Bedtime Bedlam

Sleep is a tricky thing; evading you when you crave it, pouncing on you without mercy when you really want to stay awake.  There is nothing worse than tossing and turning for hours or waking up suddenly to find the lights on and an open book in your hand.  There are times when it seems as if inside and outside noises or a particular person are conspiring to make sure a good night's sleep is not in your future.

If you've ever shared a bedroom with a sibling growing up, then you are well aware of the problems they can cause when it comes to falling asleep. The chatter, giggles, snorts, noises with a distinct animal quality, not to mention talking in their sleep or snoring, will chase away any chance you have of sweet dreams.  Debut author Heather Long and her husband Ethan Long (Stick Dog, Up! Tall! and High! (but not necessarily in that order), Chamelia) have combined their talents and shared experiences to bring readers the hilarity of  Max & Milo Go to Sleep! (Aladdin, a imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division).

Good night, Max.
Good night, Milo.

What begins as a simple end-of-the-day salutation is the prelude to a series of laugh-out-loud conversational exchanges between the beaver brothers.  Milo is clearly exhausted, asleep on his feet.  Max is wide awake and ready to take on the world.

After about two seconds Max loudly proclaims to Milo his inability to sleep.  Being the kindly brother, Milo suggests he read a book.  After about six rejections Max finds a favorite title only to discover his bed lamp is not working.

The ever patient Milo advises Max to use a flashlight. This works so well peals of laughter echo around the room making it rather difficult for the non-reader to get his much needed rest.  Believe it or not the flashlight causes another problem for the energetic brother.

Milo always has a logical solution for each of Max's troubles which are many, following him like stick-tights.  If it's not one thing it's another until Milo looses his cool.  Frustration accomplishes what nothing else has; leaving another insomniac.


Given the upbeat, true-to-life verbal exchanges between the duo, Heather Long understands and knows the interplay of brotherly relationships, particularly those at bedtime.  The humor is generated between the annoying exuberance of Max, the drowsy, obvious common sense of Milo and the precise pacing. Readers feel as though they are actively "watching and listening" to the complete episode.


You know laughter is not far behind when you look at the matching jacket and cover of this title; superhero-costume, bouncing Max on the right with mostly asleep, droopy-eyed Milo on the left is a pictorial statement of comedic opposites.  On the back a polka-dotted yellow and red paper airplane loop-de-loops toward the front.  Nathan Long's digitally rendered illustrations continue the story on the title page and verso.  Looking at these two pictures leaves no doubt in readers' minds as to who is the night owl and who simply wants to call it a day.

Long makes it clear in his illustrations there are more differences between Max and Milo than shown at bedtime.  Milo's side of the room is as neat as the proverbial pin but Max's side is a touch more creative, open drawer, pieces of origami paper on his bedspread, books scattered on the floor and a lava lamp on his night stand.  The gizmo Max rigs up for holding the flashlight will fill readers with glee.

 The color palette shown on the cover is continued throughout the title in a variety of layout combinations, two page, one page, panels on a single page and a circle inset of Max exclaiming Good idea!  You can feel every emotion through the facial expressions.  With every turn of page it is hard to miss Milo's growing frustration.  Careful readers will notice extra details like a copy of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow next of Milo's bed.


As I mentioned earlier this weekend in conversation, when you are in a book store reading a book and you suddenly laugh out loud, that title will quickly have a place in your home and school library.  Max & Milo Go to Sleep! written by Heather Long with illustrations by Ethan Long is such a book.  I highly recommend it as a bedtime or storytime choice.  Get ready for the pleas of read it again.

Please follow the link embedded in Ethan Long's name to access his website.  By following this link you can see several illustrative spreads inside the book at the publisher website.

Oh, Those Comic Canines

Through the years we have been entertained by the lovable, laughable antics of dogs in comics and cartoons.  Beginning as early as 1930 Disney's Pluto was the perfect pal for Mickey Mouse.  Near the end of 1950 Snoopy appeared as the loyal friend of Charlie Brown in Charles Schultz's Peanuts becoming quite a prominent character in the series.

Mystery sleuths Fred, Daphne, Velma and Shaggy have been assisted by the ever loyal Scooby-Doo since 1969.  A fresh face was released into the world on January 8, 2013, Stick Dog: a really good story with kind of bad drawings (Harper) by Tom Watson with illustrations by Ethan Long based on original sketches by Tom Watson.  Readers are in for ten chapters, 189 pages altogether, of head-shaking, eye-rolling, rib-tickling fun.

On the first page, front and center, is a profile of Stick Dog, grinning away, tail wagging.



