Two Bears, One Love

When the morning silence is broken by the unexpected ringing of the phone or a knock on the door, the news can range from one end of the spectrum to the other.  Yesterday when opening my front door a valued colleague and cherished friend was standing on the porch.  To my surprise she was carrying a present for me.  It was, believe it or not, the kind of gift I rarely receive but will always be the very best choice for me.

After removing the ribbon and paper, I held in my hands a book.  We both started laughing.  She was glad I did not already have the title.  I couldn't believe my good fortune at having a book I've wanted to read.  Boris and Stella and the Perfect Gift (Sleeping Bear Press) written and illustrated by Dara Goldman is about the joy one can receive when being in second place.

Boris and Stella lived in the city.  

Beneath their apartment is a restaurant where Boris plays the piano every night.  Next door is a bakery where Stella bakes cakes.  These bears, a musician and a baker, cherish the other's accomplishments.

They are like the proverbial "two peas in a pod"; enjoying the wearing of hats and watching scary movies at the theater.  As the holidays approach, they each have a problem for which the other is unaware.  Neither of them has enough money to get the other a gift.  Nothing ordinary will do; an exceptional treat for an exceptional bear.

Stella celebrates Christmas.  Boris celebrates Hanukkah.  When Stella left Italy she was given a seedling from her family's farm.  Now a large pine tree, it continues to remind her of home.  Coming from Russia, Boris brought his dreidels, one given to him each year at Hanukkah by his parents.  Many memories of home are represented by this collection.

Looking about their apartment, wondering how to get money, Stella and Boris have an idea.  This year the eighth day of Hanukkah falls on Christmas Eve.  Boris cooks potato latkes exactly the way Stella likes them.  Stella bakes a panettone cake filling it and topping it exactly the way Boris likes it.

As the final candle on the menorah is aglow, Stella and Boris notice something seems to be awry in their home.  Treasured items are missing.  Exclamations can be heard as gifts are exchanged.  What truly is the perfect gift?


Dara Goldman endears readers to her characters and their story with simple descriptive sentences along with a specific writing technique.  Through the repetition of key phrases and action a gentle cadence is established in the telling of this tale reinforcing the affection between Stella and Boris.  One act of kindness is followed by another.  These two continually put the other first.  Here are two examples.

Hanukkah was almost here and Stella wanted to give Boris something special.  She shook her savings bank upside down.  Only a few coins fell out.  How could she give Boris something special if she only had a few coins?

Boris was troubled too.  It was almost Christmas and he still didn't have a gift for Stella.  Boris wanted to give her something special for Christmas.
He shook his savings bank upside down.  Only a few coins fell out.  How could he give Stella something special if he only had a few coins?


It may be a chilly winter's night on the matching jacket and cover but the rich yellow light shining from inside through the windows, the string of lights around the roof peak and the two smiling bears, tongues extended to catch the falling snowflakes, is brimming with warmth.  Crisp white opening and closing endpapers mirror the atmosphere of the season; extending to the title page providing a frame for the hugging bears.  Light, delicate watercolor illustrations by Dara Goldman fill single pages, corners rounded for framing.

Sometimes a grouping of several smaller pictures will extended a single sentence.  Half pages with text underneath or much smaller single visuals, comfortable companions to the narrative's rhythm, alter the pacing.  A bright, cheerful color palette with golden overtones contributes to the uplifting feeling of love and generosity throughout the book.  Small details provide humor; the cat playing with the gift wrappings on several pages.

My favorite illustration is the cover and final page but then too, the pictures of Boris and Stella cooking traditional foods for each other are delightful.  There is much to see on both of these pages.  The array of food, the decor and the clothing each bear is wearing invite readers to pause and participate.



You can't help but feel a little happier, lightness in your soul, when you read Boris and Stella and the Perfect Gift written and illustrated by Dara Goldman.  Their charitable natures, the love they feel for each other, extends from the pages to surround you.  This gentle gem is meant to be shared repeatedly.

Please follow the links to Dara Goldman's website and blog embedded in her names above.  At her blog she walks readers through her inspiration (The Gift of the Magi) for and the process of creating Boris and Stella and the Perfect Gift post by post.  Here is a link to the publisher's website where you can read an excerpt.

