Early Reader Extravaganza

Do you remember when the ability to read first happened to you?  Have you seen that realization dawn on the face of a child? The feeling of knowing you can read is nearly indescribable. In that moment for you and others, the world shifts.  It is brimming with endless possibilities and discoveries. 

Some of the best books for early readers have engaging characters, characters who connect with us and charm their way into our collective hearts.  Their everyday lives are akin to adventures.  What they say and do is liberally enlivened with humor.

Author Jonathan Stutzman and artist Heather Fox have created an early reader series with sibling ghosts who are the best of friends.  We were introduced to the duo in Fitz And Cleo (Henry Holt and Company, May 25, 2021) and earlier this year their second book, Fitz And Cleo Get Creative (Henry Holt and Company, March 8, 2022) was released.  The exuberance of these characters will have you grinning from ear to ear and wishing to join them.

Something 

in the 

Attic

THUMP

Was that you?  No, I'm right next to you.

What do 

you think

it is?

I don't know.

It sounds

angry.

In this first of eleven delightful stories, Fitz and Cleo, finally explore the attic.  They find a stray kitty.  Cleo is thrilled and names the cat, Mister Boo.  Fitz is not so thrilled, especially when  Mister Boo's favorite place to sleep is on his head.  

Mister Boo stars in the next three tales as Cleo proclaims the cat's virtues, Fitz babysits Mister Boo, and subsequently discloses the lack of Mister Boo's desirable characteristics.  The trio next share a day at the beach and ice cream.  Star wishing and brain freezing might be involved. 

Fitz and Cleo try to beat the previous record of loop-de-loops via paper airplanes.  Mister Boo is not happy with the results.  Fitz questions the outcomes of a scientific theory and Mister Boo's baseball skills with conclusions not to his liking.  Who knew how cat tails were so useful?  Speaking of science, why can't Mister Boo be an astronaut and get shot to the moon on a rocket?

As the final hours at a day's end are presented, readers find Fitz and Cleo, brother and sister, peering through a telescope at the stars.  After one of Fitz's remarks, Cleo declares this planet the best planet.  Fitz does not understand how she could possibly know that.  Cleo's replies are entirely heartwarming and true.

Head

in the 

Clouds

Grr.

Sigh.

Don't you like the book?

NO!

I LOVE

the book.

That's the 

problem!

In this next series of lively narratives, they begin with Cleo's dissatisfaction with her life compared to what she reads in books.  Ever supportive, Fitz points out the wonderful imagination of Cleo per her love of the "cloud game."  That evening during a roller-coaster kind of movie viewing, Cleo has her best idea yet.  She and Fitz (and Mister Boo) are going to make a movie!

The successive episodes revolve around their creative endeavors.  The value of getting an idea in writing before it vanishes will resonate with a lot of readers as will the practice of writing versus procrastination to accomplish your goals.  Readers will find themselves laughing at an exercise in painting and the importance of winning rock-paper-scissors.  

When Cleo and Fitz look for cast members for the movie, we meet their friends who closely resemble a vampire, a werewolf, and a creature from the Black Lagoon.  The siblings shine in the next two stories, each doing what they do best.  Colorful creativity bursts forth, but does not last due to another type of burst. If only powerful spells and Rube Goldberg Machines really worked as they desire.

In one of the two final stories, readers are treated to an extraordinary movie production.  All the participants reveal their best talents.  We learn the finest gift they have is the gift of friendship.  Faithful to her sweet and wise nature, Cleo utters the final sentence.  And, that's the truth.

Author Jonathan Stutzman has written dialogue between these ghostly siblings certain to echo in readers' minds and hearts.  The personalities of both Fitz and Cleo are found in what they say and think.  Their honesty with each other and their shared love stands out.  Sometimes these disclosures will have you laughing out loud.  Here are passages from the first story in each book.

YAY! Spooky

attic!

Shhh . . .

We want the

element of

surprise.

Spooky attic.

Spooky spooks!

Might be a monster,

might be some kooks.

What are you singing?

It's called

"The Spooky Attic Song"!

It's my favorite.

You just made

it up, didn't you?

Yes, I did.

RUSTLE

SCRATCH

SCRATCH

SCRATCH

Some terrible beast is up

here with us!  It's coming

from over there---shine

your light at it!

GULP

You know that

game you like,

where you

find shapes in

the clouds?

You don't 

like that

game!

Yes! Because cumulus clouds

are not bunnies or dragons,

they're ---

I mean . . .well . . .

do you maybe 

want to play now?

You want to play 

the cloud game?

*sigh* . . .Yes.

What do you see?

OKAY!

Hmm.

That one . . .

. . .looks like me!

Personally, I think it looks like someone

who has exciting adventures inside

her head every day.  Someone who will be

more than ready when real adventures

come her way.

You cannot look at the front of the book cases of these books without smiling.  What Heather Fox has done with her black lines is fashion two ghosts we want as our friends.  The glasses and hat for Fitz and the big purple bow for Cleo are the finishing touches.  On the back of both books is information you would normally find on the front and back flaps of a dust jacket.  Fitz, Cleo and the title text are varnished.

The pattern on both the opening and closing endpapers in the books is a reflection of some of the stories.  On the first set, white outlines on lavender feature ice cream cones, balls of string, rockets, and paper airplanes.  On the second set, white outlines on turquoise spotlight paintbrushes, juice boxes, pencils, and microphones.  With a page turn, in both books, a pictorial interpretation, wordless, starts with the siblings engaged in an activity.  

A series of panels, bordered in fine black lines or wide white borders, full-page images, page edge to page edge and two double-page pictures, edge to edge, for dramatic effect created by Heather Fox invite readers to be participants in each narrative.  We want to jump into the images with Fitz and Cleo and Mister Boo and the other characters.  

Sometimes, you will stop to fully appreciate the extra details included in each image.  Is that an octopus as the ice cream vendor?  The similarity between Cleo's chalk art and Fitz's body as the Rube Goldberg Machine completes its task will not be lost on many readers.

One of my many favorite illustrations from Fitz And Cleo is three wordless vertical panels on a single page.  They are close-ups of the eyes of Cleo, Fitz, and Mister Boo.  It is after they have consumed too much ice cream too quickly.  Brain Freeze has attacked them.  We all know how that feels and their eyes replicate that feeling perfectly.

One of my many favorite illustrations from Fitz And Cleo Get Creative is a double-page picture.  It is a stage setting with shades of purple for the background and speakers.  The stage lights are turquoise.  On a raised light blue platform is Mister Boo on red drums.  On one of the drums is the group's name, Boo Fighters.  To the left of the gutter is Cleo looking gothic but still wearing her big purple bow.  On the right is Fitz wearing his glasses, playing an olive green guitar, sporting a chain around his neck, and instead of his hat, he has a yellow and orange spiked Mohawk. 

