Seasonal Sensations

Books centering on pumpkins, jack-o'-lanterns, vampires, ghosts, witches, goblins, and things that go bump in the night can be read and enjoyed any month of the year but when the last stroke of midnight echoes on October first, something happens.  Readers' desire to enter and explore the season increases tenfold.  Whether it is fact or fiction, funny or frightening; they want it all.

By definition, vampires, alive or back from the dead, tend to be most active during darkness.  We never expect to see them during daylight hours.  This is why, before we have even opened the cover of Vampenguin (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, July 20, 2021) written and illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins, we are already smiling.

On Saturday, the Dracula family woke up extra early

so they could beat the weekend crowds to the zoo.

Once at the zoo, they were inside quickly, or were they?  As per their custom, they went to the Penguin House first.  They were not the only people enjoying this area.  Before long, they had viewed the several different species living there.  As they left, it was time for the penguins' breakfast.

(Unbeknown to the Dracula family, their tiny tot traveling in the stroller had switched places with one of the penguins.  This was never part of the written narrative but fully disclosed in the pictorial story.  Their ignorance is bliss for readers.)

As the family moved to the enclosures of the tiger, elephants, monkeys, and the lion, something strange was happening.  At the bear exhibit they were completely unaware of the bear's hand signals.  A nearby vendor had his snow cones entirely consumed to their puzzlement.  The parents and older son, Junior, were oblivious to the birds' curious chorus in the aviary and the sea lions' splashing at the demonstration.

In the Penguin House, as you might imagine, normalcy was gone.  Disrespectful visitors got a fright.  So intent on finishing their stroll through the zoo, the Dracula family failed to see nonverbal communications of the animals, even when they paused for a picture and a balloon.  It is safe to say this trip to the zoo was a memorable one for all.

Every sentence written by author Lucy Ruth Cummins is a study in contrast.  What is distinctively said and what we observe in the pictures supply us with comedy at nearly every page turn.  These carefully chosen words are also leading us to a conclusion certain to promote outbursts of laughter more than once.  Here is a passage and image explanation.

Back outside, the entire Dracula family was absolutely delighted

by the sea lion behavior demonstration.

The parents and Junior, seated on the stands, were not happy with being splashed.  Their hands were up, and their eyes were closed at the sudden watery episode.  The penguin in the stroller was thrilled.

The washed-teal background is used on both the front, right, and back, left, of the open dust jacket.  On the back a penguin is standing on the ISBN.  On the front, we see what the Dracula family does not.  A penguin in the stroller is making the SHH sign with its flipper wing.  This is an indication to readers this book has the unexpected ready to envelope us.

On the book case a darker teal spreads to either side of the wide black spine.  In the far lower, left corner on the back is the toddler sucking on his yellow teething ring.  In the far lower, right corner on the front is the penguin.  We are only shown their upper bodies.

On the opening and closing endpapers a pattern of black and white stripes, like the mother's shirt, creates a visually alluring effect.  On the title page illustrator Lucy Ruth Cummins shows us the zoo entrance at dawn.  The clock there shows it is 6 am. 

On the heavier, matte-finished paper, these illustrations 

rendered in gouache and colored pencil, and finished with digital line

are full-page pictures, double-page visuals or smaller images grouped by two to a page.  The limited color palette adds to the comedic impressions.  We are supplied with varying perspectives; close to characters and fading in the distance, a birds-eye view, realistic overview of scenes, and close-ups.  The facial features and body postures extend the impact of each illustration.  The smallest of details elevate the humor such as the single penguin looking directly at readers after the toddler has contributed a new odor to the Penguin House. 

One of my many favorite pictures is a double-page image.  We are brought close to the Dracula family as they swiftly move through the aviary.  Here, on the left side and along the top half of the right side, a variety of birds among branches and vines are not at rest.  They are vocalizing the fact a penguin is riding in the stroller.  Father is pointing at some birds.  Mother has her head buried in a map.  And Junior is looking straight ahead.  The penguin shifts in the stroller to give the birds a soft SHH.  Here, as throughout the book, the colors of black, white, yellow, pale pink and teal (turquoise) expand the emotional and hilarious response in readers.

Although this title, Vampenguin written and illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins, is certain to be a huge hit during the autumn season, it is guaranteed it will be a much requested read aloud all year.  The text and images work together with perfection welcoming readers from beginning to end.  I highly recommend this title for both your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Lucy Ruth Cummins and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Lucy Ruth Cummins has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.

Before October arrived this year, pumpkins were appearing at every grocery store, nursery, and farmer's market.  These squash are a symbol of the season.  They find their way into our food and drink, outdoor and indoor displays and decorations, and in our gardens, too.  There is something clearly satisfying about watching a pumpkin grow from blossom to something heavy we can hold in our hands.  How to Help a Pumpkin Grow (Beach Lane Books, July 20, 2021), one of the newest titles by author illustrator Ashley Wolff, joyously informs readers.

Dig it.

Spade it.

Seeds to sow.  

Sometimes when we plant early in the spring Mother Nature sends us a surprise snow.  We need to protect those seeds, so they will grow.  If we have hungry creatures near our gardens, we need to protect those seeds now forming tiny plants.  A good fence works.

Special care is given to those sprouting shoots.  Food, water, and weeding are on the agenda.  Crow helps.  Rabbit helps.  Duck is ready to lend a wing.

The vines are creeping and winding.  Let's wrap them around the sturdy posts.  The garden is flooded with green, yellow, and orange.  Goat wants to help, too.  The spring and summer seasons have shifted to harvest.

Pumpkins are gathered and taken to Dog's farmhouse.  Crow, Rabbit, Duck, and Goat are happy with their part in this success.  There is cooking and consuming of delectable delights.  And, yes, there is one more project.  Can you guess?

There is one word which comes to mind in reading the words here penned by Ashley Wolff.  That word is jubilation.  From beginning to end, her use of alliteration and rhyming is an open invitation to readers.  Two-word sentences fashion an introductory cadence.  The questions asked by Dog of Crow, Rabbit, Duck and Goat are a promising pause.  This whole narrative reads like a song.  Here are two passages.

Drench them.

Quench them.

Let it flow.

Watering up and down the row.

You want to help a pumpkin grow? (Dog bends down to Duck.)

The angle of the sun provides us with breathtaking views in the autumn.  At times, the light seems magical.  This is what we see first on the open and matching dust jacket and book case of this title.  There is a luminescence, a background glow in the front and back images.  This warmth, this golden sheen, is part of every picture throughout the book.  Cleverness in design is apparent in using the stacked pumpkins as placeholders for the title text.  Crow, the first animal, makes an appearance.  The tiny mouse, though never named, is present in all but one of the illustrations.  Readers will enjoy seeking out this tiny individual.

