A Kindred Spirit Encounter

In can happen in mere seconds.  In those moments knowing you have found a kindred spirit; the ordinary is elevated to the unbelievable.  It is thrilling to fathom you have discovered a being so close to singing the same song as your own soul.  It changes everything.

Your viewpoint of the world is brighter regardless of how each day unfolds.  The light in me sees the light in you (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, March 16, 2021) written and illustrated by Lori Nichols follows two individuals and their discovery of each other.  It is a heartwarming appreciation for those rare and most cherished bonds.

It happened one day.

First I heard you.

When you hear something new, something enchanting, you seek it until it is found.  A little girl met a tiny red bird for the first time on this day.  She knew they were a quintessential match.

From that day forward, they were inseparable.  To them, the wind was a symphony.  To them, clouds were possibilities.  To them, a favorite tree was an aromatic delight and a delicious delicacy.

Rain days were play days.  Sharing food and flying was good for one and not yet enjoyed by the other.   Together in silence was a bit like pure bliss.

And then, without warning, the tiny red bird was not heard or seen.  Poppy was gone.  Again, everything changed.  Robin was lost without her true friend.  One night, something extraordinary happened as Robin slept.  Upon awakening, she carried a new realization with her.  Some lights are never extinguished.

The simple but profound (and sometimes humorous) sentences written in this narrative by Lori Nichols are a poetic window into something unseen but stronger than a diamond and more valuable.  Through the voice of Robin, we are privy to her found treasure, her emptiness, and ultimate wisdom.  A form of repetition of phrases supplies a welcoming cadence and brings us full circle in the best possible manner.  Here is a partial sentence.

and smelling the branches

of our favorite tree.

(Well, I like smelling them---

you usually just pecked for bugs.) 

Happiness glows on and out from the matching dust jacket and book case.  The colors here and throughout the book are light and airy.  Can you see the white outline around Robin and her tiny red bird friend, Poppy?  The pastel points of light are an excellent and delightful selection to signify their special connection.  I really like the choice to have the text color match that of Robin's overalls.  

To the left of the spine, on the back, amid points of light is a single red feather.  This is just beneath text reading:

The moment Robin and Poppy meet, they know

they will always be connected.

Below these are praises for two previous books of Lori Nichols, Maple and Maple & Willow Together.

On the opening and closing endpapers is an exquisite pattern.  The background color is a hue of the t-shirt color Robin is wearing.  White and the red of Robin's hair form sprigs of flora, a single feather, and paper airplanes.  This is in reference to the pair's shared adventures and Robin's final awareness.  On the title page, a tiny blue line spirals through the points of light.  It depicts the flight of the shown tiny red bird, Poppy.

The images 

were rendered in watercolor, colored pencil, collage, and digital techniques.

White space is used masterfully on the heavy, matte-finished paper.  The pictures are full-page, double-page and a grouping of smaller visuals.  The fine lines, delicate details, and soft greens and blues fashion a calm and encompassing joy.  Readers will watch to see if a certain squirrel and little green frog appear in each new scene.  Their playful expressions are as charming as those on Robin and Poppy.  (I love how the squirrel in one picture is peeking at the paint cans and in the next picture its footprints are one of those colors.)

One of my many favorite illustrations is a double-page picture.  It is a rainy-day setting.  On the left a large tree extends off the page and over the gutter.  Foliage springs up around it in shades of blue and green.  The same kind of foliage and some of the tree leaves appear in the upper and lower corners on the right side.  Blue lines and white drops fall heavily on the left, but on the right where Robin and Poppy are, there is a lightness around them.  Wearing a yellow raincoat and boats, Robin happily splashes in puddles.  Poppy, head held high, is leading the way through those very puddles.

Not for the first time, I wish there were a huggable classification for picture books.  This book, The light in me sees the light in you written and illustrated by Lori Nichols, is one of those books.  There are several sentences in here to be read often.  Two might bring you to tears, they are that truthful. We all will or have known unparalleled joy with another and experienced the loss of them.  In this title, we are given hope, and yes, light.  I highly recommend this book for your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Lori Nichols and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Lori Nichols has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube.  At the publisher's website you can view the title page.

Give Me Sleep

You know the feeling.  You're so tired you could sleep nearly anywhere but the spot you long for most is your personal place.  It doesn't matter if it's big or small, hard or soft, or covered in cozy quilts and bunches of fluffy pillows or a single blanket and a single pillow.  Your bed is your sanctuary.

When you settle in for a serene night of rest and the sweetest of dreams, every muscle relaxes and all the worries of the day fade away. At least this is how it's supposed to be.  In Go sleep in your own bed! (Schwartz & Wade Books, May 2, 2017) written by Candace Fleming with illustrations by Lori Nichols animals on a farm are having a not-quite-right night.

Snuggled in.
Snuggled down.
Bedtime on the farm.