These books, Fitz And Cleo and Fitz And Cleo Get Creative, written by Jonathan Stutzman with artwork by Heather Fox, are pure happiness.  Readers will find themselves smiling, giggling, laughing, and sighing at the shared antics and inventiveness of these two ghosts and their Mister Boo.  They are wonderful for silent reading or as read aloud titles.  I highly recommend them for both your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Jonathan Stutzman and Heather Fox and their other work, please visit their websites by following the link attached to their names.  They have a joint website for these titles linked here.  There are activities to download. At the publisher's website, you can view interior images for Fitz And Cleo and Fitz And Cleo Get Creative.  Jonathan Stutzman has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Heather Fox has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  To introduce their series, Jonathan Stutzman and Heather Fox wrote a post at librarian and writer John Schu's site, Watch. Connect. Read.

There are several explanatory tales in folklore about why dogs chase cats.  You have to wonder if there is some veracity in these stories because it seems canines and felines struggle with compatibility even today.  If one or the other of them has been the sole companion of humans, they are wary of the introduction of the other into the family dynamics.  Frank and the Bad Surprise (an Arthur A. Levine Book, Levine Querido, April 5, 2022) written by Martha Brockenbrough with illustrations by Jon Lau is about a cat that fails to understand what his humans were thinking.  Are they crazy?

CHAPTER 1

The Bad Surprise

Frank the cat had it good.

He had a nice house, lots of toys,

all the Whiskies he could eat, and a 

window that looked out at the world.

One beautiful morning Frank was looking out that window and saw his humans returning to the house.  He was excited to see them carrying a box, but the box was not good.  The box was bad.  Inside that box was a puppy.  Frank immediately went to the computer keyboard composing a letter to his humans. (Are you laughing yet?)

After mailing that letter, Frank fell asleep in the sun knowing his humans would comply.  His nap was disturbed by that rambunctious puppy.  This unruly canine did not understand basic rules.  Frank retaliated.  He found himself in his crate, but still able to type away on the computer keyboard writing a letter.

His humans forgot he was in "jail" until he meowed at the sight of the puppy eating his beloved Whiskies.  He did not forgive his humans and wrote another letter.  The next morning Frank did the only thing he could think to do, he ran away.  He felt sorry for his humans, but what else could a cat do when a puppy enters their domain?

Frank thought he knew the world from his window watching.  He did not.  It was too much of everything that was not good, loud yappy dogs, mean people, rain, thunder and lightning, and smelly garbage.  Soon he found himself sitting in the rain on the sidewalk outside his home.  The storm woke up the puppy.  It started barking.  Frank imagined it was laughing.  It was not.  Frank wrote one new letter.  (Yes, his humans noticed him and he was back inside.)

Using a blend of narrative, Frank's thoughts, his comedic letter writing and human commentary, Martha Brockenbrough, in seven short chapters, acquaints readers with Frank and the puppy, who he names at the book's end.  The letters written by Frank are full of hilarity.  You can tell his mood with each writing by his signature line.

As a human who shares her life with both cats and dogs, Martha Brockenbrough writes with the sure knowledge of their interactions. Through her words she deftly depicts the regality of this cat and joyful abandon of the puppy.  Here is a passage.

Chapter 2

The Rules of Naps

There is nothing bad about a nap.

A nap in a warm spot is cozy.  A nap

feels the way warm bread and butter

taste.

Frank loved naps more than any

other thing.

Frank's humans knew not to 

wake him from a nap.

They knew that was against the

rules of naps.

The puppy did not care about

the rules of naps.

As soon as you look at the front cover of the book case, you can see the contrast between Frank and the puppy.  Frank is moving with uncertainty, or perhaps total disbelief. The puppy could not be happier.  This is grim versus grin.  The sign hanging from the mailbox designating this as book one is a nice design touch. On the back of the case is text normally supplied on the front and back flaps of a dust jacket.  There are two small pictures of Frank doing his favorite thing and discovering the "bad surprise."

On the opening and closing endpapers with dark turquoise on lighter turquoise are rows alternating between a dog bone and a cat ball with a bell.  On the title page are Frank and his two humans sitting on the front porch of the house before the arrival of the "bad surprise."  The puppy and Frank sit in opposite corners on the verso and dedication pages.

These illustrations were rendered by Jon Lau

by painting the characters, objects, and backgrounds using poster color paints on sheets of BFK Rives printmaking paper.  He then scanned the paintings and assembled the illustrations in Adobe Photoshop, much like a digital collage.

The size of the images vary in accordance with the pacing and presentation of the narrative.  There are full-page pictures, edge to edge, and smaller pictures on a single page, sometimes several grouped together.  There is one atmospheric scene on two pages when Frank learns a valuable life lesson.  Toward the end of the book are more double-page visuals when the best lesson of all is understood.  Readers will readily be able to discern the mood of Frank, the puppy, and the humans by their facial expressions.

One of my many favorite illustrations is when the puppy is breaking the rules of naps.  Frank is still mostly asleep, curled in coziness.  The puppy has leaped on top of him, paws on his chest.  The puppy is licking Frank's nose.  This is a smaller image on a single page with a light spring green background, focusing solely on the puppy and the cat.

That Frank and the Bad Surprise written by Martha Brockenbrough with artwork by Jon Lau is the first book in this series is a GOOD surprise for all readers.  We can hardly wait to see what new adventures Frank and the puppy will celebrate together with their loving humans.  Who knows what surprises await this twosome?  You'll want to have a copy of this funny and fun title on your professional and personal bookshelves.

To discover more about Martha Brockenbrough and Jon Lau and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their websites.  Martha Brockenbrough has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.  Jon Lau has accounts on Instagram and Tumblr.  At the publisher's website, you can view some interior pages with art and text.

A Delightful Doughut Duo

A circle is much more than a geometric shape.  Symbolically, it has more than one interpretation.  When we are seated in a circle, no one is more important than another.  All are equal.  A circle is said to represent eternity, having no beginning or no ending.  It depicts wholeness.

It signifies perfection.  For those who love the sweet fried circles known as doughnuts, this meaning rings true.  Two book publications at the end of September focus on this delicious pastry.  Donut Feed The Squirrels (A Norma And Belly Book)(RH Graphic, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, September 29, 2020) written and illustrated by Mika Song is a charming and comical, five chapter graphic novel about two best friends who develop an obsession for doughnuts.

Belly!

Wake up.

I'm making 

pancakes!

You are?

I am.

Yes!

Yesss!

The problem is Belly and Norma are so excited about their pancake breakfast, the pancakes burn to a crisp.  Belly suggests chestnuts for their morning meal.  This is their plan until Norma gets a whiff of 

crispy, sugar, oil,

and a hint of 

linden flowers.

