Sweet Dreams #2

For some reason, the move from daylight savings to standard time has been a struggle in 2021 (and 2022) for some individuals.  It seems the canine community, in this home and in the households of neighbors, is refusing the necessary adjustment.  Waking, walking, eating of meals, and sleeping remain on daylight savings hours.  This makes their humans' schedules a tad bit off every single day.  

This situation, coupled with my dog's acute awareness when a deer, fox, or rabbit happens to be nearby, has diminished our actual time of rest.  There is nothing like a dog's loud barking to make you sit upright out of a sound sleep in the middle of the night. . .or is there?  After reading Everybody In The Red Brick Building (Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, October 12, 2021) written by Anne Wynter with illustrations by Oge Mora, it is apparent we are not alone. Uninterrupted bedtime rest is not necessarily the norm. 

Everybody in the red brick building was asleep.

The slumber of the people in the red brick building was suddenly disturbed by a loud vocal outburst by Baby Izzie.  It did not go unnoticed by Rayhan.  He was decidedly worried about his parrot. The startled bird let out a boisterous screech.

Those two unusual noises instigated a late night game by three pals during a sleepover.  (Did Natalia just shoot a rocket out her bedroom window?)  In short order, a cat made a mad dash from her sleeping space to the top of a car.  This action triggered the car's alarm.

Parental responses were swift.  The participants in these nighttime romps began to settle to a new set of sounds.  A street sweeper and falling acorns combined to begin a symphony.

A breeze created another melody.  A dozing feathered friend added harmony.  Like the very best of stories, this one circled back to the beginning.  

Author Anne Wynter writes with the sure knowledge of a storyteller.  Each time a new character is introduced, a clamorous noise is associated with them.  This noise is repeated with the additional commotions, adding layers and building toward the loudest sound, the car alarm in the street.  This technique is employed again as we circle back to the beginning.  Readers cannot help but participate in this late night awakening and lullaby.  Here is a passage.

Woken up by a WaaaAAH!,

a Rrack! Wake Up!,

and a Pitter patter STOMP!,

Natalia dropped from her bunk to

launch her brand-new light-up rocket.

As soon as you look at the matching dust jacket and book case, you wish you lived in the red brick building.  The entire image spans from flap edge to flap edge on the jacket and edge to edge on the case. The characters in the windows on the front, right, of the jacket and case are lively.  The hint of nighttime sky we view on the front extends across the back, left, in brush strokes of shades of blue.  Beneath this expanse, colorful homes line the bottom, windows dark.  The text on the front of the jacket is varnished.

A pale turquoise covers the opening and closing endpapers.  The night sky is the background for the title, publication information, and dedication pages.  In this night sky, stars leave white-line trails behind them.

Artist Oge Mora 

used acrylic paint, gouache, china markers, patterned paper pastels, and old book clippings to create the collage illustrations for this book.

The selected colors reflect the more subdued lighting of nighttime, yet they are still a vibrant blend of hues. Each double-page picture calls out to the reader, asking them to stop and notice the detailed depictions.

The facial expressions on the characters convey each mood superbly.  We see upset, worry, glee, triumph, and fright before calm settles over each individual.  Closed eyes and whispered conversations signal calm.  For most of the images, we are close to the actions of the characters.  Sometimes a group of smaller insets are on a double page spread to indict the quick passage of time and shift in events.

One of my many favorite illustrations shows readers four windows in the red brick building.  The first four windows, on the left, give us a peek inside the homes where the parents have intervened.  This is a huge shift in the progression of the action.  The parrot squawks a goodnight, a father clicks off a flashlight, a mother comforts a fussy baby, and a girl reclaims her rocket as her mother presses the off button on her car alarm.  The next set of four windows on the right are dark.  The lights are off, but we can still see elements from the earlier pictures.  Wonderful.

In a universal sense and on an everyday level this title, Everybody In The Red Brick Building written by Anne Wynter with illustrations by Oge Mora, allows us to see that the world or our home, family, or friends send disruptions to what we consider normal.  And, despite those disruptions, peace is restored.  I highly recommend this title for both your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Anne Wynter and Oge Mora and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their websites.  Anne Wynter has accounts on Facebook and Instagram.  Oge Mora has accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  At the publisher's website there is a Home and Community Classroom Kit which includes this title and three other books.  Anne Wynter is interviewed at Picture Book Builders and Kidlit in Color with respect to this title. This book is showcased at We Need Diverse Books with an interview of Oge Mora.

Sometimes, thankfully not every time, something unforeseen or annoying can keep us from falling into much needed sleep.  A branch rubbing against your window by a shift in the wind's direction is bothersome.  You make a mental note to trim it as soon as morning arrives.  In Awake (Roaring Brook Press, October 19, 2021) written and illustrated by Mags Deroma something unforeseen happens to a little girl and her furry friend, Oscar. Something usually not in her bedroom has taken up residence.

In a big, big city, on a busy city street, there is a pretty tall

building.  At the tipity-top of that tall building is my bedroom.

Just before turning out her light, a very sleepy girl and her dog are suddenly not so sleepy.  The girl notices a spider.  It's surprising how you can go from dead tired to eyes-wide-open awake in a flash.

Sleep is impossible when you share your room with a spider.  There is nothing available to end its life.  It cannot be thought away.

Still, the girl persists in imagining all manner of options to rid her room of that spider.  Her schemes, in her mind, grow larger and larger.  Wait!  The spider is moving.