Hardly able to keep his eyes open Pig strolls toward his sty.  Rolling into his mud, he realizes someone is in his bed.  Cow is hogging his space.  Pig orders him to go to his own bed.

Cow ambles into her stall and lies down but a horrible squawk startles her.  There's a hen roosting in her hay.  As did Pig, she orders the chicken to go to her own bed.

To Hen's surprise a very large member of the farm community is occupying almost the entire coop.  She clucks and clucks until the intruder wanders over to his bed.  As you can probably surmise, Horse is unable to sleep in his stable.  Someone else is in the wrong bed.

This series of out-of-the-ordinary events continues until the last animal, resigned to her fate, settles down on her particular, private bed.  Will she remain there?  Unlike the others will she find a warm, welcoming snuggling place?

Bedtime on the farm.


The first three phrases lead readers gently into what they believe will be a nighttime ritual on the farm.  It's a perfect beginning for the hilarity which follows.  Candace Fleming understands her intended audience (and those young at heart) by asking them to participate with a repeating question and sentences.  Her word choices supply a visual of the movements from place to place by the animals and how they settle in their beds only to discover they are not alone.  The words uttered by the animals when ordered to leave are full of fun and sure to generate giggles and grins.  Here is a sample passage.

"Oh, w-w-w-h-o-o-o-a is me," whickered Horse.
And he shambled to his stable, cloppety-plod.

But when he settled down---
Mehhhhh! 
Who do you think he found?


When you open the matching dust jacket and book case the front is the first hint things might be a little unusual on this specific night; a cow curled up in pig's sty is a tad strange.  And the one-eyed look Pig is giving Cow is most definitely the tiny start of the huge humor which follows.  To the left, on the back, Hen is nearly sleepwalking to the coop.  She can't see what readers can; the backside of a horse is facing the entrance.  On the opening and closing endpapers, done in a deep midnight blue and a lighter blue for outlining with hints of white and golden yellow, another story is being told.  You will get a chuckle out of the conclusion on the closing endpapers.  Each one is a scene of the layout of the farm...with a few changes.

A two-page picture of the farm at night from the vantage point of a tree top supplies the canvas for the verso and title pages.  Here as on the jacket and case Lori Nichols continues the limited color palette, hues of blue, purple, brown, white, pale yellow and green.  (Splashes of other colors make an appearance in a few illustrations.)  An owl watches with eyes wide open.

The image sizes vary from two page pictures to single page illustrations and other visuals on a single page surrounded by white space.  These pair perfectly with the narrative supplying a cadence for readers.  Rendered in acrylic ink using a dip pen and colorized digitally the looks on the characters' faces and their body postures will have you laughing out loud.

One of my favorite of many pictures is when Cow settles into her stall only to discover Hen is there.  Large portions of white space frame the stall divider, another cow, Cow and the sleeping Hen.  Cow is curled on her hay but the

Bwaaaak!

has her giving the source of the sound a one-eyed look.  Hen is sleeping on her back, wings spread and red and white stripped legs straight up in the air.


Go sleep in your own bed! written by Candace Fleming with illustrations by Lori Nichols is meant to be read aloud one-on-one or with a group.  Readers will quickly join in when the repeating phrases appear.  They will be delighted by the word choices supplying sounds and moods of the animals.  This is perfect for bedtime but I will be sharing it anytime I can.

To learn more about Candace Fleming and Lori Nichols and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images including the opening endpapers.  Lori Nichols is featured on Andrea Skyberg's website.  Enjoy the adorable book trailer.

Decorated With Love

Every year in December, for those who observe Christmas, an ancient tradition is followed.  We trudge through woods and fields.  We walk through rows and rows of possibilities. Or we open a box.  Whether you get a fresh selection or put together an artificial likeness, the Christmas tree holds a prominent place in the celebration.  Every single one of us has at least one if not more stories about this holiday custom.

There have been those less than financially secure years where the tree looks like a Charlie Brown tree.  There have also been those years through unfortunate choices where the tree needs to be wired to the wall to avoid late night crashes. (It certainly didn't look that crooked before we cut it down.)  Some years extra trees find a place in our lives.  Now each year there will be an outside potted tree in the back yard, lighted in honor of my wonderful dog, Xena.  In the spring it will be planted to grow and give hope to our environment.

Two tree-loving, endearing characters who we have grown to cherish in Maple, Maple & Willow Together and Maple & Willow Apart have returned in a new release.  Maple & Willow's Christmas Tree (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, October 18, 2016) written and illustrated by Lori Nichols is a delightful journey of joy.  These sisters exemplify pure hearts.

Maple and Willow loved winter.

They enjoy playing in the snow.  Winter also heralds a favorite holiday, Christmas.  It's work to get ready but together they can do it.

For the first time, they are getting a real tree for their home for Christmas.  Decisions.  Decisions.  They finally pick out the tree that is perfectly perfect.  Willow is especially happy because this year it's her turn to put the star on top.

