A PLACE FOR RAIN: Such a FUN Way to Take Action

 If you live where the recent spring rains turned gardens and farm fields into soggy swamps, you might also recall that last summer was a scorching drought. Much of the drippy midwest has been warned of likely droughts again in coming months.  The irony of those extremes, the damage of feast or famine in precipitation, provide reliable topics for casual conversations. This has been true in the past and is becoming a pattern across wider regions and with more dire consequences expected. Ask a farmer. 

NORTON KIDS PRESS, 2024

A PLACE FOR RAIN is written by  Michelle Schaub and illustrated by Blanca Gómez. I read about and reserved this delightful picture book while a downpour racketed outside my windows. The many good words I'd read about it also nudged me to take a closer look. 

I'm happy to say I was not disappointed!

The essential story is one of environmental stewardship, as achieved by young kids with some adult guidance and support. It could serve as a how-to book for anyone with the intent to make a personal contribution to improving imbalances and producing a better personal space and communities in need of balance with nature. Or, it's just a truly fun read with an underlying insight. 

In the first few pages we meet a diverse group of kids in their rainy-day school environment. The rhythmic and cleverly rhymed text can read as if describing a single day event, but easily suggests that this is a multi-stepped project taking days to accomplish, one that will serve the environment for years to come.

A raincoated, booted woman with a wheelbarrow enters in images, serving the project throughout, but without a single ext mention. That allows the busy, cartoonish kiddos to take center stage in this problem-solving process. 

And what is the issue? Well, early pages focus on an onomatopoetic engagement with rain, in the moment, unthreatening. Then a few spreads reveal that when rain becomes a downpour, it creates gushing, rushing, sogging flows that flush various detritus from roofs, gutters, asphalt, and more, flooding that debris into our waterways. That raincoat-clad adult and a couple of kids raise and answer this central question: 

"Can we lessen that mess?  Yes!"

Using available space and materials, they roll a barrel under a downspout, note the overflow when full, create a winding, shallow trough to channel that flow to a catchment area. That collection site is planted with water- and drought- tolerant native plants to absorb water and sludge. The bonus benefit of a colorful perennial garden that serves as insect and bird habitat is delightfully portrayed. This diversion from urban sewers and waterways that feed into lakes, rivers and oceans is unmistakable.

Illustrations are vibrant and vital, with  nearly geometric shapes and  soft-edged style that suggest universality among the diversity. The text is a terrific mentor pattern for those attempting to write in rhyme. That's not because it follows the usually mandatory strictness of meter and rhyme scheme. Instead, a rollicking but regular rhythm develops throughout, with lines that celebrate internal rhyme (see that masterful line above), interjections, sudden stops, and perfected pacing to enhance page turns. Granted, this would not be a challenging approach to mmimc, but it does confirm that those who choose to step aside from strict rules need to be VERY sure they can do it well. Schaub does exactly that!

I expected back matter, but there is none. As i considered the target age and intentions of the text, the thoroughness of embedded construction instruction, I could see why backmatter was not necessary. In fact, on the page that shows preparing the collection basin readers find a helpful chart explaining how to easily determine how well your chosen area drains and how to calculate an effective depth. Very clever, indeed!

I hope that many schools, families, day care centers, libraries, and others will find and share this entertaining and inspiring picture book.The language invites repeated readings, and the suggested project can be scaled;ed up or down to allow possible success for any readers. The more who take part, the greater the benefit to Earth, Water, and all of us. 

CATS! Two Terrific Titles

 I grew up with cats as pets, until ... 

Yep, like so many others, I am now highly allergic to cats. But that doesn't mean that I love them any less. In fact, as dear as dogs are to my heart, cats are remarkably capable of telling their own tails  tales, and they do so with nuance or boldness or any other attitude between those.

Two recent releases reveal that irrepressible personality of cats in entirely different ways, but are equally inviting. 

ABRAMS BOOKS FOR KIDS, 2025

The first is I AM A CAT, written and illustrated by Galia Bernstein. This is one of several picture books with the same titles so make note of that  side-eye cat on the cover and the creator's name. I ahve not read the others, but if younger only reading one I AM A CAT picture book, I can assure you that this one will come across as a winner/.

Before I describe the premise, I'll also indicate that I am not alone in this appraisal. This seemingly simple tale received multiple starred reviews, and is available in picture book hard cover or paperback, as well as board book formats. In a tight publishing world, that is a strong indicator of its appeal. 

That apparently annoyed cover star is SIMON, who we meet on the opening spread. The minimal text suggest SIMON is talking to the reader, and is perhaps confused: 

"HELLO, my name is Simon. I am a cat, just like you."

