A PLACE INSIDE OF ME: A Poem to Hold the Heart

 Congratulations! 2021 Caldecott Honor Book!

Farrar, Straus, and Giroux BYR, 2020

And more praise:

Today Show Best Book for the Holidays
ALA Notable Book for All Ages
ALSC Notable Children's Book
NCTE Notable Poetry Book
Evanston Public Library's Top 100 Great Book for Kids
Nerdy Award Winner for Single Poem Picture Book

and still more:

"A resonant exultation of community and the importance of self-reflection." —Publishers Weekly

"This book delivers positivity, despite the inclusion of police brutality, a Black Lives Matter protest, and a vigil for the dead—all of which affirm the child’s realities . . . A well-crafted, twenty-first-century love poem by two truth-telling Black women artists and activists." —The Horn Book

I am a woman of MANY WORDS, but sometimes I know when to step aside and let others do the talking. As you can see from the stars and quotes above, this is indeed the case when it comes to A PLACE INSIDE OF ME: A POEM TO HOLD THE HEART, written by Zetta Elliott and illustrated by Noa Denmon. This poem is a gift to the world, especially to people like me who forget to slow down to find and feel what is happening deep in our hearts. As the lyrical text and the brilliant illustrations suggest, what we find deep inside is never simple. In these images, those of us who are not Black can begin to recognize the complexity of the hearts of young Black people moving through a world that can be exuberant, but in the next breath become tragic, or trying, or otherwise troubled. The front cover and back images span those emotions and struggles with embracing encouragement and acceptance. 

As with some picture books that directly address specific subjects and issues, (HERE, HERE, and HERE), this book's text and illustrations directly address the daily truths of being Black in America, while inviting white people and others of privilege to begin to glimpse fragments of this reality. We can all benefit as much as the characters in this book from the direct but subdued messages about coping and taking steps to see deeply into our own hearts, 

Please give this one a close look, and take time to absorb it fully. 

Then share it.

But not just during BLACK HISTORY MONTH. 

This actually IS an outstanding choice for February, but please use it all year long. Read Reggie Jackson's article with his thoughts about books and Black History Month HERE.

Putting the CELEBRATION in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday

 In the nine years I've been sharing picture books on this blog, I've had LOADS to say about Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday recognitions. After reading this post, I invite you to use the search box in the right column menu to find previous featured titles. I've felt strongly positive about the books I chose to showcase, but MANY of them focus on history. MANY are biographic, inspiring and motivating and providing content that could have been missed in mainstream culture through relentlessly white-focused portrayal of American culture. Few, though, are contemporary, humorous, joyful, or playful. In large part that's because books of that type rarely existed. If they did they were the "precious few" that everyone already knew about. Think of Ezra Jack Keats's THE SNOWY DAY (and other titles).

The best news is that, as I began to assemble this collage of covers, I had to stop in order to have enough room for the rest of the blog post! These are only fifteen of my recent favorites, and there are so many more, including others that are featured in past posts on this very blog.

BLACK JOY PICTURE BOOKS!

To honor Martin Luther King, Jr. on this national holiday commemorating his birthday, I'll share this bounty of beautiful recent books portraying BLACK JOY! My celebration is that there are now so many picture books that portray readers of EVERY identity, allowing kids to see themselves in the pages of those contemporary exhuberant stories. My notes below will be a select few, but you can find more HERE, and HERE, and HERE, and HERE. In fact, while you check out those resources from others, you may want to subscribe to their blog posts, too!

Click the titles below to read some brief notes for any-and-all that appeal to you:

  MIXED ME is written by Taye Diggs and illustrated by Shane W. Evans. 

JABARI TRIES is written and illustrated by Gaia Cornwall

FOR BEAUTIFUL BLACK BOYS WHO BELIEVE IN A BETTER WORLD is written by Michael W. Waters and Illustrated by Keisha Morris.

JUST LIKE ME is written and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton.

MY RAINY DAY ROCKET SHIP is written by Market Sheppard and illustrated by Charley Palmer.

SWISH! The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters is written by Sizanne Slade and Little illustrated by Don Tate.

MY HAIR IS MAGIC is written by M. L. Marroquin and illustrated by Tonya Engel.

