Fowl Play

How did the chicken wake up?  It had an alarm cluck. 

What do you call a chicken crossing the road?  Poultry in motion

Why did the chicken cross the road?  To bock traffic!

Why did the turkey cross the road?  To prove he wasn't chicken!

Those four questions and answers are only a few in a multitude of fowl hilarity. Chickens and their feathered friends have long been the object of comedy routines, jokes, and tall tales.  They've even made it into the world of polka with the famous chicken dance.  Be prepared to grin, giggle, and guffaw as you enjoy this trio of titles recently released.

In two previous books, Interrupting Chicken and Interrupting Chicken And The Elephant Of Surprise, author illustrator David Ezra Stein introduces and entertains readers with the actions and conversations between a lively little red chicken and her patient papa.  In the third title, Interrupting Chicken: Cookies For Breakfast (Candlewick Press, October 26, 2021), the delightful duo take readers once more into the world of the classic written word.  There is nothing like a craving for cookies to get your morning off to an exuberant start . . . for some.

It was bright and early for the little red chicken.

Papa is not ready to wake up on a Saturday morning until little red chicken mentions breakfast in bed.  Cookies are not what he has in mind.  There will be no cookies for breakfast, but Papa reading a book aloud is the next best thing.

Little red chicken snuggles in next to her father eager for him to begin reading nursery rhymes.  Not more than one is read before she interrupts with her own version of completing There Was An Old Woman.  There might be a mention of cookies. 

Again Papa says there will be no cookies for breakfast.  You won't believe what vitamin little red chicken says are in cookies!  This scenario is repeated two more times as the reading aloud resumes.  The charming youngster inserts cookies into nursery rhymes, a proverb, and her own brand of common sense.

Papa is getting a little stressed and asks for a break.  Our clever protagonist pens and draws her own RIME.  A loud sound puts a stop to the comfy morning cuddle between this father and his daughter.  Papa has a most delicious reply to the noise.  

When we read David Ezra Stein's first sentence, we get a hint of how the morning is going to be.  The contrast between the on-fire vigor of the child and her father's desire to keep sleeping are typical and comedic.  Between their laugh-out-loud funny conversations and the nursery rhymes, most reworded by the little red chicken, an engaging cadence is created.  (I counted the mention of cookies and cookie at least twenty-five times.)  Here is a passage.

"Chicken."

"Yes, Papa?"

"I told you, we can't have cookies so early."

"I heard the early bird gets the cookie."

"That's worm."

"Well, you can have a worm, but I'd rather have a cookie!"

Papa yawned.  "We'll have breakfast soon.

Let's just read a little longer."

"Okay!" said the little red chicken. 

Using

watercolor, water-soluble crayon, china markers, pen, opaque white ink, and tea

the artwork of David Ezra Stein asks us to jump into the story with as much liveliness as the little red chicken does onto her father's bed.  On the open and matching dust jacket and book case, her enthusiasm is on full display.  Their humorous conversation is already beginning on the front, right side.  To the left, on the back, with the bedroom wallpaper as a canvas, we read the words of the little red chicken.

I sure like cookies a lot!

The speech balloons on the front and back are varnished.

A bright spring green covers the opening and closing endpapers.  On the informal title page, David Ezra Stein starts his pictorial interpretation.  The little red chicken is carrying a kitchen chair somewhere.  She has dropped her toy stuffed elephant.  A double-page picture spans edge to edge for the formal title page.  It is a wonderful view of the interior of the chickens' kitchen.  Our eyes move from the refrigerator across an arched doorway into another room, and then to the stove with pots and pans hanging from a rack under a hood to a window with a table and chairs, and finally to cupboards on the far right.

On the left side prior to the first single-page picture and on the right side of the final single-page picture, David Ezra Stein has placed a page using the bedroom wallpaper, green with large yellow flowers with reddish orange centers.  Throughout the book, the images range in size from smaller visuals on a single page to illustrations crossing the gutter to full-page pictures and two-page pictures.

The two-page pictures are the open book Papa is reading to little red chicken.  Included on these pages are her appearances when she interrupts and adds her own dialogue between the nursery rhyme characters.  The limited color palette of the nursery rhyme pages contrasts with excellence to the full-color illustrations of the little red chicken, her papa and their home.  The facial expressions on Papa, the little red chicken, and the nursery rhyme characters are side-splitting.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a picture which crosses the gutter.  On the left, we see Papa in bed with his little red chicken.  She is holding an open book and a pencil.  Her toy stuffed elephant is nestled with Papa on his right side.  The box of cookies is on the left side of the little red hen.  A light glows near her on a bedside table.  The bed crosses the gutter.  Taped on the foot of the bed, we are shown affectionate drawings by the little red chicken for her papa.  Her art materials are scattered on the floor near an ottoman where she was working.  

This third book, Interrupting Chicken: Cookies For Breakfast written and illustrated by David Ezra Stein, is as enchanting and funny as the previous two titles.  You can expect to hear a chorus of "read it again" every time you finish reading this either one-on-one or to a group of listeners.  I highly recommend this title for your personal and professional collections.

