All EYES on Jon Klassen's BOARD BOOK Series

 Creator Jon Klassen has firmly established his style and successful track record in making distinctly, quirkily appealing picture books (His I WANT MY HAT BACK series, TRIANGLE, and so many others). In each case, the storytelling melds words and seemingly simple illustrations in ways that speak to audiences of every age, and that includes toddlers and adults. regardless of the simplicity or complexity of the narrative. In every case, his stylized eyes play a major role in the success of the storytelling and emotional journeys within the covers of the books.. 

In a recent board book series, each title of the sturdy and perfectly-sized books is populated by inanimate objects with their own sets of eyes. In each title the language pattern and story sequence follows a predictable template after reading even one. Despite seeming simplicity, each manages to introduce little ones to the power of narrative, its anticipated sequences, the comfort of a satisfying conclusion, and the ability to generate new meanings from otherwise familiar onbjects.

The series titles each feature YOUR.... followed by a noun/naming word that sets the stage for a little mini-drama within the few pages involved.

Candlewick Press 2026

Candlewick Press 2025

YOUR PLACES includes YOUR FARM, YOUR FOREST, and YOUR ISLAND, while the latest title, YOUR TRUCK, explores experiences of ownership, connection, and more. As the press summary describes, 

"Building on the quiet but evocative world he created

in Your Farm, Your Forest, and Your Island, Jon

Klassen invites young children to consider more

things that are theirs and theirs alone, reinforcing

that they have a right to solitude, exploration, and

companionship."

In every case the journey from opening page to closing is one of accumulative elements, arrangement options in relationship to the other elements, using simple language that depicts both obvious and imaginative traits (a fire that never grows out) and illustrations that are minimalist but also have depth and character. And those eyes. The few page turns needed to assemble a scene or connections lead to a shift toward sunset, the eyes closing, and night time. 

The power of these entertaining, conceptually complex, and magically simple books encourage engagement, awareness of language patterns, easy acquisition of basic concept words (orally and in print) while the dramatic significance of YOUR throughout the titles and lines assures that the child will feel full ownership of the story, the process of narrative, predictive capacity, and a sense of comfort within the world of books. 

In recent months I've focused on picture books for emerging and established readers, but that was not meant to diminish the layered and lovely importance off books for the youngest audiences. Even if you have no little ones in your lives, include a peek at these at your next library or bookstore stop. And if you DO have little ones in your life, make sure these are among their very own bookshelves. 

Serving Up Memories in BOARD BOOKS: Puddles and Beards!

When I read comments or challenges in social media calling for favorite books from childhood, I am reminded of the very limited fare of my own young life. The literary richness I experienced consisted of  endlessly repeated but always entertaining bedtime rereads by Mom or Dad. They were skilled at dramatically voicing one or more of the anthologized folk tales or fairy tales from a few partially illustrated collections that constituted our family library. That limited menu of choices included a few glossy versions of Disney movies (Cinderella, Snow White) and reading the "funny pages" in the daily and Sunday newspaper. Our school classrooms provided a nonexistent "library", and the nearest branch of our public library was multiple bus rides away. 

As a result, I seized on any chance to visit the library, and thought the very limited offerings in the children's section was a treasure trove in comparison to daily life. It is also the place in which I first concluded that books were written by old (dead) men. Among those, though, there were some gems. Edward Lear's BOOK OF NONSENSE limericks as well as THE JUMBLIES were all-time favorites, and I checked those out on alternate visits, year after year. Granted, the small branch library had few offerings, but even in the abundance of a book store I would have included Lear's NONSENSE in any wish list.

Creative Editions, March,2023

That's why I jumped at the chance to see how LEAR was being introduced to youngest of readers in a new BOARD BOOK offering from CREATIVE EDITIONS. This board book, NONSENSE, BOOK 1, offers a single limerick by Edward Lear, richly and delightfully illustrated by Swiss artist Etienne Delessert. 

