A Bookfall Of Autumn Goodness

The air is crisp like biting into the freshly harvested apples found in baskets at the farmer's markets.  The skies are crystal clear with a blue so beautiful your breath catches.  The trees are putting on their garbs of rich yellows, oranges and reds.

Autumn is an announcement of winter's arrival but it's also a promise of the beauty which comes in spring and summer.  The annual and perennial flowers have never looked lovelier, recovering from the heat of July and August.  Wonderfall (Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, September 6, 2016) written and illustrated by Michael Hall is an ode to this marvelous season.

Peacefall
A gentle
breeze is
jiggling
me.
I hear
my acorns
drop.
Plink,
plunk,
plop.

In a collection of fourteen poems an oak tree showcases what the season of autumn brings to all the local residents.  Using single words as the title for each poem and exchanging fall for the "ful" at the end of each, we are privy to the tree's observations.  Even from a stationary stance much can be learned and understood.

It is so quiet, as in the first poem, the sound of the acorns falling can be heard.  It's nature's way of saying enjoy the calm but life is still working, hopeful of continuing to another fall.  The sound and appearance of school buses Monday through Friday are a reminder of students' and staff's commitments.  Autumn is at time of celebrations; festivals and parades.

Frightfall is the night when costumed creatures roam the streets collecting treats.  Less than a month later gratitude is expressed and enjoyed inside and outside homes.  Sometimes humans leave food readily discovered by animal bandits.  This is utterly delightfall.

Rampant winds pull leaves from the tree scattering them for workers to collect.  Bare branches extend upward as if to call a greeting to residents leaving for warmer climates.  Ending as we begin in silence, a single word heralds a new season.


An exceeding clever concept by Michael Hall brings our attention to the varied facets of a season within the context of human and animal life.  Free verse, onomatopoeia, alliteration and rhyming fashion a world and time in motion.  With each page turn anticipation is built, as readers wonder how the focus will shift.  Here is another poem.

Forcefall
Whoosh,
whoosh, 
whoa!

What
wild,
whirling 
wind!

The two squirrels seen among the leaves on the front of the dust jacket are featured throughout the book. You can't help but look for them in each image.  The tree branch and leaves extend over the spine toward the left, the back of the jacket, along with a teaser paragrah, an open invitation to read.  A stack of large acorns are spread along the bottom of the book case with one, on the right, falling to join the others.  The background is a textured collage like the bark seen on the jacket.  The opening endpaper is the bold green of a summer leaf.  The rusty shade seen on the tree leaves and acorns appears on the closing endpaper.

Rendered digitally by incorporating textures created with acrylic paint and soft pastels all the illustrations are spread across two pages on a pristine white canvas except for several evening and cloudy scenes.  The backgrounds serve to highlight the bright colors, a signature piece of Michael Hall's work.  It's interesting to note aspects from one image will appear in another visual further into the book.  The bear on the child's backpack becomes the school mascot for the parade.  A farmer on a tractor in the background comes to the front in a following picture.  Careful readers will notice how leaves are used progressively to build a nest for the squirrels in the tree.

One of my favorite illustrations is for the poem, Forcefall.  The tree standing on the right is nearly bare of leaves.  Several are being blown to the ground, falling on an ever-growing pile.  The squirrels' tails are extended by the stiff breeze.  A fox has stopped in front of the tree to look straight at the reader.

Wonderfall written and illustrated by Michael Hall is ingenious.  I can't think of a seasonal collection being complete without a copy of this book.  It will spark discussions and promote creative writing.  At the close of the book Hall includes several pages about how nine different animals shown in the images prepare for winter.  He explains hibernates and migrates.  Two more pages about gray squirrels and acorns follow.  On the last page the tree speaks again talking about dormancy.  I highly recommend this title.

To discover more about Michael Hall and his other work please visit his website by following the link attached to his name.  At the publisher's website you can view the first eight pages.  The publisher also has an Instagram post about Hall's other titles.  Enjoy the book trailer.

Wonderfall by Michael Hall (Greenwillow Books) from Winding Oak on Vimeo.

Pets, More Pets And Still More Pets

We many not know it but they choose us.  They appear when we seem to need them the most which can translate into total surprise for us.  In time we start to manifest their physical characteristics and emotional moods.  Of this we are probably the last to know.

Observations of humans and their animal companions will lead most people to the conclusion there is the perfect pet, the perfect pal for everyone.  On April 5, 2016 The Grumpy Pets (Abrams Books for Young Readers) written and illustrated by Kristine A. Lombardi growled into the world.  Now I don't know about you but as soon as I saw the title, I knew I had to read this book.

Mom took Billy and Sara to 
Perfect Pets one Saturday.

Billy is a cantankerous character whose mom hopes this trip to a shop filled with rescue animals will perk up his personality.  With so much love floating around the room, certainly Billy will crack a smile.  Every child who walks in connects with a critter, even his sister Sara.

The more cheerful the animals, the bigger the scowl grows on Billy's face.  This is too much happiness for him. He starts to meander through the shop and discovers a back area with more crates.  These residences are filled with the least friendly canines you have ever seen.  Their body language, their fur, their looks and voices shout out orneriness with a capital o.  Good grief!  There are even a couple of cranky cats in the bunch.

These animals are exactly like Billy; in fact one particular dog catches his eye.  A starring contest develops and expands with crabby exchanges until they astonish one another.  Those two lives are never going to be the same.


Simple sentences by Kristine A. Lombardi provide excellent pacing.  Each one creates and expands on the peevish personality of Billy leading us to the surprise.  We realize Billy is not swayed by cuteness; rather it makes him feel worse.  Here is a sample passage.

