In my adult life, I have bought and sold ten houses. Last June I moved into the eleventh house. In most of those homes, there was a small piece of paper on display I read everyday with these words:
The beauty of the house is order,
the blessing of the house is contentment,
the glory of the house is hospitality.
I am currently struggling with the first line as organizing my considerable book collection is time consuming, but this eleventh house is slowly becoming a home filled with a happy, tail-wagging canine and her human who both enjoy visitors.
Each individual holds their own meaning of home in their mind and heart. In The Mouse Who Carried A House On His Back (Candlewick Press, August 30, 2022) written by Jonathan Stutzman with illustrations by Isabelle Arsenault readers come to understand some of those definitions. They also realize how houses become homes within the context of welcoming.
Vincent was a mouse with boots on his feet,
a hat on his head, and a house on his back.
He had traveled many miles and lived many places,
but today Vincent would live here,
because he knew it was where he needed to be.
Vincent stopped on a grassy hill. The sky stretched as far as his eyes could see. He removed his boots, hat, and his house.
A weary and grumpy frog soon hopped toward Vincent. Vincent offered his house as a place to rest. The frog laughed. Obviously, the house was too small, but peering inside it was definitely bigger than it looked.
As the day progressed Vincent was visited by a hungry cat, a rain-and-wind tossed family of hedgehogs, and a bunch of other animal residents of the forest. Each time, the mouse would offer his house as a sanctuary. Each time the animals believed the house was too small to accommodate them, but they were wrong. The house grew and grew and grew.
As all the gathered beings were about to enjoy a feast in the soothing sanctuary of Vincent's house, there was a knock at the door. It was now dark outside. Standing at the door was a bear, a bear who was hungry and lost. Vincent was his usual cheerful, inviting self. The other animals were not. Their voices rose in protest. Vincent knew where he was needed and no one was going to change what he believed to be true.
With every reading the musicality of this story, in a blend of dialogue and narrative, by Jonathan Stutzman grows more evident. We are initially introduced to the main protagonist and his house. Each time an animal appears we are reminded of this mouse's characteristics and the characteristics of his house. Carefully chosen words clearly indicate the condition of each animal upon their arrival. This is paired with a perfect suggestion by Vincent as to what his house offers. There is a repetition of key phrases. Jonathan Stutzman brings us full circle with his closing sentences. Here is a passage.
Clouds billowed in the west, and in blew a family of hedgehogs---one by
one by one by one by one by one by one---each wet and tousled by a
mighty storm.
"Terrible weather in the valley," squeaked the youngest.
"Come in, come in!" said Vincent with a smile. "I have warm blankets
and beds and a crackling fire." . . .
The artwork on the open book case is a single vibrant image. Vincent, moving to the right, has passed through a mass of stunning blooms covering the left, back, and continuing to the right of the spine on the front. The house he is carrying on his back is the first of many cut-outs throughout the book. What we see is a hint of the gorgeous opening and closing endpapers. The array of blooms on these endpapers is stunning.
On the back of book case is text that would normally appear on the front and back flaps of a dust jacket. At the top is a short description of Vincent and his house. Toward the bottom we read about Jonathan Stutzman and Isabelle Arsenault.
The floral display continues on the two-page illustration for the title page. Here Vincent, on the right, has placed his house down for a moment. Almost all the double-page pictures contain a cut-out of Vincent's house with sizes that shift.
Her characters are highly animated with facial expressions indicating their particular moods. Readers will be fascinated by their clothing. Each time we look inside Vincent's home, there are added elements to make the interior more pleasing. You find yourself looking in anticipation each time a page is turned. Once inside the animals are relaxed and happier. Readers will gasp at the four-page gatefold. Be sure to look in the windows.
One of my many favorite images is when the cat and frog are already inside Vincent's house. On the left, through the cut-out house, one of the hedgehogs is gazing inside. There are now four hanging lamps with unique shades. You can see the cat and frog's shoes, removed, as well as Vincent's boots. The table is longer with more chairs and place settings. The frog and cat are seated there enjoying a cup of tea. There is now a brick fireplace with plates along the mantle. A roaring fire there spreads warmth. Two beds are in front of the fireplace. Other beds can be seen on the left. Spare blankets are stacked on a stool. There are several rugs on the floor.
The first time I read The Mouse Who Carried A House On His Back written by Jonathan Stutzman with illustrations by Isabelle Arsenault, I felt as though I had been presented with something rich and rare. We are enchanted from beginning to end by Vincent and his uplifting spirit and kindness. In his eyes, all are equal. Hopefully as the animals leave his home, his generous spirit will go with them and us. You can't help but wonder how Vincent knows where he needs to be. This book is sure to generate discussions. I highly recommend this title for your personal and professional collections.
To learn more about Jonathan Stutzman and Isabelle Arsenault and their other work, please visit their websites by following the link attached to their names. Jonathan Stutzman has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Isabelle Arsenault has accounts on Facebook and Instagram. At the publisher's website, you can view an interior illustration. At Penguin Random House, you can see additional interior pictures.
Do you remember when the ability to read first happened to you? Have you seen that realization dawn on the face of a child? The feeling of knowing you can read is nearly indescribable. In that moment for you and others, the world shifts. It is brimming with endless possibilities and discoveries.
Some of the best books for early readers have engaging characters, characters who connect with us and charm their way into our collective hearts. Their everyday lives are akin to adventures. What they say and do is liberally enlivened with humor.
Author Jonathan Stutzman and artist Heather Fox have created an early reader series with sibling ghosts who are the best of friends. We were introduced to the duo in Fitz And Cleo (Henry Holt and Company, May 25, 2021) and earlier this year their second book, Fitz And Cleo Get Creative (Henry Holt and Company, March 8, 2022) was released. The exuberance of these characters will have you grinning from ear to ear and wishing to join them.
Something
in the
Attic
THUMP
Was that you? No, I'm right next to you.
What do
you think
it is?
I don't know.
It sounds
angry.
In this first of eleven delightful stories, Fitz and Cleo, finally explore the attic. They find a stray kitty. Cleo is thrilled and names the cat, Mister Boo. Fitz is not so thrilled, especially when Mister Boo's favorite place to sleep is on his head.
