Coming Home . . .

For many of us entering a library, whether it's for the public, a school or even our personal collections, it supplies us with a sense of homecoming.  In this space, an infinite number of stories are housed.  They enrich and enlarge our imaginations.  Through them we travel into the past, present, and future with greater understanding and compassion.  These stories give us answers to questions while leading us to more discoveries and answers we didn't even know we desired.  Armed with the truths they provide, our knowledge of our planet and its inhabitants, plant and animal, grows.  Not only does our knowledge grow but so does our admiration for the complexity of intertwined systems functioning every second of every day.

For those of us who have spent most of our adult lives serving patrons of all ages in libraries, we are witness to the remarkable moments when readers are connected to the story they need or want.  We not only listen to them with our minds, but also our hearts.  This is how bridges are built between books and readers.  When that bridge is built, when that connection is forged, something nearly indescribable happens.  We see it in their eyes, their demeanor, and their body posture.  It is joy.  This joy is wonderfully expressed in words by John Schu and in artwork by Lauren Castillo in their first collaboration, This Is A Story (Candlewick Press, March 14, 2023).  This book shows us the power of story, our stories and the stories of others.

This is a word.

SEA

That word, sea, is then shown on a page, a page within a book.  That book is one of many on a shelf.  It is waiting on one of many shelves in a library.  (We are beginning small and keep seeing a larger view.)  When we step back farther, there are people in a city, a city with that library.

Some of the people in the city are traveling to the library, seeking help, help in finding answers.  That book, one of many on a shelf of many shelves, is given to a child by a librarian.  So begins the reading.  So begins a special connection.

There are other readers here, finding what they need and finding what they want.  In the pages of the books they read, their minds keep stepping back, (like we do in the beginning of this story) enlarging what is known, imagined, and hoped.  Each of these readers have something else, a valuable something else . . . hearts.  Their hearts will increase in their ability to make connections in the books they are reading and in every facet of their lives.

Walking through the doors of a library is walking into a

world of reading.

Like most seeds, this world starts with the tiniest thing and the youngest person.  An early interest is nurtured and encouraged to flourish.  It is nurtured and encouraged to flourish through a story. 

With intention author John Schu builds his narrative, his poem, from a single word.  He takes us on a journey with that word until the book with that word is placed in the hands of a child by the librarian.  Word, book, reader, and story create an unbreakable and lasting link.

We go from that single reader to other readers, who similarly have questions, ideas, hopes, imaginations that can blossom without limits through reading.  John Schu, then, takes us back to the beginning.  It is here the idea of starting small is reinforced.  Word by word, they are strung together to give us a story.  The final sentence he writes will resonate with every reader and every person who has brought a story to a reader. 

(The text in this book is very precise.  At this point I usually supply readers with a passage from the book, but I will not here.  I do not want to diminish anyone's experience in reading this title.) 

For every time I have seen a child hug a book, or every time I have hugged a book, for the sheer happiness that book brings, the visual on the front, right side of the matching dust jacket and book case, is pure perfection.  This is STORY.  The colors around the child radiate warmth.  Along the bottom they mirror her love of the sea and sea horses.  Her eyes are closed because that is what we do when we are overwhelmed by the joy in a moment.

To the left of the spine on a white background, the girl is carrying an armload of books, followed by her little brother.  He is carrying his beloved stuffed toy cat.  This is a nod to author John Schu's cat, Lou Grant.

When the jacket is removed from the case, readers get a larger glimpse of the meticulous care and exquisite details artist Lauren Castillo brings to this book.  On the underside of the jacket are eleven children, from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, seated in a semi-circle reading.  Our sea horse-loving girl is included. For nearly all the books, we can see enough of the jackets and cases to recognize the titles.  (At this point, you might want to get your magnifying glass and start making a list of titles.  I did.)  One of the boys is wearing a yarmulke.  Another child has a hearing aid.  In bright red under this array of readers are the words HAPPY, HAPPY READING!

That same red covers the opening and closing endpapers.  On the title page is an intimate scene of the little girl's father giving her a library card.  For the dedication page, Lauren Castillo has created a double-page view of the father carrying his son down the stairs of their home.  A cat looks out the window.  Ahead of them on the sidewalk, the little girl walks carrying a sea horse kite and striped bag.

A pure white page supplies the space for the first sentence, opposite a wash of blue green for the word, 

SEA.  Each illustration in this title was rendered

in ink, watercolor, and pastel.

They are single-page pictures and glorious two-page visuals.  We are brought as close as possible to each setting, giving us a personal, participatory experience.  For the words,

This is a book on a shelf . . .

we see the book that is the focus of the first portion of this title.  It is shelved with other like books, many which we can identify. (Readers will see friends here on this shelf, too.)  

Just like the words of John Schu, Lauren Castillo's artwork begins small, growing and increasing our view until a double-page wordless picture features the front of the library.  When we step inside that library with the girl, her father, and brother, we might gasp.  Not only is a librarian looking like John Schu standing there, but along the top of the shelves are books we know and love.  Again, the artwork enhances the words to the point where we believe we are there in every moment written and illustrated.  With each page turn, readers are shown with or around books we have read and enjoyed.  (I started to cry in the visual of a child reading the One and Only Ivan.  Here Lauren Castillo has placed elements from the books above the readers' heads.)

One of my many favorite illustrations is a double-page picture.  Across the top hangs a series of colorful pennants.  On the right side in the background, in shades of golden orange, are three adjoining shelves outlined in darker lines.  In front of them, the librarian is squatting down to be at the level of the girl.  In his hands he holds the book about sea horses.  The child is reaching toward it, knowing he is

connecting

her to what she wants and needs.  To the right of them on the floor is the sea horse kite, its string wound around a spool.  

Love of story, books, reading, readers, authors, illustrators, librarians, and libraries is tucked into every page of This Is A Story written by John Schu with artwork by Lauren Castillo.  Like the child on the front of the jacket and case, readers will finish this book and hug it close.  It is most definitely a heartprint book.  It invites discussions about story, books, reading, readers, authors, illustrators, librarians, libraries, and favorite books.  I can't imagine a professional or personal library without a copy on its shelves.

To discover more about John Schu and Lauren Castillo and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their websites.  At John Schu's website are two videos about this title.  John Schu has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Lauren Castillo has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Vimeo, and YouTube.  The cover is revealed by author, blogger, and teacher librarian Travis Jonker on School Library Journal, 100 Scope Notes, including a chat with the creators.  Through the publisher, author, podcaster, and fifth grade teacher Colby Sharp has prepared a Teacher's Guide.  At The Children's Book Podcast, author John Schu and artist Lauren Castillo chat with Matthew Winner about this title.  At the publisher's website, you can view an interior image.  At Penguin Random House, you can view a series of interior visuals.

UPDATE:  Author Erin Dealey hosts John Schu on her blog with a seven-question series about this book.

Where Do You Find It?

More than forty-eight hours ago, a blizzard warning went into effect.  It has been snowing nonstop with wild winds howling.  Any signs of wildlife are nonexistent.  Where are the deer, fox, squirrels, rabbits, and birds?  Hopefully, they have found spaces to keep them safe.

Where they and we humans reside can represent many things.  It can be a shelter from the elements over which we have no control.  It can be a sanctuary from those with harmful intentions.  Sometimes home is more about those with us, than the spaces we occupy.  In 2020 we were introduced to nine characters in Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story Of Us.  This tale is one of wonderful parts becoming a marvelous whole.