Quick as a wink, the glass on her nightstand is grabbed and encloses the unwelcome guest.  It is then, on closer examination, a change occurs.  With understanding, fear leaves and is replaced with compassion.

With the protagonist as narrator, author Mags Deroma encourages readers to identify deeply with the little girl.  The words in her sentences fashion a welcoming cadence.  Her descriptions of place and time are those easily identified by many of us.  Here is a passage.

I know!  The WATER SPOUT!

Just like the RAIN,

I'll WASH the spider out!

But

then out comes

the sun . . .

and dries up 

all the rain . . .

and that big hairy

spider CANNOT come 

up the spout again,

thank you very much!

The limited color palette used throughout the book is introduced to readers on the dust jacket.  These muted shades lend a warmth to the darkness of night.  The use of red here and in the interior portions of the book is highly effective.  On the front, both the little girl and Oscar, her dog, have their gaze on the intruder.  The placement of the text, spider and the characters is marvelous!

To the left of the spine, which replicates the red-and-white stripe of the little girl's pajamas, is a sky dotted with stars surrounding the tall building.  In the front and to the right side of this building, street lamps glow.  The only other light we see is from the arched window of the little girl's bedroom.  She is petting Oscar.

The book case is entirely black with one exception.  On the front are only two very large eyes.  They are the eyes of the spider.

On the opening endpapers amid what could be a horizon at dawn or dusk are lines of hues of orange.  On the right side in a column are phrases to ponder.  The word OPEN is used three times.  It is followed by symbols of eyes, mind, and heart.  The final three words say:

TO BE AWAKE.

On the closing endpapers amid a starry sky are seven cut-out pieces of paper.  They advise readers on how

TO RELOCATE a SURPRISE GUEST.

Readers are instructed on the necessary materials, giving the guest a name, 

(TAKE A

DEEEEEEP

BREATH!), 

and the step-by-step process.  

On the title page, on the right side we are close to the little girl as she brushes her teeth before bedtime.  Through the doorway we see Oscar, nose to the floor, next to the spider.  On the left side, the verso, on black is the dedication and publication information.  The publication information is in the shape of a spider web done in white.  Clever.

These illustrations by Mags Deroma were

made with paint and soft pastels on a gazillion pieces of cut paper, all collaged together.

Each picture is full of details, asking us to absorb the atmosphere in each scene.  Some are more highly charged emotionally than others.  There are double-page illustrations and single-page visuals.  Sometimes we are brought close to the action and other times we stand back to view the city, the little girl's bedroom, or all her ideas for eliminating the spider. 

At one point we are slightly above the capture of the spider.  All we see is the little girl's arms and hands on the glass over the spider.  There is the top portion of her head.  And a bit of her emotionally charged movement flickering in the lower, right-hand corner.  A single word is on this two-page illustration.  This, in turn, opens to a gatefold, four pages of a spectacular view of the city.  There are layers of buildings, bridges, and a city street shimmering with lights.  On the street directly in front of the tall building, the little girl's home, we can see the names of the businesses.  Along the bottom of the page is the window sill of the bedroom.  The spider peeks out through the glass.  On the right side, in the corner, is a spider web.  (Earlier in the story, careful readers will notice Oscar as he tries to give a specific book to his little girl.)

One of my many favorite illustrations accompanies the third sentence in the book.  It is the second double-page picture.  On the left, the little girl is kneeling on her bed, wearing her pajamas, ready to pull the chain on her bedside lamp sitting on her nightstand.  Oscar is lying on the wood plank floor, with his eyes closed.  Around her bed are several books and a round bin holding treasures.  Other items are hanging on her wall.  They seem to indicate her sense of adventure and imagination.  On the right is the wall with two arched windows in her bedroom.  We can see a small section of an easy chair.

There is nothing more off-setting than discovering you are sharing your bedroom with a creature not to your liking.  Awake written and illustrated by Mags Deroma describes this event to perfection as well as taking us through the thought process of the little girl as she tries to resolve her problem.  That she shares this experience with Oscar makes her and her story more endearing to readers.  This book will promote discussions galore and will be asked to be read often.  Plan on placing a copy on your personal and professional bookshelves.

To learn more about Mags Deroma and her other work (This is her picture book debut.), please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Mags Deroma has accounts on Instagram and Twitter. At the publisher's website, you can view interior illustrations.  

Awake by Mags DeRoma from Let's Talk Picture Books on Vimeo.

Every babysitter, sibling, parent or caregiver is aware of the myriad of challenges faced when shaping children into a bedtime ritual.  Having them follow that ritual is an even harder challenge.  Just when you think everyone is starting to snooze, there will be the sound of bare feet on floors or giggles or the classic asking for a drink of water.  Forty Winks: A Bedtime Adventure (Abrams Books for Young Readers, October 26, 2021) written by Kelly DiPucchio with pictures by Lita Judge is a lovable, engaging and humorous view of patient parents and their thirty-eight mouse children settling down to sleep.

"It's time for bed!" the Wink parents said

Their routine was the same every night.

Mama and Papa lined up their big brood,

all thirty-eight children in sight. 

Each child is called by name, thirty-eight alliterative, rhyming names.  First, the entire crew enjoys a drink and two kinds of snacks.  They eat at different speeds and with different styles.  From there, as you can imagine the mess, they head to pails full of suds for their nightly baths.

Now spotless from head to toe, they dress in cozy flannel pajamas.  Brushing of teeth ensues, two mice at a time at the sink.  Mama reads each of the Winks a book.  (Whew!)  Of course, they want one more.  