This is Stick Dog.
He is not called Stick Dog because he
likes sticks.  Although, now that I think 
about it, he does likes sticks.  All dogs like
sticks, don't they?  I mean, what kind of 
dog doesn't like sticks?

Our narrator begins with an explanation of the main character's name due to his inept drawing abilities which we are to agree not to point out as readers.  No, we cannot scrunch up our faces like his art teacher or make him follow any Good Writing Rules like his English teacher.  Fun is the story's goal here, after all.

Stick Dog has comfy canine quarters complete with an old cushion he dragged into an unused pipe running under a highway.  His pals, equally free on the streets, are a poodle named Poo-Poo, a Dalmatian called, of all things, Stripes, Karen, a dachshund and a mutt named, of course, Mutt.  The fearless five are gathered on a summer day when a delectable aroma drifts toward them from Picasso Park; someone is grilling hamburgers.

With the goal of obtaining the meat attached to that glorious smell firmly fixed in their collective minds, they set off.  It quickly becomes evident that Stick Dog is the brains of the bunch.  His well-intentioned comrades' character traits surface and slow momentum.

Poo-Poo is immediately distracted by the presence of a menacing, nut-throwing squirrel.  Who knew Stripes could run like a speeding train and strike terror in the group with her stories of sword-wielding warriors. With her ever-present need to feed on chips, potato chips, Karen disappears like a Ninja, albeit a very short one.

With the crew finally gathered together again ankle biting, car driving, cliff diving and superhero flying are not what Stick Dog considers good plans.  With the diplomatic skills of an ambassador he steers his friends toward his more sensible idea.  What none of them anticipate is the fulfilling results.

Author Tom Watson has a definite knack for packing page after page with words sure to elicit loads of laughter.  Shifting between the narrator's over-the-top, this-is-the-way-it-is observations and the dog's meandering thoughts, and what can only be imagined as typical dialogue, is seamless.  It takes no stretch of the imagination to believe that the events can and did occur as described which paves the way for absolute hilarity.  Here are a few passages.

"This is great, just great," Poo-Poo moaned.
"Here I have this devious, conniving
chatterbox practically within my grasp, and
I can't finish the job."


"Will it bother you if we bark at mailmen?
I mean, seeing as you used to have a
human mailman of your own?"

Mutt shook his head and smiled.  "Heck, no.
In fact, I used to bark at Gary all the time."

"You did?" Poo-Poo asked, "You barked at
your own human?"

"Umm, yeah.  I'm a dog---and he was a
mailman. What choice did I have?" Mutt
said, clearly regarding this question as
ridiculous.


Designed to mirror the qualities of a composition book complete with the faint lined paper for the text with larger print and wider spacing, the illustrations of Ethan Long fit nicely into almost all the pages.  With a minimum amount of detail he is able to convey the characters' personalities with his practiced skills.  Readers will be hard pressed not to be continually bursting with giggles. (I could not contain myself.)


Destined to be a hit with dog lovers but sure to garner a larger crowd with the hilarious narrative and drawings in this quest-for-food adventure, Stick Dog: a really good story with kind of bad drawings written by Tom Watson with pictures by Ethan Long wins best in show.  As a read aloud it would be great fun.  In fact I can see using this as reader's theater; it's easy to think of possible voices for each of the characters.

HarperCollins Children's offers the first 36 pages for reading along with a game at this link. If you would like to hear the beginning of the audio version follow this link.

Birds Have The Words

About the same time birds were returning to herald in spring this year, two books were released with our feathered friends as central characters.  Each of these books uses text sparingly but to great advantage.  Highly expressive illustrations in each reflect and extend meaning.

Up! Tall! and High! (but not necessarily in that order.) (G. P. Putnam's Sons) is written and illustrated by Ethan Long.  Three short tales tell of birds wondering about who's the tallest, who can fly the highest and who would rather be up than down.  The technique of surprise is used in all the stories.

In the first one bird is quite proud of his height until another comes along. To his chagrin this bird is taller.  Then readers see a long, long leg extending off the page with the attached foot placed squarely between these two.  Clearly this newest member is taller.  But is he really tall or rather small or...POOF?  POOF???

Next we see a quartet of these winged beauties gathered, testing their flying abilities.  The problem is one of the group is a penguin.  His sadness is alleviated as he is elevated by a brilliant idea.  After all, what are friends for?

The final story has a small bird resting in the top of a small tree.  Along comes a much larger bird who also wishes to be up among those upper branches.  With a flap of his wings he is there but wait...oh, oh...  Up or down, it's good to have help around.

