And The Plot Thickens

Every snapshot of life is composed of layers.  If we take any given scene revealed by a glance out the window of our home, a look across our yard at an unusual bird squawk, or a peek at people walking down the street when we are stopped at a light, we can expect there to be more beneath the surface.  The bird, a crow, upon further inspection is being chased by a bunch of smaller birds, probably for doing something pesky.  The tree, in which it takes sanctuary, now more than fifty feet tall, was planted decades ago by a little boy in memory of a beloved pet.  This pet was saved from...  Thankfully there will always be stories within stories.

When you have the opportunity to read a book with threads of history and mystery liberally woven into the fabric of a classic adventure, you can expect to have a page-turner on your hands.  Audacity Jones To The Rescue (Scholastic Press, January 26, 2016) written by Newbery Honor award winner Kirby Larson introduces readers to an eleven year old who more than lives up to her name.  Audacity Jones' predictable life at Miss Maisie's School for Wayward Girls in Swayzee, Indiana is about to change on this Christmas Eve.

WARNING
If you are a reader whose knees wobble at the mere mention of adventure, danger and derring-do, close these covers immediately and select a tome more to your liking.

Perhaps something about pudding.

Audacity Jones has once again devoured every sprig of burned broccoli, even though clean plates simply were not tolerated at Miss Maisie's School for Wayward Girls.
Miss Maisie's barley-water breath traveled the length of the scarred mahogany table, arriving well before her reprimand.

To her good friends, the triplets, Lilac, Lavender and Violet, and Bimmy, Audacity's fate on this holiday eve is upsetting at the very least.  To be sent to the Punishment Room is the worst sort of discipline any of the seventeen girls residing in this home can imagine.  In fact no one has ever been there and most certainly not with the regularity which seems to plague Audacity.

If they only knew what is within those four walls.  It's a magnificent library with books gathered by the late Mr. Witherton.  Audacity, like a particular rabbit begging not to be thrown into a briar patch, rather likes learning as much as she can.  She is frequently visited by a wayward cat, Miniver, with an uncanny amount of intelligence.  Her time this evening though is cut short by an unexpected visitor.

Commodore Crutchfield, a routine benefactor of the school, has arrived.  He is in need of a girl, specifically an orphan.  As Audacity's arch nemesis Divinity is so quick to point out, she, Audacity, is the only true orphan at the school.  Fueled by her constant reading and longing for adventure, Audacity agrees to go on this secret mission with the Commodore.  Besides the buzzing in her left ear, a predictor of usually bad news, is up at full volume.

It seems Audacity, Commodore Crutchfield, the driver of his touring car, Cypher, and Miniver, who smuggled herself aboard in the wicker trunk, are now traveling toward the nation's capital, Washington, D. C.   Once settled in their hotel there, other characters of decidedly dubious nature, the bellman, Stanley, and Mrs. Elva Finch, make an appearance as key players in a dastardly plan involving President Taft and his family.  There are new friends whose assistance is invaluable, Juice Johnson, a local newsboy whose grandfather Daddy Dub runs the stables at the White House and the French maid, Beatrice who has been hired to care for Audacity.  And who are the mysterious petite Madame Volta and the massive Igor?

Poison, locked, money and transatlantic are only some of the words found in a web woven of intrigue with the days and hours spinning toward the New Year's Day reception at the White House.  Efforts large and small on the side of good and evil will collide.  Resourcefulness will rule the day.


When Kirby Larson creates historical fiction readers can be sure of several things in her writing; painstaking research, a true sense of place and time in the detailed descriptions and characters indicative of the time period.  The conversations between the characters, the words they use and the manner in which they speak, flesh out their personalities in our minds.  Even though those living in the story might not immediately know who can or cannot be trusted we readers start to form our own opinions until we are surprised by Larson's cleverness.

We find ourselves championing for Audacity, cheering for her friends at the school, fist pumping for her new companions in Washington D. C. and gasping at the vileness of the villains.  There are layers to the events and also to the portrayals of the people.  Here are some sample passages.

More prudent minds might label the Commodore's request nothing more than a wild-goose chase.  But what good are wild geese, if not pursued upon occasion?  Audie reflected on a Chinese proverb she'd skimmed in The People's Proverbs: "Pearls don't lie on the seashore.  If you desire one, you must dive for it."  In her short life, she had noted that, oftimes, a person is put in difficult positions for good reasons.  Reasons that are beyond comprehension.  And more than having an adventure, Audie dreamed of doing some good in the world.  It appeared that in order to gather that particular pearl, she would have to dive.  "Bees and bonnets," she said.  "I'll go." ...

...The triplets' sniffles exploded into wails.  Bimmy threw her arms around Audie's waist.  "Don't go, Audie.  Don't!"
Audie patted her comrade's back.  "What have I always told you?"
Bimmy released her grip, drawing in a shaky breath.  "That everything will turn out splendid in the end," she said.  "And if it's not splendid, it's not the end."

