An Eye For Adventure

Some say they were blacksmiths for the gods of Greeks.  Others say they were shepherds living with humans.  Those that lived among humans were less than cordial.  (Just ask Odysseus.)  As to their physical characteristics, there seems to be a consensus.  They were large, strong and had a single eye in the middle of their foreheads.

Apparently, they also had a dose of immortality pulsing through their veins.  As Cyclops of Central Park (G. P. Putnam's Sons, February 11, 2020) written by Madelyn Rosenberg with illustrations by Victoria Tentler-Krylov clearly discloses, one is alive and well, residing in New York City.  This particular Cyclops is rather apprehensive, a stay-at-home kind of guy who loves his sheep, all eighteen of them.

Late at night, just before he closed his eye and went to sleep in his Central Park cave, Cyclops counted his sheep.

When Cyclops awakened the next morning, one of his sheep was gone.  It was Eugene.  That sheep would not stay home.  Eugene loved the world.  Cyclops loved the cave.

Knowing he had to find Eugene and save him from all possible harm, Cyclops admonished the remaining sheep, seventeen, to stay at the cave.  Cyclops visited the Empire State Building and stopped at the Guggenheim, but Eugene was not there.  He made Lost Sheep posters to hang around Times Square.  No one seemed to notice when Cyclops searched for Eugene during a Yankees' game.  Where was Eugene?

Cyclops bravely went to a place he knew Eugene loved.  Unfortunately, he was not at the Statue of Liberty.  This one-eyed giant was heartsick, and he knew he needed help.  Back at the cave the flock was ready to assume their roles as super-finders.  Believe it or not, Cyclops and the sheep had an entire subway car to themselves.

At the correct station, the band of eighteen raced to an aptly named ride, the Cyclone, a loop-de-loop, high-in-the-sky roller coaster.  There was Eugene at the tip top, at the front of the first car, and happy as any sheep could be.  When the ride was completed Eugene wanted Cyclops and his seventeen pals to ride the Cyclone with him.  Cyclops had already pushed himself more than he thought possible.  His reply and the remainder of the day revealed the value in embracing more than one point of view, even though, initially, you simply couldn't comprehend it.


Readers will readily recognize and understand the contrast between Eugene and Cyclops as written by Madelyn Rosenberg.  There are those of us who welcome adventure and those of us who feel much braver inside the walls of our homes.  Within the narrative occasional dialogue, word play, and the inclusion of place names involves us more personally in the story.  We are out in the world with Cyclops, touring New York City, in search of a bold sheep.  At the close of the book, Madelyn Rosenberg cleverly brings us back to the beginning repeating phrases with a slight change.  Here is a passage.

Cyclops looked behind the ficus tree and under the bed.
He searched the meadow where the sheep often stood, taking
in the view.  The meadow was empty.
Cyclops bit his nails.  He had explained 1,022 times about
the dangers lurking nearby.  The grass was too sharp.
The carousel was too twirly.  The new restaurant on
Fifth Avenue did not serve spaghetti.


When you open the dust jacket, the scene on the front continues past the spine to the left edge.  The cityscape in hues of blue and the green of the meadow complement each other.  Even though the chances of us seeing Cyclops with his sheep in Central Park are unlikely, artist Victoria Tentler-Krylov takes the impossible and makes it real.  The postures of the sheep blend in perfectly with the dog walkers, bicycle riders and a jogger pushing a baby stroller seen on the left.  None of the beings seemed surprised in the slightest to see each other.  The expressions on the faces of the sheep and Cyclops here, and throughout the book, are fabulous. [I am working with an F & G.]

On the title page the use of green and blue for the text on a white background is engaging and supplies a wonderful space for many of the running sheep.  Rendered

in watercolor and gouache, and completed in Adobe Photoshop,

the illustrations are exquisitely detailed with fine lines and a wash of colors.  You'll find yourself pausing at each page turn to study all the elements.  On the first full-page picture when Cyclops counts the sheep, each one has a bed a bit different than the other sheep.  Their quilts are not identical either.

The next image, a double-page picture, gives us a hint of their living quarters complete with modern conveniences and a large round table.  You'll be fascinated by all the breakfast food and the kiddie swimming pool in their front yard.  In a word, these visuals are enchanting but also fun-loving.