Open To Giving

When you recently acquire the twenty-sixth title written and illustrated by the same individual it might be for a variety of reasons.  Perhaps it's a signature illustrative style, full of animated characters, lively colors and charming warmth, bringing richness to each book.  It could be because within each narrative the line between truth and fiction becomes blurred; the stories reach out, surrounding you, touching your heart and becoming a part of you, always to be remembered.  Possibly it's due to the beautiful blend of the illustrations and the writing; readers knowing one more special piece to the puzzle known as this extraordinary person's life are being shared.

How fortunate for we readers author illustrator Patricia Polacco has released another seasonal title.  Gifts of the Heart (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.) is a story of a Christmas past not soon to be forgotten.  When you least expect it, but need it the most, magic happens.

Richie and I huddled together and pressed our faces into the cold glass of the Hudson's store window.  Everywhere we looked was a dazzling array of wondrous toys for Christmas.

We stand with two children peering into a display window, their minds sending Christmas wishes to unseen ears.  After this single page introduction preceding the title pages, the story begins as they ride down a country road with their Grampa in his Model A.  They see a woman standing by the back door to their farmhouse.

They are expecting someone from the Agency to come to care for the children since their Mom has taken a teaching job away from home.  Their beloved Gramma has recently died.  The farmhouse...will be sold in the spring.

The woman's accent and demeanor suggest she is not from the North.  Her name is Kay Lamity.  Yazoo, Mississippi is her home.  She aims to be the best housekeeper this family has ever seen.  Grampa, Momma, and Trisha welcome her immediately but Richie is feisty and not a little bit rude.

She has a talent for making children, even those rude ones, fall under her spell.  It's when they are putting up the Christmas tree and hanging ornaments, that a most interesting conversation takes place.  Kay Lamity believes

"You know, they's gifts, and they's gifts."

Both children are surprised to hear this.  It's a favorite phrase of their late gramma.

A shopping trip to the village, Santa Claus handing out Hershey bars and an outburst by Richie at home, threaten to take away a little girl's Christmas joy.  Nighttime chats and a star-studded sky do much to heal.  Cornstalks, a woman's creativity, and open hearts are the right ingredients for making perfect gifts.

On the way home from the town's parade on Christmas Eve those in Grampa's car see an astounding sight.  Bells, thumps, and bumps in the night and treats under the tree, send spirits soaring.  Images in the new-fallen snow and a surprising discovery make a memory which will last a lifetime.


Every time you open a cover of a Patricia Polacco book, you can feel a sense of anticipation and peace settle over your soul.  With her words she spins tales of wonder, delight and truth, the kind which take you into their space, leaving an imprint on your reader's heart.  As surely as her artist tools make pictures to see, so do her words.  She can take you to unforgettable places meeting people you will never forget.  Here are a couple examples of her writing.

Our warm breath made misty clouds on the window.

"Boy," she said, "where I come from, we cook yard-long night crawlers in green bugger gravy! And fer dessert, blister-pus puddin' with black widow garnish."
Richie looked up from his pillow.

I wept silently as we chugged down Dunks Road on our way home to our farm.   "I didn't see him," I said, sniffling.
Kay Lamity turned and looked at me. "Baby dear, can you see the wind as it blows?  Can you see how a flower smells in the springtime?  Can you see how much your momma and grampa love you?"


Using markers and pencils, Patricia Polacco welcomes us into the story of a Christmas Trisha and Richie will never forget.  On the matching jacket and cover she introduces us to Kay Lamity, her warmth and comfort for the children radiating outward.  In the introductory text we see the children, eager and excited from the perspective of inside the store.  Polacco continues on the two title pages with the same scene but this time we are on the outside looking inward; we are seeing the back of Trisha and Richie, the toys spread out on display.

All of the remaining pictures cross the gutter as two pages visuals, with the exception of one.  Her illustrations create an added atmosphere, an accompaniment for the text.  Fine details on her characters' faces make us feel as though we've known them for longer than this book.  One illustration which truly captured my heart is of Kay Lamity and Richie looking upward out his bedroom window at the night sky.  Behind them through the open doorway we can see the crackling fire and the tree aglow with lights.  Their facial expressions, the layout and design of the illustration with the text are beautiful.


Gifts of the Heart written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco will be placed on the shelf next to Welcome Comfort, Christmas Tapestry, and An Orange for Frankie; a Christmas title to be cherished for the magic spell is casts.  I consider Patricia Polacco to be an extraordinary storyteller.  Her books are gifts of the heart.  We thank you Patricia Polacco and we wish you the best, most marvelous time during this Christmas season.