Featuring what is perhaps Lear's best known limerick, THERE WAS AN OLD MAN WITH A BEARD, the few lines unfold with a visual narrative that turns nonsense into a heartfelt experience. The opening reveals an amiable, long-bearded man, clutching a feather, and closely observed by a lineup of vaguely familiar book characters on a background counter. Each page turn reveals the amazing qualities of that beard length, the owls, hen, larks, and wren who recognize a cozy home when they see it, and other fauna in the countryside who little eyes are sure to spot and celebrate during this simple outing. When the man returns home, with birds "at home" in his beard, the countertop "friends" join in the fun. All in all, there will be countless requests to "read it again. Those little two-to-three-year-old encore audiences will have memorized this clever poem years before I first discovered it!

As you might have imagined, the visual art plays a significant role in making this such a winner. The physical book itself is also a delight, with a small trim size to fit young hands, with a sturdy, hardbound spine and glossy pages that invite stroking and exploration while holding up well to such intimate and tactile "reading". I imagine that Lear would have been pleased with the production quality for this intended audience. The "BOOK 1" subtitle encourages me to hope that the publishers plan a series of these LEAR books. What a fine start to building any child's personal library!

Text aimed at adult readers on the  final page turn reveals information about Lear that was new to me. He was a gifted sketch artist/nature artist until he began losing his sight at an early age. The nonsense poems allowed him to simplify his drawings but he published them under a pen name, considering them less than literary or fine art. Actually his line art in those original books from my childhood was brilliant, IS still brilliant. It was nearly two decades after original publication when he finally used his own name on them and published more, including NONSENSE SONGS and other poems, including the OWL AND THE PUSSY-CAT.

Creative Editions, March, 2023

A more contemporary and familiar style board book is next in the line-up. PUDDLE SONG is written by Laura Purdie Salas  and illustrated by Monique Felix. One glance at that cover calls to mind the splish-splash nature of spring, especially in the midwest. These days, weather extremes offer rainy-day experiences across the country. Heavy rains may even be frightening to small ones. A book like this is exactly the joyful, glistening, imagination-sparking story that might restore impulsive puddle-jumping memories to childhood lives.

Salas is a brilliant wordsmith, rhymer, and image-evoker, whose lines in this short text assume the voice of the puddle. With a call out to those children,  to ALL children, to the child in all of us, puddle calls for boots, stompers, jumpers. Puddle celebrates the potential for dancing, floating, and sloshing in every creature, with a final spread that settles its 'silver skin" into ripples in a breeze. 

With no images at all, this short verse sings like the loveliest of lyrics, as the title suggests. When portrayed in subdued rainbow colors, from charming perspective shifts, and  with reflective light effectively transforming water into magic on every page, the text soars. Young readers will be begging for rain, and boots, and puddles, but will savor the vicarious experience in these pages when those are not on hand.

Several recent reviews and interviews here have emphasized that picture books have important ideas to share with audiences of many ages, including adults. When it comes to board books, adult pleasure is often a by-product of the delight of the child rather than from the materials in the book itself, due to the simplicity that board books generally invite in topic and theme. In the case of these two books, I'm convinced that even adult readers who share them will delight in the joy and grace of the art and text. Take a look and see what you think. 

Copies of both board books were provided by CREATIVE EDITIONS with no promise of a review.

More Bilingual Board Books for Lively Language Development

With interactive flip/flap pages, three recent titles from the Bilingual Media producers, CANTICOS, are filled with fun and foundational vocabulary. When I first had my hands on a few other titles in the ever-expanding offerings of this publisher/producer, I was happy to lend my support in reviews, HERE and HERE. Featuring colorful recurring characters with childlike curiosity and cleverness, basic concepts of naming, colors, counting, etc. appear in sturdy board books with a variety of interactivity features to entice young engagement.

CANTICOS, 2022

The latest three titles do not disappoint, beginning with KIKI CAN! Kiki Puede! I've never yet met a child who didn't wish they could fly, and this little chick is no exception. despite repeated reminders from FRIENDS (who appear to be kindly "just saying" or being realistic), Kiki continues to make attempts at flying in innovative ways. Results are revealed under successive flaps, with bilingual parallel text throughout, including exclamations. 

