One In The Spirit

Building a collection of factual, appealing, and captivating titles regarding world religions and notable leaders and teachers within those religions is challenging.  For readers seeking more knowledge about their faith or curious about the practices of other faiths, selected books offer the best representation by own voices authors and illustrators.  When these authors and illustrators create nonfiction picture books, they do so with an informed perspective.  

Tuesdays are a highlight in the children's literature world with the release of new titles.  On the first Tuesday of this month, two beautiful books, certain to enhance collections in public school libraries and on the bookshelves in Jewish and Christian places of worship, were published.  Osnat and Her Dove: The True Story of the World's First Female Rabbi (an Arthur A. Levine book, Levine Querido, February 2, 2021) written by Sigal Samuel with illustrations by Vali Mintzi chronicles the life and life's work of an inspirational, dedicated, and innovative woman.

Almost five hundred years ago,

when almost everyone believed in

miracles, a baby girl was born in

the Middle East. 

Her name was Osnat.  Her father, Rabbi Samuel Barzani constructed a yeshiva.  Here men were able to study the Torah as often and for as long as they desired.

The little girl was surrounded by books and found herself alone when her father traveled to build more yeshivas in other communities.  She longed to learn how to read but was told daughters were meant for chores.  Rabbi Samuel Barzani had no sons, so he agreed to teach Osnat.

The letters and the words they formed fascinated Osnat as she learned the Torah.  It is said during one of her father's many trips, Osnat befriended a white dove, reading to it.  When it came time for Osnat to marry, her father agreed with her.  Her husband would need to respect her need for study.  Jacob was that man.  After her father's death, Jacob was the head of the yeshiva.  Osnat became the teacher of the students there.  This was the arrangement until Jacob, too, passed away.

Unsure of what to do, Osnat had a dream that night which directed her destiny in assuming leadership of the yeshiva.  In the following years, Osnat revealed again and again her considerable knowledge of the Torah and gift of healing.  On more than one occasion people were witness to inexplicable events in her presence.  This revered and highly respected woman is still remembered.

Author Sigal Samuel skillfully delves into Jewish history for readers.  With careful pacing and presentation of facts gleaned from primary sources and amulets, Osnat Barzani comes alive.  Specific incidents from her youth into adulthood are depicted through text and dialogue.  Each one is a part of a whole culminating in the final sentence, an expression of her shining achievement.  Here is a passage.

At Osnat's yeshiva, the

men called her Tanna'it, a

title given only to the most 

respected teachers.  They 

said she knew the deepest

secrets of the Torah and

that's where her power

came from.

Rabbis from near and

far began sending her

letters.  One called her "my

mother, my rabbi."

On the open dust jacket two different scenes are presented to readers.  In the rich, warm red, orange, and yellow hues a pale blue shade supplies a pleasing contrast on the front, right side.  Osnat is shown with her closest friend, her dove, as she studies and writes.  The dove figures prominently in several occurrences.  The main title text is varnished.  To the left, on the back, on a canvas of muted orange is a circular image.  The setting shows the road to the village of Amadiya, with the village on a high plateau.  It is night with a canine in the foreground.  Blue is used extensively.  This illustration foreshadows a miraculous event.

On the book case and opening and closing endpapers is the pattern of a print in the clothing worn by Osnat throughout the book.  The technique for the visuals is described here.

Val Mintzi painted the artwork for this book with gouache colors in layers.  She started out with a rough pencil sketch of the composition, then moved to a transparent, monochrome layer (red for illustrations of daylight and mauve for those of night), after which she added layers of gouache color.  For the final layer, Vali inserted details with a thin paintbrush; faces, expressions, patterns of carpets and cloth, stars in the depths of night.

On the title page, Osnat as a little girl is carrying a heavy book with her beloved dove perched on the capital D.  Illustrations vary in size from double-page pictures to full-page pictures.  The palette of selected hues elevates the text to one of wonder.  The blend of those colors provides a striking tapestry of people, time, and place.

One of my many favorite illustrations spans two pages.  Moving from the bottom of the gutter to the top of both pages is a large tree trunk with spreading branches in a vibrant combination of green and turquoise.  The leaves appear like a vast collection of small hearts. Five different scenes show the window, the frame and panes painted in turquoise against the yellow color of the house, of Osnat's home, usually open.  In each one, two on the left and three on the right, we see her growing from a little girl into a young woman.  Her dove is always present from their initial meeting to an unbreakable bond.

When you reflect on this woman's accomplishments in their historical context, you can't help but find them amazing.  Osnat and Her Dove: The True Story of the World's First Female Rabbi written by Sigal Samuel with illustrations by Vali Mintzi is a story of dreams realized, dreams in service of a faith and people.  There is an author's note at the end.  I highly recommend this book for your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Sigal Samuel and Vali Mintzi, please follow the link attached to their names to access their respective websites.  Sigal Samuel has accounts on Facebook and Twitter.  Val Mintzi has an account on Instagram.  Articles about this book, some including interviews, appear in The Times of Israel, the Jewish Book Council, Kveller, and Forward.  Vali Mintzi is interviewed in 2019 at Jewish Books For Kids.  At the publisher's website is a book trailer with Sigal Samuel speaking about the book.  A lot of artwork is showcased.

Five years ago, on February 9, 2016, Miracle Man: The Story of Jesus was published. After reading this book, I stated:

The stories are familiar but the interpretation by John Hendrix in his text and illustrations is extraordinary.

This book

is a beautiful celebration, forged in faith.

In a companion title, Go And Do Likewise! The Parables and Wisdom of Jesus (Abrams Books for Young Readers, February 2, 2021) written and illustrated by John Hendrix, those same assessments are equally true.  Exquisite, highly detailed images pair with stories handed down through the ages.

I

AM

THE VINE

YOU ARE MY BRANCHES, IF YOU ABIDE

IN ME, THE TRUE VINE, THEN SO DO I

IN YOU . . . AND YOU WILL BEAR MUCH FRUIT

Jesus's sandals

were always dusty.

Jesus didn't call any one place home.

But he was not alone.  Alongside Jesus were his

students, the twelve disciples.  These men were not

rich or powerful; they were ordinary people.

