A Wet Wild Rollicking Expedition

Dogs and children have notable activities in common.  They love to sprint when they should walk.  They refuse to move when they should dash.  They like to dig in the dirt and sand.  They like to walk through and roll around in mud. They are constantly searching for the perfect stone or rock.  One of the most puzzling things is their attraction to water, rain, snow, streams, or lakes, but the merest mention of bath time has them seeking the ultimate hidden nook, far removed from the tub.

When respected and gifted creators successfully collaborate and return, readers rejoice.  The first title,  Bedtime for Sweet Creatures (Sourcebooks, Jabberwocky, January 14, 2020) written by Nikki Grimes with pictures by Elizabeth Zunon, portrays the nighty ritual of a patient parent persuading a reluctant child to go to bed.  In their second book, Off to See the Sea (Sourcebooks, Jabberwocky, January 12, 2021), a child is coaxed into a watery excursion extraordinaire.

"BATH TIME,"

I whisper in your ear.

Those words send the laughing child scampering to hide.  Not to be deterred, their mother invites them to a wondrous place.  Here a waterfall flows from the faucet.

The child is lifted and placed into the newly formed sea.  Mother shouts out a warning.  There might be monsters.  Is that a rubber ducky on the loose?

Squeals and splashes blend.  The child grasps their nose and disappears beneath the surface.  What will they find?  Two tugboats, a gift from daddy, carry mother and child safely over wild waves.

Bubbles still bounce on the surface as a special, floating book is read.  In the blink of an eye the pulled plug supplies an exit for the special, daily realm.  A new routine causes giggles and squirms.  A trio wanders from the room, all knowing the adventure will begin anew soon.

The everyday becomes enchanting through the masterful writing of Nikki Grimes.  She opens the doors of our minds inviting us to swim, dive, sail, and savor the sea found in our imaginations.  Her lyrical descriptions using alliteration supply us with a joyful cadence.  The inclusion of the mother's dialogue makes the story more personal, generating a connection to readers' real-life experiences.  Here is a passage.

Then down, down you go,

slip-sliding 

into a

SOFT-SCENTED

SEA.

"Now, was that so bad?" I ask.

You play pretend and sniffle.

When you look at the matching and open dust jacket and book case, you are greeted with a burst of vibrant color.  Bubbles rise from the waterfall forming from the faucet.  The child is no longer hiding, but ready to move into the sea scene.  This image, on the right, front, of the jacket and case, is a combination of reality and nightly, motherly inventiveness.  To the left, on the back, we move closer to elements from the story.  There are bubbles, tiny fish, another jellyfish, starfish, a crab, shells, flowers, a toy boat, the yellow rubber ducky, and a sandcastle with a shovel and pail next to it.  The shade of color for the canvas is the same on the front and back.  Certain elements on the front and back are varnished.  The first sentence from the book is shown on the back.

On the opening and closing endpapers is a collage of patterned papers.  They are layered in horizontal rows like waves rolling in from the sea.  On the title page, the yellow rubber ducky is resting on the "A" in SEA.  To the left of the text is the empty white bathtub.

The art 

was created using oil and acrylic paint with cut paper collage, marker, and gel pen

by the excellent Elizabeth Zunon.  Each item is placed with care on each page on carefully selected backgrounds.  The pictures span two pages, edge to edge except for the first and last images on single pages. On these visuals Elizabeth Zunon employs a variety of perspectives, enhancing the pacing of the narrative.  The facial expressions on the mother's, father's, and child's faces are endearing and full of warmth.  Affection abounds in this family.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is on a canvas of palest yellow.  Across the two pages in different sizes are bubbles.  In nine of them, acting as mirrors, are the child's face.  Happiness is reflected in each one.  Their eyes are alight with pure contentment.  Their cheeks are rounded from happiness.  In several of them an open mouth indicates shouts of merriment.

In many families, bath time is a habit with rambunctious results.  Through the talents of author Nikki Grimes and artist Elizabeth Zunon, it becomes a glorious, lighthearted romp in Off to See the Sea. This is a book to inspire other original voyages.  You'll want to make sure you have a copy in your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Nikki Grimes and Elizabeth Zunon and their other work, please visit their respective websites by following the link attached to their names.  Nikki Grimes has accounts on Facebook and Twitter.  Elizabeth Zunon has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.  Elizabeth Zunon has a blog here.  Elizabeth Zunon answers five questions at The Horn Book.  Here is a link to a virtual launch for this book with both Nikki Grimes and Elizabeth Zunon at Books of Wonder.

Worth The Wait

Upon waking each morning, many of us have daily ambitions.  Our choices hopefully aim us toward our desired direction.  Although life being what it is, our paths are rarely in a straight line. They are a series of zigs and zags and steps forward and back and back and forward again.

Whether we reach our aspirations for the day, with the fading light and start of night, we all, eventually, crave similar things.  Two autumnal titles draw our attention to this special time.  The first, A Story for Small Bear (Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, October 13, 2020) written by Alice B. McGinty with illustrations by Richard Jones, follows a cub trying to accomplish all that is required so she can receive her heart's desire.

When a late autumn wind

swirled into their den after noontime nap,

Small Bear shivered.  Brrrrr.

Mama knew today was the day to start their winter rest.  First, there was work to be done.  Small Bear needed to help for her wish to come true.  Small Bear had to remain focused. 

Spruce sprigs were gathered to add comfort to their cave.  Small Bear noticed and climbed into her favorite cozy hollow in the spruce tree.  She did not want to leave.  Remember the bitter wind, it blew, reminding her of what the day's end would bring.

There were two more stops.  There were two more tasks.  There were two more distractions.  

Brrrrr.

Small Bear did not want to leave but the icy wind pushed her to find Mama.  Mother and daughter walked to their den.  Inside, Small Bear asked Mama a question.  Her gentle but strong voice beginning with 

Once there lived . . .

was the answer Small Bear wanted to hear.  A promise was kept.

Using a combination of narrative and dialogue, author Alice B. McGinty weaves a tale of family, preparation, and the power of story.  Lyrical, descriptive phrases guide the characters and readers through the final day before a winter's rest begins.  Repetition of specific words and phrases supplies readers with a serene, but at times playful cadence.  Here is a passage.

No dilly.

She knew that's what Mama would say.

Still, she rolled and wriggled and played some more.

No dally, Small Bear thought.

But it was so hard to leave!

The textured, full color images on the open and matching dust jacket and book case ask readers to reach out to the characters, to join them.  On the front, framed by late summer and autumn flowers and leaves, Mama and Small Bear present the perfect picture of parental care.  By placing the bolder colors in the foreground with softer colors in the background, we are drawn into this moment of intimacy within a larger domain.

To the left of the spine, on the back, a portion of an interior illustration is used.  Small Bear is high in a tree, enjoying the acorns.  She has her head turned over her shoulder, watching the sun fading.  Beneath her the words read:

Small Bear wants to play---

but wind is biting,

winter knocking. . . .

Will she save time for stories?

On the pale cream canvas on the opening endpapers leaves in year-end colors are scattered.  The closing endpapers are a reflection of the change in the seasons.  Snowflakes of all sizes fall on a light turquoise background.  A close-up of a meadow scene with a bunny and a bird is placed between the text on the title page.

Rendered

in acrylic and watercolor paint and edited in Adobe Photoshop

the illustrations by Richard Jones highly complement the text, elevating it in realistic, soothing, and marvelous scenes.  We are treated to double-page pictures, edge to edge, full-page images with rounded corners and some elements breaking the frame, smaller visuals in unusual shapes or gathered in geometric forms on two pages to provide pacing.  Perspective is altered to place the characters in their proper settings, but we are never far and sometimes very close to Small Bear and her endeavors.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is a double-page picture.  Small Bear is swimming in the river.  On the left the river winds between two shores, one filled with meadow flowers and the other a small grove of trees.  Mama is ambling to the left in the trees.  Close to us on the right Small Bear moves her paws splashing.  Water birds take flight above her.  The sky mirrors the time of day.

