MAKING THREE WISHES... for IMAGINATION!

Today I celebrate picture books that demonstrate and honor the irrepressible imaginations of young readers. George Bernard Shaw's quote is worth remembering:

“We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing”. 

The first is SUNDUST,

Kokila, 2025     CALDECOTT HONOR BOOK

written and illustrated by Zeke Peña. This adventure is set in the desert wildlife just beyond an urban 

landscape, beyond the "bulldozers and things that don't belong". There  cacti and hummingbirds thrive, there blossoms and scaled critters reveal themselves, there chrysalis develops and butterflies emerge, there sudden rains turn concrete drains into watery adventures. Throughout each step and discovery, the words are as crisp and revealing. The colors and lines, expressions and sprawls are expansive. As a vibrant, nearly-neon sun moves toward setting, the long day of exploration winds down and a mother's call is heard. Even so, the two friends linger long enough to watch the final sunset, gathering "sundust", feeling the universe of stardust within themselves. 

A day such as theirs is a gift, to them, and to  any reader lucky enough to open the covers of this book. Journey with them as they notice and appreciate nature at its finest. A marvelous world is waiting just beyond the edge of the everyday.

NEAL PORTER BOOKS
HOLIDAY HOUSE, 2020

Next up is a less reality-based adventure but one equally inviting. Author Philip Stead and illustrator Matthew Cordell have combined their creative talents in another cartoon-style picture book, but in an entirely different visual effect. Characters in SUNDUST feel firmly anchored in their habitat, even as their post-swim brown skin dries in cracks that resemble the hard-caked earth. In FOLLOW THAT FROG the text is more complex and adventurous, as are the various pages of full and spot illustrations. Speech bubbles combine with hand-letter sound effects, longer text, and cross-hatched and intricate drawings from quilts to chickens to dreamy-memory sequences related by Aunt Josephine. She recounts her youthful Peruvian adventure involving a giant frog who swallows an admiral's son. Succeeding pages reveal rides on ostriches and tortoise backs, pirates, misdirection, rescues. Throughout this surreal tale, a loud KNOCK continues. I leave it to you to fully explore (intentional word choice) the continents, critters, and comedy that bounces off these pages. 

NEAL PORTER BOOKS
HOLIDAY HOUSE, 2026

Finally (for today, at least) is a picture book that celebrates the cumulative creativity of kids left to their imaginations. Most cultures include the spontaneous game of ... "The floor is lava"... or some other assertion that requires survival by hopping from chair to couch, or even counter-surfing. In IF THIS WERE THE WORLD, written by Stephen Barr and illustrated by Ag Ford, the story spans one recess period in which various suggestions like the above example are shared, then each is countered by "we played that yesterday... or last week..."  or other indication that these imaginative kiddos are not afraid of big ideas. That's when a boy lifts a perfectly round orange from his lunchbox and challenges:

 "What if THIS... were the world?"

After sharing the juicy segments, other possibilities emerge- large spheres, a massive tree, and more. In each scenario they explore ways to use, share, and even over-use the supposed "world" in their imagination. Each fails to fully succeed. Finally, ... But I will not share the conclusion, despite the fact that I long to do so! There is such simplicity and depth to the conclusion that it feels nearly like a prayer. Not a formal or "religious" one, but a sense of awakening to ourselves and our place among our true world. The current moon mission has been sending color images of our amazing planet. That's a timely reminder of the power of awareness of just how precious our planet and our places on it and among each other really are. 

May you all, one and all, read these. And be inspired to PLAY!

SPOOKY LAKES: Does That Get Your Attention?

ABRAMS BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS
 2024

SPOOKY LAKES: 25 Strange and Mysterious Lakes That Dot Our Planet is written and illustrated by Geo Rutherford.  If that title doesn't grab your attention, I don't know what would. Add to that attraction the fact that this is a fully illustrated, deeply researched nonfiction work that opens on a table top like an invitation to plan a trip! 

The creator's dedication reveals that she was named GEO by her science-loving mom, and from there I was hooked even further. The table of contents offers a helpful introduction, then individually names the twenty-five global lakes of various sizes and qualities that can be read in orders or searched by name. 