BLACK IS A RAINBOW COLOR is written by Angela Joy and illustrated by Ekua Holmes.

NORMAN The Amazing Goldfish is written by Kelly Bennett and illustrated by Noah Z.

THE WORLD MADE A RAINBOW is written by Michelle Robinson and illustrated by Emily Hamilton.

ALL BECAUSE YOU MATTER is written by Tami Charles and illustrated by Bryan Collier.

EVELYN DEL REY IS MOVING AWAY is written by Meg medina and illustrated by Sonia Sanchez.

BROWN BABY LULLABY is written by Tameka Fryer Brown and illustrated by A. G. Ford.

HELP WANTED: MUST LOVE BOOKS written by Janet Sumner Johnson and illustrated by Courtney Dawson.

DUSK EXPLORERS is written by Lindsay Leslie and illustrated by Ellen Rooney.

Whew!  Doesn't that look wonderful?  Well, despite this joyful shift in focus and subject matter, here's the bad news. Based on data that is collected and analyzed annually about the patterns of the publishing industry for children's books, progress is being made, but at a glacial pace. 

Minimal, barely budging progress.

2019 Data Analysis

“Keep Moving Forward,” is a theme from Dr. King’s address “Keep Moving the Mountain”, given at Spelman College on April 10, 1960. He said, 

“Keep moving, for it may well be that the greatest song has not yet been sung, the greatest book has not yet been written, the highest mountain has not been climbed. This is your challenge! Reach out and grab it and make it a part of your life…we must keep moving. If you can’t fly, then run; if you can’t run, then walk; if you can’t walk, then crawl; but by all means keep moving…whatever you do you have to Keep Moving Forward.”

 I can think of no better advice than this to the industry and to the readers, buyers, and teachers of children's books: make your voices heard through recommendations, reviews, purchases, requests from libraries, and social media. Examine your own stock of picture books featuring Black characters and work to update your shelves, making certain to include current, colorful, uplifting titles like these.

A Feast of Text and Illustration Celebrates Young Black Lives

  My recent post featured the important, little-known story of TEACHER HEROES in the Civil Rights movement in Selma Alabama. I hope you read the review and will check out this book. Then  share the JANE ADDAMS PEACE AWARD finalist with kids and adults, far and wide. Historic figures like Reverend F. D. Reeves and groups who summoned the courage to show up and stand up need to be widely recognized and appreciated. 

I concluded that post, though, with a short note and several links to titles that celebrate the equal importance of sharing books, stories, lives, and resources about contemporary figures, joyous childhood experiences, and the wholeness of BLACK LIVES.

I begin with this initial connection between schools and the teachers in them to raise the painfully true issue of the many ways in which schools do not treat all children equally. In fact, current public schools are staffed predominantly by teachers who are White and female. Too often, school routines and conventions actively erase, invalidate, or (to our shame) punish Black children more often and more severely than others. 

This is true for both boys and girls, but most harmfully so for Back boys.

Nancy Paulsen Books, 2020

The amazing (and multi-award-winning) team of author DERRICK BARNES and illustrator/fine artist GORDON C.JAMES again worked their magic to produce an astonishingly gorgeous picture book,      I AM EVERY GOOD THING.  

Their previous masterpiece, CROWN: AN ODE TO THE FRESH CUT (2018) was breathtaking in poetic voice, joyful and expressive paintings, and exclamatory content. I offered a brief review with other titles in celebration of the identities of Black boys in this post. I was far from a lone voice in singing its praises. During its award season this first collaboration earned enough awards to replace all the the stars on the cover with awards stickers, and it continues to win state and kid-choice and other recognitions in the years since.  

It is not surprising that publishers would encourage further creative collaborations. Surely, though, this new picture book exceeds any expectations about what would come next. It definitely exceeded my lofty hopes. 

If you were to hear even a short sample of text from this recent book on a radio program, no images available, you would certainly be grinning ear to ear and stand taller in your bones, whatever your racial or ethnic identity. 

For example:

"I am 

a nonstop ball of energy.

Powerful and full of light.

I am a go-getter, A difference maker.

A leader." 

You can listen to a recent NPR (10/24/2020) interview with the creators HERE.

Every child (and adult) would benefit from reciting such "I-statements" to begin the day, confront challenges, introduce ourselves to others, and view ourselves taking as having a rightful place in the world. 