Juice leaned the poker against the fireplace.  "I was just thinking." he began.
The old man lit his pipe, shaking the wooden match to extinguish the flame. " 'Bout the little gal you brought 'round today?"
Juice had long ago stopped being surprised by his grandfather's intuition.  He nodded.
"You didn't find her any too soon." Daddy Dub took three puffs on his pipe.
Juice picked up a stick of cordwood. "What do you mean?"
"She's going to need our help."  He tapped his pipe on the ashtray.
"Pretty darned quick, too, 'cording to my rheumatiz.  Best to keep an eye on her."
Juice managed to load the wood into the stove without dropping it.  How did Daddy Dub know such things?  That was a mystery.
But it was no mystery that he was rarely wrong.


Audacity Jones To The Rescue written by Kirby Larson is first-rate historical fiction packed with memorable characters real and imagined whose lives run together accidentally and on purpose.  Every nuance within the plot unfolds precisely as planned by Larson. Fortunately for readers this is the first volume in a series with a hint as to the next escapade on the last page.  In an author's note and in her acknowledgments Kirby Larson further endears readers to this book and its beginnings.

To learn more about Kirby Larson and her other wonderful novels and picture books, please visit her website by following the link attached to her name.  Kirby Larson is interviewed about this title at author Janet Fox's blog.  Believe me; you are going to want to read this.  Author Barbara O'Connor talks about Audacity Jones To The Rescue on her blog, Greetings from Nowhere.

When It Won't Go Away

The first big rain storm after winter when the ground has yet to thaw is a laughter factory.  If it happens to rain all morning but decides to stop before lunch with sunshine breaking through the gathered clouds, it's cause for rejoicing by the adults and students in an elementary school.  Absolutely no one likes indoor recess.

When your school library has a wall of windows facing the playground you have a front row seat to the production of comedy beginning almost immediately.  With standing water everywhere, it's an open invitation irresistible to any child.  If one of the neighborhood dogs should join the hoopla, it is so much the better.  Puddle (Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, March 8, 2016) written and illustrated by Hyewon Yum is a rainy day romp; characters rejoicing in the potency of imagination and the sheer fun to be found when rain falls.

I hate rainy days.

A little guy is in the midst of a major pout because he can't go outside to play.  You really can't ride your bike or kick a soccer goal inside your home.  When his mom suggests he draw, he answers with a resounding

NO.

Their conversation wakes the snoozing cat and resting dog.  Mom decides to draw without her son but his curiosity causes him to slowly approach the table where she is working.  Three sets of eyes (two of the furry, four-footed variety) watch as she creates a blue umbrella.

Her son requests she draw him holding his umbrella.  So he won't be lonely, Mom adds herself and their dog, Billy.  It seems one essential element is missing. Rain!  Grasping the blue crayon, the boy remedies this problem.

The boy, his mom and Billy find themselves trudging through a downpour.  A tantalizing temptation looms ahead.  Mom yells.  Her son surrenders with abandon.  Shrieks and shakes follow.  Wait a minute.  Is this real?


Told entirely in conversation between the boy and his mother Hyewon Yum builds an excellent venue for a participatory reading experience.  Yum's word choices could not be better for portraying a crabby child lured out of a bad mood and a mother's patience in light of the unfolding situation.  Not only do we come to understand both of the characters' personalities but we realize the respect and love they have for each other.  It's also an enriching exercise in the art of storytelling.  Here is a sample passage.

Okay, I'll draw me next to you.

And draw Billy, too.

That's a tricky one.
And I don't like wet dog smell.

Mom, please. 


How can you not smile when looking at the front of the matching dust jacket and book case?  That boy and his dog are in a complete state of bliss jumping in the puddle.  Shades of primary and secondary colors are used here and throughout the interior of the book.  Although not stated the medium, based upon the texture and lines, appears to be mixed.

The opening and closing endpapers begin with a canvas of white like drawing paper.  The former shows a series of puddles and falling rain in the signature blue.  At the back two characters in a sequence of four separate moments and a bright yellow and red have been added.  Beneath the text, looking as if block printed, on the title page, the boy with his umbrella is running in the rain.

For most of the images with the exception of those focusing on the drawing being done on the table, the background is white allowing for our attention to focus on the characters and their activities.  There is a subtle layer of humor in these illustrations evident in the facial expressions and body postures.  We also are aware when the images have moved from reality to drawings and then back to reality based upon color intensity and the firmness of the outlines.

One illustration in particular is a favorite of mine.  It spans two pages (as most of them do).  It's a close-up of the table with a drawing pad in the left foreground.  The blue umbrella has been drawn.  The family cat, taking up most of the left side of the page, is walking on the picture.  Peering over the edge of the table on the right is Billy and the little boy.  A box of crayons and two crayons, red and blue, are on the table.  The eyes on Billy and the little boy are curious and captivated.


