Always There . . .

Early the other morning, before sunrise, the moon, a tiny sliver, was hanging above the golden horizon.  Can you see it framed by the still black lacelike tree branches?  That orb in all its phases has supplied this human with a sense of security and wonder never fading over decades. 
 

Fortunately and with gratitude, my canine companion ensures most days begin and end with views of the moon, when it is visible.  Within the past month, two newly-released picture books focus with great beauty on this celestial sphere.  We believe we are participants in the revelation of a secret when reading Moonlight (Neal Porter Books, Holiday House, August 23, 2022) written and illustrated by Stephen Savage.

Something is on

the move.

We are not told what is on the move, but we follow it.  We shadow it as it traverses through a forest of trees and vines.  It boldly and quickly advances.

It seeks the path of a cascading waterfall and the river which catches that water.  Soon, we see it at sea.  There it appears to stow away on different vehicles, one on the water and the other in the air.

With the agility of an acrobat, it leaps from the sky to a towering point and then trails behind a train.  The train takes it from a pastoral landscape to a city scene.  It pauses.

In that pause, we know, for this day, the exploration has been completed.  We are reassured.  A new journey begins anew . . . tomorrow.

For readers and listeners, the first sentence penned by author Stephen Savage is an irresistible invitation.  It is a statement, but also a question we need to have answered.  For the next five page turns, descriptive, alliterative verbs take us from the forest to the sea.  In our minds, the question is still unanswered, so we proceed with heightened anticipation.  Six more page turns take us into a neighborhood.  We wait. Three final sentences give us our answer.

This technique of having portions of a sentence spread over several page turns makes the reading experience more inclusive for us.  We are captivated and curious.  Here are two of the sentence portions.

hopping off on

a mountaintop,

sliding down

silvery tracks,

The artwork on the dust jacket extends flap edge to flap edge.  On the front, right side, past the forest with the tiny bird in flight, a steamship moves to the right.  The moonlight plays on the water.  The title text is embossed in blue foil.  On the back, to the left of the spine, an airplane streaks past a tall palm tree, flying to the left.  From the dark foliage on the left side, the upper portion of an antelope's body is shown.  It is looking to the right.  The spare color palette, black, white and hues of blue are used throughout the book.

The book case is covered in a deep blue.  On the front the same circular shape, the moon, holds the title text.  This circle supplies a background for the words.  It is the blue foil.  The text is the same color as that used for the book case.

The opening and closing endpapers are either a dark, dark blue or black.  Going from the opening endpapers, the first illustration is wordless.  The moon is peeking between clouds in a blue and black sky.  Its light outlines nearby clouds in white.  For the title page, a double-page picture gives us a peaceful sea setting with the mountains and forest off to the left.

This artwork by Stephen Savage 

was created with Linocuts using Speedball water-based ink on Speedball Arnhem 1618 printmaking paper.

The lines made for each double-page image pair wonderfully with the text, fashioning an enchanting mood.  Color choices for each element lead us into spaces and along in the direction the moonlight takes.  We can almost feel the difference in temperature, sights and sounds as the moonlight progresses as it has for ages.

One of my many favorite illustrations is when the moonlight graces the tops of mountains.  The leafless trees, aspens or birches, stand tall like guardians.  Behind them mountain peaks rise and fall. The entire area is covered in snow kissed by the light of the moon.  As the airplane moves to the right side of the page edge, an owl glides between two featured mountains.  In a word, this picture is serenity.  

Without a doubt, this title, Moonlight written and illustrated by Stephen Savage, will be a much requested title by a group of listeners or when caregivers are soothing their children into dreamland.  We could all use the lure of moonlight to lull us into sleep at the end of any day.  I highly recommend this title for your personal and professional collections.  (You must read the two dedications.  I got a little teary at both of them.)

To learn more about Stephen Savage and his other work, please visit his website by following the link attached to his name.  Stephen Savage has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  On his Instagram account Stephen has some art process and some sneak peeks.  At the publisher's website, you can download a fun activity.  At Penguin Random House, you can view an interior image.  At Publishers Weekly, Stephen Savage is interviewed about this title.

In all weather and in all seasons, walking outdoors brings breathtaking vistas for all beneath the moon.  Certain factors can cause the moon to appear larger or to shift in color.  Sometimes there are rings of varying sizes around the moon.  No wonder animals howl at it, perhaps in appreciation.

In this next book, Hello, Moon (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, September 20, 2022) written and illustrated by Evan Turk, readers enjoy a tribute to the moon.  We wander outside with a parent and child witnessing the phases of the moon.  We experience its magical light night after night.

Look! The Moon!

Should we go say hello?

Coats, hats, and scarves now worn by the duo cover them as they stand on a hill beneath the moon.  A greeting is shouted.  A conversation continues between the child and the moon.  The moon is reminded that they will return.  And they do.

On another night, the child notices the moon seems to be disappearing.  The parent says little by little the moon is hiding until it is gone.  They go outside to comfort it in its apparent shyness.

Night after night they walk with the moon as it hides and gets smaller.  Some nights are windy and wild and others are silent and soothing.  On the night of the New Moon, they visit the now shuttered light.

The child encourages the moon to be fearless.  The stars surround it with light.  The child tells the moon, they will keep it company until it begins to shine again.  And they do.

Readers are immediately drawn into this story by the child wishing to greet the moon.  This pure inquisitiveness and eagerness is true and refreshing.  That the child continues to speak to the moon then and throughout the book establishes a kinship with not just the moon, but for all things of our natural world.

Evan Turk in this narrative uses dialogue between the parent and child and child and the moon to explain the phases of the moon splendidly.  The portions of the tale are tied together with the repetition of the title phrase each time the parent and child visit the moon.  Here is a passage.

Hello, Moon!

It's such a crisp, clear night.

I can barely see you, but that's okay.

When we're together,

we don't have to be afraid of the dark.

In looking at the open dust jacket it seems the front, right side, is a single-page picture with a more universal night sky on the front flap.  The entire dust jacket is shiny, but when you run your hands over the moon and title text, the texture is slightly rougher.  (Children will love that. I always directed my students to explore the dust jackets and book cases.)

