A Royal Outlook

There are books you read filled with so much joy it cloaks you in an invisible shield for days.  Wherever you go and whatever you do, the fire started inside you by that book's jubilation is with you.  You cannot help but glow on the inside and on the outside.  It gives you positive power.

When you have this kind of positive power born of pure bliss, it radiates from you to others.  It changes perspectives.  The King of Kindergarten (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, July 2, 2019) written by Derrick Barnes with illustrations by Vanessa Brantley-Newton is a book filled with this kind of joy.  You want to laugh and dance and sing.  You send a wish out into the universe for every child to know this happiness.

THE MORNING SUN blares through
your window like a million brass
trumpets.

It crowns you with its rays of warmth.  This is as it should be because your mother tells you, on this first day of school, you are certain to be

the King of Kindergarten!

Everything you do reminds you of your royalness; the color of your toothbrush, the symbol on your washcloth and the brand of your clothing.  Sharing breakfast with your parents, you gleefully devour a stack of pancakes.  When your height is measured by your father, you remind him you'll be taller than he is before he knows it.

Joining others on the grand yellow transport is the best way to arrive at the stronghold of wisdom.  Remembering your mother's words, this kindergarten student walks tall with a face wreathed in smiles for all your classmates.  Greeted by your teacher, you proudly state your name.

As the King of Kindergarten, you merrily greet all your fellow students and embrace all the new learning experiences during the morning.  During recess an opportunity for bravery is met with success.  An observation at lunchtime allows compassionate concern to provide for a friend.

No day in kindergarten is complete without a bit of a rest.  Then you are ready for a memorable musical afternoon.  At the close of the day, your teacher sends you back home with a hope.  It is there, in your room, you realize every day will be as wonderful as this first day because you are royalty.


Those first three sentences on the first page by author Derrick Barnes are an irresistible invitation to continue reading.  Word selections throughout the story refer to royalty; family crest, reign, fortress, majestic and round table, to name a few.  The inclusion of dialogue adds the perfect personal touch.  Readers can't help but feel as if they are royalty, too.  Here is a passage.

You'll dress yourself neatly in
handpicked garments from the
far-off villages of Osh and Kosh.
B-gosh! You'll be ready to reign!


How can you not smile at the grinning boy on the front (and the back) of the matching dust jacket and book case?  His air of confidence, his let's-go attitude, asks you to join him.  His hands grasping his backpack as he leans forward, looking right at readers, tells a marvelous story without a single word.  You want to know this child.  You want to know this King of Kindergarten.

The varied shades of green for the background on the front and back of the open jacket and case highlight the child and the other elements in the visuals.  Some of the letters and numbers within the frame on the front surround the boy resting his elbows on a stack of books on the back.  The opening and closing endpapers are covered in a "chalkboard" green.  Crowns in bright white are placed in loose rows over chalky, childlike drawings of letters, numbers, shapes and a stick-figure person wearing a crown.

On the title page the boy stands ready to greet the day holding a book in one hand and a ruler in the other.  The ruler is his scepter.  He is wearing the outline of a crown.  On the verso and dedication pages swirls of purple, the color of royalty, supply a canvas for the text.

The illustrations by Vanessa Brantley-Newton,

hand drawn and then colored using Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter

are a beautiful blend of bright, cheerful and pleasant pastel colors.  Layers of details and patterns fill every page.  On the opening two-page picture trumpets are also rays of the sun.  A patchwork quilt on the boy's bed showcases a stuffed toy lion proudly seated. Scattered toys and books on the floor along with drawings on the wall indicate an active life.  There are crowns on the boy's purple pajamas. He has lion fuzzy slippers.

Each two-page image or single-page picture flows flawlessly accentuating the text.  When we read about the smile on the teacher's face and her lively greeting this is emphasized by her bright green shoes and her shirt patterned in leaves similar to the leaves on a bulletin board. The sun is incorporated into several other visuals throughout the book.

One of my many, many favorite pictures spans two pages.  A marbleized teal is the canvas.  On the floor on the left, the King of Kindergarten is seated with his classmates listening to their teacher.  She is seated in a chair on the right, her hands and arms open, one foot in the air, as she smiles and speaks.  On the floor near the children, above them and crossing the gutter are items discussed in the text; letters, numbers, shapes and trucks, trains and tractors.  Out of an open book next to the teacher a tractor pulling a wagon, swirls of numbers, letters, smiling faces, a large pencil and a train tracks are shown. (There might also be a small book with the picture of a royal being on the cover.)


I can't imagine a first day of school being started without reading The King of Kindergarten written by Derrick Barnes with illustrations by Vanessa Brantley-Newton.  The marvelous mix of words and artwork are sure to inspire readers of all ages.  You have the power to uplift all those around you with your unbridled joy.  I highly recommend this title for your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Derrick Barnes and Vanessa Brantley-Newton and their other work, please access their respective websites by following the links attached to their names.  You can also see more of Vanessa Brantley-Newton's work at Painted Words.  Derrick Barnes has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  Vanessa Brantley-Newton has accounts on Facebook and Instagram.  You can view an interior image from the book at the publisher's website.

