Happy New Year 2022---One Little Word Part Two

Here we are on the fourteenth day of January, 2022.  In my city, the sun is trying to shine through a haze as the temperature dips to eight degrees with a wind chill of minus six.  Our local school district has closed its doors today due to the rising number of positive COVID cases in the past two weeks.  It is hoped this pause will still that rise and allow time to disinfect the buildings.  Beyond our boundaries, the scales in world and national politics remain in a delicate balance.

Feeling grateful and seated in the comfort of my home, sweet Mulan curled up next to me with her head resting on my leg, one constant remains.  Not only does this constant remain, but it grows ever stronger.  The written and pictorial stories presented to readers by the work of dedicated authors and illustrators offer readers hope through the supplied rhythmic language, breathtaking images, laughter, heartbreak, healing, and a reminder of striving to be our best selves.  Each title either reinforces what we know to be true or offers a new idea for us to consider.

This is the second set of fourteen fiction picture books from 2021 not previously discussed, but simply too good to not honor.

My choice of One Little Word is assigned to each title.  Links to the author's, illustrator's, and publisher's websites (or social media accounts) are shown.  Other pertinent resources are provided.  The books are displayed in order of release date.

Happy reading to everyone!

COMMUNITY

Julia's House Goes Home (First Second, October 19, 2021) written and illustrated by Ben Hatke

At the publisher's website, you can look at interior pictures.  This is the concluding book in a trilogy.  The first two books are Julia's House for Lost Creatures and Julie's House Moves On.

Julia's house roamed the

high hills, looking for a home.

And so, when Julia saw the Perfect Spot glittering in the

distance, she told her creatures, "That's where we're going."

And the creatures all cheered.

In its excitement to get from mountain top to valley bottom, the house took an unexpected tumble.  Julia was thrown from the house and down into a 

Deep Dark Place

holding only the sign from the front door.  The house was nowhere in sight, of course.

As she made her way toward a light, Julia met Patched Up Kitty!  They first encountered a chaotic group of goblins and folletti.  Together they all went to look for the house.  Each time they met one of their creature family members, they had found other creatures they wished to bring to the house.  Julia kept saying---

"We'll make room!"

A mountain king troll, the front door of the house, and a junkyard gave Julia and the multitude of creatures all they needed to go home.  Ben Hatke, through his narrative and honest dialogue, gives us a most pleasing and heartfelt end to the story of Julia and her house.  His visuals, in all shapes and sizes, depict an array of emotions, but the most important one is love.  You will pause repeatedly to look at the endpapers.

 

CONNECT

VAMOS! Let's Cross the Bridge (Versify, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, October 12, 2021) written and illustrated by Raul the Third, colors by Elaine Bay

At the publisher's website, you can view two videos.  One is author Kwame Alexander speaking about this title.  The other is the official book trailer for the series.  There is a special page titled The World of Vamos!  There are two separate activity kits to download on this page.  The two previous titles in the series are VAMOS! Let's Go to the Market and VAMOS! Let's Go Eat.

Little Lobo has a brand new truck!

The truck is packed up and ready to go!

Que bonito camion!

What a beautiful truck,

Little Lobo!  What do

you have back there?

Little Lobo, Kooky Dooky, the rooster, and Little Lobo's canine companion, Bernabe, are taking a trip across the bridge for a celebration.  This bridge between two cities and two countries is used daily by a multitude of people.  They use it to get to and from work, to shop, and to visit friends and family.  The bridge is not just for vehicles, but individuals walk and converse on this bridge.

Today, though, too many people are waiting in their cars and trucks to cross the bridge.  Minutes of waiting turn into hours of waiting.  As daylight fades and nighttime begins, before the thought of it is finished, the celebration begins on the bridge.  La Ranita y sus Lily Pads sing, pinatas are hung by El Toro and his crew, and the food trucks happily distribute their wares.  Raul The Third beautifully blends a mix of Spanish and English with meanings easily understood in this story of bridging cultures.  The images will have you pausing for hours.  

ACCEPTANCE

Only My Dog Knows I Pick My Nose (Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., October 19, 2021) written by Lauren Tarshis with illustrations by Lisa Bronson Mezoff

At the publisher's website, there are interior images to see.  This title has its own website full of resources for teachers and caregivers linked here.  On the Scholastic blog, On Our Minds, Lisa Bronson Mezoff chats about how she created the pictures.  At An Unlikely Story Bookstore & Cafe, they are hosting a virtual event with Lauren Tarshis and Lisa Bronson Mezoff reading and speaking about this book to celebrate World Read Aloud Day on February 2, 2022.

I always do everything right.

Anyone can see that.

It seems this child is pure perfection, eating everything on his plate, even the broccoli.  No one could be a better older brother to a sister than he is.  He shares his toys.  He is a quiet bather, and he goes to sleep as soon as he is in bed. HA!

Sometimes, he plays in bed instead of sleeping.  Who do you think REALLY eats the broccoli? Do I see a paw raised?  The boy's very best toys are not shared, they are hidden.  This the dog knows.  The boy climbs too high in the tree.  He races through the house.  He burps REALLY loud.  This the dog knows.  In fact, the boy and the dog are inseparable, so the dog knows everything about his boy.  And . . . he loves him as much as the boy loves him.