Including the spine, all the way to the left flap edge is a vast skyscape at night.  The colors are deeper and more varied shades of blue and purple with stars of all sizes, resplendent in the sky.  At the bottom of the left flap and crossing the fold to the back is a rounded black hill.  Standing on this hill is the parent and child, tiny in comparison to the sky.  The parent's arms are raised in joy.

On the book case, beneath a sky more the colors on the front of the dust jacket, the parent and child, wearing red coats, stand, hand in hand.  This sky covers most of the back and front with a snowy portion at the bottom.  There we can see the footprints of the duo.  Stretched across this sky, left to right are eight moons.  Each is in a different phase.  

On the opening and closing endpapers is a deep midnight blue.  A part of a full moon hangs above the text on the title page in a sky with a few stars.  Whenever the parent and child are inside, the hues are warm and glowing.  Outside, the shades are blues, blacks, whites, grays, and purples.  Evan Turk made these double-page pictures

with marbling inks and gouache. 

There are wordless pages throughout the book; some of them are double-page images and others are a series of vertical panels across two pages to indicate the passage of time.  The shifting perspectives in the visuals realistically replicate standing beneath a moon and looking skyward.

One of my many favorite illustrations is of the moon half alight in the breezy darkness.  If you've ever walked in the snow on a windy night among the trees, you will understand the angle of the trees and snowy land as depicted by Evan Turk.  This scene gives a true sense of the speed of the wind.  The trees are leaning to the left.  As they are shown, it is as if the moon is nestled in their branches.  To the right of the trees, the parent and child stand in the snow, scarves billowing in the wind.  The parent is holding tightly to both hands of the child.  (I love that their coats are red.  This ties to the warmth found inside their home, but also contrasts well with the nightly color palette.)

Once this book, Hello Moon written and illustrated by Evan Turk, is read, you can expect many more moon watching excursions taken by readers.  This book offers a lovely explanation of the moon's phases within an affectionate parent and child relationship.  It is sure to inspire further research.  I highly recommend this title for your personal and professional collections.

To discover more about Evan Turk and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  Evan Turk has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website, you can view several interior images, including the open dust jacket.    

Sweet Dreams

As the sun drops below the horizon and the light of day fades, darkness deepens.  For many, animals and humans, it signals a slowing and eventual rest.  This daily slowing and rest happen on a grander scale for much longer when autumn shifts to winter.  For months, the time of light is shorter and nights are longer.  It is nature asking the world to pause and replenish. 

Children are not always eager to rest, especially at bedtime.  They have their reasons, perfectly valid to them, for staying awake as long as possible.  Time For Bed, Old House (Candlewick Press, September 28, 2021) written by Janet Costa Bates with artwork by AG Ford presents a charming nightly routine.  

ISAAC LOVED THE NEW PAJAMAS he got for his first

sleepover at Grandpop's house.  He loved laughing and

playing with Grandpop.  But he didn't love the thought

of sleeping away from home. 

When Isaac said he wasn't sleepy, Grandpop was okay with him being awake.  They did need to put the house to bed, though.  This was something new for Isaac.

Grandpop said they needed to be quiet and move slowly.  They needed to turn off the lights to make it darker.  Isaac was a bit spooked by the sound of Snuffles' nails clicking on the floor.  

Then the trio, Grandpop, his dog, and Isaac, moved down the hallway.  Another sound startled Isaac, but after looking outside he was relieved.  They pulled down the shades at the windows.  (Of what does this remind you?)

Up the stairs they went as the house settled, creaking.  In the bedroom, Isaac's mother's old room, he picked out a story to read to the house.  Isaac could only read the pictures.  When he finished, nestled in Grandpop's lap, he realized Grandpop was sound asleep.  Each thing he did with his grandfather, Isaac now completed within the room until another sound could be heard.

Readers immediately warm to Grandpop because author Janet Costa Bates gives him a compassionate heart.  As he and his grandson move about the house performing tasks to put it to bed, the number of tasks mingles with the trio of sounds to make a soothing cadence.  The blend of narrative and conversation allows us to understand both the boy and his grandfather and their deeply affectionate relationship.  Here is a passage.

Creak. Creak. Creak.

"What's that noise?" asked Isaac. (page turn)

"This old house makes sleepy sounds, just like you," said

Grandpop.  "You yawn.  You stretch.  I bet you even snore." 

"I don't think I snore," said Isaac.

Grandpop shrugged.  "But if you're sleeping, how do you

know?"  He chuckled loudly, then caught himself and put

his hand over his mouth.  . . .

The serenity, security, and warmth shown on the front, right side, of the open and matching dust jacket and book case wraps around readers like a beloved blanket.  The shadows from the soft glow of the lamp further create a cozy atmospheric scene.  Grandpop, Isaac, Bear, and Snuffles are the very picture of nighttime peace.  Look how Isaac has his finger to his lips to quiet the clock's chiming.

To the left, on the back, a circular image is placed on a background of dusty blue.  It is Grandpop's house.  He and Isaac are standing on the front porch waving.  Behind the house the sky is awash in the colors of a setting sun.  This is a cropped version of the double-page picture for the title page.

That visual includes the surrounding lawn and forested countryside.  Isaac's parents are driving down the driveway, his Mom leaning out the window and waving.  Grandpop's blue truck sits next to the house.  The backyard has a high white-picket fence around it.

Snuffles makes an appearance on the opening and closing endpapers on a pale yellow canvas.  In the first, he is walking to the right edge.  In the second, he is curled and fast asleep in his bed on the left.

These heartwarming images by AG Ford rendered in 

watercolor

are two-page pictures, full-page visuals or two or three smaller illustrations grouped on a single page.  AG Ford takes us sometimes close to Isaac and Grandpop and other times gives us a larger view of the inside of a room.  The faces of Isaac and Grandpop sparkle with light and emotion in every scene.

One of my many favorite illustrations is when Grandpop and Isaac first enter the bedroom.  We are given a complete picture of the room.  It has a dresser with a mirror and a lamp and a stack of books on it, an iron bed with a quilt near a window, a floor lamp positioned between the bed and an easy chair with an end table.  An oval rag rug is on the wooden floor.  Grandpop, seated in the easy chair, is holding out a book to Isaac who holds Bear in his hand.  Snuffles is dragging a blanket across the floor as he heads toward his bed.  

