Better Together #4

Each day circumstances present opportunities for us to discover potential personality traits or increase (or decrease) those we already have.  We may be shocked at what is revealed.  It is in these revelations our confidence grows.  Our comfort in expressing ourselves is deepened and widened.  

We come to understand there is more than one definition for certain attributes.  Be Strong (Roaring Brook Press, August 10, 2021) written by Pat Zietlow Miller with illustrations by Jen Hill, a companion title to their Be Kind (Roaring Brook Press, February 6, 2018), addresses this very concept.  A young girl struggles with being strong and its various meanings and power.  Her ultimate understanding benefits everyone.

My school gym has tall walls.

I never noticed them before.

But, today I have to climb them.

Classmates make it to the top of the wall without struggling.  Tanisha cannot get beyond the bottom.  She does not have the strength to pull herself up.

Some days, trying to lift the simplest things, are hard for her.  Her family tells her to be strong.  This is how you get through the tough times in life.

When she asks for help, Dad, Mama, and Grandma Zee give her real-life examples of strength.  Being strong is sacrificing your time to help others, speaking up again and again to right a wrong, and committing to a goal.  At school and home, Tanisha notices moments to put their advice in action.

Dad, Mama, and Grandma Zee each offer one more suggestion.  Sometimes the tasks she attempts seem daunting, but first one thing, then another thing, and finally a third thing keep her going. And Tanisha learns the most important definition of being strong.  What do you think it is?

To begin, Pat Zietlow Miller gives us a problem.  Climbing a rock wall is a situation many have faced, so we can easily find ourselves identifying with the protagonist.  She uses this to present other perspectives on being strong, other than the obvious physical one.  In the characters of Dad, Mama, and Grandma Zee and their instances, we see applications for being strong.  These applications are (or may be) present in each of our communities.  Pat Zietlow Miller establishes a rhythm in her storytelling by repeating three two-word phrases three times, connecting separate portions of the narrative.  Here is a passage.

Grandma Zee says being strong means not giving up.

Like when she started running.

At first, she barely jogged a block.

She worried people would laugh.

But she keeps going.

Day after day.

Block after block.

Even when it rains.

One look at the children holding up the sign displaying the title text on the front, right, of the open and matching dust jacket and book case sends a strong impression.  The diverse ethnicity and colorful array of clothing suggest differing personalities who have united in a common cause.  Of particular interest is the purple hue surrounding them.  Purple can imply royalty or in this case, future leaders strong in the knowledge of themselves.

To the left of the spine, on the back, Tanisha and Grandma Zee are featured on a pale and tiny herringbone pattern of white and gray.  They are seated on mats and working on touching their toes.  Over their heads are the words:

Together, we can be strong.

The people and the area closest to them on both the front and the back are varnished on the dust jacket.

The opening and closing endpapers are covered in the bright orange shade shown on the front of the jacket and case in the one child's clothing.  Tanisha and Grandma Zee are presented on the title page using a part of an interior illustration.  Together, they lift a heavy backpack, each grabbing a strap.

Jen Hill rendered these pictures using

gouache on paper and retouched with Adobe Photoshop. 

The image sizes, full-page pictures, double-page pictures, and two smaller pictures on a page, supply readers will different perspectives.  At times we are observers, watching Tanisha being strong enough to be on stage playing her accordion.  Sometimes we are standing with Tanisha, as if we are her shadow.  These are intimate but brief time periods with this character.

In several of the illustrations, Jen Hill uses white space as an additional element allowing the other elements to seek and hold our attention.  The tiny features on the characters' faces convey a range of emotions.  This is no easy task, but Jen Hill does it splendidly.

One of my many favorite illustrations is on a single page.  It is in the school cafeteria.  Two circular tables are placed next to each other.  Around these muted-yellow tables are deep purple blue chairs.  The cafeteria trays are an orange red in color.  Groups of students at both tables present a diverse representation.  We see Tanisha's strength at work on the table closest to us, toward the bottom of the page.  She is placing a sign on the table.  It reads:

make a friend.

Endearing readers to these characters and their circumstances in Be Strong written by Pat Zietlow Miller with illustrations by Jen Hill is accomplished by the realism portrayed in word and images.  We know people who encounter these same happenings.  And this title offers hopeful, doable solutions readers can use in their own situations.  I highly recommend this title for your personal and professional collections.

In accessing their websites by following the link attached to their names, readers can learn more about Pat Zietlow Miller and Jen Hill and their other work.  Pat Zietlow Miller has accounts on Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.  Jen Hill has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Vimeo.  At Macmillan Publishers you can view interior images.  Pat Zietlow Miller has a guest post at PictureBookBuilders about this title.  She has a video interview at Action News 2, Wisconsin about this book and her other work.

Like the word, strong, the word courage has multiple meanings.  For some individuals, courage is instinctive.  For others, it is learned.  I Am Courage: A Book of Resilience (Abrams Books for Young Readers, September 7, 2021) written by Susan Verde with art by Peter H. Reynolds is the sixth book in a series by these two talented collaborators.  The focus on a single word is enhanced through a first-person narrative of affirmations.

When there are challenges in front of me,

when I feel unstable,

like I might fall . . .

This child's voice tells us that in spite of obstacles and hesitancy, there is a can-do attitude found within them.  Like the engine in the classic The Little Engine That Could, this child keeps going.  Bit by bit with a heart full of faith, this child realizes possibilities.  They state:

I am courage.

Instinct, recognition of one's strengths, and endurance, even in the face of fear, keeps this child moving forward.  A stumble does not stop this person because they have learned to ask others for help.  All these things give this child the courage to use their experiences to support others.

