Revelations From The Woods

Each time we step into the woods, regardless if the trail is known and well-traveled or barely visible and new, we can never totally predict what we will encounter.  We are never sure what may happen during those encounters.  The wild is full of surprises.

It's this unknown that sends shivers of anticipation or unease through the minds and hearts of those who enter the forest.  If you happen to be the latter kind of individual, with a bundle of other things you fear, going into the woods is the last thing you want to do.  Author illustrator Matthew Cordell shows us bravery can come when we least expect it in his new title, Evergreen (A Feiwel and Friends Book, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, February 7, 2023).  This squirrel's trek represents the special turning point when bravery sets us free to enjoy the best kind of adventure our world has to offer.

PART ONE

Magic Soup

Deep in Buckthorn Forest, at the

northernmost edge of Burr Valley high in the

tallest red oak tree, behind the closed curtain of a

bedroom window, hid a squirrel named Evergreen.

As soon as Evergreen hears her Mama utter three familiar words, her timid heart sinks.  Her mother has more faith in her abilities than she does.  Mama wants her to take soup to a very sick Granny Oak who lives in the opposite corner of Buckthorn Forest.  Evergreen has never been in the woods alone.

One of the things Evergreen fears more than anything else is thunderstorms.  Every sound she hears in the forest gives her pause, but so far no thunderstorms.  A sudden terrifying sound leads Evergreen to a white rabbit trapped between two heavy rocks.  The rabbit is naturally panicked thinking about hawks.  Swallowing her own panic, Evergreen and the bunny, Briar, move the stones.

How does Briar repay Evergreen?  That wily rascal steals the soup, but before Briar can vanish a hawk swoops from the sky.  Does the hawk get Briar?  Does Evergreen get the soup back? (Now would be a great time to recall the Aesop fable, The Lion and the Mouse.)

With Ember airborne again, Evergreen grasps the soup-filled acorn and starts to continue her travels when a bone-chilling sound pierces the air.  An elder and his great-grandson are in need of her assistance.  As she has done several times today, Evergreen places the anguish of another ahead of her own.  With this feat, she surprises herself again.  As she makes her way toward Granny Oak's home, she repeatedly finds herself facing friends and foes.  So far, she has not spilled a single drop of soup!

GRRROOOAAARRR!

What is a squirrel who is definitely scared of her own shadow supposed to do upon hearing a sound like that?  After this day's adventure, there is only one thing for her to do.  Granny Oak needs the soup now. Upon returning home, she has no sooner hung up her shawl, when she hears Mama utter those same three words.  Evergreen answers her mother's request with much more confidence this time, but . . . Yikes!  Is that sound what she thinks it is?

Told in six sections, author Matthew Cordell uses the four middle parts to introduce us to forest characters whose expected personality traits offer unforeseen results; an enemy can be a friend, a friend can be a thief and a granny can be downright startling.  Narrative and dialogue are deftly woven together to accurately describe a particular place, create tension-filled moments and astonishing twists and fashion a cast of memorable characters.  Another thing Matthew Cordell does with each of these parts is to demonstrate how courage replaces dread when a being's heart has been supported with and filled with love.  Mama makes more than magical soup.  Here is a passage.

The first two stones were easy to step across.  And the next one, too.  But the next

stone was a big hop away.

Hop!  She made it! The next stone was an even bigger hop.  HOP! SLIP!

When readers look at the right side, front, of the open jacket, there is no doubt that squirrel is afraid.  Framed by forest fauna and a vine, we can see anxiety etched in every line of her body and in her wide-eyed look.  What has her so frightened?  The title text is varnished.

As we move our eyes over the spine to the back, left side, we see more framing with intricate woodland vines and leaves before we look carefully at the circular image of Evergreen and Mama.  They are seated in their home, spooning steaming soup into their mouths.  Their eyes are closed in contemplation.  (It is on the front and back of the jacket that only the most careful of readers can see the clever addition Matthew Cordell adds to specific images throughout this book.  Oh, how I loved this when I discovered it.  Thank you, Matthew!)

Across the entire book case is a bird's-eye view of Buckthorn Forest.  This map shows fourteen labeled places amid trees, fields, hills, a mountain, a pond and a stream.  The compass rose is a centered acorn with branches separating each of the directions.

On the opening and closing endpapers is a soft, grass green shade.  A large full-page image bordered in vine announces each part.  The illustrations vary in size to complement the text and supply readers with a stronger sense of pacing.  The artwork as a whole provides an intimate experience bursting with emotion.  (There is one heart-stopping double-page visual with only a sound and another double-page picture that accompanies shocking text.)

Rendered

with a 005 Micron pen and painted with watercolors,

the illustrations invite readers to pause and notice the elements within each one.  The fine lines create floral details in Evergreen and Mama's home, notable expressions on the characters' faces and their physical portraits, and in the depiction of Buckthorn Forest.  Sometimes a scene is shown to us in a panoramic view and other times we are so close to the action, we are there.

One of my favorite illustrations of many is a single-page picture.  It captures every small creature's fears as it capture's Evergreen's terror.  The image is framed in a leafy vine.  The background is a field edged with trees along the top.  Coming from the top of the frame are two feet with hooked talons belonging to Ember.  The one on the right is just the open talons.  The one on the left is more of the foot and talons.  These talons grasp Evergreen, barely holding on to the soup-filled acorn.  Her mouth is open in a scream.  This is the second illustration certain to induce gasps from readers, if not shouts of Evergreen!