To discover more about David Ezra Stein and his other work, please visit his website by following the link attached to his name.  David Ezra Stein has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  David Ezra Stein is interviewed at Judy Newman at Scholastic.  At the publisher's website, you can access and download a nine-page series activity kit.  At Penguin Random House, you can view many happy interior images.

David Ezra Stein discusses Interrupting Chicken: Cookies for Breakfast from Candlewick Press on Vimeo

According to Merriam-Webster, there are three major definitions for the word magic.  They involve a special power welded by special people, tricks, and influence or skill.  The word impossible is tied to two of these definitions.  What is not mentioned in any of these meanings is the word chicken.  Perhaps the people at Merriam-Webster need to have a chat with two creative talents, author Adam Rubin and illustrator Adam Rex.  This duo's new collaboration, Gladys The Magic Chicken (Putnam G. P. Putnam's Sons, October 26, 2021) gives a new interpretation to that word, magic.  You'll be laughing before you've even finished the first page.

THIS ALL HAPPENED

a long, long, long. long, looong time ago.

Three thousand years before your grandma's

grandma's grandma was born.

In these long ago times there lived a chicken, a dancing chicken.  Gladys, the dancing chicken, was a follower.  Each day she went to the pasture with the sheep, a dog, and a shepherd.  One day, for the first time in his short life, this shepherd saw his reflection in a puddle.  He was stunned.

When Gladys comforted the boy, he wished to be beautiful.  Years passed and that boy became a strong, handsome man.  When a traveling peddler came to town, that man saw himself in a mirror.  (He had never seen a mirror.)  Again, he was stunned.  He kissed Gladys and declared her to be 

"A MAGIC, WISH-GRANTING CHICKEN." (At this point, I am laughing out loud.)

The wily peddler acquired Gladys by giving the shepherd that mirror.  Gladys went from place to place with that businessman who was offering her for sale.  She did not sell and that man made a wish.  Poof! No more Gladys.

Gladys was shocked as she moved from a cooking pot to the arms of a heroic swordsman.  From there she became a gift and the object of a hard-to-forget song.  Before this chicken, said to be magical, could really get settled at a royal palace, she found herself on the high seas with a band of pirates.  What?!

No sooner than one could think avast me hearties, Gladys landed on a deserted beach which was not really deserted because this was Gladys, after all.  A fancy, footwork frolic was observed and a wild ride caused Gladys to yield yet another of her eggs.  That brought Gladys to the best conclusion for a dancing chicken who might or might not have had special powers.  Magical, indeed.

Some of the best kinds of stories are circle stories.  Adam Rubin has written this one masterfully.  The setting he fashions, Ancient Times, allows him to play with language and historical facts.  His named cast of characters describes their occupations and sometimes their characteristics like the

Long-Bearded Bandit and the

Learned Princess.

His blend of narrative, dialogue, and authorial asides is marvelous, just like Gladys.  You will be swept away by his word choices brimming with action.  Here is a passage.

CRASH!

BANG!

BOOM!

The Learned Princess shrieked as a Fearsome Pirate swung through the window, flipped through 

the air, and landed on the floor with a sword clenched in her teeth.  Gladys let an egg go ploop.

"YOU'RE COMING WITH ME." threatened the Fearsome Pirate.

"I'M HERE TO KIDNAP YOU FOR RANSOM!"

"HOORAY!" squealed the Learned Princess.

HOORAY? asked the Fearsome Pirate.  . . .

You will be hard-pressed to look at the open and matching dust jacket and book case without bursting into giggles.  Gladys, in all her dancing glory, is looking a tad uncomfortable at the accolades she is receiving and at being placed on a pedestal.  Her eyes here and throughout the book convey more than words ever could.  Gladys, the flower at her feet, and the title text are varnished.

To the left of the spine, on the back, a continuation of the Ancient Times brushed golden tones acts as a canvas.  Here is a very, very, very old stone portrait of a chicken with the face of a wise man or deity.  It is placed in the upper, left-hand corner like it is holding up a roof at the top of a pillar.

There are four horizontal panels separated by black lines on the opening and closing endpapers.  In these panels Gladys is featured, symbolically, in her travels.  The drawing is precise, almost like it has been cut and stenciled.  In the opening endpapers it is black on a rich deep pink.  On the closing endpapers, the elements are repeated on metallic dark gold.  These pink and gold colors are used again in a beautiful design decision.

The title page is done in hues of pink, purple, blue and gold.  It showcases an old city with lightning coming from the cloud above it.  Gladys sits in that cloud amid the title text.

Drawn digitally, these illustrations by Adam Rex are guaranteed to have readers pausing at every page turn beginning with the map opposite the dedication and publication information page.  The map is titled

THE WORLD OF

ANCIENT 

TIMES

WITH CHICKEN

SNACKS BY REGION.

The pictures throughout are replete with details and bold, bright colors. 

Single-page images blend to the next one.  Smaller illustrations grouped two to a page accentuate pacing.  Double-page pictures are dramatic.  When the ancient language is spoken it is placed in narrow scrolls with a different font.  White space, dark space, and perspective are magic in the skilled hands of Adam Rex.

