SO MANY YEARS: A Juneteenth Story

No, it's not the brutal midwest snow that has me sharing a JUNETEENTH picture book on February first. And it's not (only) due to this being the first day of BLACK HISTORY MONTH, a recognition of our full history as colonies and, eventually, as a nation, as steeped in Black history as it is in any-and-all verifiable facts. (If you are new to this blog, you can read my thoughts on theme months in a very early post, HERE. In fact, with current efforts to suppress aspects of our country's history that do not comport with a white-only perspective, I am now advocating for robust monthly themes that are sustained throughout the calendar and academic year.)

CLARION BOOKS, 2025

SO MANY YEARS: A Juneteenth Story features words by Anne Wynter and illustrations by Jerome Pumphrey. It was this week's ALA awards ceremony that prompted me to bump this one forward on my schedule. No, it did not snag one of those shiny medals, although its many starred and rave reviews had led me to hope it would.  

In fact, I was rooting for the Caldecott category, which celebrates picture books that superbly execute the role of those various and sundry pages of pictures, i.e....

... that illustrations are not "matching:" the words but should be doing heavy lifting in storytelling, mood and tone-setting, in clarifying background and essential information, and in illuminating words that are necessarily minimal so that they shine and shimmer in our hearts.

it remains to be seen if Juneteenth, having finally achieved status as a national holiday, will continue as such under the current government trends. It should. It does, in fact, recognize that post-Civil-War government emancipation news was suppressed for two years or more in Texas. 

The text of this glorious book is, as mentioned above, minimal, although back matter and supplementary text are provided. The brief lyrical phrases adopt a Q&A approach, putting readers into the mindset of those who would receive such news, eventually, and recognize a need for, and right, to celebrate. And yet, 

"How would you dress

after so many years

of mending your clothes with rags"

At midpoint, the questions are simply answered with "Oh, how you would dress..." and eat and sing and otherwise embrace the reality you always knew to be true-- that you were human, not property, that right was right, and that all this was finally recognized as truth.

It's text like this that astounds me and puzzles me as a writer. Each word is precisely, exactly, upliftingly the exact choice, phrasing, and pacing to suit such a profound account. It opens minds to actual and difficult history for those whose heritage lies on either side of the injustices revealed. It carries readers of any background into the depth of joy and relief that freedom provided. The puzzle I experience has to do with how many (or few) art notes were included in the text-only submission. Just to say, there are countless collaborations among the editor, illustrator, and art director, occasionally including the author, during the process of developing and producing a picture book. But in this case the end result feels as if a single entity accomplished everything. The vibrantly sunny endpapers confirm immediately that this is a  joyful tale, and the framing of the history prior to/after the Juneteenth announcement is developed brilliantly. 

Let it be said the illustrator Jerome Pumphrey is half of the acclaimed PUMPHREY brothers creative team whose work has received awards in the past and will continue to do so (I confidently assert). Some have been reviewed HERE, and HERE. In the first half, facing pages illustrate the questions posed by presenting dramatically black-toned reflections of painful enslavement history while the images on the right are saturated, light-infused scenes of family celebrations and satisfying feasts. The stylized historic scenes reveal reality, harsh truths, while allowing the freedom-story contrasts and ensuing scenes provide faces, gfigures, features, fashions, and fun that humans (once free) can experience and convey. 

I adore this book and hope that you will seek it out and consider the images and text. Carefully. With care. Fully. It is a worthy and entertaining and uplifting book that shares history in a creative, lyrical way. No doubt I'll link back to it in future posts for the coming Juneteenth Day.  Please, though, consider it several times through and discuss it with young people. bring nut the reality that a government can attempt to do good but meet resistance. Just as governments can operate outside the law,mor impose illegitimate laws ands rules, but be met with resistance. Share it and discuss it with kids growing up in our media-saturated world, kids who are bombarded with horrific images and words, kids who wonder if our country is falling apart. That means all kids. It matters that they hear about ways in which our country has fractured and attacked itself in the past, that healing is possible, that the timing is rarely what we would wish, and that individual people play a role. 

And seize this BLACK HISTORY MONTH to put ALL stories of history into the hands and hearts of ALL young people, including those of any background. Everyone can feel empathy, none need to feel personally guilty, but ALL can feel responsible for building a better present and future.

Please.

CALDECOTT! NEWBERY! MY Annual Geek-OUT!

DRUMROLL PLEASE!

This post slides from my usual Tuesday schedule to Monday in honor of  this once-a-year extravaganza.  

The American Library Association's YOUTH MEDIA AWARDS!

If you are reading this in time, you can watch the full awards program LIVE at this link, on Monday, January 27 at 11:00 AM Eastern time.  But  if you miss it live you can view it as a recording within a few hours of the event. Either way, pour yourself some tea or coffee or cocoa, sit back, and savor excellence in books for youth.