Once you've read Time For Bed, Old House written by Janet Costa Bates with illustrations by AG Ford, you'll want to take the same journey around your home each night.  It is a habit worth forming and you'll want to have this book as the last thing you read before drifting into the sweetest of dreams.  I highly recommend this title for both your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Janet Costa Bates and AG Ford and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their websites.  Janet Costa Bates has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  AG Ford has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.   At Penguin Random House you can view interior images.  Janet Costa Bates visits with librarian, lecturer at Rutgers, and writer John Schumacher at his site, Watch. Connect. Read.  Both the author and illustrator are featured at Maria Marshall's site as they speak about this title.

It can never be stated enough.  Having a canine companion exposes you to wonders of the world you might otherwise miss.  You witness enormous rings around a full moon in winter on nights so crisp the air feels like glass.  You are privy to stunning sunrises with clouds catching an array of red, orange, and yellow hues.  Fortunately my furry friend is used to pausing on our walks, so her human can enjoy what the night or day offers.  

Sometimes when the sun is rising on one horizon, the moon is shimmering above another horizon.  The Children's Moon (Scholastic Press, October 19, 2021) written by Carmen Agra Deedy with artwork by Jim LaMarche is a lovely explanatory tale about this splendid event.  Compromise, kindness, and friendship work wonders. 

There once was a time

when the sun alone ruled the day,

the moon graced the night,

and little children were put firmly to bed before sunset.   

And once it happened as the sun was rushing the moon away, she heard a sound which caressed her heart.  It was the laughter of children.  The next time the moon and sun passed each other, she implored him to tell her about children. 

She longed to have them see her, but the sun was not about to relinquish a moment of his day.  He finally told her what the world was like under his brilliance; its places, people, and animals were a thing of beauty.  She in turn told him how the world was under her glow.

Her discourse did not impress the sun until she talked about stars.  He was astonished there were so many others like him that he had never seen.  Together they accomplished something never previously done.

The sun was filled with gratitude.  A request was renewed.   A phenomenon was born.

Carmen Agra Deedy's storytelling skills shine in this story of the sun and moon.  For anyone who has felt pure joy at the sound children's laughter brings, they know its power.  It is this power which forms the basis of this tale of a solar eclipse and the wonder observed before and after each full moon. 

The majority of the narrative is formed through spirited dialogue between the sun and the moon.  It reveals their personalities and how each sees the day and the night.  In this way, they form an eternal friendship.  The word choices in these conversations are lyrical.  Here is a passage.

"Thank you," the sun whispered.

"Now," sang the moon, "will you please-please-please-with a comet on top

let me see the children?"

The sun nodded his fiery head.  "Of course.  But it's a poor trade, my friend.

I've seen the stars."

The shades of blue shown on the matching dust jacket and book case coupled with the sheen of the moon's light depict a breathtaking vision of peace and longing.  It is a two-page image spanning from the left edge on the back to the right edge on the front.  On the back large bunk beds hold three sleeping children, one on top and two on the bottom.  Child-drawn pictures of the sun are attached to the wall.  Coats and hats hang on the bed posts.  A pair of binoculars dangles from a peg on the wall.  The breeze blowing in the open window moves the curtain over the spine and to one of the bed posts.

The dog, on the front, probably holding his cherished tennis ball, has dropped it to gaze at the moon. Animals have a keen sense of understanding that which we cannot.  The moon and the title text are varnished on the jacket.

A bright turquoise covers the opening and closing endpapers.  On the title page, the moon moves quickly across the sky, looking behind her.  She heard the laughter.  The roofs of homes are below her.

Jim LaMarche rendered these illustrations 

in acrylics and pencil on Arches watercolor paper.

Luminescent is a word which comes to mind when you look at each double-page picture in this book.  The use of light and shadow is superb.  The sun's brilliance casts warmth on each scene, whether it is a simple cottage in the country with a family welcoming the day, a meadow, a jungle, a grand city, or a field of sunflowers.  In contrast, the cool glimmer of the moon provides tranquility as the northern lights span from horizon to horizon, owls and bats fly in search of food, and fireflies and plankton give forth their own kind of light.

The intricate details will have readers pausing at each page turn.  They will enjoy the shift in perspectives, depending on the position of the sun or moon.  And they will delight in the facial expressions on both the moon and the sun. 

One of my many favorite illustrations is the two-page wordless picture.  Beginning in the upper, right-hand corner, a peak of a mountain invites our eyes to descend to another range in front of it.  Evergreen trees stand as tall as soldiers at attention.  In front of them are more huge boulders on the ground and a single evergreen tree.  A baby bear is climbing it.  The mother is seated on a nearby boulder.  On the other side of the gutter, to the left, another baby bear is climbing a rock.  They are looking to the left at a gorgeous expanse of sky.  The moon is passing in front of the sun.

As a bedtime story, as an introduction to a unit on folktales or a study of the sun and moon, this book, The Children's Moon written by Carmen Agra Deedy with illustrations by Jim LaMarche is excellent.  At the close of the book is more about "the children's moon" and how to see it, as well as phases of the moon.  There is also a page devoted to Strange & Wonderful Facts about the Moon.  Please make sure to have a copy on all your bookshelves.

To learn more about Carmen Agra Deedy and her other work, please access her website by following the link attached to her name.  Carmen Agra Deedy has an account on Facebook.  Carmen Agra Deedy and this book are celebrated at librarian, lecturer, and writer John Schumacher's site, Watch. Connect. Read.

Northern Michigan was coated in at least five inches of snow Sunday and Sunday evening.  It is currently snowing in spurts between bursts of sunshine with another three to four inches expected by tomorrow morning.  It would seem that winter has finally arrived.  Our morning walks have been quieter except for the crows, chickadees, and cardinals.  Rabbits and the neighborhood fox leave tracks we can now see.

The changing of the seasons and the response of our animal residents is a constant source of fascination.  Winter Lullaby (Candlewick Press, December 7, 2021) written by Dianne White with artwork by Ramona Kaulitzki allows us to see how a variety of animals prepare for winter.  It follows one little bear who is not quite ready for slumber.  Let's join this youngster and his mother on a stroll through the forest.

Cool winds blow through graying skies.

Geese are honking long goodbyes.

