The More The Merrier + A Guest Author Post

When you find yourself in a frightening situation, the presence of another being is certainly comforting.  The sound of their snoring or a satisfied sigh is more than a little soothing.  A reassuring hug anytime is beneficial but never more so than when we are anxious or alarmed or both.

To be alone when faced with scary circumstances heightens the fear factor.  May I Come In? (Sleeping Bear Press, February 15, 2018) written by Marsha Diane Arnold with illustrations by Jennie Poh follows a creature as he seeks sanctuary with other forest animals.  His bravery is to be commended but will it be rewarded?

Rain poured.
Raccoon shivered.
Thunder roared.
Raccoon quivered.

As the storm worsened Raccoon knew he would not be able to endure it alone any longer.  With only his trusty umbrella for protection, Raccoon left his home.  Sloshing through puddles in Thistle Hollow, Raccoon made his way first to Possum's abode.

When he asked if he could come inside with Possum, Possum said no.  His den was too small.  Quail had a similar reply to Raccoon's query.  Traveling even farther into the forest, Raccoon stood before Woodchuck's hole with hope in his heart.  Woodchuck's answer referred to Raccoon's less than stellar fortune. There was only enough space for one.

Discouraged by the results of his wet walk in the wild night, Raccoon stood wondering what to do.  Looking ahead through the rain, he saw a light.  It was Rabbit's house. As she stood in the doorway, ten bunnies

hopped and bopped to the raindrops.

Raccoon was sure there was no more room for him.  Rabbit had other ideas.  Raccoon was a welcome guest in her happy bungalow.  As the storm splashed, boomed and flashed the night delivered more surprises. When it comes to friends, there is no such thing as too crowded.


With her rhyming words Marsha Diane Arnold requests our presence in this narrative.  We easily connect to the predicament in which Raccoon finds himself.  As Raccoon makes his way from home to home, Marsha Diane Arnold uses repeating phrases to describe his progress.  The first three encounters have nearly identical questions and answers further enhancing a storytelling cadence.  This leads us gently into the warmth of Rabbit's welcoming reply and also provides space for the surprise.  Here is a passage.

Swish, plish.
Raccoon splashed on through Thistle Hollow,
all the way to Quail's brambles.

"Quail, old friend, may I come in?"
"What bad luck," Quail replied.
"My brambles are tight.  You're too wide." 


Spread across the back and front of the matching, opened dust jacket and book case and even the flaps is a forest scene on the stormy night.  To the left we can see two birds sheltered in a hole in a tree.  Rain drops slant from a darkened sky as Raccoon makes his way toward Rabbit's red door and the light glowing in the window.  His orange scarf and purple and pink polka-dotted umbrella add a bit of cheer to the gloomy night.

The opening and closing endpapers are a crisp, clean white.  Beneath the text on the title page is a closer picture of Rabbit's tree amid the rain, thunder and lightning.  For several of the illustrations Jennie Poh has loosely framed circular shapes on single pages.  She follows these with single-page pictures, edge to edge.  Sometimes elements in a visual extend past a border, a tree branch, a bit of weed, leaves, and portions of a character.

To further encourage reader participation in the story, Jennie Poh shifts perspective.  At times we feel as though we are side-by-side Raccoon as he struggles from place to place, braving the storm.  When he finally finds a friend willing to offer him a place in her home, we move in closer to the scene experiencing the joy and hospitality.

One of several of my favorite illustrations is of Rabbit.  Behind her are ten bouncing bunnies on a circular pale brown background.  They are a variety of browns, grays and white in color.  All of them, including Rabbit, are happy.  Rabbit is wearing a short red apron.  Even before we turn the page to read her answer, we know it will be yes.


For many nothing is scarier than a thunderstorm.  To have to survive one at night, alone, makes this fear worse.  May I Come In? written by Marsha Diane Arnold with illustrations by Jennie Poh is a heartwarming exploration of a friend in need.  The whimsical images enliven the journey.  For a story time I would pair this story with   TAP TAP BOOM BOOM (Candlewick Press, March 25, 2014) written by Elizabeth Bluemle with illustrations by G. Brian Karas and Blue on Blue (Beach Lane Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, December 2014) written by debut author Dianne White and illustrated by Caldecott Medal winner (The House in the Night, 2009) Beth Krommes.  This book May I Come In? is the perfect kind of hug needed during a storm.