What in the world am I writing about? For the full description, click on YOUTH MEDIA AWARDS above. My take, though, is that this is the annual book party for readers from birth to twenty. It celebrates the books and their creators, curators, educators, and  circulators.Everyone enjoys awards programs, although we can acknowledge that great art and creativity should not be in competition with itself. But we know that is always the case. The Oscars, the Emmys, the TONYs, and even the  People's Choice are viewed with glee. And on and on. We all get an adrenaline rush when seeing our own favorites gained wider recognition through awards. And we ache a bit for those that seem to have been overlooked.

Anyone reading my posts can imagine that watching a room full of other book-lovers, perching at the edge of seats and screaming in glee over each announcement of winning and honored books in each category, is a high point in my year. When I had my own classroom of book-lovers, we would hype this during the months ahead by sharing as many prime candidates as possible, offering our personal awards predictions and reviews, and many other award-related activities that engaged kids with a wide range of high-quality reading options. 

These days, I consider readers here as my audience to cheer for various superb books throughout the year, landing on this decision day with hopes that one or more of my recommendations might be selected. Some of the more widely-read book advocates post predictions, and I urge you to read theirs HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE, just to get a sense of the convergences and divergence of opinions. There are no wrongs and rights, but be prepared to take notes for your library hold lists, wishlists at your favorite indie bookstore, and gift lists for young readers you know and love. The links  to predictions focus on Caldecott (illustration award) and Newbery (Youth literature award), but the morning announcements incorporate multiple categories that will excite and impress viewers. The specialty awards are each worthy of a program of their own. Taken together, this is an adrenaline-inducing experience that I hope many will view, live or later. 

Some that I expect you might hear mentioned (this is as close as I'll come to making award predictions) have been featured in posts during the past year. I'm sharing only a few of the titles I'll be rooting for, but they are a great sample of why such choices are hard to make. SO. MANY. GREAT. BOOKS. Truly. Click any of the following to see what i had to say about them.

Nonfiction: 

FROM BAM TO BURP!    SCRATCHING THE SURFACE  

IN THE WORLD OF WHALES, 

CALDECOTT (Illustration):

WHEN NIGHT CAME CALLING, DEAR ACORN, LOVE OAK, 

WHERE DEER SLLIP THROUGH, TO SEE AND OWL.

There are categories for graphic novels, audio books, beginning readers, and so much more. Enough reading here for now. Get over to that link, live or as a recording, and experience the excitement for yourselves. 

CHOOCH HELPED: Piling On with the Praise

LEVINE QUERIDO, 2024

This recommendation will be brief but utterly sincere. CHOOCH HELPED, written  by Andrea L. Rogers and illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz, is not only the 2025 Caldecott Medal Winner, it has been praised by the most noted reviewers, including stars from KIRKUS, SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, HORN BOOK, and a feature interview on NPR. 

It's pretty obvious that this book has no need for my support, and yet it is just too darn good to ignore. It offers so many things that matter, perhaps even more in our current social climate than ever. The universal quality of the story confirms it will become a modern classic: 

Older sister Sissy finds two-year-old brother Chooch to be unfairly indulged, especially when his well-intentioned helping inevitably makes things worse. 

When writers decide to tell a story, they are urged to look for something original. Once again, this is obviously NOT the first time that an annoying sibling story has made it onto the pages of a picture book. But the things that elevate this version of that familiar relationship are unique, organically incorporated, resonant with anyone and everyone, opening a door to a culture that reflects an age-old story within the little-told context of contemporary Cherokee life. It serves those for whom this is unfamiliar as well s those whose lives are so rarely presented  in the broader culture. 

 

From opening end pages to closing, within each and every integrated detail (dress ribbons, color choices, butterfly-bird-flower images, and daily tasks within scenes, the simplicity and specificity reveal so much about their lives, and our own. Throughout the text various Cherokee words are used (with subtext-pronunciation) allow readers to proceed smoothly through the story. 

Within that immersive experience, the richest moments, to me, involved Sissy yelling at Chooch, then having her parents yell at her that yelling was wrong! Wow, that's a universal experience. The resolves, between parents and Sissy, between Sissy and Chooch, are heartwarming and realistic. In fact, it's a fine mentor text for anyone hoping to take a universal story and make it distinctive and original. Memorable. Valuable over time. Priceless.

Back matter provides a page of simple directions for making an air-dried pinch pot, a page of glossary and Cherokee Syllabary examples, both author note and artist note, and page design backgrounds throughout that could become a case study for Cherokee art, symbols, and history. 

I said this would be brief. Not so much,  it seems. I also said it is sincere, and it is, utterly. My praise for this book is without limits, indeed. I hope that you'll check it out, share it, spend time with it, and talk about it with others. 

Too BIG To Miss!