Play comes naturally for this little bear, but the words of her mother guide her toward her one wish before they sleep.  The strength of tale-telling rings true in A Story for Small Bear written by Alice B. McGinty with artwork by Richard Jones.  For a quiet time, bedtime, discussing the benefits of sharing tasks, or for the changing seasons, this book is one you will want to have on your personal and professional bookshelves.

To learn more about Alice B. McGinty and Richard Jones and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their websites.  At Alice B. McGinty's website is a parenting guide to use along with this book.  At Richard Jones' website he has pictures from the book for you to see.  Alice B. McGinty has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Richard Jones has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At a publisher's website you can see the opening endpapers, the verso and title pages, and the first two pages.

Some of those things we hold closest to our hearts are as varied and individualistic as we all are.  Others are daily moments we share in common with a multitude of people.  It is in those common hours we find what makes us a part of a larger whole.  Mr. Brown's Bad Day (Candlewick Press, Nosy Crow. November 10, 2020) written by Lou Peacock with illustrations by Alison Friend is a comical and ultimately endearing day in the life of a distinguished tiger gentleman.

Mr. Brown was a very important businessman.

He always carried a very important briefcase,

and he worked in a very important office.

Mr. Brown made numerous financial decisions daily.  He was in and out of meetings.  Every minute was packed with very important activities.  Regardless of the hustle and bustle of working in the very important office, Mr. Brown never missed taking a break for lunch and bringing his very important briefcase with him.

One day as Mr. Brown was seated on a bench in the park eating his lunch, he did not see a baby grab his very important briefcase and take it away.  When he discovered it was missing, he was frantic.  Luckily, he saw the baby with the briefcase.  He followed it at a brisk walk.

In a quirk of fate, the very important briefcase was snagged on the cart of an ice cream peddler.  As the peddler paused his bicycle, Mr. Brown thought he was getting close to his very important briefcase. Yikes!  The very important briefcase is on the move again courtesy of a student on a field trip.  Every time Mr. Brown gets near his very important briefcase, it moves.  Dapper Mr. Brown is getting very frazzled.

Mr. Brown's day is not good.  Finally, looking worse for the wear, Mr. Brown catches up to the students and their teacher, roaring about his very important briefcase with invaluable items inside.  In the dark Mr. Brown walks home with his cherished possession and its contents.  Once there, he checks inside his very important briefcase.  Time for bed, Mr. Brown.

The sheer fun of this book by author Lou Peacock is how she wraps readers into the wild chase of Mr. Brown trying to retrieve his very important briefcase.  The use of the words very important and the words fortunately and unfortunately repeatedly generates hilarious tension.  We are so involved in the retrieval of the briefcase; the conclusion is the sweetest of surprises.  The blend of text and dialogue is exactly right bringing us deeper into Mr. Brown's dilemma.  Here is a passage.

Fortunately for Mr. Brown, the line was moving quickly  . . .

but unfortunately for Mr. Brown,

when the schoolchildren got off the ride,

they took Mr. Brown's very important

briefcase with them.

And then they went to catch the bus.

When readers look at the open and matching dust jacket and book case, they see from left to right a foreshadowing of events to come.  Against the blue building on the city sidewalk is the teacher and three students.  The teacher is a smartly dressed zebra with a kitten and alligator youngster trailing behind her.  On the front the pup is trying to warn Mr. Brown about the next disastrous step he is about to take.  There are three pigeons, two in flight, on the back.  As if the banana peel is not bad enough, notice the fourth pigeon above the W in the title text.  All the elements on the front of the dust jacket except for the sidewalk and building are varnished.

In lighter hues of blue, lightly shaded and outlines of buildings provide readers with a view of Mr. Brown's city on the opening and closing endpapers.  Light clouds, nearly like fog, cover the blue sky.  On the initial title page are three pigeons resting on the ground, looking for food.  On the formal title, verso and dedication pages, the cityscape is in the background.  Vehicles and city inhabitants move down the street and on the sidewalk.  Mr. Brown walks toward the right side of the double-page picture.  The author's and illustrator's names are placed on the side of a truck like a business name.

Mixed media

illustrations by Alison Friend cheerfully and humorously depict every portion of Mr. Brown's day.  The animals are highly animated with facial expressions revealing their moods.  Full-color images span two pages, single pages and sometimes two horizontal pictures are on a single page.  Readers will find themselves looking for extra details and additional pastimes within the visuals.  Alison Friend alters the perspective in keeping with the narrative as when Mr. Brown and others are standing on the ground looking up at the Ferris wheel ride as his very important briefcase goes higher and higher.  It is as if we are seated on the Ferris wheel looking down.

One of my many, many favorite pictures is a two-page picture when Mr. Brown is pursuing the baby elephant who picked up his briefcase.  The park path winds across from the upper left-hand corner to the lower, right-hand corner.  Mr. Brown is walking across the bridge in the upper, left-hand corner.  Along the way all kinds of children and their parents are engaged in a variety of pursuits.  A dropped ice cream cone (the baby elephant's) is being consumed by pigeons.  An alligator is soaking its feet in the park pond.  You can't look at this picture without smiling.

This book, Mr. Brown's Bad Day written by Lou Peacock with illustrations by Alison Friend, is a day to remember.  We come to understand through a delightfully funny series of mishaps why the very important briefcase has that designation.  I know readers will want to read or hear this book again and again.  I highly recommend it for your professional and personal collections.  Good night.  Sweet dreams.

To learn more about Lou Peacock, the link attached to her name takes you to the Nosy Crow page dedicated to her.  The link attached to Alison Friend's name takes you to her agency page.  Alison Friend has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website and Penguin Random House you can see interior images.

Shenanigans And Slumber

Regardless of the continent, country or community, it is a routine repeated daily.  When parents are ready to rest, their children are not sleepy.  You would think after a day of nearly non-stop action the children would be tired, but the opposite is true.  The words, it's time for bed, are akin to a super surge of energy for little gals and guys.

They will say and do anything to avoid going to bed. Bedtime for Sweet Creatures (Sourcebooks, Jabberwocky, January 14, 2020) written by Nikki Grimes with pictures by Elizabeth Zunon is a story of patient parental persuasions.  It is a story of the enchantment of love renewed each evening.

 NO! NO! NO!

A child shouts as soon as their mother calls them to bed.  Employing a new tactic, mimicking the call of an owl, the child wants to know who has to go to bed.  In reply the mother carries the child's teddy bear to their bed believing the child will follow.  The child runs, climbs on the bed and sounds not unlike a bear.

Now beneath the covers the child cowers and speaks in a whisper, fearful.  Like a triumphant declaration, the mother calls out her assurances.  Further putting off the inevitable, the child implores like a king of beasts for Mother to look under the bed.

Now is the time for stories.  The child, motionless like an animal waiting, listens and then settles in for the wonder of once upon a time.  Even though the child is nestled deep under the blankets, they are restless and nervous as an animal who sleeps in nests among the trees.  Leaping up, they hug their mother one more time, clinging like a koala. 

Each time the mother utters a sentence the child acknowledges her words by portraying, in the mother's mind, a well-known animal. Two final ploys and the child runs to bed.  Or do they? Wishing for sleep, the mother and father, now in their bed, hear a final but familiar sentence softly said.  Who is with them now?


No matter how many times you read this book, these wonderful words, written by Nikki Grimes, you'll find yourself hugging it at the end.  You'll want to put it under your pillow.  Having the story told by the mother is perfection.  Her combination of narrative and spoken words is as if she is telling her child this story the next day or as far in the future as when the child is now an adult.  Most important is the strong undercurrent of deep affection found in the words used by Nikki Grimes.  Here is a passage.