When you finish reading Evergreen written and illustrated by Matthew Cordell, you will go back to the beginning and read it again.  With every reading something new will present itself to you in either the text or the artwork.  And as you read it, you will wonder how he selected the names for his characters and the points on his map of Buckthorn Forest.  Trust me when I say, people will be reading this title for generations to come.  Be sure to have at least one or more copies in your professional and personal collections.

To discover more about Matthew Cordell and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website or visit his Facebook and Instagram accounts.  At the publisher's website, you can view interior pages.

Finding Fearlessness

Fear always finds a way to wiggle into our lives.  Most of us have one thing that escapes our bravery.  Some fears seem as though they've been a part of us from the beginning.  Other worries are sneakier.  Seemingly, all of a sudden, what we once did without a thought, we now avoid.

Sometimes those things we dread, old and new, are vanquished.  The answer to dispelling them may be closer than we can know.  Courage Hats (Chronicle Books, March 22, 2022) written by Kate Hoefler with illustrations by Jessixa Bagley follows two individuals as they face fear in their own, but same, unique manner. 

Not everyone loves a train.

That's the world.

Even though trains are not a favorite mode of travel, sometimes you have to ride one to get where you are going.  Mae, a little girl, did not want to ride a train.  Bear, a younger bear, did not want to ride a train.  Mae did not want to go through forests where bears lived.  Bear did not want to go where people resided in the cities.

Mae and Bear decide to make their own courage.  They make hats to wear.  Mae's hat makes her look like a bear.  Bear's hat makes him look like a person.

Bear and Mae find each other on the train.  Bear looks like a grown-up human and Mae looks like a cub.  Each is comfortable with the other one.

They play with Mae's tea set.  They eat Bear's snacks.  Every moment they spend together sharing what they see from the train windows expands their view of the world in the forest and the city.  At their destination, several surprises are revealed.

The simple sentences penned by Kate Hoefler resonate with truth.  The use of identical words in different order supply readers with the similarity between the girl and the bear.  The repetition of phrases uttered by each with small word changes further binds the duo.  Each faces their fear by discovering togetherness eases that worry.  The cadence provided by Kate Hoefler's words is not unlike that of a train moving down the tracks.  Here is a passage.

No matter how you feel about a train,

someone else feels the same way.

You're lucky if that someone has a blanket and snack.

When you open the dust jacket, the design of the sides of the train extends flap edge to flap edge.  The train windows continue on the back, with the only break being the spine.  Bear is not the only animal riding the rails.  To the left of the spine, on the back, a wild boar is reading a book opposite a human male passenger.  A male deer with antlers is seated opposite the writer we see on the front, right side, of the jacket.  Truthfully, Bear and Mae wearing their hats and smiling as they watch the world pass outside the train is pure happiness.

On the book case, the train design is used again.  On the front, right side, we see Bear walking to the left as does Mae seen through another window.  On the back, three bunnies are looking outside as another person writes.  In the final portion of a window, on the left, a bear wearing a hat is resting.

The opening endpapers in purple with white polka-dots is the same pattern on Mae's headband.  On the closing endpapers, in lavender with white polka-dots, we see the same markings as on Bear's blanket.  On the verso and dedication page, we are looking at the top portion of Bear and Mae in their hats along the bottom of the page.

Illustrator Jessixa Bagley used

graphite and watercolor

to render these pictures.  Each page turn presents readers with a double-page or single-page image, edge to edge, or a single-page visual in a circular shape with elements outside the frame.  In several illustrations, Jessixa Bagley alters her perspective giving us a bird-eye view outside and inside the train.  There are also several wordless images, a group of four smaller pictures, a double-page image, and a single-page illustration.  These are wonderful dramatic pauses.

The textures in each illustration are soft and inviting.  The full-color pictures are full of fine lines and delicate details.  Readers are certain to enjoy the variety of expressions on the faces of Mae and Bear.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a double-page picture.  In the foreground, close to us, are the backs of Bear's and Mae's heads, hands and paws resting on the window sills, as they watch the world outside the train. (They are still wearing their hats.) It is a pastoral landscape with rolling hills in shades of green, golden yellow, and brown.  Birds fly in both directions across a pale blue sky.

We are reminded in this book, Courage Hats written by Kate Hoefler with artwork by Jessixa Bagley, there is usually someone needing the same kind of bravery we are seeking.  The rhythmic words, at times lyrical observations, paired with the wonderful drawings and paintings will find a permanent place in many readers' hearts.  You will want to place a copy of this book in both your personal and professional collections.

Author Kate Hoefler has an account on Instagram.  To learn more about Jessixa Bagley and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Jessixa Bagley has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  This book is highlighted by librarian and writer John Sch on his blog, Watch. Connect. Read.  You will love his conversation with both Kate Hoefler and Jessixa Bagley.  Author, reviewer, and blogger, Julie Danielson features this book on her blog, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  Kate Hoefler is interviewed about this book on Max's Boat.  At the publisher's website, you can see more interior images.

At times, overwhelmed, we decide to walk away from a challenge.  It is easier and more favorable than an uncertain outcome.  We believe we are not what is expected of us.  In their collaboration, Mac Barnett & Marla Frazee Present The Great Zapfino (Beach Lane Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, April 5, 2022), this duo encourages us to take a leap (literally) of faith in our abilities.

Behold:

THE GREAT

ZAPFINO!  

A ringmaster announces the death-defying deed The Great Zapfino is about to perform.  Climbing a ladder to a platform ten stories in the air, this man will leap and land on a small trampoline.  The audience barely breathes watching Zapfino climb the ladder.