These beloved characters, Hedgehog, Mutty, Mole, Owl, Beaver, Hen and Chicks (2), and Annika Mae Flores have returned in Our Friend Hedgehog: A Place To Call Home (Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, October 18, 2022).  In this newest book of eleven chapters and a beautiful introduction, a discovery leads to a quest.  This quest reveals a truth to hold fast in all our hearts.

Families come in all shapes and sizes.

Autumn is nearly over for the friends in Hedge Hollow.  Hedgehog is dreaming of making a snowhog as soon as the snow falls.  She has gathered all the necessary supplies. 

Today, she and Mutty are on their way from their island to Owl's loft for a story time.  After reaching shore and walking in the woods, Hedgehog and Mutty are stunned by what they see.  It's someone who looks just like Hedgehog.  How is that possible?

At Owl's loft, Owl and Mole comfort Hedgehog and decide she has seen her doppelganger.  The quest begins.  Meanwhile Annika Mae is assisting Beaver as his works on the Friend Fort.  Their conversations revolve around building versus design and cold weather wear and who needs it the most.

Soon, Beaver is asked to help Hedgehog, Mutty, Mole and Owl.  Annika Mae, Hen and her Chicks stay behind at the Friend Fort.  The five friends make an unexpected discovery.  Hedgehog has a decision to make.  What will she decide?  And can she change a decision once it is made?  Overnight snow falls.  

At Friend Fort, there are more good surprises.  Friends embrace friends.  Friends embrace the winter season and its joys.  It is a time of firsts and forevers.

The five-sentence introduction spoken by Annika Mae is a warm welcome, an invitation readers know leads into the pages of a heart-print story.  Author Lauren Castillo, through her intentional descriptions of place and time, brings us back to Hedge Hollow.  Wherever we are we are surrounded by this magical world, as if we never left.  Each chapter heading offers a glimpse of what we can expect to be revealed.

Through the blend of narrative and dialogue by and between the characters, our knowledge of their individual personalities and quirks grows. (Readers will enjoy how Mole adds words from other languages to her commentary.)  They are beings we want to know.  We share their anxieties and triumphs.  We can't help but love them.  Here are several passages.

"What are we looking for again?" Beaver asked as he began paddling.

"Do you ever listen?" Owl hooted. "We are looking for Hedgehog's doppelganger. Her look-alike."

"Is that why you were too busy to help with the fort earlier?"  Beaver groused.  "And why did you need my safety goggles?"

"What are you talking about, Beaver?" Hedgehog looked puzzled.

"I saw you, Hedgehog.  You were headed around that bend."  Beaver pointed past his dam.

" Beaver, compadre.  Hedgehog has been with us all morning.  It couldn't have been her,"  said Mole.

For a moment everyone just looked at each other in confusion.

" The doppelganger!"  cried Owl.  " It must have been the doppelganger." 

" Are you sure it went that direction?"  asked Mole.

" Captain Beaver is always sure,"  Beaver boasted.

Owl rolled his eyes. " Let's go!"  he urged.

They would miss snowball fights, snow tubing, and most important of all, snowhogs.  Hedgehog could not imagine sleeping through all of that! These hedgehogs might be made of the same spines and snouts, but their hearts spoke different languages.

In looking at the front, right side, of the dust jacket we are pleased to see Hedgehog and Mutty again.  Hedgehog looks curiously at the other hedgehog.  She has never seen anyone like her.  A first snow coats the landscape, remnants of autumn still visible.  The title text is varnished.  To the left of the bright blue spine is an endearing portrait of the friends seated on the ground covered in autumn leaves and huddled in a hug.  Leaves swirl upward on either side of the text.  It is the introduction.

The book case in the same blue is plain except for the front.  Here we see Hedgehog and Mutty in silhouette, facing each other.  On the opening and closing endpapers is a colorful map of Hedge Hollow.  The river winds past Hedgehog's Island, past Mole's Hole and Owl's Lookout.  Before it gets to Beaver's Dam, it meanders by Hen and Chicks' Marsh, the Friend Fort and Annika Mae's House on the hill.  In the upper, righthand corner is another new addition, Hedge Hideaway.

Artist Lauren Castillo's illustrations rendered

using pen, pencils, watercolor, and Photoshop

warm every page turn with their presence.  Hedgehog and Mutty are on both the initial and formal title pages.  A bundle of autumn leaves showcases the dedication page.  Floating leaves draw our focus to the Contents page.

Gorgeous double-page pictures enhance the text for each chapter heading.  We see Hedgehog's Island in the river bordered by trees dressed in the hues of fall.  We are brought close to Beaver working on the Friend Fort, materials and tools placed near the building.  A bird's eye view shows Beaver, Mutty, Hedgehog, Mole, and Owl traveling by raft down the river on their quest.  Even though snow is falling and covering the ground, you cannot look at the last chapter visual without being warmed at the sight of the endearing characters outside their Friend Fort. (And you will probably laugh out loud at the flag.)

These illustrations convey to readers a world as real as that in which any of us reside.  The intricate details in Lauren Castillo's signature style, her color selections, lines and brush strokes are brimming with emotion and motion.  We willingly pause to not miss a single element.  

One of my many favorite illustrations is of Hedgehog and Mutty.  The affection Hedgehog holds for Mutty is as strong as if Mutty were alive; perhaps more so.  In this two-page image it is snowing.  Snow covers the ground.  From the left side to the right side, we see footprints in the snow.  Hedgehog is walking to the right top part of the visual.  Her back is to us.  She carries Mutty on her shoulders.  This picture is layered with meaning.  Hedgehog's heart is taking her where she belongs.

This second book, Our Friend Hedgehog: A Place To Call Home written and illustrated by Lauren Castillo, in a timeless series is certain to be well-loved and read repeatedly.  Regardless of how many times this title is read, you know as soon as you finish the last sentence, you will read the story again.  The best stories endure.  I highly recommend you place this title in your professional and personal collections.  (I have personally gifted both books this year.)

To learn more about Lauren Castillo and her other work, please access her website by following the link attached to her name.  At the page dedicated to this title, Lauren has resources for you to download.  Lauren has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  The cover reveal with a creator interview for this title was hosted by John Schu at Watch. Connect. Read.  At the publisher's website, you can view interior images and listen to an audiobook preview.

The More The Merrier

If you ask a child if they've ever dreamed of having their own home without adults, most will reply with an enthusiastic yes.  Some want siblings to share in the adventure.  Others wish to have close friends join in this exciting endeavor.  For many this vision is one held in their hearts and minds for years.  It is a home they carry with them.

For all those children who hold this dream close, a new collaboration by award-winning creators breathe life into that dream.  The Ramble Shamble Children (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, March 9, 2021) written by Christina Soontornvat with illustrations by Lauren Castillo follows a family of five who happily live without adults.  The siblings work together in all things, even when a shared idea reveals an essential wisdom.

Down the mountain, across the creek,

past the last curve in the road,

five children lived together

in a ramble shamble house.

Each day the children were busy with their designated tasks.  There was a garden to tend.  There were crows to chase away.  There were chickens to feed.  There was mud to savor.

When it was time to eat, each child helped prepare the meal.  There was one exception.  There was still mud to savor. 