Jesus had no plan of a place to be and what to say on any given day.  People listened to him where he stood, outside among them and not inside a temple.  Words of wisdom and acts of healing increased his followers.  Those in power inside those temples grew angrier and more frightened.  

One day a rabbi posed question after question to Jesus.  He sought to trick him.  Instead, Jesus taught him the highest definition of neighbor through the story of the Samaritan.  From there Jesus traveled to a higher place, looking out at those gathered.  He spoke to those feeling empty, those showing mercy, those full of sadness, and those striving for peace.  Each of those were blessed.

It was Jesus's desire to continue to teach through story, his parables.  He spoke of using his words like a foundation for a home.  He asked people to not judge by comparing sawdust and a large branch.  He told a tale of a merchant desiring a magnificent pearl likening it to the Kingdom of God.  

One day children prompted him to speak of a shepherd's one hundred sheep and the loss of one.  This closely aligned with his tale of two sons, one loyal to his father, and another who strays but returns.  The anger of the leaders and the teachers from the temples increased listening to Jesus and his lessons.  Toward the end of the book, and the end of Jesus's life, he gathered his disciples to him.  When asked a question by Thomas, he answered with the only direction necessary to know.

What author John Hendrix has done with his retelling of some of the parables of Jesus is to use more contemporary language, connecting with a larger audience.  He also offers short explanations as in this sentence.

A short time later, a Levite, a person who also worked in the temple, came along the road. 

His words in no way diminish the power of these stories but allow that power to envelope readers in a profound sense of calm understanding.  John Hendrix, in his words, focuses on Jesus's mastery of storytelling; his storytelling which drew parallels to those things most easily understood by his listeners.  Here is another passage following one of the parables.

The people looked around in amazement, for

they had never heard something so clear and

sure.  This man taught differently than the chief

priests, who often relied on other's teachings

when they preached.

But Jesus spoke as one with true authority!

When you look at the images shown on the open dust jacket, you are immediately engaged by John Hendrix signature style.  The color palette reflects the setting but also the light found in the parables of Jesus.  Each item, the butterflies, the bird (sparrow or dove?), and the lily refer to stories and symbols found in in the words of Jesus or in Christian teachings.  Readers can see that Jesus is dressed in a similar fashion to those with whom he spoke.  To the left, on the back, an interior image is used.  It is a recreation of The Mount from where Jesus addressed and blessed the crowd.  Even though The Mount is shown as a building with people climbing stairs circling on the outside, Jesus stands in a field of flowers with a dove coming to rest on his outstretched palm.  Certain elements on the dust jacket are varnished on the matte-finished paper.

On the book case, the illustration from the back of the jacket appears on the front.  The entire scene spreads over the spine and to the far-left edge.  The Mount is in the middle of an empty desert, golden and peach clouds layered in the sky.

On the opening and closing endpapers a line of flowers, like those in the field on the top of The Mount, span from left to right.  They continue with a page turn moving toward, left to right across two pages, the title page.  One foot of Jesus is shown as he walks off the far-right side.  On the title page a symbolic image, with few colors, shows Jesus climbing a rocky mountain to a large tree at the top.  A bright golden-orange circular sun rises above other rocky formations.  Most of this is to the left of the gutter.  On the far-right edge is an intricate decorative design.

On the first interior image, on the left, Jesus is seated at the base of that tree.  The first text is placed within the tree.  Every page turn reveals another masterful image imbued with a mix of reality and symbolism.  The intricate hand-lettering often features a scene in the enlarged first letter.  

John Hendrix alternates between full-page pictures, framed panels, insets on a single page, and dramatic two-page illustrations.  Sometimes words in the first phrase or sentence will be amplified and placed on their own page.  The visuals for each parable are distinctive but work together wonderfully.  The final two-page artwork, vertical and requiring readers to turn the book, is stunning.

One of my many favorite illustrations spans two pages.  The main canvas color is golden yellow.  Across the bottom left, and diminishing after crossing the gutter, is a landscape of fantastically colored flora.  Through this is a dot and dash pattern indicating the route of the shepherd.  Above the landscape on the left is a bright red, thorny bush.  Stuck there is sheep number 100.  On the right, the shepherd is briskly walking with his staff.  The sheep, number 100, is now across his back, carefully and tightly clasped in his hands.  That which was lost is now found.

This book, Go And Do Likewise! The Parables and Wisdom of Jesus written and illustrated by John Hendrix, is exemplary in every respect. His Author's Note, a section titled Retelling vs. Translating and Sources at the conclusion of the book are not to be missed.  On the final page John Hendrix talks about the art and the jacket.  I know you will want a copy of this book for your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about John Hendrix and his other work, I invite you to access his website by following the link attached to his name.  John Hendrix has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  In a 2019 interview at Redeemed Reader, John Hendrix is interviewed.  At the publisher's website you can view interior pages.

The Teacher

For those who dedicate their lives to the education of children, the time devoted to this profession does not begin or end at a certain hour each day nor does it begin and end during the allotted school year.  For many this extends into tutoring academic subjects, coaching sports, advising club members, chaperoning class trips or school-sponsored camping expeditions or instructing at night classes to children or adults.  For still others it includes hours in preparation for teaching on Sundays (or other Sabbath days).

For more than ten years I taught students, usually at the middle school level, during Sunday school classes.  Having worked with this age group in a public school setting for twenty-one years I was well aware of the challenges.  An individual's spiritual life is extremely personal.  

It's a rarity to find a title of distinction which would be an asset in the religion section of a public school library and valuable to those teaching Sunday school.  Miracle Man: The Story of Jesus (Abrams Books for Young Readers, February 9, 2016) written and illustrated by John Hendrix is such a book.  The stories are familiar but the interpretation by John Hendrix in his text and illustrations is extraordinary. 

Ages ago, in a dry and dusty land, the people were in need.

The land was a sick place, in need of healing. 
The land was a blind place, in need of sight.  

The land was a thirsty place, in need of water...

Walking on this land among these people was a man whose words cured the sickness, the blindness and thirst.  When he called to a group of unlucky fishermen, their nets filled with fish.  He asked them to follow him and they did.  When these fishermen witnessed the faith of a leper and his healing, they knew this man was like no other.