On the face of it, an illustrator would be hard-pressed to add anything to such an empowering verse. But the art James created for these lines (and all the others) manages to magnify and internalize Barnes's potent text even further by revealing faces, scenes, perspectives, angles, and potentials of Black boys with a variety of features, skin tones, hair choices, postures, and attitudes. Each is an individual, and each interprets this brilliant text from inside out.

Interior Spread: I AM EVERY GOOD THING
Nancy Paulsen Books, 2020

In doing so, a brilliant anthem for Black males becomes an anthology of countless visual biographies. Specific and worthy and lovable lives are written in the eyes, encounters, and possibilities portrayed. Images like these provide a perfect integration of contemporary lives with the many centuries (millennia) of inheritance that produced these individuals and their stories. Whether that history is celebratory, courageous, or even tragic, it is far too often the SINGLE story of Black lives. If classroom inventories of books exploring Black lives were honestly evaluated, the bulk of titles would focus, in story and image, on the injustices, losses, endangerment, and eventual survival of people with dark skin. Most would be hauled out and shared during February, then packed away for another year. Few, if any, would reflect these exuberant, smiling, confident faces. 

Interior Spread, YOU ARE EVERY GOOD THING
Jane Paulsen Books, 2020

More celebratory and adventuresome and comical books featuring contemporary Black kids have been published in recent years. Many more are in the pipeline, but not nearly enough. This is, in part, why I AM EVERY GOOD THING is a must-have title, an anchor choice for classrooms of every age and color and identity. It provides a lens through which to view existing collections and a guide for additions to family and classroom and library collections. Each of those singular and important legacy titles must be kept in context, recognizing the heroism of Black youth (and adults) who summon the inner joy to face each day with an embrace of themselves, as voiced on the closing page:

"I am worthy

to be loved."

As someone who resists answering the inevitable "What is your favorite...?" questions, I will warmly and eagerly include this among the titles on my "One of my favorite..." lists. I hope you will, too.

Thank You, John Lewis. May Your Light Shine On

Congressman John Lewis

Until his passing on the day I write this, the last surviving speaker from the 1963 August MARCH on WASHINGTON was then very young John Lewis. He eventually became Congressman John Lewis, continuing to speak out and lead across generations. 
During that long career he worked tirelessly to secure justice, to eliminate racism, and to ensure equity and freedom for all.
His individual accomplishments are too long to list but can be examined in these links:

Brief biography
A UNIFYING FORCE in CONGRESS (The Atlantic)
JOHN LEWIS Profile: ACLU

In recent books for young readers, Lewis partnered with Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell at Top Shelf Productions to produce the multiple award winning series, MARCH, a graphic history of the past and recent present. In these astonishingly accurate and appealing graphic books can be found a story within a story, tracing Lewis's personal history overlaid on the template of our nation's changes. 
The first book spans critical points at which Lewis stood on that Lincoln Memorial stage fifty years ago to speak, and into the near-present when he sat in the audience in 2009 as a congressman,  witnessing the inauguration of Barach Obama. There he was within sight of that original gathering. 
At this writing I can simply repeat and endorse the many praises this work has garnered, included rave reviews, as this one in School Library Journal. and multiple well-deserved awards. 
The death of Lewis today was the sudden but predictable course of a recent Stage Four pancreatic cancer diagnosis, which he faced with the brilliance and courage that has marked his character throughout life. 

MARCH, BOOK ONE, was widely acknowledged as a groundbreaking effort to ignite young readers with the powerful sense of urgency of those Civil Rights Years. It was so widely acclaimed and used that it was soon followed by MARCH, BOOK TWO, which was also widely awarded and welcomed in schools, libraries, and individual lives. Among its many accolades are these:
New York Times Bestseller
One of YALSA's Great Graphic Novels for Teens
2016 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work - Winner
2016 Harvey Award for Best Biographical, Historical, or Journalistic Presentation - Winner
2016 Harvey Award for Best Graphic Album Original - Winner
2016 Street Literature Book Award Medal for Best Graphic Novel - Winner
2016 Denver Independent Comic & Art Expo Award for Best Work - Mid/Large Press - Winner