All aspects of this boy's life are related with lively text and the repetition of 

only my dog knows 

inviting readers to join in the story.  The watercolor illustrations portray the exuberance this dog and human exhibit in everything they do.  It extends elements of the narrative wonderfully, especially in the final double-page picture.  The endpapers are certain to bring on the smiles.

READ

Moose's Book Bus (Candlewick Press, November 2, 2021) written and illustrated by Inga Moore

At the publisher's website, there is an activity kit to download and an image to view.  At Penguin Random House, there are multiple interior illustrations to see.  This is a companion title to the earlier A House in the Woods.

Moose lived with his family

in a house in the woods.

At the end of every day Moose, his wife, and children would gather in front of the fire as Moose told a story.  One day, Moose did not have a new story to tell.  He strolled through the woods from neighbor's house to neighbor's house asking to borrow a book he could read aloud. No one had a book!  The very next day, Moose visited the library in the nearby town.

He came home with loads of books.  It did not go unnoticed by Bear.  That night she and her cubs joined the moose family as Moose read aloud Little Red Riding Hood.  Word spread of Moose's evening read aloud sessions.  More and more woodland animals arrived to listen until Moose's living room was too crowded.

With the help of the librarian in town, a visit to the local junkyard, and lots of hard work, Moose had a bus, a book bus, for his animal friends to use.  They all needed to learn to read.  And they did, teaching each other (except Fox was not allowed to teach Hare).  Now, all the homes were filled with the sound of evening read aloud sessions, but no one could read aloud like Moose, so . . .

The text and images pair beautifully in this story of the power of story, books, and reading.  

TIME

Our Table (Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc., November 2, 2021) written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

At the publisher's website, you can enjoy interior illustrations.  At librarian, lecturer at Rutgers, and writer John Schumacher's Watch. Connect. Read., the cover is revealed.  There, Peter H. Reynolds and his editor each write letters.

Violet fondly remembered the table.

The table represented finding and preparing food, setting the table, and her family engaging in the telling of stories.  Unfortunately, more often than not, Violet was alone at the table.  Her other family members were busy doing other things.  It seemed that a big screen television, a phone, and online game playing were more important.

Day by day, Violet noticed that the table was shrinking until one day it vanished!  Violet took matters into her own hands.  She visited her father, mother, and brother and asked them questions.  And they answered.  Together they made something better than ever.  White space is a strong element with the color purple in the artwork before it becomes full-color again.  The pacing of the narrative is superb as is the repetition of the words---

and they did.

SEEK

A Thing Called Snow (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, November 2, 2021) written and illustrated by Yuval Zommer

Be sure to visit Yuval Zommer's Instagram account to view sheer happiness through his artwork and additional posts.  This title is a companion to The Tree That's Meant To Be.

Fox and Hare were born in the spring,

grew up in the summer,

and were the best of friends by autumn.

They both moved using the same motions, but one was better at sniffing and the other was best at hearing.  One day Fox smelled something new and Hare's ears heard something different.  And a bird mentioned something called snow.  Snow?

They sought advice from Bear.  They started to seek something as white as their fur.  Caribou gave them a new description.  So did Salmon and Goose.  The day got later and darker.  Fox and Hare were too tired to keep looking for snow.  They curled together and fell asleep.  They did not see what readers could see.  They did not hear who missed them and came looking for them.  Who was it?

With a dedication that reads---

Dedicated to the wild,

this is a book for everyone.

UNLIMITED

Off-Limits (Candlewick Press, November 9, 2021) written and illustrated by Helen Yoon

At Penguin Random House you can view the first few interior images which begin the pictorial story prior to, including, and after the title page.  You can already feel the hilarity creep into your soul.  Be sure to visit Helen Yoon's Instagram account for more of her humor and creativity.  She loves to play with office supplies as much as her character.  At author, reviewer, and blogger Julie Danielson's Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, she gives her insights on this title and includes more interior images.

Hello!  I'm just looking.

There's nothing wrong

with just looking . . .

Even though she has ignored her father's off-limits sign on his closed office door, it is true there is nothing wrong with just looking.  She can't resist, though.  It begins with a

teeny-tiny piece

of tape. 

Faster than lickety-split, the child, a lamp, and the stapler look like mummies. Connected paper clips and binder clips swirl around the room like gusts of air on a windy day.  There might be a few wrapped around the child. (Insert uncontrolled laughter here.)

You know those stacks of notepads in multiple colors?  You would be surprised what you can create with them . . . everywhere!  The father's office is an explosion of office supplies until it dawns on the child, they have crossed a boundary.  Hurrying to the safety of their room, another shock awaits them and readers.  Highly animated illustrations pair perfectly with the deliberate and spare text to bring us the ultimate comedy.

WRITE

The Story of a Story (Neal Porter Books, Holiday House, November 9, 2021) written by Deborah Hopkinson with pictures by Hadley Hooper

At the publisher's website are downloadable activity sheets.  At Penguin Random House, you can view the title page. 

This is the story of a story.

A child, walking outside on a wintery day, arrives with their dog at a cozy house.  They are armed with supplies for writing, pencils, an eraser, a pencil sharpener and a snack

(a healthy one).

They also bring their physical and mental qualities to the writing table (which is placed in front of a large window to the outside world).

There is a lot of staring and a bit of snack nibbling.  Marks appear on the papers, but they are not a story.  The urge to give up is strong.  

