Handheld Hilarity 2

Undoubtedly, humans with canine or feline members in their families can agree on certain shared experiences.  The unconditional love of our furry friends, some shown more easily than others, is without question.  This love supplies us with an incomparable form of companionship.  Each dog or cat has their own unique personality regardless of their breed.  Their individual quirks generate an endless supply of joy and laughter.

Our social media accounts are filled with photographs of our dogs and cats in their most precious, to us and sometimes to others, moments.  In Bloop (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, July 6, 2021) written by Tara Lazar with illustrations by Mike Boldt, an extraterrestrial is sent to Earth to prove his worthiness.  Imagine his surprise at discovering the wonderful life enjoyed by its rulers.

Training to be the next ruler of Planet XYZ was hard work, Bloop tried to follow all the emperor's rules, regulations, and robots.

But . . .

Bloop made so many mistakes, he was issued an ultimatum. In one week, Bloop needed to become the supreme ruler of Earth.  It was his last hope.

Upon arrival, he quickly noticed fluff balls, dogs, were in charge.  Why else would the larger beings chase them, cuddle them, or scoop their poop?  He learned as much as possible about these creatures, but control of them seemed impossible.  An SOS to the Emperor on Planet XYZ gave him another option to pursue.

Bloop hid his floofers and engaged in doglike activities.  It was superb until he was snatched up by the royal guard (animal control).  At the facility he was attended by servants.  A small one decided she wanted Bloop to live with her.

If Bloop thought acting like a dog was superb, living in a home with these beings was superb plus.  His accomplishments did not go unnoticed by the emperor.  Bloop had decisions to make.  The most crucial one involved his new mission.  It was PURR-fect.

Author Tara Lazar is gifted in crafting clever comedy.  In this story, she takes what we accept as ordinary and gives it a twist.  The perspective of Bloop, a visitor from another planet, is hilarious with a capital H.  Dogs rule this world!  To him fire hydrants are identical to robots on his planet.  He delights as a dog in giving them their due.  Furthermore, Tara Lazar has him view Earth as a realm.  Squirrels are commoners, and his new family are loyal subjects, a lady-in-waiting, a footman, and a very small servant.  Text and dialogue are used to excellent effect.  Here are two passages.

Bloop had plenty of gourmet nourishment and squishy, squeaky gizmos.

He realized these were for calling the servants.

A small, sticky one approached.

"Oh, Mommy, him, him,

him. PUHLEEZE?

"Let's see . . . must be a rare breed," said

the lady-in-waiting.  "Yes, let's take him!"

The open and matching dust jacket and book case tell an interesting tale.  To the left, on the back, on a green background similar to the color of Bloop is a spacecraft.  It has crashed into the dirt, sideways.  The hatch is open.  Leading from the vehicle are paw prints.  When you pair this with the front, on the right, the floofers are the finishing-touch clue as to Bloop's origin.  Look at the faces on the dogs!  Bloop and the text are varnished on the jacket.

On the opening endpapers Bloop, inside his spacecraft, is zooming through space in various positions.  Moons, comets, planets, and stars in a dark sky are his only comfort.  On the closing endpapers, Bloop is enjoying the life of a dog.  Tucked in the upper, right-hand corner is the Animal Control truck.  These images are placed on a bright yellow canvas.

On the title page, looking like a conquering hero, Bloop is front and center.  He is standing tall on planet Earth, leaning forward.  In his right paw he holds a large light-colored flag.  There the title is placed.

These digital images by Mike Boldt were created using

Painter and Photoshop.

They are a vivid, full-color collection of double-page pictures, smaller vignettes, and single-page visuals.  They are as lively as the characters with expressive facial features and body postures.  You can't resist smiling or laughing out loud.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a single-page image.  It is on an orange canvas with a splash of bright yellow in the center.  Bloop was hoping his gathered treasures (dog toys) would ease him into the spot of ruler of planet Earth.  Instead, three dogs race around him, charge and grab at the toys, covering him in dog slobber.  They are blissfully happy, he is not.

If you are looking for laughter and a fresh perspective on the way of dogs on planet Earth, Bloop written by Tara Lazar with artwork by Mike Boldt is the title for you.  Not only does the humor flow freely through the combination of words and illustrations, but it offers us a means to ponder how the same thing can be seen differently.  You'll want a copy of this book for your professional and personal collections to add loads of humor to a story time.

To learn more about Tara Lazar and Mike Boldt and their other work, please visit their websites by following the link attached to their names.  Tara Lazar has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.  Mike Boldt has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  The cover reveal and book trailer premiere were hosted by librarian, lecturer at Rutgers University, and writer John Schumacher on his blog, Watch. Connect. Read.  Tara Lazar and this title are showcased at Rhys Keller's site, Jena Benton's site, and at Laura Roettiger Books.

