From The Vines

Cooler nights the past week have hinted at the nearness of autumn.  There's not as much birdsong in the air in the mornings signaling the beginning of their migration south for the winter.  Farmers' markets are filled with an abundance of summer-harvest fruits, vegetables, flowers, honey and other homemade delicacies.

Pumpkins are ripening on their vines. It's that special time of year to make selections for celebrations of Halloween.  Pick a Pumpkin (Candlewick Press, July 9, 2019), a companion to Pick a Pine Tree (Candlewick Press, September 19, 2017) written by Patricia Toht with illustrations by Jarvis follows a family from seeking the perfect pumpkins to strolling through their neighborhood on a spooky October 31st.

Pick a pumpkin 
from the patch---

tall and lean
or short and fat.

There is an abundance of colors of orange, some white and green, too.  This mom and her children fill their wagon with pumpkins of all shapes and sizes.  They take a break to sip on an autumn drink and munch on crispy, candy-coated apples.

Once home every speck of dirt is removed from their chosen gourds.  An area is made ready for carving and tools, utensils and bowls are brought outside.  A few neighbor children join the fun. 

Cutting, pulling and scooping clear the canvas.  Let the creativity begin!  Eyes wide with wonder or suspicious slits and noses form above mouths of happy grins or grumbling growls.  Soon all the pumpkins are completed to perfection.

Next the outside of the house with the help of dad is adorned with webs and web-weavers, shimmering ghosts, skeletons and swooping bats.  All the children don their costumes cheerfully chattering.  There's a witch, a mummy and is that a cute little pumpkin in mom's arms?  Those perfect pumpkin prizes are carried to their places; now glowing, the jack-o-lanterns are sidewalk sentries.  There's only one thing left to do, and it's done with exuberance.


Author Patricia Toht welcome us with her masterful use of poetic language, punctuation and pauses into the marvelous atmosphere of preparing for this holiday.  Her sentences with their embedded rhymes are like stanzas in a melody leading us into this night full of magic and mystery.  Alliterative phrases will have readers ready to move.  Here is a passage.

Lumpy chunks. Sticky strings.
Clumpy seeds. Guts and things.
With a spoon, scrape sides neatly.
Clean the inside out completely.
           Now all together . . .


Across the open and matching dust jacket and book case are pumpkins and one jack-o-lantern of every shape and size and shade.  The color palette radiates Halloween with hues of orange, purple, blue, green and a spooky white.  The costumed siblings can hardly contain their delight among the webs, spiders, bats, black cats, scurrying and curious mice, birds, autumn leaves and a wide-eyed ghost positioned around the ISBN on the back.

On the opening endpapers is a vast autumn sky with the birds shown on the jacket and cover flying over a nearly setting sun. On the closing endpapers it's the same scene with leafless branches and shrubs along the bottom and the huge sky above.  Now that sky is darkened, and the sun is replaced with a full moon.  Is that who I think it is riding her broom across the moon?  The birds have been replaced with bats.

The verso and title pages are a stunning work of art by illustrator Jarvis.  A row of autumn trees spans both pages with a windmill on the far right.  In front of them is a three-rail farm fence.  We move in close for the lower half of the illustration.  Muted-fall foliage is scattered on the ground.  On the right two large pumpkins are growing from vines.  Three crows, one on the left, watch and caw. 

Rendered in pencil, chalk, and paint and colored digitally all the illustrations are double-page pictures.  The choices of color for all the elements, including backgrounds which accentuate the other details, are absolutely splendid. Every visual is full of anticipation and animation.  The expressions on the people's faces convey pure excitement.  There are birds, mice and a black cat in nearly every picture. (Readers are going to love looking for those creatures.)  Near the pumpkin patch are two shops; one named Jarvis Art Supplies and the other Patty's Book Shop.  You won't believe the number on the side of the wagon the family is using at the farm.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is when the family and neighborhood children are standing in front of the pumpkin, now a glowing jack-o-lantern.  The background is hues of blue darkening to deeper greens near the bottom.  Dad, on the left as a vampire, has his hand resting on mom's shoulder as she stands on the right.  She's wearing devil horns and holding the baby garbed in a pumpkin costume.  Left to right are two children on either side of the gutter wearing their costumes.  One is holding the cat.  In a low arc at the bottom is the top of the jack-o-lantern with its stem in the gutter and extending out on either side.  All their faces show awe.  They are radiant from the light of the jack-o-lantern.


If you are looking for the ideal pumpkin or Halloween title, then this book, Pick a Pumpkin written by Patricia Toht with illustrations by Jarvis comes highly recommended.  I can't imagine a storytime without this title as a selection.  You'll definitely want to have a copy in your personal and professional collections.

To discover more about Patricia Toht and Jarvis and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Patricia Toht has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.   You can find Jarvis on Instagram and Twitter, too.  At the publisher's website and at Penguin Random House you can view interior images.

