Gone Forever

In our region of northern Michigan, the two worst storms of winter 2017-2018 arrived in April.  This was followed by a summer leaving us categorized with severe drought.  Then the rains came in September . . . for weeks.  On the heels of this non-stop rain, our first snow arrived on November 10, 2018 and it's here to stay.  The seasons of my childhood and early adulthood are no longer present.  Our resilient but fragile planet and its inhabitants are in danger.  The National Snow & Ice Data Center recorded in October 2018 the third lowest extent of ice in the Arctic region between the dates of 1979 and 2018 according to satellite records.

The 12 lowest September ice extents over the satellite record have all occurred since 2007.

If Polar Bears Disappeared (Roaring Brook Press, August 28, 2018) written and illustrated by Lily Williams discusses polar bears, other Arctic animals and their habitats.  More importantly this is tied to the current and future state of sea ice in the region.  Lily Williams clearly presents how all areas and life on this Earth are critically tied together.

THIS IS THE ARCTIC.  It's an ecosystem in the far northern region of the globe.  

Of the limited animals residing here, they've adapted to the conditions.  One of these creatures is the polar bear.  Descended from brown bears it changed its habits (and its color) to revolve around sea ice. Sea ice is essential for food (and travel and reproduction.) The lack of sea ice and thus, food, for polar bears creates a ripple effect.

Without polar bears the population of ringed seals, their main entree, would rise but they would soon find themselves in the same position, without any sea ice, as polar bears.  Orcas, like polar bears, feast on seals.  Without sea ice access is easier but the numbers of seals would drastically decline.  Forced to move south for food, the presence of orcas would be problematic for other large predators.

Sea ice shields the landscape from the sun.  The increase in heat would be devastating for plant life.  Animals needing plants for food, like caribou, would suffer.  Land animals who rely on snow for shelter and protection would be victims of these new conditions.  Patterns in the lives of birds would not be maintained without their food, insects.  Everything is tied together.

With the sea ice gone the effects would spread from ecosystem to ecosystem around the world.  Can we save polar bears? Is there a possibility of stopping this?  Yes!  We are not alone in our desire to save these majestic beings.  Great minds are at work.  Read. Search. Act.


For her intended audience (for all of us) Lily Williams writes with clarity.  Her facts and explanations reveal knowledge born of careful research.  Each portion of her narrative is connected to the next with a repetitive phrase.  Although the presented possibilities are frightening, we are given direction and hope.  Here are several passages.

Without enough snow, subnivean
mammals like lemmings, who make
their dens in the snow, would lose
their homes,
exposing them to the harsh
weather and predators, and
decreasing their populations.

With many of the herbivores gone, non-apex
predators such as the snowy owl and Arctic
fox would be the next to lose their main
food sources.


The limited color palette on the opened and matching dust jacket and book case is reflective of the Arctic region and its inhabitants.  The hues of blue and the stark white depict the frigid temperatures and the harshness of the sea and landscape.  It also allows for the startling contrast of red in the title text and the dotted lines around the polar bear.    On the front two characters, seen exploring and learning about the region throughout the book, are introduced.

To the left, on the back, two small cubs on the extended sea ice are outlined in red.  Three seals are featured above them.  In the far distance a large group of animals gather.  The opening and closing endpapers are a breathtaking vista of the northern lights; an upward swirl of greens and purples.  Along the bottom three smaller black figures stand; the three polar bears.

Double-page pictures beginning with the title and verso pages take readers into the Arctic.  The two girls and adult woman on a four-wheeler are buzzing over the snow.  Each illustration elevates the text with a visual interpretation.  Four of the pages contain a grouping of smaller images to coincide with the narrative.  When necessary Lily Williams labels elements in the pictures; names of animals in cross-sections under the snow and how the sun is reflected or absorbed on sea ice or the water.

One of my favorite illustrations is toward the conclusion.  It is a view of mountains of snow and ice.  In the foreground dusk is settling.  Between two peaks the dying rays of the sun shed a pale peach light.  Along the bottom on the left, close to readers, are the two girls and the woman.  They are watching the polar bear and two cubs in the distance.  The cubs are playing. This image leads to the final picture, one filled with hope.


Informative words and illustrations contribute to the power found in If Polar Bears Disappeared written and illustrated by Lily Williams.  At the end of the book readers will find a glossary, passages titled The Arctic Is In Trouble and How You Can Help Save Polar Bears, an author's note, acknowledgements, a bibliography and additional sources.  This back matter is welcome and important to readers.  I highly recommend you include a copy of this title in your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Lily Williams and her other work, please visit her website by following the link attached to her name.  At a publisher's website you can view eight interior images.  Lily Williams maintains an account on Twitter, and Instagram.  Lily Williams and her editor, Emily Feinberg chat with teacher librarian Matthew Winner on The Children's Book Podcast.  