To the left of the spine, on the back, is a more panoramic view of Dog's farm.  Here Rabbit, Duck, and Goat are present.  Two are in the pumpkin patch, and one is under an apple tree.  Behind them is the farmhouse and silo with the barn.  We see the use of a darker blue with hints of purple as a complementary color.  Who wouldn't love to rock in the chair on the porch?  The ISBN is inside a pumpkin.

On the opening and closing endpapers colors mirror those of a pumpkin.  We are close to a pumpkin, blossoms, leaves, and vines on the title page.  Mouse is peeking from behind a leaf.

In this book, these illustrations were made using

acrylic gouache on Fabriano watercolor paper.

Each double-page picture is animated, filled with charming elements, and the rich hues of a pastoral setting.  We can see in the color choices how the days and seasons progress.  The animals, Dog, Crow, Rabbit, Duck, Goat and the mouse, are featured with facial expressions and body postures suggesting happiness and a willingness to help.

One of my many favorite illustrations is for the words:

Twine them.

Vine them.

Watch them go,

filling up the garden---whoa!  

The exploding pumpkin patch is bursting with leaves, vines, blossoms, and pumpkins.  The fence is partially visible from left to right of this double-page picture.  On the left Dog stands, eyes closed, and arms outstretched in happiness.  Duck, with only its neck and head visible, looks at Dog.  Rabbit is holding a white pumpkin and watching Dog.  On the right, Crow is perched on the fence.  Goat's head is through the fence and chewing on a pumpkin vine.  The mouse is resting on the side of a pumpkin.  All their eyes are on Dog.  The sky is glowing.

Whether this book, How to Help a Pumpkin Grow written and illustrated by Ashley Wolff, is read silently or aloud, it is one to savor repeatedly.  For a thematic story time pair it with, to name a few, How Big Could Your Pumpkin Grow?, Stumpkin or Pick A Pumpkin.  Be sure to have a copy of this title on your professional and personal bookshelves.

To discover more about Ashley Wolff and her other work, please access her website by following the link attached to her name.  She also has a blog.  Ashley Wolff has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.  This title is featured at Jama Rattigan's Jama's Alphabet Soup.  You will love the interview and all the added images.

Seeing Double

There will be times when a book is released, and to your surprise it's a companion to a title from the previous year.  At first you can't believe you missed the first book. (Where were you?  Under a rock?)  As quickly as possible you locate a copy through your public library.  Not only do you believe it's excellent, you know the intended audience will enjoy it, too.  You buy a copy for your personal collection.

Look (Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, July 10, 2018) written and illustrated by Fiona Woodcock cleverly tells a story of a sister and brother spending a day at the zoo.  Her narrative includes words with the letter pair oo.  Each pair is incorporated into the accompanying illustration.

Prior to the title page

Cock-a-doodle-doo! 

is being sung by a rooster.  He is perched on his house on the following verso page.  On the title page LOOK is placed on three rolling hills with a rising sun for the second letter "o".  The children, with their backs to us and wearing their pajamas, have raised their arms in a good morning stretch.

For each of the subsequent pages words describe their breakfast, their footwear, and how fast they drive toward their destination.  They exclaim hooray! on their arrival with their faces as the letters "o".  Three animals are seen, and they dance with the third, doing a boogie.  

More animals are present, butterflies swoop and primates present themselves to the children.  As the sister and brother wander, they carry balloons, find flowers which cause sneezing and satisfy a craving for a sweet treat which sadly meets with an unfortunate mishap.  At home they ready themselves for bed, read, and drift off to dreamland. 

Outside a night bird calls as our natural satellite shines.  A shower of falling stars ask us (for those awake) to LOOK.  We've come full circle. 


There are more than thirty words selected by Fiona Woodcock to tell this tale. There is usually one word per page (illustration), but that pattern is not strictly followed to create a pleasant pacing. Each word used is carefully chosen to provide readers with an interesting narrative with plenty of action.


The front of the dust jacket is a hint of events to come, asking readers to seek words with the double "o".  The array of colors in the balloons is used throughout the book.  To the left, on the back, a large faintly colored red circle on a white canvas frames the sister and brother.  She is behind him saying LOOK!  Her glasses are the double oo.  On his hat it says IT'S A and then BOOK! is across his face.  He is looking through binoculars which form the double "o".  Two beautiful large butterflies are placed on each side of the book case on a background of white.

To coincide with dawn and night the letters "o", spread across the opening and closing endpapers, change color.  On the first the shades are red, yellow and orange.  On the second they are red, blue and purple.

The artwork and hand-lettered text was created by hand-cut rubber stamps, stencils, BLO pens, and additional pencil line work, all composited digitally.

Fiona Woodcock alters her point of view to emphasize the narrative.  She begins by bringing us close to two single-page pictures and then gives us a wider view for a double-page image.  Her placement of the elements and the words changes to create an inviting rhythm.  Readers will be eagerly Looking for the double "o" words.  The heavier matte-finished paper is an ideal texture for her artwork.

One of my many favorite illustrations spans two pages and includes two words.  On a light background colors like tiny confetti (or sprinkles) are patterned as a canvas.  Three flowers from the previous page are in the lower, left-hand corner.  Next to them are the brother and his sister.  Above them in cursive the large word drool stretches over the gutter.  On the right a hand is reaching up from the bottom of the page to grab an ice cream cone.  The top of the ice cream is the letter "o" for the word scoop.  An ice cream scoop utensil held by the vendor is placing that scoop on the cone.



This spring the second book, which lead me to Look, was released.  Hello (Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, May 14, 2019) written and illustrated by Fiona Woodcock follows the siblings on another adventure. The letter pair ll and the formed words take us from the family campsite to an amusement park for the day and safely back to the tents.

Prior to the title page a bird's eye view shifts to a close-up perspective as our eyes move from left to right.  On the left side the sun rises with hello inside it.  Three tents are next to the mother's red car.  On the hill on the right a rabbit watches the scene below it.  The rabbit's ears supply the ll in the word yellow.

On the verso page the brother leans out from his tent with two little bunnies next to him.  His sister stands in front of the rising sun with HELLO beneath her.  The shadows of her two legs become the ll pair.

As the trio travel to the park the geography changes through using pairs of ll words.  A fabulous adjective depicts how excited they are to enter the park.  Words describe five different rides and exhibits and their reactions.

A mischievous brother causes an accident, but they still manage to have fun along the seashore later.  They peer at sea creatures and collect shells until their mother returns.  As night falls, they enjoy a snack courtesy of the crackling fire.

A soothing melody lulls the twosome to sleep. Well, almost both of them.  The younger brother has one more thing he wants to try.  He remembers how the day began with a greeting and a hippity-hoppity companion.