You and your readers are going to love Puddle written and illustrated by Hyewon Yum for its delightfully inventive and realistic adventure on one rainy day.  I'll be willing to predict readers will be reaching for crayons, colored pencils and drawing paper after reading this title.  They will want to create their own stories.

If you would like to learn more about Hyewon Yum and her other work please visit her website by following the link attached to her name.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images including a portion of my favorite one.  Hyewon Yum was a guest at Scholastic's Ambassador for School Libraries John Schumacher's blog Watch. Connect. Read.  She was also featured at author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson's Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  The pronunciation of her name is highlighted at TeachingBooks.net.  Enjoy the book trailer.

Positioned At The Top

Over the course of fifteen years winter has grown to become my favorite season.  It's a time when Mother Nature takes a pause, resting before renewal.  Whether walking along a worn path on crystal clear, blue sky days with air so crisp you could cut it or through drifts of new snow and biting winds, my dog Xena and I would make our way regardless of what the day offered.

On March 6, 2016 the ceremonial start of The Last Great Race, the Iditarod, began in Anchorage, Alaska.  Following these women and men and their dog teams traveling a course across the forty-ninth state is breathtaking.  The challenge of nearly one thousand miles through unforgiving land and weather is beyond comprehension but many of them have done it for decades.  At this time there are still forty-three women, men and their dogs on the trail.  Thirty have completed the journey in less than ten days.

In 1988 a trip never accomplished before was undertaken.  Helen Thayer's Arctic Adventure: A Woman And A Dog Walk To The North Pole (Capstone Young Readers, an imprint of Capstone, March 1, 2016) written by Sally Isaacs with illustrations by Iva Sasheva portrays thrilling moments of this milestone adventure.  Attitude, preparation and determination fueled every step made.

Few people have walked to the magnetic North Pole. Especially alone.

When Helen Thayer was fifty years old she knew she wanted to walk three hundred sixty-four miles around the magnetic North Pole.  If she fulfilled this dream she would be the first woman to do this.  Prior to beginning this journey she prepared for two years.

Upon her arrival at a village in northern Canada a local bear hunter advised her strongly not to go alone.  His offer for the use of a dog team was turned down by Helen.  She did agree to take one dog, a dog comfortable with staying outside and guarding his humans from polar bears.  Helen called him Charlie.

For four days it was snow and ice, walking, eating and sleeping inside the tent with Charlie on watch.  On the fifth day terror struck the duo in the form of an angry polar bear.  The following attack left Helen unharmed but Charlie ran like the wind after the retreating bear.  Helen was now alone.  Was that a speck of black against the white horizon?

By day eight Charlie was no longer sleeping outside the tent but sharing a pillow with Helen at night.  Together they survived a storm lasting days and frightening cracks in the sea ice.  A truly terrifying event happened on the twentieth day causing Helen to not only wonder if they would succeed in reaching their goal but if they would live.  A photograph supplies the answer.  Buried in the ice in the northern realms is a small metal container filled with contents only Helen Thayer could have placed there.  One woman.  One dog.  One month in 1988.


As a result of extensive research including first person accounts in print and through phone conversations with Helen Thayer, author Sally Isaacs recreates an action-packed accounting of the expedition.  Specific details heighten the intensity of situations where survival hangs in a balance.  The use of numbering the days and a blend of conversation and narrative make this a more intimate experience for the reader.  Here is a sample passage.

Charlie jumped up.  Helen did too.  She peeked outside and gasped.
There was a long crack in the ice---only 5 feet (1.5 meters) from her tent door.
How could she leave?  The violent wind was hurling ice and snow.
How could she stay?  The crack was inching toward her tent.
If the ice broke under the tent, they would fall into the icy black water.


Artist Iva Sasheva depicts the harsh environment of the Arctic along with the persistent passion of Helen Thayer and Charlie on the front of the book case.  This scene moves over the spine to the left on the back with a vision of the endless sky, snow and ice.  The opening and closing endpapers are differing images of swirling flakes against the pale gray wintry sky and pale blue landscape below.  Beneath the text on the title page, we are given a bird's eye view of Helen and Charlie each pulling their respective sleds over the snow; Helen on skies and Charlie walking beside her.

These paintings by Sasheva are nearly photographic in their detail spanning single or double pages.  The text is tucked into each illustration.  Her color palette reflects the atmosphere of the region day and night along with the precarious balance maintained by Helen and Charlie between life and death and reaching their goal.  It's easy to imagine the silence except for the sound of Helen and Charlie moving over the ice and snow, the roar of the attacking polar bear, the deafening crack of breaking ice or the howling wind tossing about pieces of ice as if they are paper.

One of my favorite pictures is of Charlie being introduced to Helen as Tony stands nearby.  Helen is squatting in front of Charlie so they can assess each other eye to eye.  Behind them in the blowing snow are the buildings of the village.


