To be guided by the belief that we are all students and teachers is to embrace learning every single day. On the wall under the windows in my library office, there was a banner voicing this conviction. Students and those younger than us, need to know adults, teachers, or mentors value their opinions. They need to know we are learning for and with them. And if they say something that astounds us, praise their insight, their thinking, and their wit.
There is something exceptionally beautiful about the relationship between a grandparent and a grandchild. The one is young enough to appreciate the wisdom in the elder and the elder is old enough to welcome the wisdom of the youth. This mutual affection and respect is lovingly presented in Just Like Grandma (Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, January 24, 2023) written by debut picture book author Kim Rogers with illustrations by Julie Flett.
On the steps of a house at the end of the street,
Becca watches
Grandma bead and bead
buckskin moccasins.
When Becca asks her grandmother if she can try, she hands her the tools she needs. The two of them bead side-by-side until Grandpa says dinner is ready. Next, Becca watches Grandma dancing barefoot in the backyard outside the house at the end of the street.
Becca leaves the house and joins her grandmother. The two spin until dinner is ready. Tonight Grandpa has made fried chicken.
When Becca sees what her grandmother can create with paint, she
wants to be
just like Grandma.
Together they work on the canvas until day's end. What will Grandpa serve for dinner tonight? Watching her Grandma win the grand prize for dancing the Fancy Shawl Dance at the powwow, Becca's heart soars. During another portion of the event, they dance together until Grandpa signals their dinner is ready.
Back home, Grandma watches Becca. She joins her outside because she wants to be like Becca. The next day, the grandparents wait and then celebrate with Becca. As the narrative closes, a grandchild is grateful for her grandparents, and Grandma perceives the precious gift she has in Becca.
Author Kim Rogers uses the storyteller's gift of repetition masterfully, fashioning a rhythm which reaches out and wraps around readers. She calls us back to the house and its description repeatedly. Each time Becca sees Grandma doing something she wishes to replicate, the same words are used. Each of these shared experiences is followed by Grandpa inviting them to eat a different meal for dinner, even at the powwow. When Grandma surprises Becca and wants to be like her, the narrative takes on an expanded cadence. Everything is tied together superbly by the duo's musings at the end. Here is a passage.
Becca sits down next to
Grandma and her pretty palette.
Let me try, she says.
Grandma shows her brushstrokes
on the textured canvas.
Together they paint the most spectacular sunrise
anyone has ever painted,
until the sun dips below the tree line
and Grandpa calls them in for pancakes for dinner.
The portrait of Becca with Grandma seen on the open and matching dust jacket and book case introduces readers to these people bound together with love and admiration. The dragonfly to the right of them is seen one other time in an illustration within the book. Is there significance in its placement?
To the left of the spine, on the back, Becca and Grandma are seated next to each other. This time their backs are to us. A gorgeous shawl or blanket is wrapped around them. I like to think that based on the sky, the day is coming to an end. Perhaps Grandpa has just called them to dinner.
A golden tan covers the opening and closing endpapers. The artwork on the back of the jacket and case is used for the title page. It is also an interior visual.
the images. Her color choices radiate warmth and a closeness to earth. She shifts from double-page pictures to full-page illustrations which cross the gutter. Her full-page visuals sometimes contain tiny drawings and large amounts of white space.
Her depictions of Becca, Grandma, and Grandpa are lively and full of emotional closeness. Readers can readily understand the shared love. Whatever they are doing, they do it with an extension of the rhythm we find in the author's narrative.
One of my many favorite illustrations is when Becca and her grandmother are dancing barefoot in the grass in the backyard. It is a double-page picture. Above the large expanse of grass is a sky streaked in peach and cream. Tall leafy trees are placed on the left. Lovely dark pink and red butterflies float above the grass. To the right of the gutter, Becca and Grandma swirl, their skirts like wings. In the lower, right-hand corner are some flowers and a single butterfly.
Listeners will be captivated hearing the words written by Kim Rogers and viewing the artwork of Julie Flett when Just Like Grandma is read aloud to them. Both the story and images will linger long after the book is finished. At the close of the title is a letter by Cynthia Leitich Smith. Here she speaks about the value of role models and elders and Heartdrum. This is followed by an author's note, a section on beadwork and a glossary. This title has my highest recommendation for all your collections.