Waiting . ..

They stand in rows, silent and unmoving.  As far as the eye can see over acres and acres of land they wait.  Some have been there for only a year or two, others have been there longer.  Their height, at times towering, is evidence of their age.

Whether driving down a two-track dirt road or a little-used, rolling highway, the sight of them brings back years of memories.  There were times when no amount of sawing could straighten a crooked trunk.  A crash in the middle of the night, led, more than once, to a wire extending from the wall to steady a tipsy tree.  Pick a Pine Tree (Candlewick Press, September 19, 2017) written by Patricia Toht with illustrations by Jarvis holds within its pages the special joy of transformation.  It reflects the timeless tradition of finding and adorning an evergreen.

Pick a pine tree
from the lot---
slim and tall
or short and squat. 

Each year people roam through tree lots looking for the pine right in shape, size, length of branches and spacing between branches.  They imagine each one placed in their home.  In their mind's eye they see it sparkling with lights and ornaments.

Once chosen, it is transported to its next resting place.  A space is made for its display and it is firmly secured in a stand, with a few minor adjustments.  To keep it living for as long as possible, it needs a healthy dose of water daily.

Next a storage spot is visited to gather bins and boxes of decorations.  Perhaps others will be invited to help heighten the spirit of Christmas.  The choice of lights is as varied as the people stringing them on the tree.  One year they are multi-colored.  Another year they are all crystal white.  Or is it time for a mix?  Where are those lights that bubble?

Hanging the ornaments is like a visual representation of Christmases past.  They represent wonderful events and beloved people.  Some are homemade.  Some are store-bought, perhaps a collection added to each year.  Extra trimmings make the tree shimmer.  For the finishing touch on top and below something singular is added.  Hardly daring to breathe, one final act completes the Christmas change.


No matter when the tree finds a place in our homes, author Patricia Toht, has with poetic intention brought each portion of the tradition to these pages.  Brimming with bliss each rhyming line builds toward the wondrous result.  The precisely chosen words read like a Christmas carol, singing off the page.  Here is a passage.

But wait . . . (page turn)

don't decorate alone!
Call some people
on the phone.

Ask your friends
to come and stay---

host a 
decorating
day!


One of the first things you notice is the red foil ribbon along either side of the spine on the opened dust jacket.  To the left, on the back, the bow is near the bottom for design balance.  The scene of the pine tree landscape extends from flap edge to flap edge. Text on each flap is placed within a scrolled frame fashioned from fine red lines. Children weave among the pines, making snowmen, sledding, ice skating, skiing and snowboarding.  Rabbits, deer, birds and foxes watch. Dogs run and cats ponder.  Careful readers will notice the deer looking quizzically at the Santa snowman.  The book case is identical except for the foil ribbon and text.  It is a bright, cheery red.

The opening and closing endpapers are a cool blue filled with snowflakes of varying sizes. These pages shine with a light all their own.  The verso and title pages bring us close to a deer and two rabbits within the pine forest.  Snow is falling in abundance.

Each page turn reveals a two-page portrait of the progression from the pine tree lot to the stunning vertical depiction of the decorated tree and the final magical Christmas Eve night when an anticipated visitor arrives.  Rendered in

pencil, chalk, and paint and colored digitally

by Jarvis the chill of the out-of-doors and the warmth of family and friends are presented with genuineness in texture and mood.  Readers will pause at each image noting the details.  Strings of lights run throughout the tree lot, families from multiple ethnic backgrounds are featured, tiny birds are perched on a sled (one has the sled rope in its beak), holly and berries already are displayed in the home, a cat pokes its head from the tree branches, an advent calendar in the form of stars loops from the ceiling, and the family dog helps even when not wearing reindeer antlers.  Depending on the narrative, Jarvis may give readers an expanded view or bring us close to the activities.

One of my many favorite illustrations is when friends arrive to help with the tree decorations.  Blue is used to great extent in the scene.  It's snowing and evening has descended.  Light glows from two windows and an open doorway.  Tiny twinkle lights are lit on the outside trees and around the door.  On the left an adult and three children move toward the opened doorway.  One has a sled with a bag on it.  The two family children are smiling and waving to the guests.  Their dog is next to them.  A snowman sits close to the front on the outside pathway.  A tiny bird is perched on a sign reading

SANTA STOP HERE.


The custom of selecting and decorating a pine tree is splendidly realized in this title.  Through the words of Patricia Toht and the art of Jarvis Pick a Pine Tree is sure to become a family and holiday reading tradition.  It will certainly bring to life cherished memories for all readers and listeners.  I can already imagine the stories which will be shared.  You will want to make sure this title finds a place in all your collections.  It's a lovely example of bookmaking and I'm grateful it is now on my personal bookshelves.