Sometimes we are high above the action, looking at a panorama spread before us.  Other times we are in the thick of the moment with Cyclops.  The reactions of people around him range from treating him like every other person to panic at the sight of him. (Wait until you see the expression on the face of the Statue of Liberty.)  Each illustration, whether on a full page or two pages, is an amazing snapshot of New York City.  You will notice some new element each time you look at an image.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is on a single page.  We are inside the subway car.  The background is white but the items inside the car are vibrant.  The signage is placed in a row along the ceiling on either side.  A street name and map are visible.  The seats are an orange red shade.  The sheep are sitting in them, holding their walkie-talkies.  Curled up, bent over and between them is Cyclops.  He is barefoot, wearing his blue pants, blue and white striped shirt, his furry vest and aviator's hat with a single goggle.  He is carrying a satchel.  He is looking a bit worried and undoubtedly uncomfortable.


As a read aloud, Cyclops of Central Park written by Madelyn Rosenberg with illustrations by Victoria Tentler-Krylov is a first-class winner.  The blend of narrative, dialogue, inventive wordplay and imaginative, whimsical artwork will engage readers from beginning to end.  I know there will be requests of read it again.  This book will also promote discussions on Greek mythology and how different personalities can work to the benefit of each other.  You'll want to have a copy on your personal and professional bookshelves.

To learn more about Madelyn Rosenberg and Victoria Tentler-Krylov and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their respective websites.  Here is a link to a post Madelyn Rosenberg wrote about her ideas and process for this book.  Madelyn Rosenberg has accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  Victoria Tentler-Krylov has an account on Instagram.  Madelyn Rosenberg and this book are featured at KidLit 411.  At Penguin Random House you can view the title page.

Here is a brief glimpse of the endpapers.

Me, opening hardback copies of CYCLOPS OF CENTRAL PARK, gorgeously illustrated by Victoria Tentler-Krylov. Filmed by @WendyShang and sped up a smidge, which is why we sound like Alvin and the Chipmunks. #kidlit, #picturebooks pic.twitter.com/sy0AaaS75s

— Madelyn Rosenberg has a sly sense of the absurd. (@madrosenberg) November 6, 2019

Polite Protocol

Certainly since the dawn of time, elders have served as guides for those younger than they are.  As parents or siblings it's almost an instinctive sense of duty. While most recognize the educational importance of making one's own mistakes, there are some things which must be done with the utmost care given to a prescribed sense of order, a code of conduct.

For whatever reason older sisters take this task to heart especially when it comes to younger brothers. It's a pleasure to present How to Behave at a Tea Party (Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, September 9, 2014) written by Madelyn Rosenberg with illustrations by Heather Ross. Julia's little brother Charles has got a lot to learn; she's just the sister to show the way.

First, you open the invitation.

Overall grubbiness will not be tolerated; attention needs to be given to those places most likely to attract extra dirt.  Proper attire with emphasis on formal and fancy is required.  It would be unthinkable to attend without the quintessential hat.

Certain guests are not welcome at the suitably set table.  Oh...my...it seems those previously uninvited friends have arrived.  Er...it might be a good idea not to eat the flowers or for that matter the tablecloth.  At this point the demeanor of the hostess is deteriorating slightly.

Teacups must be held delicately.  Only certain food will be served with the exception of the dog being allowed his bone. The cornerstone magic words of manners are to be used at all times. Oh...oh...Julia is looking a tad bit more frazzled; her quiet mode of instruction has been replaced with frenzied pleas of can't, don't and no...no...no. YIKES!

Now that all the rascals, Charles, Rexie the dog, the frog and the irritable McKagan brothers, have retreated Julia can begin anew.  There are several teeny, tiny problems when following decreed tea party decorum.  It's too quiet.  It's too orderly.  It's up to the banished troublemakers to put a new spin on the best way to celebrate this time honored tradition.  Bring on the moat maker, the castle creator and daring, darling dragon!


Oh, how I love the way Madelyn Rosenberg uses words to convey the best part of any given situation. She paints pictures of personalities, transports us into best laid plans gone awry and supplies ample opportunities for us to grin, giggle and guffaw.  You can feel the tide turning and the tension building as prim and proper shifts back and forth between hilarious havoc.  Here is a single passage.

You must say "please"
and "thank you".
You must NOT slurp like a moose.
Or burp like Uncle Victor. 