Mister Boo stars in the next three tales as Cleo proclaims the cat's virtues, Fitz babysits Mister Boo, and subsequently discloses the lack of Mister Boo's desirable characteristics. The trio next share a day at the beach and ice cream. Star wishing and brain freezing might be involved.
Fitz and Cleo try to beat the previous record of loop-de-loops via paper airplanes. Mister Boo is not happy with the results. Fitz questions the outcomes of a scientific theory and Mister Boo's baseball skills with conclusions not to his liking. Who knew how cat tails were so useful? Speaking of science, why can't Mister Boo be an astronaut and get shot to the moon on a rocket?
As the final hours at a day's end are presented, readers find Fitz and Cleo, brother and sister, peering through a telescope at the stars. After one of Fitz's remarks, Cleo declares this planet the best planet. Fitz does not understand how she could possibly know that. Cleo's replies are entirely heartwarming and true.
Head
in the
Clouds
Grr.
Sigh.
Don't you like the book?
NO!
I LOVE
the book.
That's the
problem!
In this next series of lively narratives, they begin with Cleo's dissatisfaction with her life compared to what she reads in books. Ever supportive, Fitz points out the wonderful imagination of Cleo per her love of the "cloud game." That evening during a roller-coaster kind of movie viewing, Cleo has her best idea yet. She and Fitz (and Mister Boo) are going to make a movie!
The successive episodes revolve around their creative endeavors. The value of getting an idea in writing before it vanishes will resonate with a lot of readers as will the practice of writing versus procrastination to accomplish your goals. Readers will find themselves laughing at an exercise in painting and the importance of winning rock-paper-scissors.
When Cleo and Fitz look for cast members for the movie, we meet their friends who closely resemble a vampire, a werewolf, and a creature from the Black Lagoon. The siblings shine in the next two stories, each doing what they do best. Colorful creativity bursts forth, but does not last due to another type of burst. If only powerful spells and Rube Goldberg Machines really worked as they desire.
In one of the two final stories, readers are treated to an extraordinary movie production. All the participants reveal their best talents. We learn the finest gift they have is the gift of friendship. Faithful to her sweet and wise nature, Cleo utters the final sentence. And, that's the truth.
Author Jonathan Stutzmanhas written dialogue between these ghostly siblings certain to echo in readers' minds and hearts. The personalities of both Fitz and Cleo are found in what they say and think. Their honesty with each other and their shared love stands out. Sometimes these disclosures will have you laughing out loud. Here are passages from the first story in each book.
YAY! Spooky
attic!
Shhh . . .
We want the
element of
surprise.
Spooky attic.
Spooky spooks!
Might be a monster,
might be some kooks.
What are you singing?
It's called
"The Spooky Attic Song"!
It's my favorite.
You just made
it up, didn't you?
Yes, I did.
RUSTLE
SCRATCH
SCRATCH
SCRATCH
Some terrible beast is up
here with us! It's coming
from over there---shine
your light at it!
GULP
You know that
game you like,
where you
find shapes in
the clouds?
You don't
like that
game!
Yes! Because cumulus clouds
are not bunnies or dragons,
they're ---
I mean . . .well . . .
do you maybe
want to play now?
You want to play
the cloud game?
*sigh* . . .Yes.
What do you see?
OKAY!
Hmm.
That one . . .
. . .looks like me!
Personally, I think it looks like someone
who has exciting adventures inside
her head every day. Someone who will be
more than ready when real adventures
come her way.
You cannot look at the front of the book cases of these books without smiling. What Heather Fox has done with her black lines is fashion two ghosts we want as our friends. The glasses and hat for Fitz and the big purple bow for Cleo are the finishing touches. On the back of both books is information you would normally find on the front and back flaps of a dust jacket. Fitz, Cleo and the title text are varnished.
The pattern on both the opening and closing endpapers in the books is a reflection of some of the stories. On the first set, white outlines on lavender feature ice cream cones, balls of string, rockets, and paper airplanes. On the second set, white outlines on turquoise spotlight paintbrushes, juice boxes, pencils, and microphones. With a page turn, in both books, a pictorial interpretation, wordless, starts with the siblings engaged in an activity.
A series of panels, bordered in fine black lines or wide white borders, full-page images, page edge to page edge and two double-page pictures, edge to edge, for dramatic effect created by Heather Fox invite readers to be participants in each narrative. We want to jump into the images with Fitz and Cleo and Mister Boo and the other characters.
Sometimes, you will stop to fully appreciate the extra details included in each image. Is that an octopus as the ice cream vendor? The similarity between Cleo's chalk art and Fitz's body as the Rube Goldberg Machine completes its task will not be lost on many readers.
One of my many favorite illustrations from Fitz And Cleo is three wordless vertical panels on a single page. They are close-ups of the eyes of Cleo, Fitz, and Mister Boo. It is after they have consumed too much ice cream too quickly. Brain Freeze has attacked them. We all know how that feels and their eyes replicate that feeling perfectly.
One of my many favorite illustrations from Fitz And Cleo Get Creative is a double-page picture. It is a stage setting with shades of purple for the background and speakers. The stage lights are turquoise. On a raised light blue platform is Mister Boo on red drums. On one of the drums is the group's name, Boo Fighters. To the left of the gutter is Cleo looking gothic but still wearing her big purple bow. On the right is Fitz wearing his glasses, playing an olive green guitar, sporting a chain around his neck, and instead of his hat, he has a yellow and orange spiked Mohawk.
These books, Fitz And Cleo and Fitz And Cleo Get Creative, written by Jonathan Stutzman with artwork by Heather Fox, are pure happiness. Readers will find themselves smiling, giggling, laughing, and sighing at the shared antics and inventiveness of these two ghosts and their Mister Boo. They are wonderful for silent reading or as read aloud titles. I highly recommend them for both your professional and personal collections.
To learn more about Jonathan Stutzman and Heather Fox and their other work, please visit their websites by following the link attached to their names. They have a joint website for these titles linked here. There are activities to download. At the publisher's website, you can view interior images for Fitz And Cleo and Fitz And Cleo Get Creative. Jonathan Stutzman has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Heather Fox has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. To introduce their series, Jonathan Stutzman and Heather Fox wrote a post at librarian and writer John Schu's site, Watch. Connect. Read.
