Of Words And Running Amok

It all begins with an acorn.  At any given time during the year, some months more than others, acorns fall.  The ground is apt to be carpeted with them.  You can silently stand in the forest, listening to their soft plunking.  How else do they make their way into the dirt and grow into mighty oaks?

In the realm of folklore there is a tale told of an acorn and a chicken.  The fowl goes by the name of Henny Penny, Chicken Licken, or Chicken Little.  It is a story with alternate versions, endings and meanings.  Recently a rousing rendition of the narrative emerged, rising above other variants.  Chicken Little The Real And Totally True Tale (Scholastic Press, May 5, 2020) written and illustrated by Sam Wedelich depicts a chicken with a mind of her own, unwilling to bend to expected norms.

WHO ARE YOU CALLING LITTLE?
I am NOT LITTLE!
I am PETITE!

Chicken Little continues her assessment of the term little by further defining the implications of its use.  She emphatically claims her lack of fear of anything.  As she concludes her monologue, something falls sharply on top of her head with a loud, resounding

BONK!

As might be expected, she issues a questioning exclamation and hides.  In a few moments, she appears and begins to investigate.  What hit her head? She is looking for a logical reason.  As her mind wanders, she wonders if the sky itself is falling.

She approaches the sky and starts a conversation.  The sky denies it's falling even when Chicken Little offers examples of things that descend from the sky.  Still on her ladder and chatting with the sky, a chicken friend walks past her.  Replying to the friend's question, Chicken Little inadvertently alarms the other chicken.

This chicken races back to the coop with impossible but believed news.  All occupants begin to run around willy-nilly with cries of

THE SKY IS FALLING!

Chicken Little tries her hardest to present facts, but they reject her pleas.  When they announce their desire to cut the fence and flee, she has no choice.  With the use of her trusty ladder and a megaphone, sense is shouted at the gathered barnyard birds.  This leads to more anxious attention, but ultimately proves a previous point made by the petite poultry.


When Chicken Little's words start on the title page, we know this is going to be an extraordinary story.  Sam Wedelich gives her character courage to speak her truth and to seek it as well.  Using a mix of first-person narrative, dialogue and connecting text, laden with humorous language and bits of alliteration, a tale unfolds with complete exhilaration from beginning to end.  Here is a passage.

Chicken Little tried to
corral them into the coop so
she could explain.

But the chickens refused to
be caged.

We're Free-Range!


We are introduced to the highly engaging, limited color palette on the front of the book case.  Look at Chicken Little in her red boots and large, round-rimmed red glasses with just a bit of red on her head.  This petite gal is a no-nonsense force in search of a profound position.  Chicken Little and the main title text are varnished.  To the left, on the back, readers are presented with information usually found on the front and back flaps of a dust jacket.  Here, too, like the front, we are welcomed with Sam Wedelich's special brand of humor via a checklist.  Chicken Little speaks to us after we read the list.  You will undoubtedly laugh out loud.

On the opening and closing endpapers is a pattern created in two shades of golden yellow.  There are acorns and bandages and Chicken Little in a variety of positions during different activities.  On the title page is a presentation similar to the front of the book case, but this time Chicken Little is speaking in protest with her hands, wings, on her hips.

The illustrations by Sam Wedelich rendered digitally are highly animated and playful.  White space is used to great effect.  All the lettering is done by hand by Sam Wedelich.  When Chicken Little speaks it is shown in golden speech bubbles with white lettering.

Most of the images of Chicken Little bring the reader close to the situation and the characters.  At first when Chicken Little is on the ladder speaking to the sky, she is wearing a clear helmet covering her entire head.  She is taking no chances on getting bonked again.  Every layout and its elements are designed to enhance the text and elevate the comedy and the message.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is on a single page.  Chicken Little is trying to rationalize whether the sky is falling.  She has just stated it to be ridiculous, but on this page, she questions that thinking

Or is it?

She is standing in her little red boots and wearing her red, round-rimmed glasses.  Her hands are placed on either side of her face.  Her eyes are wide open with worry.  Her beak is wide open also.  This is a picture of supreme anxiety.


In this portrayal of a timeless classic Chicken Little The Real and Totally True Tale written and illustrated by Sam Wedelich, we are treated to a delightfully fresh depiction of what can happen when we fail to verify facts and run with unsubstantiated conclusions.  For a lively story time pair this with Chicken Little by Rebecca Emberley and Ed Emberley, Chicken Big by Keith Graves and Brave Chicken Little by Robert Byrd.  I highly recommend this title for your professional and personal collections.  We need this petite personality with her positive outlook and the laughter this book brings to readers.

To learn more about Sam Wedelich and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Sam Wedelich has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  Sam Wedelich is featured at author Tara Lazar's Writing For Kids (While Raising Them) and KidLit411.  Sam Wedelich reads this title during a Scholastic Facebook Live event.  She is one of the guests at Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries John Schumacher's weekly Book Joy Live event on Facebook. Enjoy the book trailer/author video!

Thanksgiving Treasures-Tradition #7

No two holiday celebrations are ever alike.  Despite all our planning, sometimes life has a way of taking control. Weather, health and just plain goofy happenings can change everything within hours, minutes or seconds.  

This year two entirely different books, with older release dates, were used as expressions of gratitude when reading aloud with students.  The six previous posts, Thanksgiving Treasures-Tradition, Thanksgiving Treasures-Tradition #2, Thanksgiving Treasures-Tradition #3, Thanksgiving Treasures-Tradition #4, Thanksgiving Treasures-Tradition #5, and Thanksgiving Treasures-Tradition #6, have served to ask us not only what this holiday means to us, but the value of each and every day.