Autumn clouds sweep overhead.

Let's go, Small Bear.  It's time for bed.

Small Bear sees a mouse and a chipmunk bounce in and out of view.  If they are awake, why must he sleep?  Mama replies each is hurrying toward their earned rest.  One buries nuts in a snug nook and the other will cuddle in a delicate nest.

As mother and child journey, Skunk and Hare race across a carpet of leaves.  If they are awake, why must Small Bear sleep?  They are playing until Skunk goes below the surface of the ground and Hare slumbers in an empty hollow.

Badger and Raccoon are observed.  Where will they go when it snows?  If they are awake, why must this child go to bed?  Mama patiently answers, naming the homes of each one.  

Small Bear does not want to go into the den.  Mama explains why they cannot remain in the winter weather.  She gives Small Bear promises of future fun.  Cub and mother curl as one.

When you read the words, silently or aloud, penned by Dianne White, you find yourself quietly humming.  Each rhyming couplet acts as a verse in a winter song, a song of silence, an interlude between seasons. An inviting rhythm is made by the back-and-forth conversation between Mama and Small Bear.  In the final pages, when it is simply the two of them, the trust and affection grow stronger as questions are asked and answered.  Dianne White uses the technique of storytelling three expertly when the cub notices two animals three times.  Here is a passage, one of Small Bear's questions and Mama's reply.

Badger pauses in the light.

Where will she spend this frosty night?  . . .

Badger will settle---soon, not yet---

tucked inside her chambered sett.  . . .

The ambience fashioned by illustrator Ramona Kaulitzki for the open and matching dust jacket and book case is one of a serene transformation between autumn and winter.  A single image covers both the left, back, and right, front, of the jacket and case.  A gray and golden yellow sky releases flakes of snow on layered rolling hills.  Snow-covered evergreens dot the hills.  In the foreground two trees, one on the far right and the other just left of the spine, are still holding their golden leaves.  On either side of the spine, a shrub has a few leaves left.  Mama and Small Bear walk through the gathering snow, already in conversation.  The title text and several of the large snowflakes are varnished on the front of the jacket.

On the opening and closing endpapers, a pattern is made with a radiate orange wash.  It is a blend of single snowflakes and leaves.  They both seem to be falling.  With a page turn, we see the title page.  Winter has arrived in the woods, indicated by the snowy view.  Large lacy snowflakes tumble on the already blanketed ground, trees branches, and evergreen boughs.

Rendered

digitally

the image sizes alternate between two-page pictures, edge to edge, single-page pictures, edge to edge, and several smaller images on crisp white backgrounds.  Most of those on the white canvases bring us close to Small Bear and Mama focusing on their affection and intimacy.  The next thing readers will notice is how Small Bear and Mama move through the story to their den.

As they come to a river, Mama secures a boat so she can row to the other shore.  A tiny red bird sits on the edge of the boat.  The animals asleep in their homes are close to the reader as the bears travel past them.  Mama carries Small Bear on her shoulders or under her arm.  They are often holding paws.  What careful readers will notice is that in nearly all of the illustrations elements curve or compose a circle to give a sense of comfort.  It is also interesting to note we see the shadows of geese flying on the opening picture and they are in full color between the text for the dedication and publication information on the final page.  Full circle.

Aptly named, this book, Winter Lullaby written by Dianne White with illustrations by Ramona Kaulitzki, is certain to hush the most restless reader into their precious dreams.  It is a prelude to hibernation for the bears and their forest friends.  It is a book you'll need on your personal and professional bookshelves.

To learn more about Dianne White and Ramona Kaulitzki and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their websites.  Dianne White has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.  Ramona Kaulitzki has accounts on Facebook, Behance, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.  At Penguin Random House, you can view interior illustrations.

A Visit To Our Nearest Neighbor

It was still there, white against a blue sky, early on Sunday morning.  It didn't reappear again until seconds after midnight today.  It's received more attention than usual as people everywhere are commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 first moon landing on July 20, 1969.

Wherever you are on Earth, looking at the moon fifty years later, it's still hard to comprehend traveling 238,900 miles through space to complete the journey there and repeat that distance to return home.  If you happen to be pondering a similar voyage, two best friends, Anna and Crocodile, who readers met in How to Find Gold, are happy to share their latest experiences.  How To Be On The Moon (Candlewick Press, June 4, 2019) written and illustrated by Viviane Schwarz will have you making your own plans for a lunar expedition.

"LET'S GO TO THE MOON!" said Anna.

Crocodile patiently points out the lack of light and people in space and the many, many miles from their home to the moon.  Effervescent Anna thinks all this sounds wonderful.  Then Crocodile reminds her of expertise needed to accomplish a trip to the moon.

Math is highly important; especially the ability to count backward.  Anna successfully demonstrates her stellar talent in this area. The length of time to arrive on the moon requires extreme patience.  Anna's questions and Crocodile's answers to this are not scientific but hilarious, nonetheless.

A formula for sandwiches and speed has Crocodile preparing one aspect and Anna working on the other requirement.  In a heartbeat the duo is ready. As the word one is uttered, they launch.  The first words out of Anna's mouth are:

"Are we there yet?"

An invented game helps pass the time as they float inside the rocket.  So does much needed sleep on Anna's part.  Touchdown completed and spacesuits in place, they take in the sights on and around the moon.  Conversations and contemplations concluded, Anna and Crocodile, inseparable as always, pursue all the world and their imaginations offer.


Told in an excellent blend of lively conversations and straightforward narrative by Viviane Schwarz this story actively engages readers from the first sentence to the final thought.  The personalities of Anna and Crocodile are revealed through their dialogue, indicating the balance between their characteristics.  The exuberance (and sometimes charming frankness) of Anna is met with the willing but reflective considerations of Crocodile.  Here is a passage.

"Hang on," said Crocodile.  "We will need special
skills to go to the moon."

"What skills?" asked Anna.

"Math.  Without math, it will go wrong."

"I can do math," said Anna.

"Can you count backward?" asked Crocodile.

"Five, four, three, two, one," Anna said.  "Zoom!"


