COMPARE AND CONTRAST: Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty

You can take the teacher out of the classroom but you can't change September habits after a lifetime of sharing books with kids. At this time of year, my love of books leaves me pining to have a classroom of kids on a carpet with a stack of picture books at hand.

So, indulge me, please. 

Two titles that are not new but deserve to be in the spotlight are about structures that actually ARE spotlit around the clock. Most who know anything about the Statue of Liberty are aware that its scaffolding structure/underpinnings are the design and execution of French designer/architect, Gustav Eiffel, the force behind the Eiffel Tower.

CHRONICLE BOOKS, 2017

In fact, his ground-breaking approach to massive constructions using materials and designs that could withstand shuddering earth forces preceded that tower. So did the Statue of Liberty. I wrote about HER RIGHT FOOT in a prior post, HERE. (If you haven't read it, I hope you will. It has great relevance to our current immigration issues.)

It was these prior successes that convinced Eiffel that he MUST be the designer to win a contest seeking a globally-impressive centerpiece for the 1889 World's Fair in Paris. He intended to create a structure taller than any other in the world, one that visitors could enter and from which they could view breathtaking scenes of Paris and its surrounding countryside.

PICTURE WINDOW BOOKS, 2016
CAPSTONE 

Of course, he did win that assignment. The challenges he faced to actually have the structure built, in tie for the fair's opening, are described in THE EIFFEL TOWER: Gustav Eiffel's Spectaluar Idea, written by Sharon Katz Cooper and illustrated by Janna Bock. 

This is a nonfiction picture book that blends a slice-of-life period for Eiffel, not a full biography. Its focus is on the building/structure that is a global icon, one that has made the name EIFFEL so recognizable. It includes surprises like  the fact that it was intended to be disassembled after the  fair, but its life was extended for twenty years to allow Eiffel to fund part of the construction and pay himself back by admissions during those after-fair years. 

The building is well over a century old now and shows no sign of disappearing.

I found this while browsing library shelves on architecture and instantly recognized how appealing this library/school intended book really is. In a recent post ai wrote about the ways in which graphic/comics offer appeal and eager participation among capable readers who resist reading. 

Sharing these  two nonfiction picture books will spark readers to compare and contrast, to look closely at text and images, to discuss tone and voice and author's purpose. Many of the deep thinking processes that developing readers need to practice are encouraged by authentic text and fascinating content. Further research and focus are easily accessed through an abundance of resources ranging from expository text to video clips. Analyzing reliability of information presented as fact is another invaluable practice. These two iconic topics open up endless opportunities to evaluate sources and content about known entities. 

Give them both a look, and maybe you'll want to share them with readers you know, too.

2024 Newbery Medal Winner: THE EYES AND THE IMPOSSIBLE

**Click here to read what author David Eggers had to say about getting the NEWBERY AWARD phone call on the morning of the day: DAVID EGGERS.

Since my inaugural post on this blog, my focus has been on picture books. They are produced in the unique format in which the combination of visual and language narratives blend (I'll say it) in magical ways to produce powerful content that is greater than the sum of its parts. 

That remains my focus here, and yet...

I've expanded my view to consider some graphic novels, a similar but specific structure that also combines image and text, but with unique patterns and skill demands, often resulting in more complex storytelling. Certainly longer storytelling.

I've also celebrated the Caldecott Award and Honor winners in many posts. Those very worthy titles get plenty of attention from platforms more substantial than this one, so I prefer to find and share other outstanding offerings. I especially enjoy having featured some of those titles BEFORE the big awards are announced. That was the case with picture book HOT DOG by Doug Salati when (way last August) I raved about it here, months before it was awarded the 2024 Caldecott Medal.

I've even, occasionally, stretched my limited space here to spotlight full text titles. That is the category that's the other jewel in the ALA Awards list, the Newbery Award. As i followed the announcements this year, I waited for the ultimate news to be celebrated. I had somehow not even heard about the winner, THE EYES AND THE IMPOSSIBLE, written by Dave Eggers, with remarkable occasional art by Shawn Harris. I ordered it immediately.

Once i had my hands on this remarkable book I devoured it. It is nearly impossible to classify the genre of this Newbery winner for 2023. It offers elements of contemporary realism and fantasy, or perhaps magical realism. After reading, you should make that decision for yourself, and that will likely depend on your deep-rooted sense of the strength and wisdom of nature and its creatures. Although I hadn't heard about it until that announcement,  I can't stop talking about it to everyone, every age. Notable authors' comments on the back cover attest to that. I agreed with them all, but especially with author Annie Burrows:

"...Exhibit A in the argument for children's books being great literature."

Johannes, the four-legged narrator, has a voice for the ages, offering mentor text for ANYONE who writes. Every word, every punctuation mark (or lack of them), captures and reveals the inner workings of his mind and heart. This ranges from the immediate and concrete to social and philosophical. His general attitude about the uselessness of ducks reminded me of the rabbits' disparaging attitude about dogs in Watership Down, as did the deftly interspersed suspense, affection, and humor. 

