The POWER of Scissors... and Innovation! CUT!

Greenwillow Press/HarperCollins 2023

 Author C. E. Winters and illustrator Matt Schu have produced and directed a cinematic picture book that would win an Oscar if it were an actual film. CUT! How Lotte Reiniger and a Pair of Scissors Revolutionized Animation provides a revolutionary revelation of a woman who turned a childhood fascination into a career and transformed the film industry. In her early life in Germany, movies were a new phenomena, but  SCHERENSCHNITTE ("scissor cuts") was a time-honored talent. We know these best throughnow-seldom-used silhouette cutting profiles of young children. My siblings and I had them done, and artists at fairs could complete them quickly for a minimal payment. 

These examples make it clear that actual talent in this complex skill offers options to reveal dress and expressions, settings, actions, and more. Young Lotte Reiniger knew nothing about making films but understood this art as well as she did storytelling. Her imagination and innovative analytics inspired her to create silhouette shadow puppetry.

She paired these skills with ambition to learn more-- in lectures, acting school, and networking. She made her way into films through academic contacts to create silhouette/shadow versions of animals, setting details, and other secondary specialized film and lighting techniques.

Along the way and across the years of experience her expertise and respect from important folks in the film industry led them to offer her opportunities to make feature length silhouette films. This was a at time when women were not simply a minority but nearly nonexistent in the industry. These were for fully executed films without live actors, through stop action, lighting, and animation techniques. Lotte Reiniger is considered the industry innovator in storyboarding and animation, despite many assuming that  designation belongs to Walt Disney. He did, in fact, use many of her techniques but his work followed hers. 

The author note and other back matter provide excellent details to extend this nonfiction depiction into further study and investigation by curious kids (and adults). The illustrator's work is superb in portraying this entire biographic profile through a style that combines silhouette cuttings with more conventional picture book art. Both front and back end papers are stark solid black. Interior spreads feature black and white backgrounds and sharp angles to suggest the lights and shadows that are inherent to this film art. 

I have no doubt that readers of this book, young or old, may feel equal parts informed and inspired. As the author punned, it brings this notable, history-making woman out of the shadows and into the light. It also presents intriguing details and examples of the intricate art of silhouette animation in ways that made me eager to find some black paper and small sharp scissors. I hope some readers will check out this book and let us know if you give SCHERENSCHNITTE a try!

WHEN LANGSTON DANCES: And Invites Readers Along!

 Picture books like this one make me think that I don't feature picture book celebrations of the arts nearly enough. So, I did some key word searches and found quite a few music-performance, visual arts, and even dance-related posts. across a decade of book love shared here. I felt both pleased and challenged to seek out and share more. At the end of this post I'll link to some of those others, and encourage you to suggest titles in the comments for me to explore- from current releases to long-time favorites.

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Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
2021

WHEN LANGSTON DANCES, written by Kaija Langley and illustrated by Keith Mallett, captures the exuberance and inspiration that dance, music, and other expressive arts serve in our lives. The cover introduces us to Langston in a gorgeously-executed ballet leap. The endpapers and opening pages are subtly-swirling sweeps of intense, passionate color. Then, on the first page of text and image, we learn that "Langston liked basketball, but he adored ballet."  

I urge you to take a mindful pause on that first page, whether reading it for your adult selves or with young company. Appreciate Langston's leaping dunk of the ball into the hoop. Call to mind the muscular grace of athletes. Notice the nuance of Langston's feet and hands and the arch of his neck. The illustration captures Langston's  FEELING about what his body is doing, sharing his joyful self-expression in  movements, and his satisfying results. 

Then, and only then, turn the page to find Langston seated with his mother in the dark, enthralled by an Alvin Ailey Dance Company performance, bodies soaring across the stage. Front and center on that stage is a powerful and graceful, muscular and magnificent male dancer whose skin color resembles Langston's. There, in that darkened venue, Langston's dream glows to life and lights his face. 

He will dance. 

When someone says, "Boys don't dance like that," Langston confidently responds that yes, they do, because he has witnessed the thrill of what dance can be. With a mother who supports his dreams and neighbors who admire his efforts, he arrives at a dance studio. There, he glances at but passes other classes-- tap, hip-hop, African-- until he reaches the ballet room, kicks off his sneakers, and joins the girls at the barre. 