Backmatter begins with an author note that reveals something quite remarkable. She generates  a TikTok series called SPOOKY LAKES, and each October since 2020 she has produced a program on a different spooky lake for each of the 31 days of the month. I can attest that writing even a fictional scary story for each of 31 days would be daunting, but it seems this scary-lake obsessed woman has managed to do the deep-dive research and polished production process on various "scary lakes" each year. She goes on to thank loyal audiences for leading two this book, and discussed the spruces of her information and its reliability. (I'll just say that when writing about unexplained phenomena, skepticism is always a frame of reference.) Double spreads that follow provide excellent glossary content and an extensive bibliography, websites, and a helpful index. 

The various scary lake spreads in this 96 page beauty include informational text to identify the locations, mysteries, and accounts, as well as insets that reveal more about the geologic structures when needed, describe secondary details about history, warning signs, and surprising related facts and events, as well as examples of the evidence of what is happening in each lake/location. Some lakes burn with fire, some release toxic gases, and not all are made of water (a pitch lake and a brine lake are among examples of these). This professor, writer, artist, media star lives on the edge of spooky lake and challenges readers to read, if they dare. 

Summer travel might just allow you to be in an area worth exploring in a side trip.  Again, if you dare. 

Will you?

TWO DOGS: Ian Falconer's Mastery of HUMOR

 Here's a quick weekend post about a picture book with something we all need more of- HUMOR! 

Michael DiCapua Books/HARPER COLLINS
2022

TWO DOGS, created by author/Illustrator Ian Falconer, will leave you smiling and recommending it to others. That's no surprise, since Caldecott winner Falconer is acclaimed for his talent as a visual storyteller/illustrator. In this case such praise proves itself merited, and not just because of the of the appeal of these two dachshund-brother characters, surprisingly upright and outrageous. He has captured their personalities with semi-realistic situations, poses, and personalities accompanied by minimal but clever text.

This seemingly simple work, an account of a day's adventure and its consequences, is a treasury of mentor content on ways to express and convey humor. The juxtaposition of what is expected versus simple surprises begins on that cover and is an effective device throughout. The tug/hug contrast of emotions among siblings adds another rich layer, as are curiosity, teamwork success and foibles, and more. 

Wouldn't everyone love to get a laugh, to tell or write humor in memorable ways? Check out this little masterpiece! And to learn more about dachsunds, click to see more, including their characteristic description: curious, friendly, spunky. Exactly like these TWO DOGS.

Family/Friend Gatherings Amplify Joy: For Humans and For BATS

If you read this blog regularly you must have discovered that I am a fan of the talented writing and illustrations of Brian Lies (spelled like LIES but pronounced like CHEESE). I've reviewed many of his picture books, including one series feature a  colony of creative and distinctive bats (HERE). 

Several of his BAT titles are written in rhyme, but not all. In each, there is one little bat who, inexplicably, wears yellow floaties at the base of his wings. Little Bat often appears on the final page turn, snuggled against his mother's chest as she flies them home to sleep at dawn.

LITTLE BAT has garnered much attention over the years. Recently, LITTLE BAT IN NIGHT SCHOOL offered  Little Bat a starring role in his launch into night school, with a clever story told in prose. (Take this mention as a timely reminder for anyone preparing first-timers to school. The gentle humor and recognizably mixed emotions will open discussions and provide good-hearted reassurance.)

Clarion Books, 2022

Now, Little Bat is back in LITTLE BAT UP ALL DAY. Just a year or so older, he has grown bold and curious enough to defy his mother's warning to NOT go out in the daytime. Why? More noise, more animals, ones he has not met. Ones who sleep at night while bats are about.

But Little Bat feels compelled to know about them, to get answers to his questions, to find new friends. In each of the prior books, readers see that long nights are very busy (and exhausting), making daytime snoozes necessary. But Little Bat's curiosity overcomes his heavy eyelids, leading him through the louvres and into open daylight.

The blinding light, noises, and unfamiliar landscape confuse him, until his desperate chirp reveals an echo of his familiar home. With the confidence of knowing where he is, he begins his search for new friends. He mistakenly seeks the attention of a hawk, but Rusty squirrel saves the day. He sets Little Bat on a safe path to move about in daylight.

