A Beautiful Picture Book Wondering_ What is Beautiful?

Greystone Kids, 2021

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? Of course. That is as it should be. This gorgeous new picture book makes that point clearly in an elegantly quiet and reflective way. HOW BEAUTIFUL is written by Antonella Capetti and illustrated by Melissa Castrillon. Check out an intensive interview with the illustrator, including amazing interiors, HERE.

Story first, though, since this kid-friendly and seemingly simple narrative preceded the remarkable and inspired art on the cover and throughout each spread that is worthy of close examination. 

Caterpillar is the star, but begins as a very contented, grace-filled being, one who finds that each leaf and munch is satisfying and fulfilling. Its life is enough. Until... a hand lifts caterpillar on a twig, admires it, and comments, "How beautiful!" before returning it gently to the forest floor.

And thus, a quest is launched, but one with both a gentle and mythic quality, to determine "What is Beautiful?" An antagonist arises, reacting to  each repetition of the question to forest-mates. It's an increasingly annoying blackbird who denies the claims of beauty in their responses. He challenges their choices, calling them useful, or comfortable, or otherwise functional but NOT beautiful. Until blackbird ultimately spies an empty tin can, which is his choice as beautiful. At that point, catepillar has learned enough to sense that blackbird's choice is NOT beautiful. Exhausted from following a seemingly failed quest, caterpillar and the others settle to sleep, turning their eyes to the sky. 

There, in the night sky, beauty reveals itself to them, leaving no room for debate: the full moon shows its face. 

For anyone who has read or heard that "quiet stories" in picture books will not find a market, here is the proof that the RIGHT story works, even if it is a quiet one.

This elegantly simple narrative is written by an Italian author, illustrated by a British artist, and released by a Canadian publisher. The art provides suitably universal scenes and characters for this detailed interpretation, with characters assuming a sort of "modern dance" grace within the scenes. the style evokes a sort of Renaissance intricacy and elegance while shaping each character in a modern interpretation that hints at powerful similarities within their differences. 

This oversized, intricate, and intriguing art uses saturated jewel tones with intentional white insertions. The sturdy matte papers allow the story and art to progress without need for gloss or shimmer. I'm not the only one who has fallen into the undeniable beauty of these scenes. Check out  Kirkus Review, HERE. Observations by others in-the-know about such things offer plenty of buzz that this may well be among finalists and winners of 2021 awards for illustration and perhaps for story. 

I received a copy of this lovely book with no expectation of a reveiw from GREYSTONE KIDS, a publisher of picture books that have  impressed me objectively, and captured my heart as well. If this publisher is new to you, I hope you'll click their name above and take time to consider the titles they've been producing. Along with offering an expanded platform for underrepresented voices, visions, and stories, they also embrace stories that stretch the more familiar structures often expected by picture book readers and buyers. 

More Holiday Gift Suggestions: HELLO, CROW and MORE

A fantastic fiction picture book reached me just as I began gathering and reading nonfiction titles for this year's Cybils Awards. I've been shifting this lovely book to the top of a "future posts" pile since it released in September, and It has been calling to me ever since. I can't ignore it for even a moment longer, and I'm sharing it here just in time to suggest as a wonderful option for holiday gifting.

Greystone Kids, 2019
David Suzuki Institute

HELLO, CROW is written  by Candace Savage and illustrated by Chelsea O'Byrne. Franny frustrates her father by leaving things around the house, overlooking simple tasks, and ignoring nearly anything except NATURE. As the endpapers and title page reveal, Franny only has eyes for the wonders of the great outdoors and it's creatures.
Franny sees, smells, explores and hears the call of the wild, longing to connect with it.
This book was inspired by the true story of such a girl. In this version, Franny steps into the great outdoors daily. Many edible lunch bits surround her during one of her outdoor excursions. Crumbs catch the attentive eye of a crow. I love the way the crow eyes Franny cautiously, aware of human presence, and behaves naturally. 
In time, Franny is more intentional in sharing her lunch. Crow appears often, hopping in, then flying in to share lunch and and exchange conversational CAWs. 
Franny is convinced she has made a friend, but her father dismisses it as featherbrained dreaming. 
After many days sharing lunches, Crow delivers a special gift, left where Franny can't miss it. She treasures Crow's gifts of a button, then a bead. She insists to her father that they are proof of their loving friendship. 
When he denies it yet again as dreaming, Franny drags him along to meet Crow. 
Together they sit.
They wait.
They scour the landscape and sky.
No crow.
Just as Father is warming up for an "I told you so" speech, Crow swoops in and lands on Franny's head. 
I love the simple, direct language and charming story, sprinkled with clever word play that parallels familiar home scenes sprinkled with Franny's messy trails. These validate Father's frustrated annoyance and labeling. 
I spent several years working in wildlife rescue, some of which included memorable crows. With that experience, I'd have never doubted Franny's story, but the illustrations make it understandable that he did. 

Even so, this is an important story for parents and children to share, sparking discussions about how important it is to trust a child when they share their stories of daily life. 

The situation in this story reminds me of the kerfuffle about a Sesame Street character several years ago.
(If you missed it, check out the full story HERE). 
The running gag about SNUFFLEUPAGUS was that only the young (kids and characters) ever saw the big goofy guy, because he always left before adults arrived. That premise was dropped/corrected when it became clear that children NEED to know that they will be believed by trusted adults when they report what they see and hear. Helping children learn to explore imagination while being trusted with the truth is a crucial developmental landmark.

HMH Books for Young Readers, 2019

As for Crow's gift-giving of tiny found bits, that  is a well-documented pattern within many bird species, most especially crows, ravens, and magpies. Another book I highly recommend, especially at this season of excess consumption, features a rather greedy magpie who learns the hard way that  sometimes less is more. 
MORE, written by I. C. Springman and illustrated by Brian Lies, gets my full-throated praise in a review in a prior post, HERE. Originally published in 2012 and 2014, it was reissued in fall, 2019. 

So I hope you'll add these two titles to your shopping list, or shop for them with your holiday gift cards, or keep them in ind for future occasions.  Remember, too, that lifetime memories are formed by sharing library trips and treasures with kids. 
Happy reading!