Mama Hen reminds Kiki about all that she has learned, how she might still find a way to make her dream come true. That little flash of encouragement leads Kiki on a STEM-ish effort that will please little audiences and adults, too.

There's much to love about the familiar characters and interactivity for repeat audiences. That is enhanced by the 6"x6" kid-friendly size, shape, and patterns, with repeated phrases and resilience.

In SEASONS: Las Estaciones, Kiki is joined by her chick friends, Ricky and Nicky, as they move through four seasons, just a few pages at a time. With simple sentences and sensory experiences (what they see, smell, touch, and feel) they conclude what the current season is, revealed under a flap, also with bilingual words. In the process this little team of friends meet a few familiar characters and portray familiar reactions to changing seasons, providing simple language to use vocabulary for clothing, seasons, and actions. 

Each of book in this series incorporates a single bilingual glossary page at the back, with a dozen or so of the key-concept words in English, followed by a pronunciation key, then the correct Spanish spelling. This is invaluable for English-dominant adults who are sharing the books with little hands and minds. It is also helpful for slightly older kids who can read English but are enjoying the titles for their accessible approach to building Spanish vocabulary and language patterns. (Or te reverse!)

Finally, THINGS I DO: Las Cosas Que Hago, is a focused concept presentation featuring verbs. Following a double spread introductory text, using light rhyme and the question, WHAT DO YOU DO? (translated text on facing page), each spread is short, simple and direct.

What follows is a series of three categories with lift-flap and minimal text that easily present familiar activities. First, several words of action are seen/used, spread by spread, followed by words showing emotions, then sensory words. In this case, each flap echoes the English-text cover of the flap with the Spanish text under the flap, along with the pronunciation guide. 

These are board books, yes, and research indicates that toddlers can gain substantial brain power by learning additional languages in ways that are fun, friendly, and natural: like reading books together, singing songs, connecting with characters, etc. That's a solid match for these titles and others in this series. The physical books are solidly constructed and should stand up well to very young hands and explorations. These books are ALSO an ideal way to entice slightly older audiences to bilingualism- in both directions. The reoccurrence of characters, core vocabulary, and patterns of repetition and simple language structures allow for potential self-instruction and development of conversational language, to some extent. 

These are welcome additions to the other titles you can find on the  CANTICOS website, including award-winning videos in which these and other characters voice their vocabulary and come to life on the screen.

A note of thanks to loyal readers who are still with me after my unexplained pauses in reviews or interviews recently. Life has been throwing me curve balls, so I was not able to post a warning about delays between posts. I'm determined to get back to a more regular schedule soon and hope you'll continue to read, and comment when you feel so inclined!

I hope you enjoyed the review of FRANZ'S PHANTASMAGORICAL MACHINE by Beth Anderson and Caroline Hamel, HERE. As promised in that review, Beth Anderson agreed to an interview and that will appear here within  a few days. DO NOT MISS it!

Next Stops for TINY TRAVELERS? Columbia and Lebanon!

 I featured some of the early titles in a board book series, TINY TRAVELERS, aimed not at first-months-old audiences, but at curious preschool and early school readers who often display an unlimited interest in the wide world. The TINY TRAVELERS tagline is: BE A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD, certainly good advice for all ages!  My praise of the series in this earlier post included the advantage of "virtual" travel for young and old, as well as the durability and overall quality of the books to invite repeated examination and sharing in pairs and small groups. 

Two recent titles (I received from then publisher without a promise of a review) launch virtual visits to places that may be as unfamiliar to adults as they are to the little ones. Importantly, they retain the design pattern of the early titles, with each spread offering colorfully illustrated and categorical content that, when taken in total, suggest a storyline.  With insets for fun facts, the topics include kid-friendly pronunciation of vocabulary in local languages that labels familiar objects and introduces cultural elements, clothing, traditions, and FOODS! Each destination/title features a double page spread with a feast for the eyes and the appetite, a sprawling array of gloriously displayed and labeled edibles that will invite tasting experiences in real life. Even sampling some of the featured menus at home can enhance these virtual vacations for the whole household.

