IT'S CORN PICKING TIME! A Must-Harvest New Picture Book

 In case you are unfamiliar, I want to call out author JILL ESBAUM as a master of rhymed text in picture books. Click on her name to see full shelves of titles she's created. Two of my favorite, most heart-tugging titles are WHERE'D MY JO GO? and TEENY TINY TOADY. I always think of Jill's books when I hear familiar advice to writers of picture books, that they should avoid rhyme. The second half of that advice is not always linked, but it matters the most...

UNLESS YOU CAN WRITE IN RHYME PERFECTLY! 

and, sometimes added...

UNLESS IT IS THE BEST WAY TO TELL YOUR STORY.

That's a high bar indeed, and authors like JILL ESBAUM raise the bar even higher. Not all of her books are in rhyme, but those that are bring enhanced rhythm and pacing with lively and natural language to share the stories even BETTER than prose might. As someone who sometimes writes in rhyme, I consider Esbaum's books to be the gold standard for deciding if my rhyming efforts are improving the story or detracting from it. Her rhymed text, when she chooses to use it, make the results feel like those stories were BORN rhyming. 

 

NEAL PORTER BOOKS, 2025

IT'S CORN PICKING TIME, illustrated by Melissa Crowton, is an ideal example of excellence in rhymed text, with the added challenge that this is an excellent informational picture book!

The first lines made me imagine this would be a variant on "This is the house that Jack built." There are several superb picture books that use that template, and I had no doubt that Esbaum would do it well. But I was surprised and pleased to see that she used only that short intro phrase to explore (along with vibrant and only slightly abstracted images throughout) the people, places, tools, processes, and majesty of corn harvest on a modern farm. 

"This is a farmer, her hat and her gloves,

This is the farm, a land that she loves."

are the opening lines that set not only the launching scene for corn-harvest day but also the warmth and emotional depth of life on a farm. An effort to construct a cumulative text would not ahve allowed each of the elements of this remarkable process to shine on its own.

From the screeching barn door to the keys tucked on a high shelf, readers are invited into THIS SPECIFIC farm, to join THIS farmer in THIS harvest. It becomes a very personal experience, and the stages involved rise above what I know to be a dusty, hot, exhausting task into satisfying, gratifying, and important work. It is also clear that farming, though occasionally lonely, is not a solo operation. Various folks of diverse ages, roles, and conditions play important parts. Even random bugs have their very authentic place on the shed shelves. 

I was particularly impressed with the natural flow of language, with accurate terminology feeling natural and accessible within nearly musical text (chaff, auger, combine). The morning-to-night framework for the harvest story incorporates soaring scavenging birds, collaborative coworkers, prowling farm cats, a faithful watchdog, and young ones. 

This is a story in which the corn is the star, but the adult farmer (female, POC) orchestrates the performance. Another frequently stated "rule" of writing picture books is that kids need to play the lead role, to solve the problem, etc. As with the prior-stated advice, this is often true. Unless it can be done as masterfully as this. The adult farmer is in every way integrated with her own family, other workers, and even into a society at large. 

And the land. Always the land.

Back matter is handled equally well. Final spreads describe "LIFE ON A CORN FARM" through simple Q and As, along with enhancing spot illustrations. Jill and her husband live on a farm in Iowa, a home that has been in their family for over a hundred years. That suggests to me that the facts are reliable, but also that the heart of it is also authentic. As someone with farm family background, there's no denying that farming of any kind is demanding, wearing, and even sometimes heartbreaking. And yet farmers stay, and farm, and root themselves into the processes that feed us all. I admire this latest Esbaum effort  for its skillful informational content, for the natural cycle of a day on the farm, and, of course, for the perfectly written rhyme. Illustrator Crowton shares my the praise for the many ways in which the color, design, and details portrayed expanded the warmth and clarity of CORN PICKING TIME!

Quick Looks At Some Cybils Nominee Books!