If you are a dog person, your experience tends to be limited with cats.  You rely on your cat-person friends' stories to inform you about their behaviors. And then, there are all those sleepovers with girlfriends and waking up to find the one's cat always sleeping on your head.  That particular tactic was puzzling to everyone, except for the cat.  Cat Problems (Random House Studio, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, August 3, 2021) written by Jory John with illustrations by Lane Smith explores the mind and attitude of at least one cat.  Or is it all cats?

Where's that sunbeam going?

HEY!

SUNBEAM!

GET BACK HERE!

Unfortunately, the sunbeam continues to move, and nineteen hours of sleep have been interrupted.  From this moment, events get worse.  The food dish is empty.  And another cat cannot remove itself fast enough from not one, but three special spots this cat, our protagonist, claims.

Bath time is necessary . . . alone if at all possible.  A box provides a temporary distraction and possible napping place.  Suddenly, a loud sound roars through the house.  It is clearly upsetting.  Wow! It's time to skedaddle to safety!  Threats are made.

The cat with problems believes it needs to leave this disaster of an existence.  Its frustrations are escalating.  It roams from space to space not satisfied with anything. Soon it sits on the top of a chair wishing and watching a squirrel on the outside.  The squirrel proceeds to give the cat a very complete lecture on its backward thinking.  The cat in turn wishes the window screen was gone for just enough time to grab that squirrel.

Feeling bored out of its mind, the cat does what cats do best.  

Mraowww!

is spoken over and over and over again.  Initial results are not as desired.  Again, the meowing is raised to a din.  A peak point in an otherwise dull day is reached.  And then . . .here we go again.

Telling this story through the first-person (cat) voice doubles the hilarity.  Every nuance of this cat's day is vocalized through the spot-on words selected and written by Jory John.  This cat finds fault with everything!  What pushes the humor over the top is the squirrel's speech and the cat's response.  Here is a passage.

sniff

sniff

sniff

Wait, why did I just sniff

that catnip toy?

Sheesh.

Now I'll be awake all night!

Goodness gracious.

Why can't I stop smelling this shoe?

I have to stop.

Still . . . it's intriguing.

What is it about

this shoe?

Is this what the 

OUTSIDE

smells like?

The matching dust jacket and book case begin the mirth found throughout this book.  Even though this cat is pleased with the box, for a split second, it looks stunned by its ho-hum life.  Even relieving its stress by clawing several letters in the title text does not work.  To the left, on the back, the background is covered in rows of 

Mraowww!

The narrator, only neck and head visible, is yowling from the bottom of the image.  Its displeasure is highly evident. 

The opening and closing endpapers mirror boards (or fabric) scratched with vertical lines spaced close together.  (You will see this pattern again.)  On the title page, the cat is snoozing in the sunbeam beneath the text. For most of the book, the color palette seen on the jacket, case, endpapers, and title page remains the same with pops of vibrant hues for the other cat, the vacuum incident, a portion of the living room, and the catnip toy.

These visuals by artist Lane Smith 

created in oil paint mixed with cold wax and digitally in Procreate

ask readers to reach out and touch them.  We believe we can feel the torn places in the title letters, the warmth of the sunbeam, the fur on the cats, the roughness of the cat's tongue, the surface of the box and foil ball, and cloth of the catnip toy.  We are offered various perspectives depending on the size of the illustration; these elevating the narrative.  

Full-page pictures, half-page pictures, horizontally and vertically, sometimes crossing the gutter to become larger, collected squares to portray panic, and a few double-page images give the story excellent continuity.  The eyes on the two cats and the squirrel send the humor soaring.  They reveal a range of emotions.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a half-page image.  The cat is on its back.  Its tail is curled and its back legs are straight up.  One arm, the left, is next to its side.  The other paw is holding a foil ball and resting it on its stomach.  Its eyes look a little crazed.  The words say:

I gotta get out

of this house.

Whether you are a cat lover or not, this book, Cat Problems written by Jory John with illustrations by Lane Smith, will have you howling with laughter due to the veracity on every page.  The words and art form a story time treasure.  No personal or professional bookshelves would be complete without a copy of the title.

To learn more about Jory John and Lane Smith and their other work, please visit their respective websites by following the link attached to their name.  (I don't just say this as routine.  You will be pleasantly surprised by what authors and illustrators include on their websites.  You might want to start with Lane Smith.)  Jory John has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view interior illustrations.

We See This

Some of the most cherished memories of spending decades as a teacher librarian are not the moments when children finally understand you, but when you understand them.  It's those times when you step outside your thinking, refreshed by the children's thinking.  Their perspectives tend to be clear, honest, and profound.  You should never underestimate their powerful capacity for compassion, or their wonderful ability to find humor and laugh out loud with abandon.

For these reasons, among many others, children are to be cherished. We live our lives so those who come after us have a richer (and more informed) experience.  If You Come To Earth (Chronicle Books, September 15, 2020) written and illustrated by Sophie Blackall is a book for all children, of all ages.  It's inspired by children and written as a letter from a child to a visitor from outer space.  It's a love letter about this fragile, but fierce planet and its inhabitants.  It's a remarkable read.  

