Sweet Dreams

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

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

ISAAC LOVED THE NEW PAJAMAS he got for his first

sleepover at Grandpop's house.  He loved laughing and

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

of sleeping away from home. 

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

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

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

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

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

Creak. Creak. Creak.

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

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

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

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

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

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

his hand over his mouth.  . . .

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

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

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

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

These heartwarming images by AG Ford rendered in 

watercolor

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

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

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

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

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

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

There once was a time

when the sun alone ruled the day,

the moon graced the night,

and little children were put firmly to bed before sunset.   

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Thank you," the sun whispered.

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

let me see the children?"

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

I've seen the stars."

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

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

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

Jim LaMarche rendered these illustrations 

in acrylics and pencil on Arches watercolor paper.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cool winds blow through graying skies.

Geese are honking long goodbyes.

Autumn clouds sweep overhead.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Badger pauses in the light.

Where will she spend this frosty night?  . . .

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

tucked inside her chambered sett.  . . .

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

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

Rendered

digitally

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

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

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

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

A Transformation

With the arrival and departure of each month differences are noted.  Some are subtle, only evident by keen observers.  Others are more obvious.  With each seasonal shift the length of daylight and darkness lessens and grows in proportion.  More darkness signals rest and more light announces rebirth.  Wild creatures carefully watched declare changes with their presence or absence. 

The newest of three titles (Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn August 16, 2016, Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter September 5, 2017) celebrating seasons, Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring (GodwinBooks, Henry Holt and Company, February 18, 2020 written and illustrated by Kenard Pak, follows a boy and his dog as they walk and send out greetings.  They move and mark aspects of these two seasons.  They do not go alone.

Hello, winter night.

Hello, snow.

Hello. From high up in the sky.

Snow continues the conversation with the boy and his pooch pal, telling of its actions and where its flakes fall.  Strolling past a pond covered in ice, the child bids the fish hello.  And they reply. 

An empty greenhouse draws attention to its own discoveries.  A winter brook, footprints left in the snow, trees and a nest acknowledge the young explorer and his dog.  A wild winter storm voices its own opinion.  And then it stops.  Silence.

Looking out his window in the morning, those places visited the previous night glow in the dawn's light rising behind neighboring hills.  A new day means a new walk is in the offing.  The effects of the previous night's weather diminish in the warmth of the sunlight.

Multiple salutations address all the changes.  Heat helps to melt.  Heat helps buds to unfurl.  Heat calls to sleeping animals.  All the welcome words bring forth responses.  The joy of a new time reverberates across the landscape.  A boy and his dog run to meet spring.


The technique of using greetings and responsive greetings in the narrative by Kenard Pak creates a personal experience for the reader.  We travel in faith and appreciation with the child and his canine companion.  The replies from what most would consider unable to speak enrich the dialogue and elevate the magic to be found in our world.  Here is a passage. 

Hello, glass house.

Hello.  I'm cold inside.
The swaying trees through my glass panels are like tall, slender ghosts.
The last logs are draped with snow. 


When you open the dust jacket the image spans from the edge of the left flap to the edge of the right flap.  The illustration on the book case matches that of the jacket.  From left to right we move through a chilly wintry scene in the country toward a small community as the snow falls.  As the scene crosses the spine a few new leaves appear on a tree as the landscape warms with the changing season, sun and clear sky.  Shades of gray turn to hues of green.  Clearly the two walkers are enjoying their adventure. 

On the opening and closing endpapers a steely blue gray provides the background.  On the title page a single sapling on top of a hill catches falling snowflakes.  Kenard Pak

used watercolor and pencil, digitally enhanced, to create the illustrations for this book.

Each picture graces two pages with the exception of four full-page pictures.  There is a stunning wordless visual deep in the night before sunrise.

The narrative begins in the evening with winter colors darker than during daylight which supplies a better contrast to the lightness of the new day after the storm and the coming of spring.  Each image presents a different perspective depending on who is the observer.  We view scenes from the boy's and dog's viewpoints, from snow's point of view, or from the fishes' sight.  Sometimes all we see of the boy and his dog are their feet and paws.

Each page turn asks readers to pause.  We look at each setting carefully noting the layers and what Kenard Pak chooses to place with bolder colors and those he chooses to fade.  Each element is placed in each picture with intention.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is a bird's eye perspective of the boy's home and surrounding area.  From here we can see his house, the pond, the greenhouse, the brook, and plentiful trees.  On the left snow still covers portions of the grass, trees, and roof of the house.  Our eyes move to notice the brook, greenhouse and pond before crossing the gutter.  A blue jay and blackbirds soar in the sky on the right.  Beneath them the boy and his white dog race through a clearing.  You can feel the surge of joy at all the new beginnings visible in the change of colors.  There are shades of green everywhere you look.


Reading Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring written and illustrated by Kenard Pak is a soothing journey from season to season.  It invites readers to take their own walks and greet what they see.  It welcomes them to imagine responses.  It enhances the value of observation and appreciation for our natural world and its cycles.  This could be used successfully to promote discussions and enhance specific themes of study or storytimes.  You'll want to place a copy of this in your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Kenard Pak and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  Kenard Pak has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  Here is a link to an interview at Art Of The Picture Book.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.

What Is . . . This?

Usually in northern Michigan our snow arrives and leaves annually as anticipated.  When the first snow falls it is not unusual for everyone to pause, wherever they are, and watch, a soft sigh escaping unbidden. (Or, in the case of my students, running to the bank of windows at the back of the library, and laughing out loud.)  Yet, when the final patch of snow melts, months later, it's cause for jubilation.  Normally, the snow changes from month to month in texture and depth.  This year, though, has been one of many surprises.