To learn more about Patricia Toht and Jarvis and their other work, please visit their respective websites by following the links attached to their names.  At the publisher's website (Candlewick Press) you can view an interior image.  At Penguin Random House you can see the endpapers, verso and title pages, the first full spread and a portion of the next one.  Here is a link to an educator's guide.  Jama Rattigan discusses this title and interviews Patricia Toht at Jama's Alphabet Soup.  Jarvis is interviewed at Medium.  Please enjoy the book trailer.

Daily Deception

If you were to visit grasslands, woodlands, a desert, the tundra, mountains, or other various aquatic habitats (rivers, oceans or seas, ponds, streams, swamps, marshes, coastal wetlands), you would certainly be aware of areas and inhabitants to avoid.  Similarly smaller critters living in the wild will most generally avoid those larger in size.  Those who are least aggressive will give a wide berth to disruptive residents.  It goes without saying any prey will become as invisible or unattainable as possible when a predator is near.  

There are some animals that rarely, if ever, need to hide.  They move about sure in the knowledge of their fearsome presence.  Alan's Big Scary Teeth (Candlewick Press, February 23, 2016) written and illustrated by Jarvis is about such an animal.

Alan came from a long line of very scary alligators.  

No one in the jungle was safe from this boisterous beast.  He enjoyed the reputation he had earned.  Each morning he followed a ritual before he left his home, enhancing his frightening figure.

Silently he entered the jungle, then he stomped, growled, chomped, grinned and shouted with glee.  Frogs, monkeys and parrots jumped, fell and squawked in fear.  The more terrified they were, the happier he was.

At day's end satisfied with the chaos he caused, he enjoyed what he believed was much deserved rest and relaxation.  As he did at the start of the day, Alan had an evening routine.  His final act was his best kept secret.

As Alan snoozed in his swamp one morning, Barry the beaver in a state of alarm discovered the alligator's hidden possession.  As you can imagine when he awoke, Alan was shocked to find it missing.  His attempt at business as usual did not go as planned.

A strange sound echoed through the jungle that night.  In the following days promises prevailed.  A tradition continued.


As an author Jarvis welcomes readers into Alan's jungle world sharing his morning habits and daily obsession with scaring the other animals.  The insertion of words conveying loud sounds and the reactions of the frogs, monkeys and parrots allows us to participate more readily in the narrative.  Bringing us into the story makes the secret more surprising and absolutely hilarious.

The technique of grouping events in threes supplies a cadence, a storytelling pace. A huge shift in the life stories of every animal in Alan's jungle is the result of the beaver's discovery.  This skillfully allows readers to see how the art of compromise works to benefit everyone, even Alan and his big, scary teeth.  Here is a sample passage.

Alan went "SNAP! SNAP"
And "GRRR! GRRR!
He said things like
"I'M BIG, SCARY ALAN!
FEAR MY 
RAZOR-SHARP
TEETH!"


On the matching dust jacket and book case Jarvis gets readers' attention with his choice of colors contrasting the bright green of Alan's scales and pearly white teeth with the yellow background, red title text and the turquoise letters and hummingbird.  At this point we know Alan is feared but we realize there might be more to the story.  To the left, on the back, the yellow continues over the spine into a portion of the page.  It ends with a jagged edge like teeth blending into a white background.  Here Alan is pictured casually leaning against a tree as the frightened jungle creatures observe him.  The opening and closing endpapers, done in shades of turquoise and white, feature the jungle flora.

A less formal title page highlights Alan happily grinning.  On the verso and title pages an alligator family tree on the left continues the theme as we zoom in on a startled snail sitting on a rock on the right beneath the title text.  Rendered in pencil, chalk, and paint and colored digitally most of the pictures extend across two pages.  Jarvis alters the sizes asking us to pause or continue at different rates of speed.  Twice he has a series of vertical illustrations grouped together to reinforce particular incidents.

His details amid the lush jungle settings elevate the comedy of specific moments.  Alan's toothpaste is Snap Snap Toothpaste.  He uses Eau De Gator cologne.  The eyes on his characters will encourage frequent bouts of laughter.

One of my favorite illustrations is of Alan lounging in the water of his swampy abode.  Most of his body is submerged except for his head, hands, feet and the tip of his tail.  He is reading The Jungle Times at the end of a long day of scaring.  Framing him are jungle trees, jungle leaves, the hummingbird and a snail floating on a leaf creating a peaceful scene.  It's a perfect picture preceding the shocking discovery on the next page.


Alan's Big Scary Teeth written and illustrated by Jarvis is a hilarious look at the art of deception.  It asks readers to think about our actions and the effect they have on others.  It introduces the benefits change can bring for everyone.  Be ready for merriment to fill the room when read aloud.  No matter how many times I've read it, I can't get to the end without laughing.

To discover more about Jarvis and his other work, please visit his website by following the link attached to his name.  He has posted my favorite picture there.  To view another interior image follow the link to this publisher's website.  Jarvis is interviewed at The Bright Emporium.  Enjoy the book trailer.