Dear Visitor from Outer Space,

If you come to Earth,

here's what you need to know.

You'll know Earth from the other planets around the Sun by its color, its green and blue.  It has land and water.  Usually people live on the land in spaces of all sizes, or in rare cases alone and away from anyone else.

There are a vast variety of homes, made of a vast variety of materials depending on an equal number of factors.  Living in these homes are families, members who care for each other with love.  The billions of people populating Earth come in all shapes and sizes with a vast array of abilities.  Each one is unique, thinking their own thoughts, which are sometimes mirrored on their faces.

People dress for their jobs, their everyday activities and their weather.  Our weather can be breathtakingly beautiful, nearly perfect, but it can also be terrifying with people losing their homes and worldly possessions.  People find it necessary to move from one point to another, traveling in various methods on land, in the air, or on the water.  

Our letter writer addresses the recipient by revealing they are

a kid. 

They attend school to become informed to make better decisions as an adult.  As adults, people do many, many different things to keep society functioning.  When not working, their methods of enjoying free time exhibit their particular passions.  Our narrator goes on to discuss the necessity of food and water and its unequal availability.  This takes us to the sea and its saltiness.

On the surface the sea looks vast and fairly empty but it is not.  It is teeming with life, as is our land and our air.  The child presents to the reader what they wish to be if they were not human.  They talk about kinds of singing, music, language, and colors.  They compare those things found in nature, and those things made by humans.  They discuss those things not seen, some lovely, and some dangerous.

In closing the letter, the kid muses how on Earth we don't always agree, we fight, but this is not the best way for us to treat each other.  We find ways to make life easier for each other; those older take care of those that are younger, until their roles are reversed.  We honor the gifts of every age. There are things we don't know, but the writer states if you (being from Outer Space) come here I will honor the invitation at the end of this letter with an open heart.

Well, Sophie Blackall, you've again put your heart and mind on the pages of a book.  You've connected us with your words through the child letter writer.  You've shown us not only where we live, but how we live.

You, with your gorgeous language and ability to place yourself in the soul of your characters, take us from the solar system and to Earth.  We journey with you and your words to communities, to homes, and the people in them living their lives as best as they can.  You communicate through this child the less than best in humans and the best in humans focusing on what is here now, and what we can do to preserve it.  You offer hope.  With your sentences, you leave room for your artwork to offer further interpretation. Here is a passage.

There are more than seven billion people on Earth.

We all have bodies.

But every body is different.

I wish you all could see the marvelous details in the open dust jacket.  There are tiny gold foil dots in the blue sky and in the pattern of planet Earth.  The child's letter spiraling upward is a pictorial presentation of all the wonder to be found by a visitor when they arrive here.  

To the left, on the back, beginning with the ISBN the letter path is wider.  It weaves upward and loops toward the sun in the upper, left-hand corner.  The end of the letter is attached to a circular spacecraft.

On the book case with the universe in its black and starry expanse are possible beings from outer space.  There are four on the back, and one that crosses the spine.  There are four others on the front.  They are all colorful and singular in their design.

On the opening and closing endpapers, Sophie Blackall presents readers with the initial beginning and ending of this story.  First, the sun is rising across a washed sky in early morning blues and purples.  Shrubs fan out on either side of a hillside patchworked in mounds of floral displays.  On the right side of the hill is a two-story home with the letter ribboning out from a lighted second-story window.  On the second set of endpapers, our Moon, full and glowing, hangs about the same house, now on the left.  The letter has been released and found a recipient in the circular spacecraft hovering above the hill in a dusky sky with remnants of the sunset rising above the hill.  The letter flowing from the house on the opening endpapers continues across the verso and title pages, surrounding the text on the first and providing a place for the text on the second.

The illustrations in this book

were rendered in chinese ink and watercolor.

Each image by Sophie Blackall shifts in size to enhance her words.  Sometimes we are looking down on the illustration or looking at a panoramic presentation.  The intricate details will have you stopping at every page.  They ask you to pause and enjoy our Earth and all it offers to us.  They invite you to grow your appreciation for all people, and the inhabitants of this planet, our home. 

Within the two-page pictures there are panels dividing the space, highlighting specific examples to expand the words.  There is also a collection of circular images, or a cluster of windows, horizontal or diagonal illustrations, or a large group of portraits, each amplifying the child's statements.  Diversity is shown repeatedly as reflected in real life.  There are single-page visuals used for direct comparisons.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations in which I gasped out loud when I saw it is a double-page picture.  It is the artwork for the child speaking about birds.  Across the two pages is the shape of a large bird.  This shape, wings in flight, body, head and beak, and tail, is brimming with all kinds of birds in flight or repose.  The penguin is speaking the words:

I can't fly!