Zapfino, clad in striped clothing and wearing a cape, stands on the edge of the diving board.  He stands there and stands there.  He does not leap.  He climbs back down and runs far and fast from the circus.  He boards a plane and flies to a new seaside city.  There, he takes a job in a tall building as the elevator operator.

Zapfino is good at his job, chatting with people and making friends to and from each floor.  At night, he enjoys in his small room a meal of toast before looking out his window from the top floor.  Day in and day out, he finds himself loving his job and his simple afternoons and evenings.

One late afternoon, he falls asleep before taking the toast out of the toaster.  It catches on fire, filling his room with smoke.  He knows the only way to avoid disaster is through his window.  The fire department has arrived.  Below, the firepeople hold a small trampoline.  We have come full circle.

Behold!

This narrative conceived by Mac Barnett is as stunning as the described and realized feat of Zapfino.  The majority of the text is found in the ringmaster's introduction of this circus performer prior to his 

LEAP for LIFE.

This introduction allows us to see what potential is within Zapfino, waiting to be released.  Two other times the word Zapfino appears alone and then along with the single word which asks us to pause and observe.  Here is a single sentence from the ringmaster's opening.

Zapfino will dodge peril

and brave calamity in an impossible

feat of derring-do!

Beginning on the matching and open dust jacket and book case, the artwork

rendered in black Primacolor pencil on Dura-Lar matte film

for all the images in this title by Marla Frazee is a fantastic feast for our minds and hearts.  The billowing curtain proclaiming The Great Zapfino is pulled aside by a man who is unsure of his greatness.  On the front the text is raised to the touch.  On the back, on a soft white background, is Zapfino walking toward an as-yet-unknown destination.  He is carrying a box that appears to hold a toaster.  In the other hand, he holds a bag of bread.  His cape with the large "Z" floats behind him.

The opening and closing endpapers are a matte black finish.  On the title page, Zapfino stands before the circus tent opening.  Above the opening is the title text and the author and illustrator names.

With every page turn, we find scenes in various perspectives in the signature style of Marla Frazee.  A small Zapfino walks into the enormous tent.  As he climbs higher on the ladder, the trampoline, ringmaster and audience get smaller and smaller.   In the first depiction of him on the end of the diving board, the last sentence is read.  This is the moment of Zapfino's decision.  This is the moment the wordless images of Marla Frazee tell a impressive pictorial story.

For his thinking about whether to leap or not there is a series of six small pictures.  In the last one, the facial expression of Zapfino really does speak volumes.  In each subsequent scene, we seek the figure wearing the striped suit and cape.  When he gets the position at the seaside building, his garb during work hours changes.  

To show his success as an elevator operator, nine small illustrations on a single page portray the interior of the elevator and the array of people Zapfino services.  Exquisite details depict the inside of his room and how his afternoons and evenings unfold.  The next time his work is presented to us, it is a series of twenty interior views of the elevator.  (No wonder he falls asleep without taking the toast out of his toaster.)  The two-page picture of smoke swirling from the window of Zapfino's room as he stands on the ledge outside his top-floor residence with all the tiny people below will take your breath away.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a single-page picture.  We are shown the top five floors of the building at night.  Stars cover the sky on the right.  The last window on the top floor has a light shining in it.  Zapfino, head up, leans out the window, enjoying the night.  He is a man at peace.

Readers of all ages, individuals and groups, will request to read Mac Barnett & Marla Frazee Present The Great Zapfino over and over again.  Each time you read it, the thrill of Zapfino's success will warm you from the top of your head to the tip of your toes.  Readers understand fear disappears when it needs to the most.  I highly recommend you place a copy of this title in your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Mac Barnett and Marla Frazee and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their respective websites.  Mac Barnett has an account on Instagram.  Marla Frazee has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  Please enjoy this interview of Marla Frazee at KidLit411.  This title is showcased at author, reviewer, and blogger Julie Danielson's Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  The interview with Marla Frazee is fabulous as are all the process pictures and artwork.  (WOW!)  This book in a conversation with Barnett and Frazee is featured on NPR Picture This.  At the publisher's website, you can view interior illustrations including the open dust jacket.

Seeking Sanctuary

This summer there is an abundance of wildlife, from the smallest to the largest.  There are biting bugs and feasting bugs.  Honeybees buzz from clover patch to clover patch.  A toad as big as my fist moves from the front gardens to the back gardens. There are several colors of swallowtails and monarchs fluttering past during the day and moths gather around lights at night. Red squirrels play tag.  The other afternoon a newly arrived resident, a chipmunk, raced from a garden to chase one of the many robins from the yard. There are chickadees, sparrows, blue jays, cardinals, brown thrashers, goldfinches, a variety of woodpeckers, crows, ravens, turkey vultures, hawks, geese, seagulls, sandhill cranes, and sometimes bluebirds.  Rabbits shelter under landscaping at night and a tiny baby bunny squeezes in and out of the chain link fence.  Before the sun lifts over the horizon, two large deer graze just beyond the yard.

To witness their presence and interactions is a thing of wonder.  If we chose to observe and understand them, animals will guide and enhance our lives.  Together We Grow (A Paula Wiseman Book, Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, May 26, 2020) written by Susan Vaught with illustrations by Kelly Murphy brings us a tale of a stormy night, and the plight of a fox family.  Sanctuary is essential for survival.

Lightning gash!
Windy lash!

Rain and thunder,
home asunder.

Flood waters rise and wash out the home of a fox family.  One member leaves to seek a dry place to shelter at a nearby barn.  Many domestic animals are in the barn with a few wild friends.  They do not want the fox family with them. 