There are several explanatory tales in folklore about why dogs chase cats. You have to wonder if there is some veracity in these stories because it seems canines and felines struggle with compatibility even today. If one or the other of them has been the sole companion of humans, they are wary of the introduction of the other into the family dynamics. Frank and the Bad Surprise (an Arthur A. Levine Book, Levine Querido, April 5, 2022) written by Martha Brockenbrough with illustrations by Jon Lau is about a cat that fails to understand what his humans were thinking. Are they crazy?
CHAPTER 1
The Bad Surprise
Frank the cat had it good.
He had a nice house, lots of toys,
all the Whiskies he could eat, and a
window that looked out at the world.
One beautiful morning Frank was looking out that window and saw his humans returning to the house. He was excited to see them carrying a box, but the box was not good. The box was bad. Inside that box was a puppy. Frank immediately went to the computer keyboard composing a letter to his humans. (Are you laughing yet?)
After mailing that letter, Frank fell asleep in the sun knowing his humans would comply. His nap was disturbed by that rambunctious puppy. This unruly canine did not understand basic rules. Frank retaliated. He found himself in his crate, but still able to type away on the computer keyboard writing a letter.
His humans forgot he was in "jail" until he meowed at the sight of the puppy eating his beloved Whiskies. He did not forgive his humans and wrote another letter. The next morning Frank did the only thing he could think to do, he ran away. He felt sorry for his humans, but what else could a cat do when a puppy enters their domain?
Frank thought he knew the world from his window watching. He did not. It was too much of everything that was not good, loud yappy dogs, mean people, rain, thunder and lightning, and smelly garbage. Soon he found himself sitting in the rain on the sidewalk outside his home. The storm woke up the puppy. It started barking. Frank imagined it was laughing. It was not. Frank wrote one new letter. (Yes, his humans noticed him and he was back inside.)
Using a blend of narrative, Frank's thoughts, his comedic letter writing and human commentary, Martha Brockenbrough, in seven short chapters, acquaints readers with Frank and the puppy, who he names at the book's end. The letters written by Frank are full of hilarity. You can tell his mood with each writing by his signature line.
As a human who shares her life with both cats and dogs, Martha Brockenbrough writes with the sure knowledge of their interactions. Through her words she deftly depicts the regality of this cat and joyful abandon of the puppy. Here is a passage.
Chapter 2
The Rules of Naps
There is nothing bad about a nap.
A nap in a warm spot is cozy. A nap
feels the way warm bread and butter
taste.
Frank loved naps more than any
other thing.
Frank's humans knew not to
wake him from a nap.
They knew that was against the
rules of naps.
The puppy did not care about
the rules of naps.
As soon as you look at the front cover of the book case, you can see the contrast between Frank and the puppy. Frank is moving with uncertainty, or perhaps total disbelief. The puppy could not be happier. This is grim versus grin. The sign hanging from the mailbox designating this as book one is a nice design touch. On the back of the case is text normally supplied on the front and back flaps of a dust jacket. There are two small pictures of Frank doing his favorite thing and discovering the "bad surprise."
On the opening and closing endpapers with dark turquoise on lighter turquoise are rows alternating between a dog bone and a cat ball with a bell. On the title page are Frank and his two humans sitting on the front porch of the house before the arrival of the "bad surprise." The puppy and Frank sit in opposite corners on the verso and dedication pages.
by painting the characters, objects, and backgrounds using poster color paints on sheets of BFK Rives printmaking paper. He then scanned the paintings and assembled the illustrations in Adobe Photoshop, much like a digital collage.
The size of the images vary in accordance with the pacing and presentation of the narrative. There are full-page pictures, edge to edge, and smaller pictures on a single page, sometimes several grouped together. There is one atmospheric scene on two pages when Frank learns a valuable life lesson. Toward the end of the book are more double-page visuals when the best lesson of all is understood. Readers will readily be able to discern the mood of Frank, the puppy, and the humans by their facial expressions.
One of my many favorite illustrations is when the puppy is breaking the rules of naps. Frank is still mostly asleep, curled in coziness. The puppy has leaped on top of him, paws on his chest. The puppy is licking Frank's nose. This is a smaller image on a single page with a light spring green background, focusing solely on the puppy and the cat.
That Frank and the Bad Surprise written by Martha Brockenbrough with artwork by Jon Lau is the first book in this series is a GOOD surprise for all readers. We can hardly wait to see what new adventures Frank and the puppy will celebrate together with their loving humans. Who knows what surprises await this twosome? You'll want to have a copy of this funny and fun title on your professional and personal bookshelves.
To discover more about Martha Brockenbrough and Jon Lau and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their websites. Martha Brockenbrough has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. Jon Lau has accounts on Instagram and Tumblr. At the publisher's website, you can view some interior pages with art and text.
There is a rare love in our world. (If you research the types of love, it does not appear in the lists your investigations reveal except when a similar word is used in religious references.) If you are the recipient of this remarkable love, it remains with you always, even if the giver of this affection is gone. You simply can't forget it once it touches your life.
Our animal friends, members of our family and our communities, are capable of this love. Their capacity to love unconditionally is beautiful to witness and receive. Another individual in our lives is gifted in giving us this same love. Our toy stuffed animal companions, without ever uttering a word, supply us with unlimited devotion. Bear Is A Bear (Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, September 14, 2021) written by Jonathan Stutzman with illustrations by Dan Santat is the story of a cherished bear and a special girl. Without strings, an unbreakable tie is formed.
Bear is a bear hopeful and shy.
Bear is a bear full of love.
Bear is there to be a friend, a first friend. Bear's availability makes Bear handy for multiple uses like as a tissue or the coziest kind of pillow. Most importantly . . .
Bear is a bear full of love.
Bear is there for pretend parties and dress-up occasions. Bear sails the high seas with a wild captain. Bear is there for those scary moments, a champion and comforter.
Bear is there for bold and fearless undertakings. As a reader and artist, Bear enjoys quiet contemplation and colorful coverings. Day or night, Bear shares all with infinite care.
Bear's companion, a baby girl, grows into a young woman. Bear never wavers as a steadfast friend until one day, Bear is tucked away. Bear is saved. Years pass until what was new and then old is new again. Some things change, but unconditional love remains. Always.