To learn more about Marsha Diane Arnold and Jennie Poh and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their website and blog, respectively.  Marsha Diane Arnold is interviewed at writer and illustrator Jena Benton's site about this title.  At KidLit 411 Jennie Poh is interviewed about this book.  You can view many interior pages at the publisher's website.


I am thrilled to welcome Marsha Diane Arnold today for a guest post about this title.  I know this will bring greater insight to readers about the spark for this story.  These connections really help to make children's literature creators more real to readers.  Thank you, Marsha.

May I Come In? by Marsha Diane Arnold, illustrated by Jennie Poh

Thank you, Margie Myers-Culver, the lovely librarian who is ever-questing for wondrous books for readers. It’s an honor to be here.

In May I Come In? Raccoon is afraid to spend the night alone during a thunderstorm, so he grabs his umbrella to search for company. He’s turned away by Quail, Possum, and Woodchuck. All explain that there’s just no room. When Raccoon arrives at Rabbit’s home, full of hopping, bopping bunnies, he’s sure there’s no room there either, but Rabbit surprises him.

May I Come In? will be available in bookstores on February 15^th, but as I write this today, on February 1^st, I’ve had the fun of already sharing the book with two elementary school classes, one in Connecticut and one in Hyderabad, India. Both classes relished saying the rhyming words, “Swish. Plish.” along with me, as Raccoon splashed through rain puddles. They related to the fear that comes when we’re alone during scary times. I shared about Hurricane Irma here in Florida and how many, including my husband and myself, opened our homes. We invited in friends, strangers…and their dogs. (I know you’ll approve, Margie, being a dog-lover.)

Family, friends, and strangers piled into our house during Hurricane Irma. So many people told others to “Come right in!”

Students’ observations often surprise and delight me. One kindergarten girl noted that Raccoon wore a scarf on the May I Come In? cover, the same way Bear wore a scarf on the cover of Lost. Found. I’m embarrassed to say I hadn’t thought about this before! I explained that I’d written in my Lost. Found. art notes that Bear was wearing a red scarf, but in May I Come In? my illustrator, Jennie Poh, had decided to give Raccoon a scarf, this one bright orange.

Jennie’s art is so fitting for my story. One of my favorite spreads is Raccoon looking into the distance at a light, “glimmering and shimmering,” inviting him to journey on. This is also the cover of the book. Red seems the perfect color for the door beneath the light.  The color red is pleasing here and stands out, but a red front door also has a lot of meaning. The Chinese consider red to be a lucky color and it certainly was for Raccoon. The bright colors that Jennie uses are appealing – red door, orange scarf, purple umbrella. Even in the dark spreads, the colors help keep the story from being scary.

On the last page of the book, readers will find the copyright and dedications. My dedication reads, “Especially for my husband, Frederick Oak Arnold, who always makes room for friends.” I dedicated the book to him because he’s always opening the door to friends and strangers alike, sometimes too much for his introverted wife. He’s willing to come to the rescue of anyone who needs him. That might mean picking someone up at the airport (even if it’s three hours away), buying someone lunch, or calling a sick friend. He epitomizes the spirit of May I Come In? – friendship, inclusion, a helping hand. Finding someone he can help makes him happy.

My hope is that May I Come In? will help children understand that happiness truly does come from opening our hearts…and our doors…to others.

You are welcome to “come right in” to Marsha’s website to explore more about her books and school visits at www.marshadianearnold.com.

With Affection

You know it's true.  Twinkling eyes glance in your direction.  A shy smile slowly blossoms on a face.  A tender touch brushes your hand. Wise words lift your spirit.

These are signs of another heart holding you in affection.  You may encounter them every day from family or friends or when seemingly lost and alone, a stranger will send one of them to you.  I AM LOVED: a poetry collection (A Caitlyn Dlouhy Book, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, January 9, 2018) with poems written by Nikki Giovanni and illustrations by Ashley Bryan are selections declaring an eternal truth.

Because
I wrote a poem
for you because
you are
my little boy . . .

These eleven marvelous odes speak of love; a never ending love binding generations together.  This love supplies a safety net.  If there is a tumble, the beloved is caught. 

Encouragement is given to those living in this love.  Each day is to be honored with joy.  In the voice of a fashioned fabric days of service are remembered.  Those days are numbered but even in final moments soft soothing words can provide comfort.