If I had a large trunk for treasure it would be filled with books, books with special significance and certain to be classics in time, if not already.  This book, If You Come To Earth written and illustrated by Sophie Blackall, would have a place in this treasure trunk. It is stunning in every respect, words, artwork, design, and in the quality of paper.  No matter how many times you read it, you'll find something new and leave the reading with your spirits lifted.  There is a full page Author's Note at the end with Sophie Blackall speaking about her inspiration for this book, her work on this book, and what she wishes readers will take away from this title. I highly recommend this book for your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Sophie Blackall and her body of work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Sophie Blackall has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view lovely, displayed interior images.  Further images are available at the book's website along with a letter writing kit.  Sophie Blackall and this book are featured on PictureBooking and at author, reviewer, and blogger Julie Danielson's Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.

A Single Extraterrestrial Sneeze

It all starts with a single sneeze.  This is usually followed with an increase in sneezes over the course of two or three days.  Despite your best defensive efforts, you find your ability to breathe hindered by a stuffy nose.  It hurts to swallow because of your sore throat.  When you speak, it's as if a frog has set up residence in your vocal chords. There's no doubt about it, you have acquired a cold.

The length of this misery is determined by numerous factors.  In your humble opinion, whatever it takes to speed your body to wellness is welcome.  Aliens Get The Sniffles Too! Ahhh-Choo! (Candlewick Press, November 7, 2017) written by Katy S. Duffield with illustrations by K. G. Campbell is a lighthearted look at the best remedy no matter where you live.

Little Alien was sick.

And sick is extra-terrestrial bad when you have two throats, five ears, and three noses.

When he sneezes it's not a simple ahhh-choo!  Each one holds words previously uttered by earthlings.  His parents listen sympathetically when he tells them his throats feel rough.

Daddy Alien whooshes off in his interstellar vehicle.  In no time at all he returns with a tasty treat for Little Alien to ease the pain in his throats.  He is not sure if it helped his throats because his five ears are aching.

Using an old family recipe Mama Alien mixes just the right amount of stardust to

a Little Dipperful of water.

Little Alien does not feel like he is on the road to recovery.  Instead he announces to his parents his noses are blocked.  How is he supposed to breathe?  Their final attempts at a cure have Mars Rover, Little Alien's canine companion, with eight legs and three eyes, deciding he needs to take matters into his own considerable paws.

Like a one-dog variety show Mars Rover begins his routines.  He is a nonstop bundle of energy.  Wait!  Was that a smile on Little Alien's face?  Saturn's rings become props in one of the acts.  In his last stunt Mars Rover heads into the starry expanse.  One look and one listen at Little Alien and the pooch knows best friends can work miracles.  Ahhh. . .!


Author Katy S. Duffield weaves extraterrestrial lingo with ease into a humorous tale destined to assist readers under the weather.  Each uncomfortable symptom is cleverly described and enhanced by the physical characteristics of Little Alien.  By blending dialogue with the narrative text readers can more readily identify with Little Alien's suffering and his parent's and Mars Rover's efforts to help him.  Katy S. Duffield clearly knows how dogs can sense better than any other individual how to best assist a buddy.  Here is a passage.

But just when it looked like Little Alien might doze off at last . . . (page turn)

AHHH-MOON-ORBIT-EARTH-CHOO!

"Which nose did that come from?" Mama Alien cried.


Careful readers will immediately note the physical characteristic of Little Alien and Mars Rover on the opened and matching dust jacket and book case.  They will be counting ears, noses, fingers, paws, eyes and tails.  The fact the duo seem to be floating among planets will be duly noted.  The starry scene extends over the spine (as does one of the rings) to reveal three other odd (by Earth standards) looking creatures.  Their green rectangular heads are peeking in from the left, top and bottom.  Each of them is holding a gizmo.  Could these be the

lunar decongestants?

A shade of blue akin to the coloring of Little Alien covers the opening and closing endpapers.  At the first page turn on a canvas of pristine white is Little Alien's stuffed toy.  In a small circle beneath the title text on the second page alien abodes with pink smoke coming from their chimneys are shown.

Rendered in pen, watercolor, and colored pencils the illustrations of K. G. Campbell using the pastel shades of pink, blue, green and purple in combination with the golden hue of Mars Rover create an other-worldly atmosphere.  The sizes of the visuals, two-page pictures, single page illustrations loosely framed in white or placed on a white canvas, or single page images, page edge to page edge convey the mood and pacing with excellence. The large expressive eyes on all the characters portray appropriate concern, misery, dismay and happiness.  They are guaranteed to have readers and listeners chuckling in agreement.

One of my several favorite pictures is when Mama Alien is mixing the ingredients for

Granny Alien's Famous Shooting-Star Ear Drops.

In this single page image, through the circular window, we can see Saturn hanging in the starry sky.  Daddy Alien sits in a floating chair on the right holding the ear drop dispenser.  Mars Rover floats next to him watching Mama Alien mix the stardust with the water.  Little Alien bends over with rapt attention.  The Little Dipper, held by Mama Alien, glows with individual stars.  It is a hopeful moment.