You can't help but read Helen Thayer's Arctic Adventure:  A Woman And A Dog Walk To The North Pole written by Sally Isaacs with illustrations by Iva Sasheva as fast as you can turn the pages.  Once again readers will be astonished by the feat of a single individual who succeeded in being the first woman to reach the magnetic North Pole.  At that time she was also the oldest.  The text and images in this book take you to that place and time with Helen and Charlie as surely as if you were there.  When you finish this you will realize there is nothing you can't do.  At the end of the book is A Note from Helen Thayer, More About...Helen Thayer, More About...Charlie (this is particularly interesting), a Glossary, Read More books, Internet Sites, Discussion Questions and an Index.

To become more familiar with Sally Isaacs and Iva Sasheva please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.  At the publisher's website is a page with additional resources; three websites and five books.  At HistoryLink.org more fascinating information is available about Helen Thayer.  Trust me...you will be amazed.  Please enjoy these two additional videos.





Each week the 2016 Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge leaves me more informed and wiser about people, animals, things and places than I was before reading these books.  Please take a moment to see the titles selected by other bloggers this week at Kid Lit Frenzy hosted by educator Alyson Beecher.

Not Here But Still Here

Body language and eyes convey the news even if a parent, staff member or student has not already spoken with you.  Sometime between the last time you saw this student and now, they have suffered a loss.  It happens to all of us no matter our ages, usually without warning.  Even if we know it's coming the hole in our hearts is huge.

When love is shared between two, day in and day out during the course of their lives, filled with ordinary and extraordinary events, the absence of one is keenly felt.  Ida, Always (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, February 23 2016) written by Caron Levis with illustrations by Charles Santoso is first a look at the strength of a bond formed by two animals in captivity.  It further cements the belief that all animals can suffer the loneliness of losing the one loved.

Gus lived in a big park in the middle of an even bigger city.  Buildings grew around him and shifted the shape of the sky.

As sure as an alarm on a clock, each morning when the keeper Sonya brings food to Gus and Ida, two polar bears, they each leave the comfort of their respective caves to spend their day together.  They play with Ida's cherished yellow ball, frolic in their pool and rest on their favorite rock.  They have thoughtful conversations.

When Gus wonders, Ida answers.

"You don't have to see it to feel it," said Ida.
"Listen."

She reminds Gus what the noises they can hear mean.  Each day closes in the comfort of this constant cadence of their lives.

Upon waking one morning Gus is puzzled to hear all those city and park sounds without the presence of Ida.  He knows Ida is in her cave; her breathing reaches his ears.  Sonya explains to Gus about Ida being so ill her body will eventually sleep without waking.

Gus immediately runs to Ida angry and afraid.  She responds in kind, angry and afraid.  Eventually they sleep next to each other, quiet in their closeness.  Peace.

Days are brimming with ups and downs, silence and not silence.  Each evening ends the same, a mantra of longing.  Then Gus is alone.  BUT remembered words warm a soul like the sun brings heat to the fur of a polar bear sitting on a favorite rock.


When Caron Levis describes the Central Park Zoo, the habitat of Gus and Ida and the city surrounding them, she does so from personal experience creating a vision for readers.  Her use of short, informative sentences, the repetition of key phrases and a blend of dialogue and narrative supplies an invitation for us.  The sounds of the city are integral to the story.  Single words and near poetic sentences bring them from the page into our respective reading spaces. She compels us to become a part of Gus's and Ida's world.  We follow with pleasure and fall in love with these two magnificent creatures.  Here are two sample passages.

They heard buses groan; trucks rumble;
police whistle; taxis honk; pigeons coo;
people say Hey, Wait Yo, Hello;
and children laugh.

Two bears sniffled, two bear breaths panted, 
two bear hearts echoed each other's beat.


Even if you know absolutely nothing about this story, looking at the illustration on the opened matching dust jacket and book case portrays the affection felt by the two bears in their space within the confines of a city.  Charles Santoso's attention to the sky and skyline in this initial image, in the entire book, is spectacular extending from left to right, back to front.  Of particular notice is the color selected for the opening and closing endpapers; a lighter shade of purple followed by a darker hue.  I have always thought of purple as signifying royalty.  Surely by all accounts this is how these two bears were to all who visited them.

On the initial title page we are gazing at a pale blue sky filled with clouds in the faint shapes of polar bears. (Santoso does use shapes several more times within the body of the book.)  In small text we read the words

ida,

ALWAYS 

centered to the right edge.  The more formal title page, verso and dedication pages are a panoramic view of New York City and Central Park.  

Rendered digitally but looking like finely detailed paintings Santoso brings warmth of emotion to each picture.  Wide-angle views of the park from a bird's perspective and closer encounters with the two bears balance in a pleasing portrayal.  Visual size enhances the pacing; sometimes odd shaped or more traditional panels are used or a circular image framed in a liberal amount of white space.  These ask us to pause.