These children were always working but working together lightened the load.  At day's end, they snuggled together in the oldest girl's bed to listen to her fantastic tales.  One day, their idyllic lives shifted when they read a book.

Their ramble shamble house needed to change to be a proper house.  The four older children worked all the next day to make their house and yard proper.  When they were done, it did look different, but no one was adjusting to the changes.  And where was mud-loving Jory?!  The children living in the ramble shamble house discovered one of the most valuable secrets of a proper life.  

With each reading, the words in this story penned by Christina Soontornvat cuddle deeper into your reader's heart.  She describes an inviting setting with each individual having a purpose.  She uses the words always and proper to great effect, as familiar and comforting storytelling beats.  In a magical manner, layer by layer with a pleasing blend of dialogue and narrative, Christina Soontornvat casts a spell and teaches readers one of the oldest truths.  Here is a passage.

"Hold on," said Finn.  "Has anyone see Jory?"

"Isn't he in the mud puddle?" said Locky.

"Oh no!  We propered it up!"

Jory?

Jory?

Jory!

Look at the children on the front, right, of the open and matching dust jacket and book case.  Each one of them are merrily engaged in exactly what they enjoy, hiking, juggling, reading or playing in the mud.  The pastoral, sunny setting amid mountains and surrounded by a forest provides warmth and security.  The title text, varnished on the jacket, fits in the scene perfectly as crows fly from the letters.  

To the left, on the back, a dark teal supplies a canvas.  There we see the twins holding gathered carrots and running.  Near them, a hen perches in a basket with three eggs on the ground.

A soft midnight blue covers the opening and closing endpapers.  There, a flock of crows dips and flies in a line.  They are the same hue as that of the title text.  On the title page our focus is on the house, nestled among evergreens in a clearing.

These images by Lauren Castillo rendered

by combining ink drawings and Gelli monoprints in Adobe Photoshop

span two pages, edge to edge, single pages, edge to edge, lovely illustrations set and loosely framed on a single page and two smaller pictures on one page.  These pictures show the five children moving and working in unity.  They hike across the verso and dedication pages.  They garden, chase, feed, and play in the same area.  We view these visuals as more panoramic or close to the children, depending on a desired effect to enhance the story.  We are drawn into each moment by the facial expressions on the children's faces.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations brings us closer to the five siblings.  It spans two pages.  We are close to the front porch of the ramble shamble house.  Finn stands on the second step up on the porch.  He is juggling three eggs as the hen in the basket watches.  On the sidewalk leading to the porch steps, Merra works on the salad with lettuce and tomatoes next to her, on paper and in a bowl.  The twins, Locky and Roozle, run, on the right side, carrying carrots freshly picked from the garden.  Jory, behind them, sits in the mud, totally content.

You will get requests to read this book, The Ramble Shamble Children written by Christina Soontornvat with artwork by Lauren Castillo, over and over again.  It makes a dream seem possible.  It exudes warmth like a beloved blanket.  You'll want to have a copy on your personal and professional bookshelves.

To learn more about Christina Soontornvat and Lauren Castillo and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their websites.  At Lauren's site she has additional fun resources and images for this title.  Christina Soontornvat has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.  Lauren Castillo has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view the title page.  There is a cover reveal and interview with both Christina and Lauren at Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher's Watch. Connect. Read.

Friendship Lost. Friendship Found.

In our collective memories most of our first (and sometimes our only) best friends are not human.  We may find an animal in the wild who visits us, or we visit.  Perhaps we hold a special place in our hearts for an animal who has resided in our homes, currently or in the past.  For many the comfort and confidence provided by a toy is the key to our contentment.  If in the presence of a wild animal, an animal who lives with us or a beloved toy we feel all is right with the world, then this individual is the truest of friends.

This special kind of friendship is cherished.  If it is taken from us, we do whatever is necessary to regain it.  And that journey, if we are fortunate, reveals rewards we can never have expected.  In her first longer book, the start in a series, author illustrator Lauren Castillo generously gives us Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story Of Us (Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, May 5, 2020).  These nine chapters plus an introduction are 128 pages of heartwarming enchantment certain to resonate with generations of readers.

Sometimes you make a friend and it feels 
like you have known that friend your entire
life.

For a long time on an island lived Hedgehog and her friend Mutty, a toy stuffed dog.  They were inseparable living a life of soothing satisfaction. Their lives were suddenly upended on the day of the Terrible Storm.  Mutty, in a swirl of wild wind, blew from the island and Hedgehog.

Shaking off her deep despair, Hedgehog left the island, swimming to the forest.  Despite calling and calling for Mutty, he was not found.  Deciding to rest on a pile of leaves for the night, Hedgehog found herself plunging down a hole.  Wow!  Hedgehog landed in Mole's home.  The kindly creature with a flair for languages had a plan for finding Mutty.  The newly formed duo headed through tunnels, seeking Owl, who resided at Lookout Point.

Owl, displaying definitive wisdom and astute physical qualities, bolstered the saddened Hedgehog and her new pal, Mole.  A notebook, a drawing, and a flight to gather ideas was the next phase of this quest.  Three hearts and heads provided companionship and clarity.  At Beaver's dam, amid his gruff denials, a discovery was made.

A rousing ride on the river, a treasure-hunting mother and a lost photograph pointed the group of animals toward a home on a hill.  A girl, Annika Mae Flores, held the key to Hedgehog's happiness.  Collected clues created a new tale, a tale of friends rescuing each other and themselves.


To have this narrative told in the voice of Annika Mae Flores, means she is the kind of person with a tender and listening heart.  It indicates as an author Lauren Castillo wanted this character to hear all the other stories before creating a single story of the further adventures of this cast.  It is as if Annika Mae Flores is a weaver gathering threads to fashion a beautiful tapestry of their shared lives.

Each chapter heading with a minimum amount of words describes a character, an object, or a feeling.  In these chapters Lauren Castillo uses language to depict places and events vividly.  Her dialogue shapes the characters' personalities for readers.  Here are several passages.

She took a deep breath, jumped in, and set
off on a journey to find her dear friend.
The river was rough, but luckily Hedgehog
was a good swimmer.  She could swim all
the strokes, including the backstroke (which
was her favorite.) 

"Hooty hoot, who goes there?" called
Owl.  Owl never missed a trick.
"Guten Tag, Owl! Good day," said Mole.
"This is my new friend, Hedgehog.  She
needs our help."
"Help?" Owl perked up.  "What kind of
help?"
"I lost my best friend, in the . . . " Hedgehog
trailed off, beginning to weep again.
"Foggy weather is terrible for hide-and-
seek, my little hoglet."
Mole spoke for Hedgehog.  "We are not
playing hide-and-seek, Owl.  We are talking
about a friend in peril."
"Hmm, peril?" Owl pondered.  "You mean
very serious and immediate danger.  Well,
I do happen to have fast wings and excellent eyes.


(Please note I am writing this blog post using an ARC.)

In a pleasing scene of the area near the river, Lauren Castillo has framed the friends in greenery teaming with life.  Tiny ladybugs, several butterflies and a comical snail join the companions.  Each of the friends, Hen and Chicks, Beaver, Hedgehog, Mutty, Mole, Annika Mae and Owl are exhibiting their most endearing qualities within a full color palette.