The rich black background peppered with stars extends across the front and back of the matching and open dust jacket and book case.  As their conversations disclose their personalities, so, too, does the image on the front of the jacket and case.  We can see the love Crocodile has for the spirited Anna.  Their color of Anna's dress and Crocodile's green-hued skin against the moon accentuate those very elements which make them the perfect pair.  On the jacket the title text is embossed in foil.  Depending on the angle the light strikes it, it appears silver or gold.

To the left, on the back, the rocket ship is pictured on the moon.  Anna has already jumped out, ready to explore.  Crocodile is carefully climbing from the top door.  They are both wearing spacesuits.  The rocket ship is an array of collaged colors and textures.

On the opening and closing endpapers, in black and white, is a scene from outer space with stars and celestial bodies.  A small visual on the initial title page shows a teapot and some board game pieces.  On the formal title page, beneath the text, Anna and Crocodile are playing a board game.

Each illustration, rendered in pencil, crayon, and watercolor, fills a full page with text on the opposite page on a white canvas or for dramatic effect the picture crosses the gutter creating a column for text.  Several double-page pictures, one without words, are stunning in their depictions.  To show the movement of Anna and Crocodile on the moon, two pages are divided into five panels.  This is absolutely wonderful and one of my many, many favorite pictures.

In the first panel Crocodile and Anna are floating slighting above the surface of the moon.  In the second panel they are driving in a vehicle by a crater.  In the third panel they are sliding past that crater.  In another visual Anna is standing at the edge of a dark hole, pulling Crocodile to safety.  In the final and largest panel, they are lying on their backs, chatting and looking at Earth.

The color choices throughout the book mirror Anna's buoyancy and Crocodile's acceptance and affection.  The facial features on both characters along with their body postures are sheer delight.  All the details and design items will have you pausing at each page turn.


Readers of all ages are reminded of the power of imagination in How To Be On The Moon written and illustrated by Viviane Schwarz.  We can see, through this story, how adventures taken in our minds offer us the opportunity to address more important concepts.  I know you'll want to have a copy of this title in your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Viviane Schwarz and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Viviane Schwarz has accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  There is an interior image available at the publisher's website.  You can view other interior pictures at Penguin Random House and Walker.  I believe you will enjoy this video by the Arts Council England where we are introduced to Viviane Schwarz.

An introduction to the author and illustrator VIVIANE SCHWARZ from CLPE on Vimeo.

Under Its Light

By one definition a blue moon is a second full moon in a single calendar month.  February 2018 was a month without a full moon, giving us this March with a second full moon.  On March 31, 2018 a full moon, a blue moon, will light the sky.  It is the second one we've had this year.  It is the last time we will have two blue moons of this type (January and March) until the year 2037. 

With this event occurring only every nineteen years, folklore contains references to superstitions and beliefs attached to blue moons.  Regardless of scientific evidence, educators and parents of children and pets know these individuals are affected by a full moon.  When there are two in a single calendar month, the unexpected is to be expected.  The Boy And The Blue Moon (Godwin Books, Henry Holt and Company, February 13, 2018) written by Sara O'Leary with illustrations by Ashley Crowley follows two companions taking an enchanting nighttime journey.

On the night of the blue moon, a boy and his cat went for a walk.  
Inside their house the light was warm and yellow, but outside it was blue and magical. 

As they are walking the boy pauses and turns to his cat advising him of the special significance of a blue moon.  Their path through a field filled with flowers leads them ever closer to the woods.  As they enter the trees a song rings out from the branches.  What is making this music?

Although the boy explores this trail frequently, it is not the same on this night.  A lake appears in front of them.  Along this shore never seen before is a boat.  Both the boy and his cat climb into the boat. 

A reflection of the blue moon on the water beckons to the boy and his cat in the boat.  Many nights the boy has wished to visit the moon but tonight he puts his whole soul into that same wish. (The cat wishes, too.)  These two friends find themselves transported.  On a blue moon night wishes can come true.

Their exploration of this celestial body is exactly as imagined.  As they rest, the boy holding his cat sees a tiny glow from down below on Earth.  It calls to them as the blue moon on the lake did.  In the morning an assumption is reaffirmed.


From beginning to end, the sentences penned by Sara O'Leary sing like the song heard by the boy and his cat in the book.  They flow like notes strung together in a line of music.  They supply a hushed atmosphere; one where anything is possible.  As the duo gets farther into the woods, you know something is going to happen, something extraordinary.  It builds inside you like hopeful anticipation. Here is a passage.

The trees of the forest
were blue as well, and
somewhere high in the branches,
something was singing.  It might have
been birds or it might have been dragons.


If you open the dust jacket, the path along the fence stretches to the left on the back.  Above the fence on a hill sits the home of the boy and his cat.  Lights glimmer in the windows on both floors.  The starry sky provides a backdrop.  The many layers and hues of blue cast, like the light of the moon, a deep sense of calm and a spell filled with promise.  On the book case a deep, deep blue sky with a few stars spans the front and the back, trees like black lace line the bottom.  On the right the full blue moon lights the center.  From one side to the other a bridge allows the boy and his cat to continue on their journey.  They like the trees are in black.

On the opening and closing endpapers seventeen different small images with shining borders of blue light feature elements from the story like the boy and his cat, a telescope, books on the moon and a pair of boots.  They are placed on a star-studded sky.  The field of bluebells covers the lower third of the verso and title pages.  The cat is standing among them on the right.  A canvas of white above the flowers provides space for the text on both pages.

Rendered in blue inks applied using a water brush pen, gouache paint, graphite sticks, pastels, colored pencils, and Adobe Photoshop the illustrations of Ashley Crowley envelope the reader in the sensory marvel of this blue moon night.  The hues of blue contrast with the white in a stunning display.  The affection between the boy and his cat is evident in their body postures and facial expressions.  Aren't the highlighted cheeks on the boy wonderful? 

Spots of red appear in significant elements in some of the pictures.  The image sizes vary in keeping with the pacing of the story.  Ashley Crowley gives us many breathtaking panoramic views.

One of my many favorite illustrations is when the boy and his cat are paused during their travels.  It covers two pages.  They are standing in the field of bluebells.  A fence goes from the left to the edge of a row of trees spanning toward the moon which rises large and blue above the horizon on the right. Tree silhouettes cover the rolling hill on the right.  Between the trees the white path winds.  You can feel the stillness.