With the advent of the winter season most families are struggling to keep everyone healthy.  Aliens Get The Sniffles Too!  Ahhh! Choo! written by Katy S. Duffield with illustrations by K. G. Campbell is sure to lift the spirits of readers regardless of their current state of health.  Most of us know exactly how Little Alien is feeling.  And we know there is nothing like a forever friend making a less than ideal situation far better.  Your professional and personal bookshelves need the dose of laughter this title will bring.  It would be fun to pair this title with Bob, Not Bob! (To be read as though you have the worst cold ever:)(Disney Hyperion, February 14, 2017) written by Liz Garton Scanlon and Audrey Vernick with illustrations by Matthew Cordell.

To learn more about Katy S. Duffield and K. G. Campbell and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their respective websites.  At Katy S. Duffield's website there is an Activity Guide.  At Penguin Random House you can view interior images different than the one found at Candlewick Press.  You can discover more about K. G. Campbell and his art at Brightly and Painted Words.  Enjoy the book trailer.

Across The Cosmic Expanse

For those studying space sciences there is an entirely different set of theories about space, space travel and life on other planets than for those fans of science fiction television shows, movies and books.  We can boldly go where no man has gone before by watching Star Trek, wish for the Force to be with us as we travel with the characters in Star Wars, or heed the advice of Robot in Lost in Space, Danger, Will Robinson, danger.  We can travel beyond the boundaries of Earth's gravity in books such as Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke, Akiko on the Planet Smoo by Mark Crilley, Lowriders in Space by Cathy Camper and Raul The Third or Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce.

We may discover again and again the inhabitants of other outer worlds share some common characteristics with us.  Best Frints in the Whole Universe (A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook Press, July 5, 2016) written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis explores the relationship of two individuals from a unique planet.  These buddies boisterously proclaim their affection amid their antics.

Yelfred and Omek have been best frints since they were little blobbies.

Frints?  Blobbies? Not only are their physical characteristics remarkable but their language is a teensy bit unusual.  Being best frints (friends) is a challenge in this world; with teef (teeth) and tempers posing problems.

Yelfred and Omek are inseparable.  They enjoy eating together.

They play eye ball in the peedle pit.

YUCK! Eye ball?  This is especially tricky when you realize the peedles are plants with teef.  An incorrect throw can cause hours of back-and-forth discourse.

When Yelfred gets a spossip (spaceship) for his birthday he can hardly wait to show Omek.  Omek can hardly wait to drive it.  Yelfred is not willing to let Omek drive his new spossip; worried he will destroy it.  Omek is not happy with that answer, not happy at all.

With a whoosh and an oops the two frints find themselves in a difficult situation.  Never ones to be quiet, never ones to be indecisive, their tale takes a turn.  Teamwork can patch up more than one thing, especially those things in which nature does not do the fixing.


With a mind for creating books which ask readers to extend their thinking Antoinette Portis builds a new world, characters and a vocabulary in her most recent release.  I have to believe she completely enjoyed herself while writing a narrative with accompanying dialogue similar to how friendships on planet Earth are grown with hilarious twists.  The comedy is heightened with the repeated use, in parentheses, of this phrase

Not like here on planet Earth.

This sentence, of course, means the opposite of what is stated and is sure to bring on bouts of laughter.  Here is another sample passage.

They share.  Unless they don't feel like it.
"No! You'll schmackle it to bits."
"I'm the best driver on Boborp!
Let me have a turp!"


The first thing you notice, other than the two strange grinning creatures on the front of the matching dust jacket and book case, is the signature color palette.  The vivid purples, blues, greens, and pinks definitely proclaim we're out of our world.  Spanning from left to right is a single image, rolling textured hills with multiple moons on a starry sky.  On the opening and closing endpapers with a background of large circles in muted dark green, golden yellow, pink and orange Portis provides readers with a Boborpian Glossary, twenty-five different line drawings and translations with one spot left for readers to make up their own words.

On the pages opposite the title and final pages those circles on the endpapers overlap in a kaleidoscope of shades.  Portis continues to use the circles to place smaller images within liberal amounts of white space.  The single and double page illustrations are a blast of action and color.  You never know whether the background will be yellow, teal, magenta, deep blue, spring green, or white.  The abstract landscapes, flora and fauna are carefully placed with an eye for design and layout.

Her characters of Yelfred and Omek are expressive in their facial looks and in the use of their arms, legs and antennae.  Portis gives readers panoramic views, moves in closer and really zooms in on a particularly significant image.  You can't help but smile at the high and low points of this relationship.

One of my favorite illustrations is at the beginning.  On a single page Yelfred is standing on a red round outcrop with four colorful moons on a yellow background.  His purple arms, antennae and legs are spread wide.  His face is front and center looking at the reader wearing a huge grin so we can see his three large, long teef.