We love in the present.  We mourn those loved from our past.  Songs and dances celebrate shared love.  Words speak of weaving a child into the beauty of lyrical phrases.

A prized pet with singular intelligence happily plans a future.  Another melody from a full heart sings of simple delights, free to those willing to see.  Everyone needs to know deep in their soul, they are loved.  They will always be loved.


One dating back nearly fifty years, these poems by Nikki Giovanni literally sing off the pages.  It's as if we are members of an audience at an extraordinary musical event.  We are fortunate in being able to attend it repeatedly; every time we open this book.  Her words portray a world in which children, the child in all of us, can be secure in the knowledge of being loved.  Here is a portion of one of the poems.

No Heaven
How can there be
No heaven

When rain falls 
gently on the grass
When sunshine scampers
across my toes

When corn bakes
into bread
When wheat melts
into cake . . .


Upon opening the matching dust jacket and book case the fluid lines and rainbow colors masterfully and lovingly painted by Ashley Bryan span from edge to edge, left to right.  On the back stars, a crescent moon and vibrant lines frame the closing lines of the first poem.  The picture on the front is an interior image for the poem Leaves.  One voice is telling another of their hope; a hope of love.

The opening and closing endpapers exude warmth.  The golden yellow, orange and red are patterned like striped fabric.  A page turn gives readers two pages framed in white with yellow backgrounds.  On the left is an opened book titled POEMS.  On the right are the words

I AM LOVED.

The formal verso and title pages have yellow backgrounds containing Ashley Bryan's remarkable birds.  Along the bottom of the title page are a row of vibrantly hued homes.

For each of the eleven poems there is a breathtaking illustration opposite the words with the exception of one of the poems.  For Quilts, a longer series of verses, two pages frame the words, depicting the use and age of the fabric on wide borders.  The human faces are a reflection of the emotions found in each poem.

One of my favorite of many pictures is for A Song of a Blackbird.  Deep blues, black, and purple are prominent.  Woven into these hues are yellow, orange, red and muted greens and a gray.  Against a night sky a large blackbird is perched on top of a building.  Behind the lower portion of its body is a rainbow holding notes. Text flows beneath these notes.  The title of the poem is placed on the street.  This image looks like a treasured tapestry, rich and rare.


Whether read silently or aloud I AM LOVED: a poetry collection with poems written by Nikki Giovanni and illustrations by Ashley Bryan is a title for all of us.  The blend of words and illustrations are guaranteed to fill readers with a very real sense of peace.  I highly recommend it for your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Nikki Giovanni and Ashley Bryan and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Nikki Giovanni and Ashley Bryan are interviewed at Mile High Reading by Dylan Teut, director of the Plum Creek Children's Literacy Festival.  Nikki Giovanni and Ashley Bryan also join Roger Sutton at The Horn Book for a chat.  I know you will enjoy viewing the interior images from this book at the publisher's website.

Rest Well, Furry And Feathered Friends

As soon as the plan is made and parents are consulted, the excitement builds.  Even if they are your next door neighbor, the thrill is still there.  Thoughts of shared chatter, laughter and activities fill you up with joy.  Is there anything more fun than getting to spend the night with your best buddy?

Two friends who never tire of encouraging one to be more like the other are returning for another delightful adventure.  They met in Hey Duck! (Random House, January 22, 2013) and returned in a companion title, Just a Duck? (Random House, January 27, 2015).  Sleepover Duck! (Random House, January 2, 2018) written and illustrated by Carin Bramsen is sure to have you smiling from beginning to end.

Hey, Cat!  My mom said it's all right
to sleep inside the barn tonight.

As the sun sets Cat and Duck are happily celebrating their slumber party night.  Duck, as usual, is ready to commemorate the event with a singular series of steps,

the slumber party dance!

A special game is next on the agenda.  Cat is immediately declared the winner.

Duck needs a little assistance in falling asleep properly.  Cat willingly provides hints.  Just before Duck descends into dreamland a new noise, a soft sound, shakes Duck awake.

It's something different for the duo to do.  They search among the other slumbering barn mothers and their children, a cow, a mare, a ewe and a sow.  Determined to locate the source, Duck climbs to the loft.

From this height answers and new surprises are provided.  The slumber party guest numbers grow.  Soon it's time to snuggle close.  Here's wishing the furry and feathered friends have sweet dreams.