You yawn
and grind
your teeth like a
SQUIRREL,

ready to nibble the night.

"I'm 
not sleepy."
you tell me.

I smile and
tuck you in tight. 


The image shown on the open and matching dust jacket and book case spans from the back, the left edge, over the spine to the front, the right edge.  It is a majestic depiction of a tiger, bear, lion, fawn, koala, owl and a portion of a wolf.  The brilliant array of eye-catching colors and blend of realism with the culturally patterned animals is absolutely stunning.  The stars on the rich deep blue, with the crescent moon, mirror those found in our night skies, some forming constellations.

On the opening and closing endpapers is a repeating pattern of five vertical stripes of paper.  They are in shades of blue with some green, gray and gold.  They represent the many moods of the story and of the night. (They appear again as the fabric for the parent's quilt.)  On the title page, the animal featured is the back portion of the tiger.  It's a continuation of the tiger from the back of the jacket and case.  The varnished title text, moon and some stars shown on the jacket is repeated here.

Rendered

using oil and acrylic paint with cut paper collage, marker, and gel pen 

the pictures by Elizabeth Zunon shown as full-page illustrations at the beginning and end and double-page visuals throughout the book present realistic characters and settings.  The inclusion of the animals, life-size, is a striking contrast.  Elizabeth Zunon's color choices are complementary.  Each illustration elevates the text, sending the lyrical words out to wrap around readers in warmth.

One of my many, many favorite images is when the mother is carrying the child's teddy bear in her hand and walking down the hallway toward the child's bedroom.  As a background for most of the double-page picture, except for the wood floors along the bottom, an elegant wallpaper is shown in hues of dark blue.  The mother is striding along, wearing a lighter blue top, pink bottoms and blue slippers with white pom-poms.  She is on the left side.  On the right side is the toddler in their red pajamas running with an arm outstretched.  Between the background and the mother and child is the bear.  It's enormous; spanning from two-thirds on the left to a little more than half on the right.  It, like all the animals, is contented and walking.  It is colored in shades of blue, turquoise and a spring green.  The pattern on its body looks ancient.


This book, Bedtime for Sweet Creatures, written by Nikki Grimes with pictures by Elizabeth Zunon is a work of art.  It presents a timeless story through a fresh perspective.  I highly recommend it for your personal and professional libraries.  (On a more personal note, when I visit my hair stylist, I always talk about books with her, even bringing titles to show her.  Yesterday, she was telling me about a book her daughter picked out at the public library.  They have read it multiple times and loved it.  It is this book.)

To learn more about Nikki Grimes and Elizabeth Zunon and their other work, please visit their respective websites by following the links attached to their names.  Nikki Grimes has accounts on Facebook and Twitter.  Elizabeth Zunon maintains accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Then. Now. Every Day.

Most nights near midnight when stepping outside for a final walk with my canine companion, the stillness is absolute.  There is not a breath of air stirring through the evergreen boughs or shaking now leafless branches in the trees. There is no birdsong and the owls are not yet hooting.  In this serenity with closed eyes, the only sound is the steady beating of my heart and the rhythm of my breath going in and out.

These moments are enchanting and filled with promise.  In her first picture book, Long Ago, on a Silent Night (Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., September 3, 2019) author Julie Berry tells the story of the birth of a baby thousands of years ago which is commemorated each year at Christmas.  She weaves into this the present-day birth and infancy of a mother's first child.  Powerful, gorgeous illustrations by Annie Won cast a celestial glow on every word.

Long ago, and far away,
A baby was born on Christmas Day.
Shepherds knelt and angels sang
Till the night sky with rejoicing rang.  . . .

A mother feels the same rejoicing as she looks at her firstborn.  She believes as the mother long ago, a new child is a precious gift.  All those tender moments shared thousands of years ago are shared now.  A soft song soothes. 

It is said at the birth all those years ago, the animals, out of love for the boy, began to speak.  Perhaps at midnight every year, they still do.  This new mother and her husband speak with love, too.  They learn to experience life through the expressions of their new baby.  Then, as others sought the birth of

A prince of peace, a chosen one,

so, too, do the elders of this new baby.

This new child takes the everyday and makes it extraordinary.  As the days passed then and as they pass now, they and the child living in them are cherished.  No act is too small.

On that night thousands of years ago, those in attendance knew themselves to be in the presence of one sent from heaven.  Our narrator, believes her child is from heaven, also.  (Do not all mothers know this to be true?)  As the final written words are read, a great happiness wraps around you.


Like a carol the words written by Julie Berry softly sing out and envelope your soul.  Her words paint pictures as surely as an artist does with a brush.  Her rhyming phrases deftly bring the past into the present with eloquence.  For each series of sentences describing the birth long ago, she follows these and pairs them with realizations of the mother in the present.  By repeating Long ago we not only are reminded of the past, but this leads us to the wonderful final six lines.  Here is a single passage.

Long ago, on a silent night,
Travelers followed a new star's light
Bearing gifts of love to welcome a child
Who would one day calm a tempest wild,
And teach mercy and gentleness as he grew.

My love, you're a gentle teacher, too.


Breathtaking is a word that comes to mind when you look at the open dust jacket.  On the front illustrator Annie Won places the present-day mother holding her new child, eyes closed in love, contentment and gratitude.  The window curtain billowing with a gentle breeze is like a shawl.  The royal blue sky perfectly highlights the stars, text, mother and her child. I love the child's gaze looking out at us.

On the other side of the spine, but still appearing as an extension of the front image, is Mary holding Jesus.  The architecture of the building behind them seems to be part of the curtain with its angle and curves.  The sky is lighter at the horizon, but a large star seems within the grasp of mother and child.  In the lower, left-hand corner there are slightly rolling hills and some grass.

On the book case there is another stunning display of the past and present mingling.  On the left an enormous star shines among others.  This depiction is presented as part of a star from long ago on the right.  Beneath this starry cluster on the left is a bridge and cityscape in the present.  On the right, high on a rocky cliff, is a tent with a fire blazing in front of it.  Three travelers and several camels are also present.  Underneath the ledge are three gifts.  This is the first of several illustrations with the Magi.

On the opening endpapers the three men are traveling across an ocean on the left at night toward the present-day cityscape on the right.  Their vessel is ancient.  One is holding a map.  The huge star sits over the city.  Clouds billow into the sky at the horizon.  On the verso an image of a snow globe with the Holy Family is placed between the present-day child's teddy bear, tiny shoes and Christmas ornaments.  Light from this moves across the gutter to the title text.  In not wanting to spoil the reading for others, I will say nothing of the closing endpapers except to say, I think they are brilliant.

Each illustration, a two-page masterpiece is a glorious presentation, an enhancement and expansion of the text.  Some of the images shift perspectives from one point to the next in the present and in the past.  Others focus close to the child now.  In all of them are exquisite details welcoming you to pause on every page turn.  In each picture there are stars.  The symbolism embedded in some of the visuals is stunning.  You could frame each and every one of these pictures for display in a gallery. 

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is on a crisp cold December day in the present.  On the left snow and frosty lace cover the page.  On a branch from the top left side to the right side, sit two rose-breasted grosbeaks.  They are looking to the right.  A third rose-breasted grosbeak, wings a flutter, looks to the right also.  The frosty lace frames a window on the right.  Through the window, we see the father holding his child and the kitten.  The mother is next to them. The child hugs his teddy bear.  These beings fill the frame.  Their facial expressions are full of love and joy.  A golden light shimmers in this scene, along with a scattering of stars. 