With every reading of Best Frints in the Whole Universe written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis your happiness will grow larger and longer.  These two pals seems to be at odds as much as they are in sync but they help us to realize no matter where you reside the essence of friendship can withstand anything, even the schmackle of a spossip.  It also helps to have one special item handy at all times. (You'll have to read the book to discover this valid piece of advice.)

To learn more about Antoinette Portis and her other work please follow the link attached to her name to visit her website.  You can view eight pages at the publisher's website.  Readers will enjoy the four-page activity guide.  Antoinette Portis is a guest at All The Wonders, Picturebooking, Episode 45 with Nick Patton.

Be Aware Of These Bears And Their Books Part I

An unexpected encounter with them puts our lives in danger.  They are the largest land carnivore on our planet.  They are ferocious but generally shy and when observed from a safe distance intriguing. When seen in a toy shop, we select them to become cherished friends.  In 2002 a centennial celebration marked their creation.

In literature, as characters, we laugh at their antics, marvel at their insights and ingenuity and more times than not make room in our hearts for what they represent. As 2015 comes to a close there are five titles featuring bears I would like to highlight in two separate posts.  I Thought This Was A Bear Book (Aladdin, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, August 4, 2015) written by Tara Lazar with illustrations by Benji Davies gives readers a peek at the potential for problems when books fall from a shelf.

Once upon a time there were three bears.
Zark! Zoot! Zinder!
DOING  WHOOSH  CLANG 

A spacecraft crashes into the woods normally populated by residents from the land of fairy.  A green being has lost his book and needs to return to Planet Zero.  No one is more surprised by this turn of events than Papa, Mama and Baby Bear.

Prince Zilch is panic-stricken at his plight.  He needs to return to page twenty-seven immediately.  These berry-picking bears, who are sick of eating porridge, are unfortunately more interested in exploring his other-worldly vehicle.  Their fumbling fixes any chance Prince Zilch has of leaving on schedule.  Both the alien and largest bear appeal to the reader for help.  As luck would have it you-know-who, the girl with the golden hair, arrives.

With only certain items on hand, chairs, beds and busted bits, the bears do their best to assist the royal visitor out of their story.  Nothing seems to work.  As parents snooze, Baby Bear proposes a plan.  It might work.  WHOA!  Now look what we've done!


With a talent for fracturing fairy tales Tara Lazar very quickly alters the norm by introducing a character from a different galaxy...er...story.  His language is easy to understand although he does tend to favor the letter z.  Told entirely in dialogue between the characters and at times directed at the reader, humor is prevalent.  The use of alliteration adds to the buoyant cadence.  Here is a sample passage.

Papa Bear Well, maybe you can bounce out of the book using our beds.
Goldilocks Jeesh, can't a girl get some shut-eye around here?


Digitally rendered using an array of hues, leaning toward secondary colors, Benji Davies introduces the characters on the front of the matching dust jacket and book case.  He peaks our curiosity as to the importance of the open books with familiar faces looking from and leaving the pages.  To the left, on the back, Papa, Mama and Baby Bear are walking away from us toward the berry bushes.  Prince Zilch is zooming past with his signature pink cloud trailing behind his spaceship.

One of the shades of green from the bears' book is used on the opening and closing endpapers.  A page turn shows a child leaving a book case as books slip from position and fall to the floor.  An alien vehicle zooms from one into Goldilocks & The 3 Bears.  On the verso and title pages the image from the back of the jacket and case is extended with an enlarged book on the left.

Picture sizes vary from two pages to single pages and to several on a single page.  Many of them have rounded corners with white space acting as a frame.  The dialogue is placed in colorful balloons of pink, yellow, orange and two shades of blue depending on who is speaking.  Plan on laughing out loud at the details Davies adds to enhance the story.

One of my favorite illustrations spans two pages.  First the alien and then Papa Bear are talking directly to the reader.  The fallen spaceship is behind them.  Behind the vehicle Baby Bear and Mama Bear are smiling and waving at a busload of tourists who have stopped to take their pictures as if they are bears in a national park.  I dare you not to smile.

I Thought This Was A Bear Book written by Tara Lazar with illustrations by Benji Davies is definitely a bear book filled with fractured fairy tale fun.  It's a tribute to the power of story and those who read them.  To discover more about Tara Lazar and Benji Davies please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Tara Lazar includes a teacher's guide and fun activities as well as links to other posts about this book.  At the publisher's website you can view three additional interior images.  



Readers were and will continue to be enchanted with the father and son duo and their winding adventures in The Bear's Song and The Bear's Sea Escape.  In a third title, The Bear's Surprise (Chronicle Books, September 15, 2015) written and illustrated by Benjamin Chaud spring has sprung.  Roles are reversed as Papa Bear seems to have vanished.

Deep in the forest, Little Bear awakens to the sounds of spring.  Outside his cozy den, birds are chirping, animals are scurrying, and Little Bear smells the sweet scent of flowers.