Diving For Answers

Wise are the humans who never underestimate what can be learned from animals.  Their combination of instinct and learned behaviors allows them to adapt and survive in unbelievable circumstances. Oh, the stories they would tell and the lessons they would teach, if only we all spoke a common language. 

You must wonder if perhaps one author illustrator has uncovered the secret to communicating with animals, particularly mice.  In his first title, Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse (NorthSouth, May 1, 2014), readers marvel at the inventiveness of a courageous mouse seeking to cross the Atlantic.  His desire to come to America is stronger than the obstacles he faces.  Could it be true he inspired another famous aviator? (Publisher provided Educator's Guide)

It was dark inside.  The tower's colossal clock ticked loudly, triggering its tremendous, bellowing chimes to ring every so often.  It sent shivers down the little mouse's spine.  But by carefully latching on to the clock's constantly rotating gears, he hauled the heavy aircraft to the top of the tower's balcony.  Our small mouse could not have asked for a better runaway!

A second book, Armstrong: The Adventurous Journey of a Mouse to the Moon (NorthSouth, September 1, 2016), follows a mouse setting out to prove the moon is not made of cheese but stone.  Help comes from another brave and intelligent spirit.  Are there some things found by the first men on the moon they neglected to tell us?

"Nothing is too difficult for a clever mouse!" said the little mouse with a smile.  He had soon found out where the mysterious letter had come from, and now he was on his way to see his unknown pen pal.  For a mouse that knew his way around the world of humans even long journeys were no problem.

In his most recent title author illustrator Torben Kuhlmann takes readers to new depths.  In Edison: The Mystery of the Missing Mouse Treasure (NorthSouth, October 2, 2018) a letter on a tattered, yellowed piece of paper holds the key to an exciting discovery.  Applied knowledge of generations unravels clues.

1. The University of Mice

Ka-ching! The sound of the cash register rang through the bookstore.

"Let's go!" a mouse whistled, standing on a pile of books.  Countless little mouse heads peeked out of their hiding places.

Waiting until the end of a lecture, possibly on the history of renowned mice or the inventions of humans, a young mouse named Pete seeks to speak with the Professor.  He hands a letter to the gentlemouse, a letter talking about treasure and an ocean voyage to America.  Not a seeker of riches, the Professor does agree to help Pete find out more about this ancestor.  To their dismay, the ship sunk on its trip.  According to newspaper accounts all the passengers were saved.  But was Pete's relative?  How could they get to the bottom of the ocean?

Although Pete is on his own, he does not give up.  He is determined to find that treasure.  After a failed attempt in a bathtub and a life-saving rescue, the Professor joins Pete.  The two study, plan and switch out materials.  A couple of curious crabs send them back to the proverbial drawing board.

A visit to an ocean exhibit at a museum gives them an excellent idea.  They are going to design a submarine; a mechanical fish able to carry two passengers.  No detail is overlooked.  Finally, as stowaways on a ship, they near the spot where the other ship is buried beneath the Atlantic.

Creatures of the watery world swim around the submarine after they launch it from one of the ship's anchor rope holes.  They are moving deeper toward the bottom.  There is less and less light.  And then, they find it---the wreck.  Is the treasure they seek there? If so, what secrets will it illuminate?

Within the thirteen chapters of this title, Torben Kuhlmann fashions a world you believe to be true.  Through his descriptive settings and character conversations, we find ourselves completely captivated by Pete and Professor.  It's as if Torben has opened a door that's always been there but we were never able to see it until this book.  Here are two passages.

"You see, one should never underestimate us mice," he said, finishing his lecture.  "A mouse can also get to the bottom of the sea!"

"Incredible!" squeaked Pete, who was impressed but still not convinced.  "Do you really think we could do it?"

"What do you mean 'we'?" asked the Professor with a sniff and a snort.  "I'm far too old for such adventures.  When you've grown up enough, you can go and look for the treasure yourself."

"But I thought we'd start preparing for our diving expedition right away!" said Pete, not giving up, but the Professor was not persuaded and finally started to leave.

"Delighted to have met you, Pete, and I wish you all the best."

"But Professor! . . ." Pete shouted again.

There was no reply.

The two mice looked out through the thick glass windows.  A school of fish swam around them a few times and then disappeared into the distance.  The sunbeams that sparkled in the waves above soon vanished as well.  A shadow fell over the submarine, and suddenly they heard a loud booming sound.

"What's that?" squeaked Pete, covering his ears.  All the loose metal parts around them started to rattle.