Prayers are said as they snuggle into bed, some more quickly and quietly than others.  As a whole they are restless, not ready to rest.  Some moments later, Mama and Papa believe they are all slumbering when someone asks for a drink of water.

How many of the Winks do you think then need a drink?  Later, much later, as they burrow into their bedding, all forty of the family of Winks fall sound asleep.  Outside their home, sunlight brightens the horizon, until . . .

By the time you get to the third page in this narrative by Kelly DiPucchio, you find yourself smiling.  That smile stays with you until the end of the book, and then, a little bit longer.  The rhyming rhythm of the words, especially the thirty-eight names mentioned twice, wraps around you and lifts you up.  Alliteration is in abundance.  Here is a passage.

The loud, hungry pack was served up a snack

of cider and crumb cake and cheese.

Some sipped and some slurped,

some gobbled and burped,

while others said "thank you" and "please".

From left to right on the open dust jacket, artist Lita Judge, has featured all forty of the Winks.  They are all in their pajamas . . . well, most of them are.  Some are wearing fuzzy slippers.  Their antics are hilarious as you can see by the front of the dust jacket.  A couple of them are already asleep.  Having them climbing among the title text mirrors their energy throughout the bedtime routine.  The text and the mice are varnished.

On the book case, an interior illustration is used. We are looking down on most of the sleeping Wink mice.  Continuing in full-color, we see them nestled in beds, single, double, and bunk, a large stuffed turtle pillow, a toy airplane, cars from a train, and in the basket of a floating air balloon.  A circus tent is there for them to play and sleep inside.  Slippers, toys and some stuffed toy animals are on the floor.  Many of them are holding stuffed toy animals or each other.  Some of their artwork hangs on a string stretching across the round window.

On the opening and closing endpapers all forty Winks are showcased in portraits.  The frames around them are pale yellow.  They are a fantastic complement to the watercolor washed sky-blue background.

On the verso and title pages, the entire family is spread along the bottom with the exception of several mice in the airplane, balloon basket, and climbing down a ladder from the balloon.  They are, as is to be expected, highly animated and happy.  These illustrations in a variety of sizes

were made with pencil and watercolor.

The physical characteristics of the mice are realistic as Lita Judge nursed a baby mouse left on her doorstep, by a concerned neighbor, back to health.  Their facial expressions conveying their moods and their body postures depicting total exuberance are certain to have readers stopping to be sure not to miss a single intricate element.  Every line made and every color chosen work together beautifully.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a single-page picture.  Ten of the Wink youngsters are gathered around a table, devouring their snacks of cider, crumb cakes, and cheese.  Most are seated on stools, one is on the floor, and another is standing on a stack of books on a chair.  A blue cupboard is behind them to the right.  Something has spilled on the floor.  One of the little mice, walking off the page to the right, has stepped in it and leaves footprints.  Readers will pause to look at their clothing.  One of them is wearing an outfit that looks like a tiny bear cub. 

 

This book, Forty Winks written by Kelly DiPucchio with pictures by Lita Judge, is assuredly an enchanting extension of the title's definition.  It presents an everyday event multiplied by thirty-eight.  It is a read aloud treasure.  I wonder how many of the names you will remember when asked to list them at the end.  Your collections, personal and professional, won't be complete without a copy of this title.

To learn more about Kelly DiPucchio and Lita Judge and their other work, please access their websites by following the link attached to their names.  Kelly DiPucchio has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Lita Judge has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view interior illustrations.  There is an article about this book in The Oakland Press (Michigan).

For the first post in this series, Sweet Dreams, here is the link.

Of Capes And Courage

Some people carry an object with them believing it inspires them when they need it the most.  There is something intrinsically reassuring about reaching into your pocket to rub your fingers over a treasured memento; its value known only to you.  Others wear a specific article of clothing to ensure good luck is with them during a particular day or a specific event.  

Remembrances are attached to certain outfits hanging in our closets.  We recall some as gifts, or the place it was purchased or the spectacular circumstances we enjoyed while wearing it.  Super Manny Stands Up! (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, July 4, 2017) written by Kelly DiPucchio with illustrations by Stephanie Graegin speaks to the superhero in all of us.

Every day Manny put on a different cape after school.  

Each colored cape represented his ability to conquer those beings who wished him or others harm.  They also made a very special trait within Manny rise to the surface.  Donning his blue cape made battling unsavory sea creatures easy.  Manny was fearless.

His red, yellow, purple, and green capes helped him defeat zombie bears or forest giants.  He could be brave or powerful depending on the foe and the cape he wore.  His most important cape was the one saved for school.  It was his

top secret undercover cape.

No one could see this cape but Manny knew it was there.

Mutant monkeys on the playground and giant squids in the cafeteria were no match for Super Manny.  One day at lunch a voice boomed above the general hum.  Tall One was teasing Small One.  Manny knew he should do something but his capes were at home.  Then he remembered his

top secret undercover cape.

Manny left his seat and spoke.  Tall One immediately turned his attention to Manny questioning his words.  Our invincible raccoon spoke louder.  Tall One was surprised and not pleased with what happened next.  A cape spread courage from one to many.


With her first sentence Kelly DiPucchio welcomes us into the story.  We are already asking questions.  Why does Manny put a cape on after school?  Why does he have different capes?  As each color is depicted a narrative rhythm is established with the introduction of the dangers and the corresponding trait in Manny.  The distinctive characteristics are shouted by Manny in speech bubbles.