In search of a miracle, friends made a hole in a roof so a sick child could be placed in front of Jesus.  After hearing the words of this man, the child left the pallet and walked out through the crowd.  As the numbers of people grew who believed in these miracles, not all liked what he was doing.  These men of wealth and importance feared his power.  

The waters of a stormy sea are calmed at his command during their travels.  When he left to rest, tired of the work, the disciples carried on worried conversations but the Miracle Man returned cooking a breakfast of fish.  He then fed thousands with five loaves of bread and two fish.   

A sea crossed again in darkness revealed an ability to walk on water.  During a meal words were spoken of a betrayal.  That night this man who performed wondrous deeds was surrounded by soldiers and taken away to be sentenced to die.  His enemies sought to silence his words, stop his actions and eliminate his power.  One final wondrous happening by this Miracle Man gave them his answer.

With the introductory words by John Hendrix as quoted above readers are transported back in time to the world into which this man came.  Each portrayal, the gathering of the disciples, the multiple miracles, the final meal and betrayal and the resurrection, are written based upon accounts from various versions of the Bible but as Hendrix understands them.  He writes with clarity selecting words which vividly describe each setting, the people and the work and words of Jesus Christ.  Here is another passage.

One evening, the Man told Peter to find a boat.  He said there was work to be done on the other side of the sea.

As the tiny boat set out, the waves began to grow.  Soon a great squall was breaking high over the deck.  These fishermen were very good sailors, but the storm terrified them.

The wind and rain raged all around, but the Miracle Man was sleeping! Peter cried out,

DON'T YOU CARE IF WE DIE?

When you open the dust jacket there are two separate images on the front and the back, both referring to Jesus walking upon the water.  In the first the symbolic butterflies are following him with one placed upon a single letter in the title.  The flow of waves and water extend over the spine to the left into the visual of Jesus reaching out to a struggling Peter asking him to have faith.  This back picture continues to the flap edge.  John Hendrix's signature typography appears more prevalent in this second illustration.  For the book case the final two pages of the book are represented.  The rich black of the tomb's interior supplies a stunning background for the colorful butterflies and the Miracle Man walking out the opening into the warm hues of a bright, sunny new day. 

The opening and closing endpapers in white each provide a canvas for butterflies but readers can easily see the difference between the two; forming their own opinions as to why Hendrix choose the elements he did. This white is continued after the page turn with a wide gray border at the bottom and a silhouette of the fishermen in their boat placed on top to the right.  Written in branches of wood are Miracle and a portion of the m.  The word Man is completed in the next double-page illustration as the narrative starts.  

Rendered in pen and ink with fluid acrylic washes on Strathmore Bristol vellum most of the images extend across two pages.  One of the things which make these illustrations exceedingly stunning is the transformation of portions of the text in size, color and style.  Many times Hendrix will incorporate the text into the elements of the scene. 

The chosen color palette is a glorious blend of warm and cool colors depending on the particular depiction. The hues flow shifting with the words.  A single exception is when two sentences are placed on a background of white which carries over to the right where Jesus is shown carrying the cross.  A line is drawn in the dirt, left to right, as the cross is dragged.

Careful readers will see other Biblical references hidden in the illustrations.  On the double page spread representing the betrayal as the soldiers circle Jesus in the garden, a rooftop holds a serpent and a partially eaten apple.  Hendrix plans on supplying information about the other "Easter eggs" in future blog posts for children. 

One of my favorite illustrations of many is when the Miracle Man tells the child to 

Rise & Walk.

Those two words form the buildings of the village.  In the background the healed young man is skipping into the distance.  In the foreground Jesus' back is to us with his right hand raised.  In his left hand he holds a staff made from a branch.  In front of him are persons shown in the details of warm limited colors.  Jesus is portrayed here, and throughout the book, as a man of his time and geographical region would appear. 

Miracle Man: The Story of Jesus written and illustrated by John Hendrix is a beautiful celebration, a tribute forged in faith.  I have read this silently and aloud.  I have studied with great appreciation the illustrations.  This book, regardless of your religious beliefs, is a work of art.  In a personal two page author's note Hendrix offers an explanation as to the writing and illustrating of this book.  This is followed by a selected bibliography and words about the illustrations and the research for the artwork.

To learn more about John Hendrix and his work please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  This is a link to his Tumblr pages.  Enjoy these two tweets.

Miracle Man! https://t.co/bOI5iRA9hp

— John Hendrix (@hendrixart) December 15, 2015

So excited to share more work from Miracle Man: The Story of Jesus, from @abramskids https://t.co/tk44U48Q67 pic.twitter.com/bjZZKMs2X6

— John Hendrix (@hendrixart) January 21, 2016

UPDATE:  A book trailer was released.



UPDATE:  John Hendrix talks about the writing of this book at The Rabbit Room. 

UPDATE:  John Hendrix is interviewed at Illustrated Children's Ministry. 

The Grass Is Always Greener

It was undeniably a rite of passage in our neighborhood.  As each child reached a certain age, when the first cutting of the lawn came in the spring, you could see them proudly pushing a mower.  If the yards were bigger and they were older you might see them riding on a big green John Deere.

Even today there is something satisfying about the lines made in a freshly mowed lawn and the memory-laden smell of the cut grass.  Humans are not the only ones taking pleasure in mowing.  An exceptional amphibian singles out a special day each week to complete his task.  McToad Mows Tiny Island (Abrams Books For Young Readers, September 1, 2015) a transportation tale by Tom Angleberger with pictures by John Hendrix is an extraordinary journey filled with amazement and laughter.

McToad likes Thursdays.

McToad is fond of Thursday because this is the day he gets to mow Tiny Island.  His home is on Big Island.  On Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday he mows Big Island.  

It's no easy hop, skip and a jump to get to Tiny Island.  In fact, it's quite a process to arrive at this destination.  To begin McToad fires up his red riding lawn mower moving it from the shed up a plank into the back of HIS McToad Lawn Care truck.