UPDATE:  Thanks to a tweet sent out by Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher, on Sunday, July 21, 2019 here is a video you will enjoy.

In His Own Mind

Heroes walk among us every single day.  They come in all shapes, sizes and ages.  Some might not even be human.  Always ready for action they can transform from ordinary to extraordinary in a single second.  We may not even be aware of the shift in their identity.  It is hidden from us; only a vision in the mind of the courageous champion.

As adults we sometimes forget how brave children are to leave their homes, venturing out to learn in school classrooms.  For the little guys and gals attending school for the first time as kindergartners it can be daunting.  Super Saurus Saves Kindergarten (Disney Hyperion, June 27, 2017) written by Deborah Underwood with illustrations by Ned Young follows Arnold as he challenges a perceived formidable foe.

Kindergarten was starting in two days, 
and Arnold was busy making plans...

Arnold's plans did not include what students would normally take in their backpacks or what they would wear.  His plans were how to escape.  He would do anything not to attend the first day of school.

Arnold was convinced his teacher was

Zorgo the Evil Genius.

He was sure all the children would be snacks for Krok the pet T. rex of Zorgo.  As Arnold's conversation continued with Emily, he became super-charged with conviction.  He would not go or stay in his classroom because he was

SUPER SAURUS!

Over the course of the next two days, Arnold gathered his gear, gizmos and gadgets.  He was packed and ready for whatever happened beginning with a ride to school as a captive in a submarine.  (Mom and Dad drove him in the family car.)  He ran as soon as the vehicle stopped but did not get very far.  Plan B was to use his Sticky Shoes to scale the building.  Again his flight was thwarted.  He had no choice but to face Zorgo.  

Every activity designed, music, art, free and circle time, by Mr. Z was perceived as a confrontation with Zorgo.  Super Saurus was in full-blown hero mode.  At snack time the greatest challenge yet arrived uninvited.  Super Saurus put his super smarts into action.  Kindergartens never fear, when Super Saurus is here.


A fabulous blend of voice by the narrator, realistic conversations and Arnold's thoughts by Deborah Underwood has readers cheering for Arnold and Super Saurus.  His character traits of planning, determination and doing the right thing for others compel us to keep turning the pages. You have to admire the patience and good nature of Arnold's parents and his teacher.  Here is a sample passage.

His ship screeched to a halt.  He couldn't leave
all those innocent children in Zorgo's clutches!
There was only one thing to do.

Super Saurus narrowed his eyes. He
straightened his mask.  He marched up
to Zorgo.  "I challenge you to a duel!"

"We're singing right now," said Zorgo.  "How about after snack time?"


You can almost hear the blast of superhero music swelling in the background as you look at the matching dust jacket and book case.  Super Saurus charging through the lined school paper, arms raised and smiling, is ready for action.  We know for what he is prepared by his own drawings shown on the left and right of his body.  The bright bold colors seen here are used throughout the book.

To the left, on the back, Arnold aka Super Saurus has drawn a particularly hilarious scene between him and Zorgo.  The three speech balloons reveal the strength of his confidence in his abilities and his desire to avoid school.  On the opening and closing endpapers, on a white background, more childlike drawings reveal the abilities of Super Saurus.  We can see his Rescue Rocket, his Super Sticky Shoes and his Super Saurus Scuba Suit all in use.

On the title page the text is placed on paper on an easel.  Arnold is facing it, crayon raised and ready to make some art.  On the dedication page Super Saurus is chatting with his fellow classmates.  Rendered in acrylics on illustration board (and acrylics and colored pencils on watercolor board for Arnold's drawings) all the pictures are highly animated and cheerful.  Ned Young uses his space superbly to highlight the story.

His images span two pages, single pages or are grouped on a single page.  When the story focuses on Super Saurus the text is placed in a yellow box rimmed in red with black text.  Readers are going to love the Super Saurus and Zorgo clothing, special effects and alternate world.  There will be page turns with significant pauses.

One of my favorite pictures of many is on a single page.  Arnold dressed in his Super Saurus garb, a mask and cape, is packing his backpack.  He has it placed on the living room sofa as he stands on an arm.  A rope around the outside holds his Super Sticky Shoes, boots dripping in maple syrup and peanut butter.  He stuffs his Rescue Rocket constructed from cardboard boxes into the opening at the top of his backpack.  His flippers and a fishing pole, for deep sea rescues, are part of his first-day-of-school gear too.  The vivid hues and details (wrinkles in his denim shorts, texture in the colored rocket) contribute to the overall charm of this (and all the) illustration (s).

You will want to add Super Saurus Saves Kindergarten written by Deborah Underwood with illustrations by Ned Young to your books-about-school collections.  Readers will feel a connection to Arnold and applaud his endeavors.  There is nothing like imagination and creativity to save the day.

To learn more about Deborah Underwood and Ned Young and their other work please view their websites by following the links attached to their names.