He began to look around,
but every single pet was just so happy.
Blech, Billy thought to himself.


The row of grouchy, cranky faces on Billy and the assorted dogs and cats on the front of the dust jacket are intriguing.  Are these individuals always grumpy? Did something happen to them?  When you open the jacket and look to the left you get an entirely different perspective from three other dogs in front of the buildings.

 On the book case amid teal brush strokes are oval frames on the front and back.  A very bad-tempered Billy looking like a volcano about to erupt is on the front.  On the back is an interior image of three blissful looking dogs labeled appropriately.  A pattern of grumpy pets drawn in several shades of turquoise are displayed on the opening and closing endpapers.  A trio of crabby pets begins on the title page and stretches with more grumps across the verso and dedication pages which follow.

Many of the illustrations span two pages.  On the single page pictures Lombardi uses circles and ovals to frame the individual images.  The layering, shading and details ask readers to pause and let the atmosphere surround them.

One of my favorite illustrations is a close-up of Billy on the left and of the petulant pup on the right.  Their staring contest is in full swing.  In this particular picture you can readily see the use of texture in Lombardi's work in the outlines, clothing and fur.  The arch of both individuals' eyebrows and the set of their mouths are grumpy in its purest form.

To learn more about Kristine A. Lombardi and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website. Be sure to read her blog linked there to enjoy her other artwork and process examples.  Here is an interview with Kristine A. Lombardi after the publication of her first book at Monica Wellington's news.  Enjoy the book trailer.






Sometimes our pet pals don't make any sense at all to others.  They fail to see the connection.  They fail to see the attraction. They are dumbfounded.

It would stand to reason a boy living on a farm would develop a fondness for one of the animal inhabitants.  Gus has an attachment to a lot more than one.  My Favorite Pets by Gus W. For Ms. Smolinski's Class with words by Jeanne Birdsall and pictures by Harry Bliss is a laugh a minute look at a boy's obsession and report writing.

My favorite pet is sheep.  We have
seventeen in our yard.  Seventeen
sheep are still sheep, not sheeps.

Gus acquaints us with boy sheep, girl sheep and baby sheep.  We now know the horns on a male do not come off, a female sheep will not respond to a call of "What are ewe doing?" and if you swap your little brother for a lamb, your mom will definitely notice.  Clothing on sheep is also not a good idea.

If you should happen to use a sheep as an umbrella in a blinding rainstorm, your dad will also definitely notice.  Do not use scissors on a sheep's behind.  Do not use sheep to give your little brother a "horsey" ride.  Sheep are not good playmates for boys. They simply can't move from point "A" to point "B" as boys or even adults travel.

Bringing sheep into your home is NEVER a good idea. Their presence gives new meaning to the word mess.  Your parents will both definitely notice simultaneously.  You and the sheep will quickly be dispatched to other areas.  Of course a boy and his sheep can't be parted.


The first person point of view in this narrative formed by Jeanne Birdsall to replicate a school report is hilarious.  Gus seems to be stating the obvious but it is really leading to specific comedic moments.  The humor is increased with occasional questions and outbursts by Gus's mom and dad in contrast to the representations made by Gus. Here is a sample passage.

A baby sheep is a lamb.  If you
trade your little brother for a lamb,
your mother will say,
Why is Sammy 
covered in
hay?


At first glance the matching dust jacket and book case with the notebook paper above and below the characters, hint at the form of the narrative.  Two things are certain though, the boy loves those sheep and those sheep love to nibble and chew.  To the left, on the back, the words

One boy.
Seventeen sheep.
What could go wrong?

are placed over a sheep climbing out of the chimney on the house's roof.

On the opening and closing endpapers Harry Bliss gives us a view as if we are seated at Gus's desk looking out the window in his yard filled with sheep.  Readers get a glimpse of what is important to him, comics, Gus's Sheep Diary and a note to finish his report.  Rendered in black India ink and watercolor the heavier matte-finished paper enhances the double and single page images throughout the title.

Bliss's interpretation of the text raises the laughter factor providing an extension of the story.  For the observation regarding sheep's wool, cutting some off and Gus's mother's reaction, Bliss supplies a visual of Gus seated on the lawn, scissors, glue and a book titled Beards of History next to him.  He has glued the sheep's wool to his face and is holding a mirror to observe his handiwork.  Bliss embeds humor in every image.  He conveys much emotion which the shape of his lines and the position of a single dot.

One of my favorite illustrations of many is when the sheep are in the kitchen.  It is a scene of utter chaos. One of the sheep is on the kitchen sink grabbing the nozzle in its mouth and squirting water. Another is wide-eyed and slipping on the wet floor.  One is about to nibble the table runner. And a fourth has its head stuck between the chair slats.

To discover more about Jeanne Birdsall and Harry Bliss and their other work please follow the links attached to their names to access their individual websites.  At this publisher's website you can get a sneak peek at a few of the interior images.




What is colorful?  What is noisy?  What is totally alive with action?  These are words used to describe a gathering of creatures and their humans.  It's a day set aside to showcase attributes. It's a day to showcase those who have our affection.

The duo who brought readers Some Insects (Beach Lane Books, March 4, 2014) have returned with another delightful take on the animal world.  Some Pets (Beach Lane Books, August 23, 2016) words by Angela DiTerlizzi and pets by Brendan Wenzel present all those things which make pets the beloved individuals they are.  Let's join the conversation!

Some pets
SIT.
Some pets
STAY.
Some pets
FETCH.
Some pets
PLAY!