This confidence helps this child to continue no matter what happens.  This child constantly looks to their core for courage.  This, in turn, inspires others.  

I becomes we.  The qualities of one become the qualities of others.  The journey of one becomes the journey of many . . . together.

You cannot read the words written by author Susan Verde in this book without, page by page, feeling a spark inside you grow brighter and brighter.  Through the mindset of this child, we look at each setback as a test to ace.  Throughout the narrative after a series of thoughts, Susan Verde follows with two word:

I am.

She does use courage after those two words several times, but she also uses words synonymous to courage or words in support of courage.  This is how the story flows toward a conclusion embracing other persons in their quest for courage.  Here is a passage.

I can know there is no shame

in sharing.  I tell my story.

I can step in when others are struggling.

I know how to help.

There is much to be learned when removing the dust jacket and opening it up.  For this book, the illustration on the right, front, introduces us to the main character, the voice in this story.  This child, wearing a shirt with a symbolic flame within a shield, is the picture of resilience fueled by courage.  The body language says I stand strong.  In fact, this child radiates this attitude.  The first three title words are done in foil.

On the back, to the left of the spine, the child with their bike is joined by two other children with their bikes and a canine companion.  Each is carrying a flag bearing the flame.  As a reader we wonder how one becomes three (plus one more brilliant being).

Also, by removing the dust jacket, we view a stunning book case.  It is done entirely in black and shades of yellow.  From left to right, with the bikers riding to the right in a row, they appear as a force, a force for good.  The flags are now on the back of each bike.  The dog is carrying a flag in its mouth.  There is a wide band of black at the bottom representing the path.  The children and their bikes are in black except for a lighter yellow inside the wheels.  The background is a marbled golden yellow.  (We later realize this is an interior image.)

A rose swirl, a center spiraling outward, covers the opening and closing endpapers.  Perhaps this is a depiction of the deep down of which the protagonist speaks.  Each illustration by Peter H. Reynolds was

created using traditional and digital inks, gouache, watercolor, and tea.

These double-page and full-page pictures tell their own story.  Peter H. Reynolds uses a boy traveling on his bike to elevate the text by Susan Verde.  He begins with a palette of purple and blue hues transitioning to light, bright, white and yellow as canvases.  He works the dog into the story, first as something possibly to fear, but an accident changes this outlook.  As presented, we cannot help but relate to the three children.

One of my many favorite illustrations (besides the book case) is a single-page picture.  Night has fallen and stars pinprick along the top of the page.  Between a grove of trees, a small tent is pitched.  In the foreground the three children sit on big rocks around a small campfire.  The two boys sit across from each other, the dog, head on paws, next to his human.  The fire lights the face of the girl who needs help.  The main character is telling his story of courage and resilience.

You will want to keep this title, I Am Courage: A Book of Resilience written by Susan Verde with art by Peter H. Reyolds, ready to read repeatedly.  At the close of the book is an author's note and four yoga poses and breathing exercises to inspire you to be your best self.  You will want to have a copy of this book in both your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Susan Verde and Peter H. Reynolds and their other work, please access their respective websites by following the link attached to their names.  Susan Verde has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Peter H. Reynolds has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website, you can view interior images.  There are activity sheets to download.

Blog posts, Better Together #1, Better Together #2, and Better Together #3, provide other titles to use with these two books if you like.

Shaping Our Place In Society

From the time we first enter this world, until we exit, we are, by tiny steps or great leaps, a growing part of a glorious whole.  Whether we act alone, or with others, we are striving to not only find our place in society, but to help others find their place.  We protect.  We preserve.

If the last few years, specifically this year, have taught us nothing else, from this collection of days we know to take nothing for granted.  We know deep gratitude.  We know we cannot be silent, except when it is necessary to fuel our determined actions.  

Within the last two months four special books with a common theme have been released.  Each provides us with information, guidance, and inspiration.  They, individually and together, work as a means for discussions.  V Is For Voting (Henry Holt And Company, July 21, 2020) written by Kate Farrell with illustrations by Caitlin Kuhwald is an alphabet book designed to explain how each individual can make a difference.  It's an invitation we cannot refuse.

A is for active participation.

B is for building a more equal nation.

The next two letters focus on citizenship and our diversity.  It is followed by the need for all of us to be involved.  It is important to keep informed by a free press.  Our government is not only about leading the people but offering guidance.  H speaks to the truth of lands lost to occupation.  

Each person has a purpose, beginning in our communities.  As we pass the middle of the alphabet, we are reminded that each vote is important.  We cannot forget those who paved the way for a better life for future generations.

We need to have goals and stick to those goals, even if it means protesting.  We need to seek answers to our questions and hold those who represent us accountable. Education by 

talented teachers

gives us facts, and the ability to gather additional facts.  

Each time we vote, we are gaining ground toward change for the good.  Each time we vote, we exercise our rights.  Each time we vote, our voice is heard.

The strength of each statement for each letter is like a symphony building toward a crescendo.  Kate Farrell increases our participation in her narrative by rhyming the final word in each pair of letters. Sometimes, she will add another short sentence to the first to fashion the rhyme. Each sentence begins with the letter followed by is for.  Here is another couplet for a single letter.

S is for suffrage---the right to vote.

This fight is ongoing, not history's footnote.

When you open the cover (I am working with an F & G.  My copy has not yet arrived.), the colorful, bold images of illustrator Caitlin Kuhwald are an ideal complement to the text. Her focus on using red, white, and blue, and diverse people is a realistic nod to our country.  The girl, front and center, is shown, as are some of the other people, throughout the book. 

To the left, on the back, two other children are featured protesting.  The boy is holding a sign which reads:

V IS FOR

VOTING TO

MAKE YOUR 

VOICE HEARD!