Twitterville Talk #131

There were many happy tweets this week about students taking lots of books home for the winter break.  These were followed by even more tweets yesterday by people anxious to begin reading, relaxing and enjoying time with family and friends.  I wish you all the happiest of holidays, safe travels and lots of time to read.  Enjoy your weekend.  Look for the giveaways.




Do you have all your shopping for the holidays done?  I might start carrying a pocket watch if I could have one of these, 10 Bookish Pocket Watches

What do you think of this?  The Library Designed Like A Bookstore

Thanks to Book Riot for these tweets and posts.





This thoughtful article bears reading, Why BYOD Makes Sense: Thinking Beyond a Standardized 1:1

Did you participate in the Hour of Code?  This teacher librarian did; Hour of Code week



Thanks to teacher librarian and blogger at The Library Fanatic, Sherry Glick for these tweets.






If you are looking for ideas for centers in your educational space, how about one of these---21 Incredible Maker Ed Kits For Learning


Thanks to Ben Gilpin, elementary principal and blogger at The Colorful Principal for this tweet.






If you are looking for excellent nonfiction titles, consider a visit to the YALSA Nonfiction Award site.  The current nominations are listed as well as past winners.
To the first person who can tell me one of the five 2014 finalists, I will send a copy of The Great American Dust Bowl by Don Brown.  Please leave your answer in the comments below or send me a DM on Twitter. (This title has been won.)

The possibilities are nearly endless when you consider the items listed here.  Game-Based Learning: Resource Roundup


Now this is my kind of news, 5 Studies Showing Why Reading Is Healthy

Thanks to Donalyn Miller, teacher, author of The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child and Reading in the Wild: The Book Whisperer's Keys to Cultivating Lifelong Reading Habits, co-founder of the Nerdy Book Club and blogger at Donalyn Miller for these tweets.

Let's jump right in, set back and relax with the book trailers for the week.

There are new additions every week, 2013 Best Books Lists

I've read four books on this list, Top 10 Crafts and Gardening Books for Youth: 2013.  How about you?

I really, really like this video.  There are so many great book suggestions shown here.



Stay up to date with the latest postings: Presentations and Interviews from the 2013 National Book Festival


Thanks to John Schumacher, teacher librarian, co-host of the monthly #SharpSchu Book Club, 2011 Library Journal Movers & Shakers, 2014 Newbery Medal Committee member, and blogger at Watch. Connect. Read. for these tweets.





He's gathering in the best of the best pictorial data---December's Infographics & Interactives Galore-Part One and The Best Infographics of 2013--Part Two


Thanks to Larry Ferlazzo, educator and blogger at Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... , for these tweets.









This is a pretty interesting infographic, Social Media--A History.  The speed of change is incredible.

Thanks to Joyce Valenza, teacher librarian and blogger at the NeverEnding Search for this tweet.







I'm sure many people are very eager to get a copy of Laurel Snyder's new title, Seven Stories Up.  She has made the first chapter available here.

Many thanks to author, Laurel Snyder (Bigger Than a Breadbox) for this tweet and post.









Artist Alex Scheffler is highlighted in their Read Every Day campaign.  It includes a video of him discussing his work and another of him reading a book he has illustrated.

Thanks to Scholastic for this tweet and post.







I enjoy reading the post every single day at Anita Silvey's Children's Book-A-Day Almanac.  She has written a post on the International Reading Association Reading Today Online site, Future Classics for Your Classroom.
To the first person who can tell me the first title listed under picture books, I will send a copy of Penguin Cha-Cha by Kristi Valiant.  Please send me a DM on Twitter or leave your answer in the comments below. (This title has been won.)

Thanks to the International Reading Association for this tweet.








I could not go without listing Cats, Dogs, and the Human Condition: The Year's Best Books about Pets and Animals

Thanks to Brain Pickings for the tweet and post.








Don't forget to listen to the newest podcast, Let's Get Busy with author illustrator Nick Bruel

Thanks to Matthew C. Winner, elementary library media specialist, co-founder of #levelupbc, Library Journal Movers & Shakers 2013 Tech Leader and blogger at The Busy Librarian for this tweet.





Each year she takes a beloved character from her books and he makes an appearance on greeting cards, A history lesson:  12 Sock Monkey cards on 12/12/12


Thanks to author illustrator Cece Bell (Crankee Doodle) for this post and this tweet.









Have you see this?  Bluebird is set to music.



Thanks to author illustrator Bob Staake for this tweet and his book, Bluebird.