 Nominations are now closed for the annual CYBILS AWARDS for 2024. Finalists will be announced on January 1, 2025, with winners announced on Valentine's Day. The groups I'm judging this fall are nonfiction for two groups: elementary readers and  middle grade readers. Among both sets of nominees (about 150 titles!) there are picture books across the ages. 

You can imagine that I'm pretty preoccupied these days with thoughtful reading of those books in the bags that I haul to and from the library. (Bless those folks!) For the next few weeks here I plan to share some short notes about terrific discoveries along the way. I've also written comprehensive reviews (and even interviews) for many of the nominees in posts during the past year. Sharing my reactions to them in prior or upcoming posts does not constitute indicators of where they stand in the judging process, but so many of the nominees deserve your attention.

For this post, I'm all in on some distinctly fun and interactive titles, ones that work as front-to-back reads but also as resources and reference books.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, 2024

I'm guessing LITTLE KIDS FIRST BIG BOOK OF HOW from National Geographic Kids, written by Jill Esbaum, will become a family favorite.

Combine the vibrant visuals of anything from National Geographic with a flurry of "how...?" questions that seem universal in any kids' world with the superb writing of author Jill Esbaum and you'll realize why this is a winner of a choice for loads of kids. Think holiday gifting or birthday gifting to surprise young readers with the book they never knew they wanted, but will love. Adults in their lives will also love the many simply-stated but perfectly clear explanations for things anyone at any age may have wondered about!
Table of contents, index, sidebar terminology explainers, and more informational features make this a terrific addition to home collections and also as gifts to classroom libraries and teachers as holidays near.
This is the latest in a series of related titles you'll want to check out if you enjoy this HOW topic!

Another book based on "HOW" is HOW DO METEOROLOGISTS PREDICT THE FUTURE: A Science Book About Meteorology, written by Lisa Spencer and illustrated by Srimalie Bassani.

FLOWERPOT BOOKS, 2024

This is an amazingly entertaining picture book for direct instruction. Generally, even with nonfiction books, authors are cautioned not to come off as "teaching" but this fully embraces instruction, from the title onward to the back matter and even endpapers. The cartoon-style illustrations and occasional speech bubbles (always instructive, but with a light touch) lift what could have been overwhelming expository text into digestible segments that actually build understanding and engagement. Sidebars and labeled science diagrams lend to that understanding. 

Kids are seriously curious about weather and can devour this on their own, but the subject matter is often a part of classroom study, too. This is a resource that should not be missed (I would have loved to have it on my shelves while still in the classroom!).

It's one of the many nonfiction books for kids that adults will welcome as a source to answer a lifetime of their own questions about weather and forecasting.

Flowerpot Press, 2024

Finally, a quick note about a genuinely unique book, THE OBSERVOLOGIST: A Handbook for Mounting Very Small Scientific Expeditions, written and illustrated by Giselle Clarkson.

What an ideal and delightful book for anyone who watches and wonders about the world around us - the very small world around us. By framing the reader as a "giant" in such a perspective, readers realize quickly that this book invites/challenges them to take the time to observe AND to learn about the living things that so often go unnoticed.

Those 'Small Scientific Expeditions" can be as simple as turning over a rock or standing quietly near a puddle. The universal appeal of this book is that we;'ve all done these things, but not likely with the intention and planning and and safety notes and scientific guidelines;ines provided. All of these seemingly "spoil the excitement" elements are actually elevating the activities to a level of power and purpose and intention. Then author/illustrator provides images that are scientifically accurate and stunning while having a nearly comic appeal. You'll have to see it for yourself in order to recognize what I'm attempting to say. The images throughout are so very kid-friendly and yet the scholarly qualities expected of such a science topic are all there. If you've got a kid in your life who is buggy about bugs, this is the book for them!

Back soon with some other short notes about impressive titles from our nonfiction nominees!

Prudence the Cow Is Not Cowed by the Herd!

Cows are, by definition, herd animals. Conventionally, they are also considered docile. Even, dare I say, boring?  Cows, one would presume, spend their days and nights dozing, grazing, chewing cud, and zoning out during twice-daily milking. In some more imaginative scenarios, they might moo along to mood music piped into milking parlors. Otherwise, a cow is a cow is a cow, unless...

