THE SWEATER: A Story of Community

Some of the books i feature here are astonishing in their depth or scope, in the magnificence (I'm not exaggerating) of their text or illustrations. Many titles in many ways reveal less that is "new" but much that is conveyed in moving and original ways. 

VIKING PRESS, 2026

Then there are some picture books that simply strike chords of familiar, important, heart-touching elements in ways that deserve attention. Books that will become huggable favorites. Books that will be saved to read again and again, and then on into adulthood to a next generation. The SWEATER: A Story of Community strikes me as that kind of book. Written by Larissa Theule and illustrated by Teagan White, there is actually very little that seems extraordinary in this reader-friendly book. 

The author's narrative is direct and simple, but carries the weight of understanding:

"... a little bird stumbled into the thicket. It was plain to see he'd been though some things."

The storytelling allows readers to sense concern, potentially even risk, without feeling undo threat to worry. The little bird's discovery of a vacant hole in a tree could easily be the wrap to his part of the story. But empathy and awareness of the coming winter and the challenges to even healthy lives in the face of Mother Nature  leads the central character, Holly the raccoon, to express concern for the little bird to the others in the woods. Yes, you can guess that decisions are made, domino effects unfold, scraps of offerings are knit into whole resources. That, my friends, is a metaphor for community. The glory of this simple account is in both its familiarity and in the freshness of word and images. 

Click on illustrator White (above) to see that more sophisticated version of any of these illustrations were well within her talents. But from the simple line drawings on end papers to the colorful, warm-toned interiors, each character appears both anthropomorphized and also natural. The challenges faced are concerning without being terrifying, helping readers invest in the safety of all, not just the small bird. Even when it is "hunkering down"  time in the midst of a storm, the text and images offer reassurance of safety while suggesting connection, even while isolated for a time. Some aspect of those spreads reminded me of our lives during covid lock-down. No  matter how separate we were, there was a nearly universal striving to find ways to express our connections to others.

This book will appeal to most (I'd like to say ALL, but not everyone might find it as utterly memorable and treasured as I do). But I hope you'll give it a look to see for yourselves. There is sincerity and charm without being cloying or cutesy. The two-dimensional, stylized critters reside in a detailed space that is also somewhat flat, yet remains natural and somewhat magical. It's that "story time" tone that made me lift the relationships and characters from their specifics to think of them as any and all communities 

I am a fan of any picture book that is able to take what we all know to be an important (and therefore familiar) concept and make it fresh and memorable. I praised the efforts of Marsha Diane Arnold's ONE SMALL THING, HERE. If you missed it originally, I invite you to click and read about it as well. These two "animal character" stories display combined support, representing the power for even small efforts to unite and strengthen every member of the community. They would make remarkable side-by side readings. Those are reflections and discussions I'd welcome as often as possible, especially among young audiences.

THE SLEEPER TRAIN... ALL ABOARD!

I'm very nostalgic about trains, though I only rode on one once, as a child, for a very short trip. (Or occasionally at the zoo with kids!). Sleeping at our grandparents' Kentucky home meant vibrating through the night to the rumble of trains as they passed by just thirty feet across the road.  Or "racing" trains on tracks parallel to the highway as Dad drove us to Kentucky and back to Ohio, counting train cars, hoping that the man in the caboose would wave back when they inevitably passed us up. My bucket list still includes a cross-country train trip. We'll see....

Candlewick Press, 2025

Meanwhile, back to picture books! THE SLEEPER TRAIN obviously appealed to me from the start. It depicts experiences rooted in a culture halfway around the planet but offering universal connection in its emotional explorations and memories. Written by Mick Jackson and illustrated by Baljinder Kaur, this is a delightfully illustrated story of a girl and her family as they travel to visit relatives. The train itself frames the story, as the girl's first-person narration reveals her family's journey, her excitement about using a fold-down bed in their cabin, and then her struggle to fall asleep. As might be predicted, readers join her in viewing the station, their night travels through and near cities, and her struggle to calm herself and fall asleep. Then, page turns each reveal her memory of strategies to deal with  sleeplessness. 

There will be plenty of readers who find the vibrant and detailed illustrations both welcome and familiar, a rare opportunity to see themselves and their homeland on picture book pages. For others, though, this will be less a mirror and more of a window or sliding door to a world filled with new images and locations, yet deeply familiar experiences. She activates her past efforts to find sleep, remembering happy times: a recent vacation, napping at the beach under a soothing sun, family camping, and even a scary time in the hospital when her family stayed at her side to comfort her. Her memories reveal that such universal experiences are global, while the specifics in culture, clothing, and styles clearly reveal their Middle-East/South Asian  setting. Morning brings the family to the dining car and the final page turn is utterly perfect. (Another memory to be recalled on some sleepless night in the future). 

For anyone traveling, during holidays or otherwise, this is a rich experience, a delight for eyes and hearts.💕 Trainlovers will be delighted, and parents of struggling sleepers will appreciate the self-regulation strategies described. Kids will be begging for train rides!  If that isn't in the foreseeable future (or even if it IS), check out Marsha Diane Arnold's recent BIG BOY, HERE.

As Promised: Marsha Diane Arnold Interview About Big Boy 4014

Marsha Diane Arnold

A recent review of the remarkable nonfiction picture book, BIG BOY 4014, can be read, HERE. My remarks and those of many other reviewers of this new book are in praise of this welcome addition to our shelves. Marsha Diane Arnold has joined us  for an interview about a past release, HERE, and I'm delighted that she found time to share her thoughts and insights again.