As the fox family slowly walks from the barn, a tiny duck stands in the open, glowing doorway.  The wee bird goes into the storm and chats with the foxes as the inhabitants in the barn watch.  One by one a change is taking place.

Slowly, all inside come to realize this place, this space, is for everyone.  Fears are set aside and replaced with compassion.  All shapes, sizes and textures need a haven.

All through the night the storm rages.  All through the night sleeping animals find peace as more arrive.  In the light of a new morning, a realization and a resolution remain.


Rhyming couplets penned by Susan Vaught invite us into this narrative.  Each captivating series of phrases conveys authentic place, and time.  We are involved in every emotional moment, fear, hope, discouragement, courage, acceptance, and affection.  Here is another couplet.

Shell and scales,
love prevails!


The diverse selection of animals, domestic and wild, shown on the front of the open dust jacket signifies an unspoken agreement among this gathering.  It clearly depicts how in the worst of times, the best can and does happen.  The palette exudes warmth and affirmation.  You want to pause and name all the animals rejoicing in this portrait.  To the left, on the back, in shadowy blues of night and storm, the three kits are around their parent.  They are looking up at a snail saved by the adult.  It is resting on its nose.  A salamander is stopped on the head of one of the youngsters.  Three butterflies and a several fireflies move about them.  The title text is raised and varnished.

On the book case in two shades of blue, dark on light, are a series of various animals prints moving from left to right, back to front.  The canvas is textured.  The text on the spine is done in copper foil.

Illustrator Kelly Murphy begins her visual interpretation and extension of the narrative on the opening endpapers.  From the left, the sky is darkening, and rain falls as the animals make their way to the barn in the distance.  In the wind birds flock toward the building.  Even a frog leaps from the pond.  On the verso and title pages, a double-page picture features the raging storm, wind bending trees with leaves swirling. The barn is in the distance, light shining from the windows.  On the left, a wet and worried fox emerges from the now-flooded den.

Each double-page, or single-page picture is rendered in

acrylic paints, oil paints, and gel medium on paper.

To accentuate pacing and dramatic effect, there is a single series of four smaller images on two pages.  Exquisite details and atmospheric lighting permeate throughout the title.  The shift in perspectives from very close to the characters, to a more bird's eye view, and then a wide-angle study of a scene increases the reader's participatory feeling.  A single two-page wordless illustration is stunning.  At the end of the book, the closing endpapers herald a fresh understanding between all the animals.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is for the five-word quote above noted.  It is the same one as shown on the back of the dust jacket.  This exhibits the playful, and gentler side of foxes.  Each of the kits has a different expression on their faces, curious, contented, and amazed. The adult, holding the snail, is demonstrating how they can express the same type of kindness shown to them by the other animals in the barn.


This book, Together We Grow written by author Susan Vaught with illustrations by artist Kelly Murphy, is a welcome sensory presentation of what all living beings need to do to not only survive, but flourish.  We are indeed better together.  This title has received four starred reviews, one in Booklist, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal.  Your personal and professional collections need a copy.

To learn more about Susan Vaught and Kelly Murphy and their other work, please visit their respective websites by following the links attached to their names.  Susan Vaught has accounts on Facebook, and Twitter.  Kelly Murphy has accounts on Behance, Instagram and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view additional illustrations.

A Plot Twisted

Wherever you go there will always be those individuals who take pleasure in playing pranks on others.  These tricks range in complexity from a jump and shouted boo to an elaborate deception taking days, or even weeks, to put in motion.  Responses of the recipients of these high jinks range from reluctant admiration, irritation, discomfort, fear or to thoughts of retaliation or justice.  The bottom line, truthfully, is no one likes to be the target of another's shenanigans.

When we see antics like this in action, we have an opportunity to offer support to the unfortunate individual or individuals because, more often than not, there is a very fine line between practical jokes and bullying.  Let's Scare Bear (Holiday House, July 9, 2019), debut picture book written and illustrated by Yuko Katakawa, uses a 

a tale in the Japanese oral tradition known as rakugo

to shape an original and lively look at behavior of individuals.  It, like life, gives readers wisdom in making choices and in determining their reactions.

Manju cake!
Chewy! Sweet! A treat to eat! 

Four gathered friends, who loved manju cake, were about to enjoy this delectable delicacy, until loud noises interrupted them.  It was Bear.  This large, courageous animal of the woodland realm happened to be walking past their tree.

Mouse, who could be viewed as the opposite of Bear, in most respects, wanted to scare him.  Fox decided to scare Bear first.  The display of his teeth was nothing compared to Bear's big open mouth lined with rows of sharp pearly whites.

Spider's web and Snake's squeeze were no match for Bear's strength.  When Mouse decided to utter a boo, it sounded like a peep.  Bear couldn't help himself.  He laughed.  He turned to Mouse, Snake, Spider and Fox and told them there was only one thing which terrified him.

After their failed attempts, the companions could hardly wait to hear what scared this forest champion.  His reply and frightened reaction to hearing the words were unbelievable.  He rushed to his cave to seek shelter.  The foursome rushed back to their tree.  What they did next was precisely what Bear wanted.  By changing one letter in the word scare, Mouse, Snake, Spider and Fox could have results more favorable to everyone.


A delightful blend of narrative, dialogue and sound effects in the writing of Yuko Katakawa captivates readers from beginning to end.  The use of illuminating adjectives and expressive verbs further engages readers in the characters' exploits.  Yuko Katakawa's keen sense of humor is seen in the twist she supplies to the scare tactics of Mouse, Snake, Spider and Fox.  She makes it clear tricksters are open to being tricked in return.  Here is a passage.