One of my many favorite pictures is a single-page illustration.  It is a dark scene in hues of blue.  We are in the dungeon of the palace of the Purple Pooh-bah.  There is stonework, stairs, and archways leading into seemingly endless hallways.  On the right side a heavy grate is placed in the floor.  From the grate stretch two narrow scrolls.  They read:

CURSE YOU, MAGIC CHICKEN!

cried the Long-Bearded

Bandit.

THIS IS NOT WHAT I MEANT!

Prepare to laugh yourself silly reading Gladys The Magic Chicken written by Adam Rubin with illustrations by Adam Rex.  The combination of text and artwork makes this a classic tale to be told again and again.  You might find yourself humming a tune and singing the words ending with

ABRA-COCK-A-DOODLE-DEE-DOO!

Make sure you have a copy on your personal and professional bookshelves.

By following the link attached to Adam Rubin's and Adam Rex's names, you can access their respective websites to learn more about them and their other work.  Adam Rubin has an account on Twitter.  He also has a more adult website here.  Adam Rex has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view some interior images.  This inventive duo are interviewed about this book at School Library Journal, A Fuse #8 Production, by Betsy Bird.

Chicken Literacy from Adam R on Vimeo.

When the temperature drops thirty degrees in twelve hours with wind chills in the teens, it is cold outside.  No matter how much winter wear you don, the bitter breeze finds a way to give you the shivers.  As you walk from one point to the other, sometimes in place and other times as if a giant hand is pushing you, you wonder if you will ever be warm again.  In Cold Turkey (Little, Brown and Company, November 23, 2021) written by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call with illustrations by Chad Otis, this bird knows that frigid temperatures equals loads of clothes.  Will this bird survive wandering in his neighborhood?

Turkey woke up c-c-cold.

He wheezed, "It's ten degrees!

I need to b-b-bundle up

before I f-f-freeze!"

Turkey first met Sheep.  She was quivering from the effects of the storm.  Turkey gave her his hat.  Turkey was not quite as warm when he met Chick.  Her feathers and nest of hay were not helping her.  Perhaps Turkey's wing warmers would help her.

No longer standing, Horse could barely make a sound.  Cow could not even crouch to combat the wild wind.  It was a miracle Pig was not purple from the wild weather.  At each stop, Turkey relinquished an article of clothing.

Turkey was no longer bundled.  Turkey was shaking as the blizzard blasted his bare body.  He could hardly wait to get home.  

Unbeknownst to Turkey, his barnyard friends had an unexpected state in store for him.  Each one and Turkey, too, had new descriptive names.  Turkey went from warm-hearted on the inside and from cold to _____ on the outside.

Authors Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call have a knack through inventive wordplay for spinning narratives with a catchy cadence.  Their rhyming couplets for each animal followed by a two-word alliterative descriptor bring smiles to listeners.  These are an open invitation to participate in the story.  As the tale unfolds, readers see the results of a generous spirit and the warmth friendship brings.  Here is a passage.

Cow was qu-qu-quivering.

"I can't help but complain.

This wind is a cow-tastrophy!

It's udderly insane."

QUIVERING

COW

The crisp white background for the front and back of the open and matching dust jacket and book case with scattered snowflakes is certain to induce chills.  Even covered in clothing, Turkey is one cold bird as evidenced by the shiver marks and blowing leaves and weeds.  Notice how those weeds extend over the spine.  

To the left, on the back, Turkey and his friends are shown in a circular image.  Their cold faces all point to him in the center.  Each one of them is labeled with their alliterative names, except for Cold Turkey.

On the opening endpapers artist Chad Otis gives readers a bird's eye view of the barnyard blanketed in snow.  A dotted line indicates the path Turkey takes from friend to friend.  This view offers a hint at the conclusion.  Night has fallen on the scene on the closing endpapers.  There are still a few flakes of snow falling but it is otherwise calm.  The dotted line has been replaced with prints in the snow.  A glow on the far right reveals the toasty conclusion.

These images rendered

in pencil, scanned textures, and digital paint

convey a realistic sense of time and place.  You'll be reaching for your favorite coat, hat, and mittens before you leave with Turkey to go outside.  Evidence of the wind and snow has filtered into Turkey's home.  Brrrr . . .

As Turkey moves from animal to animal, the layering of snow on objects combined with gusts of wind, drifting flakes, and blowing leaves and twigs is highly convincing.  White is used superbly as an element contrasting with the colors of the animals, Turkey and his clothing.  Chad Otis has us initially standing back to watch the exchange between Turkey and the other five animals, but when Turkey gives away an article of clothing and the animal is given their two-word name, we are brought close to the location.  Readers will enjoy the added details and facial expression on the characters.

One of my many favorite images of all these two-page pictures is for the words

HUDDLING HORSE.

On the left side Horse's face and upper portion of his body is highlighted.  Horse is extremely cold, but now his nose is wrapped in Turkey's scarf.  Horse is holding it in place with his two foot hooves.  On the right side of the picture, Turkey is walking away, getting colder and colder.  He is wearing only two more pieces of clothing.  Head bent, he plods through the deepening snow.  To the left of him, a fence is coated in snow.  In the distance, on the right, we can see the outline of the farmhouse.