Our snow goes from a stormy seven inches deep to gooey-wet in a matter of days.  It's as if Spring does not want to let Winter have its proper time.  This weather gives us a huge variety of ever-changing snow characteristics.  Some Snow Is . . . (Putnam, G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC, November 5, 2019) written by Ellen Yeomans with illustrations by Andrea Offermann offers readers an ode to all the various types of snow.

Some snow is First Snow.
We've waited for so long snow.
Is it really snow snow,
or only heavy rain?

When snow first falls it rarely lasts, but as the narrator says, we wait for the snow which stays.  In between, there will be a blend of rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow.  Sometimes the snow is so light, it simply goes where the wind blows.

As it deepens there is play; children falling with arms and legs spread and making angels.  The snow quality shifts allowing the building of snow forts and snowballs.  It is a time to be an architect or simply a maker of shapes.

On the days the snow pours from the sky, wet, heavy and deep, we shovel to help our father clear a pathway and the driveway.  We move it from one place to another place.  It gets higher and higher.  Guess what we do now?

We wander in the woods, looking at tracks made by all sizes of creatures.  Who went there?  Who went here?  We join other children, towing sleds to the top of the hill and careening down at take-your-breath-away speeds.  And we do it again because we can.

There is one snow better than any other kind of snow.  It's so wild and windy, we huddle cozy inside until the next morning we roll and sculpt another chilly child, a familiar figure seen across lawns and fields.  He stands until snow is but a thought we hold until the next First Snow.


The words in this book written by Ellen Yeomans reveal a personal connection to snow, portraying vivid experiences.  The snow described here is as children see it.  It's depicted as an abundance of opportunities.  At the end of the fourth and eighth lines a word rhymes, tying the rhythm together.  Here is another passage.

Some snow is Angel Snow.
Finally covers all snow.
Lightly and slightly deep snow---
drop down and make some wings.


The liberal use of blue on the front of the matching dust jacket and book case evokes the chill of winter.  The primary colors in the children's clothing with the green in the one coat is a colorful contrast.  Everything is enlivened with the falling snow and snowy text.  This image is pure happiness.  To the left, on the back, is a crisp white canvas with three smaller pictures of children enjoying snowy activities.  Words from the narrative describe the kind of snow:

First Snow!
Sledding Snow!
Snowman Snow! 

On the opening and closing endpapers is a continuation of the falling snow against shades of a paler blue sky.  On the title page we are standing inside the children's home, next to a chair used to drape snow clothing. A pair of boots are beneath it.  The door is open to the snowy world outside.

Each illustration, rendered

with pen, ink, and watercolor with digital touches

by Andrea Offermann is a cheerful celebration of each day filled with each kind of snow.  Her attention to detail is superb.  Her point of view shifts from bird's eye as the children look up at snow, to a wider-angle of snow starting to gather on neighborhood homes to a panoramic view of the community atop the sledding hill.

The scenes are a beautiful depiction of an array of settings with our eyes drawn immediately to the children.  The facial expressions on these characters are wonderful portraits.  These pictures, ranging in size from double page to full page and to a group of three smaller images, are so spirited you expect them to come to life at any minute.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations spans two pages.  We are looking down at a large snowy expanse.  In the upper left-hand corner, we see a small portion of a wooden fence and open gate.  In the lower right-hand corner, a child, hands on hips, is standing and looking as we are.  Next to them is a pooch pal seen in some of the pictures.  We are all looking at snow angels spread before us, connected by footprint paths.  The angels are accented in blue and yellow.


This book, Some Snow Is . . . written by Ellen Yeomans with illustrations by Andrea Offermann, is for remembering and wondering.  It is brimming with joy and appreciation for snow.  It would be a wonderful addition to a theme on winter, snow or perhaps a study of Snowflake Bentley.  You'll want to add this title to your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Ellen Yeomans you can follow her on her Instagram or Twitter accounts.  To discover more about Andrea Offermann, you can access her website by following the link attached to her name.  She maintains a blog and an account on Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view the title page.

On a personal note I want to introduce you, if you aren't already familiar with it, to a blog maintained by author and reviewer Julie Danielson titled Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  I have visited this blog for more years than I can remember.  I have learned wonderful things about authors and illustrators through her posts.  In this post, I discovered Some Snow Is . . . I am grateful to Julie Danielson and to her passion for children's literature.

There's "Snow" Better Time To Read

It began in the early afternoon yesterday.  It was not stopping.  The entire landscape looked as though it was dipped in vanilla frosting.  The wind gusts sculpted lovely shapes and rang my three sets of wind chimes.  Winter is back full throttle. 






Late, late last night the snow finally stopped but the winds are still howling.  The big lake, Lake Michigan, is wild and beautiful today.  A walk along the shoreline needs to be done with respect.


Two of three publications released in November 2019 remind us of all the fun-filled activities to be enjoyed outside in winter.  The third book focuses on a hesitate hibernator.  In an alphabetical journey with a new-found friend, he makes his way back home.

When The Snow Is Deeper Than My Boots Are Tall (Godwin Books, Henry Holt and Company, November 5, 2019) written by Jean Reidy with illustrations by Joey Chou will have eager readers ready for a romp in the out-of-doors.  There is something special about an unexpected snowstorm.  It's an open invitation brimming with possibilities.

Jump up in the morning.
Winter's here at last!
Gobble down my pancakes.
Getting dressed so fast. 