A gentle rhythmic cadence beckons to readers through rhyming words at the end of sentences and phrases.  Carin Bramsen uses the conversations of Cat and Duck and the other animals resting in the barn to assist in making us a part of the slumber party.  The compelling exuberance of Duck and companionable support of Cat are the perfect ingredients for an evening to remember.  Here is a passage.

Well, lie down first.  Try breathing deep.
It's not so hard to fall asleep.

Then I'll lie here, if you don't mind.
Oh, thanks.  That's better.  You're too kind. . . .


When you look at the friends on the dust jacket, Cat curled on a bed of straw and Duck positioned for action, probably laughing, you can't resist opening the book case cover.  The evening sky of rich blues and purple extends across the spine for a full, double-page illustration.  Stars twinkle around a crescent moon on the back to the left.  Other mounds of straw frame a small wooden structure.  The surprise guest sits there silently.  (I am working with an F & G.)

The opening and closing endpapers, unique to these books, are pale yellow, downy like the feathers on a baby duck.  Duck, in the same position as on the front of the dust jacket, is poised on straw beneath the text on the title page.  He is close to us, looking right into our eyes.

Each picture, in full color, spans two pages, single pages or several on a single page framed in white.  There are a series of images without words, as in the previous two titles, which depict the distinct personality of the characters.  They create an irresistible connection between them and us.  Careful readers will see the source of the sound following Duck and Cat.  This is the best kind of humor.

One of my many favorite illustrations is on two pages.  Across the top is the red siding of the inside of the barn.  A portion of a bucket and rope are visible on the left.  A wooden floor spans to a bed of straw along the bottom.  Cat is stretched out to from the left to the edge of the page on the right.  One eye is open, the other is closed.  Duck is relaxing on Cat's head until the noise causes Duck to flip and land on Cat's back.  We can see the noise maker but Cat and Duck cannot.


For a bedtime or quiet time treat Sleepover Duck! written and illustrated by Carin Bramsen is absolutely charming.  Guys and gals will be happy these lovable characters have returned in a third title.  Pure magic is heightened in threes. You'll want copies on your professional and personal bookshelves. 

To learn more about Carin Bramsen and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  At the publisher's website you can view interior illustrations.  You'll be able to see those opening and closing endpapers which you'll long to touch, expecting them to be soft and fuzzy.

This Blue Planet

Every time you witness a sunrise or a sunset you are reminded of the wonders waiting to be seen on this Blue Planet.  The rustle of dried, crumpled oak leaves clinging to a branch, the crunch of snow beneath your boots on a bitter, cold afternoon, the notes of birdsong, the chattering of local squirrels, the gentle rippling of water as you wade across a stream and the smell of blooming lavender on a summer's evening as fireflies blink off and on are cherished memories of treasures offered by our Earth.  This place we humans and a host of creatures call home is remarkable.

No one can extol the virtues of our home more than Earth.  Earth!: My First 4.54 Billion Years (Henry Holt and Company, October 24, 2017) by Earth (with Stacy McAnulty) and illustrated by Earth (and David Litchfield) is a humorous, lighthearted and informative look at the third planet from the sun.  Let's join Earth now for fun and facts.

Hi!  My name is 
Earth.
Some people call me
Gaia,
the blue marble,
the world,
or the third planet from the sun.
You can call me
Planet Awesome.

Earth quickly acquaints us with a favorite activity, spinning.  Some spins take a day.  Other spins take a whole year.  Moon is Earth's best buddy.  They go everywhere together.  Earth has the time needed for Moon to spin around Earth down to the second.

When you're 4.54 billion years old, it's tough to remember babyhood but Earth says:

But I've been told I was a hot mess.

After that it rained and rained and rained.  It rained for thousands of years.  Earth was in for even more surprises, islands.  These islands connected and then divided into what we now call continents.  We have seven.

Earth shows us a timeline, a huge ruler, designating the arrival of air, plants, bugs, dinosaurs, mammals, birds, flowers and finally humans.  Another secret is shared.  Earth loved the time of the dinosaurs; all 175 million years.