Once inside and in its stand, the tree can now be decorated but something is amiss.  Maple does not look so good.  She starts to sneeze repeatedly.  Willow wonders if she is allergic to the tree.  When Maple is outside the sneezing stops.  Their first real tree is taken outside.

Both girls are understandably upset, Maple for the lack of the tree inside and Willow because she feels like the holiday is spoiled for this year.  That evening after bedtime in the quiet of the night changes happen.  It is truly Christmas.


Lori Nichols's spare text conveys the pure essence of this story allowing for her illustrations to showcase her words.  She builds the excitement of the first shared experience with the sisters making their disappointment genuine.  It also allows for the repetition of earlier phrases used with an entirely different meaning and outcome.  Her mix of conversation with the narrative brings us into the girls' most meaningful moments.  Here is a passage.

"At least we have an outside tree," said Maple.
"I wish you weren't allergic to Christmas," said Willow.
"I'm not allergic to Christmas," said Maple.
"Just Christmas trees." 


The crisp white background framed in evergreen trees on the opened, matching dust jacket and book case depicts a very particular time of year, a changing of seasons and a pause allowing for contemplation.  You can also feel the anticipation building in the girls by the expressions on their faces.  Lori Nichols has a gift for creating trees with photographic realism.  On the left, the back, these trees direct readers to quotes from starred reviews for the three previous books.  The opening and closing endpapers are a warm red with items, evergreen boughs, cookie cutters, ornaments and pine cones, etched in white.  A portion of an interior image has been placed beneath the text on the title page.  (I am curious about the heart and acorn ornament.)

Rendered in pencil on Mylar and then digitally colored 

the pictures throughout this book, usually on a canvas of white except at night, alternate between two-page illustrations, single page images or a series of smaller visuals grouped on a page to convey pacing.  Readers will enjoy looking at each page noticing the tiny details Nichols includes, dried weeds near trees, a rabbit watching from a hill of snow, cracked eggs on the table during cookie making, a reindeer mug holding hot chocolate and the items scattered on Willow's bedroom floor.  Everything about these two girls, their clothing, body stances and looks on their faces makes you want to reach out and hug them.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a two page spread portraying the return trip home after selecting the tree.  From left to right Lori Nichols gives us a wintry scene of a hilly countryside dotted with evergreens and leafless deciduous trees.  In the upper, left-hand corner a doe peeks out and down at a winding road.  A small red car with a tree roped to the top carries four happy passengers.


Maple & Willow's Christmas Tree written and illustrated by Lori Nichols is going on my personal shelf of Christmas books to be read every single year.  It embodies all the hope of the season.  It reminds us of what is most important.  It will cause a warm glow of happiness to grow from the top of your head and spread down to the bottom of your toes leaving a large portion to fill your heart.

To learn more about Lori Nichols and her other work please visit her website by following the link attached to her name.  You can view a tour of Lori's studio and read an interview at Andrea Skyberg's blog.  Enjoy the book trailer.

This Reader. (she say "rock on")

Life has a way of throwing us monumental change within seconds and without notice.  A single act by another or us with or without a response can alter our immediate lives.  It can expand to include others, even the world at large.

Some things done are better left without any acknowledgement at all.  Others elicit a reaction triggered by emotion or logic.  A little more than one year ago we were introduced to a boy and his best friend, a woolly mammoth, in this Orq. (he cave boy.)  Readers could not help but feel joyful by the love the two have for each other.  I am happy to announce the return of the duo in this ORQ. (he say "ugh!") (Boyds Mills Press, an imprint of Highlights, September 8, 2015) written by David Elliott with illustrations by Lori Nichols.  Orq and Woma are challenged repeatedly by two new characters.

This Orq.
He cave boy.
Wear skins.
No shoes.
Sometimes say ...
"UGH!"

The cave boy and his woolly mammoth companion enjoy every single day having as much fun as they can.  One of their favorite things to do is to build architectural shapes and forts out of turtles, stacking them like bricks.  We are made aware, nevertheless, of the hardships of dwelling in a cave.  It's chilly, dark and the food is uncooked.

As if this is not enough, Dorq, a bigger, stronger and hairier boy, and his cave bear cohort, Caba, relish making life miserable for Orq and Woma.

UGH! DOUBLE UGH!

Mother's suggestion to ignore them is simply unreasonable.  They're like shadows, spoiling all those activities Orq and Woma delight in doing, fishing, finding and building.

The single advantage the pals have is speed.  They can and do outrun the bullies.  Until ...one day on a hunting expedition a

tremendous turtle

turns out to be trouble.  Dorq and Caba have been practicing their chasing.

It looks as though the terrible twosome have the upper hand.  An egg escalates the encounter.  Anger born out of love and two rocks reverse the course of events.  Heroes, like change, can be created in the blink of an eye.  Everyone wins...well, almost everyone.


