In Pursuit Of A Companion

Being alone does not necessarily mean you are lonely.  You may welcome the solitude.  In fact loneliness may descend when you are part of a crowd.  Loneliness may have more to do with not being in the presence of like-minded individuals.

If your circumstances have recently changed placing you in new surroundings the unfamiliarity may throw your state of being off balance.  Goldfish Ghost (A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook Press, May 2, 2017) written by Lemony Snicket with illustrations by Lisa Brown follows the roaming of a recently deceased pet.  His sense of belonging left with his life.

Goldfish Ghost was born on the surface of the water in a bowl on the dresser in a boy's room.

Although he was used to being in this place, someone to talk to would be even better.  So he left, floating from the boy's home.  A small seaside town with the usual small stores, a beach, a fishing pier and a lighthouse spread before him.  It was said the lighthouse was haunted.

There were squawking gulls at the pier and a fisherman but none of them seemed to notice Goldfish Ghost.  He continued drifting to town on the air currents.  He passed over all shapes, sizes and ages of people and animals but he was invisible to them.

It was no different at the beach.  Even the ghosts of all the sea dwellers floating over the water did nothing to make Goldfish Ghost feel less unwanted.  Having nowhere else to go after the sun set, he went back to his bowl in the boy's bedroom.  There was another goldfish there, a living goldfish.

Goldfish Ghost left a second time.  As he glided over the rooftops, he heard a sound.  Someone was speaking to him; someone wanted him.  Sometimes what you need is right in front of you.  You only have to expand your vision.


With his opening sentence Lemony Snicket has our immediate attention.  Before we turn the page questions are swirling as to the current status of this goldfish.  In a calm, contemplative tone the story informs readers of the character's wish to

find some company.

In describing each place Goldfish Ghost visits during the day and upon his return back to his bowl, we come to understand his need for a specific kind of companionship as well as the difficulty he is encountering in his search.  (In the initial presentation of the town, readers are given a hint of the conclusion.)  The repetition of the words company and good company creates a gentle cadence in keeping with the overall symphony of this story.  Here is a sample passage.

Another goldfish was there, but she was not a ghost.

She seemed nice enough, but she was not
good company, and the moon called
Goldfish Ghost back out the window. 


On the dust jacket the blue on blue polka-dot background is the wallpaper in the boy's bedroom, home of Goldfish Ghost.  By giving him a distinctive white color, it helps readers identify the other ghosts yet to come.  To the left, on the back, the canvas continues over the spine.  There we see memorabilia hanging on the wall, a pennant, a hand-drawn picture of the goldfish and a snapshot of the lighthouse.  A can of fish food sits on the table.

Rendered in India ink and watercolor on paper the illustrations have a soft, peaceful quality.  Subdued, earth tone colors on matte-finished paper contribute to this impression.  The visual narrative begins with a scene of the boy's home by the sea, a window giving readers a view of the fish bowl.  A sea gull perched on a hill to the left screams.  (I am working from an ARC but I believe this to be the opening endpapers.)  At the back we are shown a more panoramic view of the village at night with a full moon, a few stars and the group of ghostly sea dwellers hovering over the ocean.

The two pages for the verso and title are a single image.  It is a close up of the inside of the bowl with Goldfish Ghost floating over the text on the right.  An interesting quote wraps around seven bubbles coming up from the bottom of the bowl on the left.  All of the illustrations except for two are double page, edge to edge.  Those two single page pictures will give you pause.  They are gorgeous.

The details in each of the illustrations ask you to stop and notice the references to children's literature, the community, the locals and the tourists.  Readers will love finding the titles on book spines, watching the eyes on the teddy bear, spying the cats, the open door of the pet shop and the recent patron, and the seagull at the beach stealing someone's lunch.  The place where Goldfish Ghost finds good company gives him a new life as shown by the golden glow.

One of my favorite of several pictures is when Goldfish Ghost has left the house the second time.  It is deep into the night.  A few upper story windows in town shine with light but the others are dark.  The cloud of ghosts from the ocean lingers over the water.  Goldfish Ghost is drifting toward the voice, up on the hill.  A full moon shines down on the scene.  A hint of the outcome is visible.


Having read this book repeatedly over the course of weeks, I find Goldfish Ghost written by Lemony Snicket with illustrations by Lisa Brown to be deeply satisfying.  For those readers who have lost pets or recently family or friends, this title will provide them with comfort.  Some of the words spoken by Lemony Snicket invite further discussion as do the illustrations of Lisa Brown.  This is an outstanding collaboration.  You need to have this title on your professional and personal bookshelves.

To discover more about Lemony Snicket and Lisa Brown and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  The publishers have created a special site for this title with numerous additional resources and views of interior images.  I hope you enjoy this video of Lemony Snicket and Lisa Brown on tour for the book as much as I did.  It's worth every minute of your time.

Booked Flight

You can't help but wonder if in their wildest dreams, Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright had any notion of the connections airplanes would create on the grand scale we have today.  What would they think of the technological advancements in plane design and structure or the views from and controls within the cockpit?  How would they feel if they could pilot one of the ten largest passenger aircraft or be a first-class traveler in one of these immense planes?