Readers will be tapping their toes and clapping their hands in time to the wondrous words penned by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call and in response to the enhancing illustrations by Chad Otis when they hear or read Cold Turkey.  This book would make a fantastic reader's theater.  You'll want to add a copy to both your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Corey Rosen Schwartz, Kirsti Call, and Chad Otis and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their websites.  Corey Rosen Schwartz has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Kirsti Call has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Chad Otis has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website, you can download an activity sheet.

A Desired Destination

When we wish for something, whether aloud or in the deepest parts of our hearts, it is sent out into the universe.  Our wish signifies our belief in hope.  It is hope which supplies us with strength.  This strength allows us to move forward with confidence.

Anyone who leaves behind all they have known does so with a firm acceptance in the power of wishing.  Wishes (Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., May 4, 2021) written by Muon Thi Van with illustrations by Victo Ngai is a moving testament to a family's affirmation of hope.  The spare melodic text and remarkable images will leave a mark on each reader's soul.  They inspires gratitude and compassion at their deepest levels.

The night wished it was quieter.

As a family prepares to leave their home and beloved relatives behind, a wish is made by each of the many elements in their journey they are unable to control.  These aspects reveal their desire to envelope this family (and others) in courage.  Eleven voices proclaim their wishes until the child is about to reveal her own deepest desire.   

The family can only take that which they can carry.  A bag yearns to be more than it is.  As the night wished for quiet, light longs for a stronger glow.

Have you ever wanted time to stop?  A clock makes a similar request.  As the family walks toward the vessel carrying them across the sea, more thoughts are sent out to surround them.  The sea and sun make wishes, too.

As their perils continue, a final call is fervently expressed.  After those moments, the child starts to speak but then stops.  She stops because sometimes the universe grants our wishes before we disclose them.  That is the splendor of hope fulfilled.

In twelve and one partial sentences, a powerful story is portrayed to readers by Muon Thi Van.  Her use of third person in most of this tale creates a lasting memory for us.  It causes us to look at our own life happenings and circumstances differently.  The experience of this family is the experience of many families, however far they go and wherever they go.  We feel this keenly and distinctly.  Here is one more sentence.

The boat wished it was bigger.

The tranquil sea and starry sky we see on the front, right, of the open dust jacket is only a portion of the scene, which is spread over the spine and the back, flap edge to flap edge.  It is a breathtaking symbol of wishes, continuing across sea and sky as far as the eye can see.  Notice how the other people in the boat are given specific colors and face away from us or are looking down.  The child looks at us, eyes open in anticipation.  (I wish I knew what the tiny element to the left of the boar means.  It appears throughout the book. A signature?)  The text is varnished.

There is an intense and eloquent display on the book case.  On a golden background are eight different faces, faces of refugees and immigrants.  On the far left and far right, the faces are larger and looking forward.  As the faces move toward the gutter they turn inward and are smaller in size.  These children represent children from around the globe.

On the opening endpapers waves of green, yellow and black depict the journey across the sea.  On the closing endpapers reds, yellows, oranges, and a few streaks of green in large brush strokes can indicate many things.  Do they represent a calm sea at the beginning or end of a day?  Do they indicate wishes, hopes or desires answered?  Do they show us a new home is found?

On the verso and title pages, a double-page picture shows the little girl getting out of her bed.  Each double-page image created by Victo Ngai serves to provide emotional context through the color palette, texture, lines, and perspective.  In several of the illustrations before they go, the little girl is hugging a black dog she will probably not see again.  The tears streaming down an older man's (grandfather's) face as he embraces the two older children (his grandchildren) is heartbreaking. When we look down upon the people in the boat as the sea rages around them, we wish, yes wish, we could lift them to safety.  

One of my many, many favorite illustrations shows the inside of the home as the family is about to depart.  To the left of the gutter, the mother stands in the doorway facing inside.  She carries the infant in front of her in a wrap.  About her feet are bags to carry and a large container for water.  The black dog has its front paws on her body.  She has one of her hands over her mouth.  To the right of the gutter, closer to us is the elder man hugging the children as tears pool in his eyes.  The children are crying as they hug him back.  Can you imagine the bravery it takes each one of these beings to face an unknown future?

This book, Wishes written by Muon Thi Van with illustrations by Victo Ngai, will break hearts and heal them again.  It is a story often told around the world every day.  It is extraordinary in its excellence.  There are an author's note and an illustrator's note at the end.  This book has my highest recommendation for a place in your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Muon Thi Van and Victo Ngai and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their websites.  Muon Thi Van has an account on Twitter.  Victo Ngai has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  At Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher's Watch. Connect. Read., the cover is revealed along with an interview with both creators. 

Holding Hope In Your Hands

It is said keeping a bit of seasonal cheer visible all year long brings you good luck.  For many years a tiny Christmas tree covered in miniature ornaments with a tiny train running around the bottom has held a position of honor on my desk.  Next year it will be joined by another item.