This friendship story is exhilarating and appealing, with delightful details in text, emotional expressions, and imaginative actions and locations. As Little Bat dozes off time after time, denying it time after time, he must finally admit that he is a nocturnal fella who needs to go to sleep. 

Thus, almost as if star-crossed lovers, they part with the sense that their friendship was "not meant to be", as we say. Even so, when Little Bat is out after dark he retraces their play trail, making a very satisfying discovering. 

I adore the character development and personalities in each of the bat characters, (or any animal character from any Lies picture book). In this bat series I especially appreciate the ways in which the illustration elements have a sort of Russian nesting doll quality, with bits from early pages appearing in some ways later in the story, layering rich connections and depth into the events and the individuals. The same is true from one book to the next. For example, Little Bat's foray into school builds the internal skills and tools he needs to make this latest book's resolution feel natural and irresistible. The pop-up book gingerbread house in BATS IN THE LIBRARY foreshadow the friendship setting of this current book, too.

Each time I read and share a book by Brian Lies, whether in rhyme or prose, written by others or by the illustrator, and starring familiar characters like Little Bat or a new cast (HERE), I urge readers to check them out and explore them thoroughly. Once again, please do just that. You won't be sorry, and I am guessing that you will immediately be thinking of a young audience for whom this book would be perfect.

* * *

 My brief hiatus involved travel and visiting with family. Then, more travel for a week in LA to celebrate a joyous wedding with family and friends, old and new. It was my first trip to that coast. As a lifelong midwesterner, I had routinely wondered aloud how anyone would choose to live with the looming dangers of earthquakes and mudslides and more. In only a week I began to understand the appeal of the climate, casual friendliness, and curiosities that would make each day there an adventure and a great place to live. Now, like Little Bat, I am safely home and settled into my midwest way of life. Even so, that exploration confirmed that I'll make it a point to reconnect with the coast again in the future! Here's wishing you joyous times with family and friends, and open eyes to search out new and exciting explorations!

Sharing JULIA CHILD'S Story- So Much Kid-Appeal!

CALKINS CREEK, January, 2022

Plenty of adults know and love JULIA CHILD, but what could a kid possibly find to like about a big, old, loud woman with a cooking show on PBS? Here's a picture book that answers the question with full-throated joy.

BORN HUNGRY: Julia Child Becomes “the French Chef” is written by Alex Prud’homme and illustrated by Sarah Green. If you weren’t already of fan of Julia Child, this book will make you one, at any age. The character and personality traits that won over fans for her recipes, cookbooks, television appearances, and overall public persona shines through in this colorful and creative picture book. The opening lines capture her kid-appeal in a few, perfect words. 

“Julia McWIlliams wore size twelve sneakers, stood six feet, two inches tall, played basketball, laughed loudly, and was curious about everything. All this activity made her crave food- lots of food.”

The opening spread on which these words appear features GLORIOUSLY large, colorful, rich foods while the facing page presents Julia in her confident and take-it-or-leave-it young-girl glory, her clothes mirroring the vibrant food colors and her self-assured stance foreshadowing the familiar postures she assumed on her programs, whether in conversation or behind a pot or pan or bowl. Julia was a substantially non-typical girl who was absolutely fine with who she was and what she chose to do in life. And she adored food!  What's not to love?

 

Born into a wealthy family, she was always hungry but never considered cooking. Her family employed a very competent cook- why would Julia even consider cooking for herself? Her quest for a life of action and adventure led her far from home to work for an American “spy” service. To her surprise, she was assigned are a desk with a rather boring job. She was lonely and not very eager to continue.

 

Until a new co-worker moved into the next office. He was everything she was not- older, very quiet, but also a world traveler with far wider experiences in foods and culture. And he was as intrigued with Julia as she was with him, Paul. They spent many hours together, enjoying new things like food, books, and travel. He encouraged Julia, the girl who grew up inhaling food, to slow down and taste each bite, to fully experience food and the atmosphere in which it was served, the culture it represented. After the war ended (WWII), Julia and Paul married and  moved to France. Julie decided that a married woman should learn to cook. What better place to do that than in France at a leading culinary academy?