The title is telling readers one thing but the dust jacket/book case front illustration depicts an entirely different scenario.  Clearly this tea party is going to be anything but ordinary.  I can hardly contain my laughter when I look at it.  On the back is featured an interior picture on the pouring and drinking of tea.  Rendered digitally the visuals begin their interpretation of the story on the title page, verso and first page as Julia writes the invitation and delivers it to her brother Charles, innocently playing with his toys on the floor.

As Julia narrates Heather Ross shows readers exactly what is happening.  Charles is not cleaning his ears but Rexie's with a toothbrush and Rexie is cleaning Charles's nose with doggy kisses.  Initially Julia is blissfully unaware which sets the stage for one comedic situation after another.

The wide-eyed looks on all the characters (except the teddy bear who stares like a deer caught in the headlights), small upturned noses and mouths shaped in an array of emotions will have readers in stitches.  Younger readers, who notice the smallest details, will be totally captivated by the expressions and antics of the frog.

One of my favorite set of illustrations is for the text

Next you put on fancy clothes.  Wear a fancy hat.  Underwear does not count as a hat.

As Julia dons a hat and ruffled cape, Charlie and the frog head for the hills.  Rexie is smitten with wearing a pink tutu.  Julia does manage to snare Charlie placing a sailor cap on his head; prompting an outburst of laughter from the frog.  Purple, lace-edged underwear labeled Tuesday ends up draped over the frog's left side.


From the first time I read this book and each subsequent reading, I have had a smile on my face every single minute.  How to Behave at a Tea Party written by Madelyn Rosenberg with illustrations by Heather Ross is an adorable accounting of the misinterpretation of manners.  Sometimes a girl just has to go with the flow...or in this case...the frog. Be ready to hear a chorus of read it again.

For more information about Madelyn Rosenberg and Heather Ross follow the links embedded in their names to find their official websites. Here is a very special link to a blog post titled To Catch a Frog by Madelyn Rosenberg.  Today on Twitter people have been posting the cutest photographs of tea party attire and settings.  Here are only a few.  Follow the hashtag #howtobehaveatateaparty .

Our indy strikes again! Thanks @tnebeker RT: Sandy and I bond over a cup of tea: #howtobehaveatateaparty pic.twitter.com/kpcbNVsZtx
— Madelyn Rosenberg (@madrosenberg) September 9, 2014

Are YOU ready for the Tea Party? Celebrate .@madrosenberg's latest! http://t.co/5LhUrwV39D #howtobehaveatateaparty pic.twitter.com/2zIoxgPonl
— Cece Bell (@CeceBellBooks) September 9, 2014

Out today is a smart, hilarious how-to picture book for your kid: #HowToBehaveAtATeaParty http://t.co/bb1PDIx5lW pic.twitter.com/AK82EyIXn1
— HarperChildrens (@HarperChildrens) September 9, 2014

It's release day for #howtobehaveatateaparty. How YOU would get ready? Hat? Monocle? Other? Show us! Details: http://t.co/rjkDtBhMF6
— Madelyn Rosenberg (@madrosenberg) September 9, 2014

Enjoy the book trailer.  I am about to savor my final cup of tea for the day.

Cloak And Diaper

Show me a child who wants a baby-sitter to take care of them and I'll show you someone who is too young to know the difference.  Once boys and girls reach a certain age they are sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, they are perfectly capable of handling any situation which might arise.  Parents, on the other hand, really never stop thinking you need adult supervision (insert their supervision) no matter how old you get.

Three children, Alison, Jake and Eliza, ages ten, eight and under two, plus one dog named Yeti are about to get the surprise of their very young lives.  The children's mother has taken a new job as an attorney for the law firm of Mathers and Mathers.  Their dad works at the Museum of Natural History.  Nanny X (Holiday House) written by Madelyn Rosenberg introduces the trio (and us) to a pretty peculiar person hired by their parents.

Someone pounded on our front door at 7:29 A.M.

This someone is none other than the new nanny.  She certainly makes a lasting first impression with every member of the family.

What she had was a woman with silver-gray hair, a straw gardening hat with pink flowers, and no smile.  She wore a black motorcycle jacket and a pair of mirrored sunglasses.  She smelled like a combination of chicken soup and motor oil, and it looked like she had borrowed her shoes from a Pilgrim.