They love the stories of others, but it is not their own.  Another snack break leads to looking out the window, and there it is.  From a chickadee comes the wisdom needed for a story.  Simple, profound text elevated by

pen, ink, and pencil images finished in Photoshop

is guaranteed to have you never looking at a chickadee or a blank piece of paper quite the same way again.

AFFIRMATION

Loving Kindness (Godwin Books, Henry Holt And Company, November 16, 2021) written by Deborah Underwood with illustrations by Tim Hopgood

At the publisher's website, you can view interior illustrations.  There are also pictures from this book at the website of Tim Hopgood.

You are a blessing.

You are beautiful just as you are.

You are loved and you love.

Nine affirmative statements begin this uplifting book.  They read like an affectionate mantra.  The final words refer to our connection to the earth and its connection to all of us.

These distinctive declarations are repeated three more times, identical in every way except for one.  The first time they are repeated the word she is substituted for you.  It is followed by they and then, everyone.  Each time a larger number of individuals are enlivened by the words.  The stylized artwork of Tim Hopgood made with

pencil, charcoal, wax crayon, chalk, ink, paper cutouts, and Photoshop 

is vibrant and colorful, reaching out from the pages just as the words do.  Both wrap readers in

loving kindness.  The book case is stunning.

CARE

Amos McGee Misses the Bus (Roaring Brook Press, November 23, 2021) written by Philip C. Stead with illustrations by Erin E. Stead

At the publisher's website are multiple interior illustrations to view.  Philip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead are interviewed on NPR Weekend Edition Saturday, Special Series, Picture This about their work and Amos McGee.  Philip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead speak with Dan Skinner on Kansas Public Radio about this book.  There is The Stead Collection website.

AMOS MCGEE WAS TOO EXCITED TO SLEEP.  All night long he lay

awake on his pillow, planning an outing for his friends.

Amos did get up when his alarm rang.  He did get dressed.  He put a kettle on the stove, but forgot to light it.  As he waited at the table for the water to boil, he fell asleep.

When he woke up, he knew he was late.  He rushed, but he missed the number five bus.  His best-laid plans were out the proverbial window.  

As he went about his chores at the zoo, Amos apologized to his animal friends.  He did notice the tortoise seemed to be missing.  Resting for a bit, Amos fell asleep again.  It was then we noticed how his friends cared for Amos as much as he cared for them.  And the outing he had planned, happened even better than expected.

Readers will be looking at every page turn for the mouse and yellow bird and all the delicate, intricate details in the artwork 

handmade using woodblock printing and pencil.  

There are several wordless pages and a two-page gatefold.  The placement of the text, narrative and dialogue, is done with excellence.

WISDOM

African Proverbs For All Ages (Roaring Brook Press, November 30, 2021) written by Johnnetta Betsch Cole and Nelda LaTeef with illustrations by Nelda LaTeef

Multiple interior images are available for viewing at the publisher's website.  Both Johnnetta Betsch Cole and Nelda LaTeef are interviewed by librarian, author, reviewer, and blogger Elizabeth Bird at School Library Journal, A Fuse #8 Production.

Prologue

It has been said that a proverb is a short sentence based on long experience.

Whether you are young or old, proverbs can open your mind to a whole new way of seeing the world.

Taken from the cultures of Africa, this book presents four proverbs for each of sixteen double-page illustrations.  It is the belief of the authors and illustrator these four choices will encourage conversations and debate among readers.  They are certain to have each reader pausing and wondering which of the four inspired the picture.

At the close of the book, three pages are dedicated to the proverbs.  Thumbnails are shown for each of the illustrations with the four proverbs.  The proverb which inspired the artwork is shown in bold print.  When it is known, the country of origin for the proverb is stated.  Stunning artwork in various perspectives accompany words which will resonate long after the covers are closed.  This is a book to visit repeatedly for its vision of African cultures and its wisdom.

(In thinking about this title more, I realize I could/should have placed it in the upcoming nonfiction post.)

COMPASSION

Group Hug (Godwin Books, Henry Holt and Company, December 14, 2021) written by Jean Reidy with illustrations by Joey Chou

There are several double-page interior images to view at the publisher's website.  Author Jean Reidy joins author Jill Esbaum at Picture Book Builders for an interview about this title.

There once was a slug,

needing someone to hug.

SHRUG.

Before long, there was a lonely bug.  That bug got a hug from Slug.  Now, there were two creatures willing to hug.

They met a mouse who had more downs than ups, a stinky skunk, a squirrel who smelled of skunk, a beaver needing a break, and a too-prickly porcupine.  Each time a group hug was given.  The group hugs got bigger and bigger as four more animals joined the crew.  When Bear came into view, everybody ran except for Slug.

Slug knew what to do for Bear.  So did everyone else.  The upbeat rhythm flows from page to page as the rhyming words ring out kindness regardless of the recipient's state of mind, odor, or physical characteristics.  The images bring us close to the heartfelt hugging with their cheerful colors and scenes.  (The interior of the dust jacket is a poster of the final image.)

STRENGTH

We Shall Overcome (Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., December 28, 2021) illustrated by Bryan Collier

There are stunning two-page images to view at the publisher's website.  Bryan Collier is the guest author at Scholastic's blog, On Our Minds.  There he speaks about his pictorial interpretation of the words to this anthem.  At librarian, lecturer at Rutgers, and writer John Schumacher's site, Watch. Connect. Read., he chats with Bryan Collier for the book's cover reveal.