"I'll go first," said Fox.

Fox flashed his
knife-sharp teeth
at Bear.

Bear flashed his knife-sharp teeth back at
Fox and laughed.


Using mixed media on all her illustrations Yuko Katakawa gives us a first look at her considerable talent with her dust jacket. (I am working with an F & G.  I don't have my personal copy yet.) Inside Bear's den we can see his umbrella carefully placed in a jar near his entrance.  We are introduced to the forest friends, Fox wearing his jacket, Mouse in overalls, Spider wrapped in her webbing and Snake wearing her glasses with a red bow on her tail.  Will careful readers see beyond Bear's pretended fear?  Will they notice the placement of his paws?  On the other side of a spine with the same pattern found on the opening and closing endpapers are three small images of the foursome.

To the left, on the back, of the dust jacket on a pale golden yellow canvas the friends are exhibiting in these illustrations three stages of emotions.  They go from glee, to despair and to exhaustion.  On the opening and closing endpapers are an intricate, tiny diamond pattern.  In each diamond is a daisy.  The shades of red, white and yellow create a sense of peace.

A half circles pattern in a light teal and white provides a background for the verso and dedication at the front and the author's note at the back.  On the title page on a white canvas Mouse is pouring tea in cups in anticipation of the sweet treats and companionship.  The heavier and matte-finished paper is ideal for the illustrative style and themes present in this story.

Each visual spans a double page or full pages.  The size contributes to the pacing and drama of the story.  Yuko Katakawa shifts her point of view for the same purposes.  We are inside the tree with the friends, farther away, then close and then farther away again before returning to close.  It's as if we are there with them.

Readers will be fascinated with the details in the illustrations.  The patterns on the tea cups, the manju cakes, the clothing worn by the characters, all of the facial expressions and body positions and the extra text found in Spider's webs heighten the narrative.  They contribute to the wonderful enchantment of this new folktale.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a double-page picture.  On a canvas of green grass along the bottom with a pale rosy sky above Bear has declared his greatest fear.  On the left, bent over and on the ground in fear is Bear.  His paws cover his face as he trembles in dread.  The four companions on the right are shocked by his announcement.  Fox, holding his tilted head, can't believe it.  Snake coiled on Fox's head is questioning this with the shape of her tongue.  Mouse falling through the air is also questioning this with the shape of his tail.  Spider and her web need answers, too.  Readers will undoubtedly laugh out loud.


As an introduction to a Japanese oral tradition, the art of storytelling, a discussion on bullying, tricksters in folktales or as a highly entertaining story, Let's Scare Bear written and illustrated by Yuko Katakawa is a marvelous selection.  This is guaranteed to be a storytime favorite no matter the age of the listener or reader.  I highly recommend this for your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Yuko Katakawa and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Yuko Katakawa has an active account on Instagram. 

Through Their Eyes

For each person entering the field of education the reasons for doing so are varied.  Some believe each generation should strive to make the world better for the next generation.  Some know creating life-long learners leads to individuals becoming the best they can be.  Others seek to be a positive influence hoping they can make a difference.

What educators quickly learn is children equal hope.  We learn as much from them as they do from us. Sometimes they have little or no say in changes affecting their lives but they in turn exhibit extraordinary resilience.  Ella & Monkey at Sea (Candlewick Press, August 7, 2018) written and illustrated by Emilie Boon gives us an intimate look at the voyage a child makes from her homeland to America.

Monkey doesn't like good-bye hugs.
He doesn't want to say good-bye to Oma.
Oma wipes away tears and hugs Mama too.

Ella is not happy about boarding the ship with her mother.  She knows they are leaving their home permanently.  Monkey agrees with Ella.

He does not like the tiny beds on the ship.  Thankfully Ella sings a special lullaby that night.  At the ship's playroom the next day, Ella and Monkey only watch.  When the Captain and waiter approach their table at dinner the companions are polite but without Oma the food, especially the fish, is not good.

Every day in the playroom Ella and Monkey do not play.  As the sea gets wilder, the friends get sadder and crankier.  Plates slide at dinner and sleeping is impossible as the ship rocks in the howling wind.  It's a hurricane!

With all activities cancelled due to the storm, Ella and Monkey use paper and crayons to replicate its ferocity in their room until a broken crayon changes the little girl's attitude.  All the new pictures are handed out to the Captain and helpers on his crew.  The sun is always shining behind the clouds and they never stay.  Ella finally remembers.


Most readers will immediately identify with Ella and her monkey.  We have survived countless times of sadness and shared great joy with a beloved stuffed toy.  Emilie Boon understands this, projecting Ella's thoughts as if they are Monkey's feelings.  Emilie's short, descriptive and direct sentences convey Ella's emotional moods perfectly.  Here are another two passages.

The hallways are empty.
The dining room is empty.
The playroom is almost empty,
and there's nothing to watch.

So we try the crayons, I scribble with angry black.
Scared gray. Cold blue. Bluer, grayer, blacker---
until my crayons snaps.


Seeing Ella with Monkey on the ship as it arrives in the harbor allows readers to become acquainted with her in all her cheerful glory.  This is Ella being resilient.  This is Ella having endured the changes and challenges on the voyage.  We can't help but fall in love with this little girl and Monkey.  All the colors on Ella radiate warmth in contrast to the pale blues of the water and sky.