To learn more about Kim Rogers and Julie Flett and their other work, access their websites by following the link attached to their names. Kim Rogers has accounts on Facebook and Twitter. Julie Flett has an account on Instagram. The cover reveal can be found at We Need Diverse Books. There is a letter from Kim Rogers there and the letter from Cynthia Leitich Smith. Kim Rogers is interviewed at Cynsations, the site of author Cynthia Leitich Smith. It is a wonderful question and answer post.
Across the street is a large vacant lot. On either side is a row of trees and shrubs. To the west is an occupied home. To the east are two unoccupied houses. Behind them are rows of mature evergreens. It is a forest in a neighborhood. By chance, several days ago, I looked up from working at the kitchen sink out the windows at that vacant lot. Gasping, I watched a fox in the middle of the day running from one side to the other. Now, when out walking with my canine companion, she stops, sits and raises her nose sniffing as soon as we are near that wooded area. She knows.
(And then just minutes ago, yes today, November 16, 2021, as we rounded that familiar corner close to our home on our walk, the crows were more vocal than normal. Out of a row of trees on our left, the fox ran, stopped on a grassy area, crossed the road in front of us, and stopped on the lawn of a house on the right before disappearing into those woods. He was gorgeous, red and with lots of bright white on his tail. I was trying to get my phone out of my pocket to get a picture, but also gaze at him at the same time. Mulan, my dog, just stood silently and watched.)
Wild animals, regardless of where we live, are a part of our world. Living with them is wondrous. We never know when they will cross our paths or we will cross their paths. We All Play kimetawanaw (Greystone Kids, Greystone Books Ltd, May 25, 2021) written and illustrated by Julie Flett explores the commonality and bond between animals and children.
Animals hide
and hop
and sniff
and sneak . . .
Rabbits, foxes, a turtle, and eight owls show a group of gals and guys how they play. Next, we find ourselves in and near water. Here whales, seals, and a mother Canada goose and her babies squirt, bend, and chase. Nearby, children enjoy the same activities.
Back on land, snakes slither through grass. Buffalos thunder across the plains. Bears act like acrobats. Snow has fallen. Bundled in their winter wear, a hill provides the same possibilities for the girls and boys.
After a day of being constantly on the move, the animals start to slow. They look for a space to be cozy and to cuddle. Together, they rest. Do the children snooze, too?
The words author Julie Flett has selected are like musical notes in a song. Their alliteration envelopes readers, inviting us to participate. With every page turn, the melody increases taking us through the seasons and days of play. Three times with three different animals, we watch and listen as they play, then the same refrain, the title, ties the animals to the children. It is here that the Cree language is used with the English. Here is another portion of a passage.
Animals . . .
and wiggle
and wobble.
On either side of the spine, the grasses extend on the cream canvas. As the children chase butterflies, the bobcat youngsters calmly watch on the front, right side. You can, in your mind, hear the children laughing. Their exuberance is contagious. On the left, back of the dust jacket, two children are lying in the grass, feet to feet. Their arms are raised. A butterfly glides just out of reach.
An interior image of seals enjoying a swim is placed on the book case. The background is the same rich cream color. Bubbles rise from each of the three and along the bottom.
On the opening endpapers is the green used for the grasses. On the closing endpapers is a rusty red of autumn leaves. On the title page, the image from the front of the jacket is replicated. Opposite this is the dedication page. Here illustrator Julie Flett speaks of her father, Clarence Flett, Swampy Cree, Red River Metis (1936-2019).
Rendered in pastel and pencil, composited digitally
these illustrations, each double-page image, depict joy in its purest form. Animals appear and leave on page edges, left and right, top and bottom, breaking the frame. Tiny details are tucked into visuals, Insects jump with the rabbits. The geese walk among a patch of clover. Beetles are busy as the buffalos rush past them. Paw prints fashion a trail past the bobcats.
One of my many favorite illustrations accompanies the text above noted. Here three bears enjoy an early snowfall. Their warm brown bodies against the snow is a pleasing contrast. On the left, one of the bears is on its back, feet curled up. On the right, another bear is sliding down on its stomach toward the first bear. A smaller bear is on the back of the sliding bear. If they spoke our language, they might be saying
yippee!
Asking us to be aware, see, and respect what nature supplies us, We All Play written and illustrated by Julie Flett celebrates the antics in the animal world we mirror in the human world. No matter how many times you read this book, the happiness will heighten your own happiness. At the close of the book is a list of animals in English and in Cree. This is followed by an explanation of the Cree
used in this book.