This book, Long Ago, on a Silent Night written by Julie Berry with illustrations by Annie Won is a lovely, luminous look at the love of a mother for her newborn child.  In an author's note and illustrator's note on the verso (dedication and publication information) page, we know the depth of these creators' commitment to bringing a title filled with joy to readers. In this, they have accomplished their desire.  This is a title for your personal and professional shelves to be read and shared for years to come.

To learn more about Julie Berry and Annie Won and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their respective websites. Julie Berry has accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  Annie Won has accounts on Facebook and Instagram. 

Lost And Found, It Goes Around

There will be times, more often than not, when in a given situation individuals will be expected to act in a specific manner.  Action may be taken as expected but sometimes the best choice, the right choice, is unforeseen.  It is surprising to all those involved.

Even in the world of animals there are cases of unlikely alliances, some lasting a lifetime.  Pup and Bear (Schwartz & Wade Books, October 3, 2017) written by Kate Banks with illustrations by Naoko Stoop is a tender story of maternal instincts determining choice.  In the harsh world of the Arctic it can be the difference between life and death.

WHOOSH!
When the great gray owl swooped down,
screeching whoo-whoo,
the Arctic wolves knew that the Big Freeze
was on its way.

Shelter was sought in order to survive the bitter cold, raging winds and snowy drifts.  With the passage of time, the beginning of a new season caused the ice to melt and break apart.  A wolf pup was adrift on a piece of ice, separated from the pack.

After sliding into the water, swimming and swimming, he reached land, exhausted.  Curled up in a ball, he slept.  He was awakened by a polar bear.  She was not the mother he wanted but the polar bear told him to have faith, taking him to her den.  Her promise of food and warmth assured him.

For them it was not all food gathering and snuggling in the den but play and discipline too.  The pup grew into an adult, no longer needing the polar bear.  Another winter came in the Arctic wilderness.  The wolf had his own pack now, no longer alone.  One bitter day this wolf discovered a polar bear cub, alone without a mother.

This was not the mother the polar bear cub wanted but the wolf told the baby to have faith.  Once again a promise of food and warmth was given.  A life for a life . . . was repaid.


As you read the words penned by Kate Banks you become deeply attached to the events unfolding in this story.  The severe climate in the Arctic vividly described and the loss of mothers for the wolf cub and polar bear cub are dangerous situations in which readers will feel an immediate compassion. Kate Banks repeats key phrases and dialogue creating a storytelling rhythm linking the two children and their adopted protectors together.  This is the beauty of this tale; the universe, Mother Nature, supplying a balance.  Here are several passages.

The pup was shy and frightened.
"Aren't you going to eat me?" he asked.
"Polar bears eat wolves."

"Not this one," said the polar bear, shaking her head.
"Climb on my back, and I will take you to my den."


When you look at the front, right, of the unfolded, matching dust jacket and book case, the gentleness of the polar bear female wrapping her body protectively about the wolf cub envelopes you.  The simplicity of this scene is intrinsically powerful. The sky and wintry landscape continues over the spine to the back on the left.  These words are in the sky:

"I am not your mother," said the polar bear,
"but I can cuddle you and keep you safe."

The scene spans to the edges of both flaps.

On the opening endpapers heads lifted and howling to the snowy sky is a pack of five Arctic wolves.  The predominant color is green.  A family of polar bears on a blue and snowy background strides into the snow on the closing endpapers.  The verso and title pages are a soft black.  Blue and white evergreen trees span from side to side.  The text is in white.  This is a stunning presentation.

Naoko Stoop rendered these breathtaking visuals using acrylic paint, ink, pencils, and pastels on plywood, and digitally finished them.  Each page turn reveals a double-page picture, a grouping of smaller illustrations or single-page images.  They enhance the poetic pacing.  Emotions are conveyed in the perspectives employed.

One of my many favorite illustrations is on a single page.  A large frame of white with a blue wash fashions a loose oval border around a small picture.  A blue-green sky blends into a tan and white ground.  Upon this walks the great mother polar bear leaning down to the small gray wolf cub.  It is the ultimate visual of maternal affection.


Author Kate Banks and illustrator Naoko Stoop have given children's literature a luminous look at how creatures protect one another when given the opportunity in the right conditions.  Pup and Bear is memorable and moving.  I highly recommend this title for all collections, professional and personal.

To learn more about Kate Banks and Naoko Stoop and their other work, please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.  They both maintain blogs in addition to their websites.  Their Twitter accounts are here and here.  To view interior pages in this title visit the publisher's website.

A Nighttime Game

There's heightened excitement when familiar childhood games are played as dusk is spreading throughout a neighborhood.  You can hear it in the whoops and laughter of the children.  The new lighting changes everyday objects into otherworldly shapes.  It's much easier and a whole lot more fun to conceal yourself from others.

In the newest title featuring a loving mother bear and her lovable cub a setting sun signals the start of a new adventure.  First introduced to us in Baby Bear Sees Blue (Beach Lane Books, February 7, 2012) and returning in Baby Bear Counts One (Beach Lane Books, September 24, 2013), the duo have returned in WHERE, oh where, is baby bear? (Beach Lane Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, October 17, 2017) written and illustrated by the talented author illustrator Ashley Wolff.  Playfulness and patience radiate from the pages.

One by one, bats fly out of the deep, dark den.
"Where are they going?" asks Baby Bear.
"They are going to look for food," says Mama Bear.

Baby Bear immediately requests to participate in a nighttime exploration to look for food, too.  Mama Bear agrees willingly.  As soon as she steps out of the den, Baby Bear is nowhere to be found.  She calls for him using the title words.  He joyfully replies:

"Here I am, Mama," says Baby Bear.
"Inside the mossy log." 

Soon Mama Bear finds tasty berries but when she pauses in her eating Baby Bear has vanished again.  When she shouts out the expected phrase, he replies from above her.  He has climbed a birch tree and is hanging from a branch.

Mama Bear finds a fresh trout, cool drinking water and delicious dandelion greens.  Baby Bear manages to hide in all those places.  He cleverly locates himself behind, between and on top of various natural formations. 

Finally full of fresh fare, the mother suggests they walk toward home.  Their path winds around all the areas they have visited.  Back at the den, in a gentle, soothing reversal, Baby Bear has a question.  Mama Bear replies with comforting words as old as time.


With every narrative sentence and conversation Ashley Wolff draws readers into the world of Baby Bear and Mama Bear.  If we close our eyes, we find each adjective and verb supplies us with a picture of their home and the surrounding landscape.  Her word combinations and repetitious phrases create a lullaby, a melody of calls and responses.  Along with being introduced to a variety of prepositions we come to understand the typical menu of a foraging adult bear and the places containing those particular items.   Here are three more sentences.

Mama Bear chews a mouthful of dandelions.
But when she looks around,
Baby Bear is nowhere in sight.
"Where, oh where, is Baby Bear?" calls Mama.


When looking at the open matching dust jacket and book case, it's easy to see the light-hearted spirit of Baby Bear shining nearly as bright as the full moon behind him.  To the left, on the back, Mama Bear, dandelion blossoms and leaves in her mouth, gazes up at Baby Bear with affection.  The deep blue sky with the sprinkling of stars makes for a splendid canvas on which to place the bears.  The chipmunk is the first of many woodland, pond, river and field creatures who share the night with Baby Bear and Mama Bear. This large image is similar to an interior picture with one discernible difference.

The opening and closing endpapers are a light, bright blue.  On the title page an owl flies near the opening of the den.  Beneath him a log is partially covered in mushrooms, moss and ferns.  A frog watches the bird cautiously. 

Rendered by

 printing linoleum blocks in black on Arches Cover paper and then hand-colored with watercolor

the illustrations, with the exception of the title and verso/dedication pages, span two pages. (The verso/dedication page is at the end and features the owl again.)  Each image reflects the time of day with the hues used in the sky.  Exquisite, fine lines supply readers with captivating scenes around the den.