To his right the girl has extended her left arm, fingers holding up the peace sign.

On the opening and closing endpapers are rows and rows of boxes.  In between the black boxes are hearts, stars and peace signs in shades of red.  Many of the boxes have a red x through them to indicate voting.  This design is placed on a cream background.

Throughout the book, the image sizes shift from single-page pictures, edge to edge, to double-page pictures, edge to edge.  For many of them two letters are used in a single illustration.  We see mixed-race families, people of different religious beliefs, and single-parent families.  Historical figures are used as examples with particular statements. In all the people's faces, readers will see calm, but resolve.

One of my favorite illustrations is a full-page image.  It features the neck and chin, torso, and one hand of a distinctive individual.  This beloved person is wearing a black robe with a white lace collar.  Their hand is over their heart.  It interprets these words:

J is for judges.  They're meant to be fair.

To be neutral, unbiased, objective, they swear.

Every collection, personal and professional, will want to have a copy of V Is For Voting written by Kate Farrell with illustrations by Caitlin Kuhwald.  Now, more than ever, all ages need to make educated decisions and exercise their right to vote.  At the close of the book is a short author's note and five discussions about the people highlighted in the letters G, N, S, T and U.  There is also A VOTING RIGHTS TIMELINE.

To learn more about illustrator Caitlin Kuhwald and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Caitlin Kuhwald has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view a series of interior images including the final two pages.

Every day we read or hear about the achievements of a single person.  We are encouraged by the power of their deeds regardless of the size of those deeds or the size or age of the person.  They make us brave.   The POWER of ONE: Every Act of Kindness Counts (Alfred A. Knopf, August 25, 2020) written by Trudy Ludwig with illustrations by Mike Curato is a beautiful portrait of change.

Sometimes One can feel like

a small and lonely number.

But don't let this little number fool you. 

It only takes one person to reach out to another person who needs comfort or support.  Beginnings start with one.  With this one, change is shaped.

One person listens.  One person smiles.  This is the start of connected hearts.

This one being can invite other people to listen and smile, comfort and show support.  Working together heals our souls, those injured and those who caused injury.  Extended warmth and heartfelt ideas make bridges linking more generous hearts.

We need to acknowledge and remember the miracle of a single seed.  Together these single seeds can feed physical and emotional hunger.  This is 

The POWER of ONE.

The words written by Trudy Ludwig in this story read like a poem.  Her spare, truthful text makes profound statements and supplies examples in support of those statements.  They also allow us to think between each page turn, imagining how these apply to our own lives.  Her repetition of the word one, is, like the word, powerful.  Here is another sentence.

One warm hug . . .

can lift our spirits up when

we're feeling down.

The front of the open dust jacket not only signifies the implications of the title, but hints at images to come in the body of the book.  The flower and its seeds are important.  Can you see the outline of other people in the glowing background?  To the left, on the back, is a depiction of the child on the front, seated on the ground, after cruel words hurt her.  The first, one, girl to comfort her is kneeling next to her.  This image is beneath the words:

One is the starting point for change.

Beneath the illustration are two endorsements.

On the book case artist Mike Curato shows us a close-up picture of a lush garden, full of leaves, ferns, pods, and fronds.  They are in shades of blues and greens.  Rising and curling from the right side of the spine is a single stem with a red and open flower on it.  Small sparkles in white come from the center.

The opening and closing endpapers are a cheery yellow.  Prior to the title page a wordless image tells the tale of verbal injury with a single soul watching.  Another two-page picture continues this tale for the title page.

On heavy, matte-finished paper  

using pencil, colored pencil, gouache, watercolor, paper, digital color, and photo collage

Mike Curato makes a mix of colorful elements and those in tones of black and gray.  This brings our attention to the main characters and his visual interpretation of the story.  He alternates between more panoramic views to those close to the people.  Sometimes a single item fills the page or captures our attention because it is alone in a larger context.  

The single flower growing as a symbol of friendship, apology, and forgiveness is wonderful.  The continued growth of the garden shows how one can multiple into many.  Many readers will see themselves in the children, from diverse races, highlighted here.

One of my many, many favorite pictures is for the passage above noted.  It spans two pages.  On the left is an enormous garden filled with blue and green leaves of all varieties.  From this garden a single stem has expanded to include three large red flowers and a smaller red one.  The largest flower blooms from the stem to the right of the gutter.  Inside the girl is being given a hug by the boy who hurt her, and she is hugging him back.  Under and to the right of them, another girl is smelling the tiny flower.

We have a choice to hurt and to heal.  The POWER of ONE: Every Act of Kindness Counts by Trudy Ludwig with illustrations by Mike Curato is a lovely example in words and artwork of the art of healing.  It presents to readers loving possibilities.  At the close of the book is a letter from Trudy Ludwig titled Planting Seeds of Kindness in Your Community.  It is followed by Recommended Books for Young Readers and Recommended Websites.  I highly recommend this title for your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Trudy Ludwig and Mike Curato and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their respective websites.  Trudy Ludwig has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.  Mike Curato has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.

It happened the day after our forty-fifth president was inaugurated.  It was January 21, 2017.  At this time, it is the largest single day event, a protest, in United States history.  It is called The Women's March 2017. Based upon a true story Love Is Powerful (Candlewick Press, September 8, 2020) written by Heather Dean Brewer with illustrations by LeUyen Pham follows a little girl as she and her mother get ready to show the world how strong love is.

Mari spilled her crayons onto the

table.  They made a messy rainbow.

"What are we coloring, Mama?"

she asked.

Mama smiled.  "A message for the

world."

Mari was concerned how the world would hear their message.  It's a huge place.  Her mother said 

love is powerful.