Two kidlit gurus make a list you had better check twice, 20 Of The Best Children's Books of 2013

Thanks to Colby Sharp, educator, co-host of the monthly #titletalk, co-host of the monthly #SharpSchu Book Club, co-founder of the Nerdy Book Club and blogger at sharpread for this tweet.







Do you use any of these sites?  What sites might you add to this list?  20 Excellent Websites That Make Your Children Smarter

Thanks to Michael Carton, educator and blogger at Michaels Read, for this tweet.







I found this article informative and fascinating, "Saving Mr. Banks" But Throwing P. L. Travers Under The Bus.


Thanks to Anita Silvey, author and blogger at Anita Silvey's Children's Book-A-Day Almanac, for this tweet.






For many years an author's or illustrator's name with be only text on a book, but sometimes, magically, you get to meet them in real life.  That connection makes all the difference, as it did for me this past summer.  That's why this essay by Loren Long is special.  Memory of My Dad at Christmas


Thanks to author illustrator Loren Long (all the Otis books) for this post and this tweet.







I don't know how he does it, but this is an amazing post, 2013 Children's Lit: The Year in Miscellanea


Thanks to Travis Jonker, elementary school librarian, 2014 Caldecott Medal Committee member, amd blogger at 100 Scope Notes for this post and this tweet.







Make sure you set aside under seven minutes to listen to and view this video.  It is important to the educational future of your students. School Library Story: When libraries thrive and when they crumble



Thanks to Donna Baumbach, former edtech/edmedia professor at UCF in Orlando for this tweet.






Here's another list for the year of 2013, 100 Magnificent Children's Books 2013

Thanks to author Linda Urban (The Center of Everything) for this tweet.





In case you may have missed any of the JJK The Book Report podcasts, they are archived here.

Thanks to author illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka (The Lunch Lady graphic novel series) for this tweet.








To help you get in the mood even more, get cozy, sit back and listen to Charles Dickens & A Christmas Carol with Neil Gaiman and Molly Oldfield

Thanks to author Neil Gaiman (Fortunately, The Milk) for this tweet.






This news caused quite a stir on Twitter, generated many, many tweets and made many, many more people happy. Harry flies into the West End: J. K. Rowling to co-produce magical new stage play based on her best-selling books



Thanks to Kidsmomo for this tweet.







If you are still looking for the right book for the right reader, you might consider
14 Amazing YA Books With Inspirational Heroines
To the first person who can tell me the top title on this list, I will send a copy of When It Snows by Richard Collingridge.  Please leave your answer in the comments below or send me a DM on Twitter. (This title has been won.)

Thanks to Random House Canada for this tweet.





I think these posts are fantastic---Kid Lit Authors, Illustrators Share Their Holiday Memories with SLJ

Thanks to School Library Journal for this tweet.







Here is the collection of fun-filled, thoughtful tweets I've collected this week.  Xena, the Warrior Princess, has definitely been one busy pup.  I blame it on the full moon.

Yesterday, @an author visit, I had kids hugging me, kissing me, & thanking me for writing.#beatthatHollywood pic.twitter.com/qgWksan8jg
— Drew Daywalt (@DrewDaywalt) December 14, 2013

Optimism isn't just a gift, it's a tool
— Drew Daywalt (@DrewDaywalt) December 14, 2013

Darn! I should have tweeted: @100scopenotes is on my tree pic.twitter.com/h4hFdmDXBM
— John Schu (@MrSchuReads) December 14, 2013

Spent all day catching up on my mail from kids! Such thoughtful, sweet, funny readers write to me.I love them all. pic.twitter.com/CbjWKHvMQt
— Cynthia Lord (@Cynthia_Lord) December 15, 2013

Doodling. pic.twitter.com/B7o5whndS1
— Drew Daywalt (@DrewDaywalt) December 15, 2013

Here's my pencils for the upcoming Olympians poster. Can you name all 27 characters? pic.twitter.com/VkbuZ04LSM
— George O'Connor (@GeorgetheMighty) December 15, 2013

Here is the Storify archive from tonight's #nctechat http://t.co/8rqoMmltbH #ncte13
— NCTE (@ncte) December 16, 2013

I believe love and watercolors can solve any problem.
— Terry Shay (@tjshay) December 16, 2013

Snowy boy!! pic.twitter.com/z05x7mqhEu
— Lauren Oliver (@OliverBooks) December 16, 2013

This week's Maker Monday! pic.twitter.com/JJ0bGaNUtP
— Stacy Dillon (@mytweendom) December 16, 2013