In each picture Ashley Wolff has added flora and fauna appropriate to the habitat.  Readers will enjoy looking for the plants and animals as well as catching glimpses of Baby Bear as he hides.  A pleasing pacing is generated with changes in point of view.  When Mama Bear notices her cub is missing the scene is more panoramic.  When she finds him, we are closer to them.  In one lovely illustration we are able to see the entire expanse of where they roam during their evening journey.

One of my favorite of many pictures is when Baby Bear is found in the birch tree.  The stars are not quite out yet.  A hint of golden yellow can be seen along the bottom, left side of the page.  On the left Baby Bear is hanging upside down from a birch branch looking over his shoulders at Mama Bear.  On the right she is looking up at him.  Smaller branches covered with birch leaves frame the bears and balance the design on the top of the right side.


To have this book, WHERE, oh where, is baby bear?, written and illustrated by Ashley Wolff, released this fall is like getting an early Christmas present.  It was at the end of my post on the second title that I wished for another Baby Bear and Mama Bear adventure.  Each book is as endearing as its predecessor.  Each one reaches out to readers enveloping them in warmth and, without them knowing it, teaching them new concepts.  You need to have this title on both your professional and personal bookshelves.

To learn more about Ashley Wolff and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  You really need to visit her blog here to enjoy a full range of artwork.  At the publisher's website you can enjoy interior images.

Food For Body and Soul

Many believe cooking to be an art form as well as a labor of love.  Regardless of how simple or complex the dish being prepared is, the quality of the ingredients contributes to the sensory results; the way it looks, smells and tastes.  No two people, even when following the same recipe will achieve the same outcome.  Not everyone knows about the secret ingredient.

With the winds howling outside here in southern Michigan and the promise of rain and possibly snow in the air, there's no better time to create comfort food in the kitchen.  A little more than seven years ago, author illustrator Melissa Iwai gave us Soup Day (Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt and Company, September 28, 2010).  In this title a little girl and her mother venture out from their apartment in the city into the snowy weather to visit the local market.  Once there they select the vegetables with the most vibrant colors and appropriate shapes, vividly described for readers.

Home again the vegetables are cleaned and chopped into particular shapes; squares, circles, and cubes are placed in the pot to saute.  Step by step a story of cooking and playful waiting unfolds.  Upon the arrival home of the father in the evening, the three sit down to a dinner of homemade soup topped with confetti made of parsley.  The title closes with the inclusion of the Snowy Day Vegetable Soup recipe.


Today, October 31, 2017, Halloween, readers receive another treat, the release of Pizza Day (Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt and Company) written and illustrated by Melissa Iwai.  Just the mention of the word pizza brings to mind memories of shared meals with friends and family as slices of this deliciousness are happily consumed.  In this companion title to Soup Day a boy and his father work and play together to prepare a pie uniquely their own.

Today is pizza day.

Excitement and summer sunshine are in abundance as a little boy and his father gather tools and a basket for a visit to the garden outside their home.  The family dog, Caesar, runs along beside them.  The results of their sowing seeds earlier in the spring are visible; plants filled with tomatoes, peppers, carrots, onions and basil.  Specific amounts of each are collected, carried inside and cleaned.

Next the two work to make the dough for the crust.  After the ingredients are measured and mixed in a large bowl, the real fun begins.  The gooey concoction, placed on a hard surface, is punched and pulled by hand until it's smooth and shiny.  Back in the bowl and covered, it rests so it can rise.

Vegetables from the garden are mixed to make a sauce now simmering on the stove.  While the dough and sauce transform into delectable delights, the father and his son join Caesar outside for games real and imaginary.  Before they know it, it's time to complete the pizza.

The dough, puffy and full, is rolled into a round on the pan.  The sauce, rich and thick, is poured into a blender and then on top of the crust.  The next layer is other sliced vegetables and this is topped with grated cheese.  Into the oven this piece of scrumptious perfection is placed.  As the twosome pick up outside, mom arrives home.  It's pizza picnic time!


In this and the previous title, Melissa Iwai makes with her words the adventure mixed with a bit of magic cooking can and should be.  Her simple initial statement declares the beginning of a promise.  When the duo are in the garden the amount of vegetables picked are named along with descriptive adjectives and verbs;

Five juicy red tomatoes plucked from the vine.

Moving into the kitchen the listing of the ingredients as the dough and sauce are made generates anticipation.  The two, the dough and the sauce, are tied together with the comparison of sleeping and waking and the boy's whispered words.  Warmth and naturalness are added to the experience with the inclusion of playing outside, putting away the tools and toys and the cleaning of the dog.  What makes this story accessible to all ages is the first person, the boy's, point of view.  Here are several sample sentences.

I mix it all together with a wooden spoon.
It turns into a big, sticky, squishy lump. (page turn)

Daddy dumps 
the dough onto
the board.


When you look at the front of the dust jacket (I am working with an F & G.  My copy has not arrived yet.) you can almost smell the aroma of the pizza wafting into the air in the shown swirls.  The expression on the boy's face leaves no doubt as to his thoughts.  The details Melissa includes, the toppings on the pizza and the freckles across the boy's nose and cheeks, add to the realistic charm.  To the left, on the back, within an oblong frame like a recipe card is an introduction to the book.  A small watering can, rolling pin, tiny twig of basil, several tomatoes, a grater and cheese are pictured.

The opening and closing endpapers are patterned in scattered tomatoes, basil and mushrooms on first a cream and then a spring green background.  Across the verso and title pages on a canvas of crisp white are a sprinkling of gardening and cooking tools and ingredients.  Rendered in acrylics, collage, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator the illustrations may span two pages, edge to edge, single pages with loose frames surrounded by liberal white space or a series of smaller images to portray the passage of time.

The bright, full color images are bursting with energy.  Each scene supplied with elements full of the everyday radiate the affection shared by all the family members including Caesar. A towel hanging over the kitchen sink, a vase of sunflowers sitting on the window ledge, an open cupboard of kitchen tools and ingredients in view, Caesar jumping up and licking the boy, pots and pans hanging from the ceiling, rubber boots, one laying on its side, near a rug by the door and a calendar attached to the refrigerator are seen as the dad says goodbye to his wife leaving for work.  This first picture is followed by others of similar and varying perspectives.  We might be at the boy's level as he picks tomatoes within the garden or see the family gathered around the picnic table eating the pizza from a slightly above angle.  Singing off of every single page is the happiness of this entire day seen on the faces of the characters.

One of my many favorite pictures is when the boy is in the garden.  It is a two-page picture.  On the left he is kneeling in the dirt with the tomato vines replete with their fruit making a green wall around him.  He is wearing a blue and white striped shirt, blue overalls and red tennis shoes.  To the right crouched down on his front paws, tail wagging in the air, is Caesar.  He is sniffing the lettuce.  Identifying stakes are sticking up for tomatoes and peppers.


Pizza Day written and illustrated by Melissa Iwai is a scrumptious story with a tasty resolution.  Every reader will want to have a pizza day as soon as possible.  This title is sure to inspire and encourage gardening and cooking together.  The secret ingredient is love which radiates throughout this book.  At the end Melissa include a two page recipe for the dough and sauce as well as a step-by-step set of instructions complete with an Anatomy of Pizza.  You will want to make sure you have a copy on your professional bookshelves and in your personal collection.

To discover more about Melissa Iwai and her other work, please take a few moments to visit her website by following the link attached to her name.  On her blog she has a post talking about this title.  She maintains an account on Instagram which you will enjoy.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images including one of my favorites.  A teacher's guide and activity guide are also available there.  At Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher's blog, Watch. Connect. Read., he and Melissa chat about Pizza Day and libraries.  Just before I clicked Publish on this post, I checked the blogs I have listed that I check every single day.  I was delighted to see this title featured at Jama Rattigan's Jama's Alphabet Soup.  You must go there to read her review and interview with Melissa Iwai.  Melissa Iwai is also a guest on All The Wonders, Episode 399 chatting with teacher librarian Matthew Winner.  Be sure to watch the book trailer.