For readers, young or old, the words written by Jonathan Stutzman in this story ring true. Sentence by sentence we are told what Bear is. These rhythmic refrains are joined by a single constant statement. The repetition of words and sentence structure used in this narrative embraces readers like a hug. As the child grows, two of the initial sentences reappear because some things do not change. Three times, over the decades, in a poetic description, the one thing which alters is Bear's appearance, but like so many things, it is the inside that counts the most. Here are several sentences.
CRACKOW!
Bear is a brave protector.
Bear is a bear steadfast and snug.
Bear is a bear full of love.
Each time this book is read, readers will find their appreciation for the visual interpretation of the narrative grow. On the open dust jacket, we see first, on the right, Bear enjoying the book Little Women as Bear's girl draws. No words are spoken here (ever) between this duo, but their mutual affection is apparent by the strength shown in their physical connection. Bear is for the girl what the tree is for Bear.
To the left, on the back, on the same color of canvas as the sky on the front, Bear and the girl are together. Their backs are to readers. Hand and paw clasped; they are joyfully running toward their next adventure.
On the book case, illustrator Dan Santat has recreated the same scenes as on the front and back of the dust jacket. There is a noted contrast. Of this contrast, nothing will be disclosed. It is for the reader to discover.
On the opening and closing endpapers a darker golden yellow is displayed for the background. Fine-lined images in black of a teapot, a teacup and saucer, and the flower shown in the center of the teapot create a repeating pattern. Only the upper portion of Bear's head is shown on the title page peeking up from the bottom of the page. On the dedication page toward the bottom is the child's table with two teacups and the teapot ready for a special party.
These illustrations rendered
in watercolor, pencil, and Adobe Photoshop
by Dan Santat are a heartwarming tribute to the words penned by Jonathan Stutzman. They elevate the narrative with their insight. The visuals alternate between double-page pictures and single-page pictures to enhance the cadence of the story.
The facial expressions and body postures convey a range of emotions, most importantly they are infused with Bear's love. Readers are invited to pause with every page turn to notice the details. (I am wondering about the significance of the J, E, and H shown on the wooden blocks.) Two double-page illustrations depict powerful understandings. (My eyes fill with tears every time I see one of them.)
One of my many favorite illustrations is for the second time the words
Bear is a soft, warm pillow
are used. The girl, now a young woman, has graduated from high school. She and Bear are back at the tree. Stretched across the lower branches in a colorful array is a banner spelling out CONGRATUALTIONS. Bear leans against the tree, eyes closed and paws resting on his/her stomach. Bear wears the girl's graduation cap. The girl leaning against Bear with her eyes closed is hugging her diploma, a pencil stuck in her hair. She still wears her gown, but her feet are bare. There is an unspoken tenderness in this scene.
Bear Is A Bear written by Jonathan Stutzman with illustrations by Dan Santat is a recognition of the unconditional love freely given daily around the world by our toy stuffed animals, especially by this Bear to his/her girl. It is a verbal and visual celebration of a friendship we all hold in our hearts. You will want a copy of this title on both your personal and professional bookshelves so it can be shared often and widely.
To learn more about Jonathan Stutzman and Dan Santat and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their respective websites. Jonathan Stutzman has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Dan Santat has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. At the publisher's website is a book trailer. Jonathan Stutzman and Dan Santat chat with librarian, lecturer at Rutgers, and writer John Schumacher on his site, Watch. Connect. Read., about this book.
Autumn does not officially arrive until Tuesday, September 22, 2020, one week from today, yet people's thoughts have been turning to the solace found during December holidays as evidenced by the #Lightsforlife hashtag on social media in March of this year. Lights and holiday decorations appeared outside homes to spread cheer and support for others during this pandemic. In times of darkness people seek the opposite, they hope for the opposite.
A trio of Christmas titles, two last week, and one today, are contributing to the comfort. Each one tells a different story, but each presents the magical merriment found during this season. Happy Narwhalidays (A Narwhal and Jelly Book #5) (Tundra Books, September 8, 2020) written and illustrated by Ben Clanton continues the delightful tale of two friends, a narwhal and a jellyfish, who, more often than not, view the world through contrasting perspectives. In six short sections replete with their exuberant personalities and some fabulous facts, readers will find themselves singing in their minds, hearts, and maybe out loud.
Jingle Shells, Jingle Shells, Jingle All The Way!
Oh, What Fun It Is To Sing While Swimming In the Bay!
Jingle Shells, Jingle Shells, Jingle All The Way!
Narwhal is happily swimming wearing a red-and-white striped scarf with red ribbon wound around his tusk. Jelly, wearing a ski hat, is anything but happy. Jelly is shivering in the cold. Narwhal, in reply to Jelly, states the best part about this time of the year is the arrival of the Merry Mermicorn.
As you might expect, Jelly is completely skeptical about a being you can't see. Moving through the water, Jelly finds a mysterious package addressed to him. It contains six mittens. Jelly is sure Narwhal left this package. Now Jelly needs to find the perfect present for Narwhal. It is not easy, not easy at all.
After consulting with Shark, Octopus, Turtle, Shelly, Star, and Otty, Jelly is no closer to finding a gift for his friend. Suddenly Narwhal greets Jelly, noticing the wrapped gift. Instead of opening it, Narwhal imagines all the possibilities of what could be inside. To Narwhal, this is better than knowing. To Jelly, it is a relief.
The duo then writes a charming story about Super Waffle and Strawberry Sidekick and their encounter with a grumpy green jelly bean whose flavor is
pickle-scum
snail-slime puree.
At the close of the book, Narwhal offers something to Jelly. Jelly discovers the unexpected can be the best present. The holiday spirit spreads from the tip of Narwhal's tusk to the ends of Jelly's tentacles and out from the pages of the book.
With the exception of the two pages of Cool Facts and parts of The Mean Green Jelly Bean most portions of this book are told in the witty dialogue between Narwhal and Jelly. Author Ben Clantonreveals what readers have come to love about these characters in everything they say. Their conversations also offer much for readers to ponder about holiday celebrations and friendship. His use of puny language elevates the humor. Here is a passage.
And you've seen this
Merry Miracle-Corn
before?
Nope!
I think she
might be
invisible.
So how do you
know she exists?!
I can feel
it in my
flippers! She is
REAL!
Narwhal, that might
be frostbite you're
feeling.