Our happy narrator compares the snow depth throughout the story by his size.  It begins as

deeper than my toes are tall.

Before he gets garbed in his winter gear and sets foot outside, it's much deeper.  He joyfully leaves prints wherever he goes.  The family cat and dog join in his snowball fight with the neighborhood children and when he makes a snowman.

It keeps on snowing and the wind is still blowing.  A huge gust snatches his hat and now the snow depth matches the book's title.  This little guy is in need of rescue.

Near but not too near, loving parents pick him up.  The adventuresome boy, dog and cat are carried through the snow until they all take a minute or two or three to leave their shapes in the snow.  A final gaze at a vast starry sky is a prelude to an appreciative snuggle inside by a cozy, crackling fire.


Author Jean Reidy pens a wonderful rhyming story which will have readers clapping and toe-tapping by the second page turn.  Repeating the deeper than phrase but adding to its descriptions asks for reader participation.  Jean Reidy also includes single alliterative action words and the repetition of certain words together to heighten the rhythm.  Here is a passage.

Step!
Stamp!
Stomp!
Run!
Tracks in the white.

Splet!
Splat!
Splot!
Fun!
Snowball fight!


Illustrator Joey Chou using hues of blue and purple contrasting with vivid colors in clothing and interior and exterior scenes of the boy's home manages to portray a winter's snowy, blowy and chilly day with excellence.  On the front of the dust jacket the boy is gleefully swung between his parents as the family pets watch.  To the left, on the back, we are brought in close, to the boy and his pets engaged in making snow angels as two birds fly over them.  Specific elements are varnished to reflect light on the snow and title text.

On the book case in shades of turquoise as a background with large snowflakes in darker turquoise, white and purple, an interior illustration is featured.  It shows the boy romping in the snow, leaving his footprints and handprints.  He moves from left to right into four different positions before running toward the right-hand corner.

The opening and closing endpapers are covered in a bright orange similar to the boy's scarf.  The images, rendered by digitally painting in Adobe Photoshop, are all double-page pictures with shifting perspectives to enhance the pacing.  Several times we get a bird's eye view.  We are brought close to the characters for emotional impact.  Readers will delight in the extra details like the cat and dog paw prints on the frost-covered window pane

One of my many favorite illustrations is of the boy making a snowman.  On the left he is rolling the head toward the two other large snowballs on the right.  His snowball on the left already has eyes, a smiling mouth, a carrot nose and twigs sticking out the top for hair.  The medium snowball has a red bow tie on it.  The cat is peeking out the top.  The largest snowball has yellow boots for feet.  The dog, paws on top, is looking at the cat and his boy and is barking.

To learn more about Jean Reidy and Joey Chou and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their respective websites.  Jean Reidy has accounts on Facebook and Twitter.  Joey Chou has accounts on Instagram, Tumblr and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.  The link is attached to their name.


A Day for Skating (Candlewick Press, November 5, 2019) written by Sarah Sullivan with illustrations by Madeline Valentine is sure to have readers reaching for their skates and searching for the nearest ice.  If you can't walk to it, it's time for a trip.  Then, get ready to glide, twirl and zoom over the frozen surface.

Mittens, boots, parka, cap.
Crisp cold. Branches snap.
Clear pond, shining ice.
Laced-up skates---check them twice.

An adult, little girl and pet dog head to the skating pond in their car.  At the ice, the little girl struggles to maintain her balance but her companions, human and canine are there to offer support and help.  After the tumble, the trio head inside the warming hut with others for a snack and hot chocolate.

Later, back outside, we watch others skating hand-in-hand, playing hockey, dancing and racing.  Everyone seems to be enjoying their day on the ice.  At dusk, a roaring fire in a brick pit outside is a place to get warm and change from skates to boots.  Others gather by the fire with the adult, little girl and their dog.

Back home there's a warm bath to take off the chill, and a favorite book to read in bed. What's happening at the ice now that everyone is home?  Only the full moon knows for sure.


Through the words written by author Sarah Sullivan is seems as if we are there at the pond and at the child's home at the end.  Most of the two lines rhyme at the end, giving us a descriptive vision of place, time and the emotional mood.  There is a distinctive flow mirroring the actions of the characters until we, like the little girl, are lulled into calm at the conclusion.  Here is a passage.

Good friends gliding in a row.
Holding on and letting go.


Rendered digitally and using watercolor and colored pencil, the illustrations by Madeline Valentine transport us to the pond on the matching and open dust jacket and book case.  On the front the girl and her parent skate together amid a hockey player and group of figure skaters.  The crisp, cold setting is deftly depicted in cooler colors with bright splashes in the clothing worn by the skaters. 

The scene continues over the spine to the left.  Five skaters, hand-in-hand fashion a line whipping around on the ice.  Behind them is the warming hut, the dog and another father and his son. Readers will be pleased to see different ethnic groups represented.

On the opening endpapers, the parent, little girl and dog are riding in their car to the pond down a county road with a snowy landscape behind them.  On the closing endpapers we are at the pond at night.  We can see the warming hut and a portion of the pond.  Deep purples broken with white snowflakes and a large shining moon portray an atmospheric scene.  On the verso and title pages we are treated to an overview of the parking lot, warming hut, ponds with skaters and the bridge.

The majority of the images are double-page pictures with smaller illustrations featuring actions in a short time period.  The expressions on the characters are those of pure joy whether they are on the ice, in the warming hut, cozy around the fire outside or when our main characters are happily at home.  Readers will appreciate the fine line work and details.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a close-up of people gathered around the outdoor fire pit.  On the left are several children and an adult, and the girl, her parent and dog.  On the right a child, skates over their arm, is close to the pit, arms and hands outstretched to savor the heat.  Careful readers will notice new guests off the edge to the right.  They are a hint of things to come.