It Could Always Be Worse: A Yiddish folk tale (Farrar Straus Giroux, 1976) retold and with pictures by Margot Zemach (a Caldecott Medalist for Duffy and the Devil: a Cornish tale and a Caldecott Honor winner for The Judge:  An Untrue Tale and for this title) examines the life of a man believing he has reached his limits.  To clarify, he lived in one room with his mother, wife and their six children.  The crowded conditions were very hard on everyone.  Quarreling and crying were daily occurrences.  It was even worse in the winter.

One day he sought the advice of the Rabbi.  The man was desperate for a solution, agreeing to do whatever the Rabbi suggested to lessen the noise.  The first thing the Rabbi did was to ask the man if he had any animals, any fowl. The man's reply prompted the Rabbi to tell him to bring the chickens, rooster and goose into his home.

As you can imagine now on top of the quarreling and crying there was honking, crowing and clucking.  Unable to bear the commotion any longer, the man visited the Rabbi again.  The wise man's next question, the man's reply and the Rabbi's recommendation were puzzling to the man but he did it.

The ruckus was much worse.  On his third visit to the Rabbi, the man was dumbfounded with his guidance but he reluctantly did it.  Now the poor man had crying, quarreling, honking, clucking, crowing, wild butting and massive trampling. Nearly out of his mind, he went to the Rabbi for his fourth visit.  Thrilled with the Rabbi's wonderful words, he ran home and did exactly as the Rabbi encouraged him to do.  Did the man go back to the Rabbi again?  He did.  The gift of family is a rare gift indeed.

In her retelling of this tale Margot Zemach creates a storytelling cadence with the repetition of key phrases as each episode is recounted.  She heightens the tension by altering the words to describe the man's reaction to the Rabbi's advice.  Each time he is more perplexed by the conversations he has with the Rabbi.  He actually wonders if the Rabbi is crazy.  This also contributes to the comedy in this story.  Here is a passage.

"Holy Rabbi," he cried, "see what a misfortune has befallen me.  Now with the crying and quarreling, with the honking, clucking, and crowing, there are feathers in the soup.  Rabbi, it couldn't be worse.  Help me, please."

The Rabbi listened and thought.  At last he said, "Tell me, do you happen to have a goat?"

"Oh, yes, I do have an old goat, but he's not worth much."

"Excellent," said the Rabbi.  "Now go home and take the old goat into your hut to live with you."

"Ah, no!  Do you really mean it, Rabbi?" cried the man.

"Come, come now, my good man, and do as I say at once,"  said the Rabbi.

Unfolding the dust jacket reveals a background which continues from the left (back) edge to the right (front) edge. In the scene on the back the poor unfortunate man is stepping outside his hut into a snowy evening.  A crescent moon is hanging in the sky.  Smoke is coming from his chimney and the small home near his hut.  On the front we can easily see the chaos from having nine people living in a single room.  The one older child sleeping seems like a miracle.  The book case is blue cloth.  The opening and closing endpapers are a shade of deep rose.

In the single-page picture opposite the title page, the man and his wife are walking down the village's road across a bridge as his mother and six children create a rumpus ahead and behind them.  Margot Zemach alternates between single-page pictures, images crossing the gutter and two-page illustrations.  Most of the single-page pictures are interior views of the home.  The larger pictures give readers a glimpse of life in this small community as well as the visits to the Rabbi.  Sometimes Margot Zemach blends the visits to the Rabbi with views of the wildness inside the man's home.

With her illustrations Margot Zemach elevates the narrative beautifully.  One of my many favorite illustrations is when the man has returned home after a visit to the Rabbi.  It spans two pages.  On the right another man is riding in a cart drawn by a single horse and crossing a small bridge to the poor unfortunate man's yard on the left.  Behind the man in the cart is a large home with turrets.  In the yard the poor unfortunate man is untying his goat.  Three of the younger children are playing outside in the yard.  Another child is running behind the hut.  The man's wife is standing outside the hut's door.  By her posture, the man has just informed her the goat is coming inside to live.  The sun is shining in a winter sky.

'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving (Orchard Books, September 1, 1990) with story and pictures by Dav Pilkey is a rewording of the famous Clement C. Moore Christmas poem.  It begins with a field trip on the day before Thanksgiving.  A fall breeze blows leaves around eight students boarding a school bus. 

The children sing as the bus bumps along down the road.  They do have visions in their minds...of drumsticks.  As their teacher drives the bus down the winding route, a chorus of noise has them lowering their windows.

They have arrived at Farmer Mack Nuggett's turkey farm.  Eight tiny turkeys can hardly wait for the man dressed in denim to open the gate.  He calls them by name.  It's love at first sight between the fowl and the children.  They play together with total bliss until one of the little girl's notices an ax by the door.

When the children hear what is going to happen to the turkeys that night, there is no consoling them.  As the sun disappears beneath the horizon and stars fill the sky, the teacher and Farmer Mack Nuggett run to the well to get the children a sip of water to soothe them.  The two adults return to find the children much calmer and fatter.  They struggle to board the bus but it soon takes off into the night.  The next day, Thanksgiving feasts in eight homes have an additional member in their family sitting at the table.  The meal in each is a delectable vegetarian delight.

Dav Pilkey has a gift for selecting the right words to convey the exact mood in the exact moment.  His verses are brimming with humor.  None of the rhymes are forced but flow easily.  The name of the farmer makes reference to a fast food chain.  The names of the turkeys, Ollie, Stanley, Larry, Moe, Wally, Beaver, Shemp and Groucho give a nod to famous comedians and the television show Leave It To Beaver featuring "Beaver" and Wally Cleaver which ran from 1957 to 1963.  Here are two verses.

The turkeys were chunky

With smiley, beaked faces,

And they greeted the children

With downy embraces.

So out through the barnyard

They ran and they flew,

And they gobbled and giggled

As friends sometimes do.