Earth tells us about all the disasters like eruptions of volcanoes, ice ages and asteroids.  On the upside Earth has stayed the same under the surface.  There's still a crust, mantle, outer core and inner core.  Earth shares a final confidence.  Humans are captivating.  There's never a dull moment with humans.  We do tend to be careless with Earth sometimes but Earth believes in us.  Let's honor this respect!


As soon as Earth begins to chat with readers through the words written by Stacy McAnulty, it's as if we are gathered together enjoying a picnic in a grassy meadow under a spreading Sycamore tree.  Earth's pride is evident in the statements made about its position in the solar system and the galaxy, the daily and yearly spinning accomplishments and the beauty of flowers.  Humor is found in asides made about Pluto and comments about other animals' interest in Earth as opposed to human fascination with Earth.  Here is a passage.

Some used to say I have eight siblings,
but Pluto is more like the family pet. 


Rendered in pencils, ink, watercolor paints, and digital art tools the illustrations starting with the opened dust jacket shout out a big hello to readers.  Earth is slowly spinning among the stars, smiling and waiting to talk with us.  To the left, on the back, she is peeking up from the lower, left-hand corner.  She's reading:

Read this book about Earth,
written by Earth, while you float through
space on---you guessed it---Earth!

To readers enjoyment David Litchfield has given us a different book case.  The background is a blend of green and golden hues sprinkled with stars.  Earth, on the back and to the left, is again looking at the same words as on the dust jacket.  But on the front she is much larger spanning from edge to edge looking upward, grinning and her hands are near her mouth as if she just can't believe how fortunate she is.

The opening and closing endpapers are a blended blue, green and golden array replete with stars.  On the title page Earth looks as if she can hardly wait to share her secrets with us.  Earth is a constant character on every page turn but two.  Her size is in keeping with the narrative and other elements David Litchfield uses in his design.  She may be extending a hand to point out important features, joining her siblings (and the Sun), having fun with the Moon, or taking a journey through time in a photo album.

In his portrayal of Earth David Litchfield endears readers to their residence.  Her mannerisms, facial expressions and hands are spirited and inviting.  On the final three two-page pictures Earth extends from page edge to page edge.  Superimposed on her enlarged eyes, mouth and continents are smaller elements relative to the text.  These are wonderful, emotional portraits.

One of my many favorite images is of Earth as an infant.  On the photo album page which is tilted and extends across the gutter to the left, the caption at the top reads:

Explosive.  Gassy!  Very cranky.

Earth is shown as red hot, frowny-eyed and with crossed arms.  A pacifier is stuck in her mouth.  Under one of the corner tabs it reads:

BABY EARTH

On the far left present-day Earth is shown smiling and holding and looking at the album.


For any readers, even your youngest readers, Earth!:  My First 4.54 Billion Years written by Stacy McAnulty with illustrations by David Litchfield is a must for all your collections.  With comedy, captivating conversation and interesting information Earth tells us a lot about Earth.  At the close of the book Stacy McAnulty speaks to alien visitors about Earth.  She further includes items about the continents, Earth's location and life.  There is also a list of sources.

To discover more about Stacy McAnulty and David Litchfield and their other work, please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.  Stacy has activity pages associated with this title at her site.  You can see illustrations at David's site different from those found at the publisher's website.  Stacy McAnulty is a guest at author Tara Lazar's Writing for Kids (While Raising Them).  Stacy is interviewed at WeGrowMedia.  David maintains accounts on Tumblr and Instagram.  I hope you enjoy the videos.





Please be sure to visit Kid Lit Frenzy hosted by Alyson Beecher to enjoy the books selected this week by other participants in the 2018 Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge.

Here's To You!

Several years ago when I was spending one of her last days with my mom, a hospice caretaker told me no one lives to be ninety-four years old without true grit.  When she was still four years old my mom's father was killed in an accident.  There were several step-fathers.  Mom was only twenty-five years old when her beloved mom died.  After she started dating my father World War II took him away from home for more than a year.  During that time she and other women throughout the United States in a variety of capacities kept this country running.

When she was in her forties mom realized a dream and returned to college completing an associate degree in library science.  She was a rock when my dad suffered through ALS.  They were seventy-six years old, just short of being married for fifty years, when he passed away.  For the last eighteen years of her life she lived alone.  How fortunate for me, I got to experience and learn from her true grit for more than sixty years.