Belly and Norma plus the entire squirrel population in their community smell it.  It's a doughnut food truck.  Now they all want doughnuts.  Norma and Belly have another scheme.

It seems the cook and owner of the truck does not consider chestnuts a good form of payment.  Norma and Belly end up soaking wet after being sprayed.  They dry out so fluffy their mentor, Gramps, thinks they resemble dandelions.  Gramps, Norma, Belly, and another youngster devise a strategy to get inside the truck and gather a bunch of doughnuts.

As with many ventures, things do not go smoothly.  One hilarious incident, inside and outside the truck, after another are certain to have you laughing and cheering at the same time.  Later, while a festive squirrel gathering is happening, the frustrated food truck baker makes a startling discovery.  Surprises come in all shapes and sizes.  Yum!

Told entirely in dialogue with some sound effects, author Mika Song prepares a textual feast for readers.  The snappy conversations between Belly and Norma and the other characters are tinged with friendship, love of community, humor and valuable insights on life.  Characters' traits are revealed through these exchanges.  Here are two adjoining passages.

Yuck.

I hate being wet.

It's sunny---we'll dry

in no time.

See!

Mr. Spritzer

better hold on to 

his donuts.

Let's just play

Frisbee and

forget about

the donuts.

I can smell

them, Belly.

Come on! I have a plan.

Have you ever seen more animated, happy-go-lucky looking squirrels than Norma and Belly on the front of the open book case?  You know based on the title and the placement of a doughnut above them, escapades are in the offing.  To the left, on the back, Norma and Belly are placed on the upper portion with words reading:

Norma and Belly

Would Really Really Really Really Like

A Dounut.

The bottom portion contains text you would usually find on a front flap of a dust jacket.  On the back the colors are reversed, green on top and yellow on the bottom.

The same green is used for the opening and closing endpapers.  Norma and Belly in lively positions are shown on both title pages.  On the dedication page, the food truck is on its way to the park.

Rendered

with pencils, sumi brushes, sumi ink, and watercolor on watercolor paper

the illustrations in the various sizes of panels depict warmth, a form of casual coziness.  Mika Song changes the perspectives to further engage readers in the intimate details of the story.  There is a narrow black line framing the panels and the speech bubbles.  Many of the panels are wordless and guaranteed to make you laugh out loud.

Two of my many, many favorite illustrations are after Norma and Belly dry out from being spritzed and when Belly is inside the food truck.  The first one is a half-page picture.  It's when we first see the duo after they are dried.  Their fur is so fluffy, their size is doubled.  They are extra-poufy, everywhere.  In the second image, a bit larger than a half page, Belly has started up one of the machines.  The doughnuts are moving up on a belt.  One moves off the top into the air.  Belly is riding it and screaming

Wheee!

Readers will be reading Donut Feed The Squirrels (A Norma And Belly Book) written and illustrated by Mika Song repeatedly.  They will be thrilled to know Apple Of My Pie is the second planned adventure with this twosome.  You'll want to have several copies of this book in your professional collections and at least one in your personal collection.

To learn more about Mika Song and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Mika Song has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view multiple pages.  Mika Song reads all five chapters aloud.  Below you can view the first one where she presents it in 

Kamishibai-style using her original watercolor pages.

More than seventeen years ago, readers met an irresistible character with appealing opinions.  This effervescent personality is coated in chocolate and colorful candy sprinkles.  His name is Arnie, and he is a doughnut.  In HELLO ARNIE!: An Arnie The Doughnut Story (Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt And Company, September 29, 2020) written and illustrated by Laurie Keller readers are treated to a bit of a mystery. 

Hi, Plain!

Good

morning,

Glazed!

Hey,

Long John!

Arnie is moving through the bakery shouting greetings to all his pastry pals.  And they reply in one loud chorus.  Arnie is proud he knows everyone in the bakery until Cinnamon Twist points out he does not know everyone.  He does not know the reader.  YIKES!

Arnie is quick to point out that the reader (you) is the largest doughnut he has ever seen.  In fact, he makes several references as to how big you are.  His thinking then evolves to the type of doughnut you are.  

He is eager to help you find your proper place on the doughnut trays.  Through a series of comparisons, Arnie reaches an astonishing conclusion.  (He does take a few moments to discuss the virtues of sprinkles and the lack of them on you, the reader.)

Arnie decides, rather reluctantly, you are not a doughnut.  How is this possible?  Well then, what are you?  Is it possible you are a __________________!?  

By using Arnie's voice as narrator, author Laurie Keller, places readers directly in his story.  His genuine commentary, questions and answers strike the center of readers' hearts.  You'll probably be laughing, too.  His brief conversations with Cinnamon Twist and Long John and the choral responses of the entire bakery of doughnuts add extra sweetness to this tasty tale.  Here is a passage.

What kind of

giant doughnut

ARE you anyway?

WHAT?!

You don't 

know what 

kind?

The tiny, printed pattern (mini doughnuts) spreads across the front, spine, and back of the open dust jacket.  The hues of those small forms shift from teal to purple and to pink, almost like reflected sunlight.  Arnie with his wide-eyed look, open mouth, and animated arms and legs is in his full glory.  He makes an appearance on the back to talk about this book and to point out the four other books in which he stars.  On both the front and the back of the dust jacket, Arnie is varnished, along with the thumbnails of the other titles, and the main title text on the front.  This text is also raised.

The book case back is identical to the dust jacket.  On the front we have moved closer to Arnie.  His face fills the entire front of the book case, his grin lighting up our lives.

On a white background, the opening and closing endpapers are covered in red, yellow, blue, pink, and green sprinkles.  On the verso, dedication, and title pages, illustrator Laurie Keller has created a double-page picture of a doughnut machine and a large dough bowl with a curved chute dropping doughnuts into hot oil.  Can you spy a character from another of her popular books walking across the top of the title page?

Each illustration rendered

with markers, colored pencils, pen and ink, acrylic paint, collage, and digital drawing

is highly animated spanning either two pages, single pages, or two smaller visuals on a single page.  The backgrounds shift through a series of pastel shades or feature the checkered colors of the bakery.  Sometimes there are two different backgrounds on a single page like panels to separate moments.  Laurie Keller's collage technique is fabulous.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations covers two-thirds of a page.  Arnie is looking closer at the reader, at you.  In his left hand he is carrying a clip board and blue pencil.  This is how he is keeping track of observations.  His left eye is closed in concentration.  In his right hand he is holding a magnifying glass held up to his right eye.  This eye, as seen through that glass, is HUGE!  He is trying to see if you have filling coming out of your head.

Written and illustrated by Laurie Keller, HELLO ARNIE!: An Arnie The Doughnut Story shows us a character at his personal best.  He tackles the mystery of who we are with his usual exuberance.  When he reaches a conclusion, he embraces it with his truth.  Arnie is a character to love.  I know you will want to have a copy for your professional and personal collections.  (And wouldn't it be great if there was an Arnie The Doughnut plush toy?)