During the disruption in the cafeteria all those imaginary evils Manny has fought and conquered are listed in his mind again along with a mantra of his attributes.  This technique asks readers to participate in the tale of Super Manny.  Here is a sample passage.

When legions of alien robots with laser-beam eyes invaded, Manny tirelessly fought them off in his purple cape.

I AM POWERFUL!


Now I ask you, how can you resist the proud, happy raccoon standing on the front of the dust jacket? (I am working with an F & G.) His confidence radiates as strongly as the stars blasting forth behind him.  The title text, Manny, and the stars are varnished.  Each individual star is textured with raised glitter.  To the left, on the back, we see the same hill on the blue background.  This time Manny is facing away from us.

On the opening and closing endpapers illustrator Stephanie Graegin is giving us a hint of happenings to come in the book.  On the first set Manny is wearing different colored striped shirts with different colored capes.  All the poses (40) are altered.  The final set has an addition to the rowed pattern.  (My lips are sealed.)

Rendered in pencil and ink and then assembled and colored digitally the illustrations span two pages, single pages and smaller images on a single page.  For those smaller ones on single pages, Stephanie Graegin usually has a circular shape.  Sometimes the elements will extend outside this frame.

When Manny is facing each of the collective foes they appear in the color of his cape superimposed over the normal activities of the other characters.  When the angry army of zombie bears attack, it is in the middle of his sister's tea party.  Her disgust at his roaring is typical and funny.  Manny is beating the forest giants in a game of croquet as his mother and sister work in the garden.

The layout and design of these images is superb.  The details will have readers pausing to look; the title of Manny's sister's book, the kind of books Manny likes to read, and the cat holding chopsticks in the cafeteria.  Body postures and facial expressions are as exactly as you would expect and are sure to produce smiles in all readers.  Readers will want to join Manny in his exploits.

One of my many favorite illustrations is when the unsavory sea creatures appear.  On a crisp white background Manny is behind a fish bowl looking at the regular fish inside.  The outraged sea creatures are beginning to float from the top as water splashes.  This shift in perspective heightens the pacing.


Readers will count this title as one of their favorites on having the courage to speak up against those who are being unkind to others.  Super Manny Stands Up! written by Kelly DiPucchio with illustrations by Stephanie Graegin is an inspiration to all readers.  One person can make a difference especially if they are wearing their invisible cape.  Make sure you have a copy of this title on your professional and personal bookshelves.

To discover more about Kelly DiPucchio and Stephanie Graegin and their other work please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images. Kelly DiPucchio maintains a blog.  Dylan Teut, director of the Plum Creek Children's Literacy Festival in Seward, Nebraska, interviewed Kelly DiPucchio on his blog, Mile High Reading.

Puppy Persistence

Every being has a talent which sets them apart.  If you were to ask a group of students to write down the one thing for which they are the most adept, you would get a few similar answers but most would have replies as unique as they are.  For some this skill is apparent when they are young.  For others the gift will not shine until hope is nearly lost as to excelling at anything.

For those students who believe they have no talent, skill or gift, they need to recognize they do.  Antoinette (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, February 14, 2017) written by Kelly DiPucchio with pictures by Christian Robinson is a companion to the delightful Gaston (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, June 3, 2014). Lovable characters return to offer readers insights into the abilities which make each individual distinctive.

Mrs. Bulldog watched her puppies race through the yard.

She names each one---

Rocky, Ricky, Bruno and Antoinette.  

If you think those names don't quite mesh as a foursome it's because the first three are bulldog brothers and their sister puppy is a poodle.  The boys' gifts are already shining, clever, fast and strong.

Antoinette is not sure yet about what makes her special.  Her mother, Mrs. Bulldog, cheers her on with encouragement.  She is sure Antoinette is an extraordinary being.

Each day Mrs. Bulldog and Mrs. Poodle take their puppies to the park.  Rocky, Ricky, Bruno and Antoinette love to play with Fi-Fi, Foo-Foo, Ooh-La-La and Gaston.  (Antoinette's affection for Gaston is apparent.)  In the middle of their play one day, the mothers notice something is wrong.  Ooh-La-La is missing.

Antoinette's three brothers use their skills to attempt to locate Ooh-La-La but she is not to be found.  Antoinette wants to bring the missing Ooh-La-La home.  She puts her nose to work winding her way through the streets of Paris with courage and determination.  Nearing the city museum Antoinette starts barking as the canine crew follows close behind her.

Are dogs allowed in the museum?  They are not.  One persistent poodle is about to find her skill and a good friend as she woofs and weaves her way through the crowd.


It's clear Kelly DiPucchio enjoys fashioning a playful undertone with words throughout her narrative.  Several times during the story she repeats groups of words which are simply fun to read out loud.  You can't help it!

During the search for Ooh-La-La she creates a cadence as each brother employs their skills. Further rhythm is felt in her comedic puns and use of alliteration.  Here is a sample passage.

Well, unlike her burly brothers, she still hadn't quite discovered what she was good at.
"Chin up!" barked her mother.
"You have something extra special.  I can feel it in my bones!"


Looking at the opened, matching dust jacket and book case you can feel a question forming in your mind.  Why is Antoinette racing through the crowd of people?  The image stretches from the back, left, edge to the front, right, edge.  All the people seem to be in a hurry, walking in full stride, just like Antoinette.  There's something alluring about the brush strokes Christian Robinson uses in painting his background.  If you run your fingers over it with little imagination it feels like pavement.  The title text is raised.