We shall overcome, we shall overcome, we shall overcome someday.

As each line spreads across two pages, the artwork of Bryan Collier depicts two worlds.  We view those two worlds by following a young African American girl, dressed in yellow, as she walks to and from school.  The two worlds are the past and the present.

They represent significant moments from the past in black and white with color superimposed from the present.  It is a breathtaking collage of accomplishments and work still necessary.  At the close of the book are discussions about We Shall Overcome History, Historical Moments, Did You Notice The Church On Pages 12 And 13?, Did You Notice The Bus On Pages 14 And 15?, Did You Notice The School On Pages 20 And 21?, Did You Notice The Black Lives Matter Mural on Pages 32 And 33? and an Illustrator's Note. 

CHARITY

What Is Love? (Chronicle Books, December 28, 2021) written by Mac Barnett with illustrations by Carson Ellis

At the publisher's website, you can view several interior illustrations.  At librarian, lecturer at Rutgers, and writer, John Schumacher's site, Watch. Connect. Read., is the cover reveal.  In this post, John talks with both Mac and Carson about their book. (I dare you not to laugh at the end.)

When I was a boy,

in the garden out front

of the house where we lived,

I asked my grandmother,

"What is love?"

My grandma was old.

I thought she would know.

Everything about this book, the dust jacket, the book case, the opening and closing endpapers, the title page, the two-page images and single page images, and every word, was done with loving intention.  After the boy asks his grandmother the question, she replies she cannot answer it.  She suggests he go out into the world to seek an answer.

Each individual the boy encounters gives him a different answer.  They explain why their definition is correct.  The boy is puzzled and voices this confusion.  And they all reply

"You do not understand."

As time passes and the boy gets older, he returns home to his grandmother.  In that moment of being outside this home, savoring it with his senses, he answers his own question.  The final page with a scene in the garden, the young man and his grandmother together as darkness settles around them, and three short sentences is certain to make readers cry . . . with understanding.

No Ordinary Afternoon Outing

You never get too old to forget how much you deplored afternoon naps as a child.  Who wants to sleep in the middle of a grand scheme?  As a parent, the relief of a child taking a break is real.  You are exhausted, needing quiet as much as they do.  As an elder, a rest is not craved so much as savored.

The ingenuity of parents who know their child needs to sleep is a marvel.  Strollercoaster (Little, Brown And Company, June 1, 2021) written by Matt Ringler with art by Raul the Third and Elaine Bay is an extraordinary cruise through the neighborhood.  It's a rip-roaring ride on the wild side!

There's a time each and every day when

the inside feels too small for Sam . . .

Blocks block every path!

Trains have become untrained.

This dad knows there is only one thing to conquer this regular ritual.  One, cranky child is placed in her stroller.  Once secured and reminded of proper protocol, father and daughter take off.  This duo has a need for speed!

They race by other homes, shops, and familiar faces.  They climb past the basketball court and park playground.  Reaching the crest, they whoosh down.  Sam feels her spirits lifting her up, her grumpiness disappearing.

Dad performs near magical feats.  Sam can't get enough of this fast and fascinating jaunt.  Twists and turns take them deep into darkness---a tunnel.

There is no time or need for fear.  A light appears ahead.  Sounds fade.  Speeds diminish.  Destinations are reached.  It is Strollercoaster for the win . . . again.

There is nothing quite so frustrating as being at odds with your world.  Author Matt Ringler describes this daily routine perfectly in his opening sentences.  The story quickly elevates when a walk becomes a rousing romp with a lively blend of dialogue, sound effects, and sensory observations.  Here is a passage.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD FLIES BY!  

Fresh sneakers.   Sweet smells.

Shouts from the basketball court.

One look at the open dust jacket and readers know this dad and daughter are whizzing toward fabulous heights.  (The image on the front and back extends to the flap edges.  It's a panoramic view of the street.)  On the right, front, we focus on Sam and her dad.  Readers are invited to stop and look at all the elements here and throughout the book.  Notice the smiling star and the stars on the stroller wheels.  Notice Dad's necklace and the tiny heart on the post.  On the spine, the symbol for the publisher is placed on an open paper scroll. (This placement is used for text on the title page, also.)

To the left, on the back, an ice cream store is called Sam's Shop.  Another building has the words stroll, foot and walk on it in English.  On either side of the doorway the Spanish words camina and pronto aptly describe what is happening.  (Spanish and English words appear in the illustrations throughout the book.)

On the book case is a replication of the original artwork.  It appears to be pencil on cream.  The details are marvelous.  This also gives the reader an idea of how transformative color is to artwork.

On the opening and closing endpapers is an identical illustration.  A robin's egg blue sky is placed over an intricately drawn depiction of the entire neighborhood.  That canvas is in varying shades of golden yellow with the lines in a rusty red. (It's guaranteed every time you look at this, you will find something new.)

The illustrations for this book were done in pen, ink, and pencil on paper and in Adobe Photoshop for the color

by Raul The Third and Elaine Bay. 

On the title page, the bright, bold hues and neighborhood scene welcome us into the story.  The title word looks like the marquee in an amusement park.  (Perfection!)  The image sizes and perspectives vary to heighten the moods and pacing in the narrative.