There is also a Dear Reader note from Julie Flett. I highly recommend this title for all your collections, personal and professional.
Color conveys and connects to us, as do light and shadow within those colors. In her two previous phenomenal books, Green (March 27, 2012) and Blue(September 25, 2018), Laura Vaccaro Seeger presented colors to readers with fresh eyes. She elevated our awareness of colors' effects on us. In her new book, Red (Neal Porter Books, Holiday House, October 5, 2021), Laura Vaccaro Seeger tells of being lost and found, heartbreak and humanity. It is about a fox. It is about a girl. It is about all of us.
dark red
light red
lost red
During a move at dusk, a young fox gets separated from its group. It sleeps, awaking and realizing it is lost. It safely crosses a road by a railroad tracks during the dark of night.
While roaming, the fox notices a girl in the yard of her home. She watches the fox watching her. Continuing its explorations, the fox finds other signs of humans, eventually injuring itself on a rusty nail.
It seeks food and discovers other obstacles, some high. The fox moves through the woods and into a field. Readers will recognize the vehicle and a box from a previous scene. Hungry, the animal is unaware of the danger ahead.
Human and animal clash. Compassion and confidence blend in another animal and human encounter. Steps by steps, previous settings are revisited until there is a flash of . . .
Each word placed before the title word by Laura Vaccaro Seegerreflects a time of day, an emotional feeling, a description of place, a foreshadowing, a physical characteristic, or homecoming. At times every other word will rhyme. Sometimes for emphasis words in succession will rhyme. And those words, in turn, rhyme with an earlier word. There is a bit of alliteration to enhance the cadence. It is an ingenious working with words by Laura Vaccaro Seeger.
When you first look at the swirl of red shades on the open and matching dust jacket and book case, the image extending from flap edge to flap edge, what do you see? If you look closely above the raised title text on the front, right side, there is the head of a fox. When you look at the entire jacket and case, you can see the whole body of the fox running. Above and below this fox are other foxes. What would it be like to see a group of them running together?
On the opening endpapers, which is also the title page, we are deep in a forest. Tall trees, undergrowth, and patches of grass span page edge to page edge. Through the tops of trees is a brilliant blue sky. Three foxes briskly walk toward the right side beneath the title text. On the left, behind them, another fox strides toward them. With another page turn, the woods are darker. We see the first die-cut leading us to the next double-page picture. On the closing endpapers are words from the author illustrator, a dedication and the publication information, all on the left. On the right side are three vertical panels, one green, one blue, and the third, red. (I got goosebumps reading the author's note.)
Using acrylic paint on canvas
Laura Vaccaro Seeger takes us on an intense journey. Through her artwork and the placement of die-cuts, it is a sensory experience, abundant in detail. We are walking through darkened woodlands. We are waking on a cliff overlooking an expanse of forest as the sun is partially shown on the horizon. We are curious. We are hurt. We need food. We need help. And most of all, we need to find our way home.
Between the final two-word phrases, Laura Vaccaro Seeger breaks from her double-page pictures. On these two wordless picture pages, first on the left, are three panels. There are two squares over a rectangle. On the right side is a full-page picture. Then, it is guaranteed you will sigh at the sight of the final two-page image with the last two words.
One of my many favorite pictures is for the two words, rose red. At the base of the two-page visual, among the grass and roses, the fox, on the right, looks forward. In front of the fox is a sturdy white fence, made of posts and a single row of rails. The setting is framed on the left by oak leaves and acorns, and on the right by a blooming red and pink bush. In the upper portion of the picture on the left, the girl is picking up a ball. She and the fox look at each other.
As soon as you finish reading Red written and illustrated by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, you'll read it again and again. Then you'll go to your bookshelves, or the nearest library to read the two previous books in the trilogy. You might read all of them together more than once. You certainly need a copy of this book for your professional and personal collections.
To discover more about Laura Vaccaro Seeger and her other work, please visit her website by following the link attached to her name. Laura Vaccaro Seeger has accounts on Facebook and Twitter. At the publisher's website are an event kit with activities and an educator's guide with discussion questions. At Penguin Random House you can view the first double-page picture, the title page. This book and her other work is discussed with Laura Vaccaro Seeger at Publishers Weekly, Let's Talk Picture Books and Critter Lit.