LITTLE BROWN & COMPANY, 2023

I rarely begin a post about a book for little kids with the cover at the top, and seldom with such a large version of the cover. In this case, it felt like my only choice. I'm asking  you to see, immediately, that this picture book, this book for "little kids" is a very big deal. Apart from the obvious medals indicating that I am not alone in this opinion, it was also selected as best fiction picture book by bloggers, receiving the CYBILS AWARD in that category. 

Please, meet this remarkable book. BIG is written and illustrated by the multi-talented VASHTI HARRISON. Those medals on the cover represent the most prestigious of the many annual awards- Caldecott Gold Medal, National Book Award Finalist for Children, and Coretta Scott King Honor as Author and Illustrator. 

So what's the BIG deal about this book? Can you guess by looking at the cover? I thought I could, and I connected with the potential of its contents before even cracking the cover. The little girl under that BIG word, BIG, is adorable. Her pink ballet tutu is adorable. Her young body looks strong and intentional. And yet, do as I did. Look a bit closer. Check out her eyes. Under her uncreased forehead, below her precious pompom hairdo, those eyes suggest something deeper than intention. 

(Once I finally got my hands on this book for a close-up exploration), my eyes rested on this cover for many minutes. Those eyes hold her story within a dab of deftly placed and angled black line. There is commitment, persistence, and pain. Here we see a child who has lost some of the joy of childhood, one who makes her choices from a place of deep pain and self-healing, but not from spontaneity or trust. She is no longer crushed by the negativity BIG has conveyed but instead elevates it and owns it. It's unfair to think of such a young and adorable child needing to stand on her own, but she has been made to do so. If you can get that from the cover, you'll approach the story you're about to read with the significance it deserves.

With tender-yet-potent minimal text, with expansively emotional and evocative illustrations, with power-laden colors, Harrison addresses a particular issue within Black-girl communities. It is one that also tugs at every boy or girl who has ever felt the pivot from "being big" as a growing-up joy and accomplishment to recognizing "big" as negative. Subtly or literally, moments occur in the lives of children who are larger than average, in height or mass or even per SLsonality, when such a thing as "TOO BIG"  becomes the sharp tip of a universal social spear. That message comes in traditionally-sized clothes, in overt name-calling, in role-assignments, in rejection by peers and even from teachers and parents. Those pink-toned loving words of earliest encounters (caring, considerate, graceful, fun, creative) are buried under darker-hued labels and intentions (cow, moose, not right, TOOOOO anything...). The emotional tattoos of these shifting "assigned identities", including mocking laughter, add weight to the burden she feels, stealing away her true self. 

I don't dare reveal the ways in which my exposition of the story is conveyed within the pages, but it includes her shifting relative size in relation to the pages of the book and a powerful double gatefold-expansion to fully reveal the monstrous-sized pain imposed on this suffering young child. The resolution lies within her, not in the hands of apologies, or of well-meaning "fix-it" or "help you" adults. Her own gentle spirit eventually finds its footing and returns their insults and pain without venom, offering instead her rejection of their impact on her true self. Once she releases the pain within herself she charts her own path to acceptance and self-love, to reclaiming the beauty of wearing pink, of movement, and of grace. She claims her identity, body and soul, and has found power in knowing that BIG is not BAD.

The author note indicates personal experiences that led her to write this, but also explores the documented pattern of Black girls (and boys, too) being seen as older, more mature than their ages, and "too big" to be children. Society does have adultification and anti-fat bias that mandates conformity for many children, but especially Black children. This book matters and its many awards mean it will stay in the canon of available titles across generations, thank goodness. 

I sincerely hope that adults, even those without children, will read this and spend time considering their place within it. As a lifelong teacher, I view my own approach and unaware biases about students who "take up too much space", physically or behaviorally. Working with students identified as having issues in the general classroom meant I also actively taught young people to conform, to "fit in". To my conflicted shame. As an older adult woman, my memory of childhood (despite photograph evidence to the contrary) is that I was fat and not a good fit in a family of slender siblings. Body image, especially for young girls, is a dominant and harmful force in modern American society. This book brilliantly addresses the specific issues related to Black youth, but it has much to say to all of us at any age. 

The author uses the verb "return" in her back note- as in return the playfulness and fun and innocence of childhood to all of our children. 

It's a BIG ask, but each of us has a role in this process  we can't afford to ignore.

THE LITTLE HOUSE OF HOPE: What WELCOME Looks Like

 Some picture books are like portals to the past, for me. A new release merits attention and praise on its own, but its connection with an all-time favorite of mine can't be ignored. To begin, though, I'll give the new title the full treatment before making that connection at the end of this post. 

Neal Porter Books, 2022

THE LITTLE HOUSE OF HOPE is written by Terry Catasus Jennings and illustrated by Caldecott medalist Raul Colon. My  bottom line for this is "textured brilliance". That will take some unpacking, but it's worth the effort. 