 

This book offers young readers a celebration of a spirited young girl who loved food, then applied that sense of adventure and curiosity to preparing amazingly delicious meals and desserts.  Was she always successful? Far from it. In fact, it was her attitude about mistakes and failures that entertained adults and will capture the love of young readers, too. The illustrations using bright colors and style to open this profile with vitality continue to turn Julia’s adult life into a kid-friendly world on the page. 

 

Back matter provides photos and details about her impressive career as a writer, entertainer, teacher, chef, food ambassador, and inspiration for all ages. The final spread shares her very FRENCH recipe for scrambled eggs, and seems as delicious as it is simple. It includes a caution that children should have adult assistance to make them because a hot pan is involved. I found myself eager to try it, since my approach does NOT produce the kind of eggs her recipe will.

Author Prud'homme is the grandson of Paul's twin brother, knew her well, and worked with Julia until her death on her adult memoir about the post-war years in France. The text is effectively sprinkled with quotations from Julia Child’s notebooks, programs, interviews, and cookbooks, with the last one appearing to capture her life story perfectly: 

“Find something you’re passionate about and stay tremendously interested in it!”

 

 I'm passionate about this new picture book, and I am certain kids of many ages will be, too.

Embrace Your Inner ODD DOG OUT!

For months I've been immersed in reading and evaluating nonfiction titles as a Round One panelist for  elementary and middle grade Cybils Awards nominees. Here's a holiday break in praise of title that is out of step with those books. It's timely to share it now, as a potential holiday gift and a suggestion to add to your own wish list for home or classroom or library. 

Harper, 2019

ODD DOG OUT is the creative work of award- winning author/illustrator. Rob Biddulph. It's also a delightful and welcome funny book, a lively lift for the eyes and ears. The title and cover reveal the problem: a free-spirited dog with a flair for fashion does not fit in with the buttoned-down, uptight "others" in a very busy city. The rhymed text moves line by line and scene by scene to reveal that this ODD DOG OUT bucks the trends and zigs when all the others zag. 
Conformity keeps that busy city humming along, at work or at play. Odd Dog is happy to play along, but on her own terms. Terms that are not always welcomed.
It's only when the Odd Dog resolves to leave that we become aware this is a female dog, as pronouns "she" and "her" are used. She admits defeat and embarks (See what i did there?) on a journey to find a place to fit in.
Her arrival in DOGGYWOOD brightens her eyes and adds a smile to her lips. She's found an entire city that hears the beat of her drum.
Until...

She spots one dog, an odd dog out, and offers a friendly bit of sympathy. To her surprise, this odd hound feels right at home, proclaiming that standing out in a crowd should make you proud!
That nibble of wise kibble sends her flying back home, ready to reclaim her place in the big city. To her surprise, she's welcomed back with cheers by the others who missed her distinctive style. In final page twists, many others had begun to explore their own free spirits,  discovering that uniformity isn't all it's cracked up to be! 
This is a timely and timeless message that will ring true from the littlest littles to awkward adolescents right through to adults. That feeling of not-fitting-in can be isolating and crippling, even for the most confident among us. 
In this case I was particularly pleased with the twist in which her journey to fit in led her to a place in which she was "matchy-matchy" with everyone else, but it didn't end there. 
I'll come back to that thought in my final note. 
First, though, kudos to Biddulph for the vibrant tone and detail of the illustrations. The art is distinctly digital with crisp edges, saturated colors, meaningful repetitive images, and page layouts that reflect his art director background. Tiny details (the eyes always have it!) and subtle idiosyncrasies defy those who might see this as stamped art. Young fans of WHERE'S WALDO will relish a chance to locate our ODD DOG. In fact, Waldo's perfectly round glasses with pinpoint eyes are charmingly similar to the eyes of these delightful dachshunds.
There are also many grin-worthy visual asides and quirky corners to explore. Below are just a few examples: an irresistible introduction to ODD DOG OUT on the cover, another invitation to examine each and every compartment on the commuter train to locate our Odd Dog, the sailing sea dogs whose uniforms are consistently, well, uniform, but whose windblown ears make me wish i could decipher semaphore signals, and the comical interpretations of ODD DOG's  heroic journey.