Arnold's picture books often involve complex real world issues (Night Light Pollution, Rain Forest Threats), subtly revealing her grasp of  important issues and subject matter through gently-told fictional stories. Her characters and lyrical language engage readers with emotional and relationship truths while revealing factual content. In this case, though, she took on the challenging  commitment to write a fully nonfiction account about a mechanical object. In my review I pointed out several ways in which she achieved that, spinning a graceful balance between factual content and figurative language that allows readers to imagine with her what a compelling massive locomotive engine might dream or think or feel, if it could. I'm excited to share with you the responses she so kindly shared.

 

SLEEPING BEAR PRESS,  May 1, 2025

SB: Marsha Diane Arnold, welcome back to talk about your new book! Just as I find layers and insights throughout your wonderful picture books, your responses to past questions have revealed layers within your complex writing life. I’m excited to see what you have to say about this newest picture book, BIG BOY 4014. Congratulations on the MAY 1, 2025 release!

The BIG BOY 4014  page on your website notes your lifelong affection for trains. I have the same nostalgic connection to hearing  those distant whistles or riding on a highway alongside a rolling train. We’d count cars and wait eagerly for the man in the caboose to “beat us” and wave, sometimes even waving a big red handkerchief. A caboose is rarely staffed these days, but I think of those caboose workers every time I see a train. 

You mentioned reading about the restoration project and becoming eager to learn more. Can you share a bit about how your investigative journey began?

MDA: Thank you for having me on your blog again, Sandy! 

That journey began quite a while ago. It’s been four years since I began the first messy drafts of Big Boy 4014 and The Steam Team! Plus, my husband often jokes about my busy, idea-filled mind: “There’s a lot of trains running through that station!”  (A fitting metaphor.) 

Remembering exactly where I started is a bit of a challenge now, but I do recall lots of research – reading, watching videos, and studying train history. Trains magazine, the premier publication for railroads, was especially helpful. It’s been around since 1940 and, until recently, was owned by Kalmbach Media. One of the issues I relied on was their 2019 special collector’s edition, Big Boy Back In Steam. I also bought two DVDs about Big Boy published by Trains, as well as their comprehensive book Union Pacific’s Big Boys: The complete story from history to restoration. 

I joined a few Big Boy 4014 groups on Facebook as well. That turned out to be both valuable and fun. The railfans there were most gracious in answering my questions. Some of them know locomotives by number - and even by horn sequence! They are passionate about train history and engineering.

SB: I've known a few train fans (fan-atics) in my time, and they are treasuries of information as well as eager to recruit new fans. Since reading your new book I've checked out multiple youtube and other video clips and I find them both exciting and mesmerizing! 

You are notable for your personal travels to the locations/subjects of your books. You certainly realized before arriving that BIG BOY 4014 would be impressive. Can you share any of your first reactions and impressions as you physically arrived at the actual locomotive? 

MDA: What I remember is the excitement – not just mine, but everyone’s. Union Pacific employees were there working. Visitors from near and far had come. All for Big Boy 4014. It gave me goosebumps! 

But before the public viewing, before Big Boy pulled into Omaha from Council Bluffs, Iowa, Robynn Tysver, UP Communications Manager, met me at UP’s Home Plate. That’s where the public viewing was to take place, right next to Charles Schwab Field during the College World Series. There was lots of activity in Omaha that June day in 2023! Robynn and a couple of others called me over to their utility cart and verified I’d be able to ride with engineer Ed Dickens from a nearby crossing into Home Plate. We headed out to meet Big Boy at a spot near Council Bluffs. Big Boy rumbled in and stopped…just for me! I met Ed and climbed aboard for the ride of a lifetime. Not many have the honor of riding in that beautiful cab with Ed Dickens at the wheel.

Here are a couple of videos from that Omaha adventure. The first shows my excitement. The second shows my husband…who is maybe not quite as excited. 

 CLIP OF MARSHA being excited at upcoming ride on BIG BOY 4014, HERE.

CLIP OF FRED, Marsha's husband/driver, not quite as thrilled, HERE. 

SB: What a moment that must have been! By the time you arrived in person, the project was complete and in operation, right? How thrilling for you, and Fred's dry humor comes through clearly- he's certainly a loyal supporter of you, if not of trains! 

Now, again tapping into your first reactions, will you share a bit about your first thoughts when seeing Adam Gustavson’s illustrations?

MDA: First, I smiled - ear to ear. Then I felt thankful. Thankful that Sleeping Bear Press had not only found Adam Gustavson, but had convinced him to bring Big Boy 4014 to life through his art.

I already knew Adam was a brilliant illustrator, but the detail and passion he put into the Big Boy illustrations were beyond anything I imagined. He captured her movement and her power. You can tell Adam did his research, but you can also tell he loved the subject.  

SB:  I really enjoyed reading your joint interview with Adam on Marie Marshall's blog, THE PICTURE BOOK BUZZ. I urge everyone to read it, HERE.

Other reviews (all glowing, and well-deserved) have commented on the ways your words and Gustavson’s illustrations produce a sense of the locomotive roaring right off the pages. I agree entirely. Did this project cause you to feel differently about trains than before you began? If so, how so?

MDA: After meeting Chief Engineer Ed Dickens and chatting with many passionate railfans on Facebook, I did feel differently. I’ve always loved trains and respected the people who worked on them - like my uncle Dale, a machinist for the Denver and Rio Grande Western, who worked in the roundhouse in Alamosa, Colorado - but after writing Big Boy 4014, my respect grew even deeper.  The depth of others’ knowledge and their love of train lore, history, and tradition really touched me.

SB: I have no doubt that your work on this book did not disappoint those folks. You (and Adam) certainly conveyed your own love and respect as well as giving due credit to the team that brought BIG BOY 4014 back to life on the tracks, not just in the pages of a book. Congratulations on that, and on dedicating the book to rail fans everywhere. 