Beginning with the author note, which comes before the main text, we learn that  Jennings wrote this book with both anger and pride. Both came from personal experiences in being confronted by overt bias and residential restrictions based on immigration status. The stated rationale of one realtor was that immigrants would house multiple families in a single dwelling (often, but not necessarily, true), followed by his pejorative conclusion that this practice would inevitably lead to deterioration of property conditions and value. The author's pride arises from her own experiences in which such a pattern did occur, with her own family making room for others. But that extended family/friend support meant each and every family involved would move on to independent success and citizenship. Her father came to this country to escape political imprisonment, managing that same success and more. Outreach from other immigrants, and the support her family could eventually offer to others, inspired deep pride.

"Textured" refers literally to such layers within the text, and to the subtle illustration undercurrents of lines, waves, and shades of color within sprawls and details on every spread. This technique employs natural coloring, shadows, and shading that evoke both timelessness and a slightly old-style classic effect. This story and the patterns it celebrates are as old as our country's history, from initial colonization to later homesteading and eventual industrial immigration. That open embrace and shared identity within family, ethnic, or language-based communities have been the safety nets that launched a nation of workers, learners, leaders, and citizens. It continues to do so, with the beacon of HOPE as a consistent concept over centuries.

In this case, a contemporary fictional family's search for a new life reflects Hispanic language, customs and cultural references/language. The daughter, Esperanza, (her name translates as HOPE) applies her talent to make welcoming posters for each of the families who find short-term respite and support within their little house (Una Casita). Both parents work multiple jobs to cover expenses and allow them to  supplement elbow grease with paint and cleaning supplies, improving the home's worth on financial, aesthetic, and emotional levels. The simple narrative incorporates the journeys of several other families whose lives both confirm that realtor's assumptions (multiple families sharing the residence) and defies them (each improving the little house with love, laughter, hard work, and entrepreneurship). We learn that the initial family's progress leads to mastery of English, citizenship, and resuming professional careers they once practiced in their homelands. Throughout each transition, young ESPERANZA provides her message of uplifting hope!

Original Release; 1942
Caldecott Gold Medal Award

As promised, here's the connection this new book brought to mind: THE LITTLE HOUSE, written and illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton. In this classic and timeless story, it is the little house in the country that is eventually encroached on, surrounded by, nearly swallowed-up by urban sprawl. The personality of the house  itself is the star, without relying on anthropomorphizing it. The eventual solution is gratifying and continues to apply to modern day urban/suburban/ex-urban sprawl. The ideas, in this and in THE LITTLE HOUSE OF HOPE, offer parallel concepts of values, crowding, communities, identity, and the importance of acceptance and providing room to grow, to thrive. Both also float the sense that this is not a cycle that will (or should) end with the closing of the book cover. If you've never read this one, please do. And be sure to get a copy of THE LITTLE HOUSE OF HOPE, sooner rather than later. It is yet another picture book that reaches the minds and hearts of adults every bit as well as it does those of young audiences. 

While I'm on the topic of HOPE, check out the latest in a series of poetry anthologies for middle graders from POMELO BOOKS, WHAT IS HOPE?.100% of the profits will be donated to the IBBY Children in Crisis Fund, providing books for children in need, especially in war-torn countries like UKRAINE. Can be ordered anywhere, but also directly from the publisher, HERE. I am excited and honored that one of my poetry submissions is included.

August Dog Days... Time For HOT DOG by Doug Salati

 Late July and early August has always been seen as the hottest of weather (in the northern hemisphere), tagged as "Dog Days". (Click to learn more about the history of this phrase and the patterns of summer in Almanac.com.) I spent several of those "dog days" viewing the annual (now virtual) SCBWI summer conference. A featured creator was Doug Salati, the author/illustrator for HOT DOG, winner of the latest Caldecott Gold Medal and the EZRA JACK KEATS gold, both for picture books of extraordinary visual narratives.

Albert A Knopf, 2022

In a conference keynote, Salati described his creative process for HOT DOG. Those who might assume that making a picture book is a simple process should have heard his account. Click his name above to see the many books he has successfully created/illustrated and you'll note that he features both artistic talent and undeniable skill at visual storytelling. Even his covers indicate reveal what lies under the covers and also the celebratory nature of his colors and lines. You might have assumed that this was a smooth creation story. 

It was not.

His persistent efforts to bring this little dog's beach romp to readers required many revisions, major and minor. Ultimately, the little canine becomes an unforgettable character. Opening endpapers feature  line sketches in the many poses a dog adopts to begin its day, while final endpapers sketch those just-before-well-earned-sleep poses at the end of its long, hot,  joyous day.