Using his signature color palette for the Narwhal and Jelly books, illustrator Ben Clanton brings in the crisp shades of blue, white, red and yellow accented with his heavier black outlines. The contrast between the thinking of Narwhal and Jelly is evident on the front of the book case. Narwhal is joyous. Jelly is nearly freezing in the cold. The red color is in foil. On the left, back, four square panels further explain the difference in the duo's attitudes. And yes, you'll be smiling or laughing before you even open the book.
The opening and closing endpapers, in deep sea blue and white, are a pattern of Narwhal and Jelly in their winter attire. Jelly is still shivering. On the title page the twosome is placed inside a snow globe. On the verso and dedication page we read:
To GWEN! It is a gift to
be your papa!
(This says a lot about the heart and mind of Ben Clanton as reflected in his writing and artwork in this book and other titles in the series.)
The contents word is spelled out in red and green lighted bulbs on a string over the list of six sections. The art
was rendered in colored pencil, watercolor and ink, and colored digitally. The text was set in a typeface based on hand lettering by Ben Clanton.
Image sizes shift in excellent pacing to the narrative, double-page pictures, single-page pictures and panels grouped by six, three, five, two, or four. Most of them are outlined in a black line for framing. Sometimes a single element will break that border.
One of my many, many favorite pictures is on a half page, framed in black. The background is a radiating yellow. We see the upper portion of Narwhal's body from the bottom of the image. He is smiling with his eyes closed in contentment. In one of his flippers is the present from Jelly, with the tag For Jelly Narwhal on it. I wonder how many readers notice when Narwhal or Jelly are smiling, their mouths form a heart.
This newest title, Happy Narwhalidays (A Narwhal and Jelly Book #5) written and illustrated by Ben Clanton, in a well-loved series will be read repeatedly by individuals and shared from reader to reader. It's a marvelous blend of writing, illustrations, and words of wisdom. I can't imagine a professional or personal collection without a copy of this book.
To discover more about Ben Clanton and his other work, please access his website by following the link attached to his name. Ben Clanton has accounts on Instagram, and Twitter. Narwhal and Jelly have their own Facebook page and website. At the publisher's website you can listen to an audio clip and get a sneak peek at some interior images. Here is a link to an activity kit.
In a worst-case scenario, the old saying, dating back to Aesop, referring to wishes and their results, has come true for none other than Santa Claus. Activity at the North Pole, mere days before Christmas, has come to a screeching halt. All the elves are in a tizzy. Santa Baby (Henry Holt And Company, September 8, 2020) written by Jonathan Stutzman with illustrations by Heather Fox explains exactly what happens when wishes are granted in an extraordinary manner.
THERE WERE ONLY
four days until Christmas, and
Santa Claus was feeling old.
Let's face facts, folks. Santa Claus is old, very old. This year everything about his physical appearance screams his age! He is finding it harder and harder to control the reindeer, wander around on rooftops, slide down chimneys, and deliver presents. Every muscle and bone in his body creaks and cracks. His Christmas spirit is gone. He does not feel Ho! Ho! Ho! But he will not disappoint all the children around the world.
Santa Claus does the only thing he can think to do. He wishes using Christmas magic to be young again. It works! He goes from ancient, to middle age, then to young adult, and to a preteen. Does his anti-aging stop? It does not. Before Santa Claus knows what is happening, he is a baby!
All his attempts to communicate with the elves sound like baby talk. They panic. They try to teach this baby version of Santa Claus about the reindeer, chimneys, and presents. He eats the list of children and their gifts and will not eat vegetables to make him grow. And this baby does what babies do best, he cries.
Santa Claus knows it's up to him, even in this baby state, to save Christmas. It's Christmas Eve. He finally manages to utter three very important words which spur the entire population at the North Pole to act. When it seems as if a miracle is happening, another disaster befalls Santa Baby. Just as suddenly, a single act shapes the words for the best wish of all.
Sentence by sentence author Jonathan Stutzman sets the stage for Santa Claus's desperate wish by enumerating in descriptive detail all his dwindling physical and emotional attributes. When his wish backfires epically, the comedy just keeps coming with the endeavors of the elves failing over and over again. This leads us merrily to the almost miracle when calamity strikes again.
He cried with the fury of a thousand carolers.
We are, as is Santa Baby, happily surprised when the past becomes a part of the present. Jonathan Stutzman cleverly weaves the true spirit of the season into the final moments of the story. Here is another passage.
Santa Baby tried to calm the elves. He explained what happened, then laid out an easy, three-step plan for how to change himself back to normal.
But all the elves heard was . . .
Ga-ga goo-goo
GA-GA GOO-GOO,
GOO-GOO goo-goo
GA-GA goo-goo!
Christmas was in serious trouble.
The rich darker red canvas highlights the brighter red and white on Santa Baby's (and older Santa's) suits. The Santa Baby text is in a muted gold foil as is the framing, edging on the holly and berries and snowflakes. These details create a classic feel to the illustration. To the left, on the back, the same framing, holly and berries showcase a crying Santa Baby. Beneath him the text reads:
THIS CHRISTMAS,
THERE WILL
BE NO
SILENT NIGHT.
The book case features the Santa Baby and Santa Claus figures without the text and framing. On the opening and closing endpapers, with the same deep red background, are rows of snowflakes in several sizes and white dots. On the title page Santa Baby, wearing only a diaper and Santa hat, is looking at readers clearly bewildered.
Each illustration rendered by Heather Foxdigitally in her unique style conveys a multitude of moods, comedy, and tiny details like allowing readers to read the words written on letters to Santa. She manages to depict a range of facial emotions on Santa, Santa Baby, and the elves with the tiniest lines. Her images may be single-page pictures, edge to edge, a collection of smaller circular visuals on a single page, three horizontal pictures on a single page, or dramatic two-page illustrations.
One of my many, many favorite images is a full-page picture with a two-tone, radiating light red background. In the center, toward the bottom, is Santa Claus from the waist up. His arms are raised as he holds the star representing Christmas magic over his head. His eyes are closed, and his mouth is open as he exclaims:
"Make me
young again!"
Expect peals of laughter when you read Santa Baby written by Jonathan Stutzman with illustrations by Heather Fox aloud. You'll also be hearing requests of "read it again." The text and images combine in wondrous hilarious timing. Collections of Christmas stories, personal and professional, will not be complete without a copy of this title.