As he did in the first title, David Elliott gives readers phrases inviting their participation.  The shortened sentences are playful, humorous and full of rhythm.  The technique of designing events in clusters of three works extremely well; each time leading to a pause or a shift in the narrative.  Elliott demonstrates insight into the thinking of his expected readers with word choices and character interactions.  Here is a sample passage.

But cave life tough.
Cold cave.
Dark night.
Raw bison.
And ...
...DORQ.


Spanning from left to right we are greeted with a two-page spread across the matching dust jacket and book case.  Clearly Woma and Orq are distressed as the dreadful duo, Dorq and Caba, laugh in the background.  The three red-tufted blue birds seen gathered around the ISBN on the first title have returned, joined by jazzy-shelled turtles.  A matte-finish on these as well as the interior pages provides a pleasing tactile experience for readers.

The identical opening and closing endpapers feature a pattern of turtles, snakes, a woolly mammoth puppet and a single egg. With a page turn another double-page picture greets readers.  Everyone will grin at the scene showcasing the title.  A smiling Woma is running toward a singing Orq bathing in a pond joined by the three birds, one floating on its back in the water.  Orq's grass clothing and blue-striped underwear are hanging on a twig.

The next large image on the right holds the publication information plus The Turtle Challenge.  Readers are asked to count the number of turtles Lori Nichols has placed in this title.  Woma, spraying water from his trunk, is now bathing in the pond as Orq struggles to get dressed.  The first lines of the story appear on the right.

Rendered in

#4 pencil on Strathmore drawing paper and colorized digitally

the illustrations vary in size from two-page to single page and smaller visuals grouped on one page to extend and enhance the pacing of the story.  The facial features on all the characters depict the emotional status of each scene perfectly.  Nichols' lines, fine or large, convey setting, mood and motion, taking readers into the moment.

One of my favorite images is the second double-page picture in the story.  On the left Woma is sitting surrounded by turtles.  He holds one in his arms ready to hand it to Orq, who is being held aloft in his trunk.  Orq and Woma have made an arch of smiling turtles on the right.  We are reminded of the shared affection of these two friends.


This ORQ. (he say "ugh!") written by David Elliott with illustrations by Lori Nichols is a heartfelt and witty look at friendship and those who would strive to take away another's joy.  The BIG surprise during the final confrontation with the mean-spirited Dorq and Caba will have everyone cheering.  The change of words in the key phrase and Nichols' final illustration will fill readers with warmth.  This book.  This book great.  Share this book. Happy reader. Third title September 2016.


To discover more about David Elliott and Lori Nichols please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.  John Schumacher, blogger at Watch. Connect. Read. and the new Scholastic Ambassador of School Libraries, shared a vine of this title. Enjoy.

#Bookaday This Orq. (he say "ugh!") by David Elliott and @lorinicholsbook https://t.co/ogwH1hz6sC There are a lot of turtles in this book!

— John Schu (@MrSchuReads) August 8, 2015

An Unbroken Bond

Book characters can find a permanent place in your heart.  They are as real to you as your neighbors, best friends or family.  When they appear in companion titles you can feel your spirit soar because you enjoy their company.

These characters look at life as readers do or as readers wish they could.  They inspire us to pause and ponder trying to be our best selves.  Maple & Willow Apart (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), July 21, 2015) written and illustrated by Lori Nichols is the third title about these sisters began in Maple (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), February 20, 2014) and continued in Maple & Willow Together (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), November 4, 2014).  It's a joy to watch their friendship grow stronger as they get older.

Maple and Willow loved summer.

Every minute possible the pair was outside happily busy enjoying what nature had to offer.  When the last day of summer rolled around they never rested for a single second.  They wanted these magical moments of play to last.

On Monday Maple was going to school for the first time.  Even though she was a big girl now, Willow was not quite big enough to go with Maple.  Willow missed Maple...a lot.

After her first day of kindergarten Maple talked nonstop about all the fun she had.  Not to be left out, Willow spoke about her new friend, Pip.  Her description of him and where they met resembled an acorn.

On Tuesday when Maple is at school Willow discovered tiny bits of nature.  She also became the teacher at Rock School.  Pip was her only student.  His guessing abilities had him in the third grade quick as a wink.

By Wednesday Maple's chatter about school couldn't top Willow's announcement of visiting Pip's home.  It was a tree house.  On Thursday morning and when Maple came home from school, she was quiet, more thoughtful.  She was a little upset when Willow told her Pip taught her to ride a bike.

After a sister to sister chat that evening, Friday morning was better for both the girls.  Willow shared a secret with Maple making her day at school more exciting.  The weekend (and many days after) turned out to be spectacular because more was truly merrier.


Endearing, lighthearted text paired with conversations between the sisters welcomes us back into the world of Maple and Willow.  Lori Nichols gives her characters real-life feelings and circumstances; inseparable sisters, loneliness when they aren't together, inventiveness when facing absence and the sharing which comes from unconditional love.  When Maple comes home from school excited about her day, her dialogue is delightful; exactly as you would expect from a kindergarten student.  Willows' responses are genuine to a fault; spoken softly and bravely from her wonderful imagination.

