THREAD BY THREAD: An unforgettable Journey

 Here's a picture book that enchants on its surface and aches at its core. How to write about refugees for very young audiences and still resonate with heart and hope? Try this one. Then, perhaps donate to a school or refugee center or family, or talk it up with someone you know who might not seem welcoming to the need for acceptance of desperate humans. I know, these are mice, but the story is universal!

Eerdman Books for Young Readers, 2023

THREAD BY THREAD is written by Alice Briere-Haquet and illustrated by Michela Eccli, with translation by Sarah Ardizzone. The cover image allows for some effective predicting. This seems like a delightful and charming story, a clever presentation of the warmth of family and home using mixed media and delicate but appealing line art in color. If that was your guess, you'd be right, on the first spread. 

But the title page features one unraveled strand of yarn, suggesting that the peace and contentment are short-lived. Endpapers, too, show that curly, unfurled yarn from the faoundaitonof the family's home along with some other yarns in different colors and conditions. 

The  minimal text is as pure as the knit one/purl one process that once constructed the security of their lives. The race to escape is inevitable, show on mostly white pages with literal and symbolic images shown in scenes combining color pencil art and yarn. Tension rises as the dangers increase, the pace intensifies, and the stakes rise. With nearly nothing to cling to, the escape across waves includes loss, and arrival reveals an armored encounter. What happens next is where the heart and hope enter the design. This community effort not only helps produce a new roof over their heads, but builds a social network and surprises that suggest not only safety but joy. 

This irresistible little picture book contains a global story, told through the universally identifable characters of mice. By no means does it replace picture books that reveal more details and specifics of individual and varied refugees and their cultures. For some examples that I've reviewed in the past, check HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and CROCODILE CROSSSING. 

And if that knit-bit caught your attention, check out Mac Barnett and jon Klassen's EXTRA YARN.

Side note: I read this and loved it when it first released a few years ago. The warm response (in the midst of ice and ICE) of the Minneapolis community brought it back to mind. If you know of little ones who are wondering about the things they see in news and media, remind them that the horror and chaos are nominally caused by concern about refugees and immigrants. The en-armored characters on the arrival shores could be discussed as having potential for acceptance or rejection... or worse. The choice they make (those with power and authority) leads to this happy and satisfying ending. The other titles linked can help do the same. Don't miss out on using such a tender and fun picture ebook with young audiences. 

Side-side note: This book works especially well as a LAP book (even if that just means Looking At Particulars). This is a delightful example of ways that illustration details, even the smallest, hold full stories within them and enhance the encompassing story with richness and depth.

Speaking of Home: ANYTHING Deserves Celebration

 The prior post shared a picture book in which HOME travels with the family, in much the way a turtle carries its home on its back. If you missed it, I hope you will take a look, HERE. The bottom line in that heartfelt story is that HOME is where LOVE is. 

CHRONICLE BOOKS, 2025

ANYTHING is a story by Rebecca Stead (multiple award-winning author who captures the emotional landscape of children of many ages) and illustrated by Gracey Zhang, (also a multi-award-winning illustrator). It, too, explores what and where HOME is, and how to find it.

Change is never easy, and this is a story of change and longing. A family must move, but their beloved home does not come with them. Not even the blue footed-bathtub for Thursday night baths. What, then, will make this new place HOME?

Those who write picture book manuscripts and seek feedback from other writers and editors are sometimes (often) told that their story really begins several pages into the text. What that means is that the first lines and pages are backstory, setting the stage, but not revealing anything important about the problem or characters. Backstory matters, but if a story is well-told, the talents of storyteller and illustrator will combine to reveal this without having to state it in advance. 

This is Stead's first picture book, and I hope it will not be her last. A writer of longer text (novels for middle grades or teens or adults) must come to picture book writing as if to poetry. What is required is trust in the reader to fill in from images and experiences what is not delivered in words. Condensing the luxury of 40,000 words to under 400 words for the entire book is  daunting, to say the least. In this case, though, Stead demonstrates expertise and appreciation for the elegance and absence of words in the best of picture books. 