You're speaking of the adventurous cow in MOO!, written by David LaRochelle and illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka.

Or, if you're inspired by the rebellious cow in Jill Esbaum's I AM COW, HEAR ME MOO!  with lively illustrations by Gus Gordon.

Henry Holt & Co. BYR, 2017

In each case, (and several others), authors embrace the rebellious side of cows, often sending them exploring, escaping, or even rabble-rousing.

The latest portrayal of a non-conforming cow can be found in PRUDENCE the PART-TIME COW, written by prolific author Jody Jensen Shaffer and illustrated by Stephanie Laberis. (Release date, June 13, 2017)
In her case, Prudence has an inventive and creative drive, but her herding instincts remain firmly intact. Her herdmates, however, are less than approving, registering disdain and outright disapproval for this other-than-"normal" bovine who is disrupting their routines. Prudence associates and participates, but always notches her engagement up a level or two, (or more), looking for improvements and refinements to those routines. 
Her projects and suggestions invite criticism if not outright bullying. Prudence reads, calculates, analyzes, designs, constructs, and otherwise multitasks during their grazing, shading, pool-standing routines. Prudence is an innovator, that's for sure.

These endeavors and reactions are portrayed with a blend of clever text and comically odd illustrations. Anyone who has ever waxed poetic about the moo-dy, dreamy eyes of cows will enjoy the expressive eyes of Prudence and her peers. The other cows reveal disdain to the extent that you can imagine eye-rolling as their next step, while Prudence's gaze reveals boredom, enthusiasm, dismay, determination, hopefulness, and satisfaction. Wordplay is equally clever, as are the "extra-cow-ricular" pursuits of this very intelligent cow. 

This is an original take on a non-conforming cow, incorporating elements of peer-pressure and bullying, expressing individuality, and adding a dose of STEM topics into the mix. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). Prudence and her herd are cows you'll want to meet.

An advance copy of the book was provided in exchange for my honest review.

A Celebration of Spring: Sharing Powerful Posts

Due to rigorous revison commitments with deadlines, I must either neglect this blog for a few weeks, offer slap-dash efforts, or encourage readers to check out some of my archived spring/baseball/warm weather posts. 
None of these options is adequate, so I will, instead, direct you to several recent posts offering wonderful suggestions from bloggers whose posts I do take time to read, even when time is a precious commodity. I hope you'll take the time to read them and explore the remarkable books they recommend.

Start here with suggestions from Leslie Colin Tribble on a group blog, aptly named GROGGORG, on Friday, March 18. If the four picture books featured here don't enhance your SPRING mood, you're hopeless.  It's Spring! Let's Get Outside!

Many years ago I attended a picture book workshop offered by the inimitable and prolific JILL ESBAUM. In the midst of her very busy life she manages to regularly contribute to another group blog about all things picture book, PICTURE BOOK BUILDERS. Her March 1 post (here) introduces her TEENY TINY TOADY along with an interview with her illustrator on this project, Keika Yamaguchi.

Next up is a New York Times piece by none other than Paul O. Zelinsky. His reviews always offer insights. When he selects titles to recommend and praise, no deadlines or distractions delay my heads-up attention. His March 11 review, 'THE NIGHT GARDENER', "TOKYO DIGS A GARDEN', and 'STORIES FROM BUG GARDEN' is no exception. 

I'll end with that, confident that I'm doing my own small part to celebrate spring, nature, and picture book writing and illustrating by linking to these reviews. Do yourself a favor and check them out. If you've read others to recommend, pop into comments and share them with us, please. 

Meanwhile, my shopping and library hold lists have grown, and I'll return to revisions on other work with a jolt of renewed energy of the season. 

Thank you to JILL ESBAUM, LESLIE COLIN TRIBBLE, and PAUL O. ZELINSKY for your wise words and wonderful recommendations.