Readers will notice how things change from the beginning to the end of the story.  The expressions on the stuffies shift.  The alphabet blocks spell different words.  Facial features on Sam and her dad reflect the stage of their ride.  People in the community are happy to see the duo.

One of my many, many favorite pictures is a double-page image with two smaller insets on the left.  Sam and her dad are in the tunnel.  The technique reminds me of scratchboard artwork.  All the lines are in varied colors on black.  In the first picture in the upper left, Sam and her dad move along the wall with OSCURO in large letters.  Beneath this, in a second smaller visual, are the words

It's dark.

in a speech balloon.

As they move through the tunnel on the right toward the light and neighborhood beyond the exit, the word LUZ is written on the wall above the bricks.  A heart has been drawn on the wall.

Readers will be with Sam and her dad every step of the way from beginning to end of Strollercoaster written by Matt Ringler with art by Raul The Third and Elaine Bay.  Regardless of your age, you will identify with this story.  The words and artwork make this afternoon ritual soar off the pages and straight into our collective hearts.  I highly recommend this title for your personal and professional bookshelves.

To learn more about Raul The Third and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  Matt Ringler has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  Raul The Third has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website is a video chat with the illustrators.  There is a cover reveal and conversation at A Fuse #8 Production, School Library Journal.  Matt Ringler is interviewed at The Horn Book.

Fabulous Fare Everywhere

In college on Sunday evenings, our food commons were closed.  My roommates and I rarely had enough cash between us to get a single pizza.  We would lie in bed on those nights calling out our favorite foods and dine on an imaginary feast.

For far too long, for millions and millions of people around our planet, these same thoughts occupy the minds, on a daily basis, of those without food, incomes or the ability to leave their homes in safety to shop at markets.  Now it is an enormous global phenomenon with the numbers climbing daily due to the impact of the pandemic.  Yet, when they are able, people are posting on social media a plethora of recipes and anecdotes about creating home-cooked meals and baking from scratch.  And in the midst of this a book radiating pure bliss, brimming with color and a cast of enduring characters, is published.  VAMOS!: Let's Go Eat (Versify, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, March 24, 2020), companion to VAMOS!: Let's Go to the Market, written and illustrated by Raul the Third with colors by Elaine Bay is the newest adventure of Little Lobo, his dog, Bernabe, and their friend, Kooky Dooky. It's a mouth-watering exploration of their community's enticing edibles told using a melodious mix of Spanish and English language.  

Check out my new

bike, Bernabe.  Now

we can make our

deliveries faster.

Little Lobo! Un

mensaje importante 

from El Toro!

An important 

message from

El Toro!

With these opening phrases Little Lobo, Bernabe and Kooky Dooky are riding toward el Coliseo, the arena where a wresting event will unfold this evening featuring El Toro and his friends.  The trio join a procession of food trucks, also en route to el Coliseo.  When they arrive, El Toro and other wrestlers practicing for the performance reveal their hunger for an array of favorite cuisine.  Quickly jotting down their requests Little Lobo and his dos amigos get right to work.

All the food trucks are parked nearby, each one focusing on a specialty.  These mobile restaurants, for the most part, make their food fresh and hot on the spot.  The Painted Burrito is known for its signature salsa.  At Kimchi Kiosko Mexican and Korean cooking generates a pleasing flavor for their tacos.

Vendors share ingredients; unnecessary corn husks are useful to a tamale maker.  An elder with a gift for fashioning tortillas sells to makers of quesadillas and burritos.  Look at the size of that burrito!  Little Lobo gathers fresh fruits and vegetables from Pato Peeko to deliver.  She sells more to another who blends them into large fruit and vegetable drinks.

The crowning glory of Little Lobo's gathering is the desserts.  Pastries are piled into a basket.  Their wagon now loaded as high as possible with fabulous fare is held in place by Bernabe.  Kooky Dooky dozes in the side car.

Returning to el Coliseo, El Toro and his wrestling friends, Little Lobo and Kooky Dooky rush inside shouting about La Comida. It's hard to exceed the enjoyment of sharing a meal with friends, but it does get better.  El Toro rewards the efforts of the threesome as only he can.

You can feel the excitement and your cravings for each item of food and beverage growing page by page in this story.  Raul the Third masterfully tells this tale using an artful blend of dialogue and narrative. His mix of Spanish and English guides readers, regardless of their command of one language or the other, perfectly with a pleasing purpose.  In this respect the audience of readers (and listeners) is enlarged and a bridge between worlds is formed.  The short definitive sentences convey cheer throughout the book.  Careful readers will notice informative text on buildings, signs and vehicles.  Here are two passages.

Kooky Dooky leads them

to the back of el Coliseo.

Right this way!

Suddenly they feel a rumble

beneath their feet.

RUMBLE!

RETUMBO!

RETUMBO!

RUMBLE!

Que es eso?

What's that?

Every detail on the book case is significant.  Every detail says to the reader, join us.  Every detail welcomes us to learn about Little Lobo's community, their customs and food.  The bright yellow food truck supplies a sunny background for all the characters.  Bernabe is enjoying his stick.  Kooky Dooky is about to savor a buttered ear of corn.  Little Lobo will soon be tasting a taco.  Do you notice the little bug is back?  What is it holding?  The tattoo on Joe's arm educates us on the Spanish for carrot.  The characters and text are varnished.