Dogs and cats are getting ready to be put on display.  They are still acting in their normal canine and feline way.  An obstacle course is the spot for a wriggling reptile and a leaping rabbit.  They do what they do out of habit.

Wheels spin and the noise begins.  Critters raise their voices in a clamorous chorus.  In the midst of all this fantastic fun, the hunger bug bites each and every one.

As the day draws to a close, pets let their humans know how much they care.  When all is said and all is done, love is in the air.  Friendship first and friendships that last.


Whether these words are read in silence or spoken aloud you can't help but feel the rhythm of the verses penned by Angela DiTerlizzi.  They have a playful pizzazz courtesy of rhymes and alliteration which mirror the essence of each animal.  There is nonstop action at every page turn leading readers to the final magical moment.


When you open the matching dust jacket and book case the gathering of eager animals crosses the spine to the left and the back. A string of pennants with paw prints hangs announcing the gala. Brendan Wenzel's use of color joyfully lifts the spirit of DiTerlizzi's words.  His pets are ready for the story to begin.  On the opening and closing endpapers one of the orange hues is used.

The illustrations for this book were rendered in almost everything imaginable. From the initial title page to the closing image at the back of the book containing the author and illustrator note and publication information, these images are lively depicting the best in the human and animal connection.  On the formal title page we see a bird's eye, panoramic view of the Pet Show venue.  The happiness pops off the page.

Thirteen more double-page images with details which will have you grinning from ear to ear give readers the inside scoop on the day's activities. We see a dog enduring a tooth brushing, toothpaste foaming from his mouth, cats leaping from their pedestals reaching for a toy mouse, pigs running a race, dogs in costumes and a girl snuggling with her hedgehog.  The facial expressions on the pets and their people are simply precious.  Wenzel creates wondrous wide-eyed looks.

One of my favorite illustrations is the group of dogs at the Costume Party. Bowls of kibble are filled and placed around the ground. A pug in a lobster suit is gobbling up his food. There is a Golden retriever wearing a stethoscope. Another pup is ready to buzz like a bee pausing over his meal served in a black and yellow striped dish.  The Great Dane dressed like a dragon is fabulous.  Oh, and there is a wild squirrel sneaking a snack.

After the narrative two pages are devoted to all the pets present in the book giving readers their common name and the name given to them by their people. To learn more about Angela DiTerlizzi and Brendan Wenzel and their other work please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  At the publisher's website you can view some interior images.  There is also a link to four printable activity sheets. Angela DiTerlizzi is interviewed at Watch. Connect. Read., the blog maintained by Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher.  Brendan Wenzel is a guest at All The Wonders, Episode 285 hosted by teacher librarian Matthew Winner. 


These three titles, The Grumpy Pets written and illustrated by Kristine A. Lombardi, My Favorite Pets by Gus W. For Ms. Smolinski's Class words by Jeanne Birdsall and pictures by Harry Bliss and Some Pets words by Angela DiTerlizzi and pets by Brendan Wenzel are guaranteed to make for a spirited storytime. Listeners will be begging you to read them again and again.  And you will do it because these books have that special quality we recognize in marvelous storytelling.

An Invitation---An Acceptance

Vigilant observers of our natural world will be rewarded, not always instantly or even after years but many times when they least expect it.  Sometimes Mother Nature will leave you clues; a color not previously present, a movement caught out of the corner of your eye, an unusual sound or a strange smell.

If you are fortunate when driving down a two-lane highway in northern Michigan, you will see a flash of black and white by the side of the road.  When it lifts into the air you believe it to be the largest Pileated woodpecker you have ever seen, but...when you peek into the woods as you pass by it's not a woodpecker.  It is the closest you have ever been to an adult bald eagle!

You gasp at seeing what is surely an extraordinary gift.  Pond (A Paula Wiseman Book, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, September 13, 2016) written and illustrated by Jim LaMarche is about a boy finding a hint of what was and what could be.  It's about having determination and dedication to preserve, protect and resurrect.

"This is so weird," I said to myself as I watched the clear water bubble up from the ground.
We had always called it "the Pit."

Following the stream created by the water source, Matt gives an old spot another look.  With the assistance of his sister, Katie and his best friend Pablo, the trio clears all the junk and rubbish from "the Pit."  They build a dam with rocks and logs from the surrounding wooded area.  During their work Pablo makes an exciting discovery; a glass-like blue rock chipped in the shape of a heart.

Spring passes into summer with the site gradually filling with water; a pond is forming.  An old wooden boat is patched, rough portions are sanded and nails are pounded back into place.  Idyllic days are spent on the pond in the refurbished vessel.

Before the trio realizes it, the day before school arrives.  Matt's and Katie's dad takes them for a sleepover at the pond.  In autumn, for the first time the children can remember, geese pause to rest instead of flying overhead without stopping.  Winter days are spent skating on the ice as soon as it freezes.

With the last of the snows melted and spring in full bloom, Matt, Katie and Pablo race to the top of the hill overlooking the pond.  From this perspective they can hardly believe what they see.  They finally reach a decision together.  They are rewarded with a quiet, remarkable happening which none of them will ever forget.


A deep affection and appreciation for the out-of-doors is evident in the work of Jim LaMarche.  His narrative embodies a timeless quality.  What the children accomplish could be done today or decades ago.  LaMarche makes a reference to this in some quiet remarks by Matt's father.

His combination of first person point of view and dialogue bring a genuine quality to the story.  As the three children work and play together LaMarche allows us to see their separate personalities emerge; the thinker, the researcher and the musician.  It's important the parents of all the children are included with the occasional assistance they provide.  Here is a passage from this book.