There is so much to love in the characters of Langston, his mother, his instructor, and his neighborhood community that it makes me smile to imagine your own discovery of this book. Young people today have grown up with programming (SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE) and social media (YouTube and TikTok) in which dancing (by any gender or gender expression) is showcased and celebrated. Even so, males are most often featured in modern dance and improvisations as compared to classical ballet. This is a book that could provide a handheld experience, perhaps as powerful as the in-person experience of Langston, the character. Let's make sure that every child, everywhere, can see themselves in the arts. 

Here are some posts from the past that will support that effort:

LET'S DANCE, by Valerie Bolling, Boyds Mills Press, 2020.

BEA AT BALLET, by Rachel Isadora, Nancy Paulson Books, 2012

A DANCE LIKE STARLIGHT, by Kristi Dempsey, Philomel Books, 2014

There are plenty of other posts about dance and other arts, so feel free to use the search box on the right menu bar>>>.

I sincerely welcome suggestions in comments about other favorite picture book titles of yours, of any kind, but most especially about arts, artists, and creative expression. 

It's LEAP DAY: Leap into LET'S DANCE!

Boyds Mills Press

LEAP DAY comes along only every four years, and a picture book celebration of dance and diversity is even more rare.
Whether you've got a yes-I'm ready-for-prime-time dance repertoire or you boogey at a cringe-worthy-on-the-Ellen-Show level, you won't want to miss this picture book, LET'S DANCE, written by Valerie Bolling and illustrated by Maine Diaz.  
The contagious effects of music saturate the lyrical rhymed text and vivid action-packed pages. LET'S DANCE offers  universal appeal of movement and music through a multicultural lens.
Little bums and shoulders will start bobbing at the first sights and sounds of the exuberant action and expressions of kiddos virtually leaping off the cover. I have no doubt that adult readers will be doing some seat-swaying and toe-tapping within a few page turns, too. 
A first peek at the end papers hints at the multi-cultural, globe-trotting magical genres of dance, from ballet slippers to cowboy hats, from high-top sneakers to castanets, and more. The illustrator is adept at balancing the authenticity of the garb and styles with diverse characters who are not locked into stereotypical types of dance or culture.

I'm always impressed with perfectly metered and rhymed text, especially so when the word count totals only sixty words of main text swirling from page to page in two-to-four word lines. The text opens up learner-engaged opportunities from meter-clapping to onomatopoeitic explorations at any age. 
Each of ten double page spreads features traditionally-dressed kid-dancers from around the world, executing flamenco to Irish step dancing, disco to breakdancing, west-African kuku dancing to kathak dancers from India, and beyond. The dancers are diverse in skin tone, body size, hair style, and setting, but are universal in the magical effects of melody and rhythm. I'd include a few quoted lines, but in isolation they don't do the author justice. In fact, this book is  a master class in the perfect interaction of words, illustrations, and book design. 

My only dance instruction was preschool "ballet class" in a summer recreation program. Since those years I have learned that choreographers use the term "vocabulary" of movement, positions, etc. That term sprang to mind as I enjoyed and examined this book, realizing that the artist's vocabulary of movement, poses, and perspectives enhanced the author's word choices as ideally as did the art director's choices for font, color, size, and layout.

My first view of this book was in a PDF digital file, and I admired it then. Soon after, I received an advance paper copy that magnified my response a thousand-fold. In fact, the physical book underscored my commitment to the importance of enthralling kids with actual books rather than digital screens. 
The large trim size opens to a lap-filling horizontal dance-floor of delight. A double-page spread of back matter offers cameo images of each dance with a brief description, identifying the dance name and cultural origins. (Consider that an invitation to check out examples-in-action in real life or on screen.)
You might envision a struggle to settle down bouncing toddlers following their dance through these pages. 
No worries. 
The closing spread presents a smiling tot, tucked in bed, dreaming to the tunes of twirling sheep. That's right, the calming conclusion makes this an ideal bedtime or naptime book, and would work especially well as a story time book with that settling resolution to dial down the energy, providing a transition to the next activity or story. 
Just keep your eyes open for a dapper little lamb who loves to steal the spotlight with swagger! I hope you'll take a close look at this one, and then make a purchase. As a library fan, I'm usually fine with sharing books "on loan", but this one should find a permanent place in your lives. 
It's definitely a "read it again" book.

I'll bet you remember the Lee Ann Womack hit from several years ago: I HOPE YOU DANCE. If not, click that title and remind yourself with the YouTube video. 


And, as the song says, I HOPE YOU'LL DANCE.

BTW, if you'd care to learn more about LEAP DAY traditions and superstitions, click HERE.

The PDF and advance copy were provided by the publisher with no promise of a review of any kind.