To discover more about Laurie Keller and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Laurie Keller has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.  Laurie Keller was recently featured at Only Picture Books and author Tara Lazar's Writing For Kids (While Raising Them).  Enjoy the charming book trailer.

A Double Dose Of Laughter

Regardless of your age, laughter can lift you up.  It can take an upside-down day, turning it right side up.  If you can share this laughter, the happiness it creates escalates.  Presently, it's a bit difficult to spread this form of joy with anyone other than those with whom you are sheltering or virtually, BUT . . .

When you think of authors and illustrators who make books filled with playful plots and comical characters, let us imagine they are there with us when we open the covers of their books.  As we laugh at their stories, it is as if they are laughing with us.  With this way of thinking, laughter is always shared.  Two April releases, graphic novels for younger readers (and readers young at heart), are welcome bursts of friendship and fun.

In the first title, Baloney And Friends (Disney Hyperion, April 14, 2020) written and illustrated by Greg Pizzoli, a crew of companions exhibit distinctive personalities.  It's their differences that make them dynamic.  None of them are without imperfections but together they form a flawless friendship.

A one-page full-color graphic in horizontal panels informs readers they will be enjoying a Get Started introduction, three stories and three two-page mini-comics.

Baloney + Friends
Get Started
(An Introduction Of Sorts)
Hello!
I'm Baloney!
This is my book.
All about me!
And me, too!
Oh. Hi, Peanut.

In this back-and-forth conversational exchange, we meet Baloney, Peanut, a blue horse, Bizz, a black, white, and yellow bee, and Krabbit, a cranky purple rabbit.  Baloney tries over and over to present his book and friends to readers, but he is constantly interrupted.  When it finally appears as though he can proceed without delays, Peanut is missing.  When you have to go, you have to go. (a bathroom break)

In the first story Baloney's magic show and trio of tricks are loaded with misconceptions.  What Baloney predicts does happen, but certainly not by magic.  His friends' responses are varied.  These in contrast to Baloney's actions are comedy gold.

Avoiding what you fear and overcoming that fear is addressed with candor and humor in the second narrative.  In musings Baloney reveals his hesitancy. In chatting with his friends, they become aware of his concerns.  It's Bizz's questions and then understanding which propel Baloney to be his best self with victorious though hilarious results.

To close this trio of tales Baloney and Peanut have a heart to heart chat about those things which make you feel sad.  An effort to lighten Baloney's mood only serves to display the depth of his despair.  As this is acknowledged, Baloney steps forward as true friends do.  Heart to heart is an art best buddies learn together.

In between the three stories the mini-comics range in their focus.  We are present during an arcade duel for player dominance, a rare peek at a hungry hero's craving for cookies and a closing championing the power of good stories.  Endings are the best beginnings.


By giving voice to these four characters, Greg Pizzoli illuminates those qualities which make each individual unique.  It is their singularity which endears them to us.  In them readers will see their strengths and weaknesses.  In these three stories and three mini-comics, Greg Pizzoli, through his written words, allows us to understand the benefit of embracing the complete individual, even if they are a work in progress.  (I'm looking at you, Krabbit.)  Although, to be fair, Krabbit elevates the laughter factor.  Here is a passage of dialogue.

Come and see the marvelous . . .
the masterful . . .
the magical . . .
The One And Only
Baloney!

Gasp!
A magic show! (Peanut)

Oh fun!  (Bizz)

Whatever . . .  (Krabbit)


As soon as you see the front of the book case, you'll start to fall in love with these happy-go-lucky friends.  Well, there is a scowl on Krabbit's face, but that's pure Krabbit.  The wide eyes, in the case of this book, are the secret to the soul of these characters.  They want us to be a part of their story.  The title text, Greg Pizzoli's name, the characters and the silver starburst are varnished.

To the left, on the back of the book case, the foursome is featured in four squares inside a larger square.  Above and below them is text you might see on the flaps of a dust jacket.  There are also glowing endorsements from two other admired author illustrator voices in the children's literature community, Ben Clanton and Laurie Keller.  Several elements here are varnished as well.

In a pattern of darker orange on lighter orange is a series of drawings of the fabulous four in a variety of positions.  Every so often the words:

Baloney
And Friends

are placed within the sketches. After this, prior to the title page, is a circle with the four friends and their names fashion a circular frame.  The title page is designed with a photograph of the pals.

Greg Pizzoli's panels shift in size to emphasize pacing and drama.  The color of the framing around the panels changes from white, to pale orange, purple, green, blue, black, royal blue, and red.  Sometimes the panels are outlined in a thin black line; other times the edges are scalloped or the image bleeds edge to edge.  Several times the characters appear outside a panel to designate their position with respect to each other or in reference to a memory.

Readers will recognize the masterful ability of Greg Pizzoli to create a range of emotions through his lines.  His facial expressions leave no doubt as to what his characters are feeling.  This is how we connect easily with the personalities.  This is why we love to laugh at their stories.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is on a single page.  Baloney is on stage dancing in his black pants, black bow tie and black top hat and holding his magic wand.  He is throwing a glass previously filled with ice cubes in the air.  They magically (with the use of a heater and hair dryer) turned to water.  In front of the stage Peanut is clapping and saying

Amazing!

Bizz utters disgustedly

Oh, come on!

And Krabbit, as you might expect says:

That's
NOT
magic!

Their faces tell the whole story.


This book, Baloney And Friends written and illustrated by Greg Pizzoli, is a first-class graphic novel everyone will want to have on their personal and professional bookshelves.  Regardless of the number of times you read it, you'll find yourself either laughing or sighing more than once.  Greg Pizzoli makes books you want to hold next to your heart. At the close of the book four pages are dedicated to teaching you how to draw these characters.

To learn more about Greg Pizzoli and his other wonderful work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website. Greg Pizzoli has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  Greg Pizzoli has a YouTube channel.




In the first book in a new series readers get to meet two lovable animated animal creatures plus two of their friends.  Fox & Rabbit (Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams, April 21, 2020) written by Beth Ferry with illustrations by Gergely Dudas is a gathering of adventures, one connected to the other, by friendship, fun and the letter F.  Each of the five stories is titled with three alliterative words.  The three words are a welcome to readers to participate.

STORY ONE
FAIR, 
FIREWORKS 
& FRED

 I see a whale.
Me too.
I see a
carrot.
Me too.
Now I see a
crab.
Me too.

I just made that up.
I didn't really see a crab.
Stop copying me.

I wasn't copying you.  I was
just being nice.

Humph.