"The Dragonfly floats!" Pablo proclaimed as we pulled the boat into the pond.  The water was cool and crystal clear and shallow enough to walk around the entire pond.  We all took our turn pulling the boat.
"Those are barn swallows," said Katie.  "They eat mosquitoes."
"Well, then, I love barn swallows," said Pablo.  


The image you see on the front of the matching dust jacket and book case continues over the spine to the far left edge.  It is a stunning display of animals frequently seen in woods, fields and around a pond; cottontail rabbits, Canadian geese, a Red-Winged Blackbird, egrets, a fawn, a mallard, a mourning dove, and two smaller birds on the left.  The boy standing there is a testament to the mutual regard grown between them.  The raised varnished letters of the title are a complement to the other hues.

On the opening endpapers LaMarche gives readers a bird's eye view of the pond in the late spring before Matt makes his discovery.  At the edge of the wood is a row of houses and a city is in the near distance.  It is a stark scene.  On the closing endpapers it is late spring one or more years later. The boat is pulled up at the edge of the pond.  A painter stands at an easel capturing the beauty before him.

Rendered in acrylics, colored pencils and opaque inks on Arches watercolor paper these illustrations all span both pages left to right in a delicate, soft depiction of the discovery, the work, the enjoyment and the reward of the children.  LaMarche begins on the publication page with Matt walking through a gate in his fenced in back yard.  The title page shows him going into the woods and seeing the old boat.

In keeping with the text the visuals may give us a larger view as when the children are carrying logs and stones or bring us close for when they look at the blue, heart-shaped rock.  LaMarche's light and shading create breathtaking scenes replete with his intricate details.  They create wonderful sensory experiences for readers.

One of my favorite of many illustrations is the lovely wordless picture of a summer day at the pond.  Katie is in the boat, a patched umbrella standing in the center for shade.  As she gently paddles at one end we can see sandals in the bottom and three glasses on a seat next to a jug.  Another paddle lies in the boat. Two books are open on the back seat with the blue, heart-shaped stone.  A duck has climbed on the back edge.  A bird is perched on the top and two are on sides of the umbrella.  An egret and heron wade in the pond as a kingfisher flies away carrying a fish.  A rabbit watches from the bank as Matt rests on a floating raft and Pablo scoops water into a pail.  The slow movements on the surface and reflections of light are wonderful.


Pond written and illustrated by Jim LaMarche brings to readers the wonders our world offers to us if we have the eyes to see and the mind, heart and strength to do what needs to be done.  This book offers readers an opportunity.  I highly recommend its use in units on the seasons, teamwork and appreciation and preservation of our natural world.

In addition to the front jacket and case illustration you can view six other interior images at the publisher's website.  You will gain insight into this author illustrator by reading this discussion and interview when his book, Up, was released.  Here is a biography found at another publisher's site which is informative.  I think you will enjoy this video where LaMarche discusses how he creates his illustrations; in this case for The Carpenter's Gift. 

Living In The Deep Dark

There are spots on our planet, even today, where humans have never ventured.  In those places inhabitants reside whose secrets have yet to be revealed.  We have knowledge of the existence of some but it is limited.

According to NOAA's National Ocean Service ocean covers more than seventy percent of our planet's surface.  This is ninety-seven percent of the water on Earth!  A curious creature lurks in these deep and dark waters.  Giant Squid (A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook Press, September 27, 2016) written by Candace Fleming with illustrations by Eric Rohmann is a lyrical, haunting look at this mysterious monster.

Down,
down
in the depths
of the sunless sea,
deep,
deep
in the cold,
cold dark,
creatures,
strange
and fearsome
lurk.

These beings are huge; picture in your mind's eye the size of a bus and the weight of a ton.  They are rarely seen.  We wonder about how they hunt, eat and produce their young.  Scientists learn, little by little, by gathering clues left and discovered from all around the world.

Giant squid have two long tentacles.  Not long like a yard stick but long like ten yard sticks.  The description of these two tentacles will leave you shivering.  How would you like to be grabbed by a limb covered with suction cups?  These suckers contain saw-like teeth.

 If that visual does not have you quaking eight other arms help to shove you toward a hungry opening.  This is not like a fish's lips but like a parrot's beak, a very big parrot's beak.  This terrifying beak leads to a mouth and tongue designed to make the meal into mush.

Being in the same proximity as something with eyes as big as soccer balls might tend to make something freeze in fear.  These enormous eyes on a giant squid have a purpose; a purpose to notice the dimmest light in the dark. Believe it or not this is a warning for this being to flee from one of its few predators, a sperm whale.

We have little understanding of why a giant squid changes color or where they lay their eggs.  Small giant squids come from those hatched eggs.  They, like the parent, do have protection from those who wish to consume them by squirting out ink.  This ink creates a cover allowing them to escape.  One minute they are there and then in the next they have vanished.


Four pages of poetic lines lure us down into the ocean darkness, curious to learn, prior to the title page.  Candace Fleming weaves facts into her words writhing arms, lidless eyes and weighing a ton. She leaves us clues much like those left by the giant squid on the surface of the ocean or washed on sandy beaches.  This is a marvelous technique to create interest.

She continues with vivid descriptions of hunting and eating with the tentacles, arms, beak, mouth and tongue.  Her explanation for the function of the round, unblinking eye is unexpected but utterly fascinating.  She gives us as many answers as she can but leaves us with questions.  It's her writing, the manner in which she places her words, which excites and invites us to explore further as the best of nonfiction does for readers.  Here is another passage.

The beak.
Bone-hard and parrot-like,
it sits in the center of those eight,
slithering arms,
protruding from the creature's mouth,
rotating from side to side,
ripping apart prey.