Perfect for anytime but especially wonderful on a full moon night, The Boy And The Blue Moon written by Sara O'Leary with illustrations by Ashley Crowley is sure to be a beloved bedtime or story time treat.  Readers and listeners will be captivated first by the walk taken by the boy and his cat but will be thrilled when their wish is fulfilled.  Get cozy and get comfortable and wander into the magic of this night.  You will want to include this title in your professional and personal collections. 

To discover more about Sara O'Leary and Ashley Crowley and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.  Both Sara and Ashley maintain Instagram accounts.  Sara chats on a podcast at CBC about this title.

Under The Moon's Gaze

Last night was a full moon night.  This moon is known as the Harvest Moon.  This special moon is closest to the autumnal equinox, the time in our year (in the northern hemisphere) marking the end of summer and the beginning of autumn.  This year the equinox falls on September 22, 2016.  On this date we will have an equal amount of daylight and darkness.

As parents, educators and those who share their lives with pets know, a full moon does dictate a change in behavior, in my experience, with children and dogs.  As the sun sets and dusk arrives, going to bed and falling asleep are not on their minds.  They are ready to continue playing...for hours.

One of the most popular of my Picture Book Ten for Ten posts is one listing ten plus one books guaranteed to encourage rest, sleep and Sweet Dreams.  Two titles have been released in 2016 which would make worthy additions to these selections.  They each invite readers into the presence of peace.

Two cherished personalities in the field of children's literature collaborate to bring us The Moon's Almost Here (Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, June 7, 2016).  The blend of Patricia MacLachlan's words with Tomie dePaola's illustrations will rock away all the day's cares easing listeners toward dreamland.  Let's follows along with the mime Pierrot and his child taking a walk.

The moon's almost here!
Robin sings in her nest.
Babies fly back to her,
Ready to rest.

A sheep nods to her lamb, a hen chatters to her chicks and ducklings follow their mother from water to land.  A colt listens to the call of a mare. Calves trail behind their mooing mother.  And

The moon's almost here.

A tiny winged creature takes flight hurrying in front of the night.  In the warm air beetles' bottoms blink.  At home, a pet settles, their eyes fluttering with dreams.  Another curls into a cozy ball of comfort.

A hand is offered for a final look outside.  Two stand, the younger speaking in gratitude to the night life.  The moon arrives casting her spell of sleep in a luminous glow of light.


The choice to repeat the first sentence over and over again, six times in total, soothes the reader and listener. The following phrases rhyme in a lullaby rhythm.  When you read the words aloud written by Patricia MacLachlan they ease into song, a soft sweet melody.  Here is another sample portion.

The moon's almost here.
Mama duck drifts to shore.
Ducklings swim after:
One, two, three, and four.


From left side to right across the spine on the dust jacket, an entire illustration of rolling hills, a countryside farm, depicts all the animals visited by the parent and child.  It's a gorgeous visual of life coming to rest welcoming the moon rise.  Careful readers will notice the change in the title text's color as it gets closer to the rising moon. The varying hues of blue and green with spot color and the white apparel, painted face of the parent and rise of the moon are part of the signature palette of artist Tomie dePaola.  On the book case an interior image of the mime Pierrot and his child going back outside to look at the moon is featured.  A lighter contrasting shade of blue covers the opening and closing endpapers.

Rendered in acrylic on gessoed Arches 150lb cold press100% Rag watercolor paper the pictures begin to tell a story of their own on the initial title page with the parent, arms spread wide, running to the right. On the title page, unlit lantern in hand he moves toward his child who is walking toward him with outstretched arms.  The remaining fourteen two-page illustrations are marvelous depictions of each stop on the duo's nighttime journey.

Each image is like an individual tableau; gazing upward at the fledglings flying toward the mother robin, a baby chick cuddled in the arms of the child as their father lights the candle in the lantern, the two watching the horses and cows through the windows of their home and the child carrying their cat as the dog looks outside.  One of the pictures, the child's bedroom, contains elements of Tomie dePaola visuals, a heart painted on the footboard of the bed and a checked border at the bottom of the page. There is an air of tranquility in each scene.

One of my favorite pictures is of the dog curled up on its bed on the porch.  A ribbon of stars swirls from his left across the gutter to the right.  He is dreaming of jumping over the moon.  The moon has a face with eyes looking upward at the jumping dog.

The Moon's Almost Here written by Patricia MacLachlan with illustrations by Tomie dePaola is a beautifully rendered poetic invitation to bedtime.  Readers can feel the calm from the pages settling around them.  The final illustration is sure to bring on a sigh if not sleep.  Please follow the links attached to Tomie dePaola's name to access his website and blog.  Each is a joyful depiction of the man and his work.




Known for his titles, Oh No, George! and Shh! We Have A Plan Chris Haughton presents readers with another of his colorful gems.  Goodnight Everyone (Walker Books, August 4, 2016 and Candlewick Press, December 13, 2016) is a sleepy stroll toward the best rest.  It's the end of the day.

the sun is going down and everyone is sleepy

Moving from the smallest creatures, mice, to one of the largest, Great Big Bear, each one is sleepy.  They exhibit their condition with yawning...lots of yawns.  There's one though who is not sleepy in the slightest, Little Bear.

No one wants to play with Little Bear.  Each time he asks his animal friends, the mice, hares and deer, they are simply too tired.  He continues to move around ready to play until...wait...what's that?

Little Bear yawns!  Great Big Bear believes it's truly time to end the day in rest.  Each of the animals is visited.  They are fast asleep, gentle snores filling the air.  A goodnight is called to each one.  A final gesture of affection is given to Little Bear.  The narrator calls out to readers and makes one final observation.


With his simple phrases Chris Haughton establishes a reassuring rhythm.  His use of repetition with certain portions of the narrator's remarks asks readers to participate in response. To further engage us, he adds a few new words to each set of sentences.

the mice are sleepy-----YAWN
the hares are sleepy
they sigh
AH----YAWN

In a dreamy use of the number three we visit three animals three times; when they are yawning, when they don't want to play and when they are fast asleep.  The pause in this cadence is when Little Bear engages with Great Big Bear.  This is sheer delight.