In this first verbal exchange as Fox and Rabbit are lying on their backs gazing at clouds, we get an early glimpse into their personalities.  This duo sees and smells cotton candy which leads them to a fair. Immediately Rabbit wants to ride the Ferris wheel, but Fox is not excited.  Rabbit says he will win Fox a stuffed toy to hold when he rides the Ferris wheel.  Guess who wins all three games?  Guess who wins a stuffed toy lion?  Guess who ends up holding the stuffed toy lion when they finally ride the Ferris wheel at night?  Fireworks lead to a new name.  Rabbit still has to satisfy a yearning.  The result leads us into story two, but not without even more laughter at the expense of the late arrival of a turtle.

The next day, story two unfolds with an eager Fox ready for a day at the beach.  At every stage of this tale, Rabbit over prepares.  Fox presents the only thing necessary, a single item beginning with the letter F.  Rabbit stalls all day long about going in the water.  For every reason Rabbit supplies to not going in, Fox counters.  Rabbit eventually decides he loves the beach (and the water) a lot, so they stay for the sunset.  A gift floats to them in a bottle on the darkened water. 

The next day after weighing the pros and cons of their next trek into the unknown, Rabbit loads up a backpack and Fox carries a single item, a flashlight.  They have three geographic challenges with weather and fauna adding to the mix.  As they reach their goal, it's not what they expected but they learn some surprises are right in front of us all the time.

Sparrow, an already accepted foodie, steps in to assist Fox and Rabbit in their next endeavor.  As a guide Sparrow is the best.  Fox and Rabbit work harder than they thought possible all day.  Then there are days and days of watering and waiting.  When they see the outcome of their labors they are overjoyed until disaster strikes.  Forgiveness starts with the letter F and it's the foundation of friendship.

At the close of this first book of heartwarming discussions and feats, the charming companions watch a startling discovery grow.  From this a construction project and hours of time in the kitchen equal a backyard business.  Just when it looks as though this is a zinger, Sparrow turns it into a pleasant surprise.  As usual Turtle arrives at the end and the final line is the bow on this perfect present for readers.


As you read these five stories you can't help but think of all the fabulous fun (two letter Fs) Beth Ferry had finding words beginning with the letter F.  You can't help but wonder at the joy she felt creating the conversations between Fox and Rabbit.  Their banter is a linguistic delight.  They counter and contrast each other.  They question and answer each other.  They bring out the best in each other.

To tie the stories together, Beth Ferry frequently uses a phrase such as

Are you sure?
Sure as sunshine . . .
Sure as sand . . .

and the appearance of Turtle heightens the hilarity of each episode.  To enhance the personalities of Fox and Rabbit a cadence is established with repeating words and instances in their dialogue.  This is the glue that adheres and deepens their affection.  Here is one wonderful conversation of many.  Fox is speaking for most of the page.

Hurry up!
What's taking
so long?
The sun will be
setting soon.
Do you want to
pack the
toilet too?
Fred is getting 
antsy.
Ta-da!
I'm ready!
You're not bringing 
anything?
Oh, yeah.
Because flip-flops start
with F.


When you open the book case, on the right you can sense the total bliss Fox and Rabbit are feeling in the moment of being together in a field of dandelions.  This moment is extended in the image that begins on the spine and spans across the back.  In this picture the pale blue sky is filled with floating dandelion fluff.  Rabbit and Fox with Fred, the toy stuffed lion, on the ground are looking up as they stand in the same dandelion field.  Above them text like you might read on the front flap of a dust jacket is placed.  The characters, the title text and some elements on the back are varnished.

The opening and closing endpapers are pale blue.  For the initial title page dandelion fluff drifts on the same blue.  For the formal title page, the picture on the front is expanded, spreading over two pages.

Illustrator Gergely Dudas rendered these images

with graphite and ink and colored digitally.

Opposite each chapter page on the right, Fox and Rabbit are placed in a circle introducing readers to their following escapade.  Gergely Dudas places a series of small images on full-page pictures, places a series of panels on a single page, supplies wonder with full page pictures and generates his interpretation of the narrative with several series of wordless panels.  Most of the images are loosely bordered with a fine black line.

Readers will be fascinated with the combination of body postures and facial features on Fox, Rabbit, Turtle and Sparrow.  They convey a range of emotions.  The pacing is impeccable.  The humor is rich and true. 

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is when Fox and Rabbit are at the beach.  In a series of eight small square panels placed as two columns on a larger area of sand on most of the page beginning on the left, we are privy to a conversation and three wordless pictures at the end.

The conversation begins with Rabbit as Fox goes swimming again:

I'm going to dig for
treasure.  This was
probably
a pirate 
beach once.

Call me if you find
something good!

And by good I
mean gold!

Or silver.

Or gummy worms.

As Rabbit digs with Fred watching next to the hole, we see less of his body until only his ears are above ground.  Then on the far right is a cutaway of that beach area.  Rabbit is way, way down.  He must have dug for a considerable amount of time.  This picture leads into another comedic conversation when Fox returns from a swim.


Between the chatting of these two friends, Sparrow and Turtle, readers know they've met the best kind of individuals.  Fox & Rabbit written by Beth Ferry with illustrations by Gergely Dudas is a book, whether placed on your personal or professional bookshelves, that will have the well-loved look in short order.  We readers are fortunate another title is set to be released this year. 

To learn more about Beth Ferry and Gergely Dudas and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Beth Ferry has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  Gergely Dudas has accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.  The cover reveal for this book is hosted by Dylan Teut,  executive director of the Plum Creek Children's Literacy Festival at Mile High Reading.  Dylan Teut interviews Beth Ferry.  Betsy Bird, Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system, at School Library Journal, A Fuse #8 Production, interviews Beth Ferry about this book.

A Grandmother Is Gone

That we continue to explore our own folklore and the folklore of other cultures is essential.  Not only is it the foundation from which many other forms of literature builds but if we are to understand one another, we need to read and listen to these stories.  In these narratives we discover the richness cultures different from our own offer us.  We discover those things we have in common; those values which transcend those differences.

Most folklore has stories of animals exhibiting particular characteristics.  These animals can deter, challenge, help or inspire the efforts of humans in these tales.  Debut picture book author Julie Kim offers readers a look at characters well-known in Koren literature.  Where's Halmoni? (Little Bigfoot, an imprint of Sasquatch Books, October 3, 2017) takes us on a quest to find a beloved family member.

Halmoni~
We are here~

Sister and brother, Noona and Joon, have come to visit their grandmother. Noona is carrying a bag with groceries and Joon is wearing a backpack shaped like the head of a fox.  Halmoni, their grandmother, has disappeared.  So has her red bean soup.  All they can find are a trail of tracks.  When they look for her in her bedroom, Joon locates a slightly open door.