The images, rendered with oil on paper by Eric Rohmann beginning with the matching dust jacket and book case, are realistic but otherworldly at the same time. The arms and tentacles in motion stretch over the spine to the left, the back of the jacket and case.  A dark, steely blue covers the opening and closing endpapers.

The choice to have five pages of text and illustrations prior to the title page is sheer brilliance. With each page turn the tentacles and arms reach a little bit higher from the bottom of the right side until the "wow" factor of the two-page picture on the title page.  The design of having the one tentacle reaching higher toward the circle of light and swimming fish is fabulous and frightening.

For most of the book we see only pertinent pieces of the giant squid. We are very close to the creature observing intricate details of the physical characteristics.  As the text conveys to us how the ink allows the giant squid to escape, the visuals go from complete murkiness, to the hint of a presence and then to a double gatefold which will leave readers gasping.  A final two-page illustration is a black and white drawing of the giant squid body with seven labeled parts; fins, mantle, funnel, eyes, beak, arms and tentacles.

One of my favorite illustrations is of the eye.  For most of the right side of the painting we see the eye and the portion of the body in which it is placed.  Arms stretch to the left, some allowing us to see the suckers, creating a background for the text.  It's amazing and a little creepy.


Your readers are going to gravitate toward this book like bees to hives.  Giant Squid written by Candace Fleming with illustrations by Eric Rohmann is a masterful piece of nonfiction. As soon as I finished it, I read it again. As intriguing as it is, it's one more reason I have great respect for the creatures which inhabit our planet, especially those in our oceans.  Candace Fleming includes absolutely mind-blowing facts in a lengthy note at the back along with a bibliography, acknowledgments, searching for giant squid online and other books about giant squid.

To learn more about the work of Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann and their bios, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  This link to the publisher's website allows you to see four interior images.  PictureBookBuilders celebrates this title with an interview of Candace Fleming.  Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann talk about this book on The Actually Podcast.  Here is an earlier but still interesting interview of Candace Fleming at Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries John Schumacher's blog, Watch. Connect. Read.  There are earlier video interviews of both Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann at Reading Rockets.  Here is a previous interview of Eric Rohmann at author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson's Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.  Dr. Edith Widder of ORCA was the fact-checker for this title.  I found her TED video very interesting.  Please watch before sharing with students. (There is a little language.)

National Geographic on-line's page on Giant Squid is terrific!https://t.co/HQ6DSVrVCG #GiantSquid pic.twitter.com/iGhR8MjRuc

— Candace Fleming (@candacemfleming) August 18, 2016

Please take a few moments to visit Kid Lit Frenzy hosted by educator Alyson Beecher to view the other selected titles for those participating in the 2016 Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge.

A Bullfrog Beginning

For task-oriented individuals nothing will dissuade them in their determination to reach a goal unless it is their demise.  Everything they think and do works toward the final outcome even when common sense and suggestions of others dictates a different direction.  They plan and re-plan adapting necessary steps.  The more personal the objective the harder they work.

When their goal is to gain the attention of a parent mostly absent from their life and when a deadline looms, their tenacity is fierce.  Gertie Leaps to Greatness (Farrar Straus Giroux, October 4, 2016) written by debut novelist Kate Beasley with illustrations by Jillian Tamaki is a roller-coaster trip whose ups and downs and twists and turns will have you holding on to your heart.  When it's over, you can't wait to do it again.

The bullfrog was only half dead, which was perfect.

Gertie Reece Foy has a mission and Gertie is known far and wide for never, ever giving up.  When she arrives at school tomorrow carrying the resuscitated frog in a box, she knows her summer story will top all others.  She knows she will be on her way to being

the greatest fifth grader in the whole school, world and universe!

What she and her best friends, nervous Junior Parks and smart-as-a-whip Jean Zeller, do not expect is the new girl, Mary Sue Spivey.  As soon as they meet, with Mary Sue claiming the seat already occupied by Gertie, the entire school year spread before Gertie looks a little less bright and a whole lot more challenging. She simply has to be the best; otherwise how can she go to Rachel Collins' home and declare her greatness.  Otherwise how can she stand tall, brimming with pride, before the mother who left her and Gertie's dad when Gertie was only a baby.

It seems as though Mary Sue is very well educated, even naming a capital faster than Jean who is the brightest girl in the school.  Well, Gertie decides to study every single textbook she has to accomplish her mission but Junior is not sure Jean is keen on this idea. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

By the time the leaves are off the trees, Gertie is no closer to her goal and Mary Sue is assuredly the most popular and best-at-everything girl in the classroom.  Maybe, as Junior suggests, Gertie can shine on Career Day.  Her daddy, Frank Foy, is tall, handsome and works on one of the oil rigs, home for two weeks and away for two weeks.  Even though he can't attend like the other parents, Gertie is sure she can make his occupation shine above all the others.  Mary Sue Spivey's mom is a lobbyist working for the removal of oil rigs.  Can it get any worse?  Yes, it can.

A math test, an invitation, and a stellar bit of acting by a clever, conniving individual lead to disaster for Gertie.  She becomes the object of fickleness and bullying.  An information gathering operation backfires, a protest goes wild and Gertie's life gets more and more complicated.  When junk food, fruits, vegetables and chocolates figure heavily in her next obstacle, Gertie jumps right in repeatedly, regardless of the consequences.  Her great-aunt Rae, a steady parental figure, Junior and young Audrey, who stays with Aunt Rae and Gertie each day until her parents finish working, are constant supporters of Gertie, allowing her to make a leap....like a bull frog.