"I had fun, too," said Willow.
"I played with Pip."
"Pip?" Maple asked.  "Who's Pip?"
"Pip is my new friend," said Willow.
"He has a bumpy head and he is afraid of squirrels."


One word comes to mind, my mind, when looking at the matching dust jacket and book case, winsome.  As Maple climbs the steps on the school bus, she is sure to wave and smile at Willow.  Looking as cute as cute can be in her overalls Willow waves in return.  The autumn leaves extend to the left, the back, where review excerpts from the two previous titles are featured.  Delicate oak leaves, mushrooms, a snail, snail shells, crickets, dragonflies and acorn caps are patterned across the opening and closing endpapers.  The background colors change from soft green to soft rust.

Beneath the text on the title page, Maple is petting their white cat as Willow stands next to her holding a bunch of acorns in her gathered shirt.  Rendered in

pencil on Mylar and then digitally colored 

the illustrations are placed on a white canvas with the exception of four double-page images.  These are a glorious display of large fall-shaded leaves as a background for the adventures Willow has with Pip.

In all of the images we feel closeness to and affection for the sisters.  Lori Nichols has a way of including us by way of her layout and design.  The facial looks and body language of Willow and Maple are completely charming.  Tiny details call to readers; Willow riding an oak tree branch as if it's a bike, the M and W hooks on the wall for their coats, Willow giving thumbs up to a snail, and heart-shaped rocks.

One of my many favorite illustrations is when Willow and Pip are in his tree house.  A swirl of leaves surrounds them.  Clusters of acorns are placed around a bird's nest which is his home.  Willow and Pip are looking over the edge at the sisters' yard.  We feel as though we can be in the nest with them, too.

Maple & Willow Apart written and illustrated by Lori Nichols is an absolute gem.  Read it at home, read it to your students.  It will generate discussions and empathy.  As in the other two titles, relishing the out-of-doors and appreciating what if offers is the tie binding these sisters.  I think this might be the year to renew my collecting of acorns; especially when two are joined together.

To learn more about Lori Nichols please visit her website by following the link attached to her name.  The book trailer for this title and a guest post by Lori Nichols appears on teacher librarian extraordinaire John Schumacher's blog, Watch. Connect. Read.

Cat Cuteness Conquers

Not being a cat person does not prevent me from being well aware of their distinctive personalities.  Over the years, once permission was granted by the creatures in question, several friends have had feline companions.  Even a true-blue dog person like me is unable to resist the lure of a kitten.

What is important to remember is those tiny beings and their human counterparts have a lot to learn about what they can and cannot do or have.  No, No, Kitten! (Boyds Mills Press, an imprint of Highlights, March 3, 2015) written by Shelley Moore Thomas with illustrations by Lori Nichols follows a tenacious mischief-maker.  This little bundle of fur is paws-itively determined.

Kitten wants a basket.
Kitten wants a pillow.
Kitten wants a blanket.
Kitten wants...

Oh!  No! Kitten is not allowed to have a puppy.  Puppies are for people not cats.  (Guess who climbs in the window?)  Not one to rest for a single second, Kitten is on the move again.

A glass of milk, a catnip plant and an innocent goldfish are the next conquests on this kitten's agenda.  A puddle, a pile of potting soil and an empty fishbowl are signs of recent visits. (You'll be pleased to note the new residence of the fish.)  Mimicking her girl, Kitten decides to don the fishbowl as if it's a helmet.  This is not acceptable.

As Kitten continues exploring for more appropriate playthings, a trip into the girl's bedroom for

engines, gadgets, and lasers

is met with stern disapproval.  Using up all her feline maneuvers she makes a fourth demand, an adventure beyond the confines of Earth's atmosphere.  With patience matching persistence, the girl instructs Kitten in those objects which may be possessed and those which may not.

Before the girl can grasp Kitten's next plan, a countdown begins.  As the number one is reached, an enormous noise erupts from the room.  Out the window flies Kitten and the puppy bound for the planets and stars.

New frontiers are reached.  Back at home Kitten and her girl are startled with an expectant

Woof

When one sees the accomplishments of another, you never know what will happen next.


Readers may not know it but Shelley Moore Thomas is using her gift for storytelling to involve them in this narrative.  She creates constant invitations for us with Kitten wanting three items, and then with a page turn a fourth is revealed.  Each of these is followed by the repetitive exclamation and series of nearly identical phrases.  Once she has us firmly captivated in this rhythm, she really sends us into orbit with a couple of twists; one of which even has Kitten looking wide-eyed.  Here is a sample passage.

No, no, no, Kitten.
You cannot have a puppy.
You are a cat!
Cats do not have pets! 


The combination of the title and look in Kitten's eye, as the fish flies from the bowl and a letter is moved with a tail swish on the dust jacket and matching book case, declare this title to be one filled with action.  On the back, to the left, Kitten is portrayed in a series of rascal-like situations.  The opening and closing endpapers in stark white are patterned with different items of importance to the story.