It leads to a vibrant landscape filled with mountains, tall trees, flowers and butterflies.  Readers see, before the siblings, an animal climbing down a rope ladder.  It's a rabbit with a red cloth bundle on its back.  Their inquiries about their grandmother are answered in Koren.  In exchange for some of the snacks Joon has in his backpack, the rabbit gives them a magical back scratcher.  They also believe they need to find a tiger.

When the duo rest in the forest, hungry and tired, they are startled by a group of dokkebi, friendly goblins.  More snacks and drinks are given in trade for an elaborate door handle with its own unique properties.  A glowing opening shows them another path.  Loud roaring has them rushing toward the sound.

A tiger and a nine-tailed white fox are arguing over an item the two identify as their grandmother's soup pot.  Joon runs to the rescue chewing on the tiger's tail.  Noona suggests a more peaceful method, a hearty game of rock-paper-scissors.  Of the four, two are quickly eliminated.  A triumphant winner is tricked but in a twist the trickster is tricked.  A tiger roars for more.  Will Noona and Joon ever get home?  And where is their grandmother?


Limited text in the form of dialogue between the characters written by Julie Kim sets this story in motion and introduces us to everyday customs and respect for family members.  When Noona and Joon encounter the rabbit, the goblins, the tiger and the fox we realize the cleverness of the siblings is no match for the animals.  Evidence of humor is provided in the items given to the children and in their comments to each other especially when they are with the goblins.  Here is a passage.

I think it's thirsty. (Noona)
Of course it is.  It ate ALL our cookies. (Joon)
I think it's REEAAALLY thirsty. (Noona)
And we ARE sitting on it.
Let's get OUT of here Noona, before we lose ALL our snacks!


Upon opening the sturdy paper cover (I am working with an F & G.) on the other side of the door, to the left on the back, Noona and Joon are peeking around the edge.  Their wide-eyed looks and open mouths tell a story as much as the sly look on the tiger's face on the front.  The firm, fluid lines and bright colors here are a wonderful indication of the images to follow.

On the title page the tiger is creeping through the opened doorway in Halmoni's bedroom.  On the verso page Julie Kim gives readers a glimpse of the fantastical realm in the form of light clouds and a bird in flight.  The design and format of the visual aspects of this title are in panels.

Their size alternates between full page pictures, half page illustrations, multiple images on a single page and double page pictures. Sometimes they are framed in thin black lines; other times they span page edge to page edge.  The text may be in speech balloons or for effect written on the illustration.  When a new character appears in the story it is given two pages with a symbolic element, Koren letters, the Koren name and the English name.

What readers will enjoy (what this reader enjoys) are the facial expressions and body language.  There is never a doubt as to the mood of the moment or the emotional status of any given situation.  These, plus the gorgeous settings, bring us all into the story.

One of my many favorite illustrations spans two pages.  On the left the five colorful goblins with green, red, blue and golden skin wearing patterned and equally colorful clothing are gobbling the treats given to them and pointing for more. Noona is handing out a package of cookies and a juice box.  Joon is pulling out snack after snack from his back pack.  What is charmingly humorous is the stacks of snacks around him look as though they could fit in four back packs instead of just one.


If you have not read Where's Halmoni? written and illustrated by Julie Kim make sure you remedy this as soon as possible.  Then read it aloud to one or more people . . . repeatedly.  I can see this book, a true treasure, being a favorite of listeners.  I highly recommend this for all collections.  At the close of the book, Julie Kim supplies reads with translations of the Koren text and describes the folklore characters and their place in her life.

To discover more about Julie Kim and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  At Sasquatch Books you can read small portions of the four starred reviews this title has received plus view the first of nineteen pages.  Author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson reveals the cover on her blog, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, with some additional artwork.  Teacher librarian Cynthia Alaniz interviews Julie Kim on her blog, Librarian in Cute Shoes.  Julie Kim stops by teacher librarian Matthew Winner's All The Wonders, Episode 396 podcast.  She also visits Let's Talk Picture Books for an interview with lots of artwork.  At This Picture Book Life she appears to give us the red bean soup recipe.  Where's Halmoni? was among the winners of The 2017 Nerdies:  Fiction Picture Books introduced by Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher.

Best Laid Plans

We've all experienced Murphy's Law moments or even an entire day.  We think we know exactly what we are doing and when we are doing it but then life puts first one twist, another twist and even a third twist in what we believed was a straight path.  As we are trying our best to navigate these new curves, opportunities for greatness are revealed.  Our true character has a chance to affect change.

In February of 2016 readers young at heart were introduced to the trio known as the Furry Fiends brought to life by Victoria Jamieson in The Great Pet Escape (Pets On The Loose) (Henry Holt and Company).  George Washington, aka GW, a hamster in a second grade classroom, Sunflower, a guinea pig, residing among kindergarten students and Barry, a bunny, pet to a group of first graders, continually find a way to enjoy a variety of pursuits after hours.  The trio of pals has returned in The Great Art Caper (Pets On The Loose) (Henry Holt and Company, June 13, 2017).  Their plans go awry when their arch nemesis and her cohorts promote trouble, big trouble.

Ever since the Great Food Fight Fiasco, life at Daisy P. Flugelhorn Elementary School has been surprisingly...

quiet.

For each day of the week the Furry Fiends meet in the kindergarten room in the evenings holding Poetry Slams, Sweatin' to the Oldies, Puzzle Pals, Scrabble Dabble Doo and Knit Wits.  During a Thursday night game GW unwittingly reveals his sincere affection for one of the second grade students, Carina.  He tells his friends he would like to make Carina a gift because of her entry in The Juried Art Show the following evening.

None of their first floor classrooms have the snazzy things needed to make a truly amazing gift.  They decide to venture to the second floor despite the possible meeting with Harriet, an evil mouse, her Minions, more mice than you can count and Lucinda, a constantly hungry snake.  Normally getting to the second floor can be tricky but never fear, GW has one of his inventions, "Stair Getter Upper."

When they arrive at the room with art materials galore, they are so engrossed in their projects, they barely have time to scamper to the supply closet before Harriet, The Minions and Lucinda enter. While in hiding they overhear an evil plot, The Great Art Show Caper.  It would mean the destruction of students' work and the removal of GW from his classroom.  YIKES!

A capture, an escape, a plan of daytime daring-do, a trap, another scheme, and a choice place our Furry Fiends in one predicament after another.  A bucket of plaster of Paris, puzzle skills and glue all play a part in the hold-your-breath-I-can't-look conclusion.  The art of friendship has never been better.

When the three companions or the other characters are not engaged in conversation, Victoria Jamieson has GW continue the story as the narrator.  Besides guiding the plot these conversations supply readers with in-depth knowledge of the various personalities. Each of the eleven chapters ends with a sentence which urges you to keep going.  These Furry Fiends simply don't rest and you won't want to either.