I'm a fan of this book because it offers something for everyone, at every level.  It's perfect to hold in your lap with a toddler, rhyming encourages rereading and eventual independent reading, the humor ranges from slapstick to sophisticated, and the philosophical questions invite discussion. Adults will recognize the buttoned up East Coast versus the free-spirited West Coast crowd.
Now for my only quibble:
When ODD DOG arrives in DOGGYWOOD, it's only natural that she would at first feel right at home. She found "her people", after all. I was just a bit disappointed that she "learned" to embrace her unique style through "mansplaining". I would have preferred that she spend enough time to miss "home" and friends and come to self-acceptance on her own.
PLEASE don't think this makes the book less appealing- it is a winner. Just consider the possibility that this subject, too, might merit some discussion, even with the younger ones. 
And the final page twists and surprises are some of the most fun images in the book, with a message all their own. 
Uncork your bottle, people, and let your ODD DOG OUT!

Postscript:  Creator Rob Biddulph replied that the pivotal advice of the ODD DOG in the sweater (jumper) and cap is NOT male. It's my error to have judged by clothing stereotyping, but his comment led me back to take a closer look at signals for gender. 
This, too, opens up a chance to explore gender stereotyping among even the very youngest readers!  
Love those layers!
And thank you to Rob for chiming in with that note. 

Start Summer with STEM Books!

It's an old fashioned concept that summer vacation for kids is a wide-open, free-wheeling, choose-your-own-adventure time. If I were decades younger I'd might even doubt that it was ever true. But I lived that kind of summer. Sure, there were chores, family outings, even some short half-day camps sponsored by church or scouts or whatever. But the bulk of our long sunny days were ours to plan and execute.

Truth be told, I spent lots of my free time reading. But countless hours of summer were improvised, spur of the moment adventures with friends. That might involve cooking, camping out in the the back yard, making up new rules to old games, or packing a lunch for an all day bike trip of undetermined route or destination. (These explorations launched without today's ubiquitous cell phones, just a dime in a pocket in case we needed to use a phone booth.) 

That's certainly not the way of the world today, but here's my suggestion to salvage at least the spirit of what those days were like. Both are STEM books, and both are semi-non-fiction, relying on real events and back matter to blend exciting and fun stories into actual space-based science. 

Penguin Workshop, 2019

First, a suitably small book features little Mars Rover Curiosity as the central character. BIRTHDAY ON MARS is written by Sara Schoenfeld and charmingly illustrated by Andrew J. Ross. In wonderful dusty, rusty tones with a Rover-eye-view, Curiosity voices a first person account of why it is there, an awareness of its friends on Earth, and a sense of purpose. The clever small moments (taking a birthday selfie, peeking under rocks) make it a winning intro to space science for even the youngest. The topper is the blend of humor and fact in the story when it sings HAPPY BIRTHDAY to itself. Then back matter reveals that this little explorer did, in fact, sing happy birthday to itself on it's first anniversary on Mars. 

Roaring Book Press, 2019

I can't imagine a more appealing way to interest kids in space science, unless it is this next book. GO FOR THE MOON: A Rocket, a Boy, and the First Moon Landing is a big, bold opposite to the sweet little Rover book.Chris Gall wrote and illustrated this oversized, heavyweight, photo-realistic story of a space-enthralled little boy whose life mirrors the first moon launch and landing. 
With white-framed, double-spread illustrations readers open to a rear view of a young boy staring out his bedroom window. His walls, shelves, and toys all reveal a childlike but obsessive interest in space. Text is white on the night-darkened scene, emphasizing the full moon glow and the substance of the text:

"In the morning, three brave men will climb inside a giant rocket, blast off into space, and fly to the moon. ... The astronauts are ready for the mission and so am I."