Some people collect these items to commemorate a visit or an event.  Our family collects them to celebrate Christmas.  A few are my mother's; a few are mine.  As if bound by an invisible chord memories are attached to each snow globe.  There is a special kind of magic in memories made of love.  Snow Globe Wishes (Sleeping Bear Press, September 15, 2019) written by Erin Dealey with illustrations by Claire Shorrock is about the serendipity of wishes coming true.  It's about the contagious character of spontaneous and shared joy.

Lights go out!
   Fierce clouds blow in.
      Garlands fly on frozen wind.

A wild wintry storm is brewing.  The power goes out.  As workers head for home, roadways become covered with snow.  Residents snuggle in for the night with warmth from fireplaces and light from candles.

Near the fire one family builds a cozy camp from blankets and a mattress on the floor.  After a bedtime story, everyone (the kitten and dog, too) sleeps, except for the oldest child.  Holding the family snow globe in her hands, she makes a wish. 

A new day dawns with sunshine and snow, lots of snow.  As the girl gazes out the window, words seem to call to her.  These unspoken words are calling to all the children.  Their parents join them.  Soon the neighborhood is filled with play and laughter.

Something wonderful is happening.  When it seems as if the day can't get any better, it does.  One at a time, person to person, a single thought and a single action is shared.  Anything can happen on a

snow globe day.


Those first three words

Lights go out!

are nearly as powerful as once upon a time.  They announce the beginning of a spell; the spell of possible stories in the making. Erin Dealey's vividly descriptive and flawless rhyming text take us into the center of this snowstorm, of the evening with one family and of the following day with an entire community.

Her words weave a wondrous world around us.  As the cadence carries us deeper into the narrative, we can literally feel marvelous magic growing.  It is an enchantment we all would gladly embrace as reality.  Here is a passage.

Blanket forts.

Crawl in.
Scoot over.

Kitten purrs.
Me, too! barks Rover. 


Looking at the open and matching dust jacket and book case, readers know there is a promise of happiness radiating from the images.  The girl who makes the snow globe wish is looking directly at us.  Her expression is saying to us, Trust me.  Have faith.  Her smile and the people merrily engaged in activities behind her all point to the benefits of believing.

To the left, on the back, on a background of cream, illustrator Claire Shorrock has taken a portion of one of the interior illustrations, enlarged it and framed it in a crisp white border.  Our protagonist and her family are enjoying the snowy morning.  Here and on the front, details are varnished in glittery white.

On the opening and closing endpapers, on a pale muted green canvas amid snowflakes, is a pattern of a sled, a pair of ice skates and a cup of a hot beverage.  Between the text on the title page, the little girl, her father, younger brother, seated on a sled, and her mother are holding hands in front of the row of houses on their street.  They are accompanied by a handsome, smiling snowman.  The mother is holding the stick hand of the snowman.

Readers will find themselves stopping at each page turn to enjoy each intricate line.  Within her illustrations Claire Shorrock combines perspectives and artistic styles.  Although she employs a full color palette, the hues are soft.  There is no doubt in your mind about the cold and wintry weather, but you also get a very real sense of a glow inside and outside the homes and on the inside and outside of the people.

Her picture sizes vary from double page to full page and sometimes on her page without words, several smaller images are grouped together. Different races are presented in the people, even in the girl's family.  Claire Shorrock is one of those artists who can convey a range of emotions with dots for eyes.

One of my many, many favorite pictures is on a full page and enhances the text above noted.  The two sides of the blanket fort fashion a large "v" opening.  On the left the light from a camp lamp shines on the red plaid blanket.  On the left the mother is holding the younger brother on her lap.  On the right, the father is reading a book aloud.  The little girl is in front of him.  She is holding a stuffed-toy rabbit.  Her bunny slippers are next to her on the floor.  The kitten is already asleep on a pillow.  The dog is barking.


This book, Snow Globe Wishes written by Erin Dealey with pictures by Claire Shorrock, is pure delight in every aspect.  This is a book to be read over and over and enjoyed every time as if it's the very first time.  You'll want to add this charming story with its beautiful words and images to your seasonal collections at home and at work.  I want to hug this book!

To discover more about Erin Dealey and Claire Shorrock and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their respective websites.  Erin Dealey has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  Claire Shorrock has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  This book is showcased at author Kathleen Temean's Writing and Illustrating.  At the publisher's website there is a link to an activity page.  Enjoy the book trailer.

Annual Anniversary

There is absolutely no way to stop it. It arrives every year on the same day at the same time and it leaves not a second earlier or later than it should.  A lot of individuals can hardly wait for the date.  A few choose to ignore it

In some households it is a cause for a special event.  It's a time to honor the celebrant. There might be a party.  There might be games.  There might be special food. And there might be gifts.  Ten Rules of the Birthday Wish (G. P. Putnam's Sons, February 12, 2019) written by Beth Ferry with illustrations by Tom Lichtenheld focuses on one of the most significant elements of observing a birthday.

There are,
there most definitely are,
10
very specific, tried and true,
and absolutely essential
Rules For The Making of
a Birthday Wish.

You may think rule number one is stating the obvious but there are some beings who think as long as they blow out birthday candles, they can make a wish.  If it's not actually the date of your birthday or close to it, this is a fruitless endeavor.  To ensure the validity of your wish a party is essential; a party with hats.