To learn more about Jonathan Stutzman and Heather Fox and their other work, please visit their respective websites by following the link attached to their names. Jonathan Stutzman has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Heather Fox has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The cover reveal for this title was hosted by Dylan Teut, executive director of the Plum Creek Children's Literacy Festival, on his blog, Mile High Reading. At the publisher's website you can view interior images.
After nearly two hundred years, the words of this poem never fail to resonate with those who read or hear it. Numerous times in the month of December over the course of my career with students engaged in a variety of activities, browsing for books, reading books, researching online, or completing a lesson, I would stand in a central location and say:
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
Each one of them stopped what they were doing. They moved toward me. We sat down and they leaned in to hear the rest of the words. This is the power of shared storytelling, to connect us to history and a celebration. Of my personal one hundred, sixty-two plus December holiday books, another seven are editions of the Christmas poem sometimes known as The Night Before Christmas. When I read this new edition, The Night Before Christmas (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, September 15, 2020) by Clement C. Moore with pictures by Loren Long, I was immediately struck by the lovely, thoughtful, and loving visual interpretation.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
If you look closely at the bottom of the dust jacket and matching book case, in framing similar to the outlines of buildings, Loren Long gives readers an initial hint of his intentions. On the opening endpapers, on a canvas of white, there are four sets of children, preparing for Christmas. There is tree trimming, letter writing, the drawing of a large picture of a fireplace, and a table full of various stages of cookie making. On the closing endpapers, on the same crisp white background, we see the same children after the visit from St. Nicholas.
In an author's note prior to the beginning of the poem, Loren addresses his portrayal of St Nicholas based on specific words in the poem. Do you remember them?
He continues his commentary to readers about the universal impact of Christmas regardless of
who we are, where we live, or how we celebrate.
This author's note on the left and the title page on the right are placed in an enlargement of the four places shown on the jacket and case.
With a page turn we find ourselves for the first two phrases inside the living room of a farmhouse. Stockings hang from a mantel, and a trimmed Christmas tree is on the opposite side of the room. Three sets of children's boots are scattered across the floor in front of the fireplace. Between the fireplace and sofa, a table holds a plate of decorated cookies and a bunch of carrots for the reindeer. A beagle is curled and sleeping on the sofa. Through the main window is a barn, silo, and windmill coated with snow.
We next travel to the interior of a trailer. Two children are sleeping in another room in bunk beds. Their father is sleeping on the sofa in the living room with the family dog curled on a mat in front of the door. In the corner of this room on a card table is a small Christmas tree with the word LOVE stretched across the front. There are Christmas cookies on a plate there. A note over a coffee maker which says Santa with an arrow pointing down invites him to make a hot drink. Over the main window is a drawing of a fireplace with stockings hanging above it. On another table is a lighted Nativity creche.
From here we enter a room with two sleeping boys of different races. They have identical beds, bedspreads, and matching dressers on opposite sides of the room. Floating stars, crescent moons, gold Christmas ornaments, a rocket ship, and an airplane hang above them. Between them is a small table with a tiny Christmas tree on it. Four kittens are sleeping in three different spots in the room. Through their window is a snow-covered cityscape.
Inside the fourth home, a mother leaps from her bed, grabbing her glasses from her nearby dresser. Her hair is wrapped in a leopard print scarf.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Through double glass doors, bordered with lighted Christmas lights inside, we see a large full moon, homes with adobe sides and tiled roofs. Palm trees tower over the homes. Palm boughs can be seen near this home through the doors. A large wreath hangs in the center of the double doors.
Each subsequent page turn takes us to varying scenes inside and outside each of these four places. We see them from different perspectives, sometimes a bird's eye view or sometimes as if we are in the very room being featured. As the poem progresses, the details within the places change. A red-headed and bearded man looks out the upper window of the farmhouse. A Black man looks out the window of the city home. There is the silence of snow and Christmas lights over the entire trailer park. The brown-skinned mother peaks around the corner of the entrance to the living room as Santa comes down the chimney into a fireplace tiled in colors of the sea.
Closer inspection of the elements in the rooms reveals more about the occupants of these homes and how they celebrate. In the living room of the city home on the mantle is a Nativity creche and a Menorah. It is a children's Menorah with the candle holders as dogs. (This is an actual Menorah used by the son of librarian Susan Kusel.) On the plate of Christmas cookies in the home situated among palm trees is a piece of key lime pie.
Rendered using
acrylic paint and colored pencil
these illustrations by Loren Long are exquisite. Children from different racial or religious backgrounds, with a disability or different family structures will see themselves in these pictures. Each page turn invites a closer and longer look. Perhaps readers will see a character from one of Loren Long's previous titles.
I simply could not select a favorite illustration. I love them all. The play of light and shadow, the inclusion of details, and the progression of changes within each home are charming, fabulous, and the best of the best.
This edition of The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore with pictures by Loren Long needs to be in each personal and professional collection. It is a splendid blend of the past with the present. It is memorable.
To learn more about Loren Long and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website. Loren Long has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. At the publisher's blog, Loren Long talks about four illustrations in this special book.
For the past few nights, the light of the moon is waning. By Sunday, the New Moon will shed no glow. In this black sky, the stars seen overhead are increasing. Broad highways, pinpoints of light, stretch as far as the eye can see. Falling stars are more frequent. Shapes of constellations are more prevalent. You have to wonder, too, if the absence of traffic for previous months is contributing to the clearer visibility.
When you stand in stillness beneath this star-studded dome, its vastness is soothing but remarkable. As your senses adjust, you see outlines of your surroundings and hear creatures of the night. In The Night Is For Darkness (Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, June 2, 2020) written by Jonathan Stutzman with illustrations by Joseph Kuefler, readers take a journey with siblings and their father. It's a time of encounters, anticipation, and the warmth of welcoming familial routines.
The night is for darkness and bright golden beams.
As the car moves along the empty highway, the children are treated to views of deer seeking food, water, and space to sleep. Wild rabbits leap alongside the car as if racing them to their destination. When they enter a forest, the boy's and girl's eager looks seek other critters sheltering in their homes.
As the landscape stretches before them, it is easy to see a front moving across the terrain. In the distance lightning forks to the ground and thunder rumbles. Ahead of them, the moon continues to cast its luminous light.