Also featured within each title is an evergreen favorite activity for young audiences, a seek-and-find "Treasure Quest" to locate a particular image/item on a page. The back pages compile the dozen-plus images  in stamp format as a checklist for success, followed by a simple world map with just-enough labeled locations and arrows (and vocabulary/pronunciation) to allow for success and entertainment while building global awareness and map-reading skills. 

Each book also continues the style of big-eyed, enthusiastic children of many skin tones and ethnicities, wearing clothing and displaying actions that imply full immersion in the experiences. In total the books generate an overall inviting atmosphere and offer appeal to readers of an age older than usual for board book formats. These latest titles LEBANON TREASURE QUEST and COLUMBIA TREASURE QUEST are available from the publisher, HERE. 

If any or all of this sounds appealing to kids you know, I urge you to take a closer look. I'll add the same disclaimer that I did in an earlier post about this series: I am the LEAST expert about these locations based on personal experience, extensive reading, or travel. I've thought of them from the point of view of overall appeal, presentation of content, and potential for reading/learning experiences. It is from that perspective that I recommend them, but cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of the cultural aspects presentations of the content. To my eye, as limited as that view is, they are respectfully and expansively presented and could benefit those to whom the topic is entirely new and also be valued by those whose identity connects with these countries and cultures, including things like finding the Arabic alphabet included in the LEBANON title when pronunciations in English are provided. 

Make your own decisions once you take a look, and I do encourage you to take that look!

Ready to Travel? Let the Tiny Travelers Lead the Way

 A purpose-driven family brand of learning materials, ENCANTOS, has provided sample copies for me to examine in the past. I've been impressed and enthused about the titles I reviewed, HERE, The design and construction of these board books for toddlers are appealing and durable, with content that engages and informs, offering oral language and listening as play, in English and Spanish. I've been eager to see a sample of their TINYTRAVELERS.COM books. When this title reached me recently, I was not disappointed.

Tiny Travelers United States Treasure Quest, created by Wolfe & Jaramillo, extends their titles in this series. Each features a virtual "tour" of a specific country, from Japan to Mexico to Puerto Rico and more. All are produced in similar format and physical design, with colorful, substantial construction and durable binding. This would readily survive toddler handling, but in this case the audience feels directed to preschool/early childhood kids. In each case, a similar pattern provides young audiences with a familiar template from page to page and book to book. 

Beginning with an overview map, each following double spread features a few rhyming lines of information related to the scene and the "treasure" sought on that page, along with a few related details. There is a stamp-shaped challenge question in the upper corner, and the designated item can be found within the richly detailed pages, confirmed with surrounding "sparkly stars. Familiar human faces and one cheerful pup appear on many of the pages. 

All of this will be very appealing for young explorers, although it could be a bit overwhelming (the first time through) for those with sensory-overload issues. Any who enjoy a search-style challenge will find this a delightful challenge, since the scenes are so varied and provide nearly countless opportunities to practice, develop, and extend language/vocabulary naturally. 

In my opinion, the highlight and greatest strengths of this book, and of the series, are the intentional diversity of the settings, the people who are illustrated, and the less-than-typical activities and interests depicted. In this case, the spreads range from Washington, D. C., to a First Nations PowWow, to National Parks, from a New Orleans jazz parade to a Hawaiian Lei Day celebration, and more. It surprised to me that some pages labeled the individual items (Thanksgiving feast foods) while other pages did not. Overall, this certainly felt it would best serve actually "learning" when shared with a somewhat instructional approach, but could easily invite independent exploration and conversation among young ones. 