The swirling blue on blue background shown on the front of the matching dust jacket and book case is used to the left on the back.  The scene of the children running and laughing with the turkeys continues past the spine to the far left of the back.  This image is one of sheer happiness.  Bright yellow colors the opening and closing endpapers.  It's the same hue found on the turkeys' beaks.  On the title page beneath the text a turkey runs across the page with whorls of pale blue marking his path.

Autumn leaves tumble across the verso and dedication pages.  Under the dedication 

For Cyndi and Nate

Dav Pilkey has this quote:

". . .And what is done with love is well done."

---Vincent Van Gogh

Full color two-page pictures supply liveliness to the narrative lifting the level of emotional impact.  When the little girl inquires about the ax, Dav has the teacher and Farmer Mack Nuggett standing to the left in a pose reminiscent of the American Gothic by Grant Wood.  As night begins to descend and the children put their plan into place, readers come to understand why Dav includes the Vincent Van Gogh quote.  

His sky starts to have more texture as the stars appear.  As the children are climbing the steps on the bus, the sky looks like Van Gogh's Starry Night with a huge crescent moon rising and lighting the ride home.  In the subsequent pictures the sky is filled with large, dotted pale blue swirls on darker blue.  On Thanksgiving evening the crescent moon is accompanied by large yellow stars.  Love is in the air.

One of my many favorite pictures is similar to the one on the dust jacket and book case.  The children from all different ethnic backgrounds and wearing all types of bright-colored clothing are leaping and running across the barnyard from left to right.  Their arms are lifted in joy and their faces are filled with laughter.  Two of the turkeys are flying above them and the others are keeping pace with the girls and boys on the ground.  Fall leaves are blowing among them.

It Could Always Be Worse: A Yiddish folk tale written and illustrated by Margot Zemach and 'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving story and pictures by Dav Pilkey are two classic tales enjoyed by students.  Both exhibit gratitude for what we have and for kindness extended by others.  (Eight turkeys are completely relieved as are their young friends.)  I can't imagine a celebration of giving thanks without these books.

At the publisher's website for It Could Always Be Worse: A Yiddish folk tale you can view several interior images. To learn more about Dav Pilkey and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  I think you'll enjoy this interview of Dav at Scholastic BookClubs Kids.    

Ready...Set...Go

With every race there is a chase.  Even if the contestants begin on equal footing there will be a constant shift in pace as strategies dictate.  First one party takes the lead, then another moves ahead. Predictions will be made naming one as the possible winner.  Sometimes it's so close only the final seconds will reveal the victor.

One of the oldest known races in literary history is found in a collection of stories, Aesop's Fables.  In The Hare & the Tortoise the animals leave us with more than one point to ponder.  In a new retelling, Hare And Tortoise (Candlewick Press, May 24, 2016) written and illustrated by Alison Murray, readers are presented with a lively and entertaining perspective.

Here comes Hare.
Hello, Hare.
Hey, Hare.  Hellooo!
Could you stand still for a 
minute, please, Hare?

As the frisky fellow pauses the attributes of his physique are duly noted; his ears, eyes, head, paws, nose, whiskers and hind legs in descriptive detail.  Three exemplary qualities of his are listed as well as his obsession with carrots.  And admittedly he is not shy about proclaiming his abilities when speed is a factor.

We are next introduced to Tortoise when she is eventually found.  (She can be mistaken for a rock when at rest.)  She does not have a long list of characteristics.  She cannot do any of the three fast facts but her life outlook tops the positive and optimistic scale.

The racers are ready.  The course is set, winding through the farm and ending at the gate near the barn.  With a rooster crow the contest begins.  Hare takes the lead leaping toward certain triumph.  If you've ever seen a tortoise move, you might be ready to concede at this point on Tortoise's behalf.  Tortoise is not exactly whizzing down the trail.

Then two very specific details, an irresistible temptation and The Shady Tree on a knoll, generate a shift in the narrative.  A short time later the spectators at the gate are cheering wildly.  A gracious champion offers a new delicious challenge.


Alison Murray adds new threads to the timeless fabric of this tale repeatedly with great effect.  In acquainting us with Hare and Tortoise prior to the race focusing on the characteristics of one and drawing our attention to the absence of those same traits in the other, our anticipation is heightened.  This approach also provides Murray with the opportunity to supply liberal doses of humor.  Allowing Hare and Tortoise to comment within the body of the story enriches this version.

As we read the tale, the voice of the unseen narrator is exactly like listening to a commentator at a sporting event.  The use of repetition, rhyme and alliteration contributes to the rhythm and rate at which the story unfolds.  Verb choices reflect specific moments during the race.

Hare races through the tickliest grass.  

"I'm so fast, I fly past," sings Hare.

Tortoise trundles through the tickliest grass...

"I may be slow, but watch me go," hums Tortoise.


A first glance at the front of the matching dust jacket and book case tells us Hare and Tortoise at the very least have a healthy respect for one another.  They might even be best buddies.  The color choices radiate warmth.  To the left, on the back, a portion of an interior image shows Hare charging ahead over a hill shouting,

Byeee!

with Tortoise at the bottom exclaiming,

Oh!

The opening and closing endpapers in crisp white with shades of turquoise depicts The Race Course.  Within the rectangle for the Scale 1:100 Alison Murray exhibits the disparity between the two visually and textually.  On the informal title page along with the text Murray places a bunch of carrots and a tree leaf.  The verso and titles pages are a single illustration of Hare and Tortoise frozen in a moment of friendship, looking at each other.