Links are attached to the names of Sarah Sullivan and Madeline Valentine, so you can learn more about them and their work by accessing their websites.  Sarah Sullivan maintains accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.  Madeline Valentine maintains accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  At Candlewick Press and at Penguin Random House you can view interior illustrations.  Here is a link to a nine-page activity kit found at the author's website.


Bear Is Awake!: An Alphabet Story (Dial Books For Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, November 26, 2019) written and illustrated by Hannah E. Harrison is an enchanting story of an unlikely and unexpected friendship.  A winter's nap is interrupted for reasons unknown.  A girl's morning is interrupted, too, but she handles it with pure perfection.

Aa  awake
Bb  big bear
Cc  cozy cabin
Dd  doorbell ding-dong!

As you might expect, the letter e reveals entirely different responses from the bear and the girl.  The bear is thrilled with his entrance into the cottage.  The girl is surprised out of her mind.  For each letter of the alphabet the story unfolds from one hilarious moment to the next.

The girl decides they need to go on an excursion.  She puts a large hat on the bear, and they set off down the road into town.  The townspeople and children are terrified.  The bear is having a ton of fun and the girl is trying to keep him acting nicely.

After a trip to the market and back at the cottage, a pancake breakfast makes for two happy people.  The more she learns (from reading a book she got when they visited the library), the girl knows the bear must go back to his home.  The trip is partially fun filled, long and a tiny bit sad.  Now tucked in for his long winter's nap, the bear (and readers) will notice the treats and promise left behind.


Every carefully chosen word by Hannah E. Harrison moves us through this delightfully charming narrative laden with humor.  The single words, double words, triple words and one group of four are sometimes alliterative but nevertheless, fashion a cadence.  Together this collection of alphabetically arranged words do tell a story but they leave plenty of room for the marvelous illustrations.  Here are the words for the letter o.

Oo  oblivious officer
       outlandish outfit


As soon as you look at the front of the matching dust jacket and book case, not a second later, you'll be filled with merriment.  That bear and that girl are having the most fun either of them have ever had.  Notice the shadows made by their arms and legs as they form their snow angles and their footprints and paw prints in the snow.  To the left, on the back, still on a background of white, an interior image of the girl tying the hat on the bear is placed between text that reads:

What would you do if A Bear Came to the Door?

A. Run!
B. Scream!
C. Give the bear a warm hat and head to the library for advice.

On the opening and closing endpapers, with a blue-on-blue color scheme, a map of the community, the girl's cabin and surrounding woods, the stream, mountains and bear's home are shown.  There is one difference between the first and second set of endpapers.  Readers will have fun with the added detail.

Illustrator Hannah E. Harrison begins the pictorial story on the title page with the bear still sleeping inside his den but by the first page turn, a squirrel has moved to the top of the den when the bear wakes up. 

The artwork for this book was created with Winsor & Newton Designers gouache on Strathmore 400 series 184 lb. mixed media paper with vellum surface.

The image sizes vary between double-page pictures, full-page pictures, and several images on a single page.  Readers won't know whether to burst out laughing (which they will undoubtedly do) or point out all the tiny elements Hannah E. Harrison includes in her pictures.  The bear is using a single sharp claw to ring the doorbell.  The bear glances back at the lion on the library steps.  The baby touching the bear's fur during story time is completely at ease.  All the children are watching the bear or carrying on as usual.  The librarian is the one looking rather uncomfortable.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is on a single page.  The bear and the girl are in the supermarket at the check-out counter.  The cart is ahead of the girl and the cashier; the items are already in a bag.  The big, bulky bear is squashed into the seat, wearing the seatbelt and cautiously waving one paw at the cashier.  The cashier is trying to ring the cash register and take the girl's money while keeping an eye on the bear.  The girl, her back to us, is holding out her money.  This is the nice part of the letter n.  (You should see the naughty scene on the previous page.)


Follow the link attached to Hannah E. Harrison's name to access her website and learn all about her other enchanting books.  Hannah E. Harrison has an account on Facebook.  You might enjoy this interview of Hannah E. Harrison on Brightly.  At the publisher's website you can view the title page.


When The Snow Is Deeper Than My Boots Are Tall written by Jean Reidy with illustrations by Joey Chou, A Day for Skating written by Sarah Sullivan with illustrations by Madeline Valentine and Bear Is Awake!: An Alphabet Story written and illustrated by Hannah E. Harrison are three fabulous books for a winter theme whether they are read separately or together.  They offer multiple opportunities for story stretcher activities.  All of them are lively and full of cheer.  Who could ask for anything more?  I highly recommend all three for your personal and professional collections.

A Tale of Friendship And Food

When the word holiday is spoken many different things spring into many different people's minds.  One word which most will agree is associated with holidays is food.  Special foods are prepared according to cultural customs, family traditions and the desire to try something new.

With the dates of winter celebrations approaching fast, people are gathering recipes and ingredients for recreating or making memorable meals or delicious desserts.  For some the food prepared and served during these festivities are only eaten one or two days during an entire 365 days.  When you think and remember these foods, they bring to mind only this time of year.  Wintercake (Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, October 15, 2019) written and illustrated by Lynne Rae Perkins is a lost and found story.  It's about more than losing items.  It's about losing faith in individuals.

Where can it be? thought Thomas.
Maybe I left it outside.