If they were to step inside one of the large international terminals, what would be the first thing they would say or think?  The sense of urgency and energy is highly prevalent as thousands of people pass through these facilities every single day.  The Airport Book (A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook Press, May 10, 2016) written and illustrated by Lisa Brown follows a family of four as they journey to visit the father's parents.

Don't forget Monkey!
I PACK MONKEY!
Of course I won't forget Monkey!
Where's my hat?

Each family member is focusing on the chief thing on their minds in this initial conversational exchange as they pack prior to leaving for the airport.  They continue to talk as the taxi arrives.  Narrative text by an unseen narrator (the son?) adds to the unfolding story.

At the terminal we are privy to observations about the people and their baggage as other voices appear in separate dialogues.  These continue as rows of people proceed through an assortment of lines.  At the same time the little girl begins to call out for Monkey.  Her crying increases as they pass through the security machines.  She settles some as they proceed past all the shops and restaurants, making their way to the gates.

Each portion of the process prior to and during boarding the plane inside the terminal and outside on the tarmac is revealed.  As passengers settle into their seats, the daughter begins to yell for her monkey as she looks out a window.  She simply can't stop even when the flight attendant begins her routine speech about safety.

There is rarely a quiet moment as individuals go about their personal activities during the flight.  The plane moves through the clouds finally landing at its destination.  Amid the hustle and bustle of arrival and baggage claims, a final surprise circles into view.  Greetings galore are exchanged.


With every reading my admiration for the writing, the smooth blend of text and conversation, by Lisa Brown increases.  The narrator explains every step of the journey from their home, to the airport, at the terminal, during the flight, and after the arrival.  It's completely true to life no matter what age you are.  The dialogue between the family members and the other travelers adds even more realism to the story.  Readers will be silently smiling or laughing out loud at the little girl's sightings of Monkey which only she can see.  Here is another sample combination of text and conversations.

When you reach your gate, you wait.
And wait and wait and wait.

I see Monkey! (daughter)
Don't be silly. (her brother)
I hope you have the boarding passes. (older woman to her husband, a continuation of constant reminders)
BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH. (business woman on her phone, constantly)

Outside people are getting the plane ready.
They are checking that everything is working and safe and clean and ready to fly.


What a joy to remove the dust jacket from this title and see what my newest group of kindergarten students and I call a surprise!  From left to right, flap edge to flap edge, on the dust jacket, Lisa Brown gives us an up-close-and-personal view of the windows looking out at the tarmac.  She cleverly gives us a peek at Monkey and places her name on the outside of a suitcase.  The undercurrent of joy throughout this book begins right here.  On the book case Brown has taken images from the book, enlarged them and put them on a background of white.  It's a mix of arriving and leaving the airport.

The opening and closing endpapers are visual storytelling depicting first the overcast day with rain falling as we look inside the homes in the city and second as we enjoy a day at the beach with the family.  With a page turn at the beginning the title, verso and first pages continue this tale with dialogue and text woven into the images.  Rendered in India ink and watercolor on paper all the illustrations span two pages.

With that being said Lisa Brown broadens the dimension of a single narrative by combining multiple stories under the umbrella of the family's story.  You HAVE to stop at each picture looking at all the tiny details, marveling at her use of color to focus on the people.  Sometimes she will bring us close to a moment or step back allowing us to see the people and the luggage/packages moving along the belt or the passengers seated on the plane and the checked items underneath the inside of the plane.  This adds a new humorous element to the entire book.  (Careful readers will note the sign held by a limo driver at the baggage claim.)

One of my favorite illustrations of many is when the family is in line at the counter.  A variety of people of all ages are behind them.  As the assistant asks for their I. D. s the little girl shouts out for her monkey several times.  The mom turns to the dad asking if he forgot to pack Monkey.  What the parents can't see is the tail of Monkey sticking out from the suitcase the little girl packed.  This is one of those pictures where Lisa Brown brings us closely into the scene.  You can't help but smile.


The Airport Book written and illustrated by Lisa Brown is a charming and humorous look at travel, planes, airports and the terminals within those airports.  We get to explore every aspect through the eyes of a younger narrator and the many conversations.  This is a standout title.  Make sure to have it on your professional and personal shelves.

To discover more about Lisa Brown please visit her website by following the link attached to her name.  If you go to the publisher's website you can view some interior pages.  Lisa Brown visits Miss Marple's Musings.  For a visual extravaganza visit author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson's Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast showcasing this title.  Lisa Brown is a guest at All The Wonders, Episode 265 with teacher librarian Matthew Winner.  At Scholastic's Ambassador for School Libraries, John Schumacher's blog, Watch. Connect. Read., this title is mentioned and shown in a Saturday video as he visits a Little Free Library.

PSST! Celebrating Xena's Birthday With A Cat Book But Don't Tell Her

Fifteen years ago on the twenty-first day of August a sweet girl puppy was born; the runt in a litter of Chocolate Labrador Retrievers.  Knowing she would need to make up for her size in spirit, I named her Xena, the Warrior Princess.  Anyone who meets her agrees the name fits her perfectly.  Her zest for life is contagious.