As we get older, we see the world with a wider and deeper perspective. For many adults, but not all adults, it is clouded by past events and life experiences. What we need to retain is the constant curiosity and bliss we had as children in investigating the world outside our homes. Dear Little One (A Paula Wiseman Book, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, November 2, 2021)written by Nina Laden with illustrations by Melissa Castrillon is a love letter to our natural surroundings and all the minute marvels they hold.
Dear Little One
Your time on
Earth has just
begun.
A small child and their dog walk along the shoreline, peer into the water, and touch its surface. The child is encouraged, as they walk into the woods, away from their home, to look, listen, and inhale. They are asked to appreciate the flowers, bees, and trees.
Insects abound in sheltered nooks and crannies. It only takes a minute to seek them out and observe their work. Plants, from seeds to stalk, reveal secrets.
Speaking of secrets, what can you find by digging through the dirt? There might be treasure, natural or human. As the child and her canine companion walk through the woods, they need to remember their purpose in keeping our planet alive. Each animal found along the way is part of a vital unseen web.
It is important to remember to venture farther than our home. We must develop a respect for large bodies of water, sand, and tall mountains. Wind, calm or wild, rain, snow, and the sun each are essential. Be sure to gaze at the stars and have their endless expanse embrace you. You are a caretaker of this Earth, now and always.
You know from reading the first word Nina Laden is addressing someone with, at the very least, respect. As the narrative continues, you realize, through her lyrical rhyming text, the speaker is building a loving relationship with the child. They ask the child to be aware, to be grateful, and to be responsible. Sentence by sentence we get a sense of building toward something extraordinary. The final three words are our answer. Here is a passage.
Hike in the forests.
They make the world green.
Their leaves act like lungs
to keep the air clean.
Two lavishly framed and illustrated scenes greet readers on the back, left, and front, right, of the open dust jacket. The exotic plant life, flowers and leaves, twine around a three-lined gold foil border on the front and a golden yellow border on the back. The child, on the front, is already heeding the advice of the speaker in looking at the beetle. Other insects and small creatures are curious about her. How many more can you see?
On the back, the child and their dog are perched on a branch. It is placed near the top of the image. They are looking at something to their right. Beneath them are ferns, flowers, and a single bee.
The book case is done in several hues of deep green. There are less elements in the scenes on the back, left, and the front, right. The child is only shown on the front. There is more gold foil in addition to the borders. Both the jacket and case are stunning.
On the opening and closing endpapers is a fan pattern with evergreen trees, tree branches, birds and leaves. It is done in green and cream. The child with a backpack is standing in a corner with their dog, ready to explore. With a page turn, we see bees in cream on green on the left. On the right, the child is smelling a flower as their dog runs behind them. The child is wearing a red jacket and yellow pants. The dedication, publication information and title pages are a two-page picture. A close-up of leaves and flowers surround the text. There are a few small critters.
Each of the two-page pictures, full-page pictures and smaller pictures grouped on a single page
were rendered in pencil and then colored digitally
by Melissa Castrillon. The delicate lines and intricate details welcome closer inspection. The invitations found in the text are enhanced by the artwork. The breathtaking color choices amplify the enchanting images. Shifting perspectives make us a part of the adventure.
One of my many favorite illustrations is a double-page picture at night. A portion of the moon hangs low in the sky in the upper left-hand corner. Evergreens bend in from the left and right sides. The sky is peppered with stars, some of them shooting comet-like tails. On a small hill in the center is a tent. Close, but not too close, a small fire burns. Next to it is the child and their dog. They have a new friend, either a coyote or fox, joining them. All of them are looking to the stars. An owl dozes in one of the trees. The colors are cream, purple, and green, with the exception being the child's clothing and the orange red of the tent and fire.
In a word, this book, Dear Little One written by Nina Laden with illustrations by Melissa Castrillon, is splendid. The heart-warming letter paired with the striking artwork makes this a book to treasure and share often. Your personal and professional collections will not be complete without a copy of this title.
By following the link attached to their names, you can learn more about Nina Laden and Melissa Castrillon and their other work at their websites. Nina Laden has accounts on Facebook and Instagram. Melissa Castrillon has accounts on Instagram and Twitter. At the publisher's website, you can view interior images including the open dust jacket and book case.