Looking the children over from head to toe, she gives a nod and a soft exclamation of approval.  This dear readers is no ordinary nanny.

She knows tiny details about the family no one should know but them.  It's not like she's got eyes in the back of her head; it's as if she has eyes and ears everywhere.  Her lunch packing skills leave much to be desired; anchovies with peanut butter?

Surprisingly enough she meets Alison and Jake at the bus stop after school, pushing Eliza in a stroller with Yeti eager for a walk.  More noteworthy than this, she suggest they hurry to a public hearing on whether to keep Rawlings Park for the youth of the city or build a huge factory on the land.  Alison and Jake had been talking about this with their friend Stinky on the bus just moments ago.

At the rally when the mayor receives a blow to the head with Stinky wrongly accused, the plot and coconut smoothies thicken.  Nanny X and another member of N. A. P. (I will not disclose what this means) along with her new charges seek clues to the identity of the real criminal.  Nefarious minds are at work with big money to be made.

Readers will be turning pages faster and faster as the action moves from person to person, place to place.  There might be a children's book that moos so loud the walls shake.  There might be a GPS bib for tracking the good and definitely not so good people.  With Nanny X and her diaper bag the only thing you can be sure of is every day will be an adventure.


Madelyn Rosenberg uses the technique of Alison and Jake speaking in alternating chapters in this just over one hundred page book.  Through their perspectives the links of the narrative are tied together seamlessly.  Rosenberg has a completely realistic handle on the language and thought processes of sisters and brothers at these ages.  She has her characters tell it like it is which provides for laugh-out-loud moments.  (I've read some portions three times and I still laugh.)  Here is a sample of a Jake and Alison chapter connecting.

Her lips moved, like she was asking the diaper if it was having a nice day.  If Nanny X expected that diaper to talk back to her, then Ali and I had a bigger problem than the mayor turning our park into a factory.

Something told me that even in New York, nobody talked to diapers.  Maybe Nanny X was just smelling the diaper to make sure it was clean.  And her lips were moving because...that helped her smell better?  But I heard her voice.

Here's part of the conversation between the Chief of Police and Stinky when he is arrested.

"I didn't throw that," Stinky said.  "I was just holding it.  You found it in my hand."
"Where there's smoke, there's fire," the chief said.  "Get me a stick.  I want to roast a hot dog."
"But it's true," Stinky said.  "I picked it up because I thought it might be a geode."
"Throwing rocks at the mayor is a criminal offense," said the chief.  "You have the right to remain silent, and we have the right to take you to the police station."
"My mother is going to kill me," said Stinky Malloy.
"You see," said the chief.  "Even his mother thinks he's guilty."


Nanny X written by Madelyn Rosenberg is, in a word, hilarious.  If all nannies were like her, every child would be in line to have one in their home not just for one but every single day of the year.  Guys and gals are going to gobble this up like dessert and ask for seconds.  I certainly hope there are more Nanny X escapades in the works.

You are going to want to visit Madelyn Rosenberg's website to read posts about her process for this title and the book trailer shown below.  Please follow the link embedded in her name.  Nanny X is set for a September 15, 2014 release.

Birdsong, Lifesong

One of the best things about the advent of spring until the first chill days of autumn is the sound of birdsong beginning every morning.  Even as I write this post I can hear the cheerful tune of one of the male cardinals taking up residence around my yard this year.  Our lack of regular rain has been hard on our feathered friends. I find myself filling up the birdbaths twice a day.  They flock and fluff their feathers in the sprinkler stream when I'm watering my gardens.

For decades people relied on more than their musical melody or flash of color to brighten their day; canaries specifically were used to detect gases poisonous for the workers in coal mines. Their unique ability to sense danger prior to its harmful effects on humans was vital.  In her first novel for children, Madelyn Rosenberg (Happy Birthday, Tree!:  A Tu B'Shevat Story) vividly creates possibilities in Canary in the Coal Mine (Holiday House) set in the Great Depression era of West Virginia.

Bitty flattened himself against the back of the cage as the Gap-Toothed Man reached his fat hot-dog fingers through the front.
"Here, birdie, birdie," the man said. "Come on, birdie. Hurry up, now." The meaty fingers opened and closed.  Bitty swerved right, then ducked low. He didn't duck low enough.
"Gotcha."