The author opens with a brief statement that these characters are animals- not symbols for any humans or human themes. He states clearly that the location and animals are not real, and particularly that the animals represent only themselves, despite human impulses to see symbolic or satirical reflections of ourselves and others in any other species. We often impose our superior, more important selves. The author succeeded, since that was my impression walking away. These are truly the voices of the creatures in nature that I have long observed, enjoyed, and even studied. Their inner lives, for a change, have been revealed to me, to all of us.

The role of ART and our innate responses to it plays a vital role in this story, too, and so does the occasional, powerful, full color, double page art revealing Johannes in various scenes. The images are always breathtaking and evocative of his complex character and the sense that the park is a full-fledged character, too.

Another benefit of this book is its layout: slightly larger font, wider line spacing and margins, storytelling that demands both close reading and obsessive page-turning. It was easily a one-night read, and that meant I could read it again and again. Each time I discover new details and nuances, deeper questions, and stronger connections to these remarkable characters and their concerns. It's an ideal read-aloud to younger folks since it does not require endless hours to sustain attention to the end, and young people are even more enthralled by nature and their fellow inhabitants than adults.

Any attempt to share a synopsis could spoil or at least diminish the power of the first read experience. This story, Johannes and his account of life as he lives it and considers it, invites readers to come along and discover for yourselves what his life is like. 

Say yes.

The Statue of Liberty and Her Right Foot: Who Knew?

As a Cybils panelist last year my category was nonfiction picture books. This category is growing dramatically in the publishing world, in numbers and in the quality and variety of offerings. There are various reasons for this, but most importantly, in my book, is the fact that nonfiction books are consistently popular with kids.

(I've linked some previous  posts from my Cybils nonfiction year in the notes below.)

Among the things I enjoy most about nonfiction books for young readers, especially picture books, are those "AHA" moments they provide, no matter what the age of the reader.   

An added benefit of outstanding nonfiction books is that the "AHA" discoveries may come from a variety of sources. The rarity or oddity discovered may reveal an entirely "new" person or event. (HERE and HERE). Or, some unnoticed or unknown aspects of a highly familiar topic may be offered, like discovering a hidden sweet in the center of a salty snack. Books can provide quirky surprises about the very famous SHAKESPEARE (Will's Words), or insights into well-known modern folks like Anne Frank and Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

Stunning discoveries can be equally gasp-worthy when exploring plant and animal topics, geology, or space. 

Even though my category as a Cybils panelist this year is poetry, I continue reading widely and often in other categories. The end-of-year season for best-of books is upon us, and that includes lists devoted exclusively to nonfiction for young readers. The New York Public Library issues a "One Hundred Best" list without sub-sorting categories, but it is obvious when scrolling through the list that nonfiction (and poetry!) have firm standing among their 2017 recommendations. 

Chronicle Books, 2017

Making the cut on many of these lists, with my personal prediction of more awards to come, is HER RIGHT FOOT by Dave Eggers, with art by Shawn Harris. In fact  (pun intended), this book has earned enough starred reviews to fill the crown of our very own STATUE of LIBERTY, the subject of the book. From the distinct perspective of the cover, the retro art makes it clear that this is no ordinary litany of facts and figures. There is no shortage of picture books that will provide information and insights to the statue's creator, it's symbolism and role in American history, the poet and poem, and the impressive statistics about the statue's size, weight, and other dimensions. A great place to start, if that's what you're seeking, is this post on Written And Bound's Blog.

In this case, though, the author's perspective is as distinct as the artistic perspective on the cover and on each page within. The book's heft (104 pages), the sturdy paper stock, and the illustration shifts from raw edges to heavy backline art to collage images underscore the  reader's  sense of this iconic statue's massive but vibrant significance in our national identity. 

This is a remarkable book on many levels. The retro art and palette, the pacing and integration of complex information, the depth of content presented in accessible conversational style, and the ultimate conclusion combine to make this an ideal book for middle grade readers. Second person direct address voice is difficult to find in quality books, and this one does it with flair. There is an ironic, nearly snarky, tone at times, but one that doesn't overdo it for effect or undermine the serious significance of the subject. 

Eggers's text spans the years prior to the creation of the statue,  through its iconic era, plants the statue firmly among the issues of today, and then strides on into the future. Those transitions are impressively handled and I can't think of another recent book that so effectively links history to current events, spanning 150 years. 

Back matter provides additional fuel to my argument that this picture book was never meant for babies, but is instead an ideal match for the humor, curiosity, and cautious idealism of adolescents.

You can read more of the glowing reviews on Chronicle's web page, here. For now, though, 

I'll close with this quote from Publishers' Weekly starred review:

★ “Eggers’s crucial and timely re-examination makes Liberty an active participant in a debate that is more contentious than ever.”