With every page turn readers will be fascinated by how Fiona Woodcock takes nearly forty words to fashion a fun-filled day.  It's exciting to see how their vacation is enhanced by the outing to the amusement park by the seashore.  The decision for determining each word creates a cadence of rising and falling action connecting readers to each event in the story.


On the front of the dust jacket the brother and sister with their hands raised as they float on the water informs readers of the happiness they hold in their hands.  These two are going entertain us from beginning to end.  To the left, on the back, a large yellow inner tube supplies a place for the siblings.  The brother with his hands raised is the double "l" for hello and the legs of his sister help to spell
all.  This is on a white canvas.  On the light background of the book case are two llamas; one is blue on the front and the other is a darker blue with purple on the back.  (You'll need to read this book to discover why they are there.)

On the opening and closing endpapers a series of the letter l are placed almost like zigzags.  On the first set the colors are blue, yellow and green.  Blue, red and purple hues are used on the second set of endpapers.

Readers will see with each page turn some of the images are connected to previous illustrations and following pictures, flowing flawlessly.  As the family leaves the tents behind on the left and travel toward the park, we see it in the distance on the right.  On the next page it is magnified like a bold statement across two pages.  Several of the rides seen in this expansive view appear later and much closer to readers.  (It will be interesting to see if readers can see some elements from the first book in this second title.)

One of my many favorite illustrations spans two pages.  It is for the word gallop.  Six merry-go-round horses ride from left to right, some more prevalent than others to give the impression of motion.  The letter g is to the left of the gutter.  The poles from the sister's and brother's horses provide the ll pair.  The duo is looking directly at the reader.


Both Look and Hello written and illustrated by Fiona Woodcock are imaginative and ingenious stories certain to actively engage readers.  Without a doubt readers and listeners will be eager to alter or expand these stories or write their own using words with pairs of letters.  I highly recommend both titles for your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Fiona Woodcock and her other work, please follow the links attached to her name to access her website.  The second link takes you to a page for Hello.  You can view additional images there.  Some of them are different from those found at the publisher's website.  Fiona Woodcock has accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  Fiona Woodcock and these two books are showcased at author, reviewer, and blogger Julie Danielson's Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast here and here.

A Memory Of Forever Friends

The more we know about the kingdom of animals as a whole, the more we understand about the vital importance of every single member to all life on this planet.  There is an intricate network in place.  When we choose to shift our focus to a specific animal, it's astounding what can be learned about their physical characteristics.  Each one of those qualities helps them to adapt, survive and continue to be an essential link.

It's even more interesting and exciting to discover the personality and emotional traits animals exhibit.  They are more like humans in some respects than we might think and even better than us in other aspects.  Elephants Walk Together (Albert Whitman & Company, October 1, 2017) written by Cheryl Lawton Malone with pictures by Bistra Masseva was previously highlighted here with a conversation and cover reveal.  Based upon a true story this book will increase your appreciation for these giants who walk among us.

In the wild,
two baby elephants
walk together.

Alert and animated they seek food with their herd.  As the day comes to a close and the family moves, the two baby elephants, Precious and Baba, make sounds; a conversation between friends.  All is well with the duo until the arrival of hunters.  They take the baby elephants away.

Initially separated they are joyful at discovering each other inside a circus car.  At the circus they are trained to do things elephants would not normally do.  Precious is in pain from learning tricks demanding more than her body can handle.  Baba is frightened of the trainers.  Thankfully they have each other for comfort.

Their first performance does not go well.  They are separated; Precious to a variety of zoos and Baba to one circus after another circus.  Apart for decades they mourn the loss of their companionship.

To heal Precious's feet she is sent to a sanctuary.  Healing on the outside is much easier than healing an elephant's heart.  Hope is a curious thing.  Even the smallest protected spark in one's heart can create a miracle. 

A new elephant arrives.


Having lost count of the number of times this book has been read, it still brings me to tears at the end.  Author Cheryl Lawton Malone has taken the real life affection of two elephants and fashioned a story around its center. The repetition of certain words, walking and talking, is used as a unifying rhythm several times.  She takes phrases used to describe their lives together as baby elephants and brings those full circle at the conclusion.  Here is a sample passage.

In a rattling circus car,
Precious and Baba meet again.

They trumpet their joy.
They purr, side by side.


When I look at the opened dust jacket (I am working from an F & G.), the front speaks of the joy of the two adult elephants.  To the left on the back illustrator Bistra Masseva has depicted a circus tent entrance, a circus stool and a whip.  In the foreground on the left is foliage found in a zoo setting with a steel and chain fence in front of it.  It's a poignant contrast between what should have been and what was.  On the title page along the bottom are the five peaks of a striped circus tent with flags waving.

Rendered in acrylic paints each image elevates the text by taking readers into the moment.  The time of day and setting are depicted in appropriate colors with added details of flora and fauna and people.  Bistra alternates the size of the pictures from single and double pages, page edge to page edge, to accentuate the pacing.

Her perspectives are particularly superb.  She brings us close to Precious and Baba when they are experiencing joy.  When they suffer we are given a larger scene; training in the snow, the spectacle of the first circus act, and Precious in the zoo.  The bird's-eye-view of the sanctuary is wonderful.

One of my favorite of many images is the first two-page picture.  The sky is a blend of clouds, pale yellow and green with a sun shining over several mountain peaks.  In front of this is the green of the forest with some trees towering over the others.  Birds glide above the trees.  Along the forest edge the herd forages.  In a mud patch, on the left, close to readers, Baba and Precious are playing.  One of them is rolling in the mud.  The other has her front feet on the other's back.  Their trunks are raised.  Their mouths are open.  They are happy.  To balance the scene in the lower right-hand corner several leaves provide cover for one of the birds on the ground. 


Elephants Walk Together written by Cheryl Lawton Malone with pictures by Bistra Masseva is one of those books which serve to highlight the true beauty found in the animal kingdom.  In an author's note at the close of the title we are told about the story of the real Asian elephants.  Cheryl continues by speaking about elephants in general and reminding us how much they need our help.  She includes relevant organizations with their websites and selected sources.  You will want to have this book on your professional and personal bookshelves.  It would pair nicely with Katherine Roy's new title, How To Be An Elephant: Growing Up in the African Wild.

If you follow the links attached to Cheryl Lawton Malone's name and Bistra Masseva's name you will discover more about them and their other work at their websites.  At the publisher's website is a Q & A with Cheryl Lawton Malone about this book.   Also at the publisher's website you can view interior pages.