With a page turn we see on the left a Spudnik, a potato sprouting legs and a leaf, wearing a first prize blue ribbon.  Beneath the title the girl is completely absorbed in one of her science projects with Kitten peeking out from the inside of the spaceship box.  The publication information and dedication pages feature an illustration, spanning edge to edge, of the inside of the house.  Kitten is resting in a chair as the puppy climbs up on the sill of the open window.

Lori Nichols rendered these lively pictures using dip pen and ink and coloring digitally.  She alters the image sizes between a full page, a series of smaller illustrations on a single page and double page spreads, complimenting the text.  The details found in each visual extend the story as well as offering foreshadowing; the artwork on the walls, the program on the television screen, the toys and items on the girl's bedroom shelves.  You have to laugh at the little extras; the expressions on the characters' faces, the playful wag of the puppy's tail even when hiding under the sofa, or the fish's new handy home.

One of my favorite pictures is when Kitten and the puppy blast out the bedroom window.  The pup's ears are straight back due to the force.  Kitten has nabbed the girl's homemade helmet.  Even the inanimate toys in the room have looks of bug-eyed wonder on their faces.


I am confident No, No, Kitten! written by Shelley Moore Thomas with illustrations by Lori Nichols will find an audience in any reader who has heard those familiar words directed at them.  It's a way to learn boundaries and can lead to new discoveries.  I'll bet readers and listeners will be chiming in on the repetitive phrases as soon as they can.  This is sure to be a storytime favorite.


To discover more about Shelley Moore Thomas and Lori Nichols please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.

UPDATE:  Be sure to head over to Watch. Connect. Read., blog of teacher librarian extraordinaire, John Schumacher, to read what Lori Nichols has to say about this title and to see the book trailer premiere.  

This title has been endorsed by none other than Lou Grant, famous cat companion of John Schumacher.

#bookaday No, No, Kitten! by @story_queen and @lorinicholsbook https://t.co/MKnm6zihph Kitten wants...you to read this book.
— John Schu (@MrSchuReads) January 29, 2015

Sisters, Friends, Soulmates

Something you never tire of seeing or hearing when reading picture books aloud is the connections made by the listeners.  A word, phrase or detail in an illustration will trigger a memory binding them to the story as surely as if they are a part of it themselves.  A kinship is felt with the characters, an activity has been shared, or an appreciation for a particular place is noted.

Upon entering my home to the left of the porch is a small portion of a collection I began when Xena chose me.  It's a tangible reminder of being able to find love if you are only willing to look.  I had to smile when two familiar characters, introduced to readers in Lori Nichols first picture book, Maple (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), February 20, 2014), returned in Maple & Willow Together (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), November 4, 2014) enjoy the same kind of hunt, searching for heart-shaped rocks.

Maple and her little sister, Willow, were always together.

When readers last enjoyed the company of these sisters, Willow needed to be carried by Maple to their namesakes, two trees side by side.  Now Willow walks about freely delighting in her sister's company no matter what they do.  They are inseparable.  Their own special language is one known to be adopted by people everywhere sharing a comfortable closeness and fondness for fun.  Even at night, Willow somehow ends up sleeping in Maple's bed with her.

Their world during the day is filled with the magic of childhood; gathering heart-shaped rocks, constructing residences for fairies and trying to hold grasshoppers.  Hours are spent playing hide and seek although Willow's counting is less than perfect.  Like an older sister, when it rains Maple wants to hold the umbrella.  Willow is completely content to let her.  She would much rather play in puddles.

It's easy to see a pattern beginning to form.  Maple is fairly set in her ways about how things should be done.  Willow is a free spirit preferring a more active approach.  This difference is their undoing one fine day; a day which should have been spent among the dandelions.

Instead they have a shouting match which escalates into toy stomping, a shove, tears and sibling upheaval.  Behind closed doors in their separate bedrooms, they sit. Both realizing they are at the-twiddling-your-thumbs stage, a mutual plan is put into action.  Maple cracks her door open.  Willow cracks her door open.

Exchanges are made.  Wishes float on a breeze.  Sweet dreams are shared.


Using lighthearted and truthful sentences Lori Nichols reacquaints us with Maple and Willow.  Their relationship is one founded on their mutual affection for shared experiences inside their home and outside in nature.  The manner in which they address any given situation gradually reveals their individuality.  Word selection and placement supplying pacing is spot-on for the intended audience.  Here is a sample passage.

... Maple and Willow both loved worms.
Maple kept her worm in a special box.
Her box.
That was okay with Willow
because she liked her worm
to wriggle all over her fingers.