Mama wrote words on one poster, too small, Mari thought for the world to see.  On her sign, thinking of her family and friends, Mari wrote her message, the words of her mother.  

Wearing coats to warm them in the cold, the duo left their apartment, going down on the elevator to the street below.  There, they joined a crowd of people.  Again, Mari was concerned people could not hear their message in all this noise.

Soon, Mama lifted Mari to her shoulders.  From there Mari saw the sea of people stretching beyond her sight.  They were carrying signs and cheerfully chatting and shouting.  Still wondering if people could hear her message, Mari called it out.

To her surprise a single voice called it back.  She called it out again.  More voices called it back.  This four-letter word released its full potential that day, started by the voice of a child, a child who now knew the truth.

We happily join in this story as we read or listen to the conversation between Mari and her mother at the start of the book.  Author Heather Dean Brewer engages us immediately with this technique.  Mari's mother's reply to each of her questions with the title words increases the connection to the event in which they are participating.  Layer by layer it draws us toward the amazing conclusion.  Here is a passage.

Some held signs like Mari's, all saying different things.

Everyone cheered as they walked together.  Mama joined

them.  Mari bobbed above the crowd like a canary fluttering

over trees.  She felt as tall as one of the buildings. 

You can feel the sense of purpose when you look at the front, right, of the open dust jacket.  People are peaceful and happy to be able to voice their views in protest.  Not only does this scene mirror the title, but it mirrors the mood of the crowd.  The title text, solid red hearts, Mari and her mother are varnished.  It's a wonderful design style to combine bright colors with muted colors.

To the left, on the back, we are shown, on a canvas of pinkish lavender a picture of Mari and Mama.  Within a loose frame done in red crayon they are seated at the table making their posters.  The string of hearts hangs in their window behind them.  

On the book case, back and front, is a collage, in separate but blended squares, of people from the march.  You can tell these images represent all the marches on that day from around the world.  In the center on the right front, in a large square of its own, is the title.

The opening and closing endpapers are a lavender.  A two-page picture of the buildings in hues of gray of Mari's neighborhood, with the occupants standing in lighted windows, is the setting for the title page.  Artist LeUyen Pham rendered these pictures 

in watercolor, gouache, pencil, and ink.

Their size shifts with the text, enhancing its pacing. There are large images crossing the gutter to make a column for text.  There are double-page pictures with double-page smaller horizontal visuals underneath them.  Sometimes there are small vignettes accompanying the text.  There are full-page illustrations.  There is one large double-page vertical picture requiring you to turn the book.  There are three smaller vertical illustrations attached to one huge swirl of humanity on a full page.

Love abounds in every picture.  So does happiness, mirrored on all the faces.  We are always aware of where Mari and Mama are.  Readers will pause to notice the details; the items in Mari's and Mama's home which make it theirs, the words on the protesters' signs, the diversity of the participants in the march, and all the illustrations have hearts in them.

One of my many, many favorite images is for the quote above noted.  It is a close-up view of the marchers.  Buildings are behind those on the right and on the far left.  We see a collection of smiling faces, mouths open in cheers, and many holding signs.  There are adults and children.  Mari on Mama's shoulders is on the left side.  She watches all this in joyful contemplation.

Love Is Powerful written by Heather Dean Brewer with illustrations by LeUyen Pham is as strong as its title.  It presents an intimate portrait of happiness found when words are brought alive by actions.  At the close of the book is a letter from the real Mari along with a picture of her at the march.  This title has my highest recommendation for your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Heather Dean Brewer and LeUyen Pham and their other work, visit their websites by following the link attached to their name.  Heather Dean Brewer has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  LeUyen Pham has accounts on Facebook and Instagram.  At Watch. Connect. Read., the site of Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher, Heather Dean Brewer and LeUyen Pham talk about this book.  At Penguin Random House you can view interior images.

In a beautiful continuation of their collaboration, author Susan Verde and artist Peter H. Reynolds, bring to readers another thoughtful title.  This book guides readers in making a difference.  No matter how small you are, you can bring change to yourself and more importantly, to others.  I Am One: A Book of Action (Abrams Books for Young Readers, September 15, 2020) welcomes you to make the first move.

How do I 

make a difference?

It seems like a tall order

for one so small.

The young child is told things of beauty begin with one.  One seed planted in the ground, one stroke of a paintbrush, or one brick removed from a wall can lead to the greater good.  Are not gardens, paintings, and friends better?

When a wall is gone, we can form bonds with those we were previously unaware.  Still using the number one, each gesture increases the bond between the two individuals.  A word, a hug, and a candle pave the path for the duo.

They arrive at a body of water.  A drop of candlewax in the water produces a ripple, growing and growing and growing.  The friends ride on the swells in a boat carrying their special cargo to new shores.

There they are greeted by others. Individuals, working together, to create a transformation.  They take what was, forming a marvelous masterpiece.

From her initial and only question, author Susan Verde weaves a tapestry of story.  Each of her carefully crafted thoughts add color and detail.  The common thread is the word one.  She begins with the first child, but with the mention of a brick and breaking down walls, another character is welcomed.  It is at this point, the color and detail become more vivid and intricate, representing the realm of possibility.  Here are two companion sentences.

I can use my

One soft voice

to start a friendship. 

I can perform

One act of kindness

to start a connection.

The color white is superbly used throughout this title to highlight the characters and their actions.  The spiral of hues of blue on the front of the dust jacket behind the first child symbolizes the ripples from the single drop of wax.  To the left, on the back of the dust jacket is an interior illustration of the first child leaning over the water so the single drop of wax can fall.  The second child is watching the effect.  The color palette selected by Peter H. Reynolds is full of warmth and calm here and on every single page.