With the ease of a true expert McToad loads his mower from the truck using a forklift to the flat bed car of HIS train.  This train soon arrives at the airport.  (I don't know about you but at this point I am wondering how big Big Island is.)  A handy dandy conveyor belt takes his faithful grass cutter to HIS airplane.

Three vehicles, one machine and a structure of wood later, the mower and McToad land on Tiny Island.  Our audacious landscaper thoroughly enjoys his time on this plot of land in the middle of the ocean; even pausing to sip a lemonade drink.  With an equally involved return trip home the caretaker and his machine come to rest as the sun slowly sinks on the horizon.


With the first three words Tom Angleberger has our attention.  We can't help but wonder why McToad likes Thursdays.  Sentence by sentence he builds an and then kind of story.  We can feel the anticipation growing.  That's what makes the sentence in the narrative which matches the title utterly fantastic.  If you don't burst out laughing, you're probably not breathing.


Opening up the dust jacket readers can readily see John Hendrix has created another illustrative masterpiece in color, design and typography.  His use of rich reds, vibrant greens and golden yellows are warm and inviting.  McToad looks pleased beyond measure as he does what he loves best.  We want to join him.

On the back, to the left, a series of wide red arrows point out the pathway, transfers and stops McToad and his mower make on the return excursion home.  Pages from an account book with the noted property, date and amount columns filled in carefully cover the book case.  The opening endpapers feature McToad beginning a lawn with several diagonal strips indicating his progress as he faces the reader.  On the closing endpapers his work is nearly done as he putts along wearing his patched worn hat with his back to us.

Before the title page, which hints at future events, McToad stands wiping his brow, holding a walking stick with his hat on top of it.  Rendered in pen and ink with fluid acrylic washes on Strathmore Bristol vellum most of the illustrations span two pages, edge to edge.  When the narrative asks us to pause Hendrix shifts to single pages for pacing and impact.

Attentive readers will note Hendrix's nod to his children and his The Holy Ghost graphic episodes and to Tom Angleberger's middle grade novel characters.  His close-ups of McToad as he stands in front of the map in his shed and adjusts the mirror in his truck as well as when he mows Tiny Island convey pure contentment.  One of my many favorite illustrations is of McToad flying HIS helicopter to a large boat moored to a dock.  Both hands are gripping the controls as he carries the mower hanging in a tarp from the bottom of the vehicle.  He is, of course, wearing goggles.  From left to right the perspective shifts from in the air with McToad to a bird's eye view of the land.


For pure entertainment McToad Mows Tiny Island with words by Tom Angleberger and pictures by John Hendrix is unlike any other transportation tale you've read.  You can't help but feel the fun in the blend of text and images these two stellar artists must have had bringing this story to readers.  Start your engines everyone, it's time to get going and mowing.

To discover more about Tom Angleberger and John Hendrix please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.  John Hendrix has a page dedicated to this book here.  If you go to Twitter and search under the title of the book, many people have sent out messages about this book.  I will include some of them below.  Tom Angleberger is interviewed at Reading Rockets in a series of videos.  Teacher librarian, Travis Jonker, reviews this title on his blog 100 Scope Notes at the School Library Journal site.  John Hendrix is a guest at teacher librarian, Matthew C. Winner's Let's Get Busy Podcast #186.  UPDATE:  November 20, 2015 Author, reviewer and blogger, Julie Danielson, features art from this title on her blog, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast,  along with a link to her discussion of the book at Kirkus last week.

McToad buttons for the launch of "McToad Mows Tiny Island" tonight at @subbooks 5:30pm! pic.twitter.com/CWYryiVgyf

— John Hendrix (@hendrixart) September 29, 2015

Behind the scenes peek at McToad Mows Tiny Island! Secret screen tests that @hendrixart and I used to… https://t.co/ovyA9N4UUY

— OrigamiYoda (@OrigamiYoda) September 1, 2015

#Bookaday McToad Mows Tiny Island by @OrigamiYoda & @hendrixart https://t.co/4DJ3ShdBh9. I want McToad Lawn Care to cut my grass!

— John Schu (@MrSchuReads) August 21, 2015

To Neverland

You would have thought the neighborhood street in our small town had become a barnyard so many rooster crows could be heard.  Most of us having seen the recent musical Peter Pan on television were pretending to have our own romps in Neverland.  Who wouldn't want to be able to fly and vanquish the dreaded Captain Hook?

Little did we know, there is actually a girl, now thirteen-years-old, who might find flying handy in battle but would never want to best the most feared pirate in the seven seas.  Although she would be loath to admit it, she would much rather give him a hug.  Hook's Revenge (DisneyHyperion, September 16, 2014) written by Heidi Schulz with cover and interior illustrations by John Hendrix is about the only child of Captain James Hook, his daughter.  I'll bet that caught you by surprise, it did me.  So host your sails, batten down the hatches and get ready to sail into the storm known as life in the Neverland.

Children Have Sticky Fingers and Ask Impertinent Questions
There have always been pirates.  Why, even as far back as Eve, on the day she was considering whether or not to eat that apple, a pirate was most certainly planning to sail in and take if from her. 

So begins the narrative, snarky, sly and replete with humor, by an as yet-unnamed close acquaintance of Captain James Hook.  Undeterred by Sir Charles's, her maternal grandfather's, best efforts to make her a lady suitable for a proper marriage match, Jocelyn Hook is being sent to

Miss Eliza Crumb-Biddlecomb's Finishing School For Young Ladies 

to be instructed in the fine art of social graces befitting her status.  Everything about the school, especially her two roommates, Miss Priscilla Katherine-Anne Edgeworth and Miss Nanette Arbuckle, is repulsive to Jocelyn.  She bemoans the state of her motherless life and the fact her father has never once tried to contact her.

After a particularly horrid scene in the dining hall thanks to Miss Eliza, Jocelyn runs away in the rain discovering an abandoned carriage house. Here she locates a locket given to her father by her mother on their marriage day. (Don't you love this kind of miracles in books?) She also meets Roger, cook's helper and undergardener at the school.  The two become fast friends planning grand adventures.