As you might imagine, an apartment-dwelling city dog would welcome a leash walk to help its busy person while doing chores on hot urban streets. Minimal but superb text:

"concrete 

crumbles

sirens 

screech"

and wonderfully intense vertical panels of "street scenes" positioned as Triptych or Diptych images draw readers right onto those streets. Waiting is hard, surfaces are scorch-y, and this hot dog is overwhelmed by a steaming, screaming city that is"

 "too close! 

too loud! 

too much!"

HOT DOG, 2022. Interior spread

Some who are reading this will recall exactly those same reactions. Certainly small children will! The transition from being a tag-along companion for adult business shifts early in the book when dog puts its foot down (actually, belly down) in the middle of a crosswalk. Nonverbal communication is superb. Only then does the woman at the other end of the leash gain her new perspective. The remainder of the book reveals a spontaneous taxi ride and train/subway journey to arrive at space, sand, water... relief! 

The jubilant dog romps and revels, then locates and shares countless bits of this landscape with the woman, who savors the relief of sea breeze and boisterous joy by treasuring those tokens, presented with such wagging love.

I hope this summary, in more words than Salati used in the entire book, will entice you to take a look for yourselves. Have no fear that I've spoiled the plot, since that slim text and those rich illustrations hold many surprises, including a very satisfying and heartwarming ending. And yes, even on the hottest city streets, a story like this will chill your mood from the initial intensity so that warming your heart is a welcome reaction. 

Jagged nerves, weariness, and furry-bodied exhaustion find their ideal antidotes in the pages of this book. I am convinced you will, too. With such stellar awards to its credit, you can be sure I'm not alone in singing its praises. I hope you will join the chorus.

While HOT DOG may sound like the ideal summer review, I'm months overdue at sharing it here. Please don't delay even a bit in getting your hands on it and sharing it widely, sooner rather than later.

KATE'S LIGHT: Kate Walker at Robbins Reef Lighthouse

 Who doesn't love a lighthouse? 

Certainly no one I have ever met. I've also never met a lighthouse-themed book that didn't win my heart, especially if it is a picture book. Going a long way back to the evergreen  KEEP THE LIGHTS BURNING ABBIE, by the incomparable writing Wisconsinites, Peter and Connie Roop, a commitment to do lifesaving, sometimes life-threatening work is a reading hook that refuses to be ignored. The Caldecott winning HELLO, LIGHTHOUSE, by Sophie Blackall, uses  a family-centric point of view in an oversized/tall format to reveal the inner workings and daily practices of lighthouse operations with elegance and insight. If either of these books is new to you, add them to your must-read lists.

Margaret Ferguson Books
Holiday House Publishing, Inc., 2020

Now another beloved and Caldecott-winning illustrator, Emily Arnold McCulley, has created the latest lighthouse picture book, KATE'S LIGHT: Kate Walker at Robbins Reef Lighthouse. Those famiiar with New York City will recognize immediately that Robbins Reef Lighthouse is in the bay that shelters the Statue of Liberty, within rowing distance from Staten Island. Those less familiar with that territory benefit from the excellent historic map featured on endpapers, a map clearly labeling geographic sites that are so often referenced in various narratives, and also anchoring (forgive the pun) the story in time. The waters are practically littered with enormous steamboats, tall masted ships, and water vehicles of every kind and size you can imagine. 

Author Elizabeth Spires has written other texts for children, all of which reflect her core identity as a poet of extraordinary grace. This biography in prose sustains a lyrical quality. It manages to engage readers despite launching Kate's story as a 34 year old widow with a son, immigrating from Germany to find a better life for herself and her child.

It's not easy to "hook" young readers on an adult biography with nary a word about their childhood life, and yet there is that irresistible lighthouse, entering Kate's life in the opening pages.  

Kate was not an early supporter of her new husband's choice to live on a rock: no garden, no neighbors, away from the happy and settled life she had been building with him and her son on land. In fact, she kept her belongings packed in the lighthouse for six months before she fully absorbed the lure of her new life. Spires's  storytelling is powerful, informative, and admiring (with good reason). Kate's developing role as assistant lighthouse keeper, then full lighthouse tender, was not welcomed by the Lighthouse Board, but her competence and reliability won their grudging approval and eventual full endorsement. 

Despite the appeal of the writing and the details of Kate's barrier-breaking accomplishments, including numerous rescues at sea, I began this post with a nod to the art. Those familiar with McCulley's work will recognize and appreciate her style. With settings that feature water and sky, in all kinds of weather, McCulley is at her best. The scenes range from idyllic to horrific, with colors and expressions revealing that Kate's decision to remain, in fact insist, on assuming Lighthouse Keeper duties was driven by her heartfelt conversion to such a life. She lived out her long and dedicated responsibilities in tribute to her young husband's parting words to her as he was rowed back to the mainland: "Mind the light, Kate." When medical treatment of the time failed to save his life, his words sustained her until (and after) her retirement several decades later.