In brief, a young girl and her dad are in day one of a move to a new apartment. Dad is deeply aware of the stress of moving and of his child's struggle with change. The first line is:

"The cake was chocolate."

Yep. That's it.

But just look at what that does to the opening.

Interior opening spread: ANYTHING, Chronicle Books

The illustrations are mostly backline drawings, some sketchy and some darkened and overlaid to focus attention and give weight to the scene element or characters. Isolated items carry attention through color (cake, rainbow, imagined wishes). The ANYTHING of the title refers to Dad's effort to make a hard transition more welcoming. Blowing out the candle on the cake allows for wishes for ANYTHING. (Even three wishes for ANYTHING, no matter how hard those wishes might be!)

The ensuing pages reveal a child with an aching heart who keeps some wishes to herself, a dad who knows his child well and provides safe spaces to share the wishes and help build a new home together. This is a full-sized book with loads of white space and minimal art and text. All the better to focus readers on that art and those well-chosen words. 

I won't spoil the deeply loving relationship, challenges, and resolve of this new release, because words I'd use would never do justice to the minimalist-richness of a book that is bound to be in the running for awards and praise in this calendar year. Beyond that I see this as a classic for years to come, ideal for Father's Day, for moving day, for change and loss, for discussions of HOME and what matters most, and as mentor text for writers and illustrators everywhere. 

A delightful note is that the first person narrator is sketched at such an age and with medium length hair and generic clothing so that they could visually read as a boy or girl. The lack of color and detail in character images means that readers can assign their own skin tones and identifiers to the characters if they wish, although they tend toward Caucasian. 

May I challenge you to get this book and consider carefully what it means to write what matters, but ONLY what matters, and to draw WHAT MATTERS. Like poetry, picture books like this make it clear that words without pictures fail, pictures without words often fail (though there are certainly some unforgettably fabulous wordless picture books), and both require an attentive, invested reader. That human element, with the right words and the right images, simply SOARS!

QUICK NOTE: No Place Like HOME!

 

Eerdman's
Books for Young Readers
2024

When a  picture book gains wide acclaim, I realize that I need to squeeze in my own "AMEN!". That's true even though I had intended to take a few days off from posting. 

That's exactly the case with a picture book collection of poems entitled HOME. This remarkable book won starred reviews from School Library Journal, Booklist, and Shelf Awareness. It also made the Middle Grade NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK LIST from ALSC and is a A 2025 Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Book from American Library Association. That certainly will get my attention. I hope it gets yours, too!

I'm always thrilled to share another remarkable picture book that spans so many genres: poetry, science, empathy, all with phenomenal illustrations. Regular readers here will know I'm a sucker for bird books, and this is no exception. Actually, the poems and illustrations focus on twenty-seven different animal species, but still- look who made the cover! Written by Isabelle Simler and translated by Vineet Lai, the poems are elegant in their full text and absolutely glow with imagery and figurative language.

Some further thoughts about it follow:

This poems ih this gorgeous collection are inspired by distinctive animal homes/structures, including water and land creatures, animals from insects to sea critters to mammals and birds. The book format is narrow and tall, with full spreads that glow with both detail and impressionistic appeal. The poems incorporate accurate terminology yet sing with mood and style. It's no wonder this book has won awards. It belongs in classrooms, libraries, and homes.

So, despite not having time to post for today, here it is! I hope obsession to get this out to reader will inspire you not only to read and share the poems, images, and information, but also to take a closer look at the marvel of nature that surrounds us. Spring has its hand on the latch of the gate and will make appreances soon. Don't miss the show!

