A Christmas (Eve) Recap

 For those who celebrate a western tradition of Christmas on December 25 (ands also for those who celebrate other seasonal holidays or Eastern dates for Christmas or ignore holidays) this is recap of some of the picture books I've shared over the years, including the current publishing year.

If you are a fan of picture books at all, this bouquet of beauties will lift your spirits and please your eyes and ears. (For those who have yet to fall in love with picture books, this collection might win you over!)

Beaming Books, 2023

Starting with my "this season" favorite that has already landed on MANY best-of-year lists is a book that is certainly destined to be a classic, Take a look (HERE) at my glowing praise for LULLABY FOR THE KING, written by the incomparable Nikki Grimes with luminous illustrations by Michelle Carlos. 

Levine Quiredo, 2021

In recent years an equally compelling holiday picture book conveys a fictionalized version of true events, a story of anti-semitism and hate that is playing out across out country today. Of course, the ending is based on those real events and reveals the most uplifting of choices among the community surrounding the targets of such hate. RED AND GREEN AND BLUE AND WHITE (reviewed HERE), was created by the immense talents of Lee Wind and Paul O. Zelinsky. I gifted this book multiple times this season because the message is both necessary and inspiring, revealed for any age through effective storytelling and illustrations that are both luminous and emotionally powerful. Sadly, the origin story for this one goes back to 1993  and the hatred is rooted many centuries earlier.

Kids Can Press, 2012

Dipping back a decade, one of my favorite characters is a perfect fit for the youngest readers, guaranteed to generate laughs on each page turn (and repeat readings, guaranteed!). Adult readers will be chuckling right along and might be surprised by the astute observations and details noticed by those little lap friends sharing the book. SCAREDY SQUIRREL PREPARES FOR CHRISTMAS: A Safety Guide for Scaredies is both written and illustrated by Melanie Watt. Whether this book introduces you to Scaredy or  brings him to a new situation for you (among the countless situations that scare the tail off of him), you'll love this one season after season.

Kalliot Books, 2023

How often have you heard (or said), "If only the Christmas Spirit could last all year. *sigh*"? This next, also recent picture book, is not actually a holiday book despite wintery scenes. In fact, OUT AND ABOUT: A STORY OF GIVING, is a tale of sustaining that giving, caring attitude throughout the year. It is also about passing down values, the concern for and action to support others and their needs, which could not only continue the holiday spirit through the year but across generations. Just imagine what that world would be like. Written by Liza Wiemer and illustrated by Margeaux Lucas, this story/family reveal the ways in which we can move ourselves from a sense of caring and empathy into action, not requiring an occasion to do so. 

To this last offering, firmly set in contemporary families and situations, I'll add one last link that I've shared several times since the first post. My childhood memory and reflections on my own family include a short poem I wrote for my own family based on actual events as a child. May anyone reading this (and everyone else!) look around in the days, past, present, and coming, to recognize and celebrate the blessings you find in your lives- even when surrounded by struggles or concerns.  I wish you all many moments of peace, joy, generosity, and security.

INTERVIEW: Liza Wiemer, Author of OUT AND ABOUT: A Tale of Giving

 

KALANIOT BOOKS. August, 2023

Happy Book Birthday 

 OUT AND ABOUT: A TALE OF GIVING

It's my pleasure and honor to introduce you to LIZA WIEMER, the author of  a wonderful new picture book that released today: OUT AND ABOUT: A Tale of Giving.

As you no doubt noticed, the cover looks like this is a winter/holiday offering, perhaps getting a jump on the season. But don't be fooled. Let the chilly scene wrap itself around you during these hot-weather days, but also cuddle into the underlying story. It is one that will warm your heart and also make clear that the family's spirit and grace are practices suited to every day, every way, every season, every climate.

Last week I offered my review of the book itself, HERE. I was not alone in praising this important story. Kirkius review had this to say about it, in part: (Click to read more.)

"A beautiful and thoughtful message woven into 

a brief yet poignant story."

Liza was kind enough to make time on this exciting release day to share some thoughts about this career achievement and her insights about the story. 

SB: Liza, your work quality and voice for teen readers (and adults!) has been firmly established. What made you want to write a picture book for younger readers and their families? 

LW: Thank you so much, Sandy, for the opportunity to be on your blog and to answer these outstanding questions.

This picture book was inspired by a story my grandfather told me about his childhood and took me over 20 years to get published. The value of giving to others in need is one that is deeply important to me, one that I have shared with my children. When I taught preschool, I used to tell this story to my students, and they loved it. That motivated me to write it.

 

SB:There is a fine line between writing a book to “teach” a lesson and writing a book that touches hearts to reveal important ideas and values. With the thousands of words available to a novelist, writers have room to finesse that line. In writing picture books, your word count is drastically less. This is not unlike writing poetry, even when not rhyming. Missteps between telling readers what to think or feel and allowing readers to discover or conclude those thoughts and feelings are beyond awkward- actually painful to read for many readers. A real turn-off. How did you manage to negotiate that territory so successfully?

 

LW: This was something I thought about a lot during the writing process. I knew Daniel had to have his “ah-ha” moment but struggled with how to make that happen. A conversation with a college professor who analyzes picture books spurred on the final idea of how Daniel figures out what his parents are doing. Along the way, however, I wanted Daniel to reflect while also having fun using his imagination. I want kids to use their imaginations and decide what they think Dad and Mom put in the boxes that they gave away to help others.