The page turn reveals that readers are observing a conversation of sorts, not part of one. The author/illustrator has mastered a blend of fact and fiction in this  straightforward conversation between SIMON and a range of other "cats", from lions to jaguars and more. The huffiness and self-awareness flows in both directions throughout, revealing in each case a short debate about why SIMON cannot be a cat, due to NOT being something the wild variety happens to be. 

THat's where the factual content shines, clarifying in comparisons and in an eventual and satisfying conclusion just exactly what makes a cat a cat! The illustrations carry the conversation forward, species after species, portraying on stark white backgrounds the sense of differences, but also of personalities. Small but intentionally effect details add information about the cats and the habitats, qualities, or behaviors that distinguish them, while conveying grin-worthy situations. This is a strong recommendation for kids of any age who take an interest in CATS, of course, but also science and wildlife and humor, and debate, and Terrific entertainment!

KIDS CAN PRESS,  2025

WHAT IF I'M NOT A CAT? is written by Kari-Lynn Winters and illustrated by Kelly Collier.  The cover should introduce you to the absurdity of this question, since a naive donkey is the one asking it! 

I paired these two because  each of the titles has to do with establishing a sense of identity as well as belonging. The above cat, Simon, is confident and able to assert his place in the family of cats without qualms. In Donkey's case, that identity comes from the voice of authority, Farmer, who greets and bids goodnight to a barn-full of cats, which seemingly includes Donkey. 

The central clue about how Donkey could have been so apparently confused comes on the first page turn. There, readers find the statement that Donkey used to be a straggly stray. 

The spot illustrations on that page reinforce Donkey's life story- having no one to love in his life to becoming part of a loving community- of cats! Using the examples from those cats to become the very best cat he can: playing, licking his fur, and strutting around the barnyard. The following pages reveal all the ways Donkey imitates cats .(Feel free to laugh at that even without illustratrations!) Succeses and failures do not introduce doubts, but a simple remark from Farmer  raises the question- What if I am not a cat? The delightful cats and kittens who have been his loyal (if sometimes skeptical) companions try to help, soldiering various attributes that might explain Donkey's identity. 

The text and illustrations prevent a very poignant story from losing its humor. Even when things feel dire, Donkey rises to the occasion, blending his cat-skills with his own nature to provide a thoroughly satisfying resolution, with raucous laughs at the final wordless spread. Don't imagine that I've spoiled a good read with the details above. This is one that merits repeated read-agains, combined with close inspection of elements of illustration. Include in that the tiniest of details, despite these images being cartoonish in nature. In  fact, the success of conveying emotion and expression with the slightest variation in eyes, head tilt, and other elements can serve as mentor images for those attempting to work in this style. 

Afterthought: Take a look at one more cat book: I AM CAT, by Peter Bentley, illustrated by Chris Chatterton. A lively, funny, rhyming cat who knows what a cat really is and does!

DON'T EAT THE CLEANERS: Tiny Fsh With a Big Job

 Anyone who has experienced swimming in a coral reef will come away changed, forever in awe. In many cases that is due to the beauty and remarkable diversity of life sustained by coral reefs. That awe is often matched with anxiety about the seemingly endless destruction of such a vital life force on this planet. Coral Reef destruction is a consequences of human activity, whether intentional (commercial harvesting for sale) or indirect results of our mindless greed (climate change). I join the anxious people, of course, but my AWE is virtual, since I have not yet had an opportunity to visit coral reefs for myself.

PEACHTREE, 2025

I mention all that because the consequence of losing our coral reefs will be immeasurable. Let's work to prevent that from happening. (Check here for action suggestions.) 

DON'T EAT THE CLEANERS: Tiny Fish With A Big Job! is written and illustrated by Susan Stockdale. This talented creator does NOT rely on virtual encounters or indirect research to produce her reliably impressive work. She immerses herself in her subject matter (most often submersing herself). Her previous picture books have earned many awards and have been honored as notable books of the year by NCTE, NSTA, Bank Street College of Education, and ALSC, among others. If that sounds like alphabet soup, let me assure you that these are prestige lists that have bring attention to her and other titles of great quality. It's safe to say that this latest release merits similar attention and accolades.

The opening lines offer readers information about why these relationships matter. Just because fish live in water doesn't mean that they don't get dirty. If you've ever cleaned a birdbath or fish tank, you are aware that water is an ideal growth habitat for all sorts of algae, microscopic creatures, and more. Living things constantly replace dead skin with fresh cells, providing parasites with sources of food.  Scrapes and injuries can become infected simply by living lives in a wild habitat. 