To the left, on the back, with their backs to us sit the friends.  With a large sunflower on the left and a tall marsh flower on the right, they are seated in between them.  First is Hen and Chicks (One chick is perched on the sunflower.), then comes Owl, followed by Annika Mae, Mutty, Hedgehog with an arm around Mutty, Beaver and finally Mole. Above them the introduction is placed.

On the opening endpapers is a map of Hedge Hollow.  Hedgehog's Island, Mole's Hole, Owl's Lookout, Hen and Chicks' Marsh and Beaver's Dam are shown and labeled.  On the top of the hill with the river winding around and behind it is Annika Mae's House.  This is followed by an initial title page with Hedgehog and Mutty seated and facing each other.  Hedgehog is on the left on a white canvas, facing the formal title page.  With a page turn, opposite the publication information, is the dedication page.  This dedication says a lot about Lauren Castillo and this book.

After the Table of Contents is The Cast.  Here we meet all the characters, left to right in a row.  Before each chapter begins a double-page picture displays the essence of what readers can expect.  Taped to (placed on) this image is a meaningful photograph.  Above each chapter beginning is a stamp done in black.  It is a single symbol representing the chapter.

These illustrations rendered

using pen, pencils, watercolor, and Photoshop

shift in size to punctuate the pacing.  They may be a cluster of three small illustrations on a single page, single-page pictures, double-page pictures or a full-page visual extending over the gutter.  The attributes on the characters are detailed and textured.  (You'll find yourself wanting to hug all of them, even somewhat grumpy Beaver.)  The elements in their homes will have readers stopping to notice each one.  They have been carefully placed with purpose.  Lauren Castillo has used white space with excellence.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is across the top half of two pages with the narrative underneath it.  We are inside Mole's Hole.  On the left buttons are on the walls acting as hooks.  To the right of them is a handheld mirror upside down.  There are several acorns and a mushroom.  To the right of the gutter is Hedgehog looking at Mole on the right.  She is standing in the doorway to a tunnel.  A wreath of leaves arches over this opening.  This picture exhibits a friendship forming.


This enchanting tale of single stories becoming part of a greater story is one of the most heartwarming stories of 2020. Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story Of Us written and illustrated by Lauren Castillo is one of those books you'll read over and over again for the joy which builds from beginning to end.  Like life, there are moments of sadness and struggle, but love and companionship triumph.  We can all be grateful to Lauren Castillo for giving us this marvelous book you'll want to have on your personal and professional bookshelves.

To learn more about Lauren Castillo and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her personal website.  Her blog is linked here.  Lauren Castillo has accounts on Facebook,  Instagram and Twitter.  Lauren Castillo and this book are featured on teacher librarian extraordinaire Travis Jonker's blog, 100 Scope Notes at School Library Journal.  You'll love seeing all the process artwork.  At Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries John Schumacher's Watch. Connect. Read., Lauren is showcased for the cover reveal and conversation and book trailer premiere in a second post.  Both are linked here.  Last week Lauren Castillo did a virtual book launch with an interactive video presentation at Midtown Scholar Bookstore. We could comment during the launch and ask questions later.  It is linked here.

UPDATE:  Please take a few moments to read this interview about this title with Lauren Castillo in Kirkus.  Lauren Castillo has created several printable activity sheets for readers linked here and here.

Dream Your Truth

Nearly three quarters of an hour before sunset, it lifts from the opposite horizon.  Like a luminescent globe it shimmers through the branches of the evergreen trees.  It looks enormous.  It is breathtaking.

When the air is crisp and clear and there is no wind, the moonrise, two days before it's full, beckons to you.  You pause and not for the first time (and hopefully not for the last time) start to think of all the individual beings who are seeing this same moon at the same time.  You wonder what they are thinking and doing.  imagine (Candlewick Press, September 25, 2018) written by U. S. Poet Laureate (2015-2017) Juan Felipe Herrera with illustrations by Caldecott Honor Book winner (Nana in the City) Lauren Castillo is a poetic reflection on Juan Felipe Herrera's memories.  His words and the artwork of Lauren Castillo will send your spirit soaring.

IF I PICKED chamomile flowers
as a child
in the windy fields and whispered
to their fuzzy faces

imagine

We shadow this child through words as he wanders in a garden or plays along a creek.  As he watches and waves to friends, we ride with him in the back of his father's truck.  Beneath stars and among shadows we sleep with him outside. 

When he helps his mother with their poultry, walks to another village to bring back a bucket of water, or goes to school in a new community, we are there with this child.  Slowing, patiently with practice, he learns another language; Spanish to English and English to Spanish.  As a wordsmith in the making this boy gathers pens and uses language to write stories.

We applaud his bravery in singing before a class in this school.  We cheer as he pens poems walking home from school.  We are grateful as he turns poems into songs.  We feel his joy when his treasured poems and songs become a book.

He begins, as a child, to turn each moment into a sensory experience.  He tucks memories away to savor later.  He follows his dreams working them into a wondrous reality.

Each of the sixteen verses in this autobiographical poem by Juan Felipe Herrera plucks on the strings of our collective hearts.  Each word in those verses supplies us with the sensations he experiences.  He invites us to travel with him on this remarkable journey allowing us to share in his many accomplishments.  By beginning the verses with "if" and ending them with "imagine" a soothing melody sings in our minds.   Here is another verse.

If I let the stars

at night

paint my blanket with milky light

with shapes of hungry birds

while I

slept outside,

imagine what you could do.

It is my deepest desire all readers can identify with the image on the front, right, of the opened dust jacket.  Month after month a full moon shines upon us as it does on the child.  It's as if it casts a spell on us, opening our minds to possibilities, now and in the future.  This scene is peaceful and brimming with potential.  To the left, on the back, an older boy takes his pen collection and writes word after word on a river of pieces of paper.  

A deep midnight blue is the background on the front and back of the book case.  It is sprinkled with gold foil stars.  The title word, also in gold foil, is placed in the middle on the front.  A burnt orange, a rusty shade, covers the opening and closing endpapers.  This hue is used throughout the book.

Rendered in pen and foam monoprint by Lauren Castillo the illustrations interpret and heighten the lyrical narrative.  Each of them is a double-page picture.  There is tenderness in the details; the delicate chamomile flowers, lily pads floating in a creek, birds soaring over a valley at night, and a child walking down a dirt road alone to bring water home.

Lauren shifts the point of view to accentuate the pacing.  Sometimes we are kneeling with him as tadpoles squiggle around hands, or lying on a blanket on a hill at night overlooking a small community or walking into a new town with buildings spread before us as we move, much smaller, toward the school.  The use of golden yellow draws our attention to flower centers, lilies, outlines of flowers and trees in a neighbor's yard, moonlight glowing on objects below, an evening walk for water, or the acceptance of a highest honor.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is the nighttime scene of Juan sleeping outside.  Several shades of blue in the sky seem to pulsate with swirls of light, left to right and right to left.  The full moon on the right hangs over dark mountains in the distance, providing a backdrop for the community.  Trees grow on the nearer hills on the right.  Night birds numbering five glide from right to left.  On the left, on a hill closest to us, the boy is stretched on a blanket, knees bent and resting his head in his hands. The left edge is framed with a large tree extending off the top of the page.  Everything is dotted with golden yellow as if kissed by moon beams.

Whether silently alone or aloud with a group, the first time imagine written by Juan Felipe Herrera with illustrations by Lauren Castillo is read not a word will be spoken when it's finished.  This silence will be followed by sighs and a huge gasp of appreciation for the splendor these words and images create.  Certain to inspire others but most importantly a title to love, this book should be on all professional and personal bookshelves.  