The concluding volume, MARCH, BOOK THREE, released in 2016 to conclude the dramatic and detailed story of Lewis and other dedicated Civil Rights leaders continuing the struggle throughout succeeding years. The trilogy captures the compelling voice of Lewis with the immediacy and inspiring tone that he sustained until his last breath.
Each book in this unequaled and essential series has garnered attention and I'm confident that they will continue to do so:
Winner of the 2016 National Book Award for Young People's Literature
#1 New York Times Bestseller
2017 Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
2017 Michael L. Printz Award Winner
2017 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal Winner
2017 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction - Winner
2017 Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children's Literature - Winner
2017 Flora Stieglitz Straus Award Winner
2017 LA Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature - Finalist

Nancy Paulson books, 2016

I dedicate this blog to picture books, but I've occasionally used the platform to call attention to the importance of graphic novels and nonfiction content in graphic format. These are perfect examples of the power of combining images and voice to convey stories with an impact that neither media alone would achieve. 
Even so, the audience for these is not the very young. That doesn't mean that the life of Lewis is not accessible and compelling, even for the youngest. Please also read PREACHING TO THE CHICKENS: The Story of Young John Lewis to learn more about the earliest years of his lifelong journey to lead us to a better world. His story is inspiring and more timely now than ever.
Lewis often referenced his early years in speeches, and it is a blessing to us all that his story was captured so beautifully in the text of Jabari Asim and the incomparably rich images of E. B. Lewis. 

Apart from the absolutely stunning illustrations of E. B. Lewis (no relation to the subject), this book is an invaluable early-childhood story of an American figure whose contribution to human rights is immeasurable. This book opens his life-story to even the youngest readers and all readers seeking insight to the origins of Lewis's commitment to causes greater than himself. He continues to teach us this through his lifetime examples and his words and accomplishments. 

Anchoring this in COVID 19 Time and #BLackLivesMatter movement:
This is simply a note in confirmation of some facts that Lewis lived and confronted throughout his life: 
Struggle never ends.
Truth is not found in the statements of the media or the perceived reality that is delivered by those with political agenda and investment in the status quo.
We are stronger when we stand up and speak up together, but sometimes we must have the courage to be the only voice among our circle of contacts. 
Whether we take on that challenge or not is a question of personal integrity.
This applies to deciding to wear a mask, return kids to schools, or walk (or sit) in protest.
Struggle never ends.
Be inspired by Lewis to examine your own moral compass and act on it.

Curious Kids Can Learn a Lot! (And a SLANG Challenge)

I'm always excited to hear about a new book from a talented, hardworking, and versatile friend of mine, Janet Halfmann. She is very prolific, and the style and target audiences for her many books range from infants to middle school, from folklore to nature, from family to historical biography, and even bedtime books. Her titles have won major awards, have been translated into many languages, and been named to countless "best of" lists.

Pen-It Publications, 2020

Her latest release is ideal for curious young readers who will love learning about Australian animals and slang expressions. A BOBBY-DAZZLER of a POUCH, written by Janet Halfmann and illustrated by Abira Das, releases this month and is jam-packed with the kind of fun and facts that have made her prior books such a success. As with several of her earlier books for this target audience (Star of the Sea, Home in the Cave, Fur and Feathers, Little Skink's Tale) this one reveals accurate information within the context of a story about delightful animal characters. It includes excellent back matter to highlight fun facts about kangaroos, other Australian animals, and a simple explanation for special  terms and expressions commonly used in Australia. 

In this story, the young 'roo, Joey, is learning to come quickly when Mum calls. His survival requires a speedy dive into his mum's protective pouch. Sounds like fun, but it's not so easy, since kangaroos travel in groups (a mob).  (Youtube video here.) 

Finding his own mum quickly presented a challenge. During practice, Joey seeks safe haven in an occupied pouch, annoys a pouchless male, and is determined to solve his problem creatively. In the process he makes friends with various native animals, each contributing colorful feathers, prickly quills, and more. His busy day continues into night with nocturnal creatures joining in. 
Along the way, Joey decorates his mum's pouch with a colorful pattern that will be easy to spot in a crowd and assure future success. His encounters introduce readers to some of Australia's most unique and appealing creatures, providing simple facts about their habits and habitats. In this story of creativity and friendship for little readers, nature and science facts are presented in digestible bites, including fun word play and Australian slang. 
The colorful and crisp illustrations have a cartoon-like quality that portrays the animals naturally but allows them to talk and interact in human ways. The style also softens the food-chain-predator reference when mum notices a dingo on the prowl and Joey's solution allows him to reach safety. The text and images together will have little ones drawing pictures and searching out new details about the amazing natural world "down under".