In that earlier book about another female light keeper, Abbie, her father's parting words to "Keep the lights burning, Abbie," had a happier conclusion, with his return after a desperately long storm delay. Even so, she, too, felt that commitment to continue on as Lighthouse Keeper. 

Both women, and those two Caldecott-winning women illustrators among a much longer list of male medalists, remind us that following our own lights, finding our path through life, even when discouraged or directly hindered, is worth the effort. Stories like these underscore the importance of WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, but also reveal why the accomplishments of  women (and girls), in history (and present day), should be celebrated all year long.

GOT TO GET TO BEAR'S: Get Your Hands on This Picture Book by Brian Lies

I recently wrote about THE ROUGH PATCH, written and illustrated by Brian Lies. I was not alone. The book was awarded a Caldecott Honor, among many other accolades, and I urge you to read it.

Houghton Mifflin Books

Just a few months after the release of that gorgeous and powerful picture book, GOT TO GET TO BEAR'S hit the presses. Also written and illustrated by Brian Lies, this picture book will tug your heartstrings and become a family favorite. The  remarkably appealing story involves adventure, internal rhyme, a few spontaneous and encouraging song lyrics, and a cast of characters with delightfully clever names. The nuanced language elements entertain but also enhance the momentum of their journey. The remarkable visual details provide rich resources for smiles and reveal each character's personality in wonderfully organic ways. Both voice and visuals entice readers to return to the book again and again.

This is a story to warm the heart, tickle the funny bone, fascinate the eye, and enjoy again and again. There are countless potential mentor moments- the importance of the apostrophe in "bear's", the voice of each cleverly distinct character, and the subtle visual details (many related to the story, and many others- not!). This cumulative adventure has a surprise component, a model of true friendships, and lilting language that leads readers to a satisfying, circle-story conclusion. 
Themes of loyalty, persistence, teamwork, kindness, and trust are woven throughout and emerge naturally in the course of the story. 

If you get the feeling that I'm a fan of BRIAN LIES you're nearly right. Actually, I'm a fan of his work, although I've never met the man. I look forward to each pending release, check them out of the library immediately, then feel compelled to purchase the book(s) for my own collection and as gifts. Yes, his illustrations are irresistible. Yes, I am a naturalist and deeply appreciate the ways his art and narrative capture the true nature of animals I adore. 
Good reasons to rave, right?
Yes, but my enthusiasm has as much to do with the undeniable heart in each distinct book, with the blend of humor and concern, with the hint of the unseen daily lives of the characters.   Here are some other suggestions to explore:

And the Themes Roll On: April is POETRY MONTH

Candlewick Press, 2015

Poetry, when well done, is a form of prayer. 
It inspires, it lifts the spirit.

It celebrates and laments.
It reveals our humanity
and unites our souls.

Its words, sounds, and  rhythms
set the pace of our pulse. 

Poems make me erupt 
in silly giggles,
gasps, sighs, 
and weeping. 

Poetry's forms are 
as rigid as haiku 
and as free as stories in verse.

All this and more in poems, and only a month to celebrate?

I could use more than a month to sing the praises of just one poet, Helen Frost, and her recent release, SWEEP UP THE SUN. The photographic illustrations by Rick Lieder should, in my opinion, make this title a front runner for Caldecott consideration in 2016. 

Frost wields poetry like a paintbrush in generating "master-pieces" in the truest sense of the word. I've read each and every book she's written and marveled at her capacity to make even the most complex and challenging poetic forms read like spontaneous storytelling. In each she bends her words to forms that serve the themes, moods, and characters. 

In SWEEP UP THE SUN I transcribed the entire text in an effort to understand Frost's alchemy. The entire text is ninety-eight words. 
Really. 
I counted by hand, used digital tools, rechecked my transcription. 
Yep. Only ninety-eight words. 
Each is a gem, exquisite in its setting.
I want desperately to quote the introductory passage that provides the titles, but that requires thirty-four words of her total text. I won't cite a third of a book, even with quotations!
I'll stretch this far:

"Rise into the air

On the strength of your wings

Go out to play in the sky, "

Breathtaking, right?

Now imagine equally breathtaking photography that captures some of the most remarkable images of birds in flight that you'll ever see. 

No, you can't imagine his magnificent images -- the action, the lighting, the colors.

Just get your hands on this book as soon as possible and read it.

Again. 

And again.

As much as I am enthralled by this book, I continue my boycott of naming "favorites" in titles or authors, because so many have done so much so well for so many centuries. 
To demonstrate that, I'll close with several links to other posts that in turn link, and link, and link. Follow those varied trails to savor the richness of poetry and share your own favorites, widely and often.
From the Latin@s in Kid Lit post: Poetry from their archives.
and
KIDLitoSphere Central: A link to links

Take a Closer Look, and a Look Back!