"Oh my Lord!" is one of Gertie's favorite exclamations.  It will frequently come to mind as you step into this slice of a ten-year-old's life.  Kate Beasley's use of language in first person musings and conversations laden with characters' true qualities will pull you into Gertie's world on the first page and won't let go even after the final sentence is read.  The down-to-earth and sincere philosophies and logic of Aunt Rae, Audrey, Junior, Gertie's dad and Gertie will inspire and lift you up.

The other characters, Mary Sue Spivey, Jean Zeller, Rachel Collins, Ms. Simms, Gertie's teacher, Mrs. Spivey, the Spivey housekeeper, Junior's mother, Mrs. Stebbins, the art, music and drama teacher, the school bus driver and an assortment of classmates all play pertinent parts creating those ups and downs and twists and turns as only people created by Kate Beasley can.  We won't always know why they act or say as they do but we certainly feel their impact; as real and emotional as if it is happening to us.  Beasley's people walk right off the page into our presence.  Here are some sample passages.

She pointed her toothbrush at her reflection.  "This is your moment," she said and she wiped away her toothpaste beard.
In her bedroom, she put on shorts, her favorite blue T-shirt, and the twenty-five-percent-off sandals Aunt Rae had bought her.  Then she fastened a gold locket around her neck. Gertie dropped the locket down the front of her shirt and picked up the shoe box, enjoying the weight it had to it.  Nothing, she decided, was as comforting as the weight of a nice, healthy bullfrog.
When Gertie marched into the kitchen, Aunt Rae held out a package of Twinkies, and Gertie snatched it out of the air with her free hand.  She stepped through the screen door, then stopped and tilted her head, waiting.
"Give 'em hell, baby" called Aunt Rae.
Gertie tapped the Twinkies to her brow in a salute and let the door bang shut behind her.

"Gertie Reece, what are you doing in there?" Her father knocked on the door.
Gertie's head fell against her book.
"Aunt Rae wants to talk to you," he said.
Technically, Aunt Rae was Frank Foy's aunt, but Gertie always thought it sounded strange when her father said "Aunt Rae."  Old people weren't supposed to have aunts. Old people didn't need aunts.
"Why'd you let Audrey have that remote?" Aunt Rae called.  "I'm coming in."
"Aunt Rae!"  Gertie jumped up so that she was standing on her bed.  "You're invading my personal space!"
Aunt Rae flapped her hand in a shushing gesture.  "What are you up to?"  She toed some of the comic books out of the way.
"Albert Einstein didn't have these kinds of interruptions!" Gertie protested.

If Mary Sue Spivey thought you were stuck-up, you must have your nose so far in the air that you could smell angel farts.


Spot illustrations in the narrative drawn by Caldecott Honor winner Jillian Tamaki accentuate truly pivotal moments.  We are privy to her interpretations of the summer highlight speech and the reveal of the zombie bullfrog, Gertie studying by flashlight, Junior's Mohawk haircut, and the taunting real estate sign, to name a few.  Her perspectives frame the emotional moment.


Gertie's Leap to Greatness written by Kate Beasley with illustrations by Jillian Tamaki will consume you with this girl's zest for life and living it on her terms, amid the love and support of family and friends.  Her never-give-up attitude takes us from one believable and unbelievable episode to another.  We can't help but cheer long and loud for her each time we read this title.

To learn more about Kate Beasley please visit her website by following the link embedded in her name. Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher hosted Kate Beasley on his blog Watch. Connect. Read.  Epic educator and reading advocate Colby Sharp interviewed Kate Beasley on his blog, sharpread.  Kate Beasley and her journey as a debut author is the subject of Season 2 of The Yarn.  At the Nerdy Book Club Kate Beasley's editor Grace Elizabeth Kendall talks about this title.  In February of this year Publishers Weekly did an article about this debut book including interior illustrations.  Kate Beasley is interviewed at The Horn Book and Time for Kids.  At the publisher's website you can view interior pages and an excerpt.  There is a separate site designated for this specific book.  Kate Beasley is teacher librarian Matthew Winner's guest at All The Wonders, Episode 293.

Bloggers participating in the Gertie's Leap to Greatness blog tour were asked to call out the name of an individual who is great for themselves and others. There are many wonderful people I could name who go far above and beyond especially in the children's literature community. Like the parent who does not want to name a favorite I am going to name individuals, yes two, who came to mind immediately.

The first is my mother, a woman who dedicated her life to her mother, her husband, her two daughters and decades of students who came through the doors of her elementary school library.  Her library displays, storytelling and author all-day visits and epic evening events hosting such masters as Eric Carle, Tomie dePaola, Pat Hutchins and Jose Aruego were remarkable.  I honored her in a blog post here.

The second individual, for people closest to me, will be no surprise.  My dog Xena from the first day to her last day spent with me was lived with a joyful spirit.  She never, ever gave up.  Even hours before her heart took its final beat she got up from her bed, walked to the door waiting for me to carry her down the steps.  She nearly skipped across the snowy deck in bitter temperatures, taking a little leap to the up-hill lawn, walking steadily before she sat down and looked up at me.  For the life of me, it looked like she was smiling.

She was a frequent visitor to school storytimes in my library.  She recommended books and spoke to the students via videos.  Whenever we entered the building she would race down the hallway to the library.  As a puppy she only chewed on the corner of a single book once. I guess she knew they were much better suited for stories than snacks.  I honored her in a series of posts beginning here.

I like to think that my mom and my beloved dog are leaping together knowing the greatness they left behind.