Among the many things I admire about Halfmann's writing is how well she creates high quality text for such varied purposes, subjects, and ages. In this and similar titles noted above, the language, sentence length, and word choices are appealing and entertaining for young folks, but also accessible for emerging readers eager to take ownership of the telling, and eventually the reading. In her traditional picture books she enhances narration with rhythms and patterns that elevate lyrical style (Grandma Is a Slowpoke). For older readers her biographies convey complex characters, unfamiliar historic times and settings, and tense conflicts with urgency and drama that bring the past to life. (Midnight Teacher: Lily Ann Grandson and Her Secret School, Seven Miles to Freedom, and The Story of Civil War Hero Robert Smalls). In all cases, readers (and parents) can trust that information included is well-researched and accurate.

I encourage you to check out this latest book. It is bound to become a favorite for kids who love animals, especially Australian ones. While you're at it, click the active links in her other book titles above, and explore her full website, here:

CHILDREN'S AUTHOR Janet Halfmann

http://www.janethalfmannauthor.com

You can also follow her updates about  continuing releases, her glorious garden (and kitchen magic) and her beloved family by following her on Twitter @JanetHalfmann

and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janethalfmann

Anchoring this in COVID19 time and BLACK LIVES MATTER Movement:

Demonstrations continue, generally peaceful, informative, and effectively moving the conversations forward about ways to begin to unwind the racial injustices so deeply entrenched in our social, legal, and educational systems. 
Those participating in marches are usually wearing masks, which is more than I can say for the general public. As shown in this article in National Geographic, my Midwest area is the least compliant with the advice of health agencies and medical experts to wear masks in public. That's why I avoid going out unless necessary and don't always feel safe when I do. 

Australia has done a much better job getting Covid19 under control. They've had some slang fun along the way. They call corona virus "the Rona", isolation is "iso", and sanitizer is "sanny". I couldn't find a face mask slang term yet, so why not try creating your own personal or family slang? It could make the habit of wearing a mask more fun. 

I'll start the ball rolling with  "chin pocket", or "smile sling", or "nose nest". 
I am particularly bugged by folks who have a mask on but leave their nose hanging out, so that last one would be my choice. As in, "Hey, mate, your nose nest is slipping off."
Feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments, or start a social media trend for funny names- it could make the idea of wearing a mask much more appealing!

Stay safe, speak out, and keep reading!

Independence Day Traditions- And Changes

July 4, 2020

This is surely the most unusual Independence Day since the original announcement of the Declaration. I can think of no better time to pause and reflect on what America's independence Day means, to whom, and why.
For a change, we are compelled to change our habits and traditions, which provides time and opportunity to broaden our view of what we've called "history", the narrow stories that led to a day of hot dogs and fire crackers. 
In light of COVID 19 and BLACK LIVES MATTER, there is no better place to begin to examine who WE are what WE are celebrating than this outstanding post from NPR. It requires only six minutes to listen to the words of Frederick Douglass, written and delivered more than 150 years ago. This amazing reading is done by his direct descendents, and is followed by some brief reflections from these inspiring young people. It is eerily suitable to our present times.
If six minutes sounds too long to you, remember that GEORGE FLOYD struggled for breath for nearly nine minutes before dying under the knee of a uniformed police officer in broad daylight... while being filmed! If you find that the words of Douglass make you uncomfortable, compare your discomfort to dying in a gutter while repeating I CAN"T BREATHE. 

Deal with your discomfort and listen:

CLICK Here to listen

Then, since this is a picture book blog, I'm linking you back to a post from seven years ago. It begins with a reflection about Superstorm Sandy and its disruption of celebrations, featuring reflections, some traditionally-themed titles, including one that attempts to shine a bit more light on George Washington as an enslaver. A last selection with my thoughts on why it (and other stories of community strength and support) should be celebrated on this holiday.
If you have the time and interest, CLICK HERE to read in full.