On the book case, on a canvas of pure crisp white, a rainbow brush stroke like a wave moves from the left to the right of the opened case.  A tiny bird flies toward the gutter from the upper, left-hand corner.  Riding on the crest of the wave on the right side is a bright pink boat carrying the children, their precious cargo and a rainbow tree.  

The opening and closing endpapers are washed circles of turquoise.  On the title page is a close-up of the boat with the first child, the contents of the boat, the dog of the second child, and the tiny bird on the dog's head.  Rendered

using ink, gouache, watercolor, and tea

these pictures are portraits of endearing characters and their actions.  Each intricate line, element and color uplift and extend the words.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is for the words:

I can perform

One act of kindness

to start a connection.

It is a single-page picture.  Behind the first child on the left are outlines of bricks in the wall.  Several bricks are on the ground.  This child is bending over to give a treat to the dog.  The second child is seated on the ground near a fire and a candle.  Tiny flowers bloom from grassy mounds.

This fifth book, I Am One: A Book of Action written by Susan Verde with illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds, in this stellar series is important.  It is important to understand each one of us can contribute to making the world better for others.  Each action no matter how small puts us on the right path.  At the close of the book is a two-page author's note including a mindfulness meditation and a self-reflection activity.  This book has my high recommendation to be included in both your personal and professional collections.  The other titles in the series are I Am Yoga, I Am Peace: A Book of Mindfulness, I Am Human: A Book of Empathy, and I Am Love: A Book of Compassion.

To discover more about Susan Verde and Peter H. Reynolds and their other work, please follow the link attached to their name to access their websites.  Susan Verde has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Peter H. Reynolds has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website are additional resources to use with this book.

Previously I wrote a post about Sometimes People March written and illustrated by Tessa Allen.  You might want to include that title with these for a unit of study, a story time, or to promote discussion.

You've Got This!

In every person's life there comes a time when your spirits dip.  You are faced with a situation in which your courage and comfort are challenged.  You need to dig deep in your mind and heart and find your inner strength.  You need to remember your talents and your achievements.  For those who are younger, this is not always easily accomplished.

Two recently published titles offer the means for boosting your beliefs in your abilities in any given circumstance.  The first, When You Need Wings (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, March 3, 2020) written and illustrated by Lita Judge helps your imagination to soar to new heights.  These heights reach out to hope.

On a day when you feel
like no one is listening,

and everyone is LOUD,

and you are afraid,

and you wish you could just disappear,

shut your eyes and listen.

You will hear something extraordinary.  It's not the rhythmic thumping of your heart.  No, it's something you might not know you have.  It's your wings, your inside wings.

No one but you know they are there, stored within your essence.  You can use those wings to leave and to seek.  They will assist you in discovering riches within yourself.

These riches help your soul to find joy.  This joy will send you a song, a song to help you dance.  You will not be alone in this joy.  There are friends here, residing in this bliss.

It's important to keep listening.  Your wings are waiting just for you.  With them, you will soar.


Many times, when faced with a position you would rather avoid, your heart rate increases.  To have Lita Judge ask readers to listen to this and describe it as

your very own wings, beating within

is sheer genius.  When she expands on this idea with a suggestion of flying away to the wonderful world of imagining, we realize she is showing us the path to finding our own personal solace and bravery.  The thoughts expressed in her ten sentences are encouraging but leave room for her glorious illustrations to expand our vision.  These ten sentences are carefully placed page turn by page turn to provide expert pacing.  Here are two portions of a single sentence.

and use them . . . to fly far away,

if you need to today, 


When you open the dust jacket you can see the white birds frame the feature on the front, right, as well as the back, left.  The little girl with closed eyes and outstretched arms is clearly deep in thought.  Her smile indicates happiness at what her mind is supplying her.  The bird in the lower left-hand corner crosses the spine to the left.  This bird and three others along with the title text are varnished.

To the left, the girl and her imaginary tiger friend are roaring with gusto and facing right.  In a lightened portion to the right of them, two of Lita Judge's previous books are highlighted.  Praises are listed for Red Sled and Flight School.  

On the book case with a canvas of the palest cream and lavender white birds in a variety of perspectives fly from left to right.  The opening and closing endpapers are a delicate hue of blue.  Five pages, three single-page pictures and one double-page picture begin the narrative without words prior to the title page, another double-page picture.  They tell the tale of a little girl leaving home and walking with her father to preschool.

In each of the subsequent illustrations, varying in size from double-page pictures to single-page images, framed or edge to edge, we are transported into a world of wonder as this little girl explores her potential and finds her fearlessness.  The depictions of the children and their animal counterparts are jubilant and endearing.  Their facial features, clothing and backpacks are pure delight.

The attention to detail in every scene by Lita Judge draws readers into the written and visual narrative.  We glide on air to particular places; we gaze in fascination and play with abandon. We feel the freedom of finding our wings.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations spans two pages.  A flock of white birds fills the air near the girl who is also in flight.  Movement is shown in her hair, scarf, spread arms and trailing legs.  They sail above treetops over a forest.  Below, in the forest, golden light spills from the tiny windows in tiny homes.  The colors used in the sky and forest are more subdued, but the girl's clothing is bright and cheerful as shown on the front of the dust jacket.


To know, to believe, you can close your eyes and find a beating center, is empowering.  When You Need Wings written and illustrated by Lita Judge is a guide to this wondrous wealth within us.  This is a book to be read often and widely.  This is a book you will want to have on your personal and professional bookshelves.

To learn more about Lita Judge and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Lita Judge has accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.  Please enjoy the following videos.