Thomas looked and looked.  It was gone.  His friend Lucy, a cardinal, asked him what was missing.  His basket of dried fruits, apples, berries, plums, apricots, grapes and cherries is nowhere to be found.  It has vanished.  How is Thomas going to make his Winter's Eve treat, wintercake?  The celebration won't be the same without it.

As a snow squall begins Lucy leaves, hoping Thomas finds his basket.  He hopes Lucy stays safe.  The snow thickens until Lucy can't see anything.  She crashes and falls.  In the middle of a worrying thought, she smells something wondrous, something delicious and promising warmth.  Through the swirling snow, she spots the door to a tea room.

As Lucy sips tea, conversations drift around her.  Most are focused on the weather, except for one.  She hears the words, basket, dried-up fruits and wintercake.  Lucy feels anger rising in her.  She pays for her refreshments and follows the wily thief with Thomas's basket out the door.  Imagine her surprise when this figure arrives at Thomas's home and returns the basket still filled with the fruit.

Lucy quickly goes to Thomas's door and once inside, tells him the entire story.  She is ashamed.  They decide to make the stranger a wintercake.  It is magnificent but they have a dilemma.  Where does this good Samaritan live?  The trail, they discover, is filled with challenges.  As the sky darkens around them, they realize they are lost and far, far away from home.  In the next few moments several incidents forge a new friendship; a friendship with a foundation made of stories . . . and wintercake.



It begins with a mystery, a tantalizing invitation by Lynne Rae Perkins readers will be unable to resist.  With the appearance of Lucy, her chat with Thomas and the snowstorm, the tension increases.  Throughout these opening pages Lynne Rae Perkins uses dialogue with adept skill, giving readers a greater personal involvement.  We also see bits of humor in the words Thomas uses to describe his state of mind.

Along with the narrative and dialogue, from time to time, words, spoken or thought, are included in speech bubbles.  These heighten the strength of the story and the growing humor. We willingly find ourselves more and more a part of this tale.  Here are two passages.

Thomas drizzled the white icing over it, like snow on a lumpy hillside.  He lifted it onto a pretty plate and tied a ribbon around it.
"I've thought of something," said Lucy.
"What?" said Thomas.

"We don't know where this guy lives," said Lucy.  "We don't even know his name."
"Hmm," said Thomas.  "That's true."

The two friends looked at one another.  They looked at the wintercake, on its plate with its ribbon.  They looked down at their shadows, blue shapes on the snow.  A trail of crispy footprints led from where they stood, away through the forest.
"That's it! cried Lucy.  "We can follow his footprints!"
"Yes!" said Thomas.  "Off we go!"
And off they went.  At first, it was easy.


For those living in the northern hemisphere or for those experiencing a wild winter storm tonight, one of many this season, the scene on the front of the dust jacket addresses the weather with a sure knowledge, but notice the three friends skipping merrily through the wind and snow.  To place them on the top of the wintercake, baked, frosted and placed on a pretty plate, is saying with those for whom we hold affection, let us celebrate and enjoy this delectable dessert.  Let us banish the chill and warm our hearts with food and friends.  The contrast of color choices is marvelous.  The frosting and fruits are varnished.

To the left, on the back the canvas is a darker blue.  Framed by a multitude of tiny snowflakes, bare tree branches and small evergreens is a poem speaking about the essence of this story.  It talks of misunderstanding, loss, mistakes and finding a holiday home.

On the book case we are inside Thomas's home.  On the front is an oval window.  Outside we can see Thomas, Lucy and Tobin taking a toboggan ride.  The pretty blue and white plate is empty except for wintercake crumbs.  It is resting on a red and white checked tablecloth patterned in snowflakes.  On the wall of the house is a note numbered 10.  It reads:

Share with friends.

To the left, on the back of the case, are more notes (four) numbered one through nine, plus one extra.  They are placed among ingredients and utensils used for making wintercake.  For eager readers, these notes are the list of ingredients and steps for making wintercake.  These are all on the tablecloth in Thomas's home.

The opening and closing endpapers are a rich royal blue.  On the title page Lynne Rae Perkins begins the story with Thomas setting the basket down to taste the first snowflakes.  On the verso page the stranger (Tobin) is picking up the forgotten basket.  On the dedication page, Lucy is flying through falling leaves and snowflakes.

Lynne Rae Perkins shifts her illustration sizes to enhance and place emphasis on her narrative.  She begins with a series of smaller ones on white as Thomas looks for his basket of fruit.  She follows these with a full-page picture and two smaller horizontal illustrations on the next two pages.  Then readers are treated to a two-page image of the increasing storm, a sad Thomas and Lucy leaving.  Each visual heightens her words and their emotional impact, even her humor.

Lynne Rae Perkins uses white space with excellence to frame many of her illustrations and to increase the chill everyone feels during winter weather.  Also, shades of the royal blue shown on the endpapers finds its way into the interior illustrations, elevating each scene.  Readers will connect with the characters through their thoughts and their actions as displayed by their facial expressions and body postures.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is on a full page.  Lucy is perched on a bright green rolled blanket on Thomas's red-frame sofa with two-tone blue plaid cushions.  Thomas is seated at the other end.  He is softly smiling.  Lucy is completely upset and talking about her misjudgment of the stranger.  The basket of dried fruit is on a round coffee table.  This is on a round rag rug.  The colors of the fruit and the colors in the rug are nearly identical.  Next to the sofa is a small table.  On it a lamp painted with roses glows.  Thomas has wainscoting in this room and a small circular window.