Just as we fell in love with Maple as soon as we met her on the cover of the first book, seeing Maple and Willow, barefoot in the meadow with their trees, a cherished stuffed toy nearby, the one blowing dandelion seeds and the other holding a heart-shaped rock, our hearts are immediately drawn to the sisters.  I really like the three different fonts used in the title along with the significance of the color red; the outline of Maple, the ampersand hooked around the W in Willow and of course, the ladybug.  On the back the twosome are making angels, arms and legs spread, among a pile of colored leaves.  On the opening endpapers in a bright reddish hue, white etchings show an array of acorns, worms, ferns, heart-shaped rocks, a ladybug and a maple leaf looking like a mask.  The same elements are used on the closing endpapers in a shade of lavender.

The title page illustration, the entire layout, is simply precious.  As in her first book Nichols renders her pictures in pencil on Mylar and then digitally colored making skillful use of white space to highlight her characters and the scenes of this story.  With the finest of lines she conveys mood and thoughts on Maple's and Willow's faces.  The thicker matte-finished paper contributes to making her images appear even warmer and softer.

Exquisite details in every illustration endear readers to these sisters and their shared days; the beloved stuffed toy, the ladybug, the stencil-like leaves framing pages, the small squirrel, the dandelions, the goggles-and-snorkel-wearing Willow at bath time and the maple leaf on Maple's nightgown.  One of my favorite pictures is the two of them asleep in Maple's bed toward the beginning. The image covers the entire page in luminous blues.  The soft glow of the moon peeks in the window over the bed.  Rocks and the ladybug line the window sills.  Books lay on the floor.  Maple holds her toy as her arm stretches across Willow's body clothed in footy pajamas.  You can't look at it without sighing.


Maple & Willow Together written and illustrated by Lori Nichols is an enchanting story of sisterly love enduring the ups and downs of growing personalities.  It beautifully shows how celebrating and embracing the choice of another strengthens love.  This is sure to be a favorite with readers of any age.

To learn more about Lori Nichols be sure to visit her website by following the link embedded in her name.  At the site she has several more illustrations from the book.  She has posted a story hour activity kit.  The birthday of this book was highlighted at Watch. Connect. Read. by librarian extraordinaire, John Schumacher this week.  In addition to the interview of Lori Nichols, the book trailer was premiered.

This Reader. Reader Love Book.

If you've ever been around little guys and gals learning to talk you know various parts of speech are frequently missing from their phrases and sentences.  Their triumphant grins when a person, a place, a thing or an idea are properly expressed are so uplifting, it wouldn't be right to point out the missing words.  It's the same for persons of any age who are attempting to learn a second language; go with the basics first.

Let's step back in time, way back in time, to a portion of the Stone Age.  Let's imagine a story about a boy and his pet...woolly mammoth.  (You're smiling already, aren't you?) this ORQ. (he cave boy.) (Boyds Mills Press, an imprint of Highlights) written by David Elliott with illustrations by Lori Nichols proves that some things rarely change over the course of tens of thousands of years.  Some things remain the same.

This Orq.
He live in cave.
He carry club.
He cave boy.

Orq has adopted a baby woolly mammoth.  He has named him Woma.  The two are inseparable.

Problems begin to arise when Woma starts to grow in size.  To complicate the situation Orq's mom does not like certain physical characteristics and habits of the woolly mammoth.  He, like some other pets, leaves hairy messes, is rather whiffy and deposits piles of poo inside the rocky residence.

Woma is banished from the cave but Orq's abundant affection for his friend helps him come up with a surefire plan.  He is going to teach him to do three things guaranteed to have his mother loving the woolly mammoth as much as he does.  Oops!  Oh! No! Yikes!  Woma is still not setting one furry foot in the cave.

An imaginary hunting expedition turns frighteningly real one day.  Cave boy is looking pretty tasty to a ferocious feline. Huge love turns the tide and a mom's thinking.


David Elliott's word choices for this story are splendid.  The spare text conveys his understanding of what his intended audience needs to know.  His repeated use of

Orq loves Woma.

is the key to binding pieces of the narrative together and of endearing readers to his characters.  It also acts, with alterations, to define the feelings of Woma and Orq's mom at pivotal points.


When you first hold this book in your hands the tactile experience starts with the matte-finished dust jacket and book case.  Unfolding the two you see Woma stretched out, eyes alight with attention, gently holding a truly contented Orq on one tusk.  Squawking away are the three baby bird characters around the ISBN in the lower left back corner.  The matching opening and closing endpapers showcase Orq's boyhood toys, artistic tools and found treasures; a bird feather, a stony bear, woolly mammoth and sabertooth tiger, assorted writing utensils and a tricycle.  The first two double-page spreads, the title page, verso and beginning text, introduce Orq and his surroundings along with the whimsical mother bird, blue with darker stripes and a bushy red top.

Lori Nichols' illustrations rendered in #4 pencil on Strathmore drawing paper and colorized digitally elevate the humor and love in this story with her extra detailed touches.  Each time the word love is used the color of the text reflects the character.  Three roughly drawn red hearts ascend from the head of the person showing their devotion.