Monday morning I "virtually" attended the announcement of the annual American Library Association's Youth Media Awards. If you've got plenty of time, try watching the full hour-plus of announcements from Monday morning. The energy and excitement in the room are palpable!

My list of titles to-be-read grew that morning and are now on my library hold list. The happy news was that several titles honored at the event have been reviewed here in the past year. 

I'll keep this short and sweet, offering links to those.

One of three Caldecott Honor books is FLORA AND FLAMINGO, reviewed here, including an interview with author/illustrator Molly Idle.


One of three  Coretta Scott King author honors went to March: Book One, reviewed here last summer.

The only Coretta Scott King illustrator honor went to Kadir Nelson for Nelson Mandella, reviewed here at the time of Mandella's death in December. 

One of three honors for the  Pura Belpre illustrator award went to Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant’s Tale, illustrated and written by Duncan Tonatiuh

One of three honors books for the Theodore Seuss Geisel award was presented to BALL by Mary Sullivan, reviewed in this post.

I've reviewed many of the other honored titles on my Goodreads account and invite you to read them there. If you stop by, send me a friend request while you're there.

ALA's full list of awards and honors can be found here. With the many outstanding books of 2014 to choose from, these honorees deserve a closer look. Pull up your library link and get busy on your own to-be-read hold list!

It's Still Picture Book Month: Celebrate Caldecott!

After the calendar pages turn on the season of holiday happiness (and stress?), the new year brings us to the American Library Association awards season. I'm always invested in these decisions, anticipating the announcements eagerly and with some strongly held opinions of my own. (Anyone out there surprised by that?) There are awards for nearly any category you can imagine, and that's fine with me. These awards focus public attention on stellar offerings and we can't possibly do enough to celebrate and spread the word on quality literature for young readers. Is anyone surprised that the Randolph Caldecott award for distinguished illustration in picture books is my favorite among them all?

Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux (BYR), 2013

Using non-fiction text with readers has always been essential, and I've advocated frequently for the use of picture books to do that effectively, especially biographies.  This is the perfect time of year to share RANDOLPH CALDECOTT: The Man Who Could Not Stop Drawing, by the incomparable Leonard S. Marcus. The opening spread of this fascinating and authoritative book is Caldecott's undated self-portrait, the pre-digital approach to a selfie.  I find it ironic that the Oxford English Dictionary has declared "selfie" to be the word of the year. Caldecott was every bit as cutting edge and open to visual engagement as today's digitally-crazed generation.

Reading Marcus's account of Caldecott's obsession with art and visual story enhancement offers abundant evidence of the pivotal role he played in changing the world of children's literature. Younger readers will be enthralled by the power of his images, even though they are clearly of a time long past and tame in comparison to modern visuals. Despite that, his illustrations engage with emotion, action, detail, and humor.

 Even the youngest will enjoy hearing a condensed summary of how this man single-handedly set the stage for the world of picture books, apps, and book trailers they know and love today. Older readers will find rigorous content, richly detailed back matter, and revealing specifics about the time and place in which Caldecott lived. The potential for close reading and discussion are unlimited.

Kids love taking part in Mock Caldecott Award activities in these months leading up to the actual award. Any search using "Mock Caldecott" will lead you to examples, guides, and suggested titles from among the very impressive 2013 releases being considered. A good place to start is the post on ONE BOOK, TWO BOOKS, OLD BOOKS, NEW BOOKS. Take a look and consider participating, in your classrooms or among your family members. 

Whether you do so or not, I urge anyone who loves picture books to read all about Randolph Caldecott in this book that is destined to be a classic.

A Bevy of Biographies

Last week the annual American Library Association Youth Media Awards took place. By now you've probably heard that Jon Klassen won the 2013 Caldecott for THIS IS NOT MY HAT, and Katherine Applegate won the 2013 Newbery for THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN. Many other awards were announced, including winners and honors and lifetime achievement awards. Watching the live webcast was the next best thing to being there, hearing authors and illustrators being cheered like rock stars.

Now that awards season has ended, the litany of monthly "themes" begins: Black History, Women's History, Hispanic Heritage, Poetry, just to name a few. I've stated my case in the past about the mixed benefits of theme months, so this post is in praise of ignoring the calendar and celebrating excellence whenever and wherever we find it. Back in November there was a National Non-Fiction Day and the next will come November 3, 2013. One day in a whole year? For books that share the truth about our world and those who live in it? Really?
Life stories and inspirational life events lend themselves to the power of picture books, and I won't wait until next November to celebrate these with you.

Little Brown Books for Young Readers, 2012

A worthy place to start is FIFTY CENTS AND A DREAM: YOUNG BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, by Jabari Asim, illustrated by Bryan Collier. (Collier won the Coretta Scott King Illustrator award for I TOO AM AMERICA.) 
Washington's drive to read, to learn, to succeed, and to share those opportunities with others is portrayed effectively. The concluding pages point out that he was dismissed for years as too accommodating but has more recently been recognized as a fearless and tireless advocate for equality and justice.
Read more in this Kirkus review.