 

SB: Was your  prior experience in writing poetry/free verse at all helpful in developing text for this picture book? You used repletion of phrases, cycles of awareness, and found a very effective resolve on the last page. Were you conscious of those patterns and other approaches to the text from prior writings, or did that all need to come to you fresh for work in a picture book?

 

LW: I don’t think I consciously was making that connection between my love for free verse poetry and the writing in this picture book, but now that you mention it, that’s an outstanding observation. I read my picture book out loud multiple times, listening for cadence and readability. The repetition of “out and about” was important because we want the reader to be able to answer the question posed by Daniel’s brother at the end of the book: Where did you go? And, of course, the answer was “Out and about.”  

 

SB: Since this picture book story was on such a longtime journey to reach young readers, is it a “one-and-done” in this format or are there others in the works that you'd be willing to share with us? 

 

LW: I have a few more ideas I would love to see become picture books. But for now, I’m keeping them hush-hush.

 

SB: That's very understandable. After all, allowing this story-of-your-heart the time it deserved to work its way onto the page has had a beautiful result. I know you’ve spent many hours working directly with young readers regarding your writing and theirs, but that has mainly been with teens. Have you had an opportunity to share this new picture book  with younger readers yet? If so, what was memorable about that/those experiences? If not, how do you plan to approach those groups?

 

LW: Great question! Other than sharing the story with my preschool students and family, I haven’t had the opportunity to read it to kids! I’m excited to do so. I love the illustrations. 

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Interior spread, OUT AND ABOUT. Kalaniot Books, 2023

 

SB: I agree completely about the illustrations enhancing your text and inviting young audiences to put themselves into Daniel's shoes. I feel like the images entirely capture the idea that Daniel totally imagined that there might be exciting things for HIM in those boxes. His imagination definitely followed a typical young person's point of view, and that he did not seem to be greedy, just curious, excited, and typical of his age. That's another fine point of balance you achieved with this central character.

Thank you again, Liza, for sharing your time and insights with readers here. I want to add a reminder that the author note in back matter shares more details about the origins of this story in your own life. There is also additional information about Jewish cultural/religious values and practices and a brief glossary. 

Learn more about Liza Wiemer and her upcoming appearances, projects, contact information, and  teaching/discussion resources on her website, HERE.

 https://www.lizawiemer.com

Twitter:  @LizaWiemer

Instagram: LIzaWiemer

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liza.wiemer

TikTok: lizamwiemer  

I hope you'll explore any of the above sources to learn more about Liza's writing journey, to view interviews and videos, and to check her calendar for appearances near you.

Mostly, as Levar Burton always said on Reading Rainbow,

"Don't take my word for it, read!"

 

OUT and ABOUT: A Story of Giving

 If the name of author Liza Wiemer is familiar to you, it could well be from her contemporary teen novel THE ASSIGNMENT. It's an award-winning and globally successful story inspired by actual events in this last decade. If you haven't read it, I urge you to do so. 

It is often said/presumed that novelists and others who write for teens and adults struggle to write picture book text. In extended prose, the author needs to "illustrate" everything the reader needs to know and feel and consider with language.  In picture books, the text is not only drastically lower in word count, but each word must earn its place on the page. The text must also allow the illustrator  the space and respect and trust that visual narratives will not just mirror the text but provide as much or more of the storytelling as the words do. That is a challenging task for the illustrators but also for the author to determine what needs to be said with words and what does not. Wiemer has succeeded beautifully with her first endeavor into picture books. Her text and illustrator Margeaux Lucas achieve that masterful interaction of text and images that convey the heart and soul of a wonderful story. 

Kaliot Books.  August, 2023

OUT AND ABOUT: A Tale of Giving is written by award-winning author Liza Wiemer and illustrated by Margeaux Lucas. There is so much to enjoy about a well-told story in a picture book format, and this new offering provides both entertainment and heartwarming life lessons without being didactic. 

The illustrations, of course, enhance the qualities of Daniel and his family's relationships, which are both loving and supportive but also realistic in the personalities and playful approaches of their interactions. Daniel's keen observations, insatiable curiosity, and vivid imagination reveal a believable boy who sees any mysterious box as potentially fulfilling his dreams. 

Eventually, though, that observational curiosity allows him to put puzzle pieces together and realize that other peoples’ dreams matter, too. That's especially true when life circumstances place hurdles in the way of happiness. I especially enjoyed that Daniel developed his growing understanding and chose steps forward to participate in kindness without relying on prompts or explanations from the adults or older siblings. His final page decision about how to respond to the curiosity of his younger brother was a satisfying confirmation of the change he had embraced.

This narrative involves an accessible amount of text with page placement and font sizes resembling short passages of longer, full text. That is a great match for Daniel's character and for the skills of target readers' ages. It also reaches readers at their own developmental capacity to take the same steps of logic and empathy as Daniel does. 

A brief glossary, simple explanation/quiz about the Jewish principles of giving, MAIMONIDES’ EIGHT LEVELS OF TZEDAKAH, and a short author note expand this particular Jewish family experience into an informative resource as well as an opportunity to reflect on the universal value of giving in ways large, small, publicly magnanimous, and generously anonymous. 

Author Liza Wiemer writes from her heart at every level, and she has agreed to answer several interview questions about this story and its origins in a post on her BOOK BIRTHDAY, August 15.

 

Until then… stay generous and giving in the best possible ways.