If It's Not One Thing, It's Another

problem

• something that is difficult to deal with: something that is the source of trouble, worry, etc.
• a feeling of not liking or wanting to do something

(Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary)

Within any given twenty-four hour period most living (or probably every single living) thing will experience one or more problems of varying degrees.  Some difficulties are small blips on the road of life.  Others may leave you wondering where the road went.  There are complications you can solve alone or with help.  For some situations there is no answer.  You simply have to accept the dilemma as unsurmountable despite your attempts.  

In these circumstances where you have no control, it all comes down to attitude and perspective.  Yes, it's the old adage of looking at that glass as either half full or half empty.  If we journey to the last continent of silence (according to Admiral Richard Byrd), there will be one voice more distinct than others.  In Penguin Problems (Random House, September 27, 2016) written by Jory John with illustrations by Lane Smith, readers can't help but laugh out loud at this bird who most definitely does not have an attitude of gratitude.  

It's way too early.

My beak is cold.

A catalogue of complaints begins this tale of an Antarctica resident. Granted this continent does have the coldest recorded temperature on the entire planet, but certainly there will be a bright spot in this inhabitant's day.  Nope.  Not yet. The chatter of his companions bugs this penguin too.

As luck would have it Mother Nature has the audacity to have it snow the previous night.  Doesn't she know this is the driest place on Earth?  Hunger sends our flippered friend to the sea seeking fish.

A dive into the darkness reveals a whole new set of problems, escalating by the minute.  It seems the penguin is not the only one with a craving for breakfast.  Whew! Back on terra firma physical attributes duly noted simply don't live up to expectations.  No amount of flapping is going to see this guy soaring.  

A final frustration sends our protagonist into a total tizzy.  A wise walrus moves into the scenario and proceeds to point out, in an epic declaration, how the penguin needs to view the world.  This, as you might think, is observed with a heavy dose of annoyance.  Or is it?  As night descends a lone voice can be heard.

Pointed, perfect pacing is a result of Jory John's word choices, sentence structure and keen sense of humor.  By the third sentence, a question, readers recognize this penguin does have a problem and it's only morning!  As the narrative proceeds John increases the tension by moving from the environment to daily rituals and then to very specific physical traits.  In the sequence where the penguin is seeking his parents, readers will roll on the floor laughing if they have not already done so previously. 

With a simple greeting we are aware of the passage of time.  We easily follow the penguin toward the day's end with his continued observations.  And in a final brilliant technique Jory John brings us full circle.  Here is a single passage.

I'm not buoyant enough.

I sink like a dumb rock.

Can you spot our grumbling individual on the front of the matching dust jacket and book case?  He already stands out in the crowd without uttering a single word.  To the left, on the back, the title and Jory John's and Lane Smith's names are listed covering nearly all the space.  The use of color seen here is continued for most of the book with the exception of some of the landscape, the time of day and other inhabitants.  The differences are suitably subtle. 

The opening and closing endpapers are the blackest of black perhaps to indicate the penguin's mood. We get a further inkling of how the book will proceed on the title page. The s in problems has dropped down from the other letters, threatening to fall on the top of the penguin's head.  His eyes are looking up as opposed to straight at the reader like his pals' eyes  do.

The heavier, matte-finished paper enhances the texture seen in the artwork of Lane Smith in this title.  It appears as though the illustrations were created using a blend of traditional mediums and perhaps some digital.  Lane Smith is a master of conveying much with delicate differences.  Perspective plays heavily in his perception of the narrative; a tiny penguin with flippers covering his eyes beneath a large sun in the sky, the gaping mouths of predators in a row as the exhausted penguin climbs from the water, the close-up of the penguin frankly declaring his unfortunate appearance, or the four vertical panels when the penguin seeks his parents. 

One of my many favorite pages in the book is when Smith demonstrates the penguin's waddling.  The page is sectioned into fourths with a black line on a white background. In the first three frames penguin is rocking back and forth, left to right, eyes shifting.  In the final image in the bottom right-hand corner, flippers folded in front of his body, he looks straight at the reader proclaiming

See?

If you want hilarity no matter how many times you read a book, Penguin Problems written by Jory John with illustrations by Lane Smith is a marvelous selection.  This first collaboration by John and Smith is a triumph.  There is not a missed beat in this cadence of comedy.

To discover more about Jory John and Lane Smith and their work please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.  You can view a few interior images at the publisher's website.  Don't miss this funnier than funny interview of Lane Smith at educator and reader advocate Colby Sharp's blog sharpread.  One of my favorite images is included along with the passage noted above.

Of Monarchs, Magic And Maliciousness

Many of us have listened to or read fairy tales for most of our lives.  We hear the words "once upon a time" and open our hearts and minds to familiar settings unlike our own, characters who cause terrible troubles and others who overcome great obstacles, and magic making an appearance when we least expect it or thankfully when we long for it.  Most people regardless of their age will be familiar with the young woman who has lost one or both of her parents and is under the control of a wicked stepmother and her two daughters.  They feel a kinship with her every hardship and cheer with a sense of justice and relief at the outcome.

Most will not know the original Cinderella is believed to have come from China more than one thousand years ago.  Since that time stories with the same motif have come from countries around the world each with a specific set of elements; each a mirror of the culture and people. Variants have been told and written with their own particular twist but keeping the essence of the original narrative.  The Rat Prince (Margaret Ferguson Books, Farrar Straus Giroux, August 23, 2016) a debut novel written by Bridget Hodder puts a wondrous spin on the tale, taking seeds from the story and growing it into something entirely her own.

Prologue
When you hear the tale of Cinderella, do you ever wonder about the rats who were turned into coachmen by her fairy godmother?
No?
Then do take a moment to consider.