Santoso skillfully combines an interior look at the bears' homes while including the city in the background.  It is obvious he has studied his subjects conveying them realistically.  Can you see the small animal (s) he places in many pictures?  I see this as a constant and of life moving forward even in sadness.

One of my favorite illustrations, of several, spreads across two pages.  On the left in a circular display as the sun sets is the skyline of New York City with colored clouds and birds gathering for the evening in the trees.  It is framed in vegetation and rocks as if seen from a bear cave.  To the right inside the cave Gus and Ida are together, eyes closed and at rest.

Ida, Always written by Caron Levis with illustrations by Charles Santoso is a truly moving account of an enduring love and the loss of one part of a very special whole.  Thoughtfully written and illustrated, based upon a true story, it sends a beautiful message to everyone about grief.  It helps us to remember that what we cannot see can still be visible in our hearts.  An author's note is included on the last page.

To learn more about Caron Levis and Charles Santoso please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.  They both have updated blogs linked at their websites. There is an excerpt from a developing activity guide on Caron Levis' blog. (Update:  April 18, 2016 The guide is now complete.) Charles Santoso has a Tumblr site. There are ten interior images at the publisher's website.  I think you will enjoy this radio interview. 

Here are some links to newspaper articles about Gus and Ida found at The Daily News, The New York Times, Huffpost Green and Gothamist.

Update:  March 17, 2016  I really enjoy when illustrators share portions of their process.  Here is a new tweet sent out by Charles Santoso.

Found these scribbles in my sketchbook. These were the start of many options for #idaalways cover. Time flies.. pic.twitter.com/67w9GTj0ur

— Charles Santoso (@minitreehouse) March 17, 2016

While Everyone Sleeps

Daylight fades with the sky turning dusky shades of red, purple, blue, orange and yellow painted by the rays of the setting sun.  Flocks of birds gather in groups, resting in tree tops.  Burrows, holes in trees, beds in ponds, rivers, streams, lakes, fields and forests are sought.  Humans and most of their natural world counterparts are ending their day looking forward to hours of rest.  As each drifts off to sleep they do so certain when they awaken their surroundings will be as they were unless weather or the seasons make their mark.

Imagine if you will, upon waking, finding something so extraordinary you have to pinch yourself to make sure you are not dreaming.  The Night Gardener (Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, February 16, 2016) written and illustrated by The Fan Brothers (Eric Fan and Terry Fan) explores the idea of a single significant act of beauty as the beginning of marvelous changes.  Something or someone is working a kind of enchantment.

William looked out his window to find a commotion on the street.

Dressing with the speed of lightning he ran out of the orphanage to discover the tree outside his building was no longer an ordinary, everyday kind of tree.  Its leaves and branches had been formed into the shape of a huge owl watching the world in its infinite wisdom.  It was no wonder William could not take his eyes off this work of art until he fell asleep full of anticipation.

Each morning a new creation greeted William and the people residing on Grimloch Lane.  It might be something as normal as a house cat or as exotic as an elephant.  The topiaries were not the only thing new in this community.  More and more people were taking the time to look at these reshaped trees.  Life in this community was shifting from gloomy to bright.

On the sixth morning, two trees had been joined together in a fantastic display.  A creature from legend flew above the street.  That night people did not want to go to sleep.  They celebrated their good fortune well after dark.

On his way back to the orphanage William saw a silent unfamiliar figure walking down the street.  Something prompted him to follow.  As the mysterious stranger walked through the gates to the park, he turned to William and spoke.  His words, his work and his gift altered the heart of one boy and minds of many now and forever.


Terry Fan and Eric Fan, The Fan Brothers, use easy conversational sentences encouraging readers to turn pages seeking the newest leafy monument fashioned by the night gardener.  Pacing is enhanced with pauses in those short phrases through the use of punctuation.  This writing technique allows for the stunning pictorial narrative.  Here is a sample passage.

That night he went to sleep
with a sense of excitement.

The following morning,

William was not disappointed.


Rendered in graphite and colored digitally the opened dust jacket (and interior illustrations) conveys a sense of extraordinary, magic in the night, from left to right, back to front, with two majestic trees on the left and William gazing at the transformation of one on the right.  The full moon adds to the atmosphere of change in the offing.  On the book case against a background of charcoal gray, the pale blue green is used to create a branch of oak leaves and acorns on the left.  To the right a single wide branch, bent to form an oval frame, surrounds a hat with a tiny bird perched on top.  Beneath them is a pair of hedge shears.  The opening and closing endpapers are patterned with light gray drawings of curved tree branches, leaves and the tiny bird on a pale sage green background.

With a page turn we see the publication information tucked into the lower left hand portion of a double-page spread showing Grimloch Lane in dull gray-brown, homes in need of repair, people walking down the street with bowed heads.  In the far left-hard corner, someone is walking into the town carrying a rolled blanket and ladder over their shoulders strolling with the assistance of a walking stick.  The dedication page introduces us to William drawing his version of an owl in a sandy patch in the grass.  The stranger passes him on the sidewalk.