Though this "board book" format is not typical for the target age, it suits the subject matter well. That includes the advantage of being able to fully open each spread to lie flat, allowing it to be examined closely. When I shared this book with kids they quickly sprawled on the floor and laid it open in front of them. It also offers interactive features that include a check-off page at the end to tally the treasures found, and QR code to link to website activities related to the book.

I'm convinced this will appeal to a wide age range, and that just might include the adults who share the book with them. Maybe that reaction is a result of our long isolation due to the Covid 19 pandemic, or simply because each page of travel is lively, inviting, and 100% SAFE!

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher with no promise of a review. 

AN UPDATE:  June 1, 2021

Two recent additions to this series reached me this week, and I'd like to call them to your attention.

TINY TRAVELERS: HAITI Treasure Hunt

and 

TINY TRAVELERS: FRANCE Treasure Hunt

provide worthy and inviting explorations and information. I have utterly NO authority from personal experience about the choices made in topics and content, but I did some cross-checking and a surface level investigation indicates that these titles continue to offer young American readers a sense of the appeal and excitement of travel. Openminded learning is of immeasurable value, and these sturdy, vibrant board books strike the right note for presenting unfamiliar landscapes, cultures, and histories in ways that invite further study. They certainly are interactive and engaging. 

The related website, TINYTRAVELERS.COM, offers opportunities to spend your money, which I am not endorsing. You can also find a "Learning Hub" for free, at which you can download numerous activity sheets related to geography, animals, habitats, cultures, languages, and more. I am NOT a huge fan of "worksheets", but these seem like reasonable options for reading/writing/research activities of choice for young ones who become fascinated with global travel. I

n fact, the tagline for the site is "Citizens of the World", which feels like a worthy identity pin these days of separation and strife.

so, if you and your young ones are feeling tethered to home, these could be welcome choices for virtual travel.

Again, books were provided by the publisher with no promise of a review.

Bilingual Baby Board Books- Keep 'Em Coming!

 I first learned about Canticos bilingual books when a box appeared on my doorstep last spring. I will occasionally review board books and "first books" here, but not often. The theme of this blog, the driving force that led me to launch it some 500+ posts ago, is to undermine any thought that picture books are "baby" books and should be abandoned by first grade, or sooner. 

Picture books are for EVERYONE, right? That's my personal and professional belief. Certainly, there are target ages for ideal audiences for particular books. That is certainly true for boardbooks, and for early concept books, many alphabet and number books, etc. These have less broad appeal forolder ages, of course, but many can serve in a variety of ways for older readers, particularly as mentor text.

Cantacos First Concepts, 2020

Boardbooks, not so much. Even so, babies and toddlers are a very important part of "everyone".  That's why I read and enjoyed the original sample bilingual boardbooks and wrote a post about them here. At the time I was especially impressed with the well-developed online resources related to the books, the text, and the recurring characters, including songs and videos. 

Their promise at that time was that there would be more to offer, and that has now happened. Their books now include concepts like opposites, feelings, shapes and patterns, alphabet, etc. They are tot-friendly sized, very sturdily bound, with interiors including lift flaps, folds, and even a few books that fully extend. The characters are appealing and recurring throughout the series, providing effective repetition that leads to vocabulary development, both oral and word recognition. Most importantly, the bilingual pairings are simple and consistent, with that potential musical link to trigger memory. 

The website offerings include plush toys and other related materials, and an app has been developed to make it easy to use musical links on mobile devices. 

Aside: let me mention here that putting mobile devices into kids' hands is NOT my recommendation. Putting actual books into their hands IS ALWAYS a better choice. Kids, especially babies, value most what their loved adults value. They will choose books, if that is what those loved ones value. 

In this case, the books themselves are colorful, durable, and engaging, including fine motor interactions. Core book concepts related to top/bottom, front/back, page turns, concepts of words, and language patterns will develop with shared and independent use. In this case, the bilingual aspect is an enormous benefit for English and Spanish audiences. While language is developing in the first three years, growing brains are particularly able to expand the neural pathways that enhance learning of MANY languages. If these books are used and paired with the musical options they could even be used effectively into early childhood to begin bilingual reading, writing, and speaking. 