Rendered digitally, these illustrations varying in size, double page, single page, extending across the gutter creating a column for text, or horizontally paired across two pages, literally sizzle with energy or strum slow and steady depending on the character being depicted.  Page turn by page turn Murray is giving us an up-close-and-personal view of the action on the course.  The first eight pages dedicated to readers meeting Hare and Tortoise are sure to induce laughter; Hare leaping over the field filled with tall grasses and flowers, an almost scientific portrait of his physical traits with descriptions in boxes and arrows pointing to portions of his body,  the search for Tortoise among rocks and the "scientific" names assigned to each of them are another example of Murray's comedic details.  The facial expressions on all the characters but especially on Hare and Tortoise are bursting with joy.  Murray cleverly indicates the passage of time by inserting the sun's position in some of her pictures.

One of my favorite of many illustrations is that following a description of Hare as he rests.  He suddenly is aware the real world and his dream world might be one and the same.  On the left of this two-page picture we move close to Hare startled and standing next to The Shady Tree, a look of disbelief on his face.  It matches the text perfectly.  To the right other farm animals are gathered outside the gate watching and cheering as Tortoise moves down the path.  In the distance the barn is decorated with pennants, bluebirds flying past.


You simply can't help but love this interpretation of an enduring fable.  Hare And Tortoise written and illustrated by Alison Murray captures the soul of the original but gives readers charming extension, more breadth.  I highly recommend adding this title to your personal and professional bookshelves.  You will want to pair it with Jerry Pinkney's gorgeous The Tortoise & The Hare.

To learn more about Alison Murray, who lives in Scotland, and her other books, such as Apple Pie ABC and One Two That's My Shoe!, please visit her website by following the link attached to her name.  At the publisher's website you can view one of the interior double-page images.

I made a hare and tortoise race map game - download pdf here ... https://t.co/Ivhm8lvmGH

— Alison Murray (@a1isonmurray) August 4, 2016

Small But Mighty In Mind

In my way of thinking you can never have too many fairy tales on your personal or professional book shelves.  At the very least a perusal of your library statistics should indicate you as a frequent visitor and borrower of titles from the folklore section.  On most days you can see me exhibiting my firm support of this particular train of thought in a pendant I wear.

Interpretations, variations and fractured fun on the classics broaden our views on the intent of the original stories and the cultures from which they and others come.  Eleven versions of Little Red Riding Hood appear on my personal shelves; some are more light-hearted than those which adhere to the conclusion of the earliest tales.  On May 7, 2015 Little Red And The Very Hungry Lion (Scholastic) written and illustrated by Alex T. Smith celebrated a book birthday.  To begin the story we journey to the continent of Africa.

This is Little Red

and today she is going to

be gobbled up by a lion.

This Lion.

Well, that's what he thinks is going to happen anyway...

Aunt Rosie looks in her mirror one fine morning to discover spots all over her body.  A quick phone call to Little Red has her hustling from her daddy's general store to deliver medicine to her ailing auntie.  She merrily makes her way on the long walk over water and dozing crocodiles, through the grasses and under grazing giraffes.

Monkeys, termites, and gazelles go about their business as she strolls past them.  A kindly elephant offers assistance.  Wandering, waving and unaware she settles for a rest under a large shade tree.  It's the voice of The Very Hungry Lion that alerts her to his presence.  

When he asks and she answers, a plan, his plan, is put in place.  In a flash he dashes away, away to Aunt Rosie's place.  He stashes her in a closet, dons her sleepwear and paints dots all over his furry self.  

Little Red is no fool.  She sees Aunt Rosie looking out through the crack in the cupboard door.  And that is definitely a lion in her bed.  It's time someone learned the difference between right and wrong.

In quick succession three things not part of The Very Hungry Lion's plan happen.  Disgusted by this turn of events, he lets out a roar of protest.  It is addressed emphatically by one determined gal.  Before we sigh and read the words

THE END

there may have been the consumption of scrumptious treats, the solicitation of a promise, a reminder and the sheer enjoyment of childhood play under the stars.

Along with shifting from a forest to the landscapes found in Africa Alex T. Smith further freshens the story with the substitution of an aunt with an unusual rash for the sickly grandmother and a father for the traditional mother.  Without a word, only a goodbye wave, he sends his daughter off on her errand.  This, to me, is a clue about his confidence in her ability to take care of herself in any situation she might encounter on the way to Aunt Rosie's house.

The way Smith fashions the story it's as if a family friend or relative has gathered a group together to tell this tale.  The narrative is lively, completely in keeping with the character of Little Red.  Verbs are loaded with action linking sentences together in an upbeat rhythm.  The dialogue is dramatic and hilarious.  Here is a sample passage.

So...

...he opened his mouth wide and... 

"Blimey!"

tutted Little Red.

"What grubby, grotty

teeth you have, Auntie!"

The book case is a vibrant beckoning call to read this story.  On my copy gold foil is etched over the title letters, along the circles at the top, on all the plants, Little Red's ribbons and throughout The Very Hungry Lion's mane.  To the left on the back, Little Red, The Very Hungry Lion, the two elephants as well as Little Red's constant companion, a goat, are showcased with the first page text.  The opening and closing endpapers awash in reds, oranges and yellows with black silhouettes begin and end the story.  In fact the verso and title page are on the opening endpapers with Little Red and her goat out and about as the sun rises.  

The selection of colors, no matter the place, exudes warmth with every page turn.  Smith's layout, design and use of white space are superior.  The facial looks on Little Red but especially on The Very Hungry Lion are guaranteed to generate laughter.

Careful readers will appreciate Smith's attention to detail; Spot Medicine advertised on the wall of Daddy's general store, crocodiles drinking morning coffee as they lounge in the water, red glasses on one of the giraffes, and hippos wearing snorkels and masks as they mud swim. They might even spy a lurking, bowtie-wearing lion in the background.  Image size is altered to supply pauses and intensify a portion of the narrative.  The one vertical, double-page illustration is a show-stopper.  

One of my favorite pictures is the first two-page spread when Little Red is walking to Aunt Rosie's house.  The background is a glowing golden hue.  Tiny details are finely drawn.  Over them are the more colorful trees, plants water and animals.  Dotted lines represent Little Red's route.  You can almost hear the sounds; perhaps Little Red is singing.  She looks so happy.  So does her goat.