Just in case you used your available time viewing the speech delivery above, I'll save you that second  click by copying that final content here:

Finally, consider this story about another New York City icon, the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine. As the backmatter says, it has two nicknames, "Big John" and "Saint John the Unfinished". The cornerstone was set  back in 1892 and it is still under construction. ME and MOMMA and BIG JOHN, by Mara Rockliff and illustrated by William Low, tells this remarkable story through a fictional family based on real New Yorkers. How does this fit with the Fourth of July? Think about that line in the document Washington signed: the right to the pursuit of happiness. 
Work on this massive cathedral was halted to divert funds to the ever-present needs of the neighborhood community, to those who lacked the means for survival, let alone pursuing happiness. Eventually the need for trained workers and the need for jobs coalesced to produce an apprenticeship program for craftsmen AND craftswomen to complete the construction. This book wins the trifecta of story, story-telling, and visual power.


So, my wishes for your holiday are for some thoughtful reflections that allow deeper appreciation for the freedoms you have enjoyed  throughout your lives, and a broadening awareness of the many ways in which such freedom, respect, and SAFETY to pursue happiness as equals have been systematically denied to those who are not White. A first step toward remedies is recognition of the problem. As someone recently said, you can't treat a cancer until you realize you have it.

Dictionary for a Better World: Letter by Letter

Covid update:
"Openings" from Safer-at-Home policies have varied, based on communities, states, and lawsuit results. It's been a solid two weeks since Memorial Day. Since then, openings are ubiquitous, including a wide range of cautionary recommendations and an even wider range of non-compliance with those guides. In recent days I've heard that numbers of Covid-19 are rising-- in positive test results, in hospitalizations, and in deaths. 
I have no words for the frustration and fear I feel at the prospect of SO MANY people deciding that "it's over", that they "need" to get out into crowds, ignoring simple cautions when they do.
The stock market had been ignoring economic and science cautions, leading to record highs this week. Until yesterday, a day of reckoning and drastic losses after forecasts of slow, lengthy economic recovery were announced by top officials. Just imagine the reaction when (not if) Covid-19 returns with a vengeance: with a change in seasons, with unhealthy choices, and with the backlash following false assumptions that it is gone.

BLACK LIVES MATTER protests update:
Two weeks ago George Floyd's murder under the knee of a uniformed police officer was recorded by a bystander. Since then a nationwide protest response has expanded globally, with powerful consequences still unfolding. In those two weeks I've had many important conversations. I hope to have many more. I've viewed, listened to, and learned from videos and people whose voices have not been heard in the past, at least not outside a powerless echo chamber. In recent days, I've been reading predictions about a potential "White Backlash" coming. I will continue speaking up about the need to open doors, windows, minds, and stories more widely in order to counter any efforts to slow the momentum of this movement.

Anyone reading this as it posts live will wonder why I would bother adding a note about something(s) so self-evident. I've been writing these posts for nearly a decade now. I'm including these introductory comments for myself or others who could return to posts in the future, reading with my perspective in the moment in this time in history. I find that these current global and local forces affect my choices and reflections about which picture books to feature here. My notes are also a way to preface my book thoughts that follow.

Carolrhoda Books

DICTIONARY FOR A BETTER WORLD: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z is the second writing collaboration between poets  Irene Latham and Charles Waters. Illustrations are by Mehrdokht Amini.  
These two authors first opened a poetic dialogue in CAN I TOUCH YOUR HAIR? Poems of Race and Friendship (2018). There, they used alternating poems in the voices of a young white girl and a young black boy, an exploration beginning with curiosity and cluelessness, but growing into an accepting and affectionate friendship. 
DICTIONARY FOR A BETTER WORLD features  poems from alternating poets (with related quotations from others and memoir-like reflections by the author for that particular poem/theme). Each poem adds a note about its form/structure, and each full spread provides an inviting challenge to "TRY IT", suggesting simple acts or reflections that readers might try for themselves.