These latest books were sent to me with no promise of a review of any kind, but I don't hesitate to say that they offer valuable tools for entertainment, learning, and love of books in the youngest audiences. Take a look at these and related materials HERE, at CanticosWorld.com.

Keep in mind that you can access some of their materials for free, including downloadable files. These books are now on their way to my local public library to include in their baby/family collection.

More About Board Books: Bilingual!

Two notes to launch this post:
1) I received this set of bilingual board books from a publisher with no promise of a review of any kind. 
2) That delivery was a welcome surprise on yet another COVID19 Safer-At-Home day. I've had a long-standing friendship with our mail person for the many years, enjoying conversations that have ceased in these days in order to sustain physical/social distance. She knows me well. Through the window she smiled, shook the box, and mouthed: "BOOKS! It's a good day!"

I was not familiar with CANTICOS, a YouTube Channel for bilingual nursery rhymes and kids' songs (HERE). Their short English/Spanish videos incorporate adorable animal characters and one cardboard cutout who comes to life, Pin Pon. They populate the various short features, singing songs in both English and Spanish, delivered at a pace that sustains attention and allows for little ones to participate spontaneously. 

Now these characters, stories, and words are featured in a series of early concept board books. In case you missed it, I hope you'll read my recent post about an outstanding board book offering, EGG. In it, I mentioned some of the essential qualities of board books: durability, size, age-appropriate content, long-lasting appeal. 
The board books in this new series have those features and add several forms of interactivity (flaps, tabs, sliders, fanfolds, magnets, etc.). These elevate the appeal, although such features can make it challenging to prevent damage from little hands with unrefined motor control and unbridled enthusiasm. But these are made of sturdy materials and bindings, so I'm betting this set of books will survive repeated handling by eager little fingers. 

The publisher's materials enclosed with the books didn't state this, but I'm guessing that parent/caregivers of little video fans may have asked for books related to the series. These certainly should make preschoolers (and adults who care for them) happy with the effort. Tots will read/play/sing along with numbers, letters, colors, and nursery rhymes with monthly releases throughout the spring and summer. In the process, little ones will develop reading and speaking skills in both languages, fostering early literacy and exercising brain cells at a crucial time in their development. Engaged adults may also learn a thing or two!

These are not the types of books I typically feature, but several factors moved me to share them here. First, the overall design has been thoughtfully executed, with consistency of images and labels, font choices, and pacing to convey content effectively. Additionally, but not secondarily, I found these to be exciting offerings in early childhood bilingual language and literacy development. I readily admit that I am NOT an expert in this specialized area, and I view them from an English-speaker's perspective. As such, I feel confident in recommending the books to those whose primary language is English. 
I'll never stop advocating for increasing bilingualism in ALL children, but especially in typically monolingual American children. When additional languages are introduced through musical, visual, and engaging experiences, young minds absorb, expand, and retain languages with lifelong benefits,

I'd welcome insights and reactions from those whose primary language is Spanish.

Meanwhile, I can't resist a reference to Covid19 Homeschooling experiences. Teachers, students, and caregivers are gradually developing a new-normal approach to delivery of instruction. Even so, there's no doubt that some days (most days?) require doses of "out-of-the-box" approaches, time spent away from assignments. Exploring activities involving other languages could be exactly the kind of challenge to energize and engage when exhaustion and/or frustration loom. These little board books reminded me of how much FUN it can be to learn a new language, and how many resources exist to do so. Why not give it a try?

Nothing more HOPE-filled Than EGG

Anchoring this post in Covid19 time:
A struggle is underway, at least in this country, between those who believe we must "OPEN UP" to save "the economy" or persist with a SaferAtHome policy. I've been heartened by the fact that young people seem to be adjusting to a cautious approach better than many who claim the title of "adult". 
Social media and YouTube are awash in innovative ways to learn at home, to celebrate proms, graduations, and other landmark events while making smart choices for the greater good. 
Even so, the longer this goes on, the more distant we seem to be from a conclusion, the harder it is to hold on to HOPE.