"It's a whale singing!" cried the Professor.

Pete gazed wide-eyed and openmouthed at the giant animal.

"He must be a hundred times bigger than a mouse . . ."

Still shaking their heads in amazement, the mice steered their ship under the monster and down into the depths.  It was getting darker and darker, because the light couldn't reach so far down.  At the same time, Pete's instrument panel showed that the water pressure was rising.  The metal creaked and groaned under the stress, but the submarine held firm.

When you look upon the matching and opened dust jacket and book case, you can't help but inwardly gasp at the intricate nearly photographic detail in the art of Torben Kuhlmann.  The placement of the schools of fish frames the Professor as his light shines on an object of interest.  Above him shadows dance on their submarine creation as the Pete swims.  Careful eyes will notice the found items used in their suits.  To the left, on the back, the Professor and Pete stand holding a sketch of their submarine.  They are in front of a human's picture who has benefited from a clever mouse.  This book, like the previous two, has the weathered, used look on the spine and edges.

On the opening and closing endpapers are twenty designs, some cross-sections, of diving apparatus and vessels.  They illustrate how the final submarine and equipment evolved.  They are placed on a cream canvas and done in black outline with a soft sephia tone for color.  On the verso, opposite the title page, is a collage of newspaper articles and photographs relating to Thomas Edison. 

The first two pages contain a single glorious wordless picture of the inside of a book shop.  Several mice are waiting for the opportunity to attend their university.  Well-known classic titles are stacked and visible on the tables.  The automobiles outside give readers a historical time frame. Readers are certain to marvel at Kuhlmann's masterful use of wordless illustrations throughout the book to connect one narrative to another supplying a flawless flow. 

His images range from full page pictures, to small insets and double-page showpieces.  The exquisite elements in each visual are wondrous.  His shifts in perspective are perfection.  It's ingenious how Torben's mice live within the human world.  A wire and an eye screw hold open a file cabinet drawer.  They wait until dark to use equipment in a car repair shop to build the submarine.  

One of my many, many favorite illustrations spans two pages.  It's wordless.  We are deep in the ocean.  Only a small portion of light is shining from the upper left-hand corner.  It glows off the back of an enormous whale stretching across both pages.  Moving beneath it a stream of bubbles trails behind the tiny submarine, a searchlight shooting out a small beam.  This is a breathtaking scene.

If you have readers who are fond of adventure, invention, and suspense, Edison: The Mystery of the Missing Mouse Treasure written and illustrated by Torben Kuhlmann is an excellent choice.  This title along with the previous two would be fantastic read aloud books for a variety of themes.  At the close of the story Torben includes historical facts about the invention of the light bulb and Tomas Alva Edison.  I highly recommend this book for your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Torben Kuhlmann and his other work, please visit his website by following the link attached to his name.  At a publisher's website you can view interior images, including two of my favorite ones.  Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher, premieres the book trailer on his blog, Watch. Connect. Read.  Torben Kuhlmann answers questions from readers at NorthSouth.  NorthSouth Books has designed a discussion guide to be used with this title. Torben visits author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson's Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  It's a wonderful interview brimming with artwork.

Better Together

Friends and family, people, celebrate for any number of reasons.  None of these gatherings to observe something spectacular or the simple joy of another day, month, year or life well-lived are complete without food, especially dessert.  Said to be the most traditional American dessert pies have been historically documented throughout the world for centuries.  Most people will agree, there is nothing quite so savory as a fresh-baked straight-from-the-oven pie. 

Sometimes the first slice of pie is a bit tricky to cut and serve but the lucky recipient is certain to be happy whether it comes out whole or in pieces.  Pie Is for Sharing (A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook Press, May 5, 2018) written by Stephanie Parsley Ledyard with illustrations by Jason Chin takes readers to a sunny summer day in a park near the beach.  Children (and their parents) are making lasting memories.

Pie is for sharing.

It starts out whole

and round.

Even though you can make the slices large or small, sometimes there is not quite enough for everyone.  Pie, on this sunny summer day, is not the only thing more than one person can enjoy.  A book, a ball and a tree are for sharing, too.

Jumping rope offers more than one opportunity for happiness. Can you name them?  At the beach the gals and guys sail a small boat down a stream and take a rest on the toasty sand.  Some people and natural treasures are more easily given than time with 

your best friend.

An unexpected tumble does not hurt as much if someone holds and helps you.  From the mishap you can create a tale of adventure.  Secret spaces and discoveries are better with a pal.  

Singing an impromptu song, tasting ripe berries and snacking on homemade bread rounds out the day.  The evening promises even more happiness on this fourth day of July.  We are gathered because everything is better together. 