In Sickness And...

Never is good health so appreciated as when you suddenly find yourself with the king of colds.  You're hotter than hot one minute and shaking with the chills the next minute.  Every part of your body aches.  You can't breathe but your nose is constantly running (in a race where you are the loser).  You begin coughing but the sound closely resembles a barking seal. You are so miserable you can't even enjoy the fact you get a day (or two or more) off from your normal activities.

At times like this there is only one person in the world you want, especially if you are a younger gal or guy.  Bob, Not Bob! (To be read as though you have the worst cold ever:)(Disney Hyperion, February 14, 2017) written by Liz Garton Scanlon and Audrey Vernick with illustrations by Matthew Cordell explains with great insight and huge doses of humor exactly who this is. It is not your canine companion.  It is not your beloved stuffed animal.

Little Louie wasn't all that little.  It wasn't like he needed his mom every minute of the day.

When he started sneezing and wheezing, he did need his mom.  He needed her a lot.  You could almost say he needed her constantly.

When his cold was in high gear, nothing satisfied him more than the presence of his mom but his nose was so stuffed when he yelled Mom it sounded like Bob.  It just so happened that Louie had a larger than life dog named Bob.  Guess who came running ready to romp?  Bob the dog.

Louie, besides being sicker than sick, kept on saying

NO!
I wan by
BOB, 
not
BOB!
BOB! BOB! BOB!

Needless to say, Bob the dog was a bit confused.  Louie's mom with the wisdom bestowed on mom's everywhere knew exactly who he wanted and did come to his room but she had other obligations too.

Day two was even worse.  Louie's words came out weird.  His little sister Tessa was as mystified as Bob the dog.  Feeling more wretched by the minute Louie was going a little bit nuts.  His mom was too.  And Bob the dog keep running to Louie.

So Mom did the only left to do.  Louie sighed.  Mom was glad he was glad.  So was Bob the dog.


As you read this story you will constantly be thinking about how much fun Liz Garton Scanlon and Audrey Vernick had working together to create the words for the unseen narrator and the dialogue of little Louie.  They create the quintessential sick child situation right down to the tiniest details.  As they are describing exactly how sick Louie is, each sentence builds on the previous one to create a type of cadence.

When Bob the dog enters the scene each time he is not only running but slobbering.  When they insert the word cuckoo into the story, it becomes so kid-perfect you feel like (and probably will) laugh out loud.  All these clever pieces place readers exactly where they need to be for the resolutions.  Yes, there are two.  Here is another sample passage.

So he just lay there getting hot and sweaty,
which sounded like "Hotten Smetty."
"Who's Hotten Smetty?" asked his sister. ...


The layout and design on the matching dust jacket and book case are two trios superbly aligned, the title text over Mom, Louie and Bob the dog.  Each of them, Mom, Louie and Bob the dog, is wearing an expression indicative of their personalities in this story; happy to help, miserably sick and confused...and slobbery.  The title text on the jacket is varnished.  To the left, on the back, the green from the front becomes the canvas.  Within a loosely framed circle is Bob's ball, a box of tissues and the stuffed teddy bear.

On the opening endpapers a giant BOB is placed slightly to the right off center.  Mom is standing tall and smiling with Louie crying and clinging to her leg.  From the left Bob is standing at attention, ball in mouth, looking at them.  This BOB has a heart shape in the center of the O.  This is how Matthew Cordell distinguishes between Mom (Bob) and Bob the dog.  Readers will notice a difference on the closing endpapers as Louie seems to be back to one healthy little guy.  On the title page the arrangement shifts with Mom, Louie and Bob the dog standing on top of the text.  They are looking right at us.

In this title Cordell uses white space as an element.  He positions his characters in the image to convey emotional moods and the passage of time; more in the center, at the bottom or in several spots on one page.  The spoken text and sounds play an important role too, heightening those emotional moments.  The facial expressions on the characters' faces, including Bob the dog, are absolutely spot-on and hilarious.  (They're wonderfully loving too.)

One of my favorite of many illustrations is when Louie is crying out

I just wan by BOB!

again.  His mom is carrying a laundry basket as he wraps both arms around her legs.  A box of tissues and used tissues are scattered on the floor.  With her free hand Mom is covering her eyes.  If she were speaking you know exactly what she would be saying.  Her patience is hanging on by a very thin thread.


Every person on the planet that has had a cold can easily identify with Louie.  Every mom or caregiver can place themselves in Louie's mom's shoes.  If dogs could talk, they would tell us Bob the dog is doing the best he can under the circumstances.  This is what makes Bob, Not Bob! written by Liz Garton Scanlon and Audrey Vernick with illustrations by Matthew Cordell a rib-tickling riot of fun.  This is real aloud gold!  Make sure you have a copy for your professional and personal bookshelves.

To find out more about Liz Garton Scanlon, Audrey Vernick and Matthew Cordell please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Take a tour of Liz Garton Scanlon's studio at Andrea Skyberg's website. She also invites Matthew Cordell to visit her site and gives us a tour of his studio.  Matthew Cordell stops by author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson's blog, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, sharing previous projects, this title and some not released yet.  Author James Preller interviews Audrey Vernick on his site in an author to author conversation.

UPDATE:   I know you are going to enjoy this article at Tara Lazar's site, Writing For Kids (While Raising Them).  Audrey and Liz chat about this title and reveal the book trailer.

UPDATE:  Liz, Audrey and Matthew visit All The Wonders, Episode 333 to chat about this title with teacher librarian Matthew Winner.

Drifting Out To Sea With Love

When someone you love has died it leaves a huge hole in your heart.  You wish to see their face, hear their voice or laughter or feel their hand holding your hand.  You miss them so much a smell can make you believe they are near to you.  Perhaps they passed by the same spot seconds before you arrived.

You may transfer plants from their gardens to your gardens wherever you live no matter how many times you move.  Without realizing it, you will acquire certain habits similar to their habits.  You will do what you know they would have enjoyed; little things or larger things.  Although they are gone, the connection is still strong.  Boats For Papa (A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook Press, June 30, 2015) written and illustrated by Jessixa Bagley is a story of longing and the purest form of love, unconditional.

Buckley and his mama lived in a small wooden house by the sea.  They didn't have much, but they always had each other.

On any given day, if you looked down at the beach, you would see Buckley walking along the sandy shore, gathering treasures delivered from the ocean.  He was a gatherer of objects, crafting boats from the found driftwood.  When he showed one of his boats to his mother, he told her with joy it was for his Papa.  Buckley's father had died.

Several days passed.  It was Buckley's birthday; celebrated with a picnic on the beach.  A special gift of paints and brushes from Mama made his day nearly complete.  As dusk descended the two of them walked along the beach.  Buckley had decided to send his boat out into the sea with a note attached.

Buckley believed if the boat did not return, his Papa would have received it.  A tradition was born on this day.  Buckley would send more boats to the parent he missed.  As Buckley slept, Mama strolled along the shore thinking about her husband.

Whenever an eventful day would come, Buckley would send out a boat to his Papa with the same message attached.  Every single time, his Mama would walk along the shore with him.  As weeks and months passed, Buckley's skill with building boats grew; as did the designs and details.

On his next birthday, the fun was better than ever due to Mama's extra special preparations.  At day's end, about to put his latest boat in the water, Buckley realized he had no note.  As his Mama waited at the water's edge, he raced back to their little home.  The next five pages are a testament to the strength of love between this parent and this child.