 

BUNNY and TREE- Reflections on HOME

 This year's holiday gatherings have felt especially sweet. My recent move back to my home town (after MANY years away) find me taking part in big and small occasions with family and friends, most I  had rarely seen at this time of year. During the Fall, I enjoyed aa short visit to my longtime home to deal with multiple business matters. When my plane landed, a thought filled me- "I'm HOME!" Not many days later, as my return flight approached landing back in my hometown/new home, another thought overtook me, unsolicited: "You'll be HOME soon." Then, in a conscious, intentional thought, I compared those two reactions and I realized, to my deep joy, that I have TWO homes. Two places where I know my way around, where caring people who have been part of my life for a long time are near, and where I find joy and feel safe. We all require safe shelter and sustenance to survive, and will fail to thrive without relationships of love and trust.But HOME is immeasurably more than that.

Enchanted Lio0n Books, 2023

That's what brought me back to share this very special wordless picture book. BUNNY & TREE is a loving and moving debut endeavor by BALINT ZSAKO, A visual artist/photographer/filmaker, he was born into an artistic family in Budapest, Hungary but now is a resident of Canada.

This is an exceptionally impressive wordless book for many reasons, not the least of which is the quality of the art and the final product. Colorful, full-spread illustrations are expensive to produce for publishers, especially with the large page size, excellent paper, and surprising length of this offering.With a range of tones and colors, from glowing pastels to shadowed subtlety, each sprawling spread incorporates the gentleness or intensity needed to share a glorious field off flowers or a seethingly fierce wolf. The cover image here gives you a sense of the story, as does the title. The length of this book (184 pages) is beyond rare for such a publisher's financial commitment to storytelling and to art. This is a visual storytelling of escape, assistance, need, challenge, travel, hope, and the power of such emotional connections between friends. 

I receive picture books from authors and publishers (but with no promise of a review). I seek out most books I reveiw at my public library collaborative. (Cheers for those fabulous folks and facilities, at my prior home and now here!) I buy books as gifts and often reveiw those, since I curate actual purchases very cautiously. In this case, though, I learned about this July, 2023 release long before it became available, and I preordered. From my first "reading", through countless others since then, I have deferred writing a review because I felt inadequate to praise it. With SIX starred reviews (so far) and being named on "Best of Year" lists, I'll admit to a shift in my thinking. This is one of those phenomenal books that is getting outstanding support and will certainly be named among many medal and honor winners in the coming month. (All well-deserved.) I decided I would lend my small voice and limited blog posts to some other books that were still a step away from such glowing spotlights. Yet, these many months later, I have not shelved this book out of my line of sight. I keep it "at hand", because each time I examine it from front to back, retold its visual stories, I find more to love. New details or insights expand previous readings, and I continue to love it deeply. 

After my experiences reflecting on HOME and what it means, I picked this up again and found an even closer connection.

Throughout each reading, the short version of what happens is an epic journey, a nine-act story with prologue and epilogue. It seems both fanciful and familiar. RABBIT (with different-colored ears to foreshadow attention to color in images and impact) and its mates seek escape from a marauding wolf. Just as death is imminent, TREE reveals itself as having both empathy and unique abilities. Reshaping its trunks, branches, and limbs into the shape of a massive wolf head, TREE forces the predator to retreat. This is all in the the prologue. Each chapter reveals grateful RABBIT and caring TREE moving through helpful roles, balancing each other. All the while they discover places and experiences in a wider world that only bond them further in trust and awareness of the potential each offers. Their journey involves dangers and sacrifices, but this story provides the polar opposite of the Tree's sacrifice in THE GIVING TREE, a picture book both despised and cherished by readers of different opinions. 

I considered sharing an interior spread, or a short passage of my (latest) interpretation of the visual narrative in words, and choose not to do so. Whether you check it out of a library, gift it to someone you love, screen first by reading other reviews, or ask your local independent bookstore to show it to you, please "read" it. Many times, if you can. Over time. The meaning of HOME and FRIEND and COMMUNITY changes throughout each of our lives, as it does within the pages of this book. The magical accomplishment in this wordless marvel is the epilogue indicator that when we share journeys and emotions and understanding with others, nature itself may join the pro9cess in the most surprising ways.

Advance