That may sound like a heavy burden for one book, but this "dictionary" is uplifting. The book design elevates its appeal with the gorgeous artwork and visual interpretation on each spread. A Table of Contents offers the scaffolding on which this wonder is built. Poems are listed alphabetically with several letters launching more than one theme and spread, including such timeless topics as ALLY, DREAM, GRATITUDE, SHERO, and WONDER, among a total of forty-eight explorations. Back matter includes authors' notes, references for quotations, recommended books, poetry-writing resources and forms, and acknowledgements listed as gratitudes. 

I read this two different ways. First, I dove in from cover to cover, moving through more quickly than I would recommend. I tend to devour favored foods (think pizza, fresh melon, etc.) so fast that, after the last bite, I'm feeling overstuffed. It's a pattern I work to curb, but not always successfully. In this case, I was eager to get a sense of the WHOLE, knowing I'd return to taste it another way after I reached the last page. 
I have no regrets about the approach, because I found it to be delicious, even if it was a lot to digest in one sitting. The choices of topics/themes for each letter are mindfully sequenced, each building on the body of thoughts that came before. In their earlier work the poems collectively revealed a story of friendship. A dictionary is not intended to tell a story, and yet within its pages are all the stories one could choose to tell. This dictionary offers that same wealth of emotional and social vocabulary to write and revise our own stories.
Taken individually or as a whole, this book offers timeless and universal inspiration, but is particularly suited to the current times. Here's an example, from Charles:

EMPATHY     (Acrostic Poem)

Ears open

Mouth closed

Paying

Attention

To the other person

Helping them know

Yes, they matter.

QUOTATION: 

"Even though I didn't think I'd like empathy it kind of creeps up on you and makes you feel all warm and glowy inside. I don't think I want to go back to a life without empathy."

Kathryn Erskine, MOCKINGBIRD

Charles says...

(He shares details of a painful incident in high school in which he was hurt by a teacher's comments, with a reflection on the way a trusted teacher helped him through it.)

TRY IT!

(Simple suggestion about ways to handle others who gossip, about you or someone else.)

Before you get worried that the topics are all introspective and intense, the options include:
LAUGHTER, ZEST, EXERCISE, HOPE, and YES. The range is  impressive and wide-ranging enough to serve as conveniently as any dictionary, a book to keep on hand to weave poetry, inspiration, and fun into every day life. The poetry forms and back matter tips make this mentor text of the best kind, providing excellence in example and clarity in directions.

I hope you'll take a look at this book. it is much longer than a typical picture book, but one that provides material to spark conversations, encourage exploration of poetry  reading and writing, and provide a wealth of comfort and joy. 
Sounds pretty good about now, right?

Storm Season: Thunderstorms and Protest Marches

Covid 19 note:

Government officials at various local and state levels have "opened up" completely, some are relying on data to do so gradually, and most are recommending  physical/social distancing and urging use of scientifically-justified masks. Some "open" places are requiring masks, with skirmishes occasionally ensuing when an attempt is made to enforce rules. Sadly, some with fewer restrictions are already reporting hot-spot increases in cases.

We are also in the midst of an extensive  BLACK LIVES MATTER protest movement. It began in Minneapolis, spread throughout the US, and has grown to global public demands for change. 

At first, a spontaneous reaction to the horrific murder of GEORGE FLOYD erupted. Floyd suffocated under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer who was immediately fired and is now charged, along with the three other officers who aided/allowed that to happen. The gut-wrenching horror generated by a nine minute video of Floyd's murder is undeniable. It awakened and mobilized (finally) those of us in the dominant culture who have not stepped forward sooner or stronger in the past. 

I use the expression dominant culture intentionally. The phrase "white privilege" raises defensive hackles among far too many, including those who counter BLACK LIVES MATTER with ALL LIVES MATTER. 

No, ALL LIVES CANNOT MATTER until and unless BLACK LIVES MATTER. 

Evidence is painfully clear that we live in a society in which that is not yet true. 

There is NO way to deny that our centuries-old social system was created/sustained by, and unfairly benefits, those with WHITE skin. 

I do not say RACE. Race is an artificial construct developed to sustain the dominant culture.

One's skin tone and ancestry do not change that fact of their humanity. 

We are ALL the HUMAN RACE. 

However, those among us with darker skin ARE NOT treated as equals, let alone human.

That is especially true of African Americans or anyone considered "BLACK".

Please DO NOT ask Black people to tell you what to do to help. 