A form of light to extinguish is imperative.  Did you know you have to close your eyes when you wish?  Do you know why?  Before eliminating the light, usually candles, most will inhale deeply.  If you don't rule number nine will certainly be impossible.  There is an exception to this rule . . . for camels.  The justification makes perfect sense for sanitary reasons.

There are those who don't follow rule number ten.  Sometimes it's in error.  If this happens, you'll have to hold your wish in your heart until next year.


This is no ordinary list of regulations for those commemorating their special day.  Beth Ferry adds commentary for most of the wishes guaranteeing readers will be grinning from ear to ear in mere minutes.  She gives us an opportunity to ponder exceptions to these birthday wish rules.  What if your life span is less than a year?  Are balloons always a good party accessory? (What if you are a swordfish?)  What kind of wish is acceptable?  Here is a portion from rule number four.

If you are a frog, consider using
fireflies as your candles AND
your dessert.  Combining rules is
completely acceptable.


Rendered in pencil, watercolor, colored pencil, and pastel by Tom Lichtenheld, the illustrations beginning on the matching dust jacket and book case certainly put loads of happiness in this book about birthday wishes.  All the characters are highly animated and smiling or laughing.  The white canvas is ideal for showcasing the brightly colored animals and party items.

To the left, on the back, those creatures shown on the front are now seated around a circular table with the towering cake waiting for someone to make a wish.  On the opening and closing endpapers a royal blue and a light blue create a pattern comprised of streamers, confetti, balloons, party whistles, crowns, food and desserts, especially a piece of cake.  An enthusiastic group is featured on the verso and title pages.  A large purple elephant is joined by three rabbits, a duck and a little bear.  Everyone is wearing party hats.  Tiny print along the elephant's back reads:

Balloons are highly recommended.  Inflation by pachyderm is optional.

Background colors shift according to the subjects shown.  Some of the images span two pages and others are on single pages.  The expressions on the animals are delightful!  Certain animals travel from one portion of the book to another portion.

One of my many favorite illustrations is for rule number five.  This rules begins with
There must be singing.  On a grassy hill arching from the left side to the right side are six dogs of varying species.  Five have their eyes closed and heads lifted to howl a song for their friend.  The friend sits just right of the gutter, holding the string attached to a red balloon in its mouth.  In front of this pooch is a cake with three candles glowing.  A bone with a ribbon around it rests in the grass.



This noted illustration leads splendidly into the next title to be highlighted.  If you recall, not every single soul enjoys a certain kind of birthday bash.  Let's Have a Dog Party! (Viking, March 19, 2019) written and illustrated by Mikela Prevost gives readers a look at how a human learns to listen to her canine companion.

This is Frank's spot.

It's his favorite spot
in Kate's house.
More than his bed, 
more than his bowl.  
Frank's spot is warm
and soft and perfect
for napping.

Before Frank can settle into his perfect napping spot (next to a comfy armchair), Kate and four of her friends, shouting and laughing, run into the room.  They are ready to wish Frank a Happy Birthday.  To get Frank ready for his party, they decorate him with bows, balloons and a party hat.

Everything Frank likes, his bed and his bowl and his spot, are buried under colored wrapping paper, ribbon and tape.  Where is his spot?  It must be here.  One of the children thinks his snooping means he wants to open his presents.  Another uproar ensues.

They sing the Happy Birthday song so loud Frank cringes.  They join hands and dance around Frank.  Frank is frantic.  He leaves as fast as he can.  They think he wants to play hide-and-seek.  He simply wants to hide.

When Kate finally finds Frank, her joyful discovery turns to belated understanding.  Fortunately, the love of a girl for her dog leads to one final birthday surprise which Frank is more than willing to enjoy.  Even though Frank makes no wish, his day ends as if he has.


Throughout this story Mikela Prevost blends the voice of an unseen narrator with the conversations of Kate, his human, and her friends.  This makes the contrast between what Frank desires for his day and what Kate and company are doing even stronger.  It leads beautifully to the big moment of comprehension.  Here is a passage.

Frank watched his bed disappear.

And then his bowl.

Frank really wanted 
his spot now.

It had to be under
these things.

"Hey!
Frank wants to
open his presents!"


Spread across the open and matching dust jacket and book case are signs of a party in progress; the golden balloons on the left, coral and yellow and teal streamers and cascading confetti. You would think the birthday being would be happy but clearly the dog wearing the striped hat is anything but happy.  He's looking decidedly woebegone.  The title and his expression do not match.  Already readers will start to question what will be explored and explained in the body of the book.

On a rich golden background on the opening and closing endpapers are seven party hats in various designs with their strings gently looped near them.  The hats at the close clearly show the efforts of the children.  On the title page a barefoot Kate, carrying three balloons in her right hand, reaches out her left hand to affectionately tap Frank on his nose.  You can tell they adore each other.

Each illustration rendered in watercolor, acrylic gouache, and colored pencils with a bit of collage brings readers into the story through a blend of double-page pictures, single-page images and smaller visuals.  Mikela Prevost alters her perspective to enhance an emotion.  For two of the illustrations the background shifts because of the scene but also because of Frank's distress.  The other technique Mikela employs is to show the mouths of the children wide-open.  They are using outdoor voices inside.  This is crushing to Frank as shown by his body posture.  (For careful readers, Mikela Prevost has inserted a bit of humor made visible on the closing endpapers.  It's very clever.)