Inside the car, flashlight beams assist in antics as headlights disclose nighttime flight. Soon a home is reached. Windows are beacons offering sanctuary. Arms open in affection.
Bedtime rituals, cozy and comfortable, are for listening and speaking and wishes come true. Parents calm weary children. And the moon shines on slumbering souls.
The poetic cadences penned by Jonathan Stutzmanlull readers with their repetition of key words and rhythmic rhyming in each pair of sentences or phrases. As pages are turned, readers are invited to participate in what the darkness provides. We enjoy the revelations, some familiar and some, perhaps, entirely new. Here is a passage.
The night is for hiding. And search and finding. For spooky tall forests. For paths long and winding.
The magic often found during the darkness of night emanates from the open and matching dust jacket and book case. We are drawn into the spacious mountainous landscape. We are quieted by the shades of blue and purple spanning the partially clouded sky. The moon illuminates portions of the rabbits' bodies on the front and on the back. The rabbit on the back is facing the hilly plateaus. They have both paused in their nighttime activities to watch as the family's car travels down the highway. Do you notice the special shading on the title text?
On the opening and closing endpapers a rich velvety black supplies a canvas for wisps of clouds, a few stars, and a full moon. From the first set to the second set, the moon and clouds move. Joseph Kueflerbegins his visual interpretation and enhancement on the title and verso pages with a double-page picture. The brother and sister are seated on the hood of their car, waiting for their father to finishing packing the boxes on top. To their left is the home they are leaving. A For Sale sign hangs in the yard.
With a page turn the siblings are looking out the back window of their car as it leaves their home. This is a wordless two-page image of a neighborhood with the strong presence of the night sky. The moon is reflected in one of the windows. (I am wondering about the significance of the names on the street signs and the license plate number.)
Strong elements are present in all the two-page pictures. There is a powerful contrast between the darkness, night, and the lights of the car and the moon. These opposites are created with excellent skill. Joseph Kuefler shifts between panoramic views and zooming in on a particular scene. Readers will enjoy the small details he includes like the tiny stuffed animals in the car and their real-life matches in some of the settings.
One of my many, many favorite illustrations is when the car stops for a family of deer to cross the highway. A section of the upper, right-hand corner shows the night sky. The rest of the double-page picture is glowing in the headlights. In the background we can see the outline of the car and the faces of the brother and sister filled with wonder. In the foreground one deer is nearly off the left side. A fawn is in the middle of the image. Coming in from the right side is a male with antlers. Both of their heads are turned toward the car.
Every time this book, The Night Is For Darkness written by Jonathan Stutzman with illustrations by Joseph Kuefler, is read it envelopes you in serenity. It speaks of the natural rhythm of the outside world and our place in it. It invites us into a home with bedtime rituals designed to convey love and security. It, like the last sentence which is repeated, is a pathway to the sweetest of dreams. I can't imagine a professional or personal bookshelf without a copy of this title.
To discover more about Jonathan Stutzman and Joseph Kuefler and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their respective websites. Jonathan Stutzman has accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Joseph Kuefler has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.
It's an annual inevitability. Regardless of the signs, boaters on lakes and rivers feed the ducks. The ducks flock to surround the boat if it's stationary or trail behind it as it moves. On the sandy beaches of lakes, seas and oceans, gulls hover, waiting for an unsuspecting little human. With the precision of a military operation, they swoop as the child extends an arm and hand holding a treat or part of a picnic lunch. The startled beach walker will usually drop everything and run. These wily birds are not deterred. They stalk until the entire scenario is repeated.
Those beings living in the wild, especially those with a handy escape plan like wings, have learned how to more easily acquire food from children (or unobservant adults). If you are not aware of how their minds work, you find yourself in an unwelcome situation. Don't Feed the COOS! (Henry Holt and Company, February 25, 2020) written by Jonathan Stutzman with illustrations by Heather Fox presents this exact situation in one comic moment after the other. (You can't even say the title without laughing, can you?)
When you see a coo, you will be tempted to give it a treat.
At first glance a coo appears the very picture of charmingly cute. Under no circumstances whatsoever are you to succumb to this temptation to give them food, because if you do, your life will change without hope of returning to normalcy. Feeding even one triggers a signal for all the other coos to converge.
As you run willy-willy to escape the crowd of coos, they follow you as surely as if one of them planted a tracking device on you. The look on your mother's face when you arrive at home with this coo company is not one of happiness. All your usual planned activities now include the coos. There is no freedom from this flock.
As everyone knows, what goes in, must come out. Yes, those coos are pooing everywhere. No surface is safe. As you look at all the coos' poo, you find yourself on the brink of a nervous breakdown. Every brainstorm to rid yourself of these coos is a bust. What's a person to do?
You could welcome the outcome of feeding one coo. You could welcome them into your life like your new best friends. This might include taking them to the park for walks. And there you and all those coos will experience the wonder of your ingenuity.
Truthfully, it is all I can do to write this post without laughing non-stop. The first two sentences written by author Jonathan Stutzman give no clue as to what will follow but are the perfect set-up for the third and fourth sentences. Each subsequent portion of the narrative is truer than you can imagine. Perhaps, this is what makes it so humorous. When the story launches into the unavoidable result of feeding coos (all the poo), it's the veracity of this which makes it off-the-charts funny. The listing of attempts to get rid of them will have your sides aching with the hilarity and provides for the contrast in the attitude switch. Every turn leads to the surprising twist. Here is a passage.
And to thank you for feeding them, the coos will leave poos.
One look at the right, front, of the open dust jacket instantly generates suspense. What are those coos going to do? Their wide-eyed looks at the girl and at us are strangely startling and funny at the same time. The child is clearly thinking---YIKES! The bright colors, definitive lines and stylized shapes on the white canvas have our undivided attention. The neon orange title text is raised to the touch.
On the other side of the neon orange spine is a pale purple background. In a large font in white we read:
WE WARNED YOU.
Perched on the e in warned is a single gray coo. The book case is a delicate blue. Three coos are featured on both the front and the back.
On the opening and closing endpapers are six rows of twelve coos. They are positioned to show us one side. Two of the coos appear to be winking at us as the others stare wide-eyed. The colors for these endpapers are hues of blue and purple. With a page turn a single gray coo is positioned on white saying
COO.
On the verso and title pages coos are in flight, left to right, chasing after the girl, on the right, running to rid herself of the coos.