After nearly one year at the school, the tables are turned on the day of Jocelyn's thirteenth birthday.  It seems Jocelyn's nemesis witnesses her entirely friendly meeting with Roger in the garden the previous night.  Roger vanishes but so does Jocelyn.  A final visit to the carriage house, a letter from her father and an encounter with a talking giant bird,

Edgar Allan of Edgar Allan's Mainland Courier Service

are Jocelyn's ticket to Neverland and extraordinary escapades.

Several confrontations with the tick-tock bloodthirsty crocodile, the annoying Peter Pan, the Lost Boys who seem to have lost their wits too, a tribe of cannibals with a craving for the flesh of English persons, Captain Krueger's band of scallywag pirates, cold-hearted mermaids, a particular prince from the realm of fairy, and specters from the past and present, will have you turning pages as fast as a stiff breeze blowing on the waves of open water.  Characters, familiar and new, begin to spill forth from the pages as fast and furious as the action in which they are involved.  Mr. Smee, One-Armed Jack (with two good arms), Jim McCraig with a Wooden Leg (or a sliver in his toe), Nubbins the cook, Blind Bart the ship's lookout (wearing two eye-patches) and later Dirty Bob crew Jocelyn's ship, Hook's Revenge, on all their less than typical journeys around and about the ever-changing landscape of Neverland.  Each character changes and grows, especially Jocelyn, and so do we as readers.  This is only the beginning.


Words brimming with descriptive wit will have you embroiled in the plot before you can even think Jolly Roger.  The narrator, whose identity is never revealed, is definitely someone you want to meet at one moment, if only to thank him for his insightful discourse, and desire to avoid at all costs the next minute.  Jocelyn, whose life is certainly not typical for a thirteen-year-old girl (thank goodness), is the perfect example of using the skills you have to not only survive but better your life and those around you.  As best friends go, Roger is someone you want next to you, even if he's not sure who you are.  Mr. Smee and company, although weird, are strangely wonderful.  In this story Peter Pan and Tinkerbell are more pests than hero and heroine but this is wildly successful.

A vivid narrative, swash-buckling dialogue, and single startling sentences will have readers shaking their heads in wonder.  Chapters are tied together with skill revealing truths about Neverland leaving you stunned.  This may be Heidi Schulz's debut middle grade book but it's a tale you won't want to miss.  Here are a few of the sample passages I have marked.

"You know," she said in a loud voice, "I think my father would like to meet you.  He's been away, but I expect he'll come for me anytime now.  Perhaps you have heard of him?  Captain James Hook?"
Lady Trottington fainted dead away into her plate of jellied eels.  Lord Trottington let out a terrified scream.  (Who would have guessed him to be a soprano?) As for Ambrose, the thorough scrubbing a housemaid gave his chair later that evening stood as testament to his reaction to Jocelyn's pronouncement.

It was not the cherry tree framing the window in a cascade of blossoms (also pink), nor was it her view of the now nearly empty gardens and walks.  No, what lifted Jocelyn's spirits was this; if she looked toward the horizon, turned her head like so and squinted her eyes like this, far in the distance she could make out a tiny patch of shoreline bordered by a bit of deep blue sea.
For the sake of that spot of blue, Jocelyn resolved that she would not set fire to her room.
At least not on her first night.

On the south side of the island that day (I say that day, for the Neverland changes itself around as often as a vain woman changes her apparel) there resided a ruined ivory castle, nearly grown over with nettles, next to a great rushing river that appeared to flow backward---going up waterfalls instead of down.  Sprawled beside the island's main harbor was a ramshackle pirate village, easily identified, even from Jocelyn's lofty height, by the smell of blood and rum. ...
...Even so, the girl knew somewhere down there, amidst all the wonder, a terrible beast was waiting.
Reminds me a bit of my first wedding day.


In addition to the full color dust jacket artwork John Hendrix enhances the story with five full-page black and white illustrations.  Each image masterfully captures the emotions of the characters during a specific scene.  One in particular will have you gasping for air.


Before you let the sun set on another day, make sure to acquire a copy of Hook's Revenge written by Heidi Schulz with illustrations by John Hendrix.  It's a visit to Neverland like none other; you won't want to leave.  Read this yourself or share it with others as a read aloud but make sure you do before the sequel arrives.  It promises even greater excitement.

To learn more about the collaborative team of Heidi Schulz and John Hendrix please visit their websites by following the links embedded in their names.  Julie Danielson, author and blogger at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast interviewed Heidi Schulz at Kirkus.  The following week the art of John Hendrix was featured on her blog.

In The Silence Of The Night

The year is 1818.  In a small parish church in Oberndorf, Austria at the evening mass on December 24th, a new song, sung by the writer and composer, is heard for the first time.  They are accompanied by a single guitar and the choir.  Assistant Father Joseph Mohr had penned the six stanzas in 1816.  Local school teacher and organist, Franz Xaver Gruber, from the nearby town of Arnsdorf had been asked to write the music that very day.  Silent Night, Holy Night is the song.

Over the years whenever I've heard this music, I've immediately thought of my mom.  It was her favorite Christmas hymn.  After reading John Hendrix's new title released yesterday, Shooting at the Stars: The Christmas Truce of 1914 (Abrams Books For Young Readers) this melody has new meaning.  It began an unprecedented event.

One hundred years ago, a horrible war began.
It was the biggest conflict the world had ever seen.  Journalists would call it the Great War, but it wasn't great at all.  It was dreadful.  Today, we call it the First World War.

With that introductory paragraph, it's as if we've just heard Once upon a time.  We realize we are in the capable hands of an informed storyteller.  Five succinct explanatory paragraphs about this European conflict follow taking us into the treacherous trenches found in France during December 1914.

A young British soldier is writing a letter home to his mother.  In the first few sentences we learn he has been in the same location under increasingly difficult conditions due to terrain, weather and the nearby position of the German soldiers for almost four months.  His descriptions of the mud, rats and their bunkers read like a definition of deplorable.

He continues his letter recounting the happenings of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with a sense of awe.  As darkness fell over the war zone he and his buddies were gathered around a fire when he heard singing.  Who would be so thoughtless as to announce where they were?  When he gathered his courage and peeked over the top of the trench, he couldn't believe his eyes or his ears.