To learn more about Juan Felipe Herrera please follow the link attached to his name to access information about him and his work at poets.org.  To discover more about Lauren Castillo and her other work, please go to her website by following the link attached to her name.  Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher, chats with Juan and Lauren at the reveal of the book's cover on his blog, Watch. Connect. Read.  Both Juan and Lauren have accounts on Twitter.  You can find Lauren on Instagram.  You can view interior illustrations at publisher's websites here and here.

Creature Comforts

Each evening of the week it's the same.  After play, treats, more play, more treats, and trips outside she makes her way to the quilt-covered couch.  Pillows are stacked on the back and sides giving her a somewhat elevated status behind me as I work, using the coffee table as a desk.  The sounds of her soft breathing as she sleeps surround me like a comfortable, cozy blanket.

The solace found in this dog's presence transcends any other experience.  Animals take their ability to live in the moment, using their senses and give humans unexpected but welcome peace.  It's a gift we rarely deserve but strive to repay.  A Boy, a Mouse, and a Spider: The Story of E. B. White (Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt And Company, October 24, 2017) written by Barbara Herkert with illustrations by Lauren Castillo is indeed a story of a beloved author's life but it's also a reflection on the influence of animals in that life and in his work.

When young Elwyn White
lay sick in bed,
a bold house mouse
befriended him.

As you might suspect Elwyn had to keep this friend a guarded secret from his mother but the imaginary adventures and visits to the barn they shared were memorable.  With this companion the boy inhaled all the sights, sounds and smells found in the hay-filled haven.  Eventually Elwyn had to go to kindergarten.  He dreaded it with every fiber of his being.

Fears of one thing after another plagued him.  He could hardly wait to get home discarding everything school related as he headed to the barn.  As he got older at the close of the day (or when an opportunity presented itself) he would write about those sights, sounds and smells found in the outside world in his journal.  Writing felt as right as rain to Elwyn.

He continued to write, for a newspaper, when he attended college, and became editor-in-chief.  One night on the way home from work another mouse visited Elwyn in a dream.  He became the main character for a series of stories told to relatives at celebratory gatherings.  After college, writing gave him another job and writing lead him to his wife.  Yearning for life away from New York City, Elwyn, his wife and their three children settled on a farm in Maine along the coast.

It was here the mouse from his dream became a book.  It was here the tale of a pig and a spider, still read today with great affection, was penned.  It was here animals again were integral to the world of E. B. White.  Our lives are far richer for the boy who became a man finding comfort in creatures.


Eloquent language written by Barbara Heckert with wonderfully expressive verbs and adjectives implores readers to explore the world along with E. B. White.  She recreates scenarios allowing us to view them as this author did.  We become connected to those things which gave this man his inspiration.  Here is a portion of one of my favorite passages.

In the refuge of the stable,
Elwyn's senses sharpened
to the ripe scent of manure,
the creak of harness leather,
the perfect shape of eggs, . . .


There is not a single image in this title, beginning with the opened dust jacket, I would not be honored to hang on a wall in my home.  Luminosity exudes warmth from each illustration.  We literally become a part of the world inhabited by E. B. White.  When you look at the scene of the barn extending to the left, on the back, with the horse stalls and three horses, you feel the same calm felt by this boy.

On the book case covered in a textured, glowing golden yellow we see E. B. White seated on a stool just left of the center.  He is holding his mouse companion.  The mouse is looking at him but Elwyn is looking at a spider web masterfully stretched in the upper right hand corner with a spider dangling down.  Perhaps she has something to tell Elwyn.  These two visuals are embossed in barn red like the varnished letters of the title on the jacket.

A bright spring green covers the opening and closing endpapers.  On the title page and dedication page we are privy to small pictures of the boy in the company of animals.  Rendered in

brown ink, Adobe Photoshop, watercolor, and foam print texture

by Lauren Castillo, the illustrations vary in size from two pages, to a single page, to loose circular pictures on a single page or a group of smaller images on a single page.  These groupings indicate the passage of time and heighten the pacing, as do the different size pictures.  Lauren invites readers to pause prior to each page turn to enjoy all the elements of each image.  They reflect the boy and then the man and the time period in which he lived.


One of my many favorite pictures, actually two, is on a single page.  Elwyn, in the first, is seated on steps with his open journal, writing.  Next to him, looking in earnest, is his mouse.  In the second Elwyn is in the barn sitting and writing again in his journal.  A basket of eggs is next to him on the hay.  A mother duck and two of her chicks are moving toward him.


As soon as you look at this book, A Boy, a Mouse, and a Spider: The Story of E. B. White written by Barbara Herkert with illustrations by Lauren Castillo, and then hold it in your hands, it's as if the wonder inside begins to seep out and envelope you.  Readers will come to know E. B. White in a singular way, as facts of his life are deftly woven into the narrative and artwork.  I highly recommend this title for your classroom, school library and personal bookshelves.  Be sure to read the Author's Note at the close of the book followed by a bibliography.

To discover more about author Barbara Herkert and author-artist Lauren Castillo and their other work please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Lauren Castillo maintains an Instagram account which contains process artwork for this and other titles.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.  Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher, hosted the cover reveal on his site, Watch. Connect. Read.  I know you will enjoy his conversation with author Barbara Herkert.

UPDATE:  Author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson features Lauren Castillo, her art and process for this title on Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, November 26, 2017.


Please take a few moments to visit Kid Lit Frenzy to see the other titles selected this week by those participating in the 2017 Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge.

Hanging On To The Day

There are some days, make that most days, when you stretch every minute.  You are not ready to go to sleep.  Everything, big and small, feels important, sometimes downright magical.  If you are one of those glass-half-full people, a bunch of little things can add up to one huge spectacular day.

The grass overnight is frosted lacy white, a robin (Why has this bird not flown south?) sends out a morning chirp, book mail arrives, you take a nap on a pile of bedding with your sweet puppy, a cup of hot Good Hope Vanilla tea warms you from head to toe, a stack of picture books you read has you marveling at the gifts of authors and illustrators and the sun shines all day long before a sliver of moon glows brightly are reasons for putting off bedtime as long as possible.  It Is Not Time For Sleeping: (A Bedtime Story) (Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, November 1, 2016) written by Lisa Graff with illustrations by Lauren Castillo highlights a little guy who continues to welcome one more thing in his day's string of events regardless of how ordinary they are.  His outlook on the day's end will have you longing to join him.

When I've munched and crunched my last three carrots (except for one I fed to Jasper), Mom takes my plate.  
"It's been a good day," she says.
"It is a good day," I tell her.

In the boy's mind there is still plenty left in this day.  Sleeps need to wait its turn.  His dad remarks on the darkness of the sky as they wash dishes together but is it really bedtime dark yet?  Bath time and splashing with Jasper last until water wrinkles skin.

Clad in his favorite footie pajamas, covered in bears, the boy puts on his best bear act for his puppy pal.  It can't be time for sleeping.  It's not even close yet.  A playful teeth-brushing routine leaves him still convinced but wait...is that a yawn?

Jasper and the boy exchange beloved signs of affection as Mom does what Mom's do best at bedtime.  Dad becomes a teller of tales. It seems as though it is time for sleeping now but the boy is not quite ready.  There is one more essential thing never to be forgotten.  May the sweetest of dreams be granted to one and all.