The second book, Be You! (Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., March 3, 2020) written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, is a motivational manual for walking through the ups and downs life delivers.  Every statement is a shout to lift you up.  Every page turn will elevate your tenacity.

You were born to
BE
so many things.

Of those many things you were born to be, the narrator's desire is for you to be exactly who you are.  You are advised to be ready to embrace whatever path is laid before you.  You are told to investigate and seek answers.

There will come a time when an opportunity presents itself to you.  Fear not and walk where you have not walked before.  You are reminded to surround yourself with people you know love you as you are.

Regardless of the adversity you face, go through it.  Don't end your endeavors.  Celebrate those things which make you uniquely you.  There is no shame in this.  Choose compassion so others can be themselves.  If there is something you fear, ask yourself why; then try.

Before you follow or join, think.  Bravely go the right way for you.  Pursue peace, the peace of pausing in being alone.  Sometimes reaching a goal takes longer than you imagine.  Sometimes reaching a goal requires assistance.  Wherever you go and whatever you do, go with the knowledge you are sustained by affection, the affection of every connection you've ever made.


From beginning to end the words of Peter H. Reynolds are like sunshine for your soul.  He begins and ends this book with the same declaration, bringing readers full circle.  He not only wants you to be you, but he tells you how to realize who you are.  Single phrases preceded by

Be

are followed with a more complete explanation of the request.  Here is a two-page passage.

Be your own thinker.

Think for yourself and
set your own unique course.
It isn't always easy
but you'll be heading
in the direction of YOU.


When you look at the open dust jacket of this book, the sky-blue canvas mirrors the endless sky, full of possibilities, above our Earth.  The child in the boat on the front, held aloft with balloons with hearts, is a symbol of a potent statement found in the book near the end.  Love does indeed lift us up.  The clouds and golden wishes streaming from the boat cross the spine to the left edge of the back.  A single balloon drifts upward.  Beneath it are the words:

Live a big life!

Many of the elements on the front and back of the dust jacket are varnished.

The book case, also in sky blue has the golden wishes spreading in a gentle wave from center left to the bow of the boat.  Now the child in the boat is higher on the right and closer to the right edge.  The opening and closing endpapers use the yellow orange color from the balloons as a background.  In a lighter shade are written words describing what you can be.  Peter H. Reynolds has placed a framed space in both sets; the first for your own writing and the second saying:

Go ahead.
Be yourself.
Be the best version of you.
Each day is
a new chance to
be more you.
---Peter Hamilton Reynolds

On the title page the frame is held in the hands of the boat occupant in front of their face as they run, eyes closed across the page.  In his signature style Peter H. Reynolds presents all kinds of children on the left beneath his declarative statement.  On the opposite side in a variety of solid colors is his guiding text.  At times the image on the left will extend to the right for emphasis.  White space creates a dramatic effect.

The clothing worn by the children, the color of their hair and skin mirrors all the amazing types of personalities and ethnic groups.  Their activities are as varied as they are.   Each page is an invitation.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is for the text noted above referencing

Be 
your own thinker.

It's a double-page picture on a crisp white canvas.  On the left a group of four children and a canine companion are walking to the left.  The children are wearing identical clothing and red and white striped birthday hats.  The dog is wearing the same hat.  On the right another child in different clothing carrying a walking stick is moving to the right edge.  A happy cat is following as it looks at readers.


If there ever comes a day, or if you want to be prepared, when you doubt the direction you are taking or what makes you one-of-a-kind, Be You! written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds is the perfect book for you.  Readers of all ages will discover and rediscover their individuality.  During storytime expect listeners to change their body positions, leaning in and then sitting tall as the story concludes.  I know you'll want a copy of this title in your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Peter H. Reynolds and his other work, please access his website by following the link attached to his name.  Peter H. Reynolds has accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  The publisher has developed a fabulous page with a video for you to enjoy and an audiobook sample.  I hope you enjoy this video.

Happy New Year 2019---One Little Word

Three hundred sixty-five days have come and gone in what seemed like a heartbeat.  Where did 2018 go?  Did someone speed up the clock?  The sense of not being able to catch up seemed stronger this past year.

Many people have been selecting one little word at the beginning of each calendar year for more than a decade.  The One Little Word project was started in 2006 by Ali Edwards.  For this first post of 2019, still having 2018 books to highlight, I decided to generate a list and assign a single word to each title.  I will include links to the author, illustrator and publisher when able to do so.  I will provide a passage from the book.  May everything that is right and good flourish in this coming year for each of you.

CONFIDENCE

Neck & Neck (Little, Brown and Company, June 5, 2018) written and illustrated by Elise Parsley

"I just

love 

this guy!"

At that, 

Leopold sighed and turned . . .

. . . and gasped

at the

gleaming smile

bobbing beside him.

Book Chat with the Illustrator: Elise Parsley Returns from LB School on Vimeo.



NEIGHBORHOOD

Hey, Wall: A Story Of Art And Community (A Paula Wiseman Book, Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, September 4, 2018) written by Susan Verde with illustrations by John Parra

Hey, Wall!

Guess what?

I'm ready to change all that.







Book trailer premiere with chat at Watch. Connect. Read. with John Schumacher



COMPASSION

I Am Human: A Book of Empathy (Abrams Books for Young Readers, October 2, 2018) written by Susan Verde with illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds  

I have a feeling of wonder.

I am amazed by nature.

I have a playful side.

I find joy in friendships.

I am Human.



PERSPECTIVE

The Wall In The Middle Of The Book (Dial Books for Young Readers, October 2, 2018) written and illustrated by Jon Agee  

Wait a second.  What's going on?!

This is not supposed to happen
on this side of the wall!