Lined up along the trench on the German side were a row of tiny evergreen trees lit with candles and lanterns.  The German soldiers were singing boldly and bravely, Silent Night, Holy Night.  A Christmas Eve celebration was happening in the last place it should have been.  All night the voices could be heard.

Christmas Day morning brought more surprises and a question was shouted out to the British soldiers.  No Man's Land became a place where comrades were laid to rest, small tokens and stories were exchanged and the traditions inherent in a holiday were observed by men from all walks of life who decided peace was possible.  When an enraged officer appeared as the British returned to their side, his orders for the time being were, as Charlie told his mother, followed to protect what they had experienced.


Again and again, what elevates a picture book to excellence is the passion the author and/or illustrator have for their project.  If it is there, it shines like the brightest beacon in pitch black darkness through the words and pictures.  Every part of this volume created by John Hendrix is luminous.

By including the initial enlightening two pages we are given enough background of the larger picture before the focus shifts to the specific days of the Christmas Truce.  This portion is written clearly enough to be easily understood, especially when using the example of dominoes.  It's a great technique to use something known by most to explain something probably not known as completely.

By having a young solider (he finished school only months before) write to his mother and sign his name at the end of the narrative, makes the experience more personal for readers.  When he relates the conditions within his trench and the surrounding area it gives us a true sense of time and place.  Specific details garnered from research make our involvement all the more real.  Here are a couple of sentences as an example.

Rain means more mud.
The mud here is like none I've ever experienced.  When it rains, a thick, loamy foam churns up from the ground and fouls everything we own.


Of course I first opened the dust jacket removing it from the book case.  To my total delight they are different.  The rich brown extends from flap edge to flap edge acting as a frame for two important visuals.  On the right flap John Hendrix includes a portion of the beginning of the letter and on the left we see a section of the signature at the letter's end.  The illustration on the front signifies the beginning of the truce as told by Hendrix.  On the back we see the men engaged in one of the activities of the day with a key line beneath.

WHY CAN'T WE JUST GO HOME---
AND HAVE PEACE?

My favorite illustration from the book spans across the book case.  In shades of blues and browns, the area of the trenches and No Man's Land on the night of Christmas day is shown.  Stars and a moon shine overhead.  A small glowing Christmas tree is left on the German side, soldiers peering over the edge, one arm raised in greeting.  Charley has stood up after finishing the letter, waving his hand in return.

The same shade of blue in varying intensity is used on the opening and closing endpapers.  There are two different pictures of Charley in his trench.  The first shows the length of the trench as he moves along carrying his weapon and gear.  In the second only a portion of the trench is seen as Charley leans against the wall with his letter.  These both appear in more complete color inside the body of the book.

These illustrations by John Hendrix were

drawn with graphite, fluid acrylic washes and gouache on Strathmore Vellum Bristol.  

Most of them flow across both pages drawing readers deeply into the story.  When necessary to the pacing, a single page, framed or unframed or a smaller illustration will be placed into the overall design.

Details in the scenery, the man-made embankments and bunkers, the equipment and uniforms increases the authenticity.  Another nice touch is to have some portions of the text appear to be handwritten, others in text and still others, the spoken words of the Germans, in another font style.  I think it's important to note Hendrix begins with two pages of wordless illustrations, except for a date, and concludes with the same.

The first time I read this, where I was sitting literally pulled away.  I was in the trench with Charley as he wrote the letter and when he experienced those two miraculous Christmas days.  Shooting at the Stars: The Christmas Truce of 1914 eloquently written and exquisitely illustrated by John Hendrix is a must have title.  At the end of the book an author's note, glossary, bibliography and index are included.  Be sure to read the dedication.

Update:  On Christmas Day 2014 Julie Danielson, author, reviewer at Kirkus and blogger at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast posted an interview with John Hendrix at Kirkus.

For more information about John Hendrix and his work follow the link to his website embedded first in this post.  If you follow the second link it will take you to his Tumblr page dedicated to this title.  He has posted several illustrations.  I am so appreciative of this book I am giving away a copy.  



Be sure to head on over to Kid Lit Frenzy hosted by educator Alyson Beecher to see what recommendations other bloggers are including this week in the 2014 Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge.  I am aware that my title is a fictionalized account of true events but felt compelled to include it in the challenge because of the thorough research employed by the author/illustrator.

In Their Hands

The men, women and children whose names find a place in history books are sometimes only names; words in black and white not given flesh, bones and personalities.  There are countless others who did make a difference but remain confined to the past, not even acknowledged in our volumes chronicling human endeavors.  Year after year authors and illustrators change these facts.

They take names, known and unknown, making them alive for readers in the here and now.  Their accounts, whether through fiction or nonfiction, are so skillful the people seem to walk into our presence.  Author Marilyn Singer and illustrator John Hendrix have done this for readers with their recently released collaboration, Rutherford B. Who Was He? Poems About Our Presidents (Disney Hyperion Books).

Who were these men
who had what it took
to be commander in chief of the armed forces,
to suggest what to do with our country's resources?

Forty-three presidents are presented in thirty-nine poetic verses in forms as varied as the men themselves.  In sequential order from Washington to Obama, we get a glimpse of their accomplishments, challenges and shortcomings.  History's facts and interpretations are revealed.

You have to wonder how the nation would have fared if George Washington had lived a quiet life at Mount Vernon, as he wanted after the Revolution, instead of becoming the first president of the United States.  The bickering, the clash of ideologies, between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson is a dialogue to note.  How many can recall stubbornness and cold weather lead to the short term of William Henry Harrison?

Polk's promises, Johnson's impeachment, Grant's troubles and Hayes's neutrality bookend the man wearing the stovepipe hat, Abraham Lincoln.  A wife's proclamation, a gripping bathtub and a roaring decade leave their mark on other administrations.  It must have been hard to run for re-election with the public's cry of

ANYONE BUT HIM.

A new deal, stopping the buck, working behind the scenes, going to the moon and another war defined five presidencies. Whether they came to office by election or fate Watergate haunted two.  A farmer, an actor, a father and his son, a governor and a senator, have all lead our nation.