These digitally created illustrations by Heather Fox are full of personality. Heather Fox uses white space to great effect. It heightens the narrative and adds to the pacing and drama. At times another background color is used for emphasis.
Heather Fox alters her image sizes to enhance interest, moving from two-page pictures, to full-page visuals and groups of smaller illustrations on a single page. Every detail she includes showcases the comedy in this protagonist's situation. Her brilliance shines in the pages in which the girl is doing everything she can plot to evade and chase away the coos. I love how the girl's eyes and her wearing glasses seems to mirror the eyes of the coos. I also found the sign in the park and its similarity to the front of the dust jacket perfect.
One of my many, many favorite illustrations spans two pages. It is an overview of the park with buildings and a roadway on the right portion of the right side. It shows the girl running through the park trying to elude the coos. A dotted red line shows her path as she weaves everywhere. You can expect bursts of laughter as she exits the park and a taxi driver tries to help her. Here, as throughout the book, are bright colors and distinguishing black lines on a white canvas.
The connection established between readers and Don't Feed the COOS! written by Jonathan Stutzman with illustrations by Heather Fox is based on a shared knowledge of birds, especially pigeons, and their constant desire for food. With each page turn the blend of words and illustrations will increase the laughter factor. I know there will be requests for read it again. I highly recommend this title for your personal and professional collections.
To learn more about husband and wife, Jonathan Stutzman and Heather Fox, and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their respective websites. Jonathan Stutzman has accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Heather Fox has accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher, featured this title along with chats with both creators on his site, Watch. Connect. Read. At the publisher's website you can view interior images.
UPDATE: A book trailer has been released by the publisher.
Let's pause a minute. When you read or hear the word llama, what comes to mind first? Do you think of Peru or Bolivia or South America? Do you think of a llama's habit of spitting when they are upset? Maybe you'll think of their wool and the many things made from it. I'll bet you didn't know llamas are used to guard flocks of sheep.
One thing is certain, when you read or hear the word llama, you don't think about the end of life as you know it. Llama Destroys The World (May 7, 2019) written by Jonathan Stutzman with illustrations by Heather Fox chronicles one very wild five days. In fact, it's hard to believe this series of events happen. It's totally crazy! Or is it?
On Friday, Llama will destroy the world.
If this first sentence does not get your attention, Llama loudly introduces himself in the next sentence. You are fully engaged with this creature now. On Monday, when most individuals are moaning about the weekend being over, Llama is overjoyed to discover every single crumb of cake ever baked. And he eats it.
We are told it's a mistake; his first mistake. This can only mean trouble. On Tuesdays this llama dances in his special dancing pants. It is a bit tricky to get them on this particular Tuesday after consuming all that cake, but he squeezes into them which now becomes his second mistake. He dances like there is no tomorrow (Like there is no tomorrow is often used to mean with complete abandon but in this case it might be prophetic.)
In the middle of one of his dance moves those pants can't take the stress any longer. They rip. This rip sounds like the biggest rip in the history of rips. It's so loud it roars out into the cosmos. A black hole is formed.
This is no ordinary black hole. Llama, ever the curious questioner, researches like an academic. Instead of sharing his new knowledge about black holes, he commits his third mistake on Wednesday. When Thursday rolls around Llama is blissfully unaware of our impending destruction. On Friday it's too late. It seems the black hole shares appetite cravings with Llama. Or does it? Black holes have their own secrets.
There is no more beautiful, hopeful and inspiring sound in the world than the sound of children's laughter. The words in this book penned by Jonathan Stutzman are guaranteed to prompt loads of giggles and guffaws. Llama's declarations of his name and his single word vocabulary pair perfectly with the narration. Jonathan Stutzman uses repetition to excellent effect. It supplies a rhythm, pacing and builds anticipation. Rhyming words and alliteration also play an important part in intensifying the outrageous silliness. Here is a passage.
But he never danced without his dancing pants; they made his butt look groovy. So Llama huffed and puffed . . . . . .and squeezed and stuffed himself into the pants.
Just like the first sentence in the story, the title in big crisp white letters on a swirling background of orange is designed to grab your attention. The wide-eyed llama is placed to pique your curiosity. The swirls on the dust jacket (I am working with an F & G.) cross the spine. Pieces of cake and cupcakes join the whirl as Llama waits with a fork. A pig carries a sign reading:
this is the end
watches on the sideline.
On the title page, Llama is telling us his name beneath the title text in orange. Digital illustrations rendered by Heather Fox, in bright, bold colors elevate the story. Opposite the single-page pictures on the right, text is placed in a variety of colors on the left. Each color is usually found in the image on the right. Double-page illustrations accentuate the drama of the text.
The point of view is altered to further underscore the words; we are close to the fork, knife and plate when Llama lets out a loud BURP but are given a panoramic view of the cosmos when the black hole is ripped open. It's the eyes on Llama which tell a story all their own. They are extremely expressive. The addition of an accompanying pig and rabbit add to the sheer fun. Readers will pause to notice the extra details like what Llama wears during his activities. Will readers be able to figure out the importance of the number on the mailbox?
One of my many favorite illustrations is the double-page picture of the sound of the rip crescendoing into outer space. On a darker blue background stars, outlines and fully-colored, sparkle. On the left Earth is trembling and so is sister moon in lavender. The rip begins as a point on the planet increasing in width. White letters
rrrrrrriiippppp
on an orange canvas get larger and larger as they generate the black hole on the far right. You know, without a doubt, nothing is going to remain the same after this event.
With every reading Llama Destroys The World written by Jonathan Stutzman with illustrations by Heather Fox gets funnier and funnier. The laughter you hear is your own. This book is meant to be shared as often as possible. You will want to have a copy in both your professional and personal collections.
To discover more about Jonathan Stutzman and Heather Fox and their other work, please visit their respective websites by following the links attached to their names. Jonathan Stutzman has accounts on Instagram and Twitter. Heather Fox has accounts on Instagram and Twitter. At the publisher's website you can view interior images. Both Jonathan and Heather are interviewed at Publishers Weekly and on a Publishers Weekly KidsCast. Jonathan is interviewed at Critter Lit. Heather is featured at author Jarrett Lerner's website. Be sure to read both of these interviews. They are wonderful!
