IN EVERY LIFE: A Picture Book that Is Worth the Wait

I'm among countless folks in proclaiming my admiration for the creations of MARLA FRAZEE. I'll nudge my way to the front of that crowd, if necessary, to add my opinion that her work is among the most inspiring and heartwarming of any contemporary artist, whether she is illustrating the work of others (as in ALL THE WORLD), or creating her own stories (as in THE FARMER AND THE CLOWN and its companion titles). These are only some of her many works that deserved and won multiple awards. In other words, she sets a high bar for excellence in each creation.This latest work surpasses that standard.

Beach Lane Books, 2023

After prerelease raves caught my attention, I had to wait through a lengthy "hold" line at my library, but it was finally my turn. Now that I've had my hands and eyes and ears on IN EVERY LIFE, written and illustrated by this enormously talented woman, it was worth the wait. 

Some of those advance raves included starred reviews from SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL ("The combination of the spiritual words and the prosaic moments alternating with grand panoramas bestows a magnitude to the minutiae of the everyday."), PUBLISHERS WEEKLY ("A rich trove of moving images lets Frazee range over an expansive constellation of human experiences, offering fodder to explore and discuss."), and KIRKUS REVIEWS ("This lyrical blessing of a picture book belongs on every shelf.").

Frazee's self-imposed high bar becomes clear in a background note on the dedication page (to her first grandchild). In it, Frazee relates that although the gist of the text is rooted in a Jewish blessing, she first heard it in an Episcopal church in 1998. With the immediate thought that this would make a fine picture book, she struggled to find her way into the text and images to fully capture the power of the emotions and relationships she had felt. In an interview with Roger Sutton of THE HORN BOOK (HERE) she expands on that quarter-of-a-century process, her struggles and insights and revisions that eventually led to this remarkable work of art. 

Ultimately, she took a distinctly bold approach, especially for a seasoned picture book creator. She chose to avoid the expected compelling page turn in favor of an oversized production featuring both the call and response phrasing of each statement on the two sides of a double page spread. This allows the artist to provide nine-to-ten vignettes below the statement in the full text. This approach also invites readers to spend time examining and entering each small story, each experience and relationship pictured. The rich range of characters, settings, relationships, and emotional implications allows anyone and everyone to find themselves within at least some of the situations, and also expand their awareness and empathy for some that are outside personal experiences. When eyes and hearts are fully satisfied on a given spread, the page turn reveals a wordless, edge-to-edge scene in which the characters recede into the foreground within an awe-inspiring view that celebrates the wider world, especially nature. Although the stated target ages are 3-6 years, this is a book for all ages, offering blessings of every kind to anyone who identifies as human. 

The luminous cover is from an interior spread, with each sequence using tones ranging from glowing to intense to reflect the life pattern that is expressed in that text. The opening statement is a natural beginning:

"In every birth... there is a blessing."

The final statement is a natural coda, not about death but about the greatest of truths:

"In every life  ...  blessed is the love."

The opening and closing art mirror swirls of energy and life, with the initial page an amorphous, glowingly galactic suggestion of possibility, and the final page reflecting similar colors with spiraling blossoms, symbols of life. IN EVERY LIFE is a genuine pleasure to hold, read, explore, and share. 

I'm someone who is a fan of many things even though I am reluctant to name favorites among them, including picture books in general. That is also true among a single author's or artist's work, since each shines within its own constellation of qualities. In the case of Frazee, though, I've long held the thought that ALL THE WORLD would, forever, be her crowning  achievement. Perhaps, though, especially over repeated readings of this wonder, she has created a contender for that status.

Don't let another day pass without making every effort to take a look at this book in person. I'll be returning my library copy soon to shorten the hold line, but only because I intend to purchase copies for myself and as gifts.

Seeing the World in the Pages of Picture Books

When I launched this blog five years ago I named it after my workshops for educators, librarians, and anyone interested in working with kids and books: Unpacking the Power of Picture Books. I extended my in-person workshops to this blog in an effort to  reach a wider audience and maintain an archive of picture books and comments as a resource. My thesis in both platforms is that picture books are a) alive and well, and b) high quality literature with powerful benefits for many ages.

 I'm not the first to notice that not only are picture books thriving in the publishing world, they are finding wider attention among bloggers, educators, and readers of many ages. That's despite predictions of the demise of picture books in 2010 New York Times article. 

As for the power of picture books for any age, let's consider two examples in this post. First, though, I offer a caution that I've repeated in many posts and in workshops.

Books are meant to be experienced intact, whole and complete. Quality books of any kind, but especially picture books, offer immersive, absorbing engagement, visual feasts, luxurious narratives, and page-turning entertainment. Each book deserves to be read, initially, in that way. Often repeatedly. In fact, before returning to explore books as mentor text for writing, tools for concept discussions, or other analysis, 

HONOR THE BOOK as a whole.
And then, dive in more deeply.

Beach Lane Books, 2009 

ALL THE WORLD is written by Liz Garton Scanlon and illustrated by Marla Frazee, a magical pairing of talents. It was released several years prior to recently organized efforts to raise awareness of and opportunities for greater diversity in images and stories in every format for young readers. (We Need Diverse Books)
Even so, the universality of Scanlon's  lilting, rhythmic, rhyming text  finds it's ideal expression in a visual community realistically and inspiringly varied in age, ethnicity, interest, and expression. It resonates with a natural diversity that sets a high bar for all others.
In scenes that range from expansive to intimate, small visual narratives invite exploration and discussion. Lives intersect and culminate in a gathering in which any and all readers can find themselves revealed. The lushness of the settings contrast with the economy of lines and strokes in the characters' expressions and movement. The cast of dozens, on page after page, offer up ingredients for stories of individual and interconnected lives. The potential for discussions of relationships, mentoring writing craft, and the balance of visual and verbal narrative is unlimited.
Read what New York Times had to say about it, here.

Chronicle Books, 2016

Next, turn to another Caldecott honor winner, more recently released. Both words and images for THEY ALL SAW A CAT were created by Brendan Wenzel. Again, this book must be savored, multitple times, in its wholistic glory. As a cat walks through page after page, it maintains essential traits (whiskers, ears, and paws) but is utterly transformed by the point of view and attitude of each observer. The inherent relationships (and assumptions) of "the others" shape and color their perceptions of what a cat is, or can be. 

Eventually, though, it's worth considering on another, deeper, level. THEY ALL SAW A CAT offers an extended metaphor of the way in which many rely on narrowed perspectives to define others based on individual, predetermined expectations and protective assumptions. Rich discussions can emerge from examining the double-page spread on which the cat is portrayed as bits and pieces of each viewpoint. Being defined by others' limited perceptions of us, especially in adolescence, can have a similarly jarring, disorienting impact. 
At any age, and especially in the pervasive environment of social media, the views of others can shape one's identity, one's sense of self. When teens find narrowly defined labels offered by others disrupting their personal development, a book like this can be a lifeline of perspective and validation. 

Then, in the final page turn, we see the ultimate truth: even when trying to view ourselves honestly and directly, what we discover is ever-changing, not fully accurate, and requires frequent reflection and consideration.

I hope you'll take a close look at these two books, and then find readers of many ages with whom to share them.