As I read each of these poems, my admiration for the writing of Marilyn Singer grew.  She reminds us of aspects of these men's lives we have forgotten.  She educates us with information we never knew.  She invites us to dig deeper into the past.

The rhythms and rhymes she creates draw us through the centuries; time speeds quickly by in her hands.  Her techniques are masterful; poems in conversation between Adams and Jefferson illuminating their differences, Jackson and Van Buren revealing positions on westward expansion, and Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce and Buchanan lamenting the status of the Union and the reverso poem, her signature style, on Richard Nixon. Clever, candid and to the point, she gives us the men; these men who were and are president of these United States.



One of the first things you notice about the jacket over the red cloth cover, with the title embossed at the top, is the layout and design.  All the elements are working together perfectly to draw your attention to this book.  The typography, the patriotic colors, President Hayes holding his portrait as other presidents  are gathered about him, animated, as if attending an annual meet and greet are marvelous in their detail and expression.  The single illustration on the back, which appears again beneath the introductory poem, of the eagle from the Great Seal, items from the seal placed about him, reading a book on presidents, is a favorite illustration.

John Hendrix brings his own special brand of historical interpretation and perspective to each of his illustrations.  All the intricate parts work together to make a whole which causes you to pause.  His facial expressions, body postures and the setting in which each man is placed enhance and elevate the text.

Many of the individual pictures are tied together, crossing the gutter with common items.  His color palette choices (the blues swirling about Harrison, the bright, golden yellow behind Grant, the charcoal used as the background for Kennedy and Johnson or the economic graphs joining Bush and Clinton) and lettering and placement of the presidential quotes are impeccable.  I've always believed it's the attention to the little things which lifts any endeavor from good to great; the smoking pipe of peace on the mantel beneath Adam's portrait as Jefferson sits by the fire, his quote embedded in the smoke rising out the chimney, the tiny American flag upright as it was placed on the moon in a glow from the television showcasing Kennedy speaking, or the buttons worn by Bush and Clinton, no taxes and saxes.

Truthfully I can't stop looking at the illustrations, noticing something different each time. I have many favorites but the picture of Abraham Lincoln from the back, face slightly turned, the poem within the stove pipe hat and his quote around the brim, is one of them.  It is the only one in this book with this viewpoint.


I count Rutherford B. Who Was He? Poems About Our Presidents written by Marilyn Singer with illustrations by John Hendrix one of the best poetry books of 2013.  I can see it having multiple uses in the classroom setting promoting discussions on poetic forms, research on the presidents and the importance of illustrative storytelling.  For those people who love United States history, this volume is a must.

At the close of the book is a section on Meet The President followed by more information on each of the men.  A quote from each is included.  It should also be noted that within the body of the book each poem is titled with the presidential names with their party and terms of service underneath.  Please follow the links embedded in the author's and illustrator's names above to their websites.  The link to John Hendrix's blog post shows many illustrations about the process involved with this title along finished pages.

...From Sea To Shining Sea

Katharine Lee Bates taught English literature for forty years at Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts.  As the story goes in 1893 after a trek by wagon, mule and foot to the top of Pike's Peak, she was so inspired by the landscape spread before her, she wrote a poem in her journal. Two years later it was first published and has since evolved into one of our nation's most cherished songs, America The Beautiful.

For eight years my two favorite books of this song were both published in 2004.  In his debut picture book illustrator Chris Gall depicts the poem in stunning visuals.  Here are two sentences from the review at Kirkus (March 1, 2004)

Gall, an actual descendant of Bates, illustrates the four verses of this country's other national anthem with bold, clean-lined, heroic American scenes, from a sturdy rural couple contemplating their "amber waves," to firefighters raising a flag over the ruins at Ground Zero.  This broadly idealistic art is infused with a spirit of inclusiveness, as blind Justice towers over a woman in judicial robes, a Tuskegee Airman poses heroically atop his fighter, and in the concluding spread, East meets West in more ways than one at Utah's Promontory Point.

In the middle of October paper engineer, Robert Sabuda gave readers his interpretation.  In a starred review Kirkus (October 1, 2004) states:

The wizard of pop-ups has created a masterpiece---in design, in execution, in boldness of vision, and in artistic and historic integrity.  

In an effort to fill my book gap challenge, several days ago when participating in one of my favorite pastimes, browsing in a bookstore, my attention was completely captured by a new joyful cover of a book titled, America the Beautiful Together We Stand (Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc.).  Ten notable illustrators, Bryan Collier, Raul Colon, Diane Goode, Mary GrandPre, John Hendrix, Yuyi Morales, Jon J Muth, LeUyen Pham, Sonia Lynn Sadler and Chris Soentpiet have each contributed in their unique illustrative styles to give a new vision to this poetic song.  The result is as varied and resplendent as the land in which we live.


Beginning with O beautiful for spacious skies, the luminous paintings of Chris Soentpiet display a group of happy, shouting, singing children from all ethnic backgrounds holding and waving small American flags with fireworks blossoming above them.  The play of light on each of the faces is a joy to behold.  The detail is nearly photographic.

The pastel painting of Mary GrandPre lights up For amber waves of grain, showing children at play.  A large tree branch in an open field has become their ship adorned in colored cloths for sails and flags birds flying in the sky around them.  They are joined by a happy barking dog.

Raul Colon's distinctive use of watercolor paper, watercolor washes, etching, colored pencils and litho pencils breathes beauty into For purple mountain majesties.  His representation of these words is one of the finest I have ever seen.   Mountains provide a backdrop for five children, (equal in size to the mountains) engaged in activities, basketball, paper airplane flying, skateboarding, baseball and jumping rope.

Sonia Lynn Sadler's usual medium is colored scratchboard.  Her depiction of Above the fruited plain! is a gathering of people from all walks of life of all ages gathered around a large quilt which they are stitching together.  The pieces of the quilt are pictures of Americana from East to West.  Everything is outlined in a fine white line accentuating this colorful array.

America! is shown in a powerful image by Bryan Collier in his technique of watercolor collage.  A faint dark sky blue image of our flag provides the background for tree branches showing faces.  Prominently displayed is a young child hands firmly grasped in front over the tree.