Lessons passed from mothers to daughters are generations strong, decades in the making.  Dear Girl, (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, December 26, 2017) written by the late Amy Krouse Rosenthal and her daughter Paris Rosenthal with illustrations by Holly Hatam cheers for, inspires and advises girls of all ages everywhere.

 Dear Girl,
Keep that arm raised!
You have smart things to say!

In the first of nineteen notes to readers, girls are reminded to not be afraid to speak out when they know the answer in a classroom (or a board room).  I wonder how many times girls have kept quiet rather than face being called a nerd or know-it-all.  Remember girls, you can be frilly and proper or coated from head to toe in mud, but you are still all girl.

You need to develop an appreciation for all those physical traits which make you uniquely you.  You will have days of unbearable sadness and days of incredible bliss.  Embrace them all.

Being curious about and grateful for your world brings greater understanding; never stop asking questions. Look around you using all your senses.  It's a good idea to write down what you thinking.  (Your older self will thank you.)

Being a friend with like-minded people helps you to create long-lasting memories but getting to know other people, different people, builds compassion. Regardless of what anyone says, go with your gut instincts. Always.

Not only do you need to recognize your physical characteristics but hone your individuality by the things you do.  Go forth with bravery.  Holding this book in your hands, girls (and all readers), is your key to confidence.  Someone who loves you, no matter where they are, will constantly support you.  Always.


The words of Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Paris Rosenthal will reach out and reverberate long after the final sentence is read.  Beginning each set of thoughts with Dear Girl, establishes a wonderful, intimate relationship between the authors and the readers.  Many of the sentences are structured concisely like pep talk phrases.  Others start with the word sometimes to depict the duration of the circumstances.  Here is a passage.

Dear Girl,
Sometimes you just need a good cry.
Sometimes you'll 
need a friend.
Sometimes you'll
need to be alone.
Sometimes you'll
need a tissue.
Sometimes you'll need a bucket.


No matter your age there is an indescribable feeling of complete joy when you are flying through the air on a swing.  This is the very thing sure to generate a smile to all who look at the front of the matching dust jacket and book case. The contrast of the green and splashes of shades of red on white only increases this feeling.  To the left, on the back, on a canvas of white, an interior image depicts the girl looking in a mirror and thanking the freckles spread across her face.

A muted red covers the opening and closing endpapers.  On the title page the girl is holding a book titled Dear Girl.  An array of scrolled stems covered in leaves and flowers is coming from the pages.  Birds are resting on those stems.  Another bird is flying toward the D in the title text.

Each page turn has the girl placed in many different and colorful situations courtesy of the charming and playful artwork of Holly Hatam.  They look to be a blend of drawings and realistic pictures careful designed and placed to enhance the text.  White space is used superbly.  The size of the images elevates the pacing; shifting from two pages to multiple images on a single page.

One of my many favorite illustrations spans two pages.  On the left is a bulletin board hanging over a desk.  The girl is cozily seated in a puffy chair reading.  A stack of books and a teddy bear are on the floor in front of her.  To the left her bed is between two lamps, one hanging from the ceiling.  A gauze curtain is draped from the ceiling over the bed.  On the wall hangs a poster of Amelia Earhart with one of her quotes. (Amelia Earhart was my mom's hero.)


You will want to have a copy of Dear Girl, written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Paris Rosenthal with illustrations by Holly Hatam on your professional and personal bookshelves.  Girls will welcome a copy next to their beds so they can read pages before drifting off to sleep and dreaming of their best selves.  And guys need to read this so support can be offered to their fellow travelers in this life we live on this beautiful planet.

To learn more about Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Holly Hatam and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Both Paris Rosenthal and Holly Hatam maintain Instagram accounts.  Here are two links to interviews and broadcasts on Today highlighting Paris Rosenthal carrying on the work of her mother, April 28, 2017 and January 9, 2018.  Please visit StoryCorps for more about Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Paris Rosenthal.  Holly Hatam is showcased at Writing and Illustrating.  I hope you enjoy the book trailer, extra video and excerpt shown below.

To Belong

There will be times during your life, hopefully not too often, when you feel completely out of place.  You are the proverbial square peg trying to fit in a round hole.  For whatever reason, those individuals around you, in this particular set of circumstances, are completely unlike you.

What can make this situation even more uncomfortable is when you want to be a part of the group but are excluded for your differences.  Neither (Little, Brown And Company, February 13, 2018) written and illustrated by Airlie Anderson is a tale of a newcomer.  As a novice the statements made by the current residents make no sense.