Readers are going to request this title, Little Red And The Hungry Lion written and illustrated by Alex T. Smith, over and over again for bedtime or story time.  It's uproariously good fun with one of the best endings I've ever seen.  You'll want to make sure to add it to your bookshelves.  I'm glad I did.

To learn more about Alex T. Smith and his other work please visit his Tumblr by following the link attached to his name.  If you select Archive you can see interior images from this book in the May 2015 section.  There is a short musical book trailer there.

To Play Or To Work

Their world beneath our feet is a series of tunnel roadways leading to the queen's residence.  I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see some form of John Heywood's timeless quotation,

Many hands make light work

strategically mounted along their hidden passages.  Never at rest, always on the move, all the members of team ant know what to do and when to do it.

As a classic piece of folklore a fable uses animals to convey a moral or lesson.  None are more recognized than those of Aesop.  None are more gorgeous in their retelling than those of Caldecott Medal winner, Jerry Pinkney.

On April 7, 2015 a companion to The Lion & The Mouse (Little Brown Books for Young Readers, 2010 Caldecott Medal) and The Tortoise & The Hare (Little, Brown and Company, October 1, 2013) was released.  In the first book the setting is the African Serengeti and in the second title we travel to the American Southwest.  In the third book, The Grasshopper & The Ants (Little, Brown and Company), we find ourselves in the woodlands.

When first looking at the dust jacket, you will want to take your time to notice the exquisite details deftly depicted by Pinkney.  For mere moments a group of Ants have paused to listen to the music man, the Grasshopper, who carries his drum set, banjo and concertina with him everywhere.  The delicate wings on his back are breathtaking.

The staff in pastel shades of blue, pink and yellow swirling about him indicates the lightness of the melody.  Dandelion seeds, like wishes, float on the air.  This illustration extends to the left, the back, in a lush view of the forest floor, filled with leaves, flowers, Ants, a monarch butterfly, a caterpillar and a lady bug, wings spread ready to soar.  (It should be noted the front flap images align with the opening endpapers.)

Beneath the jacket on the book case, with a white canvas, framed in dandelion leaves and flowers are portraits of the Grasshopper and an Ant observing the reader.  On the back is the Ants' winter abode with the note laden staff twisting forth from an opening.  This picture is outlined in holly branches and leaves.

Both the opening and closing endpapers are a naturalist's delight in an array of leaves, flowers and the Ants' stump home covered in shelf fungus.  Both feature the Ants busy at work.  Only the Grasshopper is featured differently.  I wonder how many readers will stop to identify all the leaves and flowers.  With a page turn we see the title spread across two pages; the letters formed from leaves, tiny twigs, and flowers.  The Grasshopper and the Ants are busy doing what they do best.

In a series of twelve spectacular double-page visuals Jerry Pinkney gives his signature spin on the tale. (There is also a gasp-worthy surprise toward the end.) In addition readers can see two framed single pages where elements break out from the lines and two edge-to-edge single page pictures as well as the final illustration.  At one particular point in the narrative he even uses a set of smaller framed images to enhance the pacing and add a bit of tension.

"Why work so hard?"
sang Grasshopper.
"It's spring and time to go fishing."

"No time to relax,"
said the Ants.

With these three sentences Pinkney begins.  As the seasons progress Grasshopper asks the same question with alterations to his words.  The Ants reply in kind.  Each time Grasshopper's phrases are increased making his invitation more enticing.  In the autumn and winter the Ants do not reply.  Grasshopper finally realizes his activities would be better if shared.

For the remainder of the book all of the illustrations are wordless with one exception.  A wise matriarch offers a cup of compassion.  It is humbly accepted.

All these illustrations are deserving of being framed.  One of my favorites is when the first snow comes.  The Ants are nowhere in sight but Grasshopper is beside himself with glee, wings extended, hovering above trees branches and lingering fall leaves in rustic reds and browns.  Snowflakes are falling in all shapes and sizes.  Concertina music rides the breeze.  (At this point Grasshopper is not wearing his leaf snowshoes yet.)


When you first hold this book in your hands, after you look at the dust jacket and book case, you can't help but run your fingers over the heavy smooth matte-finished paper.  It's like you have to touch the beauty.  Please add The Grasshopper & The Ants written and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, a true national treasure, to your professional and personal collections.  Share it with everyone as often as you can.  You will enjoy reading the Author's Note on the final page.

To learn more about Jerry Pinkney and his other work please visit his website by following the link attached to his name.  If you access the TeachingBooks website they have many resources about Jerry Pinkney.

Through The Ages, A Hero Remains

One character's name appears over and over in world literature.  Most readers and listeners of nursery rhymes, folktales and fairy tales can name him.  He can jump over a flaming candle stick, pull out a plumb with his thumb, eat no fat, build a house, fetch a pail of water, grow a stalk that reaches into the clouds from a magic bean, paint frost or triumph over giants.

In the eastern mountain regions of the United States his stories are so numerous they warranted their own collection.

Jack, of the Jack Tales, embodies some of the common characteristics of culture hero.  He is the third son---the magic number.  He is the honest, straightforward, guileless one who never suspects the tricks and deceptions of others.  He is the western European hero who lacks all sophistication but is exceptionally clever. 

                                   (Storytelling:  Folklore Sourcebook Norma J. Livo

                                     & Sandra A. Rietz, 1991, page 25)

Leaving home to search for wealth, success or a home of his own is a common theme in the Jack tales.  Master storyteller Tomie dePaola in his most recent title, Jack (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), September 16, 2014) spins his own singular version for our youngest readers. 

This is a story about Jack.

Jack lived with his grandpa

on a tiny farm way out

in the country.