To the left, on the back of the dust jacket (I'm working with an F & G.) Ella and Monkey are peering through a porthole looking worried.  They are surrounded by the light blue gray of the ship's exterior.  Emilie Boon begins her visual story on the title page.  Ella's mama, Ella and Oma, her grandmother, are walking hand in hand to the ship.

Rendered in watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, and crayon the visuals alternate between double-page illustrations and full page pictures.  On several of the full page pictures there is a liberal amount of white space used to draw our attention to the characters.  The delicate lines and intensity of the hues convey and elevate mood.  With a few lines and dots Emilie creates facial expressions brimming with emotion.

One of my many favorite illustrations is when Ella and Monkey are tucked in bed on their first night at sea.  In this picture we are brought close to them.  We can see Ella singing the song while tenderly holding her cherished stuffed toy.  In caring for Monkey she is easing her own fears.


Giving up your home, friends and family is never easy but when you leave one country for another the change is huge.  Ella & Monkey at Sea written and illustrated by Emilie Boon reveals the heart of a child making this transition.  Readers will connect with Ella and her monkey and be inspired by her courage.  I highly recommend this title for your professional and personal book collections.

To learn more about Emilie Boon and her other work please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Emilie maintains an account on Instagram and Facebook.  Emilie is interviewed by Vivian Kirkfield at Picture Books Help Kids Soar.  Emilie has a guest post at the Nerdy Book Club about this title.  At Penguin Random House and Candlewick Press you can view interior images.  Candlewick Press provides a Teacher Tip Card here.

UPDATE:  Emilie Boon is featured at KidLit 411 on January 25, 2019.

One Very Scary Night Of Fright

It's less than one week until the happy holiday night.  Pumpkins are purchased and carved into jack-o-lanterns.  Homes inside and outside are trimmed in black and orange with webs and spiders, bats and cats, witches and ghosts.  Trick-or-treaters have planned their costumes for months and finishing touches are being added.  Soon they will go door to door hoping for delicious edible goodies.

Halloween is not without the possibility of fear mixed with the fun.  Spooky tales and local legends heighten the atmosphere and anticipation.  Samurai Scarecrow: A Very Ninja Halloween (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, July 24, 2018) written and illustrated by Rubin Pingk (Samurai Santa: A Very Ninja Christmas) is about a full-moon visitor who sings an eerie nighttime melody.

"What was that old

scarecrow rhyme?"

Kashi asked her brother.

Yukio does not hesitate to recite the verses as the two of them walk past a scarecrow.  Laughing as the song ends, the siblings run not wanting to "wake up" the scarecrow.  At home everything Yukio does in preparation for Halloween, Kashi replicates.  It is frustrating for her ninja brother.

That night, Halloween night, ninja friends of Yukio arrive dressed in their costumes. Kashi can hardly wait to show everyone her disguise.  When she steps forward attired as a ninja bird just like her brother, the response of his companions is the final feather for her brother.  His words are crushing.

Kashi refuses to go with the group even after Yukio apologizes.  Five ninjas scamper off into the night.  They merrily go from place to place; their buckets getting heavier and heavier with treats.  

As they head for home a sudden loud noise stops them in their tracks.  When the origin of the sound stomps into view it's a nightmare come true.  Facing fear for the sake of someone dear leads to a heartwarming twist.

By choosing to begin the story with the scary lullaby poem, Rubin Pingk grabs readers' attention immediately.  Throughout the tale he employs the storytelling technique of using three to supply us with a captivating cadence.  The mix of narrative and conversations invites us further into this Halloween night to remember.  Here is a passage.

Kashi wanted to be a NINJA too.

She couldn't wait to start Ninjagarten.

"What is your 

favorite NINJA

weapon?"     

"Have you 

ever met a

SAMURAI?"

"How far can

you throw a 

NINJA star?"

She asked A LOT of questions,

and Yukio needed a break.

On the opened and matching dust jacket and book case a scene of a trick-or-treat night fright unfolding is displayed from the left edge to right edge.  There is no doubt in the readers' minds the ninjas are fleeing from their greatest fear.  To the left across the spine we move toward the top of the hill.  A cloud provides a backdrop for dark, leafless trees, scattered pumpkins and a lone crow.  Rubin Pingk introduces us to his limited but highly effective color palette on the jacket and case.

The opening and closing endpapers feature enlarged Halloween treats decorated with a jack-o-lantern grin, a ghostly smile and a flying bat.  On the first set the right side becomes the title page.  Digitally rendered the illustrations convey a wonderfully proper atmosphere.  

Red autumn leaves flutter on nearly every page creating a flow as do the pumpkins and darkened trees reaching like giant fingers. White becomes an important element in most of the images as the background.  Rubin Pingk alternates between double-page pictures and full-page visuals.  He shifts the perspective, also, to elevate the pacing.  At one very important point, three panels spanning two pages bring us very close to the characters.  Careful readers will appreciate his attention to detail; the designs on the trick-or-treaters' buckets, the presence of the crow, the silhouetted shadows in windows and lights in the jack-o-lanterns as nighttime comes.  

One of my many favorite illustrations is a large inset in a double-page picture.  The five ninjas are going home after a night a trick-or-treating.  On the right framed with two trees and a white branch and leaf border the five have paused.  The word 

CRACK!

is inserted on the page.  The expressions on their faces are sheer dread due to the unknown source of the sound.  They are already imagining what it could be.  This illustration is pure perfection for what the page turn reveals. 