The success of your prior picture books will draw even more readers and fans for this new offering, but it is also distinctly different from those. For example, several of your titles have dealt with aspects of nature and conservation. Have you noticed or do you anticipate a difference in the ages/interests of audiences at events related to this book? I am certain that you and I are not the only adults with a deep affection for trains and train lore.

MDA: I’m certain of that too, Sandy. Just look at all the model train lovers around the world - and the hundreds of thousands of people who come out to see Big Boy 4014 on her excursion tours! In 2019 alone, it’s estimated that more than one million people saw her during the tours – people of all ages.

I’ve had other picture books, like The Pumpkin Runner, that have been loved by readers across generations. I believe Big Boy 4014 And The Steam Team will be such a book. I’ve already heard from adult railfans - and railfans-to-be – who’ve pre-ordered copies for themselves or to share with family. 

The cover illustration is especially striking. It has the show-stopping presence of a coffee table book for adults, but is designed to be lifted and explored by little hands.

SB: The visual appeal of this book is unquestionable. 

There are so many ways that I admire your use of writing craft in this work (onomatopoeia, figurative phrasing, repetition, purposeful shifts in sentence length, word choice and many more). Can you share a bit about your process of blending love with research on the page? Did you throw a draft down and then go back to rephrase and polish? Did you refine from the first stages? The end result in this work never misses a beat, so I’d love to know if it always carried that pace and rhythm from the start. 

MDA: Thank you, Sandy. That means a lot!

A story idea usually lives in my mind for some time before I take pen to paper. My first drafts begin as just a few phrases – a sprinkling of words and impressions. I may write down things I’m not sure are true and go back later to do research. I also ask myself a lot of questions along the way. 

With Big Boy 4014 And The Steam Team, I knew I wanted the Big Boy story to be more than non-fiction. I believe most things in the world are sentient and I wanted my reader to relate emotionally to Big Boy 4014 – not just admire her size and power. How could I walk that line between fact and feeling? Thank goodness for that wonderful, walking the line word: “if.” 

These are some of the first “sprinklings” I wrote, straight from a messy draft, dated 8-30-21. I don’t always finish sentences in the beginning. I may just know the rhythm – “da DA da DA da Da” kind of thing. I don’t know what the entire sentence will be. But I may have a phrase I want to use, so down it goes. A phrase like “If steam locomotives could dream.”

If steam locomotives could dream, this one would be chugging up the Wasatch Mountains. 

If steam locomotives could dream, this one…the largest in the world…would be …..

If steam locomotives could dream, this one…Big Boy 4014…would be….

But now he sat cold, one of 25 brothers, one of 8 saved from the scrap heap. Half a mile from the tracks.

10 years

30 years

50 years

Cobwebs entwined his wheels. 

Pine needles fell on his ???cab??? top.

His cab was rusting (Be sure I congratulate team that kept him as good as possible in back matter.)

You can see that I made a note to myself, even then, to thank the volunteers at the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, who did their best to keep Big Boy in good condition. I wanted to honor and be respectful of all their work, but I also wanted the story’s emotional arc to begin with the sense of Big Boy longing to be back on the tracks.

And yes, that rhythm you mentioned was there early on, but it was in my mind first. Then I grabbed the lines and wrote them down. Then they deepened and expanded.

SB: Well, that was truly a bonus response- a sort of mini-master-class! Thank you! and the "notes to self" are something I do, too, because it is so easy to let important things slip through in the lengthy writing process. Which lads me to this...

I enjoy asking nonfiction writers about the fascinating factoids that didn’t make it into the book, ones you found in research but now live rent-free in your head!

MDA: There’s always so much research and, in the end, almost all of it must be pared down to those bits that best serve the story being written. I did quite a bit of research about the building of the transcontinental railroad and the golden spike, but most of that still lives in my research files. 

And then there are those seven other Big Boy locomotives that were spared from the scrapheap. Six of them were placed in outdoor museums and two are indoors. Each one has a fascinating story of how it was moved to its current home. No one undertakes moving a 1.2-million-pound steam locomotive lightly. Each was saved, moved, and preserved by people who cared, people who loved what these mighty machines represent.

 SB: I'd love to think that your account of BIG BOY 41014 and the Steam Team will urge the curators of the remaining treasures to activate local historians to make booklets or other user-friendly accounts and share them widely. 

Speaking of spreading the word and sharing stories, do you have events upcoming?  Are there related materials available for kids, teachers, or enthusiasts you’d like to mention? 

MDA: Mostly I’ll be visiting blogs like yours, around the web, to share about Big Boy 4014 And The Steam Team. I’ll be posting the links on my Facebook and Instagram pages. Sleeping Bear Press has a wonderful sales team and several railroad museums have already ordered copies. 

And yes – there will be related materials! There will be a Teacher’s Guide for Big Boy 4014 And The Steam Team. I was hoping it would be available by May 1^st, but it’s taking a bit longer. It will definitely be ready for everyone by the start of school in August or September!

SB: I urge readers here to check out your website, too, where you have such interesting nuggets of background about your many books. It's like getting a personal book talk about each, right from the source!

Are there upcoming works you can discuss or are things still at the top-secret stage?

MDA: I love that you understand some story ideas need to stay top-secret for a while, Sandy. 

I do have three ideas currently at the forefront. Each revolves around my love for the natural world and wildlife. There are also manuscripts my editor has recently sent out, but no homes have been found for them yet. Lots of very nice rejections, though. 