Scholastic Press, 2012

I recently saw some photos of my grandma with her girlfriends, circa 1910-1914. The images made it perfectly clear that they were a spunky, fun-loving, and adventurous group. A penciled note on the back of one indicated they called themselves the gym-daisies. Reading HERE COME THE GIRL SCOUTS: THE AMAZING ALL TRUE STORY OF JULIETTE "DAISY"GORDON LOW AND HER GREAT ADVENTURE, by Shana Corey, illustrated by Hadley Hooper called those photos to mind. Lively text and muted illustrations describe sweeping passages of time and provide a revealing look at gender stereotyping and social expectations. Everyone should read this.

Eerdmans Books for young Readers, 2012

What a shame it would be to wait for the annual April focus to share poetry and the people who write it.
A RIVER OF WORDS: THE STORY OF WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS, by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet makes it clear that poetry ran through his life on a daily basis, as it should in ours.
The poetry collection on the endpapers is a bonus to this biography of a poet whose work touches nature, emotions, and the funny bone. I loved that the triple timelines in the back matter span his life and the history/works of that time awhile continuing the incredible collage illustration.
Read what Kirkus says in this starred review.

Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2005

The previous titles were all 2012 releases, but will continue to find and engage readers in years to come. This has been true for MUSIC FOR THE END OF TIME, by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Beth Peck. This story of the years French composer Olivier Messiaean spent in a German prisoner-of-war camp inspires on many levels- the drive to create, the potential for humane treatment in the worst of situations, the power of inspiration, and the capacity for music (art) to nourish the soul.

A Kirkus review provides even more detail.

Just one glance at the cover art for these titles reveals the range of styles, moods, techniques and approaches used by the various illustrators. The same is true for the text of each. In my opinion (and that's what a blog is for, right?) they are equally excellent, outstanding, distinguished, and worthy of our time and attention. This demonstrates my mixed reaction to awards announcements. So many fine books deserve accolades, and for each one named there are so many others waiting to be discovered and shared. Speak up if you want to share some recommendations of your own.

More Oldies-But-Goodies!

Last week's post shared some memorable out-of-print titles that are worth the hunt to find on library and used-book shelves to share with readers of all ages. (No updates on finds so far, but don't give up, you'll love Edna Miller's classic,  Mousekin's Golden House!)

Houghton Mifflin, 1942

Here's an opportunity to enjoy some other classics that have, indeed, been reissued and continue to be available in print. (Woo-Hoo!) These are a series of similarly designed titles written and illustrated by Holling C. Holling, several of which have won Caldecott and Newbery honors, among many others awards.

TREE IN THE TRAIL was a Caldecott Honor book for 1941, setting the standard for other successful titles that followed. A cottonwood tree sprouts along the Sante Fe trail and stands witness to the unfolding of western American history, from Native American to Spanish expansion to homesteading, including the eventual use of its wood. Left-pages use text and black/white sketches, diagrams, inset charts, and maps providing well-researched information. Right-pages use full-color full-page art.

Houghton Mifflin, 1948 

PADDLE-TO-THE-SEA won the  Caldecott honor for 1948. It continues that layout pattern with a mobile story reference. A carved Indian figure in a canoe begins life in the high waters above Lake Superior and travels through the Great Lakes, into the Atlantic, ending in France. In this case the traveling witness takes the reader through the natural, social, technological, and ecological passages that make the Great Lakes a true Wonder of the World.

There is even a quirky little film/DVD of this one made in Canada.

In MINN OF THE MISSISSIPPI, the 1951winner of Newbery Honors, the traveling witness, a turtle hatchling, carries the reader from the headwaters of the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.

PAGOO is yet another Holling title which offers a detailed exploration of a tide pool through the experiences of a hermit crab. Pagoo's reliance on his instinct drives his actions and reactions, allowing him to survive and navigate a tricky but beautiful biological habitat.

SEABIRD, 1948 Newbery Honor winner, is a carved figure that is the traveling mascot of four generations of seafarers, accompanying each on progressively more advanced means of transportation.

If you read one of these titles, you're likely to become addicted to the art spreads, the graphics, the text, the central characters, or all of the above. These are books that can be enjoyed by the youngest for their adventures and images, but can (and should) grow in significance with readers throughout school years.

These titles may continue in print because of their presence on the Caldecott and Newbery lists, but they could also have been written today by someone targeting the market for picture books with fiction/non-ficiton parallel text and content that can well-serve the widely adopted common core state standards.

Maybe it's true what they say, everything old is new again, at least if it was of the highest quality, and if it won enough awards to stay in print. Are there any other fans of these classics out there? Chime in with your comments!