Jack has decided to seek a life for himself in the city, hopefully making new friends.  He is not sure how to do this but his grandfather is positive the king can offer sound advice.  Wearing new shoes, Jack journeys toward the King's castle.

Creak, Creak, Creak, Creak, Creak...

That's the sound Jack hears as he walks down the road.  The first being he meets is a peeping chick.  The curious bird wants to know where Jack is going.  When the chick hears the answer he wants to come along.  Jack is only too happy to have the company.  Now there are two sounds as the duo head toward the city.

In short order a duck, a goose and a dog have joined the travelers.  Each with their unique tones makes a cheery tune as they continue on their quest.  Other curious animals ask to become part of the group.  Eleven animals trail behind and with Jack as he gets his first sight of the homes and buildings at his destination.  A cawing crow serenades the adventurers adding his voice to the chorus.

At the entrance to the royal residence a friendly guard greets Jack and his companions.  When Jack questions the King about finding a home in the city, the King, having heard about the band headed in his direction, offers him a key and some encouragement.  Jack and his new pals gladly welcome the challenge. A feast for one's eyes, ears and heart assures everyone the neighborhood will never be the same.

Simple sentences with faithful attention given to word choices mark the voice of a gifted wordsmith.  Tomie dePaola clearly understands his audience.  Each time Jack meets an animal a new sound is introduced but the same questions are asked and answered in a refrain promoting participation by listeners.  It's interesting to note after the chick joins Jack the 

"I'm going to the city to ask the king for a house,"

answered Jack.

changes to 

"We're... .

In my way of thinking this says something about the character of Jack and his willingness to be a friend.

The matching dust jacket and book case not only introduce readers to Jack but give a before and after glance of the two different locales in which he resides.  The back or image on the left is of the street in the city where he and his friends find their home.  A lighter wash, in the same shade as Jack's coat and the author's name on the front, covers the opening and closing endpapers.  Jack's home in the country is shown on the title page and the first two pages.  Tomie dePaola inserts a decorative dedication into the landscape.

All of the double-page illustrations are rendered in Tomie dePaola's signature color palette 

with acrylics on Arches 140 lb. cold-press handmade paper that was first coated with gesso.

The animal sounds were created with specially made rubber stamps reproduced from hand-lettering.

On the second reading of this book I think I gasped aloud when I discovered how deftly dePaola had included more elements from nursery rhymes, fairy tales and childhood games in each of the pictures.  I was initially enjoying his admired use of line, facial expressions and animated creatures, tiny bugs, a worm, a snail and birds, and folkloric items like hearts, when I noticed a hill being climbed by two familiar people.  What a gift to readers this is!

One of my favorite illustrations is of Jack and his companions arriving in town.  They are shown in silhouette in a line on the road looking at the city.  All their voices are raised making their individual sounds.  In the foreground dePaola has placed a gated stone wall (Guess who's sitting on that?) with townspeople in front of yet another fence.  

Children and those young at heart are going to relish Jack written and illustrated by the esteemed Tomie dePaola.  This is one of those wonderful books which get better with every reading.  I can already hear children peeping, quacking, honking, woofing, oinking, mooing, croaking, meowing, baaing, neighing and hooting.  When you add in the crow and the creaky new shoes, it's a musical menagerie.  Finding all the tiny extras Tomie dePaola has inserted is pure bliss. 

For more about Tomie dePaola and his huge body of work please visit his website by following the link embedded in his name.  You might enjoy reading these three interviews with Tomie dePaola after he received The Society of Illustrator's Lifetime Achievement Award.  They are here, here and here.  I thank you with all my heart Tomie dePaola for all your books, maintaining a connection with my Mom and for being a common bond between the two of us.  You will always be remembered with great affection.

One Small Fowl And Feathered Friends Are Lead Astray

Our senses and sensibilities really do make the days of our lives more enjoyable while still being key to our basic survival.  At times they seem to go above and beyond the real truth when it comes to alerting us to danger.  For a moment imagine you are groping about in a basement suddenly gone dark when the power is lost.  Something brushes against the bare skin of your arm.  You yelp believing it to be a spider of gigantic proportions, only to discover when the lights come back on it was only a piece of fuzz.

The combination of our hearing, seeing, tasting, touching, smelling and mental perceptions can take us down the path leading to the imaginary realm.  Brave Chicken Little (Viking, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), August 7, 2014) retold and illustrated by Robert Byrd takes the familiar broadening and deepening the story line.  This story, his vision of a classic, rekindles our love of folklore and its capacity to entertain and expand our thinking.

One fine day Mrs. Chicken Licken decided to bake a cake.
But there was nothing to make it with, so she sent Chicken Little off to the market to buy honey and flour and milk.
"Do not dillydally," she said.  "Come straight home."

As life would have it, dillydallying is going to be the least of Chicken Little's worries.  An acorn falls from a tree landing squarely on his head.  That had to hurt.  The little guy harboring this new pain is certain the sky is falling.  He hurries down the road to report this news to the king.

Rushing with all due haste he first meets Henny Penny who willingly agrees to go with him.  In short order Ducky Lucky and Turkey Lurkey are coming along to offer additional assistance.  When the sky is falling the ruler of the land needs to know.

Piggy Wiggy, Rabbit Babbit and Natty Ratty, fellow friends, are sure the greater number carrying this message will give it more meaning. The total has now swelled to seven.  As they wind their way toward the palace two moles, Roly and Poly Moley, and one frog, Froggy Woggy, join their ranks.

Meeting a too cheerful and hungry Foxy Loxy, offering help and an invitation to dine at his home, the parade is lead in a different direction.  Can you picture the surprise on all their faces (and a shiver of fear) as they are introduced to Mrs. Foxy Loxy and seven little foxes eagerly waiting their next meal?  Before they can even predict what will happen next, they are locked in a dimly lit basement.