Master Of Many

As a child spending a day at the Potter Park Zoo was an event to be remembered.  Even as an adult, strolling among the exhibits I felt a sense of peace and wonder.  There is a part of me, a part I hope all of us holds, that wishes these animals were free to live full and happy lives out in the world in their natural habitats but I have come to recognize the importance of the best kind of zoo.

It would seem residents in a zoo might be looking for that one thing at which they excel.  Or like some individuals in the human realm, they might discover a passion for more than one pursuit.  Hippopotamister (First Second, May 10, 2016) written and illustrated by John Patrick Green is a graphic novel designed to have you grinning from ear to ear as soon as you look at the dust jacket.  

The old City Zoo was falling apart.

It was nearly vacant except for the animal occupants and let me tell you, they were looking the worse for wear.  At the hub of this lackluster facility lived Red Panda and Hippopotamus.  Red Panda, at his wits end, declared to his friend, Hippopotamus, he was leaving the zoo.  He was going to live among the humans disguised as a human.

Hippopotamus could hardly wait for Red Panda's visits, regaling him with news of the human world and his variety of jobs.  Hippopotamus finally admitted to Red Panda his desire to live in the human world.  Could Red Panda help him find a job?  

Of course, Red Panda could find him a job but first Hippopotamus needed to change his name to Hippopotamister if he wanted to blend in as a human.  Their first job was as construction workers.  They don't exactly conform to the skyscraper being built.  Red Panda's work looks like a cobbled-up mess from a dumpster.  Hippopotamus builds an elaborate castle. Hmm....  As you can imagine, they were fired.

Their stints as hair stylists, chefs, bankers and dental hygienists yielded similar results.  Red Panda had a knack at nothing and Hippopotamus excelled at everything.  The outcomes were shocking and marvelous.  Eight more trades were tried until one particular morning Red Panda declared they needed a day off. (I think the human world needed a day off from this duo too.) 

They decided to visit their zoo.  As they meandered down the paths Hippopotamister with his newly acquired skills began to notice certain details. He was most definitely thinking but Red Panda could hardly wait to get out of there.  More positions were tried until the roles were reversed in one final place.  The twosome parted ways but not on good terms.

Back at the zoo Hippopotamus rested on his rock wondering and wondering.  Late at night changes happened.  In the morning the zoo citizens were dumbfounded.  No one was more surprised than Hippopotamister with what happened next.

With a flawless blend of text by an unseen narrator and dialogue between and by Red Panda and Hippopotamus, readers are treated to the humorous story created by John Patrick Green.  Whenever the narrator makes a statement it is followed with supportive points generating a cadence.  Comedy is present in every situation when Hippopotamus wonders if he will be successful at a job in which he knows nothing and Red Panda offers his "sage" advice.  Here is the exchange between the two at their first job.

I've never done anything like this before.  How do I know I'm doing a good job?

Relax, Hippopotamister.  You'll be a natural, like me.

Well, I don't want to make any mistakes.

No one expects you to be perfect, Hippopotamister.

What in blazes?

We're building a skyscraper!

Look at what you've done with the supplies.

The array of hats around Hippopotamus on the front of the dust jacket and above Red Panda on the back, to the left, is just a hint of the hilarity to be found within this book.  The washed sky blue background draws the readers' attention to the colors of the companions and the headwear.  On the spine Hippopotamus is wearing the chef hat at the bottom.  It's his noncommittal expression contrasted with Red Panda's yippee-here-we-go-again look which is another suggestion of the comedy about to begin.

On the book case John Patrick Green has cleverly shown on the right Hippopotamister looking rather dapper in a city setting and on the left, Hippopotamus is standing in front of the zoo gate.  On the opening and closing endpapers we get a bird's eye view of twenty zoo exhibits but the contrast between the two is striking; a before-and-after look.  Careful readers will spot Red Panda and Hippopotamister in their roles.  Who is on top of the wart hog?  The change in the penguins is funnier than funny.

John Patrick Green alters his panel sizes to provide pacing and interest.  They are all framed in white with the exception of those images extending edge to edge across two pages.  His wordless pictures are sure to prompt explosions of laughter.  The expressions on the faces of Hippopotamus and Red Panda are another wonderful source of giggles and grins.  Truthfully nearly every page turn provides an opportunity for major smileage.

One of my many favorite illustrations is after the pals have been working in the bank.  This wordless two page picture shows Red Panda in a scuffle with the bank manager on the left.  He thinks the gentleman's mustache resembles walrus tusks.  On the right Hippopotamister has balanced the books with his amazing mathematical skills.  Green also shows next to his adding machine and balance scales on his desk a stack of books, much like a house of cards, perfectly balanced.


Hippopotamister written and illustrated by John Patrick Green is fantastic fun!  No wonder it is one of School Library Journal's Top 10 Graphic Novels | 2016.  On December 30, 2016 it garnered one of the 2016 Nerdies in the Graphic Novel category.  You are going to need several copies of this title on your professional shelves and at least one for your personal shelves.

To learn more about John Patrick Green and his other work please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  You can view some interior images at the publisher's website.  First Second has a five question interview of John Patrick Green.  Geek Dad has an exclusive look at Hippopotamister.  The Beat Comics Culture interviews John Patrick Green.  Green wrote a guest post for the Nerdy Book Club.  John Schumacher, Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, participates in a comic interview with Hippo at Watch. Connect. Read.  At Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast the blog of author, reviewer and blogger, Julie Danielson, she interviews Red Panda and Hippo in a cartoon.

Delectable Detective

Dating back thousands of years, most tellers use riddles to welcome listeners into their stories.  These specifically-worded queries get our brains in gear, focus our concentration and inspire creativity.  Riddles allow us to participate in a treasure hunt without taking a step.  All we need to do is use our imaginations, expanding our thinking from the obvious to the obscure.  The sense of accomplishment in deciphering these puzzles is a rich reward too.

Readers are guaranteed another adventure full of fun and one smart cookie on the run in The Gingerbread Man Loose at the Zoo (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC, August 23, 2016) written by Laura Murray with illustrations by Mike Lowery.  There is sleuthing and solving.  May they do themselves proud.  It's game on for the Gingerbread Man and the elementary school crowd.

I woke to the sound of a rumbling
ROAR!
and 
hooting
and 
howling
and
growling
galore.

The children called out names as the teacher made noises and everyone's excitement grew.  Boarding the bus the hunt was revealed.  The animal clues were no longer concealed.  It was a point-to-point guide around the zoo.

Unraveling riddle number one was done with ease.  In fact Gingerbread Man was soon in a tight squeeze; barely escaping snack status thanks to a sneeze. When he chanced a look, his class was gone.

Knowing his friends needed to be found; the Gingerbread Man unriddled the remaining riddles, animal by animal, in habitats high, low, wet, square and round.  Some beasts were big, other critters were small.  He found them, almost all.  Figuring out the final puzzle, the Gingerbread Man ran as only he can.

