A Stone Sat Still: The (World) Is Lovely, Dark, and Deep...

Chronicle Books 2019

Look.

Please.

Just look at this cover. 

Really look at it.

A STONE SAT STILL is written and illustrated by award-winning Brendan Wenzel. It invites readers to do just the same, to sit still, to REALLY look at this single, very specific stone. 

To look intently, from various perspectives and points of view, over time, with all of our senses. 

In the opening and closing endpapers we encounter the stone, recognizing hints of the passage of time and circumstances surrounding the stone. With that passing time, the story of our world has dramatically changed, but the stone remains. 

I wrote out the full text, all 233 words of it. I did that because each phrase within that short text, each perspective, unfolds its own powerful truth through Wenzel's earthy bend of media: cut paper, colored pencils, oil pastels, and computer. The rhymed but free-form text incorporates rhythm so effectively as to feel, to me, like breathing. It's the kind of breathing I do when meditating or doing yoga. Each phrase, each panel, each perspective elicits engagement, draws me into the moment portrayed. 

Is this:

 a quiet book, a reflective book, a bedtime book, a nature book, a calming book? 

Yes, to all of those.

The magic of Wenzel's creation, in my opinion, is that this book is also:

an environmental book,

a climate change book,

an endangered species book, 

a science book,

a habitat book, 

a food chain book,

a call-to-action book.

You get the idea. 

In a recent post I shared a book and message about starting our future citizens young in developing an appreciation of the natural world in which they live and expanding their awareness of their relationship with that world (HERE). 

This, too, is a must-have book for sharing, at any age. It begs readers to step outside, to transfer the experiences modeled in the book about that stone, the one  that sat still on the pages but changed at every turn. 

That exercise requires attention to all of our senses, to fine details, to surrounding conditions and creatures, to imagination, and to predictions about how nature will change that object over time- days, seasons, decade, and centuries.

Then it invites us to ask the hard questions. 

Among those- is it nature that is changing or are we changing nature? 

And, if so, how? Why?

Public and individual activism about climate change in relation to our personal choices is, in my opinion, essential. Taking time to examine what climate change actually means, right outside our doors, both natural and human-made, is even more essential.

Alladin Books

When I had my own classrooms, (again, with students of any age), I used Byrd Baylor's and Peter Parnell's  EVERYBODY NEEDS A ROCK to activate science and literature reflections, including using it as mentor text for writing in both categories.

This latest release reflects the importance of the values Baylor presented in her classic picture books about nature, and the two titles pair well. I encourage getting both books to share and compare, as well as to initiate field activities, writing, and further reading in fiction and nonfiction, (yes, at every age). 

Particularly with established readers and writers, I urge you to write out the full text of each book, to share it with students and consider how and why such spare and simple text, such ordinary word choice, such straightforward statements can achieve such power. Consider line breaks, repetition, pacing, rhythm, internal and near-rhyme. Both books are brilliant  examples of writing craft without using big words, even including run-on sentences. Struggling readers and writers can access and evaluate these books as readily and with as much (or more) success as stellar students. Often it is those speedy students who struggle most with the reflective nature of books like these.

Empowering books can empower lives- and maybe even change our world for the better.

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.

More Recent Releases of Note

Some books defy categorization. They appear to be meant for children, but they find and burrow into the hearts of adults, holding a place bordering on sacred. Some feel that way about THE VELVETEEN RABBIT, THE GIVING TREE, and THE LITTLE PRINCE. 

No one in their right might would try to "mess around" with titles like these, right? 
Take a look at this remarkable approach to that very challenge in THE PILOT AND THE LITTLE PRINCE, by author/illustrator PETER SIS.
Leave it to Peter Sis to take an iconic, ethereal story, one that holds a mythic place in many minds. He manages to capture that essence within the facts of the author's life. The images, book design, moods and tones of this book merit the same careful reading and reflection that we give to "The Little Prince". 
Adults who love it may struggle with the tiny, delicate side notes, and may long for more detailed author notes, but young readers won't mind a bit. The varied text styles, gossamer illustrations, colors, and moods will be savored by young readers, even those so young that the biographic content is beyond their understanding. Don't miss it.

Beach Lane Books, 2014

Now, back down to earth with SOME BUGS, written by Angela DiTerlizzi and illustrated by Brendan Wenzel. 

Fantastic in every way- bug-lovers and bug-yuck-ers alike will adore this book. The colorful, expressive, layered, and slightly wacky illustrations are the perfect foil to the sleek, slippery, syncopated rhyming verses. Each line suggests simple facts, but relates to complex information about a single species or a family of insects which can be further researched and explored. The ultimate surprise, revealed on the final double spread, is that these nearly cartoonish critters are scientifically accurate in detail and relative size. Consider using this as mentor text for poetry writing with non-fiction themes, word choice for specific verbs, and as an example of alternate reporting on research topics. What are some other titles you can think of that work on multiple levels? The best should, of course, entertain and appeal, but offer complex layers for a variety of readers (of many ages). Share your favorites in the comments.