If you are looking for a new holiday read for Halloween, Samurai Scarecrow: A Very Ninja Halloween written and illustrated by Rubin Pingk is loaded with excitement and thrills.  Everything builds, layer by layer, to the surprising conclusion.  This story also addresses sibling relationships and what makes them stronger.  This is an excellent addition for your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Rubin Pingk and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  Rubin maintains accounts on Twitter and Instagram.  To view interior illustrations please take a few moments to visit the publisher's website.  Rubin was recently interviewed by writer and illustrator Jenna Benton.  You will enjoy their conversation.    

Taking Wing . . .

We were traveling from northern Michigan back downstate to our homes.  The views from the two-seat airplane were spectacular.  Riding with a pilot known for his excellent flying abilities provided a sense of safety until . . . he did a loop-de-loop. YIKES!  Who knew your legs could turn into cooked noodles in a matter of seconds.  For a girl with no fear of heights, this was an epic moment.

Safely back on the runway at a nearby small town airport, my self-assurance at being above ground was shattered and replaced with unease. There were times in the following years when this was set aside to help others with a greater fear than mine or when a foot of snow needed to be shoveled off a roof.  The confidence and courage were still present but the distress at being up was stronger.  Little Iffy Learns To Fly (Two Lions, October 17, 2017) written and illustrated by Aaron Zenz is certain to strike a chord with anyone fearful of taking the first step (or flap) in realizing their full potential. 

Little Iffy is a bitty griffin.

       Griffins are part lion   
       and part eagle.

The eagle part of Little Iffy prefers to have both feet planted on the ground.  The slightest sound startles this gentle soul.  As he watches his red balloon drift away, he knows he won't fly.  He knows he won't go up to get it.

Down is Little Iffy's favorite word.  Down feels safe.  Down is rock solid.

Little Iffy's friends have other ideas.  They want him to fly.  Eggs Pegasus is full of plans.  It's one of her best qualities.  A swing set, a long slide and a tower of friends are essential to possible success.  With each suggestion Little Iffy has the same reply.  He finally sits at

the down-est 
place he can find. 

Suddenly, through no part of any plan, Little Iffy is in the up-est place he was avoiding.  Grabbing hold of that which he lost, an earlier fright places him in even greater jeopardy.  Down takes on a whole new meaning.  So does up.


The simple sentences in the narrative and conversations penned by Aaron Zenz leave no doubt as to Little Iffy's whole attitude on flying.  With a few more page turns we are also aware of the support Little Iffy has in his group of friends.  They recognize his fear but offer encouragement whenever they can.

A repetition of key words and phrases welcomes reader participation.  Aaron interjects humor in the unexpected element during the last of three plans.  It's guaranteed to trigger laughter.


Upon opening the book case the scene on the front extends over the spine to the left on the back.  Little Iffy's three additional friends are smiling and talking as they lean in from the left edge.  Clearly Eggs Pegasus wants her friend to fly but he's certainly not ready.  His fearful look is in direct contrast to the expressions on his friends' faces.  The cheerful pastel colors on the case are found throughout the title.  A rich purple covers the opening and closing endpapers.

Digitally rendered the illustrations begin to tell their story on the title page with a happy Little Iffy holding a red balloon.  Aaron alters the picture sizes from two pages to single pages to assist with the pacing of his narrative.  A crisp white, pale blue or pale yellow background is perfect to draw our attention to his characters.

Readers will readily identify with Little Iffy.  I'll bet younger gals and guys have been in many of the shown body postures at one time or another.  What's really wonderful is the way Aaron uses a balloon and bee several times to enhance his story.

One of my favorite of many illustrations is when the unplanned element is introduced into the story.  As our eyes move from left to right, even before seeing what happens to Little Iffy, we know a huge surprise is coming. The looks on the three friends' faces are anything but happy.  Aaron Zenz cleverly leaves it to readers to guess what Little Iffy is thinking and feeling.


Little Iffy Learns To Fly written and illustrated by Aaron Zenz expresses with utter charm the joy found when we do the thing we think we can't do.  Young readers are going to want to hear this story read to them repeatedly.  And you will gladly comply.  You will want to have a copy on your professional and personal shelves.

To discover more about Aaron Zenz and his other work, please visit his website by following the link attached to his name. Aaron maintains an Instagram account filled with his delightful artwork.  Aaron wrote a guest post for the Nerdy Book Club, The Family Who Reads.  School Library Journal hosts The Yarn podcast when Aaron visited Travis Jonker's school for an author visit, Anatomy of an Author Visit with Aaron Zenz.  Author and educator extraordinaire, Colby Sharp, showcases Aaron at one of his 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 interviews on SHARPREAD.  Aaron visits All The Wonders, Episode 280 with librarian Matthew Winner.  I know you will enjoy reading about Aaron's spectacular project at Artprize.


Be sure to visit the other stops on this blog tour.  You'll read some fantastic interviews, book reviews and get to see loads of artwork in the process of creating this book.  Have fun!

Monday December 4: Mile High Reading
Tuesday December 5: Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
Wednesday December 6:  100 Scope Notes
Thursday December 7:  Everead
Friday December 8:  Librarian's Quest
Saturday December 9: Amanda's Pile of Books
Sunday December 10:  Kids Talk Kid Lit
Tuesday December 19:  Nerdy Book Club
Monday January 1: Picturebooking Podcast

A Conversation with Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White

Authors Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White, known for middle grade books The Pirate Who’s Afraid of Everything (Shivers! Volume 1),  The Pirate Who’s Back in Bunny Slippers (Shivers! Volume 2)  and the upcoming Time Tracers: The Stolen Summers to be released in May, 2018, are starring in a new web video series, The Truth About Libraries.  As you can see when you watch the video below, Connor has a lot to learn about libraries and Annabeth is just the person to guide him in making the right discoveries.  Annabeth’s calm, quiet, and confident presence in contrast to Connor’s overly exuberant, loud and skeptical personality provide viewers with an engaging blend of comedy and information.