Astronomical and meteorological SPRING has arrived. Here in the northern Midwest the weather has been remarkably mild and warm, and yet...
Despite greening lawns and vegetative sprouting, the colorful blooms in my own yard have been very reluctant to unfold. Perhaps they sense the worrisome atmosphere.
Or, perhaps, I am just having trouble waiting.
But I haven't stopped HOPING.

A recent board book helps me hold on to that hope.

Creative Editions, 2020

EGG, written by Amy Sky Koster and illustrated by Lisel Jane Ashlock, is a gorgeous example of the best elements in this format. Libraries and parents can be expected to consider the value of the physical object: durability, size, age-appropriate content, long-lasting appeal. 
Check. 
I, too, appreciate a board book that can live in a toddler's hands with as much joy and survivability as a favorite toy. I've shared many of these in past posts.
Even more, though, I adore board books that bring all those assets to tiny hands while offering outstanding aspects of quality picture books. 
EGG does just that.
Quite a few outstanding picture books and their characters find new identities in board books using a modified version of the original. In this case I'd advocate for the advantages of developing a picture book version from this original board book. 
Each open spread provides an illustration and two-word line regarding a specific egg, with the double spread resulting in a simple rhyme: 

Opening double-spread interior- EGG, 2020 Board Book, Creative Editions

For each of thirteen actual eggs (and one fun ringer) the ornithological/botanical images have the luminosity, accuracy, and beauty of classical paintings, showcased on bright white background and free of distracting details. The distinctions among eggs in size, shape, color, habitat, and life-stage are as captivating as the perfectly metered text and page turns. The final turn provides a science bonus, labeling thumbnail images of each with the birds' common names. 

For an added dose of related bird/egg/hope/Spring encouragement, check out some previous reviews about ROBINS and NESTS,  BIRDS both real and imagined, and LIFE CYCLES in nature.

As for me, the toughest of nests of eggs, downy hatchlings, and fuzzy fledglings give me HOPE. May we all hold on to the wisdom of eggs, opening up in Nature's own good time, emerging gradually and safely, and only when the time is right.

And for those of us whose brains keep reverting to Covid-related issues, here are some things that I found intriguing this week:
A link to an interview with a Milwaukee area COVID19 survivor, a young woman whose account has led to a blog and website that allows others to share their individual stories. 
A link to the background on how "the ECONOMY" actually became a force in American politics.

BOARD BOOKS Bring on the ART

A catchphrase I often use when writing about or speaking about (or thinking about) picture books is "You never outgrown your need for picture books". On the flip side, you're never too YOUNG for picture books. 
Or for ART. 
That's especially true when provided via quality, sturdy, thoughtfully designed board books. 

Board Books is a category that has blossomed far beyond PAT THE BUNNY (although that book remains a timeless classic) to explore high concepts and stimulating subjects. In 2018 I was a Cybils panelist for this category and posted several times (HERE, HERE, and HERE) about how amazed I was at the variety, creativity, and overall awesomeness of board books currently being published.Take a look if you're shopping for a new baby or for shower gifts.
Among the remarkable board books I examined in 2018 were several released by PHAIDON.com. The latest of their releases to land in my lap is another of their titles with a forward-looking-interactive approach to ART! 

PHAIDON Publishing

ART THIS WAY is the product of the creative couple Tamara Shopsin and Jason Fulford. 
Following my notes about this book, consider clicking on the links I'll provide about early infant brain development, related to language, visual perception, and also the impact of screen time in infant development.

The approach to this sturdy and little-finger-friendly book is to reproduce images (in very high resolution) of innovative and eye-popping art, inviting twists, turns, flaps, colors, and offering some basic informative text. The cover art looks the same upside down, and the authors' opening  directive is to 

"Walk around, open up, 

look down, and up 

and in and out, 

look close, 

look behind, 

and keep looking."