The brown skirt patterned in blue flowers with green leaves worn by one of the people (on the back) is used on the spine and the opening and closing endpapers.  The title and verso pages have a white background highlighting activity from the street as Antoinette races along with the vehicles, a scooter and rider and a bicycle rider.  Rendered in acrylic paint all the pictures are like frozen moments of animation.  You expect them to leap to life at any second.

When Christian Robinson paints in this book, first you focus on the puppies and Antoinette but then your eyes drift over all the details he places in each scene.  You'll notice the bluebirds drinking from the birdbath in the yard, the place setting for one person in Mrs. Bulldog's home, the interpretation of the words clever, fast and strong for the brothers, the butterfly in the park, the bubble blower, the activities of the people on the Paris streets and in exactly which museum Ooh-La-La is discovered.  The heavy, matte-finished paper is ideal for Christian's style in these images, nearly all spanning two pages.

One of my favorite illustrations is when the four puppies are in the living room of Mrs. Bulldog's human's home.  The background is a darker khaki color on the walls and floor.  A single painting hangs on the wall, a large circle of rusty red on black.  Rocky the clever is seated in a wagon attached to Ricky the fast.  To entice Ricky a stick is holding a bone on a string over his head.  Rocky is indeed clever.  Bruno the strong is lifting up the edge of the sofa to get a ball.  Antoinette is seated on the sofa wondering how she is special.


This book, Antoinette, written by Kelly DiPucchio with pictures by Christian Robinson is a celebration of the singular skills each person can and will discover within themselves.  For those not sure where their talents are, this book will inspire them.  You could not ask for a better companion title to the first book, Gaston.  I think you will have multiple requests for read it again.

To learn more about Kelly DiPucchio and Christian Robinson and their other work please take a few minutes to explore their websites by following the links attached to their names.  Kelly DiPucchio maintains a blog which is linked to her name.  At the publisher's website you can view six interior illustrations.  Christian Robinson is a guest on The Horn Book podcast 1.33 October 17, 2016.

Oh...The Splendid Strength Of Story

Image taken from the
 Wingspread Collector's Guide
Santa Fe Taos
1994

In the tradition of Pueblo pottery artisans Helen Cordero made a doll in 1964.  This first storyteller featured a man inspired by her grandfather with five children on his shoulders and lap.  He had an open mouth; the words of a story ringing out toward his eager listeners.  In subsequent storyteller figures there might be a woman instead of a man with even more children and her eyes might be closed to bring the memory of her story to life.

If you've ever read stories aloud or told them to listeners, whether they are initially interested or not, you witness the transformation as the story wraps itself around those individuals.  They lean and move toward you until sometimes there is no room between you and them.  Their eyes widen.  They gasp, cry, laugh and sigh.  This is the strength of story.

Stories have the potential to soothe a frightful beast.  Dragon Was Terrible (Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, August 23, 2016) written by Kelly DiPucchio with pictures by Greg Pizzoli is about a particular dragon in need of an attitude adjustment.  He's downright despicable.

Dragon was terrible.  Naturally, dragons have a bit of terrible in them because they're dragons after all.

This dragon was not a normal kind of terrible but terrible times ten.  In the castle community he wrecked the gardens, was nasty to the palace sentries and it's unmentionable how the pastries were treated.  Wherever he went his manners were totally disgusting.

At long last the king knew something needed to be done.  He sent out a decree asking for the services of brave knights promising them a

nice gift.

If you think this was a success, think again.  Dragon grew worse.

The townspeople decided to send out a more emphatic message asking for assistance from everyone else.  As you may surmise, it was an utter failure.  And you-know-who was increasingly intolerable.

Finally a single boy had a plan.  (Marshmallows did play an important role.)  The ultimate success of the boy's endeavors relied on a single factor.  Do you want to know what that was?  It's a secret known since words were spoken.


An unseen narrator speaks in a knowing voice as if readers are confidants.  Kelly DiPucchio supplies extra comments sure to evoke grins and giggles from us.  The described actions of Dragon while vile will have readers laughing out loud.  It's the word choices and the sentences in which they are placed which lead us happily along to more than one wonderful conclusion.  Here is a sample passage.

That's not all.  He scribbled in books.
He threw sand.
And he took candy from baby unicorns.
Honestly, that's terrible.


Extending from left to right across the matching dust jacket and book case Greg Pizzoli creates for readers two sides of an identical castle wall.  On the back, to the left, three posters ask for help in ridding the kingdom of the menace.  Flowers are growing along the wall.  On the front sits the one and only BIG problem with mischief on his mind.  Obviously he can't wait to spread his own special brand of graffiti along the blank slate of the wall.  The opening and closing endpapers are in the same shade as the dragon's body.

Image size and framing perfect the pacing of the narrative.  Some of the illustrations span two or single pages edge to edge and other pictures are placed two on one page, covering a single page or double pages with edges framed in a single line with indented corners.  Most of the backgrounds are white; some containing the faint outline of a castle wall in varying shades.

The facial expressions on Dragon and the other characters are downright hilarious regardless of the mood.  Pizzoli interjects his own brand of comedy into the visuals with his interpretations of the text.  For the words

He chased fuzzy yellow ducklings around the moat, 

Dragon is running after the baby ducks spaying them with a garden hose.

One of my favorite of many illustrations is of Dragon drawing faces on the drawbridge.  Using his trusty can of spray paint he's made a charming picture of himself and written DRAGON RULES.  He also has made a likeness of the king with the words

KING IS A BABY.  