Bitty, Chester, Alice, Uncle Aubrey and Aunt Lou are some of the canaries living in a cage called the Big House cared for by a miner's son, Jamie Campbell.  Each day they are taken into the No. 7, a coal mine, as insurance against bad air.  None of them have ever known life outside of a cage, never flown in freedom around or beyond the mining community of Coalbank Hollow.  Bitty, small in stature but not in heart, is about to change all that.

After reading a newspaper article lining their cage, an idea forms in his mind, a plan to escape, and a goal, when accomplished, which will better the lives of the miners and the canaries.  Smart enough to be afraid, but strong enough to escape, Bitty finds himself a passenger on a train to Charleston, West Virginia, riding on top of a coal car.  It is there he meets the first of several friends who will help him in his mission.  Eck, one of a large group of mice employed at the Gilmer Inn in Charleston, is a cat trainer, making sure they get the proper amount of exercise each day.

At the Chesapeake & Ohio station Bitty finds a place to rest at the end of the each day with Clarence, a pigeon, his family and friends, company birds assigned to care for humans.  A group of grackles, led by Viper torment and tease, seagulls, Gladys and Phil, making their home in the local dump, offer support and connections, and Dolly, a chimney swift, knows every, well almost, place in town.  Added to the mix is an unwanted guest who followed Bitty from Coalbank Hollow, Cipher, a hawk who loves to taunt before the kill with the haunting words, fee, fi, fo, fum.

As the narrative progresses the tension in the storyline builds momentum.  One setback, and even tragedy, after another plague Bitty and his friends; illness, destruction of his carefully constructed communication, a deadly attack and the horrific happenings on the home front.  How is it possible for one tiny bird to succeed in bringing the inventor of the Whatchamacallit and a bird-loving legislator together? Can a single act make a difference?


As I read Canary in the Coal Mine I found myself gently, slowly drawn into the story.  The more I read the more I became involved in Bitty's adventures and his commitment, developing an emotional attachment to the tale and the characters, animal and human.  Madelyn Rosenberg constructs a world within our world wholly believable through lyrical description, dialogue and Bitty's thoughts.  It is a world populated by beings good and bad exhibiting kindness and cruelty, unexpected heroics and steadfast friendship.  Here are some passages from the story.

"I respect history; I just don't want to be history.  I'm going to make things better.  You'll see."   As Bitty said it, he couldn't help thinking of everyone---the union men, his own father---who had tried to make things better but had ended up the worse for it.
"Do you think you'll be warm enough?" Aunt Lou asked.  She dropped her voice to a whisper. "And Bitty, do be careful of that hawk.  She's crazy as a bedbug.  There's something about her that's not quite right."

The train passed through woodland, other coal camps and a burning slag heap---the waste left after the coal had been mined and sorted.  The houses seemed to get smaller and poorer until there were no houses at all, just a neighborhood of tents that made the Campbells look like millionaires.  One family sat by a fire, but they weren't cooking over it.  A baby wailed, her voice so sharp that Bitty heard it over the chugging of the train.
"Hard times," Eck intoned. "Someone once said: 'If you keep hope in your pocket you will lose it.  It's best to keep hope in your heart.' "

Bitty looked up at the night sky and drew in a breath.  Back home, he could see only a few stars, shining like cut glass on the small strip of sky that was visible from Jamie's bedroom window.  But here?  Bitty couldn't even count them all.  There must be hundreds.  Thousands! He felt as if he could fly up and touch them.  He felt as if he could catch them like the summer fireflies that sometimes glowed from a Mason jar on Jamie's nightstand.


Madelyn Rosenberg was gracious enough to expand on some of the comments left in her acknowledgments and an author's note at the book's end via a series of emails.  Ten years ago when she began work on this story she did do some research but for the most part the story was completed before  she went back and looked further in earnest.  As a newspaper reporter she conducted interviews with miners giving her a background.  Oral histories, newspaper articles from the late 1920s and early 1930s, visits to West Virginia, books on coal strikes and the history of West Virginia, digging into patents and coal mining equipment, all contributed to the historical sense the reader gets from this title.


Canary in the Coal Mine written by Madelyn Rosenberg is a work of fiction which will lead readers to the facts.  It is the quest of one small being, aided by conviction and friends, to make his corner of the world safer, better, for those living there.  It is on the last page of the book, when asked where they are going next, that Bitty utters a single word, a word which expresses the essence of this story..."Up".