It is OUR (Whites') responsibility to admit the truth and work to undo the trauma resulting from this system. That begins with learning-- reading, listening, becoming active allies. That requires work, on ourselves as individuals and on society at large. 

In the midst of a serious journey ahead, and amidst the horror of the video of George Floyd's murder, (and so many other clips of violence against Blacks, especially Back men and boys) it is crucial for all of us to also see and appreciate the joyful and natural and HUMAN aspect of BLACK LIVES. They DO MATTER. 

As summer arrives, severe weather will make today's recommendations especially timely. There are some humans who revel in storms streaked with lightning and shuddering with thunder. Other humans have instincts that rival any in nature when ominous storms approach. Many children require constant support to weather the terror they feel during storms. Wildlife lacks the option to snuggle safely under a quilt on a couch, but they do seek shelter and hunker down for the duration.

I'm happy to say that there is an expanding array of outstanding books portraying Black children in a wide range of ways, doing things that any/every child might be doing. Not as many as there should be (and will be), but the publishing industry is slowly improving. Resources for some recommended lists are also becoming more abundant, and I suggest starting with THE BROWN BOOKSHELF, United in Story.

As for these featured picture books, let's begin with WHEN THE STORM COMES, written by Linda Ashman and illustrated by Taeeun Yoo. Click Ashman's name, above, to find links she provides for creative home activities for kids, and some helpful links for adults toying with the idea of writing picture books, too.

Nancy Paulsen Books, 2020

WHEN THE STORM COMES is a rhymed narration of how various living beings respond to an impending storm. The story begins and ends with humans, but along the way a range of Earth's air, land and water creatures react to their awareness of threatening weather in a variety of ways. 
In the process, storms of varying degrees are revealed and safety is sought. The reality is that storms cause damage, too, which is treated in a realistic but kid-friendly way. 
There is reassurance amid the informative sequence, with the final spreads bringing together human and some of the non-human characters to recover, repair, and reunite in a neighborhood that has weathered the storm.


Pair this book with another rhymed storm story that explores human and nature's response to storms, WAITING OUT THE STORM by JoAnn Early Macken (2010)

A Denene Millner Books,
Simon & Schuster 2020

The illustrations for WHEN THE STORM COMES are suited to the down-to-earth tones and tempo of the story, setting the events in familiar scenes with movement and familiar relationships. MY RAINY DAY ROCKET SHIP is written by Markette Sheppard and illustrated by Charly Palmer. Palmer's illustrations involve deeply saturated colors in wide and loose strokes that call to mind some of Chris Raschka's works. The sweep of the pages and density of tones provide a perfect opportunity for Palmer to showcase expressions, emotions, and details with masterful use of white and yellow highlights that lift the characters and action off the page. 

MY RAINY DAY ROCKET SHIP also uses simple rhymed/near rhyme text and features a young Black boy with a dog. In this case, as the rain arrives he imagines new ways to use  familiar indoor toys and materials to explore OUTER SPACE! 
This little boy greets the dawn through rain-drenched windows with a "been there and done that" eye on his toy box. His dreary prospects are lifted into worlds as yet undiscovered by a flash of imagination and clever engineering. The creativity is all his, but Dad and Mom play warmly supportive roles. The closing spread finds the boy and his dog tuckered out and tucked into bed. Basking in moonlight from a window with a bright urban skyscape, they are lulled to sleep under a solar system mobile.

Both books are warmly welcoming to all readers, both offer STEAM and MAKER connections, and both invite sharing of personal and family rain and storm stories. The next time you're looking for way to pass a rainy day, I hope you'll keep these titles in mind. 

Afterward: 
Whether you choose to act from home or join protestors on the streets, please protect yourselves by washing hands, wearing masks, and maintaining physical distance as much as possible. If staying home is your best choice, I respect that.
But please make the effort to grow and learn. (Click here for adult book titles, click here to find links for books for kids representing diversity, and take a few minutes to watch/listen to this reflection by Trevor Noah about social contracts.) 
When it comes to social contracts, by the way, I struggle to understand why anyone would resort to physical violence when told to wear a mask, a simple accommodation that increases the health of the community. Let's stay peaceful out there, folks, and if you don't like the rules in one store or restaurant, exercise your white privilege to take your business somewhere else.