Single-minded he moved until...a baby kangaroo came into view.  Now two were lost but the Gingerbread Man was brilliant and bold.  He knew what they were seeking was more valuable than gold.  Hoping and hopping they followed the way.  Happy hero and baby buddy, together, saved the day.


When Laura Murray sends the Gingerbread Man on a trip, we are in for a treat.  As we wind through the zoo, we are learning animal names too.  Her riddles blend into the rhyming rhythm of the narrative asking readers to participate in piecing the clues together.  Within the puzzles we learn about the animals' characteristics, baby names, and food.  Here are two more sample passages depicting Murray's skillful word play.

"HAVE A WILD DAY!" said the man at the front
as we pulled out our riddles to start on the hunt.

I jumped 
on the railing
to get a 
good look, 
and out popped her tongue
like a curvy blue hook.


The energy in the illustrations rendered

with pencil, traditional screen printing, and digital color

by Mike Lowery will have you ready to go to the zoo.  There's no doubt when looking at the front of the dust jacket (I'm working with an F & G) the Gingerbread Man is ready to romp.  The animals at the zoo look equally willing to share in his pleasant pursuits.  On the back, to the left, readers are given a hint of further play and a problem in three separate visuals.  On the title page the Gingerbread Man is swinging on a vine from the top through the title text, dangling above a bright, light blue and white map of the zoo.  A friendly rhino grins at the reader.

Lowery portrays his interpretation of the story in a series of bordered panels of varying sizes.  He sometimes uses one or two pages, edge to edge to focus on a particular point.  The narrative is usually shown in separate boxes, black on white, at the top or bottom of a panel.  Dialogue is, for the most part, in speech bubbles.

With a dot, circle, or curve of a line, Lowery is able to convey an array of emotion.  These girls, boys, animals and the Gingerbread Man are upbeat and fully animated.  Readers will find themselves smiling repeatedly.

One of my favorite of several illustrations is at the beginning of the story.  The Gingerbread Man wakes up to discover his teacher is the cause of the commotion.  She's looking fierce pretending to be a large cat.  Looking out his window, the Gingerbread Man is smiling at the discovery.  We can see all his details, his frosted brow, his pink and white hat, bow tie, red buttons and brown shorts.  He's one cute cookie!


This entry in the series is a surefire winner.  Everyone is going to love following their favorite smart cookie in The Gingerbread Man Loose at the Zoo written by Laura Murray with illustrations by Mike Lowery.  I know you will hear requests of read it again and most likely pleas for treats, riddles and a trip to the zoo.  

To learn more about Laura Murray and Mike Lowery and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  At Laura Murray's site she has mentor text lesson plans, a reader's theater, a design a Gingerbread Man story template, a story sequencing page, zoo animal matching and a color the cover page.  Please take a moment to visit Scholastic's Ambassador for School Libraries, John Schumacher's blog, Watch. Connect. Read., for the book trailer premiere and a wonderful interview.  You will want to visit the Nerdy Book Club to read Laura Murray's recent guest post focusing on gifts and inspiration.  Laura Murray is a guest on Matthew Winner's podcast All The Wonders, Episode 278.  For my views about The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School, The Gingerbread Man Loose on the Fire Truck, and The Gingerbread Man Loose at Christmas follow the links.

Hidden In View

As the sun sets on a summer afternoon filled with freedom or on one of those final warm days in autumn, a chill seeping into the air, neighborhood guys and gals gather for a rousing game of hide-and-seek.  Each player searches to find the perfect spot out of sight or blending in with their surroundings and standing as still as stone.  Excitement swirls around the participants, each thrilling at their ability to elude the one hoping to find them.

The enjoyment in this ability to evade discovery is heightened when shared.  In Where's Walrus? (Scholastic Press, February 1, 2011) Stephen Savage introduced readers to a quick-witted walrus and a frustrated zookeeper.  Those two have returned in a companion title, Where's Walrus? And Penguin? (Scholastic Press, August 25, 2015).  This time Walrus has a willing partner in Penguin.  The laughter doubles as these two boldly blend in wherever they go.

If you remember the first story involves a swimming event and the zookeeper's kindness toward Walrus's fondness for diving.  On the title page, executing a perfect swan dive into his pool, Walrus is silently observed by a penguin.  Next Walrus knowingly looks right at the reader.

With rain steadily falling, the zookeeper holds open the gate for patrons and those with children, umbrellas overhead keeping them dry.  As they file out, Walrus and Penguin join them at the end of the line.  A shocked zookeeper scurries to find them, first checking the subway.  Those two clever creatures mirror other occupants.  Readers will burst out in giggles.

A newsstand on the street, a pigeon-feeding bench in the park, a crew team gliding on the river, a busy street in the city center, a night at the opera and a baseball game provide fun and entertainment for the escapees.  These places also act as the ultimate venues for disguises.  Walrus tends to favor a variety of hats.  Penguin usually uses his natural physical attributes.

After a fly ball has Walrus zigging and zagging on the field the game is over for the tricky twosome.  The trio, Walrus, Penguin and the determined zookeeper, find themselves in a location where hiding is not an option.  Love, as they say, will find a way.


Opening the dust jacket, the design on the front is reversed on the back to reveal the zookeeper, net at rest, standing in front of the newsstand, wondering how Walrus and Penguin could have disappeared so quickly.  They are, in fact, in plain sight which begins the first of numerous hilarious episodes.  Exhibiting his first-rate design skills Stephen Savage blends his name and the ISBN into the cityscape.  The primary and secondary colors pop when combined with the gray, black and white.  (As he did in the first title, Savage adds just the right amount of shades of pink exactly where and when they are needed.)

Having Walrus, in a close-up, stare at us, his mouth forming a grin with its natural shape, on the verso and first page, Savage asks us to join the adventure.  A single drop of rain on Walrus's flipper starts the story.  You know even before you turn the page, Walrus has a plan.

In each of the two-page images, drawn and created digitally, readers pause for several reasons. We are looking first and foremost, as is the zookeeper, for Walrus and Penguin.  The exquisite layout and design using geometric shapes and simple but expressive lines hold our attention in appreciation.

One of my favorite illustrations of several is the busy city street.  In front of buildings filled with windows, among the cars and trucks, are three limousines.  Moving to the left of the page is one with Penguin as the chauffeur and Walrus, sporting a top hot, riding in the rear seat.  In the foreground is a yellow taxi cab heading to the right.  The zookeeper looks out the window at us, almost as if he knows we know where those two rascals truly are.


As well-created as the first title, Where's Walrus? And Penguin? written without words and illustrated by Stephen Savage is a fine and playful achievement.  It's a brilliant example of less is more. I can't help but wonder (and hope) if we will see these characters in another lively romp away from the zoo.