This is done on a chocolate brown background.


Dragon Was Terrible written by Kelly DiPucchio with pictures by Greg Pizzoli is a comical tale of terrible meeting its match through story.  It's hard to resist a tale well told, especially if the character connects with the listener.  To learn more about Kelly DiPucchio and Greg Pizzoli and their other work please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  They both maintain blogs here and here respectively.  To view interior images please follow this link to the publisher's website.   Kelly DiPucchio and Greg Pizzoli are guests at All The Wonders, Episode 281 with teacher librarian Matthew C. Winner.

Stories have the potential to endure thousands and thousands of years.  They mirror people, places, and cultures in exquisite detail if we have eyes to see and ears to hear.  I Am A Story (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, September 6, 2016) written and illustrated by Dan Yaccarino flows through the ages following humans in their quest to be remembered, understood and valued as individuals and collectively as a whole.

I am a story.
I was told around a campfire,
then painted on cave walls.

Under a darkened sky an oral tradition is born.  In order to never forget people begin to create tangible, tactile records of what they hear and experience.  Through time their methods and materials change but the spirit of their intent remains the same.

On walls large sweeping pictures become smaller images representing not moments but single words.  Tablets of clay make their recollections more portable.  Papyrus, paper and fabric hold stories.  Hands around the world work to preserve stories through printmaking and elaborately illustrated manuscripts.  The invention of the printing press changes everything.

Books are shelved in private libraries, then gathered in collections for everyone to use.  They appear in small spaces and travel to far-off places.  Technology expands, bringing stories to us first from radio then from computers.

Stories have stood the test of time surviving those who would remove them from our midst.  They create champions working for the good of all.  Wherever we go stories go also; even with a family on a camping trip, faces aglow from a fire, seated under the ever-present constellations.  Story is...always.

Personifying story is a marvelous choice by Dan Yaccarino.  Traveling through time seeing how the preservation of story has evolved through story's own simple sentences gives story power. The other technique employed by Yaccarino to end where we begin is an excellent example of the beauty of circle stories.


Beginning with his dust jacket Dan Yaccarino enhances his text adding another layer of wonder to his book.  The deep shades of blue in the sky and stars extend from right to left, front to back.  The use of complementary colors, the purple and hues of orange and yellow, illuminates his illustration.  All of the added elements on the front are varnished.  The bird in flight on the front is standing in the lower left-hand corner on the back under a crescent moon.  On the book case only the red bird appears in the starry sky, flying up toward the right-hand corner on the front.  The opening and closing endpapers are a series of fifteen panels signifying the delivery of story through time.

Using India ink on vellum for the images Yaccarino begins this story on the verso and title pages with two early people sitting beneath the moon and stars as the red bird flies under the title text.  Alternating between single page visuals and double-page pictures we are not only given a tour of the timelessness of story but we are given a history of storytelling, bookmaking, literature and mankind. We travel from caves to rooms with women using woodblock printing in ancient Asia and then to medieval walls in castles and on to monasteries and to a Shakespearean stage and to a little free library.

With each page turn one thing remain constant...story.  In some form the bird is always there.  Yaccarino's signature style creates scenes we can walk into by joining a group or working with an individual.  His people, their attire and architecture are fabulously appropriate.  His details bring us laughter and light.  In the two page picture of the king walking past tapestries with four knights at attention, one of the knight's eyes shifts toward the boy holding the king's cape.

One of my many favorite illustrations is of the monk, alone, painting a manuscript at a desk.  Behind him in shades of brown, green, yellow, orange and red are shelves lined with books.  He is wearing a robe in a darker hue of blue as he paints using a lighter blue.  In an open cupboard a cat is curled at rest.  A tiny mouse peeks from beneath his desk.  Crescent moons, stars and the bird can be seen in the room.


 I Am A Story written and illustrated by Dan Yaccarino is a joyous celebration of a truly timeless constant in humankind...story.  For the colorful, meaningful images, simple text and powerful message this book comes with my highest recommendation.  To learn more about Dan Yaccarino please visit his website and blog by following the links attached to his name.  Please enjoy the book trailer which is premiered at Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries John Schumacher's blog, Watch. Connect. Read.

When You Wish... (See You In September #4)

Late in the evening when Xena is lying across my feet gently snoring, I wish the one last thing I have to do is done.  The ease in which she relaxes usually eludes me.  When we are outside she can sit in the yard for hours sniffing the air and watching the people and birds move back and forth.  This is a lesson I need to learn from her; to enjoy those moments instead of mentally going over a to-do list in my mind.

I don't believe I have ever thought about trading places with Xena but I sometimes stop in the middle of whatever I am doing to sit or lie down next to her.  Charlie has a dog too.  His name is Norman.  Dog Days Of School (Disney Hyperion Books) written by Kelly DiPucchio with illustrations by Brian Biggs is their story.

Charlie did not like going to school.

There is not one single thing he likes about it.  As each Sunday draws to a close he gets very anxious about attending class on Monday.  One night, seeing Norman curled up sleeping on his doggy bed, Charlie, looking outside his window at the starry sky, wishes he could be a dog.

Guess what?!  On Monday morning Charlie is Norman and Norman is Charlie.  As if nothing is out of the ordinary, Charlie's mom wakes up Norman reminding him to get ready for school.