To the left, on the back, is an introduction, words you might find on the front flap of a dust jacket.  Additional text sings the well-deserved praises of the first title and gives readers information about Raul the Third and his wife, Elaine Bay.  On the opening and closing endpapers on a sandy-colored canvas are words in Spanish and English for many of the wonderful foods found in this book.  They are colored in shades of green, yellow and red.

On the title page, Kooky Dooky is running down a sidewalk shouting out the title in a speech bubble.  The publisher text is cleverly placed on the edge of the sidewalk near the road.  Above a mailbox are the names, Raul the Third and Elaine Bay.  

The illustrations in this book were done in ink on smooth plate Bristol board with Adobe Photoshop for color.  

Hand lettering was done by Raul the Third.  The images span single and double pages.  Sometimes panels will be placed over an existing larger visual.  What readers will find captivating, and at the same time astonishing, are the multitude of marvelous details.  Every single line creating an element is done with intention.  

The facial features on all the characters, familiar and new, are spirited and highly animated.  You feel compelled to pause on every single page.  Each one is a study in imaginative brilliance.  You'll read this once and then again and then again, noticing something new each time.  

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is a panel over a single-page picture.  In this scene Kooky Dooky, on the right, is holding a quesadilla in his hands (wings).  The other portion of it is in Bernabe's mouth, on the left.  The queso, cheese, is stretching from Kooky Dooky's piece around a pole to Bernabe.  Little Lobo is striding toward Kooky Dooky in amazement.  In the lower, left-hand corner is the Lobo's Delivery wagon, partially filled.  The ever-present bug is running with a burrito in its grasp.

This book, VAMOS!: Let's Go Eat written and illustrated by Raul the Third with colors by Elaine Bay, is a tour de force.  It is a visual and verbal joy from beginning to end every time you read it.  Readers will savor every page.  Listeners will ask you to read it repeatedly.  This is a title you will want on your professional and personal shelves.  On the final page is a lengthy Food Glossary, but in a note, readers are encouraged to look up the definitions of words not listed.

To learn more about Raul the Third and his other work, please visit his website by following the link attached to his name.  Raul the Third has accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  The VAMOS! books are discussed in a Publishers Weekly article.  This title is featured at author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson's Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  Raul the Third was recently a guest at Jarrett J. Krosoczka's Draw Every Day with JJK video art lesson.  At the publisher's website you can download an Activity Kit and watch several videos, one of which appears below.

A Daily Dose Of Delight

One of the advantages of growing up in a small house, on a small street, in a small town is you can walk everywhere you need to go.  Our elementary, junior high and high schools were minutes from home.  We walked to the grocery store, post office, bank, drug store, the five-and-ten for trinkets and candy, flower shop, public library and doctor.  We loved hiking to the nearby Kiwanis Park and Dead Man's Hill for winter sledding.  On Saturdays gals and guys all walked to the local roller-skating rink.

With only one car, Dad used to get to and from work in a nearby town. Mom ran errands pulling a red wagon loaded with odds and ends and groceries.  Once we (my sister and I) were old enough, we started pulling the red wagon to do the grocery shopping.  VAMOS! Let's Go to the Market (Versify Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, April 2, 2019) written and illustrated by Raul The Third, colors by Elaine Bay, follows a daily trip to el mercado made by Little Lobo and his dog, Bernabe.  In a lively, beautiful blend of Spanish and English, readers enjoy the sensory experience with the two companions.

VAMOS! LET'S GO!
Guau!
For breakfast Little Lobo
and Bernabe eat huevos
rancheros con tortillas de
maiz and wash it down 
with warm milk.

Pulling their wagon, the first stop is the warehouse to gather supplies to take to the vendors at the market.  As they quickly move toward their destination, Little Lobo greets Kooky Dooky, the rooster, and thanks him for waking them up.  Walking down the sidewalk of their community, past a shop for haircuts and a movie theater, the duo joins all sorts of people busily making their way to their jobs.

On their way to the market Little Lobo and Bernabe cross through La Placita (a small plaza).  Here people are setting up booths, selling their merchandise and all sorts of delicious foods and beverages.  An older woman is feeding pigeons at the fountain.  Mal Burro and Peeky Pequeno try to keep La Placita (and the Mercado) neat and tidy.  There is music and folk dancing.

There is also a local renowned figure headed in the same direction as Little Lobo and Bernabe.  Their paths are close but not close enough for Little Lobo to notice.  Upon their arrival at the market (Mercado Cuauhtemoc), bursting with activity, they weave through people buying, selling, looking and watching.

Little Lobo and Bernabe stop to make deliveries of shoe polish, clothes pins, wood, tissue paper, paint brushes and the Golden Laces at a variety of shops.  They pass by other stores and greetings are exchanged.  With each stop Little Lobo's wagon empties of one item but fills up with other objects he acquires.

Upon arriving at his final (and favorite) destination Little Lobo is shocked at his good fortune.  On Little Lobo's journey home his load is heavier, but his heart is light.  Heroes really do walk among us.  Good night.  Buenas noches.  Until tomorrow.  Hasta manana.