Book trailer premiere at 100 Scope Notes with Travis Jonker



CHOICE

Little Brown (Beach Lane Books, October 2, 2018) written and illustrated by Marla Frazee

He knew he could be a dog who would---if given
half a chance---chase balls, run in circles, nap in
the shade, or get muddy.

But Little Brown just watched the others . . .
and got crankier and crankier.  






UNITY

We've Got the Whole World in Our Hands (Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., October 9, 2018) written and illustrated by Rafael Lopez

We've got the rivers and the mountains
in our hands.
We've got the oceans and the seas
in our hands.
We've got you and you've got me
in our hands.
We've got the whole world
in our hands.






EXPLORE

My Heart Is a Compass (Little, Brown and Company, November 6, 2018) written and illustrated by Deborah Marcero

It could have been anything.
Something exotic?
Something magical?
Did it even exist?
Where could she find such a thing?

For that, she needed a map.  Not an atlas or a globe.
To find the secret coordinates, she would
have to draw her own map.  

Watch the delightful book trailer premiere
at A Fuse #8 Production with Betsy Bird



STORY

No Boring Stories! (Viking, Penguin Young Readers, November 6, 2018) written by Julie Falatko with pictures by Charles Santoso

Those are boring stories!
I like books where strange stuff
happens.  But everyone says my
stories are too weird.

I think weird
stories are cool.

Remember the one you
wrote where the main
character was a discarded
shoe who loved to sing?

That sounds hilarious!

GIVE

Found. (Simon & Schuster Book for Young Readers, November 20, 2018) written by Jeff Newman with illustrations by Larry Day

This story is wordless.  It is a powerful statement on loss.  It speaks to giving when it's the hardest possible choice.  It's also about finding pure sweet love.

Notions Of Nobility

Their willingness to tap into their creative resources is one of the most enchanting things about children.  You can give them the tiniest hint of possibility and they will fashion a whole new world view. They are continuously in pursuit of stories, real and imagined.  If anything is non-existent they can bring it to life.

One of the most talented fictional characters in this respect, a heroine to her readers, is Judy Moody.  This eight-year-old bundle of limitless energy is celebrating a new look for her first thirteen books.  Her signature tiger print surrounds her in a variety of poses.  These vibrant designs were released in paperback on April 10, 2018.

Becoming acquainted with Judy Moody is a rich and rare experience.  All her readers, new and old alike, will be thrilled to know book fourteen, Judy Moody And The Right Royal Tea Party (Candlewick Press, September 11, 2018) written by Megan McDonald with illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds presents this charming personality in all her beloved glory.

Judy Moody had been Doctor Judy, M. D.  She had been Judy Monarch Moody and Madame M-for-Moody.  She had been a Girl Detective and a Mood Martian.  She had even gotten a picture of her famous elbow in the newspaper.
But she, Judy Moody, had never been a queen.

Not being a queen is about to change for this irrepressible girl.  Her Grandmother Lou impresses her with stories of  a relative who saved the lives of others aboard the Titanic before perishing and another relative who saved someone from the Tower of London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.  (The current project for Judy and her classmates is to create a family tree.)  With this latest information, before you can even think gobsmacked, Judy is certain she comes from royalty.  With hope in her heart, she writes a letter to the current Queen of England, including questions.

During one of the library times given to Class 3T to work on their projects, Judy fascinates her friends with her Queen of England connections but she's also a bit annoyed at Jessica Know-It-All Finch who seems to know a bit too much about British terms and royalty.  Grandma Lou stops in again giving Judy and her brother, Stink, a peacock pin now known as the Royal Moody Sapphire.  Is that Judy digging a moat around the infamous Toad Pee tent?  When her attempts at placing a royal fish in the puddle fail, a lure for swans results in an unexpected surprise.

A family field trip yields more than fascinating fun for the Moody family.  Judy is shocked by what her spying reveals.  If you think that's the end of shocks for our intrepid gal, you're wrong.  Family tree reports on the following Friday have her trembling with disbelief.  A pinky swear and a promise seal a new deal.

Party invitations in secret code translate into a new attitude for Judy Moody.  Responsibility comes with being a royal, placing friends first.  And one final arrival will have readers standing up and cheering for this gusty girl.


Grinning from ear to ear from page one to page one hundred forty-two is easy when you read Megan McDonald's latest installment in the escapades of Judy Moody.  Her ability to portray the heart of an eight-year-old, her classmates, and family is masterful.  Judy's point of view will have readers laughing out loud.  The conversations between all the characters are wonderfully realistic.  The inclusion of British sayings is the crowning touch.  Here are several passages.

"Queens got their heads chopped off.  No thanks."
"For your information, a queen gets to live in a castle and drink tea and play Monopoly all day and boss people and own as many dogs as she wants.  And she doesn't have to do homework.  Ever."
"Well if you're royal, then I am, too."
"Yeah, a royal pain."
"Hardee-har-har," said Stink.
"I wish I had a lucky sixpence for every time you said that, Stinkerbell."

"You better go to the loo and check," said Jessica.  "Just in case."
"The loo?" asked Rocky.
"The who?"asked Frank.
"The bathroom," Judy whispered.
Judy looked in the mirror, front and back.  Phew! No sign of undies.  She brushed eraser crumbs off of her KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON shirt.  Wait just a Big Ben minute.  How did Jessica A. Finch know so much British stuff?


Using an ARC generously supplied by the publisher much of the artwork of Peter H. Reynolds is softly sketched and placed among the narrative. There are plenty of full page pictures, small insets and one fabulous two-page image.  The details in each illustration will have readers pausing to enjoy the moments being depicted.  Light-hearted and true-to-life, the portrayals of the characters will further endear readers to these fictional people which seem as real as your next door neighbors.