If they were to remove Chris Haughton's name from the book case, by the design, layout and color we would still know it is his book. His use of purple, magenta and blues is striking. The inclusion of white in the title text and in the white of Little Bear's eyes on the front and in Great Big Bear's eyes on the back is a pleasing contrast.  I dare you to look at either of these images without feeling your body start to relax.  On the opening and closing endpapers are stunning depictions of first the southern night sky, replete with constellations, on the left and the sun and planets to scale on the right. On the top of the earth is the forest from this book.  On the back the planets and sun are reversed, top to bottom and on the right is the northern night sky.  Little Bear and Great Bear are faintly drawn with the corresponding constellations within their bodies.

On the initial title page Great Big Bear and Little Bear are seated.  The larger is yawning and the younger is wide awake.  On the verso and title pages is a vivid, layered image in blues, purples, magenta, greens, orange and yellows, spanning from left to right with a large white border.  It shows all of the animal groups peeking forth from their special areas.

With a page turn we zoom in on a portion of the title page image.  At the next page turn there is a great deal of white space on the left.  For each of the animals Chris Haughton has designed a small page, a series of three pages imposed on the large right page.  As each is opened the image increases in size.  For the remaining visuals they vary in size to supply pacing, each outlined in a wide white frame with the exception of one two-page illustration.

One of my favorite illustrations of many is of the mice sleeping. The picture takes up nearly one entire page with white space spanning across the gutter to the edge on the right, providing a place for the spare text in purple.  Shades of green fill the image of four mice curled in sleep in their nest.  One of the mice is leaning away from the others, its body resting on the rim of the nest.  The nest is stretched between stems in the grass. Above their heads a dandelion starts to lose its seeds, several floating away.


I can't imagine someone not falling asleep after reading Goodnight Everyone written and illustrated by Chris Haughton. ZZZzzzzz.... Oh, sorry....I dozed off for a moment.  Chris Haughton says at his website this is indeed a book about sleep but also a book about scale.  It is fascinating to read about the development of this book on his blog here.  On both his website and blog there are numerous images.  On the publisher's website is yet another image.

Little Girl...Big Dreams, Big Adventures

If you time it right on a full moon night, sitting on the horizon, it looks close enough to touch.  At the darkest hour, when the air is clear, high in the sky overhead, with little stretch of your imagination, you believe it to be closer than it is.  These are the times when visiting the moon for polite conversation seems possible.

In her debut picture book, Red Knit Cap Girl (Megan Tingley Books, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company, June 2012), author illustrator Naoko Stoop introduced readers to one small girl wearing her signature articles of clothing, who takes the time to nurture her curiosity.  This small child has a deep appreciation for the natural world.  This small child dreams big.

In the forest, there is time to wonder about everything. Red Knit Cap Girl wonders about flowers, butterflies, leaves, and clouds.

What Red Knit Cap Girl wants more than anything else is to talk with the Moon.  To get close enough she goes out on a tall branch and has her friend White Bunny lean out over a reflection on the pond.  These don't work, of course, so she asks another friend, Hedgehog how he thinks she can reach the Moon.

His suggestion of seeking advice from Owl, has her approaching his old oak tree in the darker parts of the forest.  He tells her the Moon is much too far away...

"...but if you want, she will bend down to listen to you."

Now Red Knit Cap Girl must do something to get the Moon's attention.  She gathers her friends Bear, Squirrel, Hedgehog, White Bunny and two little white birds, to plan a festive welcome for the Moon that evening.  Each has suggestions and offers of help.

Perhaps small glows of light will let the Moon know Red Knit Cap Girl is waiting for her.  Paper lanterns are made and hung; the merrymaking begins but is greeted only with silence.  In fact, the Moon seems to be absent from the night sky this evening.  Owl and Nature herself provide the answer to making a big dream come true.


Simple delightful sentences surround readers with warmth taking them into the story of Red Knit Cap Girl and her forest friends.  A mixture of narration and conversation tell the tale.  A gentle childlike cadence, perfected by Naoko Stoop using the structure of threes, summons readers to continue.  Here is a single passage.

"The Moon might like decorations," says Hedgehog.
"I can hang them because I am tall," says Bear.
"I can help because I am nimble," says Squirrel.


Readers immediately notice the unique background on the jacket and cover of this title.  Naoko Stoop uses acrylic, ink and pencil on plywood to render her illustrations. If you open the jacket two separate illustrations, the front highlighting Red Knit Cap Girl and White Bunny in a circle of light, the back with the two friends sitting on a branch looking at a large moon, are designed in pleasing symmetry.  The cover, different, has a much stronger wood background depicting each of the characters at play.

Blue shaded, swirled marble-like endpapers, are dotted with varying round white spots...moonbeams?  The pictures move from double page spreads, edge to edge, to single edge to edge pages and to other single pages with large plywood background frames, elements slipping past the edges to depict movement. Colored hues of the backdrop suggest times of day surrounding the delicate-featured characters.  Stoop shows the passage of time with the ever-increasing size of the Moon's shape.  One of my favorite illustrations is a single page.  Red Knit Cap Girl is seated on a branch with Bear, Hedgehog, White Bunny, Squirrel and the two birds, with a single lantern hanging below, glowing, as they long hopefully for the Moon.


I couldn't have been happier to realize this month brought the release of another title by Naoko Stoop, Red Knit Cap Girl To The Rescue (Megan Tingley Books, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company).  If your view of life is optimistic, chances are you will seize opportunities when others might not.  You will see no danger to yourself in assisting another in trouble.

It's a windy day in the forest.  Red Knit Cap Girl and her friends are playing together. 

As Bear, Hedgehog, Squirrel and White Bunny fashion telescopes, hats and kites from paper, Red Knit Cap Girl spies something clearly in distress out on the open water.  A small polar bear cub is floating on a chunk of ice, having strayed from its home and mother.  Without giving it a second thought, Red Cap Girl makes a large paper airplane glider which she and White Bunny use to bring the wayward stranger to shore.

When the Moon rises in the evening, Red Knit Cap Girl chats with her about finding Polar Bear Cub's family.  As the new day begins, it finds her and her friends busily building a boat to sail across the ocean.  Following the Moon's light, hanging on tight during a turbulent storm and under the guidance of a pair of Orcas, the trio, Red Knit Cap Girl, White Bunny and Polar Bear Cub, journey to the cold north.