Little Bear's joy at the shift in the seasons is short-lived as he notices his father is absent.  Could he be near the yellow glow beyond the trees?  The shining sun lights the way along an unexplored trail.

Within mere minutes Little Bear is standing in front of a large hole in a hillside.  Could this lead him to Papa?  It's a huge, huge cave filled with beings from fantasy, now and the past.  Oh!  What's this?

How did Little Bear get into a washing machine?  Who are all these creative creatures and people straight from the realm of whimsy?  Little Bear rushes toward a large red tent.  He thinks he spies Papa Bear's behind.  A crowd has gathered and is making their way toward seats.  Suddenly the lights are lowered.

Papa Bear and Little Bear are making magic with their planned and unplanned performances.  The watchers cheer and applaud as Little Bear soars higher and higher.  He flies.  He lands.  He leans.  Oh. ... This is indeed a surprise, a wonderful gift of spring.


Carefully written sentences, brimming with descriptive adjectives and verbs, place readers squarely in the bears' world.  Benjamin Chaud repeatedly asks readers questions, inviting them to turn the pages closely following Little Bear.  Punctuation asks us to pause and ponder his next move.  Here is a sample passage.

Little Bear darts through a collection of quirky clowns, costumed cats, and other curiosities until he spots something behind a great red curtain.  Isn't that Papa Bear's fuzzy brown bottom?  With three quick hops, Little Bear enters the circus tent.  What will he find?


The muted earth tones seen on the matching dust jacket and book case are used by Benjamin Chaud throughout the book.  The fine lines, multitude of details and fascinating characters are his signature style for these bear books.  To the left, on the back, a small oval image amid a golden yellow background foreshadows the surprise.  A similar hue colors the opening and closing endpapers acting as a canvas for a pattern of large white stars.  On the opening right side Baby Bear is seen flying through the air wearing a circus hat.

Beginning with the title page Chaud starts his new technique for this title.  Each two pages contain one or more cut-outs encouraging us join Little Bear.  You will marvel at their placement.  The exquisite intricacy of the elements placed in each two-page illustration will take your breath away.

One of my favorite pictures is when Little Bear goes into the hole in the hillside and enters the cave.  All the passages and little rooms are amazing.  They are filled with creatures you might expect to see; foxes, moles and a skunk.  There is a tiny yellow submarine exploring in the water.  A creature from the age of dinosaurs hangs from the ceiling as bats flit from place to place.  People from the past and present have made their homes here.  You will gasp when you spy two memorable fictional characters.


The Bear's Surprise written and illustrated by Benjamin Chaud is another stunning title in the series.  Readers of all ages will read this over and over looking for new items on every page.  At the publisher's website three more images can be viewed.  Even though this book trailer is in French you can get a closer peek at some of the pictures.  It's also interesting to see the dust jacket used for the French version.





As she did in Inside Outside and Flashlight Lizi Boyd asks us to expand our inventive nature in her newest title.  Big Bear Little Chair (Chronicle Books, October 6, 2015) is a book of concepts.  Opposites combine, two characters' lives intertwine.

Big Bear
little chair
Big Plant
little cocoon

A bird, a zebra, a butterfly, and an elephant are paired with a trick, a rock, a broom and an umbrella.  Is that a star and the moon?  Little Bear is as surprised as Big Bear to see the size of his chair.

What do an owl, a meadow, a lion, a sea, a rabbit and a forest have in common?  They are all matched with little things.  Most are normal, but one is quite extraordinary.  Ahhh....now Big Bear and Little Bear are together next to a little chair (and a big chair).

Another item has been added to the comparisons.  We read from big to little and finally to tiny.  Who's driving the little bus?  What's near the big seal?  Who's walking through the little village in the big snowstorm?  Tales are told.  There are bears in chairs too.


Lizi Boyd divides the book into four sections.  Within the first three she includes six comparisons.  The attention of readers is guaranteed with her ingenious selections.   With each page turn we wonder if we will see an owl on a branch or a zebra with a broom.


Red, white, black and gray are the only colors Lizi Boyd uses in this title.  The red is extended on the dust jacket and book case to the back on the left.  The circles used to hold the title text on the front frame pictures of an owl, an elephant and a turtle on the back.  The endpapers are done in two shades of gray, each with a different graphic design.

A variety of shapes are featured in each single page visual.  Rendered in gouache the lines range from delicate to precise.  Careful readers will notice how the expressions change on Big Bear and Little Bear as the book progresses.  Each animal showcased in the images is content and smiling.

One of my favorite pictures is for big meadow and little salamander.  The flowers in the meadow are done primarily in gray with added details in black on a white background.  The lines are extremely intricate.  Tucked in at the bottom is a small bright red salamander.

Big Bear Little Chair written and illustrated by Lizi Boyd is many things in one.  The graphic designs are impeccable.  The size and shape of the book is perfect for the intended audience.  To learn more about Lizi Boyd please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  At the publisher's website are three more interior images.  Lizi Boyd wrote a blog post at Chronicle Books about this title.  Enjoy the book trailer.