This is a story to take away the chill on a wintry day, evening or at bedtime.  Wintercake written and illustrated by Lynne Rae Perkins is a gentle tale of how misunderstandings can lead to the best life has to offer us if we reach out and right a wrong, even if the injured party is unaware.  Lynne Rae Perkins's blend of text, dialogue, thoughts and glorious illustrations will make this a much-requested title.  You'll need to have a copy in your personal and professional collections.

To discover more about Lynne Rae Perkins and her other wonderful work, please visit her website by following the link attached to her name.  She has accounts on Facebook and Instagram.  This book is showcased at author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson's Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, at Picture Book Builders in a post by author Pat Zietlow Miller and at Jama's Alphabet Soup by author and blogger, Jama Rattigan.

A Seasonal Snooze And Merrymaking

Even for fans of winter, the combinations of snow, wind, freezing rain and the Polar Vortex of 2019 have been a challenge.  It takes a hardy soul to enjoy winter sports in wind chills at negative fifty or below.  Navigating through snow even with snowshoes or skis is tricky when there is an icy crust several inches thick on top.  The longer this lasts the more appealing is the desire to huddle under a pile of blankets. 

On October 10, 2017 a lovely, lyrical book exploring the idea of sleeping through the wintry months was released.  William's Winter Nap (Disney Hyperion) written by Linda Ashman with pictures by Chuck Groenink sets aside all the outdoor elements, replacing them with affection found inside a cozy cabin among friends.  You'll want to join them.

In a house on a hill
that's tall and steep,
there's a boy named William
who's ready to sleep.

After William goes through long-nap rituals with covers tucked under his chin, he hears a gentle knocking on his bedroom window.  A winter weary creature, a chipmunk, asks to share his bed.  After exchanging yawns and saying good night, they prepare to drift into dreamland.  Guess what?  There's more rapping, a bit louder.

A grateful porcupine meanders inside and crawls beneath the blankets until . . .

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

A badger at the door makes four.  There are again more yawns and well wishes for a good sleep.  Mere minutes pass before a slight sound at the window announces the presence of a raccoon.  Needless to say, it's getting a bit crowded in William's bed with the number totaling five.

Everyone is sleeping when a loud noise cannot be ignored.  A note appears under the door.  The occupants of William's bed don't want to make any more room.  William is more than willing but when he peeks outside, he has a huge surprise.  It's a bear.  Sadness is replaced with compassion and a feeling of more-the-merrier fills a room and a bed with warmth.


This month a wondering world gets to visit with William and his slumbering friends again.  William Wakes Up (Disney Hyperion, February 5, 2019) written by Linda Ashman with pictures by Chuck Groenink takes us back to the cabin months later.  The deep snows have vanished and preparations for a celebration begin. 

On a quiet morning,
sleepy and still,
William looks out on
a moss-covered hill.

A sound in the distance causes William to spring into action.  There is a cake to make.  William calls to his bedroom companions but the only one to heed his request is Chipmunk.  After the long nap Chipmunk works well but still feels sleepy.  They need more help.

Now William and Chipmunk try to wake the others.  Only Porcupine responds.  With the cake baking, Porcupine helps to spruce up the kitchen until the size of the job overwhelms this pal.

Badger and Bear hear and get out of bed one by one.  As fast as they are able the living room is cleaned and festooned.  The cake is frosted and prettily edged with icing.  The five companions are clearly tuckered out.  They all try to get Raccoon to help, but he still snoozes.

A cheery noise outside announces the arrival of the special guest, Bluebird.  The mention of a single word has Raccoon suddenly sitting up and taking notice.  The other animals who worked hard are not amused.  William makes a suggestion and Raccoon is more than willing to comply.  Spring has sprung!


Readers gravitate toward a book inviting their participation.  Author Linda Ashman uses repetitive incidents and phrasing to welcome us into both stories.  In the first each animal makes a sound declaring their presence and asking to come inside.  William's answer is the same, as is the subsequent yawns and two comforting good nights.  In the newest book William's refrain for help is repeated as is the numbering sequence before each animal replies.

In each book every two lines rhyme at the end.  This along with the other cadences built by words builds anticipation.  Readers wait for the second word.  Readers wait to say aloud the known phrases.  Linda Ashman also combines narrative with dialogue further inviting readers into her stories.  Here is a passage from each book.

It's quiet---just the clock's tick tock.
But, wait---what's that? A

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

"Oh, what a lovely cozy place!
Could you spare a smidge of space?"

Will says, "Yes, we'll scooch a bit.
There's room for three---I'm sure we'll fit."


Then Chipmunk conks out on the floor.
"There's WAY too much for us to do.
We'd better wake the others, too."

"Wake up! It's spring!
Today's the day---
a special guest is on the way.
Rise and shine! No time to lose!"

One rolls out.  Three others snooze.


All the illustrations, the first title rendered in pencils, charcoal, ink and Photoshop and the second in pencils and Photoshop, by Chuck Groenink create a particular emotion enveloping readers.  The color palette in each is reflective of the season, darkness and quiet and lightness and sounds of awakening.  On the front of the dust jacket for William's Winter Nap William is happily sharing his bed with the first four animal companions.  They are all blissfully unaware of Bear's arrival.  The scene on the front of the dust jacket for William Wakes Up shows the animals exactly as they were featured in the final image in the first book.  The light outside the window is significantly brighter.  On the back of each dust jacket an interior scene is highlighted in a framed circle.  On the front of both dust jackets the title text is varnished and raised.