To discover more about Stephen Savage and his work please visit his website by following the link attached to his name.  If you haven't read his interview by author, reviewer and blogger, Julie Danielson at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, make sure you stop there now.
Enjoy the book trailer.



Here's Stephen Savage reading this title out loud at KitLit TV.



Update:  March 9, 2016 Stephen Savage appears again on KidLit TV talking about this title and several of his earlier books.

Finding Your Place

If you were to ask a group of children what they do best, their answers will span a broad spectrum, some understandably typical, others refreshingly original.  Continuing the conversation I wonder what one thing they will see themselves doing as adults.  What will be their occupation?  What will they dedicate their lives to doing?

It is not easy to discover your talent.  When you search your mind and heart, you need to listen closely so the voice of your gift can be heard.  Once you understand this, where will you go, what can you do or who will you help?  Ellie (Disney Hyperion, May 12, 2015) written and illustrated by debut picture book author illustrator Mike Wu is about a zoo, the animals making their home there and an elephant longing to make a discovery.

On a bright winter day, when Ellie was just finishing her lunch, the zookeeper came by with an announcement.  

The news was not good, not good at all.  The zoo, the place where the animals lived, was closing.  Ellie and her friends needed a plan.

Gerard, the gorilla, suggested they make the zoo look a little more presentable.  Lucy, the giraffe, began by shaping the trees.  This made for a tasty lunch too.  Gerard flexed his muscles, moving rocks.  Even the monkeys got in on the action by cleaning.  Ellie was small as elephants go.  What could she do?

She thought Walt, the zookeeper, might have an answer but he was hard at work.  Momentarily called away, Walt left the tool he was using for his job.  Ellie picked it up.

When Walt came back, he took one look at Ellie's work and ran.  Oh, oh!  What had she done?  Pulling a wagon loaded with cans of paint, Walt returned grinning from ear to ear.

Soon Ellie's efforts were adding color where there had been none.  Her creativity sparked a demand for portraits and paintings.  People from everywhere gathered at the zoo.  Ellie found her savvy using it exactly where it was needed for those most important to her.


Using a blend of narrative and dialogue Mike Wu reaches out a hand for us to hold as he takes us on a tour of the zoo and Ellie's life there.  Ellie's gentle soul shines on every page.  Readers can sense a quiet tension building through Wu's words choices.  It makes Ellie's discovery more heartwarming.  Here is another sample passage.

"I'll prune the trees,"
Lucy said, nibbling a leaf.
"If only my trunk were longer!" said Ellie.
"I'll move this rock," Gerard
huffed, clearing it off the path.
"If only my muscles 
were bigger!" said Ellie. 


Ellie's creative potential is showcased on the front and back of the dust jacket.  By all the paint splatters on the ground, canvas and Ellie we know she has been busy.  To the left the image is reversed showing us the back of Ellie and what she has painted.  She is most excellent at capturing a true likeness of her friends.  Upon removing the dust jacket readers will see the different colored spine.  It's gone from orange to sky blue.  Splashes of paint cover both sides in hues of green, blue, orange and pink.

Mike Wu has included the opening and closing endpapers in his narrative, a visual beginning and ending.  Each depicts the entrance and wall surrounding the zoo.  They do convey totally different perspectives.  The verso to the left of the title page is a city skyline at dusk.

Each image has a classic, retro design.  Rendered in watercolor the delicate line work supplies the right emotional impact at the right time.  Small details reflect the personalities of the characters, Ellie's large eyes, Gerald wearing glasses and reading a book, and Lucy's advantageous height.  Walt, the zookeeper, is pencil thin; a man on the move with a mission.

White space is used to excellent advantage no matter the size of the picture.  It frames and defines the elements.  It also acts as an agent to change.  As Ellie's skill grows the whiteness is replaced with a more colorful background.

One of my many favorite illustrations is when Walt returns pulling the wagon stacked with paint cans.  When Ellie, her feet spattered in paint, sees him her eyes light up and a smile spreads across her face.  Walt is nearly running on air, eyes closed, smiling, and carrying an extra can of paint.  This exhibits a colorful shift in the story.


Hand Ellie written and illustrated by Mike Wu to anyone who enjoys an uplifting tale.  It speaks to each person and the path leading to knowing what we will love to do with all our heart.  We are reminded of the individual talent(s) we hold within ourselves.

To learn more about Mike Wu, his work and other endeavors please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  His children's clothing line is adorable.  (Xena thinks I should get the Woof t-shirt.  I tried to tell her I left the toddler stage ages ago.)  Teacher librarian extraordinaire, John Schumacher interview Mike Wu on his blog, Watch. Connect. Read.  Ellie is featured at author, teacher librarian and blogger Carter Higgins' site, Design Of The Picture Book. Mike Wu is interviewed about this book at Geek Dad.  The book trailer is available at all three sites.  In a word, it's precious.

When You Thought It Couldn't Get Any Worse...

Surviving seventh grade with your dignity and inconspicuousness intact is no easy feat.  Sometimes you get to keep one but not the other.  If you have new friendships in place, it's all for the good.  With the months of June, July and August acting as a buffer to the upcoming final year of middle school, you should be able replenish your mindset ready to tackle all the new firsts which come your way.

When the anticipated sequel to a well-received middle grade novel is released you know you're in for a treat when the dedication reads:

To the brave kids, the weird kids, and the cool kids.

Especially the ones who don't yet realize they can be

all three.

Jess Keating's debut novel, How To Outrun A Crocodile When Your Shoes Are Untied, presented to readers twelve-year-old Ana, short for Anaconda, whose life is like the place where she lives, a zoo.  In the sequel, How To Outswim A Shark Without A Snorkel (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, January 6, 2015) her high-profile grandfather, Shep Foster, springs a surprise on the entire family focusing on Ana's newly acquired bravery at speaking in front of others.  Swimming with sharks is going to be the least of Ana's worries.



I love the smell of the universe in 
the morning.
                -----Neil deGrasse Tyson

Really, Mr. Tyson?  Really?  What about the smell
of hippo poop wafting into your bedroom
window in the morning?  Or the wet-dog stink
of a flock of pelicans who strut around like
they own the place, and no matter how often
you try to shoo them out of the way, they
get even more puffed up and snooty at you? ...

Chapter 1

Some sharks can never stop moving, or else
they will suffocate and die.
                  -----Animal Wisdom

Whoa, sucks to be them! Can you imagine
never getting to sleep in?  Or laze around on 
a Saturday morning in your jammies watching
cartoons? ...