The entire tone of the book begins with the first four words.  Stephanie Parsley Ledyard fashions an atmosphere of goodwill where all are equal, and compassion dictates the actions of the children.  She asks us to notice the obvious but extends out thinking. When we think we are alone, we are not; a companion is hidden. When we are doing what we think is a single activity she invites us to look at all aspects.  Here is a passage.

Easy to share:

cousins,

sticks,

stones from your pocket.

The illustration on the front (right) of the opened matching dust jacket and book case feels as though you are holding this day in your hands.  The expressions on the children's faces, and their clothing reflects the ease of summer.  Everyone is eager for a slice of the pie, even the youngest's best friend, the black dog.  With little imagination you can hear the quiet chatter of their voices and the sounds of the seagulls. Jason Chin works the colors of red, white and blue into the banner for the title text, the table cloth, plates, napkins and blanket on the right. 

To the left, on the back, evening has arrived.  The boy in the yellow shirt, the brother of the youngest girl, is offering the crumbs in the homemade bread pan to the dog.  The same red used in the title text covers the opening and closing endpapers. With a page turn Jason begins the visual story.  A family is in their kitchen getting ready to go to the park.  Two pies are about to be placed in a picnic basket.  The little girl has a blanket tented on the dog's head and her head.  Her brother is kneeling on a stool at the island.  The dad is filling water bottles at the sink.  

A large double-page picture has the family getting on their bikes in front of the house on a small-town street.  Chalk pictures and chalk are on the sidewalk.  It's a peaceful setting for the title page. On the verso the family is on their bikes, riding.  

Most of the visuals rendered in watercolor and gouache extend from page edge to page edge on full pages or double pages.  For the purpose of pacing several smaller images are grouped on a single page.  Each scene, worthy of framing, has elements leading us to the next image.  On the grass in one of the final illustrations is a book titled Liberty. (I am wondering if this is a nod to Lady Liberty by Doreen Rappaport with illustrations by Matt Tavares.)

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is a single page picture.  Five of the children are sitting or lying on a towel on the beach holding the small boat they sailed down the stream.  To their right (our left) the smallest girl is shoveling sand over herself.  Her belly is buried.  The black dog is curled and sleeping next to her.  Behind them is a bank of rocks and a path.  Some of the parents are there with new arrivals. Two tall trees are growing on either side of the girl.  Trees provide a pale varied green background along the top.

Pie Is for Sharing written by Stephanie Parsley Ledyard with illustrations by Jason Chin is a warm-hearted, beautiful portrait of holiday activities and festivities.  It depicts sharing of the little but important moments.  It honors the freedom to do these things.  Perhaps the next time pie is shared readers will pause and notice the other things being shared, in addition to the pie, and be grateful.  I highly recommend this title for your professional and personal book collections.

To learn more about Stephanie Parsley Ledyard and Jason Chin and their other work, please visit their respective websites by following the links attached to their names.  (This is Stephanie's first picture book.)  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.  The publisher also has prepared a discussion and activity guide.  Stephanie Parsley Ledyard and Jason Chin are interviewed at The Horn Book about this title.  This book is featured at author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson's Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  Stephanie and Jason maintain accounts on Twitter. 

 

Duds Dismay

Dreamed into reality in 1949, it is still in existence today.  In 1952 it was the first toy to be advertised on television.  Within months it garnered four million dollars for the company.  Most of the households in my neighborhood as a child owned at least one.  It was a star in the 1995 movie, Toy Story.  (And it might be the reason potatoes are my favorite food.)  Mr. Potato Head was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2000.

For the vivid and active imaginations of children (and children at heart), adding ears, eyes, a mouth, feet, arms and hands, a nose, and a variety of hats to a potato opens whole new worlds.  Potato Pants! (Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt and Company, October 2, 2018) written and illustrated by Laurie Keller brings to readers a tuber-ific tale of excitement, dread, and compassion liberally loaded with hilarity.  How can you even think the title words without laughing?

POTATO IS EXCITED!
(That's why he's doing the Robot.)

I call it
the PO-bot
because I'm a
PO-tato.

In case you are wondering (a) why a potato is talking and (b) why he's excited, the local pants shop is having a spectacular one-day event.  The owner, Lance Vance, is selling trousers designed particularly for potatoes.  Potato is trying not to panic but the advertisement says

ONCE THEY'RE GONE,
THEY'RE GONE!

He's early to avoid the spud stampede but his cheer turns to fear when he sees a pineapple-patterned- pant-wearing eggplant standing inside.  He's frozen outside remembering how this very eggplant shoved him into a garbage bin yesterday.  How is he going to get his perfect pair of pants? Potatoes are coming and going and each is wearing new designer duds.