This is where those coral reefs play a role. They are the habitats and cleaning stations for daily "detailing" activity to help individuals stay healthy. There are two principle "CLEANER" species who live in the coral reefs and serve the surrounding population all day long, every day. Some have been observed "cleaning" up to one hundred customers a day, and some fish even return up to one hundred times a day to have more cleaning completed. Seriously! The two species who serve so admirably (and necessarily)  are "cleaner wrasse" and "cleaner shrimp". Wrasse have a distinctive stripe along their length to announce their occupation, while this variety of shrimp have exceptionally long white antennae, which they wave in a rocking "dance" to indicate availability. I couldn't help but picture those inflatable tall characters flapping empty arms outside car washes and other businesses!.

(The author illustrator had more restraint than I might have, because the vibrant colors and   soft-edged forms she depicts do not stoop to such cartoonish images. The quality of the art is bright and clear enough for the youngest audiences but so accurate in detail that older readers looking for examples of various coral reef forms and fish species can readily identify them.)

If it sounds like I've given away too much content, I assure you I have not. I was familiar with this inter-species process, but page after page revealed more fascinating facts from these relationships. The symbiotic nature of the cleaners and their "customers" is something I understood, but there are so many more surprises. I'll save those for you to discover, except to note this: 

These seemingly "mindless' or "instinct driven" ocean dwellers have patterns of behavior that could serve as models of manners for us humans.

When predators restrain themselves to have their teeth cleaned, it's impressive. When they occupy the same coral spaces in a long line of waiting "customers" without disrupting or devouring each other, we really should pay attention. Maybe even learn something. The cover of this recent release is appealing in color and design. With a closer look we see several wrasse swimming inside the mouth of a fish that could easily consume them, but does not. Not unlike a dentist or hygienist digging away inside our open mouths without fearing we might bite them.

No matter what evolutionary process led all involved to display such restraint (dare I say respect?) for the balance of benefits to be gained, when such reportedly small-brained creatures can figure it out, couldn't we? Shouldn't we? Take a look at this new offering and see if you, too, come away in awe of coral reefs, of relationships in nature, and with just a bit of shame at our human patterns of serving our own immediate impulses rather before pausing to regulate for the greater good. 

Betsy Byrd''s Latest Book: POP! GOES THE NURSERY RHYME

 If the name of librarian Betsy Byrd doesn't ring a bell, I urge you to check out the link. I first encountered her informative and prolific reflections on books for children in her FUSE #8 Production  posts for School Library Journal.. That has been many years in the past. During that time Betsy served as librarian in New York City but is now residing in the midwest, along with her family. Beyond professional training in children's literature and a long career in the field, it was when she had young children of her own that her love of nursery rhymes was renewed. 

And nearly ruined!

Her author note is a reminder that little audiences LOVE nursery rhymes, for many reasons.  They are rhymes, predictable, bouncy, and short. They are also key cultural touchstones. Repetition is part of their appeal, but, as a parent, that can grow old sooner rather than later. 

For the sake of her own mental well-being, Byrd spontaneously began adding "POP! Goes the Weasel" into other nursery rhymes, to the delight of her littles. A brilliant idea was born! 

UNION SQUARE KIDS, 2025

POP! Goes the Nursery Rhyme, written by Betsy Byrd, illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi, is now available. Take a look at that weasel on the cover, along with the undefined bird (any relation to BYRD?) who is continually appalled that tine-honored nursery rhymes are being ruined by the goofy weasel! 

This bird is a reader, and continually redirects ram rambunctious weasel, insisting that these familiar, iconic rhymes DO NOT iINCLUDE a weasel! The gleeful joy Weasel expresses is countered by distraught and disrupted lambs and other animal characters who portray familiar nursery rhymes. Meanwhile, bird resembles Mo Willems PIGEON on several pages, and takes it personally to NOT be caught off guard.  (Be sure to enjoy the opening and final end papers, too!)

Successful? Can't you guess? 

This artful and ingenious blend of familiar rhymes with wacky and wild humor has created what will likely become a modern day classic. The personalities of the central characters are unforgettable, inviting dramatic interpretive readings (my favorite kind!). I'll also predict that this will encourage seeking out more nursery rhyme modifications.

I couldn't be happier about that, since nursery rhymes (and fairy tales and folk tales) have lost their place of honor within far too many classrooms. The demands of strict curricula and test practices have nudged out time for what used to be universal cultural touchstones, as Betsy mentioned in her author note. A book like this just might undo a bit of that pattern. I can only hope.