Ana, her twin brother Daz, her mom and dad, Sugar, her grandfather's girlfriend, and her grandfather have all gathered outside near the polar bear exhibit.  Moving toward some constructions signs, her grandfather raises a tarp leading them inside to view the secret project. With available resources and renovations The Marine Adventure Zoo has been built.  He, of course, wants Ana to give presentations here like she did with the reptiles.  To make matters even more uncomfortable, she is to interact with the sharks.  Yikes!  Not wanting to be the weak link in this new chain of events, she agrees.

Barely accustomed to this switch in her summer plans, while video chatting with Liv, her best friend who moved to New Zealand from Denver, another bit of stressful news is revealed.  Liv is skipping a grade and moving to ninth grade next year.  This means their pact to kiss a boy before high school is on fast forward.  Double yikes!  Kevin, her brother's best friend, is clearly a candidate but he and Ana are just getting to know one another better.

The final blow comes about a week after Grandpa's big reveal.  Apparently the zoo has been getting calls for volunteers after Ana's fabulous presentation.  A student from Ana's class has been chosen to work with her at the new marine facility.  Imagine Ana's shock when in walks Ashley, the leader of the pack of bully's, a Sneerer.  Triple yikes!  (cue Twilight Zone music)

Each experience, each interaction, with her parents, Grandpa and Sugar, Daz, Kevin, Bella, a new friend, Ashley, Patricia, the keeper, Logan, an older student intern and his girlfriend Danielle, at times clarifies and other times muddies Ana's thoughts and opinions.  One decision after another is shaping her summer and the person she can be.  Two mysterious incidents at The Marine Adventure Zoo nearly derail every step forward she has made.  Being brave is not always easy, but it produces the best kind of things.


The voice of Ana is one of the most genuine personalities in middle grade literature.  Jess Keating has demonstrated her true wizardry with words in shaping this girl's world, the people in it and every single moment during the summer weeks. We are brought into this story through realistic conversations between the characters and Ana's thought processes.  As in the first book, humor is liberally used.  Readers will find themselves laughing out loud repeatedly because the truth can be hilarious.  Keating uses our collective memories of being twelve beautifully.

Each chapter begins with a bit of Animal Wisdom about marine life followed by Ana's comments.  These are placed on a piece of paper taped to the page full of her special brand of teenage wit and wisdom.  Woven into the chapters is a Creature File about important people.  Opposite Species Name, Kingdom, Phylum, Weight, Natural Habitat, Feed On and Life Span are her candid remarks.  As a writer of lists to help make proper choices, several chapters contain Ana's numbered possibilities.  Here are some passages from this book.

Please.  Reptiles can't fool me.
The babies had hatched only minutes ago, just in time for Grandpa to call us at home in a frenzy, giddier than a dog in a Milk-Bone factory, yammering on about "the miracle of life' and all that.  From what I could tell, the miracle of life came with a lot of ...goo.  The hatchlings were already chirping up a storm and nipping at fingers when Daz and I got there.  That's the thing about living in a zoo.  You've got to be ready for everything. 

I stared dumbfounded.  "You're talking about a dead guy at a time like this?"  I shook my head.  My friends, the people who were supposed to care most about me, were telling me not to worry about Ashley.  Doesn't that sound wrong?  That's like saying, "Oh, that's just a river full of piranhas.  Why don't you hop in?" Or, "Hey, I've got some expired milk here.  Let's have a smoothie!"


How To Outswim A Shark Without A Snorkel written by Jess Keating will captivate fans of the series (and generate new ones) leaving them eager for the third book, How To Outfox Your Friends When You Don't Have A Clue, being released this October.  On the first page the spirit of Ana seeps out lifting you up, chapter after chapter.  There is much to love about all the characters and the way they each grow throughout the story.  If you are looking for an outstanding middle grade series, this one comes with my highest recommendation.


To discover more about Jess Keating be sure to stop by her website by following the link attached to her name.  To celebrate the release of this book Keating produced a series of videos found here.  Jess Keating was a guest at teacher librarian extraordinaire John Schumacher's blog, Watch. Connect. Read.  During the blog tour for the title she was a guest blogger at Watch. Connect. Read. and was interviewed by I Love Reading teacher, Colby Sharp, at sharpread. 

Oh To Be Not Seen, Never Heard

Navigating through your middle school years is a bit like motoring a boat down a stump-filled river in the dead of a moonless night.  You are never really sure whether you are going to feel a huge bump accompanied by a scraping sound.  If this should happen your heart races hoping it's only a tiny nick not a large scratch or even worse, a hole.  With a lot of luck and your learned skills you might make it all the way to your dock smoothly and safely.

It truly isn't easy being twelve years old.  If you could somehow fast forward to twenty or even ten years ahead, watching and shadowing yourself living day to day at twelve, you might be able to return viewing your considerable trials with a more open outlook.  Unfortunately this does not happen but with a gifted author, we can follow another twelve year old, laughing like a loon remembering.  How To Outrun A Crocodile When Your Shoes Are Untied (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, June 3, 2014) written by Jess Keating will have you smiling so much your face will hurt (in a good way).

Warning:
This book contains real-life situations and stuff that has actually happened to me.  I'm talking lots of awful boy behavior, wretched girls, best friends who are missing in action, and ridiculous amounts of elephant poop. ...
---Ana Wright, Anonymite Extraordinaire

These two sentences are part of an opening introduction by the main character.  Readers will immediately realize they are about to enter a life filled with hilarious situations.  This is followed by a first chapter with Ana holding the tail end of a crocodile before rushing off to video chat online with her best friend; a friend who has moved to New Zealand from Denver where Ana still lives.

By chapter two we've become acquainted with the boy-next-locker, Zack, star of the tennis courts and Ana's current crush, Ashley, leader of the pack of The Sneerers, a trio of blatant bullies, Daz, Ana's prankster twin brother and his best friend, Kevin, all-around nice guy and genius at everything.  During dinner that evening Ana's already challenging life takes another interesting turn.  The meal, with her two zoologist parents, both who work in the zoo, is interrupted with considerable fanfare as her celebrity (maternal) grandfather and his current actress girlfriend arrive.

It seems Shep Foster is making a documentary about his life which will include television appearances by his daughter, son-in-law and their children.  He is also going to fund a project of his daughter's involving large carnivores at the zoo.  As far as Ana is concerned this has disaster, in a huge way, written all over it.  She is desperate that no one at school realizes: (1) who her grandfather is or (2) her family is moving to live inside the zoo.

Life being what it is, Ana's wishes become attached to a series of incidents even she cannot have predicted.  Amid time with a nine-foot-long crocodile named Louis, posted flyers, a catastrophic lunch hour, shrieking overnight visitors at the zoo, and a reptile exhibition, Ana seeks her brave, true self.  Family, friends and a tiny seedling lend a hand.