With each interlude of the evening Lisa Graff supplies a rhythm of parental observations and the boy's replies.  As each activity is enjoyed the previous ones are added to the narrative reminiscent of a nursery rhyme.  By having the boy give the same answer each time, Graff opens the door, welcoming another stop on the trip toward sleep.  The blend of conversation between parents and child and the boy's point of view, provides a soothing atmosphere and allows readers to see the shared love.  Here is a passage.

When dinner is over and the dishes are scrubbed and
I'm squeaky-squeak clean and zipped up to my chin,
Dad holds me by my ankles while I brush my teeth,
top ones on bottom and bottom on top.
"Getting tired, silly goose?" Dad asks my feet.
I yawn an upside-down yawn.  "Nope," I tell him.

It is not time for sleeping. 


When you first look at the front of the dust jacket I know every single one of you will sigh.  The boy reaching for his dog Jasper and Jasper looking into his eyes is wonderfully charming whether you are a dog lover or not.  The spotlight effect draws our eyes exactly where they need to be; focused on this boy and his dog.  I don't know about you but I would love to wallpaper a bedroom in the star and moon wallpaper featured here.  To the left, on the back, five stars bookend a crescent moon.

The book case is a light sea green shade with a wide yellow spine.  The only element is on the front.  It's a silhouette of the boy and his dog, Jasper, looking at the reader beneath the title text.  The opening and closing endpapers are a dark midnight blue with the tiny stars' and moons' wallpaper.  On the title page the silhouette shown on the case is in full color under the text.  On the verso the dog and child are leaping and reaching toward the wording.

Lauren Castillo's signature heavier black lines edge all the elements in her illustrations rendered in

ink and watercolor on Arches Hot Press paper.

All of the pictures span two pages with the exception of four and the final page, a visual within a circle.  The heavier matte-finished paper is ideal for the textured effect created by Lauren.  It's as if you can feel the fabric on the clothing, the flooring, the fur on the dog, the towels, the flannel pajamas and the boy's bedspread patterned in clouds and red airplanes.

I adore every single picture in this book!  One of my favorite scenes is of the dad sitting in a rocking chair reading a story to his son.  Jasper is curled and sleeping at his feet.  Just enough light shines in back of the dad.  On the left-hand side the boy is snugged in bed with the covers up to his nose.  He is intently listening but starting to relax toward slumber.


It Is Not Time For Sleeping: (A Bedtime Story) a debut picture book for author Lisa Graff with illustrations by Caldecott Honor winner Lauren Castillo is a bedtime treasure.  I know readers will request repeated readings if they are not already asleep.  It's a lullaby of love.

To discover more about Lisa Graff and Lauren Castillo and their other works, please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.  Lisa Graff and Lauren Castillo chat with each other at Watch. Connect. Read., the blog of Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher.  Stop by Publishers Weekly to read Friends and Now Collaborators:  Lisa Graff and Lauren Castillo Interview Each Other.  You can get a peek at two interior images by going to the HMH Young Readers Blog.  Enjoy the tweets.

#Bookaday It Is Not Time for Sleeping is a PERFECT & BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED bedtime story. Congrats, @studiocastillo! https://t.co/RY5gXZi0X5

— John Schu (@MrSchuReads) March 5, 2016

Love the wallpaper in It Is Not Time for Sleeping: https://t.co/WJA3STnbCu

— John Schu (@MrSchuReads) March 5, 2016

The cover of IT IS NOT TIME FOR SLEEPING is so shiny!! ✨✨✨⭐️🌙⭐️✨✨✨ @lisagraff @HMHKids https://t.co/fcxS9t6BE0

— Lauren Castillo (@studiocastillo) April 8, 2016

Some behind the scenes of #itisnottimeforsleeping on Amazon. Only 3 months till pub day! :) https://t.co/3Gx8Pkf32R pic.twitter.com/CEO6h8n5sP

— Lauren Castillo (@studiocastillo) August 1, 2016

I LOVE It Is Not Time for Sleeping's case. https://t.co/5CPjQjMQ30 @studiocastillo #taslcon2016

— John Schu (@MrSchuReads) November 3, 2016

Sun, Sand, Surf, And Slumber

Do you ever have those days when it's absolutely necessary to stay awake to get a whole list of things done or one huge project finished, but it's as if some time bandit has stolen whole chunks of hours and given you some kind of sleeping sickness?  No matter how hard you try, you can't stay awake.  Besides, how did it get to be after midnight?  On the flip side there are days when you've worked as hard as possible to get every single thing done, so you could relax and drift off to much-needed rest, only to discover when everything is finished you are as wide awake as an owl.  In fact lots of activity and exercise are supposed to ensure a good night's sleep.

Certainly a day at the beach should equal an early bedtime.  For Lucy and her parents in Twenty Yawns (Two Lions, April 1, 2016) written by Jane Smiley with illustrations by Lauren Castillo a day of fun in the sun does have them eager for slumber.  A silent orb has other plans.

The beach umbrella was flapping in the breeze.

As the wind pushes waves against the beach, Lucy digs a hole in the sand.  She works for so long and hard the hole is big enough for her dad to be buried.  After his sandy release the two enjoy watery fun.

Mom, Dad and Lucy decide to explore the beach walking along the shore, stopping, starting and staring at all there is to see.  There are dunes to climb up and roll down.  The trio is enjoying themselves so much; they hardly notice the sun sinking closer to the horizon.  They are all yawning in earnest now.

At home as dusk darkens the colorful sky Lucy, Mom and Dad get comfy and ready for bed.  Mom barely begins a bedtime story before Lucy drifts into a doze.  When she wakes up Mom is gone but the big round moon is lighting up her room.  Thoughts of sleep leave Lucy as she looks around; every face in every picture seems to be as alert as she is.  There is only one thing to do.

She needs Molasses, her teddy bear.  A quiet quest is in order.  A cupboard is reached, a cascade of critters creates an extended adventure and a ritual is repeated.  Then...one leads to another and another and another.


It's as if all the little bits and pieces of a day at the beach are masterfully entwined into the sentences written by Jane Smiley.  These experiences are as universal as the emotions they generate.  And what child has not suddenly been wide awake when their parents are sleeping?  Smiley's descriptions of Lucy's observations in her home now awash in moonlight are wonderful.  When she seeks a single companion but gathers more, the love she has received is passed on to others with the pure charm of childhood perfectly portrayed.  Here is a sample passage.

The moon shone through the window,
a silver veil that fell across the floor.
Everything looked mysterious, even
Lucy's own hands on the bedspread.
Suddenly, Lucy was wide awake.


Don't you just want to hug Lucy and her toys seen on the matching dust jacket and book case?  Lauren Castillo has taken an interior image altering it slightly for the front illustration.  On the back, to the left, is a visual from within the book shown in a closer perspective; three childlike drawings.  A shade used in the color of the water at the beach covers the opening and closing endpapers.

Rendered digitally with painted textures the pictures placed on thicker matte-finished paper, though detailed, supply a softness enhanced by Castillo's signature heavier loose lines.  All the joy when spending a day at the beach beams from her pages in golden portraits of parents reading in chairs under an umbrella, a child digging in the sand while her beloved teddy bear watches, a father twirling a daughter over the waves, chasing seagulls, kite flying and sand castle building.  When night descends so does a hush in the play of light and shadows.  Single page circular pictures are larger and there are more double-page spreads.  Even though it's night the use of a deeper chocolate brown gentles the darkness.  There is warmth and comfort in every single illustration.