Each reproduction can be explored through lift pages, flaps, mirrors, shifts in dimensions, and brief text prompts.The works include sculptures, photography, mobiles, screeenprints, and compilation installations. The final double spread repeats miniature images of each piece of art with attribution to the modern artist and the media. All are from the Whitney Museum's collection, featuring art by Calder, Christa, Herrara, Levitt, Lichtenstein, Marison, Sherman, and Warhol. 

If you are skeptical about the appeal of such a topic to the youngest audiences, just flash back to the way infant eyes and hands love to explore curls of ribbon, empty boxes, and sticky labels during the recent holidays. The impulse to explore, examine, contort and consider the world around them is a universal fact of infancy. One that is welcomed by this board book.
One that, sadly, diminishes rapidly with age (and with obsessive screen time.
Think about it. 
Screens require interactivity, but it is all dictated by the machine, not the child! If a device is reoriented, it straightens itself. Random twists, turn, flips produce nothing meaningful. Only preprogrammed actions and responses are productive. 
The child in your lap and arms has unlimited potential to CREATE ART, to IMAGINE possibility, to view the world from every angle. Whether or not their work is ever displayed in a gallery is not the question at stake. The crucial question is: 
Are we encouraging (or limiting) their development of  individual insight into, appreciation of, and curiosity about the physical world, and their internal world, too. Books like this one are better than screens by any measure.

And here's my evidence for that claim, with clicks to the content I promised about some of the more recent science findings regarding early infant brain development:

First, this is a reader-friendly summary of the advice from America's pediatricians;
next, this is a summary of the value of reading aloud ANYTHING with young children;
and here are even more board books, new and classic, to replace those screens.

I recently wrapped up my work as a round one panelist for CYBILS AWARDS in the nonfiction categories for elementary and middle grades for 2019. Stay tuned, HERE, for the announcements and blurbs for ALL categories, coming on New Year's Day. You're gonna LOVE these finalists!

WINTER IS HERE According to Kevin Henkes, and Mother Nature

I'm writing here in Wisconsin, where author/illustrator Kevin Henkes lives, where describing winter is a very subjective endeavor. Those in areas near the Upper Peninsula of Michigan or living on the shores of Lake Superior experience winter very differently from those near Lake Michigan's southern shores, or in the heartland of the state, or along the Mississippi. Packers fans are all too aware of how widely winter ranges during games in Green Bay. 

Greenwillow, 2018

This recent picture book, WINTER IS HERE, is written by Kevin Henkes and illustrated by Laura Dronzek. This third title in a series by this talented pair follows WHEN SPRING COMES and IN THE MIDDLE OF FALL. 

The latest of these titles includes return appearances by familiar characters and settings, and features the spare and poetic (not rhyming) text that invites read-aloud and repeated readings.  The arc of winter begins with flakes and mittens on the opening endpapers, concluding with springy blossoms and butterflies on the final endpapers. The process of getting there is not at all abrupt or threatening, and includes mundane scenes (ZIPPERS!) and sensory images and descriptions.




I resist naming favorites among books, texts, or even lines, but in this case I do have a favorite double page spread. Influenced perhaps by the recent Super Blood Wolf Moon eclipse (January 19-20),  I appreciated the contrast between the bleaching effect of snow during the day and the saturated coloring effects of night lighting, making the familiar utterly fascinating. 

Winter Is Here, Greenwillow, 2018

Don't miss this lovely book, or it's related titles. All are available as board books, too, and a set of the books in either form would make a fabulous gift-- one that will be thoroughly enjoyed in the present, and saved to share with future generations. I believe that will be true regardless of where you live in Wisconsin, or any other part of the country.

As  I write the conclusion of this post the snow is falling, layering on a prior six inches and predicted to continue for another 24 hours. Whether you are living with four seasons in the northern hemisphere as we are, or enjoying a life in the tropics with year-long simmering sunshine, I assure you that young readers will enjoy snuggling on a lap and hearing these books  read to them, again and again.