First and foremost author Jess Keating has crafted a top-notch middle grade novel speaking directly to the hearts of her readers.  With abundant use of humor in first person voice, we actively join in sharing Ana's last few days of school before summer.  Descriptions of characters, backdrop and situations are realistic not only in Ana's world but easily identifiable as possible in any twelve-year-old's day to day existence.

What sets this book apart from others are several writing skills, working wonderfully with the overall setting.  Ana identifies people in her life by creating a Creature File card which includes species name, kingdom, phylum, weight, natural habitat, feeds on, life span, handling technique and other important notes.  Her insights will cause smiles and head-nodding.  She also ends events and chapters with lists; Growing List of Things I Will Never Understand about Boys, Things I Would Do If It Meant I Could Sleep until College or Five Places to Live, Now That My Fate Is Sealed.  Most chapters begin with an Animal Wisdom fact followed by a comment from Anna looking like a note in a scrapbook taped to the page.  Here are a few sample passages.

"All porcupines float in water."
---Animal Wisdom

How could they even find this out?  Is someone out there dunking porcupines in water?

"I beg your pardon, young man?" Grandpa sputtered.  "You don't see me for years and now all of a sudden you're 'Hey, Grandpa-ing' me?  I don't think so!" Grandpa shoved out of his chair, and to Daz's horror, snatched him right up from his chair into a totally nonmanly hug.  He ruffled his hair under his fist and laughed.  "That's much better.  Good to see you, son." He let Daz go and chuckled at the state of his hair.  Now he looked like he'd been electrocuted.
That'll teach him.
"DAZ IS A PAIN!" Darwin nattered, shimmying on his perch as he watched us eat.  I choked on a mouthful of spaghetti, trying not to laugh.  I'd taught him that little gem in less than a week.

Sometimes, it feels like life should stop until you feel better.  You know, like when bad things happen and you have a moment of silence over the PA system at school or something.  Life should do that for you when you become camel poop girl and your best friend meets a girl named Leilani and your grandpa is parading around the news like a rockstar.  


How To Outrun A Crocodile When Your Shoes Are Untied by Jess Keating is one of those lighthearted, funny books which strike serious chords in our souls.  She speaks to the twelve-year-old in all of us. (Where was this book when I was twelve?)  Every time I read this title, I place more post-it notes on pages.  Words like uplifting, hopeful, hilarious, heartwarming and truthful aptly describe Ana and her story.  This is definitely one of my favorite middle grade novels of 2014.  I consider it a must read, recommending you purchase more than one copy for your classroom or library.  The best part is yet to come.  A sequel titled How To Outswim A Shark Without A Snorkel: Book 2 in the My Life is a Zoo series will be here in January 2015.  An excerpt is included at the back of this book. So what are you waiting for?  Grab your safari hat and get reading!

To learn more about Jess Keating visit her website by following the link embedded in her name.  Here is a link to a special A Thank You post she wrote.  Links here, here, here, and here are a few of the posts on her blog tour providing readers with more information about Jess Keating and the writing of this book.  Colby Sharp provides readers with one of his Ten Minute Review posts at sharpread along with a 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Interview.  Here is a link to Jess Keating's post at the Nerdy Book Club, On Borrowed Bravery, And The Books That Change Us. Here is a link to an activity kit.

Enjoy a couple of Jess Keating's tweets below.  She is a very positive, active member of the Twitter reading and literacy community.

@missm_books @Loveofxena Little Bea! She surprised me! Bea is named after one of my idols, who painted this! ;-) pic.twitter.com/GMMT6EwF5H
— Jess Keating (@Jess_Keating) June 19, 2014

Cute comes in different sizes! These babies are in my next book! http://t.co/1767eJVcDc
— Jess Keating (@Jess_Keating) June 20, 2014

@donalynbooks That's great! I had a teacher-lib who would leave notes for me w/ her newest book recs. I named a character in CROC after her!
— Jess Keating (@Jess_Keating) June 24, 2014

He Was Here A Minute Ago...

It is hard to put into words the power of a wordless picture book that is done well.  It uniquely transports readers into the realm of their own imaginations; where their creativity can match or exceed those of the author/illustrator. In his Caldecott Award acceptance speech for Tuesday, David Wiesner states:

A wordless book offers a different kind of an experience from one with text, for both the author and the reader. There is no author’s voice telling the story. Each viewer reads the book in his or her own way. The reader is an integral part of the storytelling process.

Stephen Savage, illustrator of Polar Bear Night, 2004 (a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book), by Lauren Thompson and of the Margaret Wise Brown title, The Fathers Are Coming Home, 2010, has authored and illustrated a new book, Where's Walrus?, which was released in February of 2011.  Without words readers are privy to the escapades of a walrus that flees the confines of his tank in the zoo.  At every turn of the page mirth greets the eyes; smiles and laughter will quickly follow.


A turquoise and white diamond motif picturing scenes from the story line are featured on the front and back endpapers.  The title page sets the stage with Walrus peacefully sleeping in the center of his tank within the gates of the zoo, the title across the tank in white block letters.  When turning to the dedication page the head of Walrus is pictured and extends across two pages winking; in that moment readers get a hint of what is to come.

As the tale begins four zoo animals, the elephant, lion, bear and peacock, as well as the zookeeper are napping but walrus, eyes shifted to the zookeeper, is not and the open gates are a tantalizing invitation.  As Walrus makes for the entrance and the fountain in the distance, the zookeeper is shocked into wakefulness.  From that fountain, to a diner, a store window exhibit, to a bricklaying construction site, a fire brigade, to dancers on stage, painters in a park and finally to a swimming competition, the walrus evades the vigilant efforts of his pursuer. 

By donning a variety of headgear and assuming the appropriate pose Walrus blends into the surrounding views no matter the closeness of the zookeeper.  As Walrus takes the winning dive his cap falls off, disclosing his true identity to the surprised onlookers.  To dissuade any future adventures the zookeeper hatches a plan that brings cheer to Walrus and his admirers.

Done on Adobe Illustrator Savage generously uses white space accentuating the crispness of his images.  For the most part bold primary colors delineate the action but Savage is not afraid to break that trend as in the case of the pink buildings behind the fountain.  From the open cover which portrays Walrus and the zookeeper at opposite ends of a diner counter, the comedy is found in the two's nearness; so close but so far away.  Then too, Savage does enhance that humor, as in having Walrus in the park masquerading as a artist painting a portrait of none other than the zookeeper.

Engaging, highlighting the wit of Walrus's ability at camouflage and the puzzled zookeeper in hot pursuit, readers of any age will laugh loud and long at the genius employed by author/illustrator Stephen Savage in his book, Where's Walrus?