New wonders flicker in colored hues across a night sky.  A shoreline stops the boat's passage as all gaze at a world filled with ice and snow.  Is this where Polar Bear Cub will find his family?


It is the innocence, kindness and wondering of Red Knit Cap Girl which shines through in her dialogue with her friends in this story.  The response by them to the goodness she embodies is seen in the narrative.  The bond between readers and this book is strengthened by having each of the characters, the Moon, Owl, Hedgehog, Squirrel, Bear and White Bunny (plus the two little white birds) from the previous title reappear.  Here is an example.

They sail north in search of Polar Bear Cub's home.
"I hope it's not too far away..." says Red Knit Cap Girl.
"Follow the light of the Moon," calls Owl.


On the front and back jacket there is a balanced lightness; the blue sky over the pale shades of golden tan (the plywood) is reversed on the back as Polar Bear floats forlornly in the sea.  It's interesting to note the letters in the title are breezing along with Red Knit Cap Girl and White Bunny as they fly to the rescue.  All the characters are enjoying their paper toys on the cover as leaves float by them.  A variegated mixture of greens with tiny white dots above, color the opening and closing endpapers.

The attractive blend in illustrative sizes seen in the first book is repeated in this title with blues, greens and golds being the more predominant colors. When Red Knit Cap Girl first sees Polar Bear Cub, it is through the circle of her paper telescope.  That same size circle is used to frame several more single page pictures rather than the wide plywood frames used in the previous title.  One of my favorite illustrations is the two pages depicting the storm at sea; stylized pointed waves reaching toward jagged lightning bolts as White Bunny, Polar Bear Cub and Red Knit Cap Girl hold on tight squeezing their eyes closed.  Stoop even gives Polar Bear Cub a paper rain poncho to wear.


Red Knit Cap Girl and Red Knit Cap Girl To The Rescue written and illustrated by Naoko Stoop will not only endear readers to the main character and her friends, but will make us all strive to view the world, appreciate life, through her eyes.  Readers of all ages will find these books completely charming.  I thank Naoko Stoop for bringing these books into the children's literature world.

To learn more about Naoko Stoop and her artwork please visit her website by following the link embedded in her name.  She was featured at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  Red Knit Cap Girl was on The New York Times Best Illustrated Books last year.  I was personally thrilled to discover Naoko Stoop's Etsy shop. For an additional interview with Naoko Stoop about Red Knit Cap Girl To The Rescue at Carter Higgins's blog, Design of the Picture Book, follow this link.

So Close You Can Almost Touch It...

More nights than I can remember when the rest of the world seems to be inside, I've been outside walking with Xena.  On these strolls when darkness is falling or has settled in hours ago, I've been witness to some of the most spectacular moons.  Depending on the weather, the season or the hour, the size and color varies as it shines brightly alone, wrapped in wispy clouds, framed in black-lace tree branches or resting on a horizon.

There are moments when the moon's presence is so large you truly believe by reaching, stretching, your hands might graze its surface.  Adam Rex spins a tale in words and pictures, Moonday (Disney Hyperion) imagining the possibilities on a full moon night.  You never know what will happen.

The moon hung full and low 
and touched the tips of trees.

Riding in the car through the darkness with her parents, a young girl notices the moon's brightness, its closeness.  As they move, it moves with them.  When she wakes up in the morning, she realizes the moon has decided to visit.

Like an invitation waiting to be answered, suspended like a giant ball, it hangs barely above the ground in their backyard.  Her parents stare in disbelief at the unlikely guest.  Boosted up by her Dad and with her Mom's request to keep warm, she explores the nooks and crannies of this celestial body.

Morning does not arrive.  In a dreamlike state the townspeople leave for work, the children enter their classrooms at school.  Only the moon shines in the inky blackness.  The community is wrapped in enchantment by its residence at the girl's home.

A befuddled teacher dismisses her students.  People stumble, mumble and yawn.  At home her parents are trying, without luck, to disguise the moon by covering it with blankets.

A full moon has a pull on the tides.  A full moon beckons to neighborhood dogs.  This full moon needs to follow again and listen to the words, words from an imaginative heart and mind, words from a girl who knows the moon's true place.


In case you doubt the power of words, doubt no more.  Adam Rex weaves an intoxicating fabric with his narrative covering readers with the cozy blanket of belief, belief  in a world where the moon leaves the sky descending to earth.  His poetic, nearly alliterative, descriptions lull readers into its peaceful presence.  Repetition of key phrases circles readers back to the beginning like the shape of the moon.  Comments from the girl's parents bring gentle humor to the story.  Here is a single passage.

It was chalky and cold.

I climbed into a crater.

"I'm going to have a look around."

Mom said, "Okay. Zip up your coat."


The soothing, soft black night of the front and back jacket permeate every page in this title.  The large luminous orb on the front jacket and a smaller version, hanging above the treetops on a hill, on the back side, capture the essence of moon with the practiced eye of an faithful observer and skilled artist, Adam Rex. The all black matte-finished cover with Moonday embossed on the front and the opening and closing endpapers in black welcome readers into the wonders of this night.

The first four pages, the two title pages, provide an overview of the town, at the moon's rising and when it's high in the sky.  Small vignettes surrounded by black, panels framed in darkness, breathtaking two page spreads filled with the moon's fullness, single pages edge to edge and those crossing the gutter combine to elevate the joy found in this magical marvel.  No detail is too small.

A moon replaces the "o"s in the title.  The publishing information is in the shape of a moon.  My favorite illustration (I have many) is when the girl arrives home to find her parents climbing on the moon placing blankets on the surface to hide it; the light glowing through them as if they are shades on a lamp.


Moonday written and illustrated by Adam Rex will make you long for the night, for the next full moon.  It's a stunning story to be read in hushed tones with a voice rising and falling to the rhythm of the narrative.  It's meant to be shared.  It's meant to be shared with someone you love.

Please follow the link to Adam Rex's website embedded in his name above.  Julie Danielson at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast has a post Featuring Adam Rex with lots of artwork from the book.  Adam goes through the process he used in creating some of the illustrations.  Here's a video Adam Rex featured on his blog and posted to YouTube.