Once upon a time, there were two kinds:

this

and

that,

these

and

those,

one

or the other.

One day a green egg cracked and out popped a green being.  This individual, besides being mostly green among blue rabbits and golden, yellow-orange birds, was a combination of the two.  His body was like the birds' bodies except for rabbit ears and a white fluffy tail.  His legs were stripy too.  He did 

HONK!

He was told he couldn't be a blend of both.  He was told he was neither.  He was not enough of a rabbit to play with them.  He was not enough of a bird to play with them.  By shouting they bullied him into leaving.

He flew out of The Land of This and That until he was over a landscape of multiple colors made of many patterned shapes.  Talking with a purple kitten with butterfly wings and antennae he discovered he was in The Land of All.  There were blends of creatures of all colors!  

They wanted him to join with them in their play.  He couldn't believe it, asking them if they were sure.  To them their differences made everything better.  In a gentle, surprising twist those who dwell in The Land of All joyfully embraced two unexpected arrivals.


The first sentence with the triple comparisons sets the stage with excellence for the arrival of someone or something which does not conform.  Airlie Anderson has fashioned her narrative for the youngest of readers with a theme impacting all ages.  It's an introduction to and a reminder to strive toward being our best selves.  And it reinforces the value in being an individual.  Here is a passage.

Why don't you find Somewhere Else?
You're not one of us.
You're neither!
Neither!
Neither!
Neither!


The first time you share the front of the dust jacket with readers they will be smitten with the green creature happily running from the left to the right.  The hues of blues, greens and yellow invite the reader into the story.  To the left, on the back of the dust jacket, our green guy has arrived in another land with six friendly faces welcoming him.  (I am working with an F & G.)

On the opening endpapers a repeating pattern of squares and rectangles in blue and yellow cover the two pages.  An array of circles, swirls, intertwined hatches, loops, a heart and stars in greens, pink, yellow, and orange are spread across the closing endpapers.  On the verso and title pages Airlie Anderson zooms in on the blue and yellow pattern taking us into The Land of This and That.  Round trees in blue and yellow cone-shaped trees alternate and line the pathway. 

Rendered in gouache (opaque watercolor) on hot press watercolor paper Arlie Anderson continues with the theme of blue and yellow, adding more of this and that keeping the size of the landscape the same but increasing the volume of trees along the top edge.  For six pages this idea is reinforced until . . .

HONK!

Now the images don't extend page edge to page edge.  The pacing changes with two illustrations to a page or single-page pictures.  The corners are rounded.  As the green bird/rabbit takes flight readers are treated to a lush two-page spread with one landscape blending into the other.  Readers will take note that images extending edge to edge or those with rounded corners have significance even after the welcome to The Land of All.

The facial expressions and body postures of the rabbits, birds and mixtures of animals reflect the current mood in each situation.  Careful readers will notice tiny details and slight differences before they are presented in the story.  If they look closely they will see hearts tucked into the illustrations.  You can literally spend hours looking at the next to last two page picture.

One of my many favorite images spans two pages.  We are brought close to the characters in The Land of All.  From left to right six, including the green bird/rabbit, stand in a row as close as they can to each other. The reply to the green guy's observation is a single word, each letter a different color.  In the background are the hills, their varied colors and patterns suggestive of pure delight.  Behind a bush elements hinting at a plot shift are peeking at the others.


If you are looking for a title for all ages showing the strength of individuality and the acceptance of that individuality by others, Neither written and illustrated by Airlie Anderson is the perfect title.  Even in the sadness of the green bird/rabbit's rejection by this and that you know hope is carrying the narrative forward.  This book will be requested over and over again for one-on-one story times or as a group read aloud.  You will want to have a copy for your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Airlie Anderson and her other work, please visit her website and Tumblr account by following the links attached to her name.  You can also connect with Airlie on Twitter and on Instagram.  The visuals supplied at these sites are as uplifting as this title.  

Diving Toward The Right Choice

When you've lived in a state like Michigan filled with lakes and rivers your entire life, learning to swim is a necessity.  For some swimming on the water is much easier than it is for others.  Those who struggle with this might find swimming under water more enjoyable.  It's an entirely different experience.