The next full page illustration is of the Night Gardener sorting his tools under the light of the full moon.  The story continues on the title page with the next full two-page image.  The Brothers Fan use exquisite artwork, four separate pictures, to begin their story without the use of words.

The use of matte-finished cream-colored paper enhances their illustrations alternating in size from single page images to two-page pictures or a smaller visual surrounded by the background color. With the revelation of each topiary more color is added reinforcing the impact of the gardener.  The Fan Brothers also increase the amount of people appearing in the pictures.  The people are engaged in making improvement to their homes, the community and their ability to enjoy life.

Readers will enjoy looking at all the intricate details; a picture of a couple next to the orphan boy in his bedroom (his parents?), the repeated appearance of the little girl in pig-tails and striped shirt, the arrival of multi-colored birds, a white rabbit sitting quietly beneath the rabbit topiary or the significance of a pig and rooster joining the crowd and the numbers 69 and 71 on two of the doors.   One of my many favorite illustrations is of the Night Gardener.  It is a close-up of him turning toward William. His face is framed by the light of the full moon with a tree trunk and leaves to the right.  He is wearing his hat.  On one shoulder his bed roll is perched and over the other is his satchel.  You can see he is carrying his ladder in one hand and using a walking stick with his right hand.  His eyes and the shape of his mustache portray a smile in his words.

You will be filled with expectations or at the very least look for small pieces of wonder in your world when you next wake up after reading The Night Gardener written and illustrated by Terry Fan and Eric Fan.  One person intent on sharing their gifted skill can make an eloquent statement resulting in permanent change.  The kindness of one toward another who needs it is immeasurable.  I find the bridge between generations to be particularly moving. This title comes with my highest recommendations.

To learn more about The Fan Brothers, Eric Fan and Terry Fan and their other work please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  At the publishers website eight more illustrations are available for you to view.  Please stop by Twenty by Jenny for an interview with the brothers.  Enjoy the video which depicts how the brothers collaborate.



UPDATE:  Enjoy Five Questions With Eric & Terry Fan July 11, 2016

Raise Your Voice And...

It they stop frozen in place, you do the same.  If they start to growl deep in their throats, you had better look, listen and be ready.  If they begin to howl, calling out to others, lift you head and raise your voice to join the chorus too.  When the barking starts, remember there is safety in numbers.

As humans fortunate enough to share their lives with canines can attest, barking or howling with your dog can be particularly liberating instilling a sense of fearlessness.  It's as if you've joined a pack as old as time.  Lionheart (David Fickling Books, Scholastic Inc., February 23, 2016) written and illustrated by Richard Collingridge (When It Snows) follows a small boy and his beloved stuffed lion during an escape; an escape leading them to place of marvelous wonders.

"There can't be.
There can't be.
There's no such thing
as monsters."

But what was that sound?

Terrified of the noise and what it represents, Richard runs holding his stuffed lion, Lionheart.  Together they move as quickly as possible out of his bedroom and home, through the town and into the surrounding countryside.  He can't shake the feeling of being chased.  As he travels the grass shifts turning into threes.  In his fear he loses Lionheart.

Richard does not stop until he finds himself in a jungle filled with all sorts of animals from a variety of habitats.  Before he can even enjoy the miracle of where he is, fear fills his heart.  The monster approaches.  Richard flees again.

The jungle scene blurs on either side of him as he attempts to escape.  Richard runs until someone stops him.  This someone is Lionheart!  He's huge, alive and he speaks to Richard.  Together they enjoy the magical majesty of the jungle landscape going deep into the heart of the Lost City.  Richard's fear is no longer present replaced with fun.

With sure knowledge Lionheart understands the monster is still traveling toward them.  Soon all the animals can see it.  The air is thick with fear.  Richard looks at the monster and then at Lionheart.  A lesson has been learned.


Richard Collingridge conveys through initial dialogue and subsequent narrative, the exact feelings of childhood fears, of monsters under the bed, at night.  The word choices and sentence lengths are descriptive and tightly woven.  With the repeated use of ran and running we are particularly aware of his unease and the nearness of the monster.  This pushes us making the moment when Richard runs into a fully grown and alive Lionheart all the more spectacular and the following time of play more meaningful.  Here is a sample passage.

All around him the grass grew thick, and turned into sticks,
and the sticks grew tall, and turned into trees, 
but still he was being chased...
so Richard kept running.


When you first see the front matching dust jacket and book case, it's hard not to gasp.  You know the boy wearing the lion's head hat is experiencing something out of the ordinary.  Luminosity acts a bridge between the two noses.  Intricate gold foil designs color the title text.  To the left, on the back, we are looking through a light-filled tunnel of trees taking us into the jungle.  The opening and closing endpapers are a replication of the pattern on Richard's bed blanket; darker orange lion silhouettes on a pale orange canvas.  Beneath the title page words is the stuffed toy lion with the Lionheart tag showing.