Castillo's eyes and mouths on the characters and the toys are very expressive. The angle of a line and the size of an eye show mood; joy, tiredness, longing, love and pure contentment.  One other thing which I truly admire is the blending of time in a single image.  In a two page spread of the family at the beach Castillo has Lucy's parents walking hand in hand as she runs ahead dropping Molasses, then they pause flying a kite with Molasses now safely carried in the mother's bag and finally the three are walking down the beach linked together, hand in hand.  Lucy is being swung between her parents.  Her mom is swinging Molasses on the left.  I also like the tiny attention given to having a single lamp on in the rooms in Lucy's home during the night.

One of my many favorite illustrations is when all the toys are out of the cupboard.  Lucy is carrying Molasses to her bedroom for company.  As she turns to look back, Juno the horse, Frank the kangaroo and his baby Leonard, Mathilda the alligator and Horner the giraffe are looking at her as if to say, "Aren't you going to take us, too?"  They are placed on a lighter floor which elevates their body positions and presence.


Written by Jane Smiley with illustrations by Lauren Castillo Twenty Yawns is a bedtime story guaranteed to bring multiple bouts of yawning to readers and listeners alike.  It blends two delightful adventures into one glorious story.  I can only imagine that readers will be carrying this book about like one of their beloved toy animals.  It's simply that charming and cuddly.

To learn more about Lauren Castillo and her other books please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Jane Smiley and Lauren Castillo are interviewed at Kirkus about this title.  At the Washington Post Jane Smiley explains her first picture book, 'Twenty Yawns'.  Scholastic's Ambassador for School Libraries John Schumacher reveals the book cover at Watch. Connect. Read. with a guest post by Lauren Castillo as well as the first post in the blog tour with an interview of Jane Smiley.  For a complete list of all the stops on the blog tour be sure to stop at Alyson Beecher's Kid Lit Frenzy.  Enjoy the book trailer and a collection of Vines Lauren has posted for this book.









UPDATE:  Lauren Castillo is a guest at author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson's Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast today---April 12, 2016.

What We Give Up, What We Keep

It hangs in my front picture window near the entrance to my home.  It's a small poster the size of notebook paper.  Beneath a large picture of my chocolate Labrador are the words Rescue Me, I'm Xena.

While it would be heartbreaking to loose family photographs and artifacts, pieces of furniture which belonged to my parents when they were children, letters and cards from cherished friends, artwork, decades of successful lessons and created games used in my school libraries and thousands of books, nothing is more precious than the being who has shared her fourteen years and seven months of life with me.  I remember asking my vet if moving from one home to another would be hard on Xena at this age.  He told me as long as Xena had me, wherever we were, she would be fine.  This truth about family is beautifully portrayed in words and pictures in Yard Sale (Candlewick Press, April 14, 2015) written by Eve Bunting with illustrations by Caldecott Honor winner (Nana in the City) Lauren Castillo.

ALMOST EVERYTHING WE OWN is spread out in our front yard.  It is all for sale.  We are moving to a small apartment.

Callie's parents did take her to see the new apartment.  She will be sleeping in a bed which comes down from the wall.  No matter how nice it may be, it's strange to her.

She watches all the people walking around, looking at her family's possessions and asking about prices even though her mom and dad have labeled them.  She's hurt when a woman wants to give less for her headboard because of the crayon marks.  They aren't simply crayon marks to her but a record of something special.

As she chats with her best friend Sara, who brought along her little brother Petey, she abruptly stops in alarm.  A stranger is taking her bike.  She hurries over to tell him, reaching for it.  Her dad rushes to them; reminding her of a conversation they had about having no place to ride a bike at their new home.   Callie agrees to let the man have the bike on one condition.

Resuming her talk with Sara, it's clear the two are going to miss each other deeply.  They are not entirely sure of the reason for the move, but Callie believes it's about money.  Sara offers an exchange of Callie for Petey but she would miss her parents.

Their goodbyes said Sara and Petey leave as Callie watches people coming and their things going.  Prices are lowered.  A woman who thinks a seated Callie is adorable wants to know if she is for sale.  This alarms her.  Crying she runs to her mom and dad who reassure her with a group hug.  She will never be for sale.

Items left are now free.  Soon the yard and home are empty.  Some things are still full; the hearts of a mom, dad and their precious little girl.


To me the words of Eve Bunting, as a whole in this title, are infused with wisdom.  Within a day, she takes a situation experienced by many, a drastic change due to money, moving from losing things to understanding the value of those people we keep in our lives.  Through narrative thoughts and conversations we experience along with Callie her sadness, bewilderment and acceptance.

Bunting focuses on specific moments.  The comparison of a small empty apartment with a home filled with familiar things now on the lawn.  The woman who points out the crayon marks on the headboard has no idea of the significance to Callie.  It's like complaining about lines on a wall marking a child's growth.  It's the meanings attached to our things which she brings to our attention.

When Callie is confused by seeing her bike going, in the ensuing conversation, she is startled by what she sees in her dad's eyes. Bunting is careful to have the buyer be particularly understanding.  In this way, readers see how adults view these same shifts.   Bunting is building on each event during the day toward a hopeful conclusion, a new beginning filled with love and family.  Here is another sample passage.

Almost everything is gone.  Anything that's left my dad is selling cheap.  He and my mom look droopy.  My dad is rubbing my mom's back.  


Rendered in ink and watercolor by Lauren Castillo the matching dust jacket and book case reach right into the heart of the reader.  You can tell by the expressions on the characters faces, this yard sale is not about getting rid of unwanted items.  This yard sale signals a move.  You want to embrace this family.  In fact, to the left, on the back, a small oval set in the signature red background, frames the family in a group hug.

The yellow seen on the spine, in the chair on the lawn and in one of the balloons is the shade used for the opening and closing endpapers.  With a page turn Callie is holding the four balloons as her dad places the sign in the yard.  A two-page illustration holds the verso and title.  Rooftops are shown against blue sky and wispy clouds as one of the balloons floats away.

The next picture is also edge to edge across two pages.  We zoom in on Callie sitting on her front porch looking over the lawn filled with her family's belongings.  It's a beautiful day but we see the heartbreak in Callie by her body posture.  All of the illustrations either cross the gutter or cover double pages which enlarges the emotional impact.

Endearing in every single detail, through her color choices and perspective, Lauren Castillo binds us to all the characters.  Although Callie's age is never mentioned her bike has training wheels attached.  The pajamas worn by her best friend and her brother make you want to smile.  Castillo is meticulous but her softened lines, blended hues and the play of light and shadow are full of warmth. Careful eyes will see the passage of time through the balloons.

One of my several favorite illustrations is the scene of Callie and her dad talking with the man who is buying her bike.  We are close to the three of them.  We know Callie's dad is lovingly explaining to her by his body posture.  The buyer is squatting down on their level too with his hands clasped around his knees.  The bike is between them.  This is a powerful portrait.


I have yet failed to read this book without being deeply moved, even though I know the words and pictures well.  Yard Sale written by Eve Bunting with illustrations by Lauren Castillo is an eloquent depiction of one of life's hard times.  It's touching and brimming with trust.