One of my many favorite illustrations is a small one, grouped with two other small images.  It's after Kate coaxes Frank from his hiding place.  She is kneeling at his level on her hands and knees.  He comes to her and gives her a doggy kiss on her cheek after she says she is sorry.  It is a time of understanding, forgiveness and love.


Both of these books, Ten Rules of the Birthday Wish written by Beth Ferry with illustrations by Tom Lichtenheld and the debut title, Let's Have a Dog Party!, as both author and illustrator for Mikela Prevost, center on annual anniversaries but each one asks us to ponder completely different points.  For the first one, amid humor, we wonder if there are other rules for making wishes.  In the second one, we are asked to be sensitive to the wishes of someone other than ourselves.  I highly recommend both titles for your professional and personal book collections.

To learn more about Beth Ferry, Tom Lichtenheld and Mikela Prevost and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Beth Ferry has an account on Instagram and Twitter.  Tom Lichtenheld has an account on Instagram and Twitter.  Beth and Tom are featured at Publishers Weekly, Four Questions for Beth Ferry and Tom Lichtenheld.  They are also guests on a broadcast, Marginalia.  Mikela Prevost has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view the opening endpapers of Ten Rules of the Birthday Wish and Let's Have a Dog Party!

Dreaming Purr-fectly

Is there a single day which passes without making at least one wish?  Oh, the actual words, I wish, may not be thought or uttered but a desire might be felt, a longing might be expressed or a hunger for a special food or drink might be pursued.  We go through our lives filled with hopes, some tiny and others large.

There are those with the same dreams as us.  We may or may not realize this.  Cat Wishes (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, July 24, 2018) written by Calista Brill with illustrations by Kenard Pak is a special blend of practical and impossible.

Once in the windy wood, there was a hungry Cat.

This cat was not picky about what it ate.  Hearing a noise, it slowly moved toward a likely meal.  In a flash a snake was pinned beneath its paws.

It was not surprising the snake asked to be set free.  It was surprising when the snake said he would grant Cat wishes if allowed to leave.  Cat being Cat did not believe in wishes . . . but the snake slithered away.

Still not a believer Cat decided to experiment with one of his three wishes.  He desired fish.  Regardless of a meal of more than one fish and with a full belly, Cat still thought wishes were nonexistent. 

Cat's nap in the sun was cut short by a rain storm.  When the weather turned nasty who wouldn't want a house.  Did Cat, not for minute thinking wishes were real, think about a house?  (Let's continue thinking about a house.)  If Cat had a house, would Cat want to be alone inside it in the dark?  With a brilliant plot twist on wishes, readers along with Cat will know even the smallest sliver of hope can lead to miracles.


With a rhythmic beat supplied by a mix of rhyming words, alliteration, sound effects, narrative and dialogue, author Calista Brill takes us into the world of Cat.  Her use of language has us becoming a cat.  We, like Cat, are torn between not believing, wanting to believe and acceptance.  The repetition of a phrase ties everything together flawlessly.  Here are several passages.

"No such thing as a wish,"
Cat said.  His belly growled.
"But if there were, I'd wish for a fish."

Pad,
pad,
pad.

Cat walked on
whisper feet.


When you open the matching dust jacket and book case, the first two things you notice are the image spans left to right, back to front, and it stretches to the edge of both flaps on the jacket.  The muted, pleasing colors are a mix of reality and dreams.  Cat's wishes in the interior are shown in colorful, loosely formed shapes.  To the left, on the back of both the jacket and case, more cloud-like pastel swirls are shown amid the plants.  In the distance, along the top, we can faintly see the windy wood.

On the opening and closing endpapers a pattern of stars and paw prints in alternating vertical rows cover the two pages.  They are a dusty rose on a cream canvas.  The title page features Cat standing sideways looking into the windy wood.  Grass, leaves and plants border the bottom of the page.  Along the left side a large tree truck provides a frame.

Rendered in

watercolor and digital media

the pictures of Kenard Pak in this title span two pages and single pages.  On one of the double page images several elements are used to accentuate pacing.  The smooth, slightly matted paper is perfect for the limited color palette.  Pak may use browns and grays on cream with splashes of only green in the leaves.  This allows the highlighting of wishes, desires and hopes in light shades of blue, red and yellow and mixtures of these three.  Delicate fine lines and smooth brush strokes generate a sense of serenity.

One of my many favorite pictures is on a single page.  Along the bottom are simple lines of grass and weeds.  Cat has lifted up from his nap, looking forlorn on the bottom right.  Lines of rain fall from the darkened area in the upper right corner.  There is absolutely no doubt about the mood or emotional state of Cat.


Readers are going to enjoy this tale of wishes especially with the twist at the end.  Cat Wishes written by Calista Brill with pictures by Kenard Pak will have them ready to wish as often as possible.  It will also have them looking for a silver lining when it appears as if there is none to be found.  They need to remember (We all do.) Cat did let the snake go.  I would pair this title with I Wish You More, The Littlest Gardner, and You Don't Want a Unicorn!  Sure to promote discussions, I recommend this title for both your personal and professional collections.