One of those is about an unusual partnership, drawn from real behaviors in the wild. I’d hoped it could serve as a model for those of us with differences finding ways to work together. I love the story, as does my agent, but it hasn’t found the perfect home yet. Time to let it rest for a while and turn to those three new projects. Two have been living in my head for years and one is just now taking shape. And so, the writing journey continues.

SB: Well, I'm excited but not surprised that you have several ideas/works in progress, and that they are richly layered with the natural world, our environment, and relationships of complexity. I will say that I'm shocked that you have anything out on submission that has not been snatched up, but the business side of things is all about finding the just-right fit for that just-right book. Not unlike buying a new home- even the one you thought was perfect but "gets away" may lead you right to the one that was meant for you all along. 

My only regret is that a delay in getting these underway means a delay in getting a chance to read them and share them here. 

Considering your many projects at various stages, your busy life with family, and keeping Fred on the road, I'm deeply grateful that you would take the time to share your answers to my questions. As always, your responses are expansive and inspiring. I (and readers and railfans) thank you for this towering, powerful new nonfiction picture book, and for sharing your thoughts and back-stories about it. Here's to celebrating and sustaining what matters.

Make Way for a WONDER: BIG BOY 4014!

Readers:

Here's a preliminary note about this book before my review. Arnold opens the account with this information, and it  says so much about what readers can expect from her level of research, insight, and accuracy:

“The trains are called Big Boys, but traditionally locomotives are referred

to as “she” by their engineers and crews. I have followed that tradition in

my story, referring to this iconic locomotive as “she.”

—Marsha Diane Arnold”

When author Marsha Diane Arnold takes on a subject, whether purely fiction (LOST. FOUND., or informational fiction (Armando’s Island and LIGHTS OUT), her writing is marked by deep understanding and accuracy in specificity and in the depth and  heart of the narrative. That’s true for the authenticity of emotional relationships as well as the factual frameworks that scaffold her heartfelt stories. The introductory note in this book reveals to readers that Arnold not only researched the  specific content, (the past, the process, and the present of these uniquely powerful behemoth locomotives), but also the formal and informal cultures surrounding trains and railroad enthusiasts. The use of she to reference engines conveys the affection and care they were given, while Arnold's opening note clarifies that the perspective and language of this new picture book should not be confused with conjecture or anthropomorphizing the engines based on that female pronoun. Arnold makes figurative language choices, creating lyricism and tone that invigorates inanimate hunks of steel and machinery to make readers care deeply while fully embracing the wonder of inanimate mechanics.

Now, on to the book!

SLEEPING BEAR PRESS, MAY 1, 2025

BIG BOY 4014 AND THE STEAM TEAM: THE WORLD’S LARGEST STEAM ENGINE ROARS BACK TO LIFE!  is written by Marsha Diane Arnold and illustrated by Adam Gustavson.Their combined talent allows BIG BOY 4014 to rumble off the page directly into readers’ hearts.

A description of this well-researched and expansively illustrated nonfiction book can’t be brief. Spanning more than a century of continental and engineering history, the contemporary opening provides a view of the massive locomotive engine, BIG BOY 4014, at her outdoor historical display. Arnold’s text masterfully blends the power and heart of BIG BOY 4014’s past with recent transformations that restored her status as a living legend. 

Details are intriguing, involving breathtakingly large measurements, functions, and accomplishments. Visual scales cleverly flip size relationships we typically experience when viewing scale model train displays. When BIG BOY 4014 hits the rails (originally or in restored condition) it's our human scale, correctly depicted, that appears as if miniaturized.

The narrative utilizes language laced with effective onomatopoeia, rhythmic repetitions that resonate, with language traveling over tracks and lyrical constructions that recur and link expanses of time. Not once is the massive engine personified, yet literary choices connect readers with the heart of the engine itself, across time and locations. Using “if steam locomotives could dream…” launches our imaginations, deepening our awareness of the original need for and impressive accomplishments of the original twenty-five oversized steam engines that made American expansion and development possible. 

The grand ambition of that original BIG BOY project would have been impressive enough, but this account, focusing on a single engine's return to work, BIG BOY 4014, lifts history to the realm of a journey/quest story while remaining firmly rooted in fact. It truly suggests a HERO'S JOURNEY, but with various heroes across more than a century. The heroes who first imaged such behemoth locomotives might be considered heroes for their grand imaginations and execution to open this continent from east to west. This is also about one survivor of that bygone era, one of eight BIG BOYS that avoided the scrap heap. BIG BOY 4014 benefited from its lengthy display and attentive care in an arid location, tended to by another set of heroes. Despite their care, heart-tugging descriptions ("cold ashes in the firebox", "cobwebs", "creeping rust"), and an empathetic narrative voice invite concern for the engine and underscore the magnitude of the STEAM TEAM heroes who dared to consider bringing BIG BOY 4014 back into operation. The heroes abound, including those with appreciation for its history.

The balance of factual information and inspiring “imagine if” tones are enhanced by the sprawling double spreads and ranging perspectives, billowing steam clouds, color choices, landscape backgrounds, and workspace views. As a reader I felt deeply invested in the ultimate success of their project. Readers will cheer alongside the illustrated crowds when BIG BOY 4014 takes part in an historic reenactment of the transcontinental railroad link with the GOLDEN SPIKE. 

Back matter takes those who are already interested (and I have no doubt most will be) into further stories surrounding this complex and continent-spanning endeavor. With a photo of BIG BOY 4014 in its restored glory and another with author Arnold hugging its grill, the empathetic responses of readers are fully satisfied. 