Follow the link embedded in Madelyn Rosenberg's name above to gain access to her website.  Here is a link to the publisher website containing an excerpt of the book's beginning and activity sheets.  If you think the artwork on the cover is familiar here is a link to more illustrations by Chris Sheban.

Enjoy the book trailer.

For A Tree, A Gift

You can never underestimate the value of trees.  There's no better place to rest and see the world than high among the whispering leaves. Leaves which having turned vibrant colors are now coating the ground below, providing shelter and warmth for smaller creatures.  Whole worlds live beneath the bark of trees.

From trees we've built our homes, vehicles for transportation, and created works of art upon their paper.  With every breath we take, we owe them thanks.  A Jewish holiday, Tu B'Shevat, celebrated on the fifteenth of the Jewish calendar month, Shevat, is known as the New Year for Trees.

At this time of year, January or February on the Gregorian calendar, it is spring in Israel, trees are beginning to blossom.  Happy Birthday, Tree!:  A Tu B'Shevat Story (Albert Whitman & Company, August 2012) written by Madelyn Rosenberg with illustrations by Jana Christy pays homage to this celebration through the mind and deeds of a girl.  Her young heart is wise for her years.

Joni climbed the tree that grew tall and quiet in her front yard.  

Even though it's the tree's birthday, Joni is convinced the tree is not happy.  How could it even know about this special day?  After singing Happy Birthday in Hebrew and English with no response, she has one of those "light bulb" moments.

She quickly enlists the help of her neighbor and friend Nate, in planning a party for the tree complete with gifts.  With each present, water poured from a watering can, sunshine from blowing clouds away, a rather large cupcake formed from dirt, and a treasured souvenir hung from its branches, the tree seems to be a little bit happier. The perfect gift has yet to be delivered though.

Pretending to be companion trees is a little exhausting for the two friends, so with the help of her mother and Nate, it's off to the nursery.  Step by careful step, the smaller tree finds a new home snug in the ground near the tree in Joni's front yard.  Now the party can begin for all the trees with the best gift of all---the truthfully spoken words of a child.


Madelyn Rosenberg has created a character so vibrant, full of life, you want to jump in the pages and be with her.  Her concern for the tree, for this celebration, permeates her every action.  Joni's friend, Nate, her mother and father are more than willing to offer their support; her energy is so infectious.

A lightness, a cozy warmth, flows through the narrative.  A strong sense of place and purpose is apparent in the dialogue between the characters and in everything they do. A good story is only as good as the choice of words; the way the author uses language.

Here are a couple of examples.

"What else?" asked Joni.
"Sunshine," Nate said.  "Sunshine isn't boring."
They looked up.  Clouds covered the sun.
"Blow," Joni said. Joni and Nate blew and blew until the sun peeked out.

They placed the tree in the hole and gently removed the burlap.  When they were sure the tree was comfortable, they patted the dirt back into place.


According to an interview posted here, Jana Christy works digitally to make her pictures using Axiotron Modbook and Corel Painter, Photoshop and digital collage.  There is a softness to her work pairing nicely with the text.  Splashes of red, yellow, purple, and turquoise help the characters to pop against a watercolor-like background of more natural colors.

Front and back endpapers take a single-page image from within the book, extending it to a double-page spread, suggestions written on the branches encouraging people to help care for our earth.  Christy alters the illustrations' sizes at times bleeding them to the page edge or across the gutter as a background for another.  Smaller images are more casually shaped and framed with white space.  There is notable attention to detail consistent with the book's story; the father arriving home carrying items in two recycle bags.


Readers will come away from the reading of Happy Birthday, Tree!:  A Tu B'Shevat Story written by Madelyn Rosenberg with illustrations by Jana Christy with a new understanding of this Jewish celebration as well as making choices to protect our planet.  It will be easy for them to catch the joy of Joni's views and know they, too, can make a difference.  I highly recommend this for use in the study of New Year celebrations, Arbor Day, or Earth Day.  This is one of those books where the more you know about differences, you discover similarities.

I was introduced to this book by a blog post at Jama's Alphabet Soup.  I'm thinking you might also need a pattern for making hats from newspapers which can be found here and here.  If you want to see more illustrations click on the link embedded in the title above taking you to the official publisher's page.