From that page forward this lad duplicates each stage of the process, from his Tang breakfast, to launching his self-built rocket, to suiting up for the moon landing, to entering his cardboard landing capsule. Soon he and family are pictured stretched out in front of their black-and-white, grainy, scratchy console television. I was right back in my own living room, home from college and working a night shift at the hospital. I was able to stay long enough to see the lander touch down and hear the astronauts' voices in the capsule, I saw the door open, and watched that first footstep before needing to leave for work and follow the progress of the landing on the car radio. 
What a night that was. I was overwhelmed as an adult, but viewing it through the eyes of a space-struck boy in this book felt even more powerful. That little boy was the author/illustrator, Gall, and he details his own engagement with rockets and space in the back matter. 
That genuinely portrayed first person insight to the magnificent adventures of  those days is matched by this book's ability to make superlatives kid-friendly. Gall describes the skillful expertise demanded of the rocket-crane operators. (It has to do with raw eggs, but I won't spoil your reading with further details.) He compares massive weights and heights to stacks of elephants, the Statue of Liberty, and other familiar touchpoints.  Inserting science content and accurate descriptions provides informative facts to kids and to the adults who share this with them. 
There is much about Gall's illustrations that remind me of Chris Van Alsburg (JUMANJI, POLAR EXPRESS, and many others). There is much in these two new picture books, one tiny and clever the other massive and moving, to spark curiosity and challenge in young readers' minds. 
10 -9 - 8 -  Let  the summer explorations begin!

Celebrating Picture Books from 2018- Briefly?

I've exhausted my library "hold" renewals on some of the many fiction picture books that tugged at my heart in recent weeks (months!). I'll be loading up a couple of totes to return these early next week, but I can't let them go without sharing them with you here. Each deserves a full review, discussion, and recommendation for uses, but the size of my book stack has crushed that dream. Instead, I'll try to follow up with my "speed-dating" approach for board books. Let's see how that goes.

a house that once was is written by Julie Fogliano and illustrated (brilliantly) by Lane Smith. I really enjoyed Fogliano's lyrical, lilting text, but it is Lane Smith's illustrated treatment that won my heart. With just enough ink-line realism to anchor the story to the text, Smith combines multi-media techniques in each of the two parts: the contemporary exploration of a deserted house in the woods and the imagined lives of the missing inhabitants. The ongoing tale of the abandoned house exploration includes numerous nearly-hidden images that later gain significance within the imagined alternate lives of the residents. 
An additional story-within-a-story is boldly suggested on the title page. A little bluebird (of happiness?) slips into various obvious and obscure corners of the pages for readers (especially eagle-eyed little ones) to discover. 
There is a genuine charm to this circle story that concludes with the same short verse that opens the story: 
"Deep in the woods/ is a house/ just a house/ that once was/ but now isn't/ a home."
There is a delightful irony to that conclusion as the little bluebird peeks out at the departing kids from inside the upstairs window. This is all-out possibilities, and kids will love it.

So much for keeping it brief, right?  I'll try again on this next adventurous picture book that celebrates imagination, cooperation, diversity, hopes, and dreams.

Everything You Need for a Treehouse is written by Carter Higgins and Illustrated by Emily Hughes. This lush and imaginative picture book engages on every page, revealing both realistic and fantastic aspects of collaborating, constructing, and creatively occupying "a treehouse". The extensive and diverse group of kids make cooperation and old-fashioned "playing outside" look much more appealing than staring at screens.  And 

The illustration details are like eye-magnets, but it is worth turning back to the text to appreciate the extraordinary and lyrical language Higgins uses to turn a simply-titled "HOW TO" book into a multi-layered life lesson, delivered with a touch as gentle but persistent as a seed, the wind, or a child.
I won't issue a spoiler here, but I will say that despite the diversity and matter-of-fact, scavenged, makeshift aspects of the building processes, I had a mental reservation about how privileged this group of kids seemed: dressed for the weather, access to tools, and living in welcoming environments. I was pleased to see the various versions in what could be different habitats or even different global locations. Still, that reservation stayed wth me, until the final page turns. 
Now, I fully and enthusiastically endorse this book and recommend it for EVERY age. 

(And don't spoil the impact of those last pages by peeking.)

Well, so much for keeping it brief, right? Just goes to show why I've held on to these two for so long. You'll want to do the same, and so will the kids who read them with you.