Richard Collingridge alternates between large double-page images, slightly smaller illustrations leaving a column for text and black and white sketches which extend the narrative, a series of paneled visuals on a single page, edge to edge single pages and single pages framed in varying amounts of white.  He dazzles us with a rich color palette brimming with atmosphere.  He takes us close to Richard to emphasize an emotion and then alters the perspective giving us a panoramic view of the city, jungle or Lost City.  Your wildest dreams of a royal realm of animals in a fantastic setting are realized.

The details in the decor in Richard's bedroom allow us to understand his love of animals as does his red pajamas with the lion's tail attached in the back.  The mix of vividly hued, spotted mushrooms, scampering squirrels, exotic plants, moose, tigers, giraffes, rabbits and numerous birds along the jungle path and within its glens convinces us of the magic found in this place.  You can hear the sound of the water falls as Lionheart and Richard move beneath it, sun sparkling on drops.  Each picture is like a separate part of a fabulous whole.

One of my favorite illustrations, on a single page, is on a background of white.  Richard is standing still, head and eyes raised.  We can only see the upper portion of his body.  The lion's head hat appears as if it is looking at something too.  Richard's face is glowing in astonishment as he stands at the entrance to the jungle.  You know he has just inhaled.


Lionheart written and illustrated by Richard Collingridge is a beautiful portrait of a journey toward facing your fears.  It goes straight to the child's heart in all of us reinforcing the comfort and courage to be found in a stuffed toy companion.  Before story time you might want to make sure you have a stuffed toy lion available for readers to hold.  There is magic to be made.

To discover more about Richard Collingridge and his other work please follow the links attached to his name taking you to his website and blog.  In an article at The Guardian Collingridge shows readers How to draw...from your imagination.  Enjoy the trailer.

A Trio Of Tantalizing Treats

The number three is commonly found in folklore.  As a storytelling technique it supplies a cadence to the narrative.  Listeners and readers seem to gravitate to this rhythm as if it's wired into their DNA passed on from generation to generation.

 Believing good things come in threes, the three most recent years have provided younger readers with a trio of charming titles.  Early Bird (Feiwel And Friends, January 28, 2014), Night Owl (Feiwel And Friends, January 27, 2015 and Cat Nap (Feiwel And Friends, January 26, 2016) all written and illustrated by Toni Yuly draw readers' attention to a single character in each book.  Within their stories each reveals a surprise.

Early Bird likes to wake up early.

A morning stretch helps her to feel tall.  Filling her lungs with daybreak's clear air, she sets off with a mission on her mind.  Nothing distracts her from her path; not even the spider peering from her web.

She weaves her way through grass, flowers and past the fence in the yard.  Cleverly she eludes a sleeping cat.  Moments later she reaches her goal, the garden.

Waiting there is

the Early Worm!

After this trek Early Bird finds herself with a healthy appetite.  It's time for a juicy feast.


Five sentences form this story.  Toni Yuly uses easily understood adverbs defining them within the text and her illustrations.  They are used to indicate direction making them integral to Early Bird's early morning trip.  Here is a sample portion of one sentence.

Across the grass
through the flowerbed
under the spiderweb ...

Though the illustrations on the front and the back of the matching dust jacket and book case are different, Toni Yuly has them placed to create a pleasing blend as if they are one.  Primary colors paired with the white picket fence and firm black lines have a huge appeal for the intended audience.  The opening endpapers are done in a deep midnight blue.  A cheerful golden yellow, the same as the butterfly on the front, covers the closing endpapers.

Yuly uses the title page to begin the story with a crescent moon in the sky over a sleeping Early Bird in her nest.  Sixteen double-page images follow Early Bird on her journey with the backgrounds gradually getting lighter until the shade on the closing endpaper is reached.  There are two exceptions to this pattern with the background in white.  They represent critical events in the story.

Very exact details dictate the mood in this story; the eyelashes on the sun peeking over the horizon, the three ladybugs on the blade of grass, three bees among the flowers, a flower becoming the letter o and the musical notes on the final picture.  There are not a lot of elements in each picture but each is essential.  The layout and design form a wonderful pace along with the placement of the text.

One of my favorite illustrations is of Early Bird breathing in the crisp morning air.  The background is a lighter hue of the dark blue.  On the left side of the image is a large orange, pink and white blooming flower.  To the left on a darkened hill stands Early Bird head tipped back, eyes closed and beak open.  The air is moving around her.



Night Owl likes to stay up late.

He bids the sun farewell and greets the moon.  Someone is missing.  Mommy Owl has disappeared.  He hears a sound.  Perhaps it is Mommy Owl.

It's not quite right.  It's only Woodpecker.  What's that noise?  Flying to investigate, Night Owl discovers that this sound is too long to belong to his mother.