Throughout the story a current of humor runs strong.  You will find yourself smiling or chuckling out loud more than once.  Here is a sample passage from a series of panels.

Harriet's left us alone recently.
Maybe she's turned nice.

Get real, Barry.

She was awfully angry 
after her Lunchtime
Surprise scheme failed.  I
don't like going so close
to her classroom---it's
too dangerous.  Forget I
mentioned it. 

But what about the glitter?  And the
pom-poms?  And the...tissue paper?

And what about my present for Carina?
We've faced dangerous situations before.
Isn't it worth taking a little risk to do
something nice for a friend?

Okay, okay.  But it won't be easy.  For one thing, we have
to figure out a way to get up those stairs.

Don't worry about that.  Bring your helmets
and meet me by the stairs in ten minutes!


If Harriet is scowling, as shown on the front of the matching dust jacket and book case, you know GW is confident about his latest idea to thwart the nasty mouse.  Sunflower is not quite so sure but Barry the bunny is ever the optimist.  What we don't know is why they are making a mess with art supplies, but we can't wait to find out.

To the left, on the back, reading like a top secret school record, GW, Sunflower, Barry and Harriet are listed with their pictures on the left and essential information, name, legal name, species, occupation, crimes and for Harriet, her accomplices, is shown on the right.  The opening and closing endpapers are a bright sky blue.  On the title page an artist's canvas has pictures of the Furry Fiends but Harriet has left her additions scribbled on it with the words Harriet Wuz Here.

Each of the panels on each page is edged in a fine, loose, black line.  Between the panels is a small amount of white space. Sometimes an image will have a character speaking without being framed at all.  The details, edible crayons in the kindergarten room, the helmets worn by the trio, GW's ingenious gadgets, Lucinda's changing body shape and Sunflower's creative knitting will have readers grinning from ear to ear.  The facial expressions certainly convey moods but they extend the humor and excitement a great deal.

One of my many favorite illustrations is wordless and covers an entire page.  GW and Sunflower are parachuting by holding pieces of fabric from the second floor to the outside of the school.  Barry waits for his turn.  They are all carrying a little something extra which is part of a unique plan.  GW has shouted Gooooooooooooo.  The students are unaware of what is happening above them.  This scene captures the sense of adventure in which these friends greet each day.


This graphic novel, The Great Art Caper (Pets On The Loose) written and illustrated by Victoria Jamieson, is so good as soon as you finish it, you'll open the cover and read it again.  You don't want to leave the characters, especially GW, Sunflower and Barry.  They are three separate, distinctive classroom pets, but there is no doubt of their loyalty to each other.  This book, like the first one, works splendidly due to the teamwork displayed by the trio.  I highly recommend it for your professional and personal bookshelves.  I will include it in my Halloween giveaway this year along with book one.

To learn more about Victoria Jamieson and her other work please visit her website by following the link attached to her name.  At the publisher's website you can view the first eight pages.  If you are introducing Victoria Jamieson for the first time to your students or children, you might want to reference the first post.  I included her Newbery Honor Award thank you video.

A Courageous Climb--Mighty Jack And The Goblin King Blog Tour

We've all experienced those moments when the end result of a situation is in question.  A ball is pitched, the batter swings and hits.  The ball soars, seemingly suspended in the air.  Everyone in those few seconds wonders if it is a home run.  Dark clouds swiftly move across the sky, wind whips weeds, leaves and branches, thunder rumbles and there is a flash of lightning.  With a pounding heart you wonder if you will reach shelter in time.  These and numerous other circumstances happen every single day.  And usually we don't have to stand by for long to get an answer.

In works of fiction these cliffhanger scenarios can be particularly tense because readers may have to wait until a sequel or companion title is published.  You are so caught up in the action you don't realize you have come to the last page until astonished you stare at the final words.  You simply can't believe it!  This is exactly what happens in Mighty Jack (First Second, September 6, 2016) written and illustrated by Ben Hatke.  This wild variation on Jack and the Beanstalk leaves you wanting more as soon as possible.  Let me tell you, the second title, Mighty Jack And The Goblin King (First Second, September 5, 2017), is an equally rip-roaring ride in the unexpected.  It is worth every second of the wait.

RMPH!
Climb!
I'm trying!
Use my shoulder
to--That's it, now--
HRRGH!
OW!
GASP!
HUFF!
I wonder-
HUP!
I wonder where we are?
Let's find out. 

Jack and his friend Lilly are in pursuit of the ogre who captured Jack's little sister Maddy.  They have been climbing a beanstalk but where it goes is out of this world...literally.  This beanstalk acts as a bridge between worlds suspended in space.

Before they can even catch up with the ogre, a mischief of evil rats causes the separation of Lilly and Jack.  Against all instincts, Jack has to leave Lilly, injured and lying hundreds of feet beneath him.  Saved and healed by goblins ousted from their castle by giants and those rats, Lilly realizes the goblins expect her to marry their king.

Finding a way into the castle with assistance from ones he saves, Jack is horrified by the fate in store for his sister.  Her blood and bones will serve to help the giants maintain control of the castle, a nexus point between worlds.  If the device being heated is not feed a human when it is ready, it will explode.  Even Phelix, a dragon friend whose appearance is timely and uncanny, can't help Jack save Maddy.

Beneath the castle, in the sewers, a battle wages, with a spectacular and surprising result.  Laws governing goblins are strange and wonderful. Within the castle, Jack faces seemingly insurmountable obstacles.  A din grows and a machine growls.

There are battles, physical, mental and emotional, choices and sacrifices.  Nothing will ever be exactly normal for the trio again.  Adventure is there waiting...and needing their presence.


There is nary a doubt about the heart of Ben Hatke.  With each beat his gift as a storyteller is made visible through his words (and his art).  His characters reside in worlds conducive to the events in which they find themselves.  It is the very definition of high adventure.

In this volume we see Jack and Lilly as comrades with a common goal even though for a significant part of the narrative they are engaged in separate secondary tales.  These story lines allow them to mature emotionally as tough choices are presented to both of them.  When Hatke brings them together again, they are a stronger team.

What readers will appreciate is the sense of humor which surfaces throughout this story.  Not only are the conversations in which it appears funny but they contribute to the exquisite pacing.  As the story is told another treat for readers is the marvelous manner in which Hatke answers previous questions weaving every thread together to fashion a fantastical fabric.


 When you look at the front of the jacket and case of this title, you know Jack, his sister Maddy and Lilly will be in a fight for their lives.  You wonder about the glowing-eyed creatures and the rats.  Are they friend or foe?  What kind of place contains all those pipes?  A page turn reveals Jack and Lilly standing on the enormous beanstalk, now no longer going up but across.  A wordless, two page spread opens the story with a single, gloved hand reaching through vines and rocky cliffs.