KID MAIL: I love your books. They are so funny just like me.
— Laura Numeroff (@LauraNumeroff) December 16, 2013

At a library branch opening today the Prez did the "libraries can take you everywhere" speech. Asked kids where they'd go. Answer: Michigan!
— Betsy Bird (@FuseEight) December 16, 2013

I had the honor of doing the Writers House holiday card this year. Just got mine- Thanks @RebeccAgent ! pic.twitter.com/5fUhmDwDUa
— John Hendrix (@hendrixart) December 16, 2013

Not quite what I had in mind, but this worked for me when I told @ssibberson I needed some #nerdlution cheerleading. pic.twitter.com/NWMZWCSnqH
— Franki Sibberson (@frankisibberson) December 17, 2013

#virtualbookclub 2013 Favorite Books (12/16) http://t.co/k6uUFwXYFM #storify #virtualbookclub #booklove
— Niki Ohs Barnes (@daydreamreader) December 17, 2013

"Childhood is not preparation for anything, it just is. They get only one. It is our job to protect that." Lester
— LesterLaminack (@lester_laminack) December 17, 2013

As soon as I saw beauty I knew there was such a thing as a good God.
— TenNapel (@TenNapel) December 17, 2013

The first line of my next novel is going to be "Everything EXPLODED."
— Adam Rex (@MrAdamRex) December 17, 2013

Got the "When are you gonna write real novels, for adults?" line at a Xmas party, and I smiled and said: "When adults are as smart as kids."
— Tim Federle (@TimFederle) December 17, 2013

I guess I left a bunch of stuff on Sophia's favorite chair. http://t.co/UlmoX7yTFn
— Greg Pizzoli (@gregpizzoli) December 17, 2013

I keep a list of 10 authors that I'd like 2 meet- updated yearly. For '13 crossing off @StudioJJK @anneursu @barbaraoconnor @LaurelSnyder
— Colby Sharp (@colbysharp) December 18, 2013

Concerned about the flu outbreak at my school, two of my students left me this note. pic.twitter.com/NlkzAlsf8K
— Donalyn Miller (@donalynbooks) December 18, 2013

I'm convinced that reading books aloud is as much fun for adults as it is for kids.
— Seymour Simon (@seymoursimon) December 18, 2013

There's a great "Best of 2013" fr The Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Lit http://t.co/WZggJZ8Fep … #nerdybookclub #kidlit
— Crystal Brunelle (@librarygrl2) December 18, 2013

Love that I already have students worried about how many books they can check out over break. Many started checking out stacks today.
— Jillian Heise (@heisereads) December 18, 2013

From my 10yo: why does Santa have 3 gardens? So he can ho, ho, ho.
— Shannon Hale (@haleshannon) December 18, 2013

Today was wow and magic and spice and sigh.
— Carter Higgins (@CarterHiggins) December 19, 2013

They say no two snowflakes are alike. pic.twitter.com/85ygjL1hgo
— Sandra Boynton (@SandyBoynton) December 19, 2013

Getting into the Christmas spirit #pugstagram http://t.co/ev3Yq7ysTv
— Beth Shaum (@BethShaum) December 19, 2013

Kindergartner: Did you know I have a job? Me: No. What is it? K: My job is to save the world.
— John Schu (@MrSchuReads) December 19, 2013

'Here's to 2013' video! Great discussion starter! #pcscIN #INeLearn http://t.co/lxUJIYW9kF
— Allie Holland (@allieLholland) December 19, 2013

Student letter, signed: "From your number 3 fan (because 1 and 2 are proboly taken, but if 2 is not taken I will take that place). . ."
— Sharon Creech (@ciaobellacreech) December 19, 2013

“@Fascinatingpics: Taking selfies with best friends. pic.twitter.com/9qhcxqjJe1”
— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) December 20, 2013

Will YOU play with me, Twitter? pic.twitter.com/OsSEOuoS1u
— Maureen Johnson (@maureenjohnson) December 20, 2013

Drumroll please! Here's the #virtualbookclub 2014 Reading List! 1st chat 1/20/14! pic.twitter.com/yCRygA32nT
— Beth Panageotou (@epan11) December 20, 2013

Best question of the day: "Will you show me where @JudyBlume's books are?" -3rd grader
— John Schu (@MrSchuReads) December 20, 2013

Who's ready for the holidays? This pup sure is! Retweet if this makes you smile & see more: http://t.co/NiFS0tdQhK pic.twitter.com/O9eu1b27a1
— Pinterest (@Pinterest) December 20, 2013