Paws-ibilities

For the past four days I've been raking leaves in the rain, sleet and snow as the winds gust about northern Michigan.  For the most part it's been sweep, gather and haul, sweep, gather and haul but yesterday as I was clearing a pile away I noticed several curled caterpillars under the layers, already taking up residence for the winter.  In that moment I realized I had probably disturbed other realms smaller than mine, tiny civilizations I should be noticing.

It's that idea of worlds within worlds or shifting our perceptions, taking down the wall of first glance and replacing it with a more transparent wall of look closer, that leads to the intriguing stories presented by three-time Caldecott Medal winner, David Wiesner.  In Mr. Wuffles! (Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcout) he dares to share his dreams, his imaginings with we fortunate readers.  Mr. Wuffles' day is out of this world.

LOOK, MR. WUFFLES,
A NEW TOY!
OH, MR. WUFFLES!

Mr. Wuffles is a cat with an impressive attitude.  His home is littered with new toys, none of which seem to interest him in the slightest.  As he saunters among these treasures gathered by his human, attentive readers will notice one without a price tag.  At first glance (yes, first glance) it appears to be some kind of tea leaf strainer.

Upon closer inspection, zooming in, we see it is a vehicle filled with five tiny inhabitants, green-skinned, large eyes in small egg-shaped heads, wearing long belted garments similar to dresses.  Amid their celebrating, two huge eyes fill their large window.  Mr. Wuffles has doubled back, noticing these beings.

In typical feline fashion he begins to bat it around, carrying it, trying to open it and then abandoning it for the moment.  Inside, the passengers feel like storm-tossed, shipwrecked sailors; their equipment, necessary for operation, suffering damage.  With no other option, they leave the safety of their craft seeking repairs.

The wily Mr. Wuffles spies them sneaking away, gets closer, and lifts a paw for the destructive swat.  When zipping through the air is a rescuer for the frantic folk.  Racing to the closest shelter, they scurry beneath a heating radiator, then through a hole in the wall.  This is a David Wiesner book; this hole is no ordinary hole.

On the walls are drawings, like the prehistoric cave paintings discovered throughout the world, depicting battles with the cat, battles between ants, mice and ladybugs.  As conversations begin, information and food is exchanged among the ants, ladybug and alien beings.  Mr. Wuffles, nose pointed toward the radiator, is staring like the Spinx.

Inside, materials are assembled, repairs are made and a strategy is formed.  Working together the teeny creatures attempt to thwart Mr. Wuffles' advances.  Success will mean all can return to their respective homes.  Success will mean Mr. Wuffles will be stationed in front of the radiator waiting, watching and wondering.


Only four phrases in English are used in this title, enclosed in speech bubbles; his human is speaking to Mr. Wuffles. Speech bubbles are likewise inventively shown when the aliens are communicating with the ants and ladybug.  The difference is readers will have to decipher the symbols signifying words by the extraterrestrials.  The bug babble is another mystery altogether.


 Without their knowing David Wiesner is preparing readers for a journey into the land of possibilities with the design and layout of his jacket and cover.  His front jacket highlights the steely stare of Mr. Wuffles among his toys with the colorful raised title letters above him.  The tiny ladybug flying in the corner is a hint of things to come.  On the back of the jacket the wallpaper changes patterns but continues with the same color palette.  We are closer to the ladybug and its shadow as a partial shadow of Mr. Wuffles is shown in the upper corner.  The real surprise to first time readers is the cover; a glossy spread of the cosmos.  It's a study in contrasts; the black and white of Mr. Wuffles set among the many colors and the warm homey scene of the jacket compared to the shine of outer space on the cover.

Through a series of panels per page, double and single page spreads edge to edge, including the verso and title page, using watercolor and India ink, Wiesner tells this tale in definitive, wordless detail. Pacing and tension are superbly portrayed in the size and frequency of his visuals.  The true to life gestures, movements and expressions on all the characters will make believers out of readers by the final page turn.  To delineate between the rooms with Mr. Wuffles and inside the hole, the panels are framed differently; white space represents outside the hole, thin black lines convey the darker area behind the walls.  One of my favorite illustrations is a close-up of Mr. Wuffles staring intently at the spaceship which is emitting alien language sounds.


Mr. Wuffles! written and illustrated by David Wiesner is a purr-fect piece of storytelling; a pictorial adventure, a close encounter of the best kind.  Every reading will reveal new details and evoke fresh grins at the gentle humor.  This nearly wordless masterpiece has been placed on our Mock Caldecott list.

To obtain more information about David Wiesner, his work and his books, follow the links embedded in his names above to two different websites.  This link is to a five question interview at The Horn Book.  For a short teacher's guide created by the publisher about this title and others follow this link.  Enjoy the official book trailer and David Wiesner speaking about this book below.