The author dedicated the book to the STEAM TEAM who did the remarkable work to plan and execute this transformation, and to railroad lovers. I have no doubt those folks will find and savor this account, but I suspect anyone who comes to the story for any other reason will leave it as railway fans, and that means they, too, are included in the dedication. 

I'm certainly not alone in praise for this new offering. How does an author capture such an enormous subject within the pages of a picture book, especially a subject with more than a century of history? Marsha Diane Arnold shared her thoughts about finding the heart of such an enormous story on a recent guest post with author Beth Anderson, whose books deal with similar challenges. I urge you to read it, HERE.

This post is scheduled for APRIL 30, 2025, the eve of the BOOK BIRTHDAY for BIG BOY 4014.

Join me in wishing a happy birthday to the book, sending congratulations to the author (who will answer a few interview question for us next week!) and the joyful journey of LOCOMOTIVE BIG BOY 4014.

ARMANDO'S ISLAND: Interview With Author Marsha Diane Arnold

CREATIVE EDITIONS, 2023

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY to a new and important picture book, ARMANDO'S ISLAND, and to its creators, Marsha Diane Arnold and illustrator, Anne Yvonne Gilbert. 

Marsha Diane Arnold

 It has been my pleasure and an honor to review this impressive new offering (HERE) and several other previous titles by Arnold, HERE and HERE. She has kindly agreed to discuss some of my questions and I'm delighted to share that conversation with readers today, on LAUNCH DAY for ARMANDO's ISLAND.

SB: Thanks for taking time to respond to my questions, Marsha. ARMANDO’S ISLAND is such a lovely, lush, and important new picture book that I’m imagining you are quite busy celebrating its release today. I'll get right into it so you can go back to cake and tropical treats!.

Which came first for you in this writing- the topic of the rainforest, the character Armando, or something else? Readers love hearing the story behind a story.

 

MDA:  

First, I should explain that I wrote this story over twenty years ago. I don’t have a lot of my early notes. I’ve always loved nature and wildlife. I feel most at home in nature, surrounded by wildlife. I’ve been involved for decades with organizations that work to preserve nature and our precious wildlife. For me to write a story, a fable really, about the destruction of the rainforest, was not a big leap. To answer your question, I started with the rainforest and its wildlife

SB:  From that response, I wonder if you could share more about your research process and decisions in terms of writing fiction or nonfiction, writing realistic contemporary or taking a slightly fantastical/magical approach? How did you “land” on the storytelling approach here?

 

MDA:

I’m a storyteller at heart. I enjoy writing fiction stories and I often use anthropomorphic animals.  I feel young children naturally relate to stories and talking animals. In my Lights Out, also from Creative Company, I wanted to write about how light pollution affects animals, but I didn’t want to do it with non-fiction. I chose to write the tale of a group of animals, searching together for Darkness, trying to escape the constant light that surrounded them. So too I decided to write a fable-like story of the rainforest and its destruction. 

 

My memory is that I wrote this story fairly quickly and didn’t research extensively. I already knew what was happening in the rainforest. I already knew a bit about the wildlife that lived in the rainforest. I needed a setting and I did think about other places, like Indonesia, but the wildlife of the Amazon rainforest called to me. 

 

But your questions caused me to think again. I have almost no notes on my computer, but I wrote the story over two decades ago. I searched my file cabinet and lo and behold! There, in a drawer rarely opened, was a long forgotten file entitled Armando’s Island. In it I found a 1993 note from the World Wildlife fund about tropical rain forests! I found a brochure from the Rainforest Alliance, information from Amazon Watch, and notes I’d taken from other books about the rainforest. I was probably collecting information for years before I sat down to write. This often happens with me. An idea tumbles in my head for months or years, I collect information as I come across it, and finally sit down to write the story.

 

SB: An aside... I recently moved and downsized many things, but transported some of my own writing files (hard copies), even ones I hadn't opened for years. Your response encourages me to think that I might one day be glad i did. Thank you.

 Back to the subject at hand...

Do you dream of the rainforest, of visiting it, of returning to it? Do other habitats and global destinations call to you?

MDA: 

My husband and I had a tiny casita in Costa Rica for a time. It was near the forest. Toucans, peccaries, and monkeys surrounded us. To me, that was heaven. And yes, I’d love to visit more rainforests around the world. The setting of my first book, Heart of a Tiger, was India, yet I’ve never visited. Besides the Amazon, I’ve longed to visit India and see a tiger in the wild.

 

SB: My review mentioned the challenges felt by individual protectors standing strong against more wealthy and powerful forces. Would you share your thoughts about that, and about how young readers might retain their purpose and determination when feeling very small or helpless?

 

MDA: I think we all feel small and helpless against the forces of destruction. My May 2023 book One Small Thing had this exact theme. It’s a “cozy” book, even though Raccoon loses his home to a lightning strike in it. The other animals don’t know how to help, until they each realize that they don’t have to do something big.  Just one small thing will benefit. All those small things together can make a big difference. Each of us can do “one small thing” to help the rainforest, whether it’s eating local beef and fruits or avoiding products with palm oil. Perhaps, most importantly, we can start by learning about the rainforests and their wildlife. When we learn about them, we will care. Only when we care, will we have the will to do something.

 

I’m currently working on an Activity Guide for Armando’s Island. That will be one way to learn about the rainforest and how to protect it. I hoped to have the guide on my website by launch day, but it is likely to be available be early September as schools resume.

 

SB: Is there something else about this book that you’d like readers to know?

 

MDA: 

The illustrations are magnificent. As my grandson says, “They’re so detailed.” Anne Yvonne Gilbert is a world-renowned illustrator and I am humbled to have had her do the illustrations for Armando’s Island. If you, like me, can’t fly off to a rainforest right now, just open Armando’s Island and sit for awhile with the beautiful wildlife Anne Yvonne has painted.