To visualize Woma growing bigger and bigger and bigger he has been placed next to a tree. Along with his growth is the making of bird nest, the babies with open beaks and mama bird, arms on hips in disgust when the hole in the tree is covered.  That final illustration of these three is one of my favorites.  Orq loving Woma, hugging his trunk, both their eyes closed, and completely oblivious of the mama bird's dilemma, is funny and touching.


This book, this ORQ. (he cave boy.), written by David Elliott with illustrations by Lori Nichols begs to be read aloud.  Listeners will be chiming in with the refrain immediately.  I'd be willing to bet you will have plenty of boys and girls speaking Orq for many days later.  Readers of any age will readily identify with the love between a pet and their human.  A huge plus goes to Elliott and Nichols for the pictured two word twist at the end.  I am grinning ear to ear after discovering there is to be a sequel to this title.

For more information about David Elliott and Lori Nichols please follow the links to their websites embedded in their names.  If you follow this link you will be taken to an interview of Lori Nichols at KidLit411.  UPDATE:  Here is a link to a story hour kit by Curious City DPW.

Tree Togetherness

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

From Trees by Joyce Kilmer 

Time and time again I've stood among trees or gazed up at the leafy boughs beneath one with those two poetic lines running through my mind.  It's easy to recall fond memories of summer or autumn days spent gathering leaves, pressing them between sheets of wax paper.  Later after using the clothes iron to seal them shut, holes would be punched along the side, string binding all the pages together like a book.  A space on my bookshelf is reserved for my copy of A Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs by George A. Petrides (Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1972).

For these reasons the planting of a tree is life-affirming; a way to ensure others may enjoy the many benefits they offer.  As told in Maple (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), February 20, 2014), the first picture book written and illustrated by Lori Nichols, planting a tree can be the start of special surprises.  The joyful passion of a single little girl will encircle you even after the last page is turned.

Maple loved her name.

Before she was born her parents put a seedling in the ground in celebration of her yet unknown exuberant self.  The two grew together; both maples in name.  By her tree Maple could shout aloud, sing with gusto, dance and make-believe.

On the best days Maple would lie on the ground looking up at the leaves watching them dance in the wind.  You might have noticed Maple trying to keep her tree warm during autumn breezes or play snowy games during winter.  No matter the season the friendship flourished.

One spring morning Maple made not one but two discoveries.  New companions would become part of their world.  At every opportunity Maple offered her best but so did her tree.


In Maple Lori Nichols has created an absolute gem of a character.  Single succinct sentences, placed with care to convey a storyteller's pacing, embrace the reader as readily as Maple does her tree. The use of parenthetical comments adds just the right touch of gentle humor to the narrative. Here is one passage.

Sometimes Maple wished she had someone else to play with.
(The tree wasn't very good at throwing snowballs.)


When you look at the dust jacket and book case, it's hard to conceive the illustrations were rendered in pencil on Mylar and then digitally colored.  There is a subtle softness about all of them; reaching out and touching the pages is exactly what you want to do.  (You also can't help falling in love with Maple either.) On the front Maple is pictured with her tree in the summer.  On the back it's winter.  Maple is hanging on to her tree leaning in the opposite direction.

The opening and closing endpapers are designed using elements found in the story; the former is in two shades of bright lime green, the latter in two hues of a cool light blue.  Lots of white space frames Maple, her tree and the new additions.  It's interesting to note only the lower half of Maple's parents is shown; giving her and the tree center stage.

Maple's red shoes and boots, her three tiny toy friends, the small white bunny, and the birds building a nest in the maple tree and laying eggs are examples of the attention to detail Lori Nichols provides for her readers.  The two page illustration showing the tiny toy friends gathered around one surprise while Maple looks at the other is charming with a capital C.

One of my favorite illustrations is of baby Maple lying in her woven basket, gazing upward with maple leaves framing the page in variations of green and rust.  The quality of the maple leaves on this page (and the others) is astounding.  They look real enough to be rubbings.  You can almost see them flutter and hear the rustling.


In a word Maple written and illustrated by Lori Nichols is wonderfully winsome. (Okay...two)  It's meant to be shared one-on-one or with a group in the same voice as the combined text and pictures; comfortable conversation with laughter and love of life radiating from each page.  Everyone will want to plant a tree, their own tree.

Please follow the link embedded in Lori Nichols name to access her website.  She has a great book trailer there.  Lori Nichols is interviewed at Miss Marple's Musings.  Here is another lovely interview at Frog On A Blog.

  

Teachers, librarians & parents: Maple wants to share this nature craft with YOU! Share the love of nature. #maple pic.twitter.com/mn9qhteMw6
— Lori Nichols (@lorinicholsbook) March 5, 2014

Teachers, librarians, parents & nature lovers: Maple wants to share this art lesson with YOU! Diggin' nature! #maple pic.twitter.com/bH2JiNysEI
— Lori Nichols (@lorinicholsbook) March 3, 2014