Finished my Santa: pic.twitter.com/hSSbJDoOvb
— Mike Boldt (@MikeBoldt) December 20, 2013

Holidays! Time to lose ourselves in books, wrap up in family and appreciate the gift of time Merry #booklove to the #nerdybookclub community
— Carrie Gelson (@CarrieGelson) December 21, 2013

May all our impossible dreams come true. pic.twitter.com/y9r7O2lHfn
— Sandra Boynton (@SandyBoynton) December 21, 2013

Put On Your Zoo Dancing Shoes

All you need is a beat; not even music to start to feel the urge to move your hands and feet.  Time after time when reading a particular story aloud, I've looked up from the page to see my listeners moving and grooving.  As we get deeper into the story, as the tempo of the text increases, many will start to stand, dancing around me and one another.  Dancing is a contagious act of joy.

There's been many a morning, after a nighttime snowfall, when it looks as if the rabbits, deer and maybe a mouse or two have had their own party on my lawn, moving to a rhythm no one knows but them.  I would like to think other creatures in other places, when humans are unaware, are cavorting to an instinctive cadence.  Penned and pictured with pure merriment by Kristi Valiant, Penguin Cha-Cha (Random House, August 27, 2013) will have you swirling and swaying in no time at all.

Julia was wild about everything at the Romping Chomping Park and Zoo, especially the shows.

What she liked to do is climb a tree, eyes feasting on whatever performance happened to be playing on the stage.  As a dance group executed a routine one Saturday, Julia watched as a flipper...yes, a flipper... reached out to capture a feather boa.  Other articles of clothing began to disappear.  Now here's a mystery which needs solving.

Without giving it a second thought, Julia follows them back to the Penguin Cove.  Looking through the entrance all she sees is a group of statuesque penguins.  There is no feather boa, no hat, no bow...nothing but penguins.

Not to be deterred Julia decides to spy on the penguins from a bird's eye view with a pair of binoculars.  Ah! Ha!  Those penguins are dressed to the nines and...they are dancing!  She is so excited she can hardly wait to tell the zookeeper; who obviously thinks she is mistaken.

Grabbing a top hat displayed for the magic show next weekend, she hurries to Penguin Cove.  Running inside she is greeted again with penguins as still as stone.  Julia can see she needs to approach them differently.

Will a disguise do the trick?  Does she need to have a dance partner?  Nearly ready to except defeat, Julia gives it one last try.  One...Two...Cha-cha-cha  One secret is safe but...

Every page is filled with playful energy in this title.  Kristi Valiant makes use of alliteration and definitive words encouraging participation.  Readers and listeners alike will be ready to do as Julia and the penguins do.  In this book trees are not climbed but shimmied up, dancers hip-hopped and boogie-bopped and Julie and Hippo tangoed and fandangoed.  My toes are already tapping again.


Eloquent, poised penguins grace their icy abode as Julia peeks around the corner on the front jacket and cover.  A probable outcome as fun-filled and polished as the Radio City Rockettes is revealed on the back.  The red dotted color in Cha-Cha is continued along the spine, other articles of clothing and whirled across the opening and closing endpapers.

Readers will wonder why Julia is showing Hippo a how-to-dance book on the first set of title pages.  The verso and second title page picture penguins swooping from their home to waddle backstage.  Two page, single page, and smaller illustrations gathered together, each and every one colorful, are heightened by the liberal use of white framing them.  Extra details, many of them humorous, enhance the joyfulness of the story; the fish-shaped enclosure for the seals, the penguin Ferris wheel, the penguin shapes spelling out cove, and the open-mouthed hippo trash can.

Readers will be surprised to learn that Kristi Valiant creates her illustrations digitally.  One of my favorite pictures is of Julia and Hippo disguised as penguins dancing as the row of penguins watch.  The fake beaks taped to wide-rimmed blue glasses and white pillows tied about their black-clad bodies are hilarious.  The way Valiant shifts perspective on these pages generates liveliness and movement.


Readers will be ready to bebop to the beat after following Julia on her quest in Penguin Cha-Cha written and illustrated by Kristi Valiant.  I think I might be prepared with a top hat, feather boa, fan, hair bow and tie for listeners to don as they dance.  Don't be surprised when you hear the inevitable chorus of read it again as soon as you finish.  You might want to practice your cha-cha steps too.

For more information on Kristi Valiant and her work please take a moment to visit her website and blog linked in her names.  Penguin Cha-Cha has its own website linked here.  The storytime kit is linked here.  To see more artwork and read a delightful interview with Kristi Valiant, head over to Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. 