If you’re like me after watching this first episode I had some questions I wanted to ask Annabeth and Connor.  Fortunately, they agreed to chat with me here at Librarian’s Quest.  I’ve got pizza dough rising and the sauce simmering, so I’m hoping we can all sit down and have lunch together.  If they bring their pug, I know Mulan will enjoy romping around the yard with her.

It’s a pleasure to meet you Annabeth and Connor.  

Connor: Thank you for having us and for that incredibly kind introduction. Maybe you could come with us everywhere we go and introduce us like that?

From reading your bios at your website you are both graduates of Northwestern University.  What were your areas of study?

Annabeth: We both studied Theater and I got a certificate in Creative Writing for the Media.

Connor: I also got a certificate, but it was for Most Pizza Consumed. I printed it myself and hung it on my wall.

In addition to authoring children’s books you both work with Story Pirates located in Los Angeles.  What can you tell us about your roles in the organization?  Were you part of the founding group in 2004?

AB: We weren’t part of the founding group, though Connor has been with the company since graduating college in ‘09. I became a teaching artist for the company in 2014.

C: I was originally cast in the New York branch and when we moved to Los Angeles, I became a national tour director and the Associate Education Director for the LA branch of Story Pirates. Through Story Pirates, we have worked with thousands of elementary students in California, teaching them creative writing and then turning their stories into sketch comedy musicals.

AB: If there is a better company to work for, we haven’t heard of it!

What prompted the two of you to make the web video series, The Truth About Libraries?

AB: Since our book Shivers! The Pirate Who’s Afraid of Everything came out, we’ve been fortunate enough to travel to schools all over the country, using comedy to promote literacy. Along the way, we've witnessed firsthand how incredible and unique every library is.

C: We wanted to showcase all of the cool stuff about the library that kids may not know about. Plus, we’ve met so many wild and wonderful librarians, we thought the world deserved to know them!

I enjoy in the first episode how you focus on the aspects of the materials being free, the adult staff being welcoming and well-read and the existence of story time.  So often those of us who have been in the field awhile, tend to take these things for granted but when you point them out in the video, they are pretty amazing.  Can you give us a hint of things to come?  How many episodes are you planning?

AB: Well, to be honest, Connor was pretty taken aback when he learned that libraries existed earlier this year…

C: An endless trove of great books and fun community events...all for free?? Could it really be true?

AB: We’ve completed four episodes of The Truth About Libraries, with more on the way in early 2018. In the first season, we learn that there’s more to the library than we could have imagined.

C: Including Ukuleles and a book bike that brings the library out to the streets of LA!

AB: At the end of the season, Connor finally takes the plunge and attempts to sign up for his very own library card. But does he get it? Does he even remember his full name? You’ll have to watch to find out!

Is a script written before filming begins?  Do you do the filming or do you have a cameraperson?  Do you do your own editing?  Can you describe the process?

AB: We write an outline of each episode, but we really leave it to the librarians to guide us. After  all, they are the ones who know why each library is so uniquely awesome. We’ve bribed some generous friends who have helped us with camerawork and editing.

C: But overall, it’s a pretty low tech operation. We shoot on our phones and Annabeth does most of the editing. I’m no help; I don’t even know how to how set my alarm. Fortunately, a really loud bird lives right outside my window.

On a completely personal note, I am confident my readers might like to know:

What do you enjoy most about living in Los Angeles?

AB: We’re fortunate to have a lot of great friends here who are writers, actors, and comedians - so there’s never a dull moment.

C: In the summer, we like to cram our pug and our friends into the car and hit the beach. And in the winter, we like to wear heavy coats and pretend it’s cold. Pizza is a year-round thing for us.

What are your favorite memories of libraries?

C: Storytime! I loved storytime with my elementary librarian, Mrs. Jewels. It felt like daydreaming but for the whole class. Last year, Shivers! was the most checked out book at my elementary school. Learning that was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.

AB: I spent a ton of time in the library in elementary school. My best friend and I had a book club… well, we were the only members, but we did recommend lots of books to each other! I remember we loved Half Magic by Edward Eager. We talked about that one for weeks.

Do you have a favorite children’s book?  What are you reading now?

C: My favorite children’s book is Don’t Bump the Glump by Shel Silverstein. I’ve always been inspired by the inventiveness and wordplay in all of Shel Silverstein’s books.

AB: I’ve got to go with Matilda by Roald Dahl. A girl who loves reading and moves things with her mind? Sign me up!

C: Right now, we’re reading Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky and Holes by Louis Sachar. They’re basically the same book.

How long have you had your pug? What is her name?

AB: Our pug’s name is Agador but everyone calls her Aggie. We’ve had her for over five years.

C: 39 dog years to be exact! She snores while she sleeps, which is most of the day. She has a whimsical mysticism about her and is a real source of inspiration. We are big fans.

I am happy both Annabeth and Connor were able to chat with me today.  I’ve gotten a huge dose of laughter, certain to last for several days.  I can hardly wait to see what the next episode of The Truth About Libraries will bring to viewers.

If you want to know more about Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White you can access their website here.

You can also follow them on Facebook or Twitter (@ABandConnor) or follow them around in person if you live in LA!