Using a mask, snorkel and fins you can explore between the surface and the depths.  If you make the choice to forego the snorkel, it's as if you are actually one of the many inhabitants of this world.  Your lungs will consistently remind you to seek the surface and breathe.  The Boy And The Whale (Roaring Brook Press, November 21, 2017) written and illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein is about a child of the sea faced with a difficult decision.

Every day, I loved to watch the sun rise out of the sea.  

No matter how many sunrises you've seen, no two are rarely alike. A boy greeting the sea and sun one morning is greatly surprised at what he sees.  A large something is drifting on the surface of the water.  His father quickly decides it's a whale.

Nearing the giant animal in their boat, both the boy and his father are distressed but for different reasons.  The whale is tangled in a net.  Papa wants to save their fishing net, a means for them to make a living and survive.  His son wants to save the whale, if it's alive.

As father and son dive into the water and swim around the whale, the boy recalls nearly drowning when he was caught in a net.  Their net is ruined.  Just when the boy can't hold his breath another second the whale blinks its eye open.

As they head back to shore, Papa has his mind on one thing, finding another net.  Once there he leaves his son, advising him to not attempt saving the nearly dead animal.  Remembering how he felt snared in the woven ropes, the boy makes the only choice he can.  He heads back out to the whale.

It's an enormous task for one small boy, a boy who has to breathe.  He works with his small knife, cutting and diving and cutting and diving.  How much time has passed?  Is time standing still?  Finally standing in his boat,  the silent sea stretches before the boy.  An immense being leaps from the water and plunges down again, over and over, pure bliss filling the boy, the sea, the air and the day.


Told in the first person by the boy, Mordicai Gerstein weaves together a simple but beautiful blend of thoughts and conversations.  The sincerity of the boy's musings, the word choices Gerstein makes, takes readers immediately into the story.  It begins with the first sentence.  Even though we can't watch the sun rise out of the sea, if the clouds are gone we see a sunrise regardless of where we are. We may never know a life like this boy's life but we are connected to his heart.  Here is a passage.

The whale's eye was as big as my head.
It seemed to see me.
And then it blinked!
And I had to . . .


When you open the dust jacket you are treated to an entire image extending from the left page edge to the right page edge. (I am working with an F & G.) The size of the whale compared to that of the boy and his boat is astounding.  In viewing this illustration you get a sincere sense of the extent of the whale's problem and the job facing the boy.

On the title page just a sliver of pink is tinting the horizon as smoky clouds frame the upper right and left of the scene.  Mountains spike up and down beneath the clouds on the left.  The sea spreads across the remainder of the page reflecting the retreating darkness.  Gentle waves wash upon the sandy shore and against the family's boat.

A page turn reveals the verso and first page and a spectacular sunrise on the sea.  The boy stands on the shore noticing the large thing in the water caught in a ray of the sun.  Mordicai Gerstein shifts his picture sizes, two together as if in a photograph album, single pages, double pages and two pictures on a single page.  He even has two vertical visuals inviting the turning of the book.

His paintings are loosely framed in wide strokes of yellow, green and a wash of sea blue colors.  Other pictures extend page edge to page edge.  Through the facial expressions of the characters and the placement of elements in his artwork, the emotions found in this story leave the page and envelope us.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a close-up of the boy, Abelardo, working with his knife to cut away the net.  He is right next to the whale whose single eye is losing all signs of life.  The look on Abelardo's face as he holds the net in one hand and the knife in the other hand is of grim determination.  It's as if he knows he has to repay the saving of his life with the saving of this whale's life.


A part of the original list at The Horn Book, Calling Caldecott, The Boy And The Whale written and illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein reminds us of the mastery of this author illustrator.  In this tale we are reminded of the fragility of life but also the value in taking care of each other.  The final conversation of Papa and Abelardo will resonate with readers long after the book is finished and it will prompt them to read it multiple times.  I highly recommend this title for your professional and personal collections.  I think it would pair nicely with Trapped! A Whale's Rescue by Robert Burleigh with illustrations by Wendell Minor.

To discover more about Mordicai Gerstein and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  At the publisher's website you can view some of the stunning interior pages. In a November 4, 2016 chat with Roger Sutton at The Horn Book, Mordicai Gerstein talks about his current book release but you also gain insight into his entire process for each book and his life dedicated to making picture books.  I hope you enjoy this video below.  It uses this title frequently.