One small window high above them next to the ceiling is their only hope.  Junk, apples and foolishness multiplied boost bravery.  As to the falling sky, not another word was ever heard about it.


A cumulative tale with repeating refrains enriches the storytelling experience.  When you add in the two word rhyming names of the nineteen animal characters you will have your listeners chanting along with you over and over again as the narrative continues.  Robert Byrd's use of dialogue with narration keeps the action moving along seamlessly; the tension increasing until the sleepy resolution. Here is another sample passage.

So down the road ran Chicken Little, Henny Penny, Ducky Lucky, Turkey Lurkey, Piggy Wiggy, Rabbit Babbit, Natty Ratty, Froggy Woggy, and Roly and Poly Moley.
And whom should they meet but---Foxy Loxy.
"Hello, hello," he sang out.  "Good day and cheers! Where are you off to, my scrumptious little dears?"
"The sky is falling," said Chicken Little. "And we are going to tell the king."


The first thing you notice when you open the matching dust jacket and book case of Brave Chicken Little is the exquisite detail on the illustration spanning across the back to the front.  Every bit of flora and fauna native to this area is shown; butterflies, bees, caterpillars, dragonflies, flowers, ferns and other bugs.  On the left the six remaining friends not on the front are following the twists and turns of a path through the woods.  Watching from behind a tree with a crafty grin on his face is Foxy Loxy.

A pattern of a tiny single acorn, gold and brown, is placed on a teal background for the opening and closing endpapers.  The story opens with an illustration on the title page; the window of Chicken Little's home is featured as his mother speaks to him.  Robert Byrd's color palette and his delicate fine lines have a softness, old-style feel, to them.  Having his characters clothed in apparel reminiscent of the old English countryside contributes to the classic quality of this tale.

Byrd chooses to alter his picture sizes, extending some edge to edge on two pages or a single page.  At times his images will be loosely framed or a rectangle framed in pristine white.  Light and shadow are skillfully integrated into each illustration.  The quality of paper, a matte-finish, increases the timeless aspect of his work on this story.

One of my many favorite illustrations is of Chicken Little leading six of his friends down the road lined with stone-bordered fields.  Carrots, cabbages and heads of lettuce are laid out in rows, small white butterflies, caterpillars and worms move in and above the dirt.  Hills and trees extend into the distance, a pale blue sky filled with puffy clouds.  On the right a frog and two moles greet the group hurriedly making their way to the king.


I am confident every book shelf, classroom, library, professional and personal, will want a copy of Brave Chicken Little retold and illustrated by Robert Byrd.  Foxes, friends, a king, a cake and courage make this a new classic.  I think it's time to give new meaning to the words Chicken Little.

For further information about Robert Byrd and his books please follow the link attached to his name.  This link takes you to a portion of his site highlighting more pages from the book as a slide show.

From The Ashes, Dreams Come True

To see the downtrodden lifted up, for a moment or for happily ever after, is food for the soul.  We cheer for their good fortune.  To see hope realized is a necessity.

A perennial favorite fairy tale, in all its variations, is of the orphan bullied by spoiled sisters and their haughty mother.  Who better to retell the tale than Jan Brett in Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., November 5, 2013)  Let's open the cover stepping into a wintry Russia of the eighteenth century.

Snow on the outside, feathered friends on the inside.
  
At the end of every day Tasha takes a meal of oats to the chickens housed in the old tower.  Tonight it's hard for her to get there; a fierce blizzard is throwing wind and snow in all directions.  Finally out of the weather, three chickens, Largessa and her daughters, Pecky and Bossy, push their way forward to get most of the food.

Tasha brings Cinders out from beneath the wood stove where she hides. With Cinders in her arms, Tasha feeds here.  Snow has drifted against the door, leaving Tasha with no choice but to stay in the tower for the night until her father returns tomorrow.

Lulled by the cozy comfort found next to the stove in the chickens' tower, Tasha falls asleep.  Within seconds a golden light appears in the room.  The chickens' lives are about to take a flight of fancy.  There is an invitation to the Ice Palace by Prince Cockerel himself.

Cinders is at the peck and cackle of Largessa, Pecky and Bossy as they preen and dress for the ball.  After everyone leaves clothed in their finest gowns, Cinders is dismayed by her appearance and lack of anything to wear.  Her tears are interrupted by an unexpected light and the appearance of a Silkie hen.  Ah yes...a wand-waving fairy god-chicken has arrived to set things right.

A pumpkin, pigeons, mice and three ducks will serve as a sleigh, footmen, drivers and pullers taking Cinders dressed in a silver sarafan dress and slippers of crystal to the Prince's Ice Palace.  Cinders' arrival causes quite the stir among the gathered fowl.  Prince Cockerel is bewitched by her beauty.

The ice clock's chiming signals the breaking of the spell.  As dawn breaks on a new day, a crystal slipper, a shining egg, and an arrival complete not one but two stories.  On full moon nights you can never be quite sure what you might see or hear; perhaps magic will pay a visit.


One of the more unique qualities of this retelling by Jan Brett is having the Cinderella story told within the context of Tasha's love for her chicken friends.  It's only when she sleeps we readers see the chickens' other lives.  Alternating between a narrative and dialogue, Brett weaves a spell with her words like the Silkie does with her wand.  We are surrounded by the wonder of the events unfolding.  Here is a passage from the story.

The snow stopped and the moon shone a path through the window.
The chickens dressed in all their finery flew off to the Ice Palace.
All except Cinders. She looked down at her wet feathers and frayed
wing tips and started to cry.
Suddenly, the log in the stove flared. Into the light flew
a beautiful Silkie hen Cinders had never seen before.
"I'm here to get you ready for the ball," the Silkie promised,
and she brushed Cinders with her wand.