Ethan Long is short on words but tall on repetition, rhyme and rhythm.  Even without the illustrations the snap, vigor and humor of his language choices soar off the pages.  The final sentence in each ties everything together with warmth and a sense of accomplishment.

Drawing in ink and brush, Long then scanned in and colored his illustrations digitally.  The endpapers introduce the stories' characters as they parade across the pages.  Stick legs, round wide eyes, infectious grins, a slight shift in facial features and those delightfully shaped bodies in bold, complimentary colors burst with emotion.  Sturdy, shiny paper with flaps invite participation until the closing endpapers picturing the gang taking a bow as they leave.

Ethan Long has created a book for all ages where smiling is not an option, laughter is guaranteed.  All you have to do is open the cover of Up! Tall! and High! (but not necessarily in that order.) to enter his particular view of words we use everyday.  Please follow the link embedded in his name above to go to his website.  There you will find fun activities for kids and informative videos about his books and his art.

More (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children) written by I. C. Springman with illustrations by Brian Lies is an inspiring fable, a glimpse of what could be, should be.  Magpies, a part of the Crow family, are known to be an intelligent bird, with similar habits; collecting or attraction to shiny objects.  Mice, on the other hand, seem to make do with what is at hand. (as evidenced by their occupation in various parts of my garage and basement from time to time)

Endpapers looking much like brown-toned, textured grass paper begin and end this story.  Turning to the title and verso readers can see the beginning pictured before them, a tall tree, branch extended, with a mouse peering into a nest as a magpie bends toward the branch.  Single words start the narrative.

Nothing.
Something.
A few,
several,
more
and more
and more.

These first words are spread through eight pages as we watch how a single gift, a marble, from the mouse to the magpie becomes a collection obsession.  All to soon one nest is not enough.  Eight more are filled to overflowing.

The mouse pleads with the magpie, enough is enough.  A habit once formed is hard to break.  The weight of magpie's wanting is almost his undoing.

I. C. Springman takes forty-five words, carefully chosen words, to guide readers through magpie's desire to have not what he needs but what he wants.  Her text, in and of itself, is the lesson she wishes magpie and her readers to learn, less is truly more.  In the end, giving is receiving.

Using acrylic paint and colored pencils on handmade paper, Brian Lies wraps and weaves his realistic, rich illustrations around the text.  How he chooses to depict or interpret a word is exquisite.  For the very first word, Nothing, he places it in the upper left-hand corner of the creamy blank two page spread, picturing the lone magpie head bowed in the lower right-hand corner.

He alters the size of his visuals on pages or within panels, along with the focus.  At times we see a wide view, at others a close-up such as only the magpie's feet with some treasures in his nest.  His details are nearly photographic.  He adds personality to the mouse and magpie with extra touches, a piece missing from the mouse's ear, a band about the magpie's leg.  They are both irresistible.

According to an interview here readers gain a greater understanding of the ideas which prompted both I. C. Springman and Brian Lies to combine their efforts in More.  Oh, yes, you come away knowing the difference between nothing, something, more, less, plenty or enough but what's important is you realize their significance in our individual lives and how it impacts others.  At Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast Brian Lies shares more of the process for his artwork in this title.

I highly recommend both these books, definitely as a read alouds, for one-on-one and as great discussion starters.  And for some inexplicable reason these two titles started this song playing in my head.  Perhaps, because the words and illustrations in each of them are so upbeat, so perfectly perfect.

Be True To Thyself

Currently on a creative sabbatical, Ethan Long is the author and illustrator of numerous children's books.  Using fabric prints courtesy of Alexander Henry Fabrics, Inc. and digital collage to illustrate his book, Chamelia, Long brings to light for the younger crowd the importance of being a team player without sacrificing your individuality.

Most children know that to survive some chameleons have the ability to change their color; to blend with their surroundings.  They also change their color as a form of social communication. 

But Chamelia does not like to conform to the status quo.  This darling of the lizard world has a need to exceed especially when it comes to making a fashion statement.

When others zig...Chamelia zags.  When others twist, Chamelia shouts.  When others rock, Chamelia rolls...but in her own special way. 

But daring to be different does have its challenges: when your dress train gets caught in the school bus door, or your Cleopatra costume doesn't fit as normal attire for Goldilocks or your sequined heels are no match for a soccer ball.

Saddened Chamelia discovers there is a huge difference between standing out and being left out.  Parents to the rescue!

Readers will see that Chamelia's dress is truly the outer expression of an iridescent, joyous, effervescent soul. 

Ethan Long delivers the whole package in Chamelia; eye-catching jacket, colorful cover, jazzy endpapers and graphics that convey expressive mood of all the characters.  Chamelia decked out to the max on her scooter is a total hoot!