The art for this book was drawn on laser printer paper with Sakura Pigma Micron pens (sizes 005, 01, 05, and 08) over lightly colored pencil.  Colors were accomplished digitally using Photoshop.

Most of the panels are framed in a wider white border but their sizes and shapes vary to keep our eyes moving at the same cadence as the story.  Sometimes Hatke has images with no words to emphasize a point.  He may place one or more smaller illustrations over a large two-page picture.

I have many favorite images but I can't tell you about some of them without spoiling the story, which I would never do.  In one of the scenes in which you find yourself cheering, we seen a group of goblins in a chamber with Lilly.  They are garbed in cloaks, tunics, helmets and armor and some have swords.  Lilly has just adjusted her wedding attire.  Her stance is determined as is her expression.  She says

Bring me a sword.


To date I have read Mighty Jack And The Goblin King written and illustrated by Ben Hatke twice.  There are specific sections which I have read over and over and over again.  Hatke never fails to entertain and surprise us.  His characters, with their strengths and weaknesses, are inspirational to the core.  This title as well as Mighty Jack is going to be very popular.  I would have multiple copies available.  I am already acquiring some for my Halloween giveaway.

If you desire to learn more about Ben Hatke and his other work please visit his website and Tumblr pages by following the links attached to his names.  At the publisher's website you can view several interior illustrations.  You will enjoy watching this video in which Ben Hatke talks about this work.

To visit other blogs participating in this tour follow this link to First Second to get a full list.

Outside, Inside, Upside And Downside

As soon as you leave the sanctuary of your home as a child (as an adult), you learn to make connections with other people.  Seeking those who enjoy the same activities, cherish the same values, and help you to be your best self but love you for exactly who you are, they are a rarity.  When you and another share a bond of mutual affection based upon unbreakable trust you are the best of friends.

As you grow up from a young age to adulthood, you begin to realize best friends may come and go, making for painful experiences.  Real Friends (First Second, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press, May 2, 2017) written by Shannon Hale with artwork by LeUyen Pham and color by Jane Poole is a true recollection of finding positive people with whom to share your days.  It's full, like life, with heartbreak, healing and hope.

When I was little I didn't worry about friends.  

As Shannon navigates from kindergarten through fifth grade we are given windows into her school and home worlds.  Five sections labeled with names, Adrienne, Jen, Jenny, Zara and Veronica and Wendy, allow us to understand how these girls shaped her definition of friendship.  Some weaken the very nature of the meaning, others strengthen it.  Some are learning the importance of real friends.

As the middle child of five Shannon already feels a little left out at home.  Meeting Adrienne in kindergarten is a dream comes true for her.  They are inseparable until second grade, enjoying games of make-believe.  Then Adrienne moves.  All Shannon wishes for is the return of her best friend.  Wishes sometimes come true.

By third grade another student is rising in the popularity game, Jen.  All the girls want to be in The Group with Jen as leader.  Adrienne already knows Jen so she is automatically invited to be a member.  It is not so easy for Shannon.  From one minute to the next she never knows if she is in or out of the group.  A high point of the summer before fourth grade is spending time with Jen at her cabin.

Fourth grade brings more changes for Shannon...glasses.  One member of the group, Jenny, increases her bullying of Shannon.  She is so desperate to have Jen all to herself; she begins to spread lies about her.  Her cruelty heightens Shannon's anxiety; there are more stomach aches and counting.  At home the abuse from her older sister is worse.  Often Shannon hides in the bushes at school and at home to avoid the wrath of Jenny or her sister Wendy.

Only two of the group, Amy and Nicole, are in Shannon's class in fifth grade; a blend of fifth and sixth grade students.  In a moment of bravery after a particularly horrible moment with Jenny in The Group, Shannon leaves them for good.  Freedom does have costs but it opens new doors.  The generous spirit of two sixth grade students who admire the creativity and sense of humor exhibited by Shannon changes many things for her.  A shift at home broadens the hope now surging in her heart.


After repeated readings of nearly the entire book it's abundantly clear Shannon Hale is a writer of great courage and integrity.  Some of the scenes are painfully true but she tells this story in exquisite detail to let her readers know they are not alone with their experiences.  The line connecting us to friends is a fine line; easy to snap unless it's stood the test of time.  Nothing can break the line between real friends.

The dialogue is true-to-life to the point you feel as though you are watching a film.  The strength Shannon finds in her religion is noteworthy.  She shares her prayers.  In one particular moving scene, a low point for Shannon, in a day dream she feels as though no one would ever miss her if she vanished.  Jesus says He likes her.  Another important aspect is Shannon's imagination; her ability to fashion games and stories.  Pages are devoted to her tales of daring and heroes.  Here is a sample of dialogue.

Who was that?
The Group.
They were your friends?
Yeah...
But now they're not.
Nope.
Well.
They're a bunch of turdmongers, aren't they?
Yeah...clearly a bunch of turdmongers, all of them.
You know, I never realized before, but they are kinda turdmongery.
Do you want to hang out with us today?
On the outside, I was like...
Yeah.
Okay.
But on the inside
(blasting rainbows, stars and hearts)


When you first look at the front of the book case there is something about the look in young Shannon Hale's eyes and in her body stance, they let you know she is the kind of person you want to have as a friend.  Throughout the entire book the portrayal of Shannon, her family and all the students in her school years "click" in a universal manner with readers.  We can see ourselves and others, regardless of our current age, in these people.

All the people in each of the scenes are fully animated.  The panels alternate in size to supply pacing in keeping with the text.  When Shannon is creating a game or a story the panels vanish to expand our view along with her perspective.  We become emotionally linked as events unfold.

LeUyen Pham has done marvelous work in depicting the years between 1979 and 1984 with authentic clothing, hair styles, exterior and interior designs in architecture.   There are wall phones with cords attached to the hand sets.  The plaid fabric on the living sofa and its color are a flashback to that era.

One of my many favorite illustrations is during the summer before fourth grade.  With their backs to us Shannon and Jen are running through the woods from the lake shore at Jen's family cottage.  They are deep into a game as high school private detectives following clues to a kidnapped girl.  There is pure bliss in their moving arms and legs.  It's one of those moments as a child you never forget.


In this collaboration Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham have brought to readers a wonderfully, realistic depiction.  Real Friends will be read over and over and over.  Copies will have the well-loved look in short order.  I can imagine real friends reading portions out loud to each other.  Perhaps they will act out scenes.  Professional collections must have multiple copies.  I extend my deepest appreciation to Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham for this title.

To learn more about Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham and their other work please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  At the publisher's website you can view interior pages.  There is a website dedicated to this title.  Shannon Hale is a guest at BookRiot talking about this title.  Shannon Hale is in a video interview with Rocco Staino for KidLit TV.  In The Book Report by Jarrett J. Krosocska he talks about this title and its importance.  Enjoy the book trailer.