To discover more about Calista Brill and Kenard Pak and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Both Calista and Kenard have Twitter accounts. You can also find Kenard Pak on Instagram and Tumblr.  

You Were Warned...

The thing about wishes and wishing is they can be a tricky enterprise.  When we wish for something we tend to think of the outcome and not how it is achieved or what may happen if and when a wish comes true.  It's hard to remember it's a rarity if something happens in isolation; good or bad, there are consequences.

Nevertheless if we see a falling star, the first star of the night, or witness a rainbow or when it's 11:11 on the clock, we pull a turkey bone, we find a penny, or when we blow out birthday candles on our cake, we will be making a wish.  You Don't Want a UNICORN! (Little, Brown And Company, February 14, 2017) written by Ame Dyckman with illustrations by Liz Climo is an adventure in the unexpected.  It can be said this is a ride on the wild side filled with first-rate hilarity.

WAIT!
You were gonna wish for a unicorn, weren't you?
Wishing for a unicorn is a 
BIG MISTAKE!

An unseen narrator continues to offer advice but the little guy, clearly a huge fan of the mythical beast, lets go of his coin.  Within mere seconds of it dropping beneath the fountain waters,

POOF!

A unicorn of his dreams springs forth from a blaze of rainbows.  The voice continues with dread dripping from every word.

It would be safe to say the boy, riding upon the back of his new friend, does not heed one single syllable.  His wildest dream has come true.  When they arrive inside his home, the joy becomes tinged with problems, HUGE problems.  Did you know unicorns shed gold glitter?  And it sticks to everything...like glue.

If you think house-breaking a puppy is difficult, unicorns can't learn.  (You'll never look at a cupcake the same way again.)  You'll have to be extra careful giving them anything carbonated to drink.  Their burps are an explosion of color with no pot of gold at the end.  Just when you believe you might be able to handle all these "little" idiosyncrasies, the biggest surprise of all pays you a visit again and again and again and again.

Thankfully the narrator has continued to offer wisdom.  His final words must be heeded to undo what has been done.  It's not going to be easy.  Whew!  OH! NO! WAIT!


Using an unseen narrator to tell this story is sheer genius on the part of author Ame Dyckman.  The words she selects to use and their delivery make us active participants in this story.  Before the fourth sentence is even finished you will be laughing... guaranteed.  How many times have you warned a child not to do something and before the sound of your warning has faded away, they've done that very thing?

The cadence in which the narrator speaks through purposeful punctuation gives the story splendid pacing.  The repeated use of

Trust me.

increases the comedic effect.  It will also have you wondering why this particular narrator seems to be so well-informed about wishing and unicorns.  Here is the continuation of the first part.

Just step away and---
(PLIP)
Uh-oh.
Things are about to get--- (page turn)
POOF!
ugly.
Trust me.


All of the illustrations rendered

with digital magic

are animated with a high laughter factor on the dust jacket, book case and pages in bright cheerful colors.  The expression on the boy's face on the front of the jacket most definitely matches the title but we are not sure yet why or how the unicorn and boy are currently together.  The unicorn and the word Unicorn shimmer when tipped back and forth in the light.  To the left, on the back, with a purple background, the seated unicorn is burping a burst of color which bleeds over the spine.

The book case is an interior picture on a background of white.  Extra text with arrows has been added.  My lips are sealed as to the content of this image.  On the opening and closing endpapers, amid turquoise, pink, green and orange clouds (eighteen in total), are unicorns in various attire with unique physical characteristics.  There is a distinct difference between the two sets of endpapers reflecting the conclusion of the story.  (Tiny spots on these illustrations shimmer too.)

A large double-page picture provides the canvas for the title page as well as beginning the story.  Three children are playing in a park with a fountain.  Liz Climo alternates between two-page visuals, single page pictures and smaller pictures on one page to match and elevate the narrative's rhythm.  The characters stand out on the crisp white paper with few other details in the scenes colored.  The expressions on the boy's face match his every emotion and the activities of the unicorn.

One of my favorite illustrations is on a single page with a white background.  The unicorn is standing tall, golden horn surrounded by vivid sparkles.  Next to him is the boy grinning.  His eyes are wide open with happiness.  There is pink frosting in his hair and on his I ♥ Unicorns t-shirt.  They are both looking at the next page where the first of several surprises has appeared.  You just know from previous moments that this happiness is short-lived.


I have been smiling since I first read this book, when I read it again and as I was writing this post.  I can't help it.  You Don't Want a UNICORN written by Ame Dyckman with illustrations by Liz Climo is filled with laugh out loud episodes from beginning to the oh-uh end.  It's about wishing, learning and hope.  You have to hope that your next wish might be a little bit different.  Right?  I can already hear the requests for read it again.

To learn more about Ame Dyckman and Liz Climo and their other work please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.  At the publisher's website you can download a storytime kit. John Schumacher, Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, featured the cover reveal and book trailer premiere on his blog, Watch. Connect. Read.  You have to read and watch both of these!