Very early in the narrative, Jessixa Bagley joins us to the characters.  Her choice of words creates a mood melody, a song about love.  With the second phrase we are keenly aware of the closeness of Buckley and his Mama.  Continuing with simple but illuminating sentences, we become further acquainted with the child and parent.  Bagley helps readers understand how a little can become all you need but much more than you expected.  Here is another sample passage.

"I'm going to send my boat to Papa.  If it doesn't come back to shore, I'll know he got it!" said Buckley as he placed his little boat in the water.  They watched it bob up and down as the tide carried it gently out to sea.


Rendered with pen and watercolor all the illustrations, beginning with the dust jacket, generate an atmosphere of solitude and peace.  A lightness of line and fine details along with the color palette radiate warmth in each image. (Careful readers will notice another story on the roof of their home.)  This first picture continues to the left, on the back, with a blanket, picnic basket and the remains of a meal, as evidence of time shared together.

The opening endpapers are a sandy beach strewn with pieces of wood, a pail, shovel, kelp, sea grass, pebbles, sea glass and a couple of sea creatures.  The closing endpapers supply the heartwarming conclusion to the story within the small wooden home. The two double-page illustrations for the title page, verso and dedication pages begin the story by showing Buckley and his Mama at the beach and walking home later hand in hand.

Jessixa Bagley varies her image sizes from smaller ones loosely framed in white on a single page, to those spanning two pages, and sometimes several on a single page.  These heighten the tender tempo of the story.  At times she has chosen to give us a wider view of the scene as when Buckley and his Mama are walking along the shore.  In other moments we are closer to the characters like when Buckley is painting one of his boats.  We are there with them.

One of my favorite illustrations is when Mama is walking the beach at night after Buckley is sleeping.  We see the vast expanse of the sea, the wide beach and huge rocky hill in the distance with everything bathed in moonlight. Mama stands alone in contemplation near the small house on stilts, curtains closed at the windows.  The use of light and shadow is exquisite.


Boats For Papa written and illustrated by Jessixa Bagley is a beautiful picture book debut.  A double twist at the end will leave you emotionally moved.  This is a book for every reader, for those who have loved and lost and for those who need to understand this loss.  Everyone will want to have it on their personal and professional book shelves.

To discover more about Jessixa Bagley, her work and thoughts, please follow the links attached to her name to access her website and blog.  You will enjoy this image on the mackidsbooks Instagram page.  To see interior images follow this link to the publisher's website.  Author, reviewer and blogger, Julie Danielson talks about and shares artwork from this title at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. (Spoilers within the post) Author Pat Zietlow Miller speaks about the use of text in this title in a post at Picture Book Builders.  Jessixa Bagley talks about the pronunciation of her name at TeachingBooks.net UPDATE:  Jessixa Bagley writes about the audience for her book in a recent blog post on October 7, 2015. 

A Loving Heart Knows

The first of May was always cause for celebration growing up in my home.  For at least two days cone-shaped baskets with handles would be crafted from colorful construction paper.  On May Day early in the morning before beginning the day's activities or going to school, we would pick small bouquets of flowers from my Mom's gardens, placing them inside the paper containers.  The best part of all came next.

We went like fairies skipping from home to home in the neighborhood hanging the spring treats on door knobs.  Extending small kindnesses to others was one of Mom's gifts.  Mothers instinctively provide comfort.  In Bunny Roo, I Love You (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), April 14, 2015) written by Melissa Marr with illustrations by Teagan White a child is warmly welcomed into their new world by a loving mother.

When I met you, 
you were small
and trembling,
and I thought
you might be
a little bunny.

The unseen narrator, a new mother, carefully watches her child.  Each time the child displays a different behavior she likens it to an animal.  She responds as the mother of the particular animal would.

A trembling bunny would want to be cuddled and cozy.  A pouch might be a secure sanctuary for an active joey.  A hill bright with sunlight would be the perfect perch for a special someone to learn about their world.

If you've ever heard the howling of a wolf at night, you know a youngster of the pack needs a home with their own special spot.  There's nothing like the cool sip of milk to quench hunger or thirst.  Soothing suds are in store for another.

A final facial expression, no doubt in response to the care given and received, tells this mother exactly what she needs to know.  This being is unique.  This being will be hers to love as long as she can.


With the presentation of each of the six animals, Melissa Marr is telling the reader, the child, no matter what you do, I know what to do in return.  Using the words when and then to introduce the actions creates a questioning note followed by the nearly musical answering words of I thought you might be.  When the mother explains what she does, a pleasing pause wraps itself around us.  Here is the passage which follows the first sentence.

I held 
you close
so you were 
warm.


Children like to run their hands over the dust jacket, book case and pages of books. (I do too.)  They are completely captivated by the texture.  The matte finish and heavier interior pages pair wonderfully with the theme of this title, a beckoning tenderness.

The delicate pale sage green with tiny white dots on the dust jacket and matching book case are a gentle invitation as well as an exquisite canvas for the palette used by Teagan White.  On the back to the left, we see the bunny sitting among the flowers and grass, wondering.  If I had to pick one word to describe a reader's first look at this book it would be comfort.

The opening and closing endpapers are done in the deeper rose shade with a pattern of white and peach flowers scattered along with clusters of dots. On the title page the text and the happy bunny, in four positions moving across the page, are framed with floral corner arrangements.  On the publication and dedication pages a single garden scene, flowering trees, flowers, a stony path and wooden fence, are the ideal place for the bunny.  This illustration crosses the gutter to the left.

For each action by the child, the text is on the right with the little one placed in a circular image.  I like this because the lines of a circle, like a mother's love, are continuous and constant. When the mother gives her reply White has painted lovely two page pictures in muted hues with graceful brush stokes and intricate details.  The clothing and accessories worn by the mothers are absolutely darling.

I adore all of these illustrations but one of my favorite is the first two page spread.  It looks to be a fuller view of the garden in which the bunny is originally seen.  On the left is a bird bath occupied by a happy cardinal with a sparrow watching on a flower stem.  Flowers are growing out of a watering can.  On the right a bird house is in a nearby tree with small wind chimes handing from a branch.  Another sparrow is sitting on the T of clothes line.  Clothing is in a basket and on the line.  Clothes pins are scattered on the ground.  Mother Rabbit is holding her bunny.  Both their eyes are closed.


Bunny Roo, I Love You written by Melissa Marr with illustrations rendered in watercolor and gouache by Teagan White will fill your heart with its charm.  Whether you share this with a group at storytime or one on one, each listener will know they are loved.   You might want to have the children think of other animals and their antics.  What would a mother's response be?  This is a book my Mom would have loved, every single word.

To learn more about Melissa Marr and Teagan White and their other work, please follow the links embedded in their names to access their websites.  This link will take you to Teagan White's Tumblr page where you can see interior pictures from this title.  Melissa Marr was interviewed at Publisher's Weekly and Brightly about the very personal reasons for this book's birth.

UPDATE:  Enjoy this podcast interview at Storybook Spotlight. 

Coming Home

All the children freeze in place.  It floats through the neighborhood like fog, soft and sure, until the final note fades away.  Glances are silently exchanged before everyone takes off running.  It's dinnertime and the call to come home has sounded.

It may be the resonating ring of a bell or the familiar tinging of a triangle.  Each parent's signal is unique.  In Mama Seeton's Whistle (Little, Brown and Company, April 14, 2015) written by Jerry Spinelli with illustrations by LeUyen Pham four siblings race toward a promise.

The first whistle happened one day when Skippy Seeton was two years old.  

Mama Seeton was surprised when Skippy was nowhere in sight.  She had been watching him play in the backyard.  After several unanswered calls, worry made its way to her lips.  She gave a whistle.  Like a bee to honey, that boy came to his mother.  He had been hiding nearby.

