fever.  Then again, when a mind gets in the mood, an idea growing and growing, spring things might happen in the middle of a snowstorm.  Author Emily Jenkins and illustrator G. Brian Karas work their combined magic to bring readers Lemonade In Winter:  A Book About Two Kids Counting Money (A Schwartz & Wade Book, September 2012) where that very thing happens.


An empty street.
Outside, a mean wind blows.
Icicles hang from the windowsills.

Pauline has an idea.  Her little brother John-John can't wait to help.  Her mom and dad are calmly skeptical.  Pauline wants to sell lemonade, limeade and lemon-limeade at a stand...outside...in the wind...and the snow.

Excited and determined the sister and brother search the house collecting quarters.  Bundled up they head to the grocery store to make their purchases.  Lining the coins up on the counter, sugar, lemons, limes and cups are bought.  Trudging back inside, happily they walk past their parents who are still calmly skeptical.

Beverages made, table set up, signs written, Pauline and John-John wait for their customers to arrive.  No one comes.  The words of their parents might be right.

Mom says, "Nobody will be on the street."
Dad says, "Nobody will want cold drinks"

They decide to advertise by singing a song.  That gets the dog-walking Mr. Harvey's attention.  They decide to offer entertainment with cartwheels, drumming and singing.  That gets toddler-toting Ms. Gordon's attention.  They decide to have a sale, singing a slightly different tune.  That gets Heather-hugging Aidan's attention.  With each new attraction, customers arrive.  As they leave Pauline carefully explains to John-John what each amount means adding it to their container.

Eventually not a single drop is left.  Cups sold are tallied.  Coins are counted.  Pauline starts to cry.  With the optimistic exuberance of youth, John-John has the perfect solution; one usually reserved for summer.  Satisfied smiles can be worn in any season.


Within the first two pages the enthusiasm of Pauline and John-John rises from the story and surrounds the reader.  Emily Jenkins does this with her choice of words and descriptions; skipping with her idea, run through the bitter air and shouting wildly.  Jenkins has the two focused on the fun of their venture; one or the other is suggesting ideas to keep the day positive. Her simple sentences, short phrases, the variety of customers and their friendliness toward the children keep the narrative upbeat.  The adding of the money with every transaction is seamlessly blended into the story.


I dare you to look at the matching jacket and cover of this title and not smile.  Those two children dressed in winter clothing, head to toe, selling drinks in a snowstorm is a comical contrast.  On the back snow covered, a trail of snow behind them, heads tilted, they strain to reach the counter with their purchases and coins laid out before the grocer.  Pale pastel opening and closing endpapers feature a few scattered snowflakes.

The text on the tile and verso pages is placed on signs stuck in snow.  G. Brian Karas has rendered these illustrations with brush and walnut ink on (a heavier, matte-finished) paper, colored in Photoshop, and finished in pencil.  Whites, creams, browns, grays, lemony yellows, limey greens and some rusty red, all muted, contribute to the overall warmth of the story despite the wintry season.  Alternating perspective and picture sizes makes the reader feel like a participant.  His humorous touches ( the cushions off the sofa when the children are hunting for money, the sink overflowing in the kitchen, only John-John's feet sticking out of the snow after a cartwheel) further endear readers to these two characters' endeavors.


You'll want to have plenty of lemons, limes, sugar and quarters handy after reading Lemonade In Winter: A Book About Two Kids Counting Money written by Emily Jenkins with illustrations by G. Brian Karas.  It's pure fun with numbers when readers follow these two supportive siblings.  
Your neighbors might think you're crazy but this could be the ticket to surviving those unexpected winter storms.