A passerby gives him an idea but a call to a grocery store yields negative results.  Trying to decide what to do next, Potato learns there is only one pair left.  Desire overcomes dismay, he rushes into the store only to discover the pants are gone.  Potato explodes at the injustice.

His anger is short-lived when he learns of damage he caused in his haste to acquire his perfect pair of pants.  His purple nemesis approaches.  In a twist of tater-tastic scope, Potato and Eggplant leave Lance Vance's Fancy Pants Store wiser.


Only someone with a brilliant sense of humor could write a story filled with this much fun.  Laurie Keller has a knack for knowing which words to use to create an exact comedic effect.  Rhyming, alliteration, repetition, and puns heighten the narrative and the conversations of Potato, the other characters and Eggplant.  Here is a passage.

Poor Potato.  It's not easy for him
to watch all the other potatoes walk
by in their new Potato Pants.

I LOVE my new
POTATO PANTS!

We love
OURS,
too!

Mine have 
polka dots
and 
ruffles!

Mine have
BIG
pockets!

Mine are kind of
SCRATCHY.  I may need some
POTATO UNDERPANTS!


The background seen on the opened dust jacket is like the bags used to package potatoes.  This is very clever.  The smaller images around Potato on the front, right, give readers hints as to the incidents in the story.  One look at the face of Potato on the front is guaranteed to bring on giggles and grins.  It also will have readers wondering why Potato appears frightened.  To the left, on the back, within a potato shape Potato is watching an ad on television announcing the Potato Pants event.

A bright sky blue covers the book case.  Etched in a darker blue Potato does his famous PO-Bot from left to right.  The opening and closing endpapers are a rich, rusty red.  On the title page Potato's perfect pair of pants, the stripey ones with the stripey suspenders are featured.  From the lower right-hand corner an eyeglass-wearing potato, Tuberto, has a few words to say.

Rendered with markers, colored pencils, pen and ink, acrylic paint, potato stamps, collage, and digital drawing the illustrations feature characters looking as if they could leap off the pages.  The large eyes, stick-like hands, arms and feet add to the total funniness of each scene.  Laurie Keller uses a combination of double-page, full page and a collection of smaller illustrations to provide exemplary pacing.

One of my favorite illustrations is of Potato frantically making a phone call.  He is standing on a white canvas framed by speech balloons and text at the top.  He is holding a rather large cell phone with a brand name of Spud Phone to his left ear.  His expression is one of extreme urgency with raised eyebrows, wide eyes, and a large mouth.  His three tufts of hair are standing up.

Potato Pants! written and illustrated by Laurie Keller will generate marvelous merriment for listeners and readers of all ages.  The entire premise promises pure entertainment but there is also a gift for readers in the story.  It's the gift of understanding and truth.  I highly recommend this title for your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Laurie Keller and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  The cover reveal is found at Publishers Weekly along with a discussion of her professional work with Christy Ottaviano.  At the Nerdy Book Club Laurie talks about the process for writing this book and it's also the premiere of the book trailer.  Laurie has a radio interview about this title on WVXU.  Laurie has an account on Twitter and Instagram.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images. They also have a Teacher's Guide.  

(I was doing a search on Pinterest for potato printing and believe me there are lots of ideas for fun using those vegetables but I discovered something else.  Laurie Keller has 188 boards filled with art and things she adores.)

Tasty Travel

There's no doubt about it, children love eating.  Within minutes of finishing one meal, they are asking when the next one will be served.  Eating not only feeds their bodies but their souls. Comforting and fond memories are associated with meals due to words and activities associated with those moments.  Stories are shared.  Lessons are learned.  Hopefully, there is loads of laughter.

One thing they enjoy even more than eating is cooking.  This form of creating appeals to all the senses with a delicious conclusion.  Kids Cooking: Students Prepare and Eat Foods from Around the World (Candlewick Press, October 23, 2018) written and illustrated by George Ancona gives us a peek inside the kitchens of several schools; children traveling to other countries one meal at a time.

Today is cooking day!  There are many 
smiles as the kids head to the kitchen.

In the first school, before the preparation begins, an instructor explains about the root vegetables and fresh ginger used in the recipe from the North African country of Morocco.  These vegetables are accompanied by a sauce called chermoula along with oranges and mint leaves.  Wash your hands everyone!

Gals and guys are taught how to cut the vegetables and measure spices.  As the vegetables roast, the children draw pictures of those vegetables.  Other students work to blend the ingredients for the sauce and two other groups work on the mint and the oranges.  With the cooking completed, all sit at the table to eat.

As-salamu alaykum means "Peace be upon you" in Arabic.