Norman eats Charlie's breakfast, brushes his teeth and grabs his lunch running out the door (on all fours) to catch the school bus.  Charlie, on the other hand, gets cozy on Norman's bed for a nap.  Although Norman gets some questioning looks from the students, he does what they do.  Later in the day Charlie climbs up on the couch, watching the leaves drift down from the trees...for a very long time.

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Charlie and Norman gladly participate in each other's numerous normal daily activities.  By Friday, though, trouble is brewing on the horizon; Norman decides to chew his pencil, the table and the teacher's shoes and Charlie is not at all happy about spending hours at the groomers. Saturday is a disaster for them both.  When Sunday night rolls around, Charlie is desperate to be himself again.  His frantic behavior lands him outside in the dog house.  What will Monday morning bring for this boy and his steadfast canine pal?


Author Kelly DiPucchio establishes a rhythm in her writing.  To begin she makes a statement supported by several sentences which repeat words for emphasis.  Then throughout the story there is a back and forth exchange of three thoughts followed by a single idea.  DiPucchio uses pacing and significant pauses to great effect; eliciting laughter from readers.


As is my habit I opened and removed the dust jacket from the book case.  They are different but my lips are sealed.  The color palette seen on the front of the dust jacket is consistently used in the remainder of the book's visuals.  What you can't see is the back of the dust jacket.  Charlie is blissfully asleep on Norman's bed, dog bone solidly gripped in his teeth.  Above him the single sentence reads:

             did
The dog ate my homework.

Brian Biggs use of a heavier black line around the elements in his pictures accentuates the details. On his single page illustrations he brings readers closer to the characters, then giving a wider perspective on the double-page spreads.  With simple lines and dots for his facial expressions, he conveys an array of emotions.

True hilarity is depicted in his interpretation and enhancement of the text.  When Norman goes to school and makes a clay sculpture, it's not a mound like a typical younger student.  It's an exact replica of a fire hydrant.  When Charlie goes on a field trip just like Norman, he ends up at the dog park (on all fours), surrounded by five dogs ready for a game of fetch the Frisbee.

I like so many of these pictures; it's hard to pick a favorite.  Two I really enjoyed are the night scenes; Charlie and Norman in his bedroom at night with the play of light on his face and bed and Charlie outside in the dog house.  The shadows of the tree on the fence and yard is atmospheric in a comforting way as again the light from the moon (street light?) is highlighting Charlie's face.


If you are seeking a light-hearted take on being careful for what you wish, being grateful for the everyday and a guaranteed giggle fest Dog Days of School written by Kelly DiPucchio with illustrations by Brian Biggs is, in the words of Xena, wooferlicious!  The team of DiPucchio and Biggs has created an upbeat read aloud to be enjoyed one on one or with an entire group.  School is really not so bad, especially if you're not a dog.

To learn more about Kelly DiPucchio and Brian Biggs follow the links embedded in their names to access their websites.  Brian Biggs posts lots of artwork about the process for this title.

To Belong

I daresay that at one time or another each of us has felt like a square peg in a round hole.  Sometimes this can be a very good thing. (I'm talking about all those incidents my Dad said, "If everyone jumps off a cliff, are you going to jump too?") Not following the crowd or fitting in at the moment was a smart decision.  On the flip side standing out in a crowd, being different, is hard work, being brave over and over.  The rewards may be little or difficult to find now and then.

A new title, Gaston (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, June 3, 2014) with words by Kelly DiPucchio and pictures by Christian Robinson follows a pooch with plans and a purpose.  Little does he or Mrs. Poodle know of the shock spring will bring.  Let's begin at the beginning.

Mrs. Poodle admired her new puppies.

Fi-Fi, Foo-Foo, Ooh-La-La and Gaston.

Puppies, all puppies, are precious so Gaston was as warmly loved as his three siblings. Even the least observant reader will notice a discrepancy before they are introduced a second time. When the newest family members began to grow Gaston was considerably larger than the other three.

Gaston worked as hard as he could when life lessons began in earnest; sip not slobber, yip not yap and tip toe not run.  He really tried his best.  Anyone who saw him would see one happy dog.

On their first visit to the park in the spring Mrs. Poodle led her pups with pride.  So did Mrs. Bulldog.  It was clear when comparing the two sets of four that something was not quite right.  The names of the little bulldogs were Rocky, Ricky, Bruno and Antoinette.  It seemed a switch had been made.

The moms agreed to let their children make the decision.  After much fun and frolic, the two sets of four looked perfectly proper; Mrs. Poodle had four poodles and Mrs. Bulldog had four bulldogs.  We readers know just because something looks good does necessarily mean it is good.

Antoinette did not sip, yip or tip toe like her new sisters did.  Gaston did sip, yip and tip toe but his new brothers did not.  Certain parties raced to the park the next morning.  There was no fun or frolic but fast actions fashioned a new future for the two foursomes.


When you read some books for the first time, then the second and third times, it's impossible not to do so without reading it aloud in your mind.  The narrative, the words, demands it of you.  The combinations are playful and musical.  Kelly DiPucchio has done this with her story Gaston.  

When readers are introduced to Mrs. Poodle's and Mrs. Bulldog's puppies she has us read their names but then she says,

Would you like to see them again?

DiPucchio wants us to be active participants in this tale.  There is light humor throughout comparing Gaston to his sisters, as well as having Antoinette prefer to remain with her bulldog brothers.  Many of her phrases rhyme or use alliteration to enhance the cadence of her telling.  Here is a single sample.

And they were taught to walk with grace. Never race!
Tip.    Toe.   Tippy-toe.   WHOA!