From the beginning you find yourself fascinated by the short narrative text and dialogue penned by Raul the Third.  There is energy on every page with the perfect blend of two languages.  Text is placed outside of the narrative and dialogue on buildings, near objects and above actions.  It's an explosion of linguistic goodness.  Readers can easily understand either the English or the Spanish based upon the context or placement of both words together.  Sometimes an asterisk will advise you to look for a translation.  Here are two passages.

Mal Burro and Peeky Pequeno keep
La Placita and the Mercado clean.  La
viejita de la fuente feeds the pigeons.

Ding! Ding! Ding!
Something sure smells good!
Churros con
canela y azucar! *

*Churros with cinnamon and sugar.


By their eyes, facial expressions and body postures readers know Little Lobo and his dog, Bernabe, featured on the front of the book case are eager to go to the market.  They are accompanied on this daily adventure by a bug who barely clings to a bouncing box on the back of the wagon.  This bug also lives with them.  The text and characters are varnished.

The red in the text and used as an accent color on the front, covers the back of the book case.  There information normally found on dust jacket flaps is placed.  The bug in his splendid clothes is showcased in the center.  On the opening and closing endpapers in green and white is an intricate design cleverly formed of arrows.  On the title page, Kooky Dooky shouts out the title, waking up Little Lobo and Bernabe.

The color scheme mirrors the community and region in which this story is placed.  All the animals are wearing authentic clothing.  Kooky Dooky has a black and yellow checked shirt, belt with a buckle showing a rising sun, green pants and brown shoes.  The colorist Elaine Bay's work is marvelous.  The details by Raul the Third are superb.  The illustrations are done using ink on smooth plate Bristol board with Adobe Photoshop for color.  They appear as panels like in comic books or as full-page or double-page pictures to accentuate pacing.

You can't help but pause at every page turn.  The first narrative sentence is showcased in steam coming from the kettle heating the milk.  So, we know what is on Little Lobo's list, when he stops at the warehouse, a looped arrow comes from an enlargement of that list.  It is in Spanish and English.  As we move from the desert where Little Lobo and Bernabe live to the city, every element is appropriately placed and many are labeled.  It is here we notice there are stories within this story.

A newspaper headline hints of events to come.  Look at the floating balloon.  Where did it come from?  What are the pigeons doing with the elderly woman?  We come to understand why the bug put a carrot on the wagon at the warehouse.  Readers need to watch this little guy constantly as well as the two cleaners, Mal Burro and Peeky Pequeno.  Also references to famous creators in Mexican culture are seen in multiple places.  It's simply amazing!

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is when Little Lobo and Bernabe are hurrying from the warehouse to make their deliveries.  As they move through the desert with mountains behind them, Kooky Dooky runs along with them.  Bernabe grips the front of the wagon with his paws.  The bug hangs on and swings from a rope tying the boxes together.  Along the bottom of the page are rocks, lizards and a cactus.  A mountain, the desert, a rock and the boxes are labeled in red in Spanish.


Having read this book, VAMOS! Let's Go to the Market written and illustrated by Raul the Third with color by Elaine Bay, repeatedly, I can honestly say you will discover something new every time you read it.  You will be captivated by the story, the use of language and the astounding illustrations.  Spanish and English-speaking readers will completely enjoy the two languages.  They will be making lists of every word they see.  They will be noticing every single element in each illustration.  At the close of the book, Raul the Third includes a glossary of more than ninety words in Spanish with their article and the English translation.  I highly recommend this title for your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Raul the Third and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  Raul the Third has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  You'll want to peruse through both to get peeks at interior images from this book.  Raul the Third is interviewed at Let's Talk Picture Books, author Jarrett Lerner's website and author Chris Barton's website.  (You'll learn this is the first book in a series!)

UPDATE:  Raul the Third was featured on author, reviewer and blogger, Julie Danielson's Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast on July 7, 2019.

Blasting Into The Cosmos

It was in the summer after college graduation when I owned my first car, a forest green Chevy Nova.  Up until that point, I walked or rode my bicycle everywhere.  Having had years of practice in the fine art of hand car washing (My dad never used an automated car wash in his lifetime), my automobile shined on the inside and on the outside.  Dad even made sure I could change the oil in my new set of wheels all by myself.  That car was my pride and joy.

Even today I can appreciate the sight of an elaborately detailed automobile or the throaty rumble of a finely tuned engine.  With this in mind I was excited to begin reading Lowriders in Space (Chronicle Books, November 4, 2014) a new graphic novel written by Cathy Camper with illustrations by Raul The Third.  Hang on folks; you are in for a ride out of this world!

WAKE UP, LUPE!

WAKE UP, ELIRIO!

WAKE UP, CHAVO!

Three friends, an octopus, El Chavo Flapjack Octopus, a mosquito, Elirio Malaria, and an impala, Lupe Impala, are off to their jobs at a car dealership, stopping for breakfast as Lupe rides a bicycle transporting them all.  Each excels in a particular area.  None can beat the mechanical talents of Lupe, the shipshape soap and shine cleaning skills of Flapjack or the exquisite line work of artist Elirio.  Six days a week the trio work for another; wishing they had a garage of their own.

Nearly all their conversations also include the dream of having their own car, a first-rate lowrider.  The threesome feels as though this is clearly wishful thinking until they simultaneously notice the posting for a Universal Car Competition.  First prize is a carload of cash and a solid gold steering wheel but there is the problem of needing a car.