Prince Char begins speaking to us about his observations as a royal rodent at Lancastyr Manor where generations of rats have been bound to the human occupants.  Rose de Lancastyr is the beautiful daughter of the late Lady Jane and the current Lord Lancastyr.  Due to her father's declining mental health, a stepmother and her two daughters now occupy the residence with her.  Prince Char and his royal councillor and best friend, Swiss, initially believe her to be kind but a total lackwit.  An encounter in the kitchen with her stepmother Lady Wilhemina, completely changes this assessment.

Of the two stepsisters, Eustacia and Jessamyn, nine-year-old Jessamyn is the more compassionate.  Rose, Cinderella, is her best friend.  We and Jessamyn discover at the same time of the unusual relationship between Cinderella and two rats who she has named Blackie (Prince Char) and Frump-Bum (Swiss).  Cinderella discloses to her stepsister of the generosity of the rats in bringing her food when Lady Wilhemina refuses her dinner.  Blackie has surprisingly enough given her, during a night of great sadness, a large sapphire ring.  Etched in the face is the Lancastyr seal.  Blackie comes close enough to Cinderella for her to pet him.

On the morning of the great ball Prince Char and a group of trusted companions leave their Northern Rat Realm, venturing into the Southern Rat Realm, ruled by Princess Mozzarella, to enter Castle Wendyn, home of Prince Geoffrey.  They have to see if he will make a proper ruler and husband for Cinderella. Even the Rat Prince's mother, Lady Apricot, sees the wisdom in this move, although rats rarely involve themselves in the affairs of humans outside Lancastyr Manor.  In their way of thinking if Cinderella is queen, Lady Wilhemina will be removed.  With her absence goes the rat poison which has killed many.

 It seems Cinderella will be allowed to go to the ball until the truth strikes her like a blow. What will she wear? When she arrives in her room, a pitiful place in the attic, several surprises await her.  Of these I will only say one offers her an opportunity and the other offers her an explanation.

On the day of the ball the Lancastyr household is a frantic flurry of activity with Rose doing most of the work wondering how every desire will be satisfied.  On the day of the ball the Rat Prince and Swiss observe an absolute horror at Castle Wendyn.  On the evening of the ball an equally horrifying series of events happen at Lancastyr Manor triggering an ancient invitation.  It's a big chaotic swirl of characters and a single wish.

Two individuals need to accomplish their goals; saving what is loved most.  Words need to be said but cannot be uttered.  As the clock ticks toward midnight the action is twisting and turning in all directions.  Readers will wonder what awaits each and every character.  The characters scarcely breathe themselves as each minute reveals one shocking bit of news after another.  As the twelfth stroke echoes, the past collides with the present.  It is indeed memorable.


To have imagined and written this novel of Cinderella, author Bridget Hodder is clearly a scholar of fairy tales, reading them and enjoying them with true affection.  Page by page as her version unfolds readers can see items from other known stories of Cinderella making an appearance, not necessarily as we expect them to but in a much grander perspective.  She takes what we know enhancing it; enlarging the narrative with wholly, beautifully believable stories within a story.  An example of this is the two stepsisters.  To have chosen one of the sisters to be younger and kinder figures more than once at critical points in the plot.

Another storytelling technique employed by Hodder is to have this portrayal spoken not be an unseen narrator but in first person (rat) voices in alternating chapters.  We start and end with wise Prince Char, taking turns with a determined and resilient Cinderella.  Whether they are in the same setting or a different place in the kingdom of Angland, each chapter flows flawlessly into the next.  We easily bond with the thoughts of the young woman and the rat.  We are able to ascertain the personalities of each character, primary and secondary, (usually) by the conversations throughout the story.  There is not a wasted moment as we speed toward the conclusion in classic page-turner style.  Here are some selected passages.

It has a carving on it," my stepsister breathed in awe.
"The seal of Lancastyrs," I said.
Together, on the same impulse, Jessamyn and I raised our eyes to look over at the rats.
They were nearer now.
Blackie's dark gaze on me was so intent, I would almost swear he understood what I'd said.
"But where could the rat have gotten such a thing?" Jessamyn demanded. "Wait.  You're merely teasing me, aren't you?  Oh, Rose, how could you?"
"I'm not teasing!  Blackie gave me the ring.  And every time I feel discouraged or tired or hungry, I touch it, and somehow it gives me the strength to carry on."
"Don't let my mother see it," Jessamyn said, in her wise little voice.
She was right, of course.  I tucked it away again, out of sight.

I wanted to nudge Rose's arm and tell her not to fear---if her stepmother were ever to steal the ring, I would get it back.  Believe me when I say there is nowhere a rat cannot go, and there is certainly nowhere Lady Wilhemina could have hidden the ring where I wouldn't have found it.  We rats had cherished the shiny golden thing for more than a century, ever since Prince Gravy, a most canny rat-ruler, nicked it from the bedside table of a slipshod Lancastyr ancestor, Vern the Vapid.

Swiss was looking at me with reproach in his eyes.  "You have yet to explain why you gave our greatest treasure to a human."


The Rat Prince written by Bridget Hodder is a Cinderella variant which I gladly devoured in a single sitting the first time and savored passage by passage the second time.  The tale is told with such excellence you can readily regard it as the true version.  This book is most definitely one to be read by those who crave fairy tales.  It is so much deeper and broader; I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a great story.

To learn more about Bridget Hodder please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  To read an excerpt, the first chapter, please follow this link to the publisher's website.  Bridget Hodder has been interviewed at Literary Rambles.