The second America! done in soft greens by Jon J Muth shows a forest glen.  His watercolor artwork focuses on two children tending to a newly sprouted tree.  One child is kneeling next to it as the other carries a watering can, a small turtle crawling away to the left.  A feeling of serenity permeates.

With shades of red overtone, Yuyi Morales renders her signature illustration in acrylics.  God shed His grace on thee is vividly visualized by a close-up of workers in a field of green taking a break in their labors, eating and drinking, small children with them.  As two hummingbirds flutter by, music drifts out from the portable radio in one of the worker's pockets.

Diane Goode's pen and ink drawings highlighting And crown thy good in pale teals, browns, a brighter green, red, white and blue intricately depict historic moments and accomplishments.  Towering over these is a young adult handing off a crown of laurel leaves to another four, hands linked.  All are balanced on stepping stones in water.

LeUyen Pham who in an interview stated she likes to keep people guessing about her medium, brush pens, watercolor, gouache, pencil or computer, has masterfully painted rows of children not only resembling the American flag but the shape of the United States.  Her illustration is on the front cover and interprets with brotherhood... .The playful pyramid nearly rings with laughter.

The final two pages, From sea to shining sea! drawn by John Hendrix are extraordinary.  On the left we see an old sea vessel floating above the clouds manned by children garbed in attire from various time periods.  As the clouds part on the right mountains turn in a landscape showcasing a geographical tableau replete with all manner of buildings and landmarks as his circular, starry, stylistic  fireworks are placed across the golden sky and page.  Every time I gaze at this illustration I see something new, something particular to our country.

When unfolding the jacket from the cover readers are treated to a vertical colorful portrait display of all forty-four presidents; a poster.  Rich, blue endpapers, front and back, display rows of white stars.  A turn of page lists each of the illustrators in alphabetical order alternating the color of their names in red and white on the same blue background.  After the simple title page the series of exquisite nearly two page illustrations begin, each interpreting a portion of the song.

Alternating first on the right side, then on the left, each pictorial representation leaves a small column in which a presidential quote appears.  Above each quote is a significant national landmark or symbol. At the close of the song these items are listed in the order they appeared with an explanation.  The final two pages include all four verses of the song, a small paragraph titled Our Democracy followed by a Thomas Jefferson quote and a small biographical paragraph about Katharine Lee Bates.


This is by far the longest review, assessment, of any book for which I have posted on this blog.  I wanted to focus on the artwork of each individual illustrator knowing how much time each invested in their depiction of their given words.  America the Beautiful Together We Stand is an absolutely gorgeous array of artwork; an exhibition of various mediums from masters in the field of children's book illustration.

I can see multiple uses for this title; a study of the poem becoming a beloved song, a study of various artistic styles and mediums or examining the representations for the words each illustrator chose.  I have embedded links to each illustrator's website or if they had none, the most recent discussion of their work.  This title comes highly recommended; it's stunning.

From A Tale, Many Tales

Although February 7, 2012 marked the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens's birth, any day, any year is a good time to celebrate the life of a writer whose influence is timeless and far-reaching.  For many, like Dickens, childhood can be full of nearly unbearable hardships.  In reading of those whose dreams are realized despite life's difficulties, it's easier for the flame of hope to grow stronger.

A Boy Called Dickens (Schwartz & Wade Books) written by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by John Hendrix, shadows Charles Dickens in his twelfth year for a short period.  His family has made their home in a London of old.  A cold, foggy winter morning finds Charles watching, with longing, a group of boys carrying food and books.

Unlike them, Charles is not on his way to school but travels down to the river Thames.  Within the walls of Warren's, a blacking factory, he will spend more time than any child should.  During those long, tedious hours he entertains other boys with his clever stories. 

Late at night he makes his way through the streets of London stopping to get a bite to eat.  Home is a lonely attic room in a house much the worse for wear.  Weary but inspired he continues a story lying on a cot writing with a treasured pencil on his slate.

Come Sunday readers discover that Charles has a family, parents and siblings, living in Marshalsea Prison.  Cramped living quarters, a single room, is the result of his father owing a forty-pound debt.  Months later good fortune shines on the Dickens's clan but not on Charles.

Parental neglect continues until his father's shame overrules his mother's demands.  Returning to a boyhood lost, books replace blacking.  Dark times fade as a future brightens.

Hopkinson states at her website:

Bringing History to Life
One Story at a Time

This story, backed by careful, relevant research, introduces readers to a pivotal point in the childhood of Dickens. Using words of invitation the narrative follows Dickens through the dreary days of demanding labor, the bustling streets of London, and as stories grow in the garden of his mind.  Vivid, detailed descriptions brimming with poetic language bring the history off the page into the readers' reality.

We must wait a long time for the workday to be done--ten hours.  Finally, Dickens and the other boys spill out into the darkness.

If Hopkinson's language causes the story to reach out, surround you, the illustrations of John Hendrix will pull you right in.  Opening the book jacket, flaps included,  reveals an entire display of Dickens's characters real and imagined set among a murky London, smoke puffing from rows of buildings.  Front endpapers reflect the childhood of Dickens, rats, a lantern, items used at the blacking factory, an old shoe, all placed on what appears to be an faded paper background.  On the closing endpapers books are scattered about the identical canvas.

Rendered in graphite, pen-and-ink, and fluid acrylics Hendrix's pictures are an amazing puzzle pieced together with intricate lines, Old World colors, motion, expression and a true sense of the historical period.  Exhibiting a flair for the unique, such as the word DICKENS in the title, the art of Hendrix stimulates a desire for closer examination.  Varied layouts enhance the storyline beautifully but his two page spreads are wonders to behold.

Two notes, one short and one longer, by the author follow this informative, engaging read.  Author Deborah Hopkinson and illustrator John Hendrix partner to help readers step back in time, to catch a glimpse of a life lived.  They excel in A Boy Called Dickens and we readers are the better for it;  recipients of their gifted efforts.

Please follow the links to Deborah Hopkinson's and John Hendrix's websites attached to their names.  Each contains additional interviews, biographical information and more illustrations from the book.