When brothers Sheldon and Stewart and sister Sophie were born and finally able to move on their own, Mama Seeton's whistle worked its magic on them too.  It did not matter where they were in the neighborhood, when they heard it, they headed for home.  They knew it was time for dinner and a piece of their mother's chocolate cake.  Every single day it was the same.

As the brothers and sisters grew up they wandered farther from home to the ends of the neighborhood to play but never too far to miss hearing the whistle.  When they got even older they could be seen in town doing those things they loved best; climbing a favorite tree, visiting Papa Seeton at the cab company, watching the monkeys at the zoo or simply running for the sheer joy of it.  The clear notes of their mother's song never failed to bring them home.

When Skippy, Sheldon, Stewart and Sophie became adults and left home to continue doing what they loved best, Mama Seeton no longer whistled.  Her children were too far away to hear.  Her cake baking was less frequent.

One day Papa Seeton had an idea.  Mama Seeton thought he was a little loony.  Two light, smooth tones traveled.  Promises were kept.  A legacy was born.


In the masterful hands of author Jerry Spinelli a childhood memory becomes a story for generations to enjoy.  It's as if we are gathered around a campfire listening intently.  His pairing of words, like the names of the children, creates a cadence.  His description of the whistle repeated several times binds us to the tale.  His easy similar sentences flow through time taking us with them.  Here is a sample passage.

As the Seeton kids got older, they played farther and farther from their own backyard.
They played in the alley.
They played to the end of the block.
They played all the way to Stony Creek.
Then across the creek and into the park. ...


A warm and welcoming palette on the matching dust jacket and book case rendered, as are all the illustrations, in ink and watercolor by LeUyen Pham creates a feeling of family and home.  There is a cheerful, lilting quality about framing the Seeton parents and children in meaningful moments on both the front and the back.  The tiny notes of the whistle wrap around Mama Seeton and her children like love.  On the opening and closing endpapers a soft white background features each of the children coming home on their bike, scooter, skateboard or at a fast walk with the whistle like a ribbon overhead.  On the initial title page a chocolate cake sits beneath the text.  On the formal title page Pham pictures Mama Seeton in a chair holding a newborn Skippy with the dog, a pup, in the basket next to her.  Her whistle frames the words.

As a charming, lovely complement to the story Pham alternates her image sizes from two pages, to single pages and then to smaller visuals with the text and whistle weaving around them.  She generates a feeling of constant connection.  As time passes we see its evidence in the clothing, vehicles and hair styles.  Readers will want to pause at each picture noticing the tiny details.  At one point Sophie mails home one of her medals to Mama Seeton.  In a later illustration we see it hanging on the wall of the Seeton home.

One of my favorite pictures is the two-page span for the partial passage noted above.  We are given a bird's eye view of the neighborhood.  The Seeton home is framed in rosy red rays at the top left as the notes travel to the children.  Pham shows us the change of seasons as we follow the whistle to the far right, beginning with spring or summer, moving to autumn and then to winter.


Heartwarming from beginning to end, Mama Seeton's Whistle written by Jerry Spinelli with illustrations by LeUyen Pham is a trip through time worth taking again and again.  It demonstrates the value of family, the promises held in our homes and significance of tradition.  You will have a hard time not beginning your reading with the words, Once upon a time.  In the author's note at the end Jerry Spinelli speaks about the real Mama Seeton who was his childhood neighbor.  LeUyen talks about her artistic process in her illustrator's note.

To discover more about Jerry Spinelli and LeUyen Pham please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.

A Place To Rest

When the leaves fell from the trees, there it was.  It's no bigger than the size of a golf ball.  Through the cold, rain, thunder, lightning, sleet, snow and wind, it has endured.  It's so secure; you can almost imagine it as a part of the branches which hold it.

Out of habit, I look every single day to make sure it's still there, wondering about the parents who crafted it so well.  I think of other questions.  What kind of birds lived there?  Did all the babies fly away?  Will any of the birds come back?  You Nest Here With Me (Boyd Mills Press, an imprint of Highlights, March 3, 2015) written by Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple with illustrations by Melissa Sweet is a soothing lullaby of birds and their homes.

My little nestling, time for bed.
Climb inside, you sleepyhead.

A mother snuggles next to her daughter, telling her their nest is wherever

there's you and me.

She reads to her the same story we hold in our hands.  She speaks of pigeons and catbirds living in the city, finding a space to rest on buildings or in shrubs.  Near the edge of water, small wrens weave a refuge.

In the tip-top of firs in a forest or among towering cliffs along the sea, birds safeguard their young.  Tree trunk hollows and below ground burrows are homes.  Even telephone poles provide a place to reside.

Hidden among the cattails, coots are secure.  Nestled among branches, sparrows prefer to be high and dry.  Attached to human structures, swallows shape shelters.  Sunken in sand near the water's edge, plovers place their eggs.

Eagles soar, cowbirds give up and killdeer pretend to protect.  As surely as nests are made up or down, on, in or around the best location by those winged wonders, this mother assures her child of a secure sanctuary.  This nest is her place to grow and rest.


If you seek slumber, the words of Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple are certain to supply peace.  When read aloud, they create a form of music, light and gentle.  The rhymes glide like feathers on the wind.

After each bird and their nesting place are introduced, the same refrain follows.

But you nest here with me.  

Those words hug us, surrounding the reader and listener with affection.  Here is a sample passage.

Some owls nest in oak tree boles,
Some down in abandoned holes,
Hawks may nest on telephone poles,
But you nest here with me.


As soon as I saw the front of the matching dust jacket and book case, without reading the fine print, I knew whose name I would see as illustrator.  The attention given to the smallest detail, the layering of mixed media, the use of authentic and appropriate materials, watercolor and gouache all point to the skill of Melissa Sweet.  The letters of the title made of wood pieces, a nest woven of branches, grass, and leaves framing the sleeping child holding her toy owl and the mother watching her nestlings in their nest placed on a night-sky blue background are her signature style.  To the left, on the back, a single enlarged leaf is placed on the same canvas.  On the opening and closing endpapers, the predominant green on that leaf covers them both.

A two page illustration, worthy of framing, holds the title page information.  On the left a hole in a birch tree holds a tiny bird.  Watching, the mother, a nuthatch, is perched on a branch which extends from the right edge almost to the tree.  Between this branch and a cluster of leaves at the top of the right page is the title text made with twigs.

Although our eyes are initially drawn to the focus of the image, when we look a second time all the smallest elements blend to make a superb picture.  In the child's room drawings of birds hang on the walls.  Outside her window we see birds flying, and a variety of them eating at a feeder.

All the birds and their nests are portrayed realistically.  Each habitat features other flora and fauna appropriate to the area.  Sweet chooses to alter her illustration size from single pages to double pages to enhance the pacing.  To tie the jacket and case to the interior, the central items, the large leaf and nest, are used to splendid effect in the final pages.

One of my favorite of several illustrations is a single page featuring swallows.  The mother has adhered the nest to a beam in a barn.  Five babies are peeking over the top as she looks inside at them.  Beneath this piece of wood is a window.  Outside we see a dog at rest gazing toward a flock of sheep in a pasture.  A garden is growing in front of the field near the home.  These perspectives by Sweet are tranquil and true.

I can't think of a better bedtime story which flawlessly illuminates readers and listeners about birds and their nests than You Nest Here With Me written by Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple with illustrations by Melissa Sweet. Reading this book is like wrapping yourself in a cozy comforter.  You will want to add this title to your personal and professional collections.  At the close of the book is a column on the left side of two pages for an Author's Note.  Further details about the fourteen birds highlighted in the narrative appear to the right.  There are four extra pieces of information about each.

Please visit the websites of the authors and illustrator by following the links attached to their names.  They are as individual and interesting as the people themselves.  Author illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi featured Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple on her blog Inkygirl.com with lengthy three question interviews.