Readers will be counting the days until the release of Judy Moody And The Right Royal Tea Party written by Megan McDonald with illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds.  This courageous and confident girl will further secure a place in readers' hearts with this fourteenth title.  You will want to have multiple copies in your professional collections and a copy for your personal collections.

To learn more about Megan McDonald and Peter H. Reynolds, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Be sure to visit a special website dedicated to Judy Moody.  Here is a link to a behind-the-scenes look with the Judy Moody creators.  Here is a link to a Judy Moody Day activity kit.  Many of the thirteen titles have additional resources specifically for each title such as an activity kit and teacher's guide.  Here is the Publishers Weekly article, A Makeover for Judy Moody.  Shelf Awareness dedicates space to the relaunch.  The cover reveal for book fourteen was hosted by the Nerdy Book Club.  Reading Rockets conducted video interviews with Megan McDonald.  Megan McDonald chats with teacher librarian Matthew C. Winner on The Children's Book Podcast #432.  Peter H. Reynolds is a guest on KidLit TV StoryMakers.

The Power Of One

We read them.  We write them.  We sign them.  We speak them.  We hear them.  We can even touch them.  A single one of them can change the course of history.  A group of them, conveying a single thought, can be recorded and remembered for all time.  Even if you are standing in a space without them, they will come uninvited into your mind.  They are one of the most powerful forces on our planet.

They save lives around the world every single day.  In Peter H. Reynolds's newest title, The Word Collector (Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., January 30, 2018) a small boy, wise beyond his years, recognizes the value and strength of words. His greatest triumph is acting on this knowledge.

Collectors collect things . . .
Some people collect stamps.
Some people collect coins.
Others collect rocks.
Some collect art.

Jerome collected words.  He was always listening to, looking at and reading words.  If any one of them was unique to him, he wrote it down.  Each word had its own piece of paper.

The length of the word did not determine its worth.  It was the way in which they rolled off his tongue and their musicality which had appeal to him.  All those words on pieces of paper filled scrapbook after scrapbook.  Like all master collectors, Jerome had a system for categorizing those scrapbooks bursting with words.

One day the unimaginable happened.  A mishap caused Jerome's collection to scatter.  The words no longer were grouped in any sort of order.  From this mess this marvelous boy began to create magic.  He started to put the words together in a new kind of order.  With this order his collected words formed verses to write, read and sing.

Jerome was discovering the best thing about his particular collection.  Its strength increased every time he shared those words.  Did this boy stop collecting words? No.  Did this boy stop sharing words?  No.  In fact, he finally did the one thing he had not done.  On a very special day, he was the happiest he had ever been. 


If there's one thing children understand, it's the desire to collect things.  It's as if this need to know everything about one particular thing is irresistible.  Peter H. Reynolds captures this beautifully in his simple, conversational sentences.  His use of language leans toward the songs words can make when arranged.  As the story progresses we feel a gentle tension growing until the eventful day when Jerome's collection scatters.  And this in turn leads us toward the best possible conclusion.  Here is a passage.

He collected words he saw.
Certain words jumped out at him.

He collected words he read.
Certain words popped off the page.


Speaking of words, one word to describe the opened dust jacket is jubilation.  Picturing Jerome with eyes closed and arms raised gives the reader a sense of the peace and comfort he feels among his collection.  Seeing the slips of paper with his words floating around him is like giving form to air.  To Jerome his words are like air giving him life (and life to others, too).  The color choices, blue, white, yellow, and the shade of purple are particularly appealing.

On the book case, in shades of golden yellow, are layers of pieces of paper.  Each one contains one of Jerome's words.  I know readers will pour over those words, selecting those which call out to them.  On the opening endpapers the slips of paper float through a pale blue sky and wisps of clouds.  A bluebird gives witness to this.  A sky filled with the hues of a purple dusk and early starlight provides a canvas for the closing endpapers.  More yellow papers drift on the night air.  Three lines of those words form a quote from Peter Hamilton Reynolds. 

On the verso and title pages two spaces are cleared in the yellow layers of words to provide a place for the appropriate text.  (The text type and display are hand-lettered by Peter H. Reynolds.)  The remarkable style of Peter H. Reynolds's illustrations fill these pages with smaller images grouped together on white backgrounds, larger pictures on white on single pages (the white changes to other hues at times) and two-page pictures to accentuate specific moments in the story.  Each one is designed to bring readers to the story and increase our compassion for the word collector.

The facial expressions on all the children are endearing but none more so than those of Jerome.  You want to hug this child for his love of words.  Another noteworthy detail is Jerome and the other children are pictured barefoot.  There is something freeing in being able to go barefoot.

One of my many favorite illustrations spans two pages.  Jerome is stringing his words together.  On the ground several two-handled large tubs hold bunches of his words.  Strips of paper are scattered on the ground around each tub.  From left to right two lines are stretched, crisscrossing to the left of the gutter.  On the right Jerome stands attaching words to the lines with clothes pins.  This image is all kinds of wonderful.  The background is white except for pale green around the tubs.


After reading The Word Collector written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds everyone will want to string lines in at least one room highlighting their favorite words.  The total joy found in the use of words flows from the pages of this story.  I can't imagine a collection, professional or personal, without a copy of this title.

To learn more about Peter H. Reynolds and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  Teacher librarian extraordinaire Travis Jonker reveals the book cover on his blog, 100 Scope Notes, located at School Library Journal with an interview with Peter H. Reynolds.  There is an inspiring and helpful post at School Library Journal, The Classroom Bookshelf, by Katie Cunningham about this book and possible learning experiences. I think you'll enjoy the book trailer, too.