 

SB: I can't wait to do that very thing. (I reviewed a file of the book.) My preordered copy should arrive today!

I have no doubt that you are busy celebrating the release of this wonderful new book, but you are also likely to be involved in writing/planning for new works and upcoming releases. Are you able to share any news or hint at some sprouts?

 

MDA: The truth is that I’ve had two books come out this year and with all the PR for those, plus the manuscript consultations I do for other writers, I’ve had little time to work on my own projects. However, I did sell a manuscript in January that I am very excited about. It hasn’t been announced, so sadly, I can’t share about it quite yet. It is non-fiction, most unusual for me, but it’s not about a person or an animal. Wait until you see! Look for it in spring 2025! 

 

I do have several stories I am eager to begin work on or finish up. A couple of those are about animals. Probably not a surprise.

 

Thank you so much, Sandy, for your interest in my work and the rainforest!

 

SB: Diane, I am so grateful for having this opportunity to share the book and your responses with readers here. Thank you again for sharing your time and thoughts. Congratulations on the importance and success of this latest release, and the upcoming new title-- I'm so excited to learn more!

Readers, you can read my recent review HERE, and praise from others HERE, and HERE.

 

Marsha Diane Arnold

Website: www.marshadianearnold.com

Social media access:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarshaDArnold/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshaDianeArnoldAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshadianearnoldauthor/

 

 

 

 

 

ARMANDO'S ISLAND: Trust Your Values

 

CREATIVE EDITIONS, 2023

Author Marsha Diane Arnold has produced another sure-to-be-classic picture book, ARMANDO'S ISLAND,  whose narrative and illustrations will entrance readers of any age. The cover itself is an invitation to immerse ourselves in the incomparable home of flora, fauna, and a young character who is wise beyond his years.

Readers first meet Armando as he breaks the fourth wall by aiming his gaze at YOU, the reader, who has found him in his home. Arnold's direct yet lyrical text incorporates accurate rainforest terms and descriptions, nestled within a heart-tugging fictional tale about the power of purpose in Armando's life. By connecting so strongly with readers through text and images, they, too, will experience that purpose. Rich with sensory detail, even though written as a third person narrative, the unfolding text channels Armando's daily life so intimately that it opens readers to sensing "the leaves crunching beneath him", "mud squishing between toes", and the intimate connection he feels to this leafy refuge.

From the pre-narrative note about Armando's responsibility for a specific small tract within the rainforest, to the title page art which gently frames his home in a heart-shaped form, the mood is set to fall in love with the rainforest and root for everything Armando loves. Even before the main text begins.

Within the first few page turns we note that Armando has grown from a boy to a young man who treasures those early years of his life and the ways in which the rainforest continues to offer him peace and security. He (through the high-stakes text) perceives whirring chainsaws, rumbling trucks, flames, and other ominous signs closing in from all directions. This raises the stakes for him and for readers. Within single lines of text, various creatures "no longer..." (text describes typical behaviors), providing information about rainforest inhabitants while sustaining emotional investment and growing concern for their welfare.

In a classic "storymagician" approach, three sets of "others" make their ways to Armando to offer every conceivable option in exchange for his increasingly isolated "island" of rainforest. In each case Armando considers, respectfully, but declines. In each case, surrounding parcels that are lost to development lead creatures from those areas to take refuge within Armando's territory. The conclusion does not surprise, in terms of Armando's choices or the resulting effect on the wildlife. Instead it affirms and reassures readers. If anything manages to suspend belief it is that his rights and wishes prevailed, since that is so seldom the case when money and power are involved. This, though, merits our trust and confidence, since a single read-through will leave us with shock and chagrin that ANYONE would destroy such a treasure. I can't imagine anyone reading this book only once. EVERYONE must move through cynicism to believe, and HOPE, as Armando does, that the siren song of rainforest awareness might one day reawaken in those who have lost sight of what has real value. 

Back matter provides brief paragraphs about some of the animals whose presence and behaviors appear within the narrative. 

I can't resist spending some moments on the incredibly skilled and beguiling illustrations of Anne Yvonne Gilbert.  The intricate details, layered lives, emotional energy, and delightful demeanors that weave themselves into each scene invite readers to experience indirectly as many elements of a rainforest habitat as those who live within it. Any single spread could be displayed as a work  of art, yet the shifting perspectives, maturing Armando, distressed and desperate animals, and determined intruders contribute immensely to the page-turning power of this story. Although I often insist on not having favorites among many decades of picture book loves, I will always include Lynne Cherry's THE GREAT KAPOK TREE: A Tale of the Rainforest among my "Best of ALL Time" listings. (Clarion Books, 2000). If you haven't read it, please do, and consider "voicing" the animals who speak in the boy's dream in ways that mirror their natural sounds. Feel the urgency of those desperate KAPOK TREE residents as they beg for protection of their singular, remarkable home. It, too, is a sort of island of survival within a rainforest. 

ARMANDO'S ISLAND stands strong and proud in the long wake of this classic picture book. It offers just as much allure and emotional depth while informing and inviting participation by the reader in important decisions about the preservation of the rainforest. In this case, the animals speak only through their compelling expressions and natural impulse to seek survival within a shrinking habitat. Armando is wide awake to the reality of what is being offered to him and what the consequences of his choices would mean. This new offering, like Cherry's more fanciful account, is informational fiction at its best.

Aramano's Island is available for preorder HERE.  I am grateful to Marsha Diane Arnold for agreeing to respond to several questions and will share our conversation in a future post on August 8, the release date. I hope you'll check in to see what she has to say about writing this remarkable text. 