Do not worry readers.  A found hunk of junk has potential.  In their hands the magic can happen.  In search of spare parts, los amigos visit an abandoned airplane factory.  Leaving, discouraged at what they find, their feline companion, Genie, unexpectedly points them to a box of rocket parts.  Working every possible minute, they turn nothing into something. Will it run?

Holy hubcaps!  Not only does this engine hum, moving the car low and slow, it roars transporting the pals into outer space.  They move from one interstellar point to another with extraordinary results.  A tense-too-close-for-comfort brush with a black hole nearly foils their return trip home.  

Spectators and contestants gaze skyward as Lupe Impala, El Chavo Flapjack and Elirio Malaria cruise in for a landing at the competition already in full swing.  Judges make their marks as they pass from each outstanding entry to the next. Be prepared for an astounding display and results that will have you cheering.


This graphic novel conceived and written by Cathy Camper, a blend of her desire to combine science, the Spanish and English languages, and the Mexican-American lowrider culture, flows from start to finish.  As soon as you meet the characters you know this book is going to be unconventional in a very good way.  It's not often an impala, a mosquito and an octopus are best friends.

Their personalities shimmer in the good-natured dialog.  The use of both Spanish and English in their conversations supplies a rhythm to the reading.  A team approach to every decision made, along with their positive support of one another, cements our wish to know as much as we can about them.

In the narrative Camper uses language peppered with alliteration and simile.  Another technique she employs is to tie three sentences together with tasks each are completing.  All these things contribute to an upbeat story.  Here is a sample.

"EVERY BROKEN PART, I REPLACED OR FIXED,"
"AND I BUILT THE ENGINE UP."

"I PAINTED THE BODY A DEEP SKY BLUE."

"I BUFFED THE PAINT JOB SMOOTH AS AN IRONED SHIRT."


There is no denying the wow factor of the dust jacket.  Your mind is immediately filled with questions and possibilities.  Who are these characters?  Why are they riding a car rumbling among the stars and planets?  It's a given they are happy to be there; faces smiling and hands high-fiving each other.

The book case has been designed to resemble a notebook with lined paper in keeping with the heart of this book.  The illustrator, Raul The Third, (and Cathy Camper) wants readers to realize the importance of drawing with limited supplies at hand, notebook paper and pen.  His opening and closing endpapers are a marvelous cosmic swirl of stars and planets, lines framing lines framing lines.

Matte-finished paper in the same pale tan shade as the book case supplies the background for the illustrations done entirely in black, blue and red pen. Every page turn is a welcome surprise in layout with panels of varying sizes; some placed on the top of other larger images.  Dialog is distinguished by placing it in speech bubbles.  The narrative and explanatory translations of the Spanish are framed in black lines.

I cannot say enough about the details in this graphic novel.  They are amazing!  Every time you read this you will see something new.  Lupe has a pail attached to her bike to carry El Chavo Flapjack, a frog who recently ate at a local restaurant is breathing fire standing on the sidewalk outside, Lupe has her name etched in her tools (just like my Dad did his), Genie has a heart shaped patch on the front of her fur and all the clothing and accessories worn by each character are a reflection of their personalities.

One of my many favorite illustrations is of the friends make some adjustments after visiting two particular spots in space.  Their ingenuity and knowledge makes their cosmic car dip and hop like none other.  Without spoiling it for you, the illustrations nearly jump off the page, loaded with action.  You can feel the speed and hear the engine sing.

Lowriders in Space written by Cathy Camper with illustrations by Raul The Third is a super-charged remarkable ride.  Three friends follow their dream no matter where it takes them.  Fortunately they decide to take us readers along on their journey.  We are enthusiastically glad they do.

Please visit the websites of Cathy Camper and Raul The Third by following the links embedded in their names.  They both share extras.  John Schumacher, teacher librarian, interviews Cathy Camper on his blog, Watch. Connect. Read.  A quote from the interview is 

Art has the power to change people.  People's actions are influenced by what they see and read, but also, people are often encourage to write and create art themselves, by what they read and the art they see.

Raul The Third is interviewed by teacher librarian, Matthew C. Winner on his Let's Get Busy Podcast, Episode #108.  I enjoyed the entire chat but this line by Raul set the tone for the entire listening experience.

...something that you know you were born to create."

LITPICK conducts a question and answer interview with Raul The Third.  A favorite thought is

I love how artists are linked to one another across time and space and that we are each adding to the conversation with every new work we create.

Lowriders in Space has its own website.  Here is a link to a common core aligned teacher's guide generated by the publisher.  Raul The Third is interviewed at School Library Journal.  In answering one of the questions he includes this in his reply.

I want to inspire our future artist from all walks of life that can see our book and realize that you don't need anything other than their dreams and hard work to realize their dreams.

Cathy Camper is interviewed at Huff Post Books.  I like these sentences in response for how the idea of the book came to her.

Daydreams.  I'm a prolific daydreamer, and all my books start with stories I tell myself.

Matthew C. Winner also interviewed Cathy Camper on his Let's Get Busy Podcast Episode #95.  One of my favorite parts is

I have to say that both Raul and I really love comics and we really love the possibility that comics give you...

Lowriders in Space (excerpt) by Cathy Camper, Illustrated by Raul the Third by ChronicleBooks