At the next school Chinese-American dishes are made but not before children see where China is located on a globe.  Rice is mixed with an array of chopped vegetables, eggs, soy sauce and garlic.  A cold dish, sweet and sour cucumbers, completes this meal.  Even clean-up is fun for these students.

A pot of soup bubbles on the stove after lots of chopping and slicing.  In another area dough is kneaded and shaped for bread sticks.  Minestrone is a favorite dish from Italy.

In the last two schools children learn about the variety of tomatoes used in salsa.  What else is blended with the tomatoes?  Have you ever made corn tortillas using homemade dough and a press? A tale of tamales and family begins another lesson.  At three separate stations children work on the three parts of a tamale.

Buen provecho estudiantes!


As soon as you read the first three sentences, you are fully aware George Ancona enjoys making books for children especially those featuring children.  The flow of one sentence to the next is a descriptive conversation of each cooking day.  Educators and children are named giving the narrative a personal note.  It's like stepping into the kitchen with the students.

For each meal the ingredients are listed along with safety in the kitchen mentioned.  This is a whole experience for these students and us readers. Here is a passage.

Esteban and Kimberley begin making the chermoula by
chopping an herb called cilantro.  Kimberley adds the spices,
olive oil, and lemon juice.

Then, using a mortar and pestle, Natalie grinds everything
into a smooth, delicious sauce.  Natalie's dad lends a hand.
Family members come to the kitchen to help on cooking days. 


One of the first things you notice about the opened, matching dust jacket and book case (after the pleasing layout) is the faces of the children.  They are doing everything with intention.  They are fully engaged.  This is a hint of the wonder within the pages.  George Ancona is highly skilled at capturing the essence of a moment.  Along the bottom of the front and in one of the spaces on the back are drawings made by the students.

The use of hues of blue is carried over to the opening and closing endpapers covered in a royal blue.  Four new children are featured in squares framing the text on the title page.  Throughout the book in a variety of sizes and points of view, George complements and heightens his text with delightful photographs of the children.

He also includes pictures of the ingredients which are like colorful still life paintings.  Sometimes a portion of an image will be framed in white space or an edge of it will break the border of another illustration.  Nearly every page turn includes artwork by the students.


You are certain to be smiling and craving time in the kitchen or browsing through cookbooks after reading Kids Cooking: Students Prepare and Eat Foods from Around the World written and illustrated by George Ancona.  This author illustrator knows his subjects with the keen eye of a photographer and the heart of a writer.  You can use this title with his other book, It's Our Garden: From Seeds to Harvest in a School Garden.  For a theme on cooking, food, or countries around the world, this book is highly recommended for your professional or personal collections. 

To learn more about George Ancona and his other work, please visit his website by following the link attached to his name.  At Penguin Random House and Candlewick Press you can view interior images.  George Ancona is interviewed by students at Scholastic.  In the acknowledgments George talks about the Cooking with Kids program.  At that website are recipes for some of the food showcased here.


You will want to visit Kid Lit Frenzy hosted by educator Alyson Beecher to view the other titles selected this week by participants in the 2018 Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge.

Out Of Darkness

In the still of early morning or late-night hours, darkness yields new vistas.  One of the most breathtaking of these, depending on the phase of the moon, is when we lift our eyes to the sky.  The expanse of stars in any season is breathtaking.  To witness this and to be a part of this is both humbling and wondrous.

It's almost incomprehensible to realize the ages of stars are measured in billions of years.  The Stuff of Stars (Candlewick Press, September 4, 2018) written by Marion Dane Bauer with illustrations by Ekua Holmes is a stunning depiction in lyrical language and mesmerizing images of life and its beginnings.  It is a journey and an awakening.

In the dark,
in the dark,
in the deep, deep dark,
a speck floated,
invisible as thought,
weighty as God.

There was nothing as we know it, absolutely nothing.  In this darkness there was only this speck.  It was waiting.

BANG!

In the tiniest and quickest moment in time, time began.  Everything started and moved outward from the speck.  There were now stars, more than can be measured but there were no planets.  If there were no planets, there was no Earth.  All the things we know were yet to be.

These stars burned long and hot.  This time and this heat made some of those stars burst releasing dust; stardust.  This dust gathered and formed planets; planets like Earth circling around a star, our Sun.  Fortunate Earth was the correct distance from its star to be neither too hot nor too cold but shifting from a tolerable hot and cold as it moved.

The stardust continued its role of gathering and forming those things on Earth of which we are familiar.  There were dinosaurs.  Generations of humans came and went until . . .there is another speck

invisible as dreams,
special as Love.

As the previous speck waited, so too, did this one.  It became YOU.