ONE SMALL THING: The Power of Kindness

BEAMING BOOKS, 2023

 On this post-holiday, quiet weekend, I bring you a "quiet book" that emanates power and grace. ONE SMALL THING is written by Marsha Diane Arnold and illustrated by Laura Watkins. The quotation marks around "quiet book" are intentional, in that they are so often written by various folks in the picture book business (and it IS a business) in declining submissions (isn't that a kinder word choice than rejection?) that do not involve some frantic or antic actions. "Quiet books" don't sell as strongly as, say, a book about robots or superheroes or magic. And yet, a quiet book in the hands of a "STORYMAGICIAN",  as Arnold's website subheading rightly tags her, can transform lives. I know of no greater superpower than that.

This latest offering from Arnold is launched by a tragedy--  Raccoon's home has burned. The comfort begins immediately, first in knowing that Raccoon is safe, has  supportive friends, and pet Cricket escaped, although is now lost. 

This opening alone would have hooked me, since there were more than a few students in my teaching career, of many ages, who had survived such a trauma. The ultimate "it's not so bad" sense of comfort among friends features as an inadequate way many of us address the immediate and lasting pain and loss of such an event. Would "shelter" of any kind ever feel as safe as it once did? Would the loss of keepsakes and photos and... just the capacity to return to a place of memories... ever ease? As the rest of the community observed their friend recovering, would the impulse to comfort dissolve into daily duties, assuming the one who was traumatized would be as "good as new"?

This seemingly simple story opens with sunny endpapers, suggesting such a casually happy ending. Minimal but marvelous text reveals that those comforting friends are buzzing about this sad occurrence. Each "thank goodness" informs readers of reasons to be grateful despite the losses. They also reveal Raccoon's personality, how he loved living along the river, how his feet were  burned "a bit", and that "silly" cricket jumped away to safety but now no one knows where it is. Who has a pet cricket anyway? 

The illustrator informs us, too, that these are heartfelt words of comfort among friends who ache for Raccoon's loss, but quickly console themselves that all is well and they can return to their own lives. These very appealing and authentic, familiar woodland animals display expressions that  even the very young will recognize and empathize with throughout, another powerful touch that allows such a special book to reach audiences from preverbal to teens and beyond. They also represent the typical range of reactions among friends, from the practical problem-solvers, to the overly sensitive, to those who expect someone else to help, to those who feel helpless, to the grumbler who sees this all as unnecessary fussing. As an adult reader I've witnessed (and experienced) such reactions to tragedy, cringing at the thought that these generally result in nothing being done. 

And that is precisely how Arnold proceeds, allowing each character to return to daily life with no updates on Raccoon, at first. First, in fact, we observe a series of double spreads in which we join each friend in their own own homes/gardens, rich with detail and interests and habits that invite us to linger, to examine closely how the individual has found safety,  comfort, and shelter from a sometimes harsh world outside. Each, in their own way, realizes that they cannot "fix" Raccoon's situation but is able to offer ONE SMALL THING that might be welcomed. Only as those conclusions are reached does Beaver find Raccoon soaking his burned feet in the river, leading him to a new home where the collected friends and their SMALL THINGS are no longer ONE. In fact, such individual acts create a new ONE-ness among them that satisfies thoroughly.

I am purposely not providing details of such small things they chose, not only to avoid spoiling the story (that couldn't happen) but to allow readers to realize how truly SMALL those decisions were but how enormously powerful each decision and action proved to be. 

Most importantly, these combined small things, though unplanned efforts, gave an immeasurably large result. Or at least, as Badger admits, "It was a little something." Only as this gratifying ending occurred and I closed the back cover did I realize that those end papers were not exactly "sunny". Such losses and pain are never gone from us. They are, in fact, revealed in the glow of the day that shows on the cover. I imagined that was the dawn of the day of the tragedy. Iinstead, after seeing the expressions of the friends and the lingering longing of Raccoon, I think those endpapers reflect a blend of dusk with honey and butter and safety and comfort, all of which wrap around a community to offer hope. 

Arnold has proven herself worthy of that STORYMAGICIAN title, as I observed in reviews of LIGHTS OUT, HERE, and LOST AND FOUND, HERE. Each is, in fact, a "quiet book", a blend of story and format and visual narrative that resonates at first reading, calls for return readings, echoing throughout succeeding days and years. My recent move is into an area that has very bright street lights, one of which is outside my living space. I noted that it is using energy-smart bulbs, but not before I noted that the fixtures are designed to cast light down to the streets, blocking it from lighting the sky. I'm aware of DARK SKY activists, and was concerned before reading LIGHTS OUT. Even so, my notice of that  fixture design led me to remember those animals and their journey with a smile on their behalf. Now that's power. 

Do one small thing, please. Begin by finding and reading this book. Then share it with someone. Then carry it forward in your mind and heart, turning kind thoughts and worry into actions for those in need, whether friend or stranger. KINDNESS is not a concept, it is verb.And it is NOT a small thing.

Meet PRUDENCE WRIGHT: Unsung Revolutionary Heroine!

  

Alert the townsfolk, friends, neighbors, teachers, and readers. A new picture book from the remarkable researcher, author, and hidden-historical specialist BETH ANDERSON is coming soon!

Calkins Creek/Astra Books for Kids 
Feb. 1, 2022

REVOLUTIONARY PRUDENCE WRIGHT: LEADING THE MINUTE WOMEN IN THE FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE is written by Beth Anderson and illustrated by Susan Reagan. This is a book steeped in historical revelations, fully developed personalities, and decisive actions that shaped the earliest days of our nation's struggle for freedom. It is worth celebrating as it nears release, and I predict it is destined to become a classic in the years that follow.  