Please follow the links attached to Lauren Castillo's names to access her website and blog.  This link will take you to a series of video interviews of Eve Bunting by Reading Rockets.  After her Caldecott Honor win, John Schumacher, teacher librarian extraordinaire, interviewed Lauren Castillo on Watch. Connect. Read. For a truly lovely discussion of this title, please read the post by author and blogger at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, Julie Danielson at Kirkus.  UPDATE:  Julie has some of Lauren's process artwork on her blog. Enjoy some of Lauren Castillo's tweets below in which she shares art from this title.

Here's a 6 second preview of art from YARD SALE. The book is out in just one week! @Candlewick #evebunting https://t.co/tQWMIkO8XY
— Lauren Castillo (@studiocastillo) April 7, 2015

My book YARD SALE w/ Eve Bunting is out 4/14! Heres a throwback to last spring when I finished cover art https://t.co/67EHVMvncz @Candlewick
— Lauren Castillo (@studiocastillo) March 16, 2015

My new book with Eve Bunting is out next month! Here are a few of my favorite details from the yard sale🎈@Candlewick https://t.co/QHhwqMLoir
— Lauren Castillo (@studiocastillo) March 9, 2015

A City, A Cape And Courage

We usually associate certain places with specific people and memorable events.  Growing up in a small community outside a state capital, despite growth and new construction, those connections remain strong for me decades later.  What is strange and a little disconcerting is to see people who have lived in one place for as long as you can remember, happily residing in an entirely different environment.

If we enjoy the relative quiet of the countryside, it's an adjustment to become accustomed to the hustle and bustle of a large city.  Nana In The City (Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, September 2, 2014) written and illustrated by Lauren Castillo is about a first visit to the city for a little boy.  What's even more unbelievable to him is that his nana is living here now.

I went to stay with Nana at her new apartment in the city.

Right away the grandson makes two thoughts very clear to readers.  He loves his grandmother but not so much the city.  There is too much activity in the city.  There is too much noise in the city.  There is too much frightening stuff in the city.

After a subway ride and walking down the streets surrounded by tall buildings, the boy is certain this cannot possibly be a good home for his nana.  Regardless of her assurances, he struggles with sleep his first night there.  When he finally drifts off, Nana begins working on her special gift.

Waking up in the morning, Nana presents the boy with a snazzy knitted red cape tying it on over his pajamas.  Later wearing it on their stroll, his perspective of the city is transformed.  In the activity, noise and frightening stuff, he sees people enjoying their favorite things in the park, playing and dancing to music and an act of kindness erases fear.  Is there magic in the cape?  Of course there is!  The best magic of all...love freely given and received.


The text, like the cape worn by the grandson, wraps itself around the reader casting a spell of warmth and inspiring courage.  Lauren Castillo uses what I like to call the timeless storytelling technique of three; guiding readers into a story, reinforcing their connection and releasing them with something new and wonderful.  Busy, loud and scary are noticed by the grandson immediately as he tells his tale.  Nana changes those three words to reflect her appreciation of the city; looking for the positive.  The gift of the cape gives the boy the courage necessary to see his surroundings with the same eyes as his grandmother.


A glowing color palette (look at all the gold, orange and red) on the matching dust jacket and book case is a visible sign of the affection filling this book.  On the back Lauren Castillo has a circular image of the boy running, cape flying behind him, as his nana follows.  The color from the boy's jacket and shoes provides a solid background on the opening and closing endpapers.  Nana's two cats bookend a special ball of yarn on the title page.  A glorious image of the bridge, river and city spans across the verso and dedication pages.

Rendered in watercolor Castillo, whether the illustration extends edge to edge on two pages, a single page or as a circular image on a single page, masterfully uses white space either as a separate element or to frame others.  The characters of Nana and her grandson are utterly charming in their features, body movements, clothing and accessories (Nana has green reading glasses but red sunglasses).  Heavier black lines draw our attention to what Lauren Castillo wants us to notice.  There is a softness to her pictures placed on the matte-finished paper.

One of my favorite two-page illustrations (I have many) is of Nana and her grandson at the kitchen table in the evening.  One cat (white) is resting on the windowsill with the darkened city in the background; the other (black) is playing with a ball of yarn on the table.  Nana is pouring milk into a red cup from a red pitcher for herself as the boy holds his red cup between his hands.  A plate of cookies is between them.  Xena's favorite illustration is of the boy and Nana on a city street, stopping to pet one of five dogs being walked.


Nana In The City written and illustrated by Lauren Castillo is in a word...marvelous.  It could be a cozy one-on-one bedtime story or as a read aloud to a group sparking conversations about grandparents and being brave.  I'm pretty sure every single reader has a special article of clothing they feel is magical.  I can already hear the stories being exchanged.  Be sure to share this as often as possible.  It's a classic gem.

For more information about Lauren Castillo and her work please follow the link embedded in her name to access her website.  This link takes you to a recent interview at Publishers Weekly.  There are numerous illustrations for this title and The Troublemaker at a Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast blog post by Julie Danielson.  Teacher librarian extraordinaire, John Schumacher, interviews Lauren Castillo at Watch. Connect. Read.


Enjoy the extra artwork Lauren Castillo shared with her followers on Twitter.

NANA's working on a special project for her big day tomorrow. #nanainthecity @HMHKids http://t.co/Pj5ti1h2Q1 pic.twitter.com/VRux4ypC9g
— Lauren Castillo (@studiocastillo) September 1, 2014

New York, New York #nanainthecity #comingSeptember2nd #HMHkids #clarionbooks #nyc #timessquare #franksinatra https://t.co/vlaI3f3oBT
— Lauren Castillo (@studiocastillo) August 30, 2014

NANA is on her way! http://t.co/Pj5ti1h2Q1 #4days @HMHKids pic.twitter.com/zETFH5x9Q2
— Lauren Castillo (@studiocastillo) August 29, 2014

Capes and nanas make everything better💛 #nanainthecity #comingSepember2nd #HMHkids #picturebook #childrensb... https://t.co/3u0l2Nvvvx
— Lauren Castillo (@studiocastillo) August 27, 2014

Just ONE WEEK till NANA's arrival!! #nanainthecity #subwaycommuterproblems @HMHKids pic.twitter.com/meXuwbf39k
— Lauren Castillo (@studiocastillo) August 26, 2014

NANA arrives in 8 days!! Heres a peek at a finished interior painting on the desk last fall. #nanainthecity @HMHKids pic.twitter.com/USV1ShCukb
— Lauren Castillo (@studiocastillo) August 25, 2014

NANA's coming to a bookstore near you in 11 days! Here's an early Times Square color study on the desk #nanainthecity pic.twitter.com/af6XnlTDoI
— Lauren Castillo (@studiocastillo) August 22, 2014

Just 13 days till NANA IN THE CITY pubs! Here's one of the interior paintings on the drawing table last fall @HMHKids pic.twitter.com/kUsStiyt5k
— Lauren Castillo (@studiocastillo) August 20, 2014

A teeny tiny NANA sketchbook snippet. Just 19 days till publication! http://t.co/IwCGMte0uI
— Lauren Castillo (@studiocastillo) August 14, 2014

This hip Nana will be hanging out in bookstores in exactly 4 weeks! #NanaintheCity @HMHKids http://t.co/XlLbcx4pTH pic.twitter.com/gnYqlu0q5f
— Lauren Castillo (@studiocastillo) August 5, 2014