You simply have to touch the dust jacket and book case created by Christian Robinson.  The brush strokes on both, as well as all the illustrations rendered using acrylic paint, are an open invitation.  You see the texture, and then you want to feel it.  On the dust jacket many of the elements are raised like embossing.  Children love to run their hands over these types of illustrations. (So do I.)  The pattern on the chair where Gaston is seated appears on the opening and closing endpapers.  The back of the jacket and case show Mrs. Poodle looking at her pups all in a row with their backs to the reader.  You have to smile at the difference between Gaston and his sisters.

There is definite foreshadowing in the opening two page picture across the verso and title page as a doctor wheels out a carriage with a poodle riding in it and as a bulldog peers out the top of a box in the corner.  Robinson varies his visual sizes to elevate the story; two page and single page spreads, edge to edge, or single pages with large white space loosely framing a rectangle.  There is a distinct warmth and charm to his choice of colors; more muted and earth tone.  His dogs are as cute as cute can be.

One of my favorite illustrations is in the living room of the home where Mrs. Poodle and her family reside.  On the wall is a framed poodle picture.  Gaston's chair is in the corner next to Mrs. Poodle in the center, sitting all prim and proper.  The three little poodles with Gaston on the right end are sitting in a row in front of her.  This visual with the text makes me burst out laughing every single time.


Knowing where you truly belong is at the heart of Gaston written by Kelly DiPucchio with illustrations by Christian Robinson.  Comfort comes from within.  This winsome title is an absolute treasure.

If you want to know more about Kelly DiPucchio and Christian Robinson please follow the links embedded in their names to access their websites. UPDATE Julie Danielson at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast has lots of art from this title and other dog titles in a post.

The Fastest Glue Gun In The....

Here's a little gal after my own heart.  A home with bins, drawers and cubbies filled with fabrics, ribbons, lace, thread, florist's tape and wire, papers of every color and texture, embellishments, tags, metal do-dads, stamps and pads, paper punches, paint and brushes, needles, pins, markers, colored pencils, glitter, glue sticks, glue bottles, and glue guns galore and scissors of every size and design, gives me a pretty good idea on the true soul of a crafter.  Crafty Chloe by Kelly DiPucchio with illustrations by Heather Ross (Simon & Schuster) is a joyful celebration of ingenuity.

The story opens with Chloe, clad in blue pajamas covered with clouds, kneeling on the floor busily stringing macaroni for necklaces; a pad propped against the wall with sketches of her finished pieces.  She is not good at sports, or video games...

And when she took dance lessons, she had the grace of a camel in roller skates.

When it comes to making anything and everything, she is the Queen; even if her puzzled Dad's shirts seem to be missing patches of fabric, her blurry-eyed Mom is missing coffee filters and her sleeping brother is covered in googly eyes.  Not to be forgotten is her very good eye for fashion, clothing her dog, Bert, in the very latest trends. 

When her best friend is in need of a birthday present nothing seems to catch Chloe's eye until the very thing she knows Emma will love is purchased by another.  Chloe declares she will make her a special something, a very PURPLE something.  But Chloe is stumped and falls in a slump faking blue-spotted Chicken Pops until her Mom reminds her of the pony rides she will be missing at the party.

Her creative juices rejuvenated Chloe doodles, working late into the night on her newest project falling asleep, arms wrapped around her faithful Bert.  On the way to the party accidents, as "they" say, do happen.  Mockery turns into gratitude.  Chloe's creations, along with her spirited, forgiving nature, save the day; loved by all.

Kelly DiPucchio's narrative could not express the mind and heart of a young creator better than she does for Chloe; it makes me wonder if she was a "Crafty Chloe" in her younger years.  Knowing what to say when, is a gift Kelly DePucchio uses with polish and flair.  The dialogue between Chloe and London is oh, so true.  The humor kind of sneaks up on you; making you feel lucky that you don't have a beverage in your mouth because it might end up coming out of your nose.

Heather Ross,  designer of magical, whimsical patterns appearing on fabric and in one-of-a -kind prints, author of Weekend Sewing, brings to this book illustrations popping right off the page as does Chloe's personality.  Who can resist the jubilantly extended arms of a gleefully grinning Chloe on the cover, among foil strung stars and her name pieced together with a disgusted Bert sitting on the sidelines surrounded by an array of artistic bits and pieces?  Front endpapers patterned with orange-handled scissors and back endpapers covered in macaroni necklaces and bracelets, beckons to the creative nature in all of us, no matter how big or small. 

The first two page spread with the most white space used in any part of the book highlights the Chloe initially described above with the only text being:  This is Chloe.  I like this; an introduction to a delightful character with no distractions.  Ross's remaining pictures, done in pencil and colored digitally,  might be a single full page or several smaller visuals on one page.  Her mix of pastels with bright colors flows with the storyline seamlessly.  She, as did DiPucchio, plants humor when you least expect it, a wide-eyed Chloe zoned out trying video games, her Mom multi-tasking sticking the thermometer in her eye, or Bert's comical expressions. 

I can think of a host of readers that are going to enjoy this title; already wondering if I should order several more copies.  Crafty Chloe by Kelly DiPucchio with illustrations by Heather Ross is utterly charming; a salutation to the imaginative spirit of a very special little girl.

Stitched to the closing endpapers is an invitation to the Crafty Chloe website.  Heather Ross appeared on the Martha Stewart Show this past February.  Follow this link for the making of a Clementine Crate Doll Bed inspired by this title.