He looks high and he looks low.  Mommy is not to be found.  A noisy storm sends him back to the safety of his tree hollow home.  Comfy and as brave as a little owl can be, Night Owl starts to drift into dreamland when he suddenly finds himself awake.  Mommy?


Using more sentences in this story allows Yuly to establish a different sort of rhythm.  As soon as Night Owl discovers Mommy is missing he listens, hears a sound and looks to see if it's his mother.  It's a question followed by an observation and then an answer.  Readers learn about short, long, high, and low kinds of sounds. Here is a sample portion.

He listens...
tap tap tap
...is that Mommy Owl?
No, that sound is too short.
It is Woodpecker.

As in the first book, Toni Yuly astutely blends the front image with the back illustration on the matching dust jacket and book case.  The branch on which Night Owl is perched goes to the dark spine.  To the left of the spine is a large tree supporting another branch holding up Woodpecker as he makes a hole in the trunk.  The endpapers' colors are a reverse of the first book; a paler golden yellow to a deeper blue.

On the title page Night Owl is resting his head on his wing as if it's a hand, looking outside the hole in his tree.  All of the illustrations span two pages with the exception of two single page pictures.  The background hues are varying shades of the blue and purple colors of night.

Careful readers will see that Yuly places small details from one illustration in another.  On the page with Woodpecker, the train tracks appear at the bottom.  Cricket follows Night Owl to the pond.  Using a much light shade of purple for the sounds, different fonts and positioning them apart from the narrative text is wonderful.

When Night Owl first finds out he is alone is one of several favorite pictures of mine.  A lighter purple background blended with a slighter darker layer on the bottom allows the moon partially covered by clouds and the tree branch to stand out to the reader.  Night Owl is shown with four different head positions on the same branch; right, back, left and forward.  He is most definitely more wide-eyed than usual.



The clock says noon.
It's time to rest.

Clearly Cat is in agreement with taking a nap.  Clearly Kitten would much rather seek out fun. And she does not want to do it alone.  Nothing would please her more than sharing this enjoyment with Cat.

A suggestion of a game of hide-and-seek is met with grudging acceptance.  This might work out for Cat if the right spot is found.  Unfortunately Kitten is a very skilled detective.

Wherever Cat goes, Kitten follows.  All this hiding has made Cat more tired than ever.  He can hardly wait to curl up in his bed and fall fast asleep.  Kitten wins again!


Toni Yuly lets her readers know very quickly there is a contest of wills which will drive this story.  Each time Cat hides and is found by Kitten the tension grows as we move high and then low, in the dark and into the light and inside and outside.  It is the perfect setup for the conclusion.  Here is a single portion.

Cat hides down low.
Kitten finds him.  Again. 

The colors shown on the front of the matching dust jacket and book case are used throughout the title with the addition of shades of brown and gray.  You can tell from the wide-eyed look of Cat and the eager grin on Kitten's face, this story is going to be filled with humor.  The red from the jacket and case is used for the opening and closing endpapers.

On the title page Kitten is leaping beneath the text after Cat who is almost off the page to the right.  With the exception of two pages divided into four images, all of the illustrations are spread across both pages.  There is a definite retro feel to the interior of the home based upon the design and individual elements.  The shelving is filled with many interesting items sure to generate further investigation and discussion.

The looks on Kitten's face declare her to be a complete scamp.  Cat tolerates Kitten's antics...barely.  A tiny mouse is included in nearly all the illustrations.  When Cat and Kitten are in the basement, the expression on the mouse's face near the spider web will ring true with many readers.

One of my many favorite illustrations is when near the beginning Kitten pounces on Cat.  Yuly has given us a close-up perspective of Cat's face wearing a perturbed expression and eyes looking upward at Kitten.  Kitten is on top of Cat's head, arms and paws holding on between his ears.  Kitten is looking downright gleeful, giving us a toothy grin.


Early Bird, Night Owl, and Cat Nap written and illustrated by Toni Yuly are absolutely brilliant.  Superb pacing in the text and careful placement of details within the illustrations (which appear simple but are more complex in what they convey) make all three of these titles reader favorites during group story time or one-on-one at bedtime.  You must have these on your personal and professional shelves.

To learn more about Toni Yuly and her work please follow the link attached to her name to access her website. Here are the links for the books in order by publication date featured at the publisher's website; here, here and here.  Each one has eight illustrations for you to view.  Toni Yuly and her work are highlighted by author, reviewer and blogger, Julie Danielson at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  Scholastic Ambassador for School Libraries John Schumacher features her on his blog, Watch. Connect. Read.  Toni Yuly is interviewed at Miss Marple's Musings, The Little Crooked Cottage, KidLit411 and Writing For Kids (While Raising Them).  Podcast chats with Toni Yuly can be found at The Picturebooking Podcast, Storybook Spotlight and All The Wonders.