Nighttime Travels With Friends

There's no denying the power of Earth's closet neighbor.  Before, during and after a full moon, animals, children and even adults feel the power, a sort of restlessness.  In cloudless skies it illuminates the darkest landscape, bringing a mystical glow to fields, woods, neighborhoods and city streets.  It's hard not to be drawn toward its beauty.

For some, if not all, children, falling asleep, even after a day filled with activity, is not easy.  With the right friend and the right book though, the welcoming arms of peaceful bliss may come sooner than expected.  Dream Animals:  A Bedtime Journey (Random House, October 22, 2013) written and illustrated by Emily Winfield Martin is as cozy and comfortable as a treasured stuffed toy.

There are animals from long ago
And twice as far away.
Their maps are made of starlight
And can't be seen by day.

So begins the timeless trek taken each and every night by children everywhere.  Their daytime companion, a stuffed bear, turns real in the land of their dreams.  You never know where these special creatures will take you.  You might end up as a chef serving the likes of Humpty Dumpty, a robot, a werewolf or your bear friend a feast of treats.

Underground is a world filled with elves and fairies.  Your faithful fox might take you below to this realm of magic and mystery.  Two robins spinning on the mobile above your bed might transport you to flights of fancy.  Are those dinosaurs walking about beneath your feet?

Being a hostess at a tea party with mermaids, a ringmaster of an animated circus with extraordinary beasts or a gifted artist painting the stars themselves, will be the stuff of your dreams.  All you have to do is burrow among your blankets, close your eyes and believe.  Holding your best playtime pal can't hurt either.  You never know where you can go in your dreams.


A mood can be set, an emotion can be conveyed, in the particular arrangement of the right words. Emily Winfield Martin does this for her readers with the opening four lines of her tender, rhyming story.  She creates a joyous world where our imaginations have come to life.  Within these spheres we are guided by those animals of dreams, caretakers of children.  With her words we can easily feel the magic.  Here are two more examples.

...For a feast that never ends. ...

...Toward an elfin hollow...


Tonight when I go to sleep I'm going to make sure my hand is resting on my canine companion.  Perhaps she will join in the parade of animals taking their friends to their dreams, as shown on the opened book jacket by Emily Winfield Martin.  The soft, blue-gray sky, the sprinkling of stars among the puffy clouds, are the best kind of invitation.  The darker blue-hued cover is patterned in animal outlines representative of constellations.

In pale blue on blue the opening endpapers are peppered with stars; six small pictures feature children getting ready for bed.  Turning to the back, the closing endpapers, in the same shades of color show the same children sleeping.  These pictures will appear within the book too; outlined with tiny lines and starry corners, enlarged with text beneath the dreaming boys and girls.

Emily Winfield Martin opens her book with four pages, two page illustrations, in full color.  These paintings, even without the words, convey the trip to be taken.  For each child she has a single-page blue-tone illustration with text on the left, followed by a full color picture on the right, showing them riding to their nighttime adventure.  An exquisitely detailed two-page, edge to edge, illustration comes next, sometimes with words, sometimes without.

One of my two favorite visuals is the girl in the red polka-dotted dress, wearing tiny red shoes, hair flowing behind her, as she travels on her fox surrounded by fairies through the forest.  The other is of the girl wearing a crown of stars, kneeling on the point of a moon sliver among the clouds, painting a star as friendly helpers bring her paint, brushes and a ladder.


I know you will want to add this stunningly illustrated, charmingly worded title to your bedtime collection.  Written and illustrated by Emily Winfield Martin, Dream Animals:  A Bedtime Journey is a perfect example of bookmaking at its finest.  The dust jacket, book case, endpapers, illustrations throughout and text work together in harmony singing a lullaby readers will want to hear over and over.

Please take the time to visit Emily Winfield Martin's website and blog linked in her names above.  Here is a link to the publisher's website where you can see more illustrations from the book.  Enjoy the author video below.  I'm thinking it might to fun to have your children or students imagine what kind of dream animal they might have and where it might take them.  Wishing you all the sweetest of dreams.

From Blank To Beautiful

Just a bit more than a month ago Richard Byrne, educator, speaker and blogger at Free Technology for Teachers tweeted and posted on his blog about a new graphics design tool.  Canva is in invitation beta.  You can request a username at the home page.

Within a day my request was fulfilled with a message arriving in my email.  You are asked to click an Activate button to begin the registration process.  You can sign up with your email address or your Facebook account.