Both book cases are different than the dust jackets.  On the first a portion of the quilt on William's spans both the front and the back crossing the spine.  On the companion title in pastel shades of green, yellow, blue and pink with white is a meadow filled with grass, ferns and flowers.  It covers both the front and the back.  The opening and closing endpapers are in purple with white snowflakes in this first book.  In spring green with white, a pattern of tiny ferns and flowers covers the opening and closing endpapers in William Wakes Up.

Beneath the title text William's home is shown in a soft geometric shape, one in winter and the other in spring. Beneath the dedication Chuck Groenink places a circular picture featuring an important character.  Illustration sizes vary between full-page pictures, double-page visuals in loose shapes, loose circle shapes on single pages, images placed on liberal amounts of white space and dramatic two-page pictures.  Chuck Groenink shifts the perspective for maximum emphasis. 

Readers will be keenly aware of the animals' and William's moods based upon their eyes and body postures.  There is humor in these same elements, too.  Readers will enjoy noticing all the extra details.

Two (one from each book) of my many, many favorite illustrations are when the Raccoon comes to the window in the winter and when Porcupine wakes up in the spring.  In the first one it's as if we are outside with Raccoon.  The night is painted in purples and blues. Large flakes of snow are falling on already snow-coated evergreens, the tree branches extending to William's window and the roofs of his home.  We can see the back of Raccoon, a tiny figure perched on the tree branch.  William is peeking out from the lighted window.  This is a single-page picture.

The second illustration spans two pages. On a white background with the floor running along the bottom, William's bed and a small chest next to it are placed.  William is on the left with his hands and arms up and open as he calls out for the animals to wake up.  Chipmunk is mirroring his motions and voice while standing on Bear's head.  The bed extends from the middle of the left side to the right, almost to the edge. Bear, Badger and Raccoon are sound asleep.  Porcupine climbs down one of Bear's arms hanging over the side of the bed.  Badger is on top of the quilt covering Bear with another quilt on top of him.  Raccoon is at the other end of the bed, snoring.


Story time, bedtime or anytime, these two books, William's Winter Nap and William Wakes Up written by Linda Ashman with pictures by Chuck Groenink, will have readers asking for you to read them again and again.  They will joyfully learn the refrains to read or chant them along with you.  Both books would make wonderful readers' theaters.  I highly recommend them both for your personal and professional collections.

To discover more about Linda Ashman and Chuck Groenink and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Linda includes extra images from the first and second books.  Chuck includes illustrations from the first book on his site. The publisher supplies an educator's guide for William's Winter Nap and William Wakes Up.  Both Linda Ashman and Chuck Groenink have accounts on Twitter.  Chuck Groenink has an account on Instagram.  Author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson showcases the first book at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  There is an author's post about publishing and these books at Picture Book Builders by Linda Ashman.

Solstice Soul

After several days of above normal temperatures replacing a covering of white with the green of grass, Mother Nature clapped her hands, exerting her power.  Snow has been gently falling all day.  A winter weather advisory is in effect for counties in the northern section of the lower peninsula of Michigan.  A gale warning is issued for the waters of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.  It is a celebration of the winter solstice 2018.

There is a hush outside only broken by gusts of wind.  The mournful howl of a coyote sounds from the nearby woods.  Breaths of air in the chill are like puffs of smoke.  Winter Is Here (Greenwillow Books, HarperCollinsPublishers, October 30, 2018) written by Kevin Henkes with illustrations by Laura Dronzek is a companion title to their other books, When Spring Comes and In the Middle of Fall.  It's a lyrical representation of winter's elements with charming illustrations.

Winter is here.
It's everywhere.

Look up and see it drift down.  It lands on houses and their roofs.  Trees, shrubs and grass are dusted in layers.

The wind pushes winter into every nook and cranny.  Sometimes it does all this is silence.  Sometimes it does all this in clear hardness.  At night it shakes your home in fury.

You can't simply walk outside in the presence of winter.  You must don extra clothing from head to toe.  If you decide to stay indoors, winter is there too.  Look around you.  See it on frosty windows and your dog's fur.

Winter changes colors, mixing gray and white and bitter blue in the dead of a zero-degree night.  Winter stays whether it is welcome or not.  Then it surprises us, bowing out to allow a burst of new life.


With polished expertise Kevin Henkes selects words to depict winter.  Winter and snow are synonymous in the first two sentences with a series of seven verbs describing precisely how snow moves and stays.  The pace is slowed when soft and hard are contrasted.  It pauses when winter wear is listed in a zippy sentence.  Each portion of the season is portrayed like a poem within a poem.  Here is a passage.

Winter comes without a sound . . .
and it comes with many.

The wind howls in every language
and the windows rattle.


Rendered in acrylic paints the full-color, delightful, playful and sometimes eloquent artwork begins on the matching and opened dust jacket and book case.  On the front illustrator Laura Dronzek displays with warmhearted realism the complete joy of a dog in fresh, deep falling snow.  The cardinal couple supply vibrant color in this chilly setting.

To the left, on the back, the snowy background continues.  Within a framed circle a snowman sits.  A curious squirrel is perched on his head.

The opening and closing endpapers lead us into winter and into spring.  On the first brightly-hued mittens tumble among snowflakes on a blue background.  A sunny yellow canvas is used to present a pattern of butterflies and purple and pink blossoms on the second set.  The endpaper designs continue on the next and previous pages respectively.  The cardinal pair are perched on a branch above the dedication.

Laura Dronzek alternates between double-page pictures and full page images bordered in large white frames.  For the purpose of enhancing the narrative sometimes several smaller illustrations are grouped on single pages.  These create an illustrative cadence.