Jan Brett is known for visiting the place of her settings, to make sure everything, down to the tiniest detail, is authentic.  She and her husband, Joe, did indeed travel to St. Petersburg to become immersed in the architecture.  Unfolding the jacket and cover Cinders, riding in her sleigh is drawn through the snowy eighteenth-century Russian forest framed in white panels on the front as the Silkie hen wearing a glittering gown waves her sparkling wand framed in elegant scrollwork, cultural folk art and a wintry landscape on the back.  Endpapers in a brushed golden rose feature Cinders looking like she has been carved from wood surrounded by embellishments.

All the illustrations for this title are rendered in watercolor and gouache, spreading across two pages with a few exceptions.  Readers will be dazzled by the four page gatefold of the dancers at the ball.  The dark of night, the white of winter and the vibrant colors used for all the pictures inside contrast in a glorious array.  As readers have come to expect, Jan Brett adds to her story in the side panels giving us hints of the tale's path.  Intricate details on all the pages will have readers pausing and marveling at her skill, her love of art and storytelling.  I think one of my favorite illustrations is the outside of the Ice Palace with Silkie peering inside at the ball, right before the gatefold.


I highly recommend you add Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella written and illustrated by Jan Brett to your folktale collection, no matter how many variants you currently hold.  This depiction is simply lovely in word and pictures.  It will be a pleasure to share with one or many listeners.  Of course, I'm wondering if she still tucks Hedgie into her books.  I'll go back to look again and again.

Please follow the link embedded in Jan Brett's name to access her official website.  This links to her 2014 calendar based upon Cinders.  For a special page to color of Cinders follow this link.

A Race...Life Lessons

Tucked in a corner of one of my bookcases is a much loved set of four books.  These four books, The Tall Book of Make Believe, The Tall Book of Bible Stories, The Tall Book of Christmas and The Tall Book of Nursery Tales are my earliest childhood connection to a vast array of classic stories and poems.  They all show signs of repeated readings; only one still has its jacket.

Illustrated by the 1956 Caldecott Medal winner, Feodor Rojankovsky, The Book of Nursery Tales, introduced me to fairy tale and fable favorites.  The lesson taken from the race of mismatched opponents has served me well again and again over the years.  Jerry Pinkney's latest release, The Tortoise & The Hare (Little, Brown and Company) is a gorgeous retelling of a cherished tale, a companion to his Caldecott Medal winner, The Mouse & The Lion.


Every single time I hold a book with illustrations by Jerry Pinkney, its like I have an incomparable treasure in my possession.  A heavy matte-finished jacket with a double-page illustration edge to edge introduces the two main characters, front and center, and several smaller supporting members of the cast on the back.  Set in the American Southwest, the color palette reflects the warm and sunny, dry and dusty surroundings.  Beneath the jacket, the cover is wordless, in two frames a close-up of the Tortoise and the Hare facing one another appears on the front.  On the back in a single, framed picture, the duo are walking away side by side.

Opening endpapers feature a desert vista, filled with rocky formations and flora native to the region; a barn, silo, windmill and garden are tucked in the upper left-hand corner.  Dotted lines show the route the racers will soon follow.  Tortoise is resting on a stump, head tucked into his shell, as hare hops hurriedly down the trail toward him.

The first page turn reveals another two page visual dedicated to the title as well as beginning the story.  Animals are running toward Hare and Tortoise as the two converse.  Another group off to the side are chatting excitedly.

On your marks, 
get set...
Go!

Hare's walking stick and black and white checked kerchief given to Coyote, to use as a visual starter, has dropped as the verbal signal is given.   Hare leaps away down the route.  Tortoise negotiates the path at a much slower pace; mice, bees, a grasshopper, moths, a bird and lizard offering advice and encouragement.

Startled frogs scurry and splash as Hare hops unannounced over their watery residence.  They gleefully guide and ride Tortoise as he swims through the pond.  So far ahead he has lost sight of Tortoise, Hare can't help but notice and slow for a lush garden full of lettuce.

Digging, eating and sleeping are the next order of business for Hare.  Tortoise, on the other hand, tumbles, plods and passes.  The race ends as it has for centuries but Pinkney enhances the outcome with his personal perspective; much can be learned from both sides of a story.


Jerry Pinkney uses the text of the closing line,

Slow and steady wins the race!

to add energy and tension to his retelling.  As we readers watch Tortoise picture by picture move along, the first word is added.  In the next visual the first two words are included.  Each time, a new word is added until the thought is complete.  In your reader's mind it makes a rhythmic beat, building to the finish.  Other than the opening lines these are the only words used in the narrative.

In an Artist's Note at the book's end, Jerry Pinkney explains his choice of setting, color palette, ending and reason for clothing his characters.  Rendered in graphite, watercolor, colored pencils, gouache and pastel, these illustrations pulse with life.  A very real sense of emotion and personality traits of all the characters is conveyed with affection.

Readers are treated to colorful, animated double page illustrations or smaller framed panels with some elements leaving the confines of the lines to represent life and movement.  The choice of clothing for each of the animals is sure to evoke smiles among all readers.  I believe my favorite illustration is of Tortoise emerging from the stream, one frog perched upon his back, another still in the water, arms upraised and a third leading the way laughing and leaping.


Jerry Pinkney's The Tortoise & The Hare, is a brilliant and masterfully artistic interpretation of a well-known fable.  I, for one, am thrilled with his illustrating of classic fables, nursery rhymes and fairy tales.  His valued perspectives contribute more than can be measured to the world of children's literature.  I believe every collection should include these titles.

Make sure to visit Jerry Pinkney's website by following the link embedded in his name.  PW KidsCast: A Conversation with Jerry Pinkney is an audio interview in which he discusses this latest book.  The widget below allows you to see pictures from inside the book.  Enjoy Jerry Pinkney talking about his work in the video below.