As a youngster she was so small she needed three meals a day.  For the first six months of her life with me, she came to the elementary school library, safely tucked away in my office.  She was frequently seen on my lap during story times.  Over the years when I worked evenings, weekends and summers at school, she was a constant companion.  We have rarely been apart.

This form of devotion, a love that's completely unconditional, is a rare gift we humans receive from our animal friends.  People from all walks of life will readily concur with their own stories about these daily moments.  One of the more notable examples of this faithfulness can be found in one of this year's newer titles, Mummy Cat (Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, July 21, 2015) written by Marcus Ewert with illustrations by Lisa Brown.

The winds hiss over desert sand.
The moon shines down on empty land.
And long ago...

Traveling back in time to ancient Egypt, within the walls of a pyramid built to house a queen, a being stirs after one hundred years of stillness.  It's a cat, wrapped in cloth, which awakes from death.  Each century this cat seeks to see if his friend, Hat-Shup-set, no longer sleeps.  During her reign the two were inseparable.

Paintings in the tomb chronicle their lives and shared experiences.  Days resting during game challenges, playing along and on the River Nile, dreaming and lounging beside the pool and posing for an artistic pal are some of the pastimes they relish.  Treachery ends their joy.

Each is prepared, carefully bound, for their journey into the afterlife.  This the cat sees while searching for his queen as sadness descends like a shroud.  Ahead a doorway leads to a room, a storehouse for lifetime treasures.

At the center a coffin bears a likeness of the beloved young woman.  All the cat desires is to see her again after three thousand years.  Waiting.  Wanting.  Wishing. Wonderful!


As quietly as the tomb in which the story begins Marcus Ewert writes words in gentle rhyme flowing flawlessly.  We are wrapped, like the mummies, in history woven into the narrative.   We learn of a culture past and of a rare friendship standing the test of time.  Here is a sample passage.

Or this mural of a noontime nap:
dreams of mice, on the queen's own lap.
Their couch was set beside the pool.
The shade from date trees kept them cool. 

Unfolding the dust jacket readers see a happy mummy cat arising from a long sleep; hieroglyphs on the coffin spelling out the title.  Like the cat the text is wrapped in cloth.  Two yellow butterflies appear here and on interior images throughout the book.  Perhaps they are representative of transformation, souls living after death or acting as guides.  A single mouse watches.  On the back, to the left, two other mice, friends with the first, gaze at a painting on the wall of the tomb, the queen happily holding the cat on her lap.

A stylish book case, different from the jacket, uses a darker gray as the background, appearing like stone. (This is used again in the body of the book.)  An Egyptian pattern adorns either side of the spine.  On the front the queen and her cat are walking together in life.  On the back they are walking away from us as they appear in death.  The opening and closing endpapers are rows of two different lotus shapes; highly symbolic in ancient Egypt.

Lisa Brown starts her visual story on the double-page spread for the title page with a panoramic view of the Egyptian desert with pyramids and a setting sun.  A closer view is presented to readers under a full moon on the next two-page image.  Each set of two pages brings us closer to the door of the tomb and finally inside.  The textured floors and walls supply a realistic but important background helping to make the fine details in the artwork, cat, mice and butterflies, the queen and her sister visually stunning.

A series of smaller images are placed on a white background to serve as an introduction to the relationship between the cat and queen.  The portrayals of the animals are beautifully rendered as if they are ancient Egyptian art.  From the entrance to the tomb until the next to last two pages hieroglyphics have been incorporated into the design of the pictures.  Brown also extends the text to provide readers with an additional illustrative story as to the events leading to the death of the queen and her cat.  A true sense of stepping back in time is generated.

One of my many favorite illustrations spans two pages.  The background in the stone gray showcases the highly decorated queen's coffin extending nearly edge to edge from left to right.  The three mice are placed along the coffin's upper sides.  The mummy cat wearing the queen's favorite ring on his paw meows a message.  Will this be magical enough?


Although Mummy Cat written by Marcus Ewert with illustrations rendered in ink, gouache, and watercolor on paper with digital collage by Lisa Brown is a work of fiction, we learn much about the culture in which the story is placed.  It's a story of eternal love and friendship.  This is guaranteed to be a much requested story time title.  At the close of the book there are several pages dedicated to Mummies, Cats, Queens and Hieroglyphs.

To learn more about Lisa Brown please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  The publisher has provided a fun page on Tumblr.  Lisa Brown is a guest at author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson's Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  Both Marcus Ewert and Lisa Brown talk with teacher librarian Matthew Winner on the Let's Get Busy Podcast #170 about this book. An earlier title Lisa Brown illustrated, Emily's Blue Period, is featured as a trifecta at the Scholastic's new Ambassador of School Libraries for Scholastic Book Fairs John Schumacher's Watch. Connect. Read. Links to other posts by the author are found there.  Enjoy this video about the making of Mummy Cat. 


Mummy Cat by Marcus Ewert and Lisa Brown from HMH Kids on Vimeo.