You are next cheerfully prompted by a Welcome screen to begin using the service.  With a single mouse click a new window opens.  At this screen you are invited to learn the basics of Canva.

To begin participate in the offered 5 Starter Challenges.  Page by page you learn how to change colors of an element, search for an image and add it to a picture, add a background, search for a favorite food to add to a page, change a layout and upload an image from your computer.  It's as easy as dragging and dropping from the tool bar on the left-hand side of the page.  Follow the screenshots below.

When the challenge is completed you are congratulated and ready to start creating your own design.

The next window is the dashboard which will appear each time you log in to Canva.  For this first time an explanatory overlay is visible.  It shows three options, create, edit and learn.

Designs offered are:

• Christmas Card
• Document (A4)
• Presentation
• Blog graphic
• Facebook cover
• Social media
• Card
• Photo Collage
• Poster
• Invitation and 
• Business card.

Above and to the right of the designs you have the choice to use custom dimensions. At the top of the page you can access their blog for up-to-date news and suggestions, get support by viewing videos, reading articles, conducting a keyword search or submitting a request, and edit your settings or log out.  You can also view any invoices you might have if you choose to use extras offered.  Keep in mind though, this is a free service.  Beneath the design choices you can view your creations, access two tutorials and invite friends (five invitations are given to you).

I decided to begin with creating a greeting card for those students, colleagues and parents who are readers of my blog.  I clicked on the icon for Christmas Card.  When the new window opens the layouts appear first.

There are more than 100 layouts from which to choose.  The first layouts are themed for the holiday template.  When you click on a layout, it becomes outlined in blue and appears on the right.

Then I uploaded images from my computer by clicking on that option on the left.  I was able to drag the images into the template. If you notice the dotted outline, the circles in the corners and circle in the center at the bottom, this element can be resized and rotated.

At the top of the element the icons represent the choice to bring forward, copy, delete, crop and transparent.  To the side of the element the number represents the page and again, you can copy the page.  Beneath this page you can also add another page.

Above this you can name your design, share it on Twitter, Facebook, preview it, undo it, send it or go home.  I previewed my creation before sending it.  It's really neat how the card is presented to viewers.  When you click on send you select Facebook contacts, Gmail contacts or enter in email addresses.

If you choose Download your card as an image or PDF, you are given a URL link, or your design is converted into a png or pdf file automatically, depending on what you choose.  Here is the link to my design so you can see how a card is delivered. (I emailed it to myself so you could view it like this.) The image alone is shown below.

As I clicked through each of the design choices the layout templates continued to change.  The amount of choices is mind-boggling; so many opportunities for making beautiful graphics.  I decided to make a couple of one page presentations to give you an idea of the templates.

If you decide to search for images from their gallery rather than loading your own, they are grouped in categories of:

• Christmas
• Lines
• Banners
• Grids
• Text Holders
• Speech Bubbles
• Shapes
• Frames
• Icons
• Arrows
• Infographics
• Technology
• Dress Ups
• Web Wireframes
• Food
• Animals
• Hand Drawn and
• Travel.

If you wanted to create a presentation for your Mock Caldecott unit, you could use a compare template like this.  Notice that each text box can be moved backward or forward, copied, deleted, have the box color changed or made more transparent.  The font style can be altered, the size changed as well as the color.  It can be made bold or placed in italics, listed or moved to the left, center or right.

For my second single page presentation I decided to focus on memorable moments from 2013.  This was the year I premiered two book trailers, Warning: Do Not Open This Book by Adam Lehrhaupt with illustrations by Matthew Forsythe and Tea Party Rules by Ame Dyckman with illustrations by K. G. Campbell, during the school year we Skyped with Ame Dyckman discussing Boy + Bot, Tom Angleberger and his Origami Yoda books and Lynda Mullaly Hunt spoke with us about One for the Murphys after our entire fifth grade read the book.

At my home in July and August a small book group met.  One of our titles was Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff.  We had an amazing Skype visit with Liesl Shurtliff.  To our great joy we had two successful Mock Caldecott units with the students in Katherine Sokolowski's classes for 2013 and 2014.  One of the most exciting few days though, were spent in Chicago at the American Library Association Annual Conference & Exhibition.  

I have to say last week when my invitation activation arrived for Canva; it was all I could do not to spend the whole weekend trying out all the options.  This is a graphic design web application I can comfortably give high recommendations. I think you and your students will really enjoy using it.