If the name  Prudence Wright doesn't ring a bell, it's no wonder. Unless you happen to be from Pepperell, Massachusetts, that is. The story of Prudence and her Minute Women Bridge Brigade are well known in that area, even though their story is otherwise little-known. Author Anderson approached this shining sliver of history with a diligence and thoroughness that would impress Prudence herself. The primary sources, careful documentation, and expansive notes in back matter make clear that it's a story deserving of the wide audience it will now receive.

Calkins Creek/Astra Books for Kids
Interior image, used with permission

 Highlights include the fact that Prudence was a thinking woman who made her own choices. She agreed with and married a "Whig", a young man who actively fought the King and British forces.  Her own large family were mostly revolutionary-minded, but two brothers firmly supported England and the king. She suspected they might be spying on local activities. 

Prudence made no attempt to hide her beliefs, organizing other like-minded women in town. They supported protests against tea taxes in Boston Harbor by tossing their British tea into a small fire in the center of town. Keep in mind that this was more than open symbolism. Tea took a big bite out of budgets, with those unreasonable taxes, and was also an essential part of daily culture. They  weren't dumping crates of market tea, they were destroying their own family's supplies!

 

When the Pepperell militia men marched off to support the battles near Lexington and Concord, Prudence realized that spies could report this to nearby British troops. She gathered militia wives and other women to dress in men's clothes and bring any kind of weapon they could find, from rakes to pitchforks to kitchenware. 

That night they kept watch at Jewett's Bridge, the only crossing for potential spies to warn the Redcoats. Crouched in darkness, Prudence and her patrol waited for... a rider or two? or ten or more? An armed squad of men with intentions to quell the revolution? What could those women really hope to accomplish?

They did more than hope. Prudence kept watch. At the sound of approaching horses she signaled to warn the waiting Minute Women to prepare to act. Illustrations in this passage heighten the suspense about the dangers they might face, and the consequences that could ensue for Prudence and her unit of brave women, for the men they loved who were marching into battle not far away, and for the birth of a new nation, free from the tyranny of an angry king. Anyone who considers history to be dry and dull MUST read this picture book, for themselves and with young people in their homes and classrooms.

These are only the nuts and bolts from the account. As intense as they seem, they pale in comparison to Anderson's terse and tense narration throughout, written to reveal details, personality, danger, and inspiration within a remarkable and compelling story. The parallels between a young nation striving to be independent and a young woman whose thinking and choices defied the social standards for females of the day enlighten both sides of the comparison. 

Calkins Creek/Astra Books for Kids
Interior illustration used with permission

Susan Reagan's illustrations expand a significant amount of the drama and detail of this amazing story with subtlety and grace. Throughout, she has rendered fine line drawings on parchment-like backgrounds that depict  accurate elements of uniforms/clothing, settings, and evoke time-true perspectives while washing them with color tones that suggest both vibrance and age. 

In this interior image Regan incorporates within the background one of the  many primary sources used by the author. This page also provides an example of Anderson's talent for conveying complex and powerful content with a few well-chosen words. In her brief lines can be felt the insults and injustices that enflamed the rebellion of the colonists, including Prudence and the Minute Women.

Don't miss this entertaining, exciting, inspiring nonfiction offering, including the notes in back matter, supplementary curricula materials, and the brilliant details within the illustrations. Release date is February 1, but preorders are available now at all online and independent bookstores. Signed copies of all of Beth's books are available at The Wandering Jellyfish Book Store in Niwot, CO   and Old Firehouse Books in Fort Collins, CO  

I've reviewed prior picture books by BETH ANDERSON HERE, and HERE, including an interview  HERE. The unique choices of subject matter, point of view, reliable research, and valuable extension materials that characterize her books guarantee that I'll be sharing even more of her work in the future. 

For example, coming soon!

FRANZ’S PHANTASMAGORICAL MACHINE, illustrated by Caroline Hamel, Kids Can Press, May 3, 2022.

CLOAKED IN COURAGE: UNCOVERING DEBORAH SAMPSON, PATRIOT SOLDIER, illustrated by Anne Lambelet, Calkins Creek/Astra Books for Kids, Nov. 15, 2022

THOMAS JEFFERSON’S BATTLE FOR SCIENCE: BIAS, TRUTH, AND A MIGHTY MOOSE, illustrated by Jeremy Holmes, Calkins Creek/Astra Books for Kids, Fall 2023.

Before closing, I'll link to illustrator Susan Reagan's other offerings, which includes one of my all time favorite picture books, LIGHTS OUT, by Marsha Diane Arnold, which I reviewed HERE. Comparing the stories, subject matter, and styles in that book and this picture book makes clear that she can turn her talent to the service of the story, while in both cases the subtlety of posture, positioning, angle, and glance evoke emotional connection and underlying aspects of each story. It's worth your time to check it out.

NOTE: I have been an adamant feminist since (and before) kindergarten, when I was furious that the play areas, the playground, and many rules strictly separated our class by gender. They  provided BOYS with the best and most creative resources and equipment while  GIRLS had a toy kitchen, cleaning supplies, and an ironing board and few raggedy dolls. If I hadn't had a sense of injustice before that tender age, it would have kicked into high gear in that setting. These two creative women, Beth and Susan, displayed their own excellence in revealing a historic woman of talent and courage. For modern readers they are every bit as inspiring as Prudence Wright. If you have an interest in any of the MANY reviews, interviews, and spotlights I've featured in this  blog about outstanding girls/women in leadership (and fiction), type WOMEN in the search box on the right menu bar and check out some titles from prior posts.