Every image is worthy of framing.  The boy and his dog are frequently present as are the cardinals.  Other animals seen in an urban setting are also shown; rabbits and squirrels.  Careful readers will notice one illustration is connected to the next.

One of my many favorite illustrations spans two pages.  We are viewing the scene as if we are standing outside.  On the left a leafless tree extends off the page.  Nearby are several evergreen trees.  As our eyes move to the right, we are close to the boy's home.  Looking in the window we see him petting his dog.  From the second-floor window a white cat looks outside.  Everything is heavily coated in snow as it falls.  Two rabbits, two squirrels and the cardinals are present.


This book, Winter Is Here written by Kevin Henkes with illustrations by Laura Dronzek, is a seasonal gem.  You will most definitely want to use it in a study on winter or the seasons.  It presents all aspects of this time of rest.  I highly recommend this title for both your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Kevin Henkes and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  At the publisher's website there are other resources available.  There is a teaching guide and activities.

A Walk In A Wintry Wood

While the rest of the residents are close to ending their day or already sleeping, we take a final walk.  Our breath looks like puffs of smoke in the frigid air.  The snow-covered ground, bushes and trees help to blanket the night in silence.  Our senses soak in all this season of winter has to offer us.

As we move down the well-worn path, we pause wondering if there are others enjoying the majesty of this moment when the world is cloaked in contrasting black and white.  Bear and Wolf (Enchanted Lion Books, February 2018) written and illustrated by Daniel Salmieri brings readers into a winter's night in the woods.  Normally avoiding each other out of mutual respect and as competitors for food, two young animals meet.

It was a windless night and glowing snowflakes fell through the trees deep in the forest.

A bear is walking through the snow in this forest when something catches her attention.  At the same time a wolf strolling through the falling flakes in these woods notices something.  The young bear and the young wolf move closer, stop and stare.  Their noses inhale the scent of each other.

As they converse it becomes apparent neither is lost but they are out to take pleasure in their surroundings.  Deciding to walk together they move in silence.  They are keenly aware of all the night and the season has to reveal.  At one point they pause.  No two snowflakes are alike.

A night bird soars above the quiet companions.  She sees two shapes wandering through the snow.  Resting on a branch she sees it's a bear and a wolf . . . together.  Bear and Wolf move past Bird without a sound.

The duo comes to a large clear area, a lake frozen by the seasonal temperatures.  When Bear moves some snow aside, they can see snoozing fish drifting.  All too soon Bear says she has to return to her den to sleep with her family.  Wolf says he has to go to hunt with his pack.  This is a winter walk both will remember.  Time moves into spring with wishes uttered on a winter walk coming true.


As soon as we read the first sentence written by Daniel Salmieri we are there in the snowy forest with Bear. His word choices create a sensory scene in our minds.  The use of repetition in portions of the narrative forms a pleasing pacing and a soothing storytelling rhythm.  Here is a passage.

Bear and Wolf walked through the quietly falling snow,
using their eyes, and ears, and noses to take in the snowy woods.
They both had thick, warm fur that covered their whole bodies.
They were creatures made to be comfortable in the very cold.


One of the initial things you notice upon opening the matching dust jacket and book case is the texture of both.  The dust jacket is of sturdy stock.  When you remove the dust jacket you can see the interior is colored in black and white.  Is it a star-studded sky or snow falling in a darkened forest?  It's full of magical possibilities.  The symmetry of Bear's and Wolf's heads on the front conveys the connection of the two during this shared experience.  The book case has the feel of fabric.

To the left, on the back, is a snowy landscape with two sets of footprints side-by-side extending from the bottom toward the top.  On the opening endpapers on a charcoal gray background are large splotches of white, pale blue, and pale purple.  It's as if we've moved close to the falling snow.  Fields of grass waving in a breeze cover the closing endpapers.

The title page is black with the text in white.  A page turn takes us into the forest with three trees bare of leaves stretching upward and their trunks placed from left to right, the second in the gutter.  Between the arch of the second and third trees is the dedication.

All of the illustrations span two pages.  Each atmospheric setting brings us further into the story.  In the first image we are experiencing it from Bear's perspective.  In the next, we are one with Wolf.  In the third we are observers.  This point of view shifts throughout the story.  It brings us close to the characters or gives us a panoramic spread.  Two of the pictures are wordless but speak volumes.

The technique employed by Daniel Salmieri is textured and soft.  His lines and layers appeal to our senses.  Many of the pictures ask us to pause and enjoy the moment with the characters.

One of my many favorite illustrations is when Bear and Wolf agree to continue their walk together.  The partial trunks of two trees frame the left and right of the picture.  A third tree truck extends from the left through the gutter to the right.  More of the trunk is on the right.  In the space between those trunks are smaller trees, falling snow and a landscape shaded in blues and purples.  In the first one on the left Wolf and Bear are walking away from us into the forest.


If you seek a deep sense of calm and the wonder and surprises nature can offer, Bear and Wolf, the debut title written and illustrated by Daniel Salmieri, is a perfect book for you.  It will be a much requested read aloud whether one-on-one or with a group.  It is an excellent selection for wolf or bear themes, nature and seasonal appreciation or seeking peace and quiet.  I highly recommend this title for your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Daniel Salmieri and his other work, please visit his website by following the link attached to his name.  Daniel maintains an account on Instagram. On Mackin Books In Bloom Daniel has written a guest post.  UPDATE:  Teacher librarian Travis Jonker premieres the book trailer on his blog, 100 Scope Notes, December 3, 2018.