Regardless of where your beliefs are on the spectrum for the origin of life, the words of Marion Dane Bauer are deeply moving.  She conveys the enormity of the beginning of the universe and the formation of each element within it.  In her words there is a fragility but also great power.  As her phrases connect one to the other, she shows us how we are all tied to the past and to the future.  Here is another passage.

And throughout the cosmos
stars caught fire.
Trillions of stars, 
but still no planets
to attend those stars.
And if no planets,

then no oceans,

no mountains,

no hippopotami.


Extending from the edge on the left, across the spine and to the edge on the right of the opened dust jacket, the swirl of deep, rich shades of blue, purple and red are pulsing with life and brimming with stars.  The two seated figures are you and me.  They are everyone.  The perspective of this image is two-fold; the beings are elements in the universe but also observing it.  The title text is silver foil.  Words amid the upper portion on the back read:

The miracle of every child
is also the miracle of our planet:
each made from stardust.

On the book case a deep midnight blue covers both the left and the right.  Marbleized hues of purple curve and blend over the opening and closing endpapers.  The verso and title pages are a reverse, black text on purple and purple text on black leading us to the time before time.

Each double-and single-page is rendered with

hand-marbled paper and collage and assembled digitally.

On the larger visuals the text is placed in an area appearing to be designed specifically for it.  For other illustrations a column is created to the left or the right for the text.  Ekua Holmes uses a full color palette reflective of the text.  With the word 

BANG!

she has shades of golden yellow radiating from a center of blues and oranges looking like fire.  This moves to peach and orange and turquoise with black for the next illustration.  When the stars burst pinwheels spread from centers in yellow, orange and red with dots of yellow, orange and turquoise.  In the background we catch glimpses of the dust jacket colors.  Every image is vibrant and lively.

One of my many favorite illustrations is for text mentioning bluebirds, butterflies, snails and giraffes.  The hues used are vivid and lavish; black, shades of gray, red, and blue.  The placement of the butterflies and the bluebird cause them to be easily seen but I guarantee when you see the giraffe arching from right to left across the gutter, you will gasp.  It is then the snail comes into view, too.


This presentation, The Stuff of Stars written by Marion Dane Bauer with illustrations by Ekua Holmes, is remarkable.  It is a beautiful symphony of words and art.  Surely it will promote discussions and extensive thinking and research.  You will want to have a copy in your professional and personal collections.

To discover more about Marion Dane Bauer and Ekua Holmes please visit their respective websites by following the links attached to their names.  Marion Dane Bauer has many resources for this title including two Pinterest boards.  Ekua Holmes has an array of artwork at her site.  Both Marion and Ekua maintain accounts on Twitter.  You can find Ekua on Instagram.  At Penguin Random House and Candlewick Press you can view interior images.  Author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson speaks about this title and posts one of my favorite illustrations at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  The cover is revealed at A Fuse #8 Production by Elizabeth Bird, Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system.

Into The Realm Of Story

It started Friday evening.  It has not stopped.  A second winter weather advisory in forty-eight hours has been issued.  It recently turned into a winter storm warning.  Local school children are going to bed wearing pajamas turned inside out.  Ice cubes are disappearing from the freezer and being flushed down the toilet.  Spoons are placed under pillows.  These gals and guys are doing everything they can to hear the radio or television announce tomorrow morning---Snow Day!

A snow day is a gift from Mother Nature.  It's a time to abandon routine.  It's a time to celebrate the unexpected.  King Alice (Feiwel and Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group LLC, September 25, 2018) written and illustrated by Matthew Cordell is about embracing the present with joy.

SNOW DAY!!

Good morning, 
SIR DAD!

"Y-a-a-a-a-w-n . . . Morning , Alice," said Dad.

Alice forcefully replies she wants to be called King Alice, not Queen, but King.  Alice can hardly wait to begin this day, but her dad is less than enthusiastic at her suggestions involving cooking and beauty makeovers.  When she declares she has a new idea both Mom and Dad believe it might have potential.

It's going to be a book about King Alice and the royal brave knights (everyone else).  First, they are seated having a breakfast of cereal shaped like dragons.  Her royal highness wants everyone to be tidy and to use their napkins.  She also says this is the end of the book.  Oh, oh . . .

Mom and Dad are sure it needs to be longer, so Alice has another idea.  Chapter two is a Princess Tea Party complete with a burping Knight Baby.  Now Alice is bored but Dad is not.  While playing with a set of Kitty Babies a brainstorm rains down on this energetic gal.  It's a pirate invasion in chapter five (Chapters three and four have vanished.) but the day is saved by a tooting monarch.

After lunch a television show sparks another action-packed episode in the book.  An over-zealous rider does get a time out.  Even kings need to temper their actions and apologize.  The appearance of fairies and I'm sorry dust adds another chapter to the book.  Dinner time and bath time lead King Alice to her closing chapter.  As peace and quiet settle over the household, Alice suddenly sits up in bed.

"IDEA!"


In this book, in all his books, Matthew Cordell creates an immediate connection with his readers.  The heart of his story reaches into the hearts of his readers.  He has a keen perception of people of all ages.  This perception is revealed in this narrative and the dialogue between the characters.

We quickly come to understand the personalities of Alice, her dad, mom and baby brother.  Alice's energy and lightning-like ideas, Dad's patience and creativity, Mom's patience and support and baby brother's typical behavior (spitting his lunch at dad) supply us with family dynamics and humor.  Here are two passages; the first from a portion of the snow day book and the other from the title story.

Chapter 5
Then the pirates came in their big pirate
car!  Captain Bellyfish walked around 
and said, "I'm the toughest pirate on Earth!" 

"I'm so, so, so, so, so sorry I bonked you with my unicorn, Daddy.
You are funny and nice and you draw good and smell good and
are neat and nice and will you still play with me now, Daddy?"


On the opened dust jacket readers get a glimpse of the original narrative on the right and the snow day story on the left.  King Alice is standing straight and tall in front of the mirror, pages of the book and crayons scattered around her.  She is definitely in command of the situation.  The title letters in gold are raised.

On the back, more crayons frame the four corners of a page from the book.  King Alice and Princess Dad are happily riding on the back of a unicorn.  King Alice and Princess Dad are written in crayon and in different fonts on lined yellow paper.  The drawing of the duo is pure Matthew Cordell.

The book case is the front and back of the snow day book on lined yellow paper.  On the front King Alice is standing in a regal pose, with eyes closed.  The title text is on top and at the bottom it says

by Alice + Dad.

To the left, on the back, King Alice and a brave knight are eating dragon-shaped cereal as fairies fly above them and two unicorns peek in from the left and right.  The opening and closing endpapers are in purple . . . for royalty.

In a signature technique Matthew begins his visual story prior to the title page with a circular image of the family's home amid a snow storm.  In a speech bubble those two words children love to hear are shouted from a window.  On the verso and title pages we see Alice get up with the family cat, make her crown and continue with her attire until she stands on a crate holding her scepter.

The illustrations are rendered

using pen and ink, watercolor, and whatever colored pencils and markers Matthew Cordell could find from his kids' stash of art supplies.

The large amount of white space draws our attention to the characters and their actions.  Matthew's loose lines supply animation.  His addition of sound effect words adds to the narrative and the comedy.  Readers will find themselves pausing to notice all the tiny elements in each picture.  The presence of the cat and its expressions add to the laughter factor.

Whenever King Alice and her dad are writing and drawing in their book, their pages on the yellow lined paper with crayon drawings follow the narrative.  Sometimes one of Alice's ideas is not a chapter but a double-or single page captioned image.  It's interesting to compare these with the actual happenings.

Several times during the first narrative Matthew displays full page and double-page illustrations with no text.  These contribute to the pacing and the atmosphere in the home.  Matthew closes the book with images in loose circles; just as he did in the beginning.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is early in the book.  Alice as King is standing on her crate with her scepter (back scratcher) on her dad's right shoulder.  Her dad is standing next to her.  The family cat is rubbing against Dad's leg and purring.  Everyone has their backs to us as they stare out the window at the snowy landscape.  Alice is saying

What'll we do 
today, 
Dad?

Dad is thinking

Ugh . . .
More snow . . .

You know this is going to be a day filled with adventure and lots of giggles and grins.


Although winter has not officially arrived there are places receiving significant amounts of snow already.  King Alice written and illustrated by Matthew Cordell is certainly a classic snow day book but more importantly it gives us a very personal peek at the life of a family.  Each of the characters is respected and allowed to be their very best.  This is clear in the dialogue and in the illustrations.  Be prepared with crayons, colored pencils and markers along with lined paper as soon as you read this aloud to one or more listeners.  What could be better than making a book together?  I highly recommend this title for your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Matthew Cordell and his other work, please visit his website and blog by following the links attached to his name.  Matthew maintains accounts on Twitter and Instagram.  Matthew stops to chat with Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher, on his blog, Watch. Connect. Read.  The book trailer is revealed on A Fuse #8 Production by Elizabeth Bird, Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system.  This title is also featured at author, reviewer and blogger, Julie Danielson's Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  There is loads of artwork.  Matthew is also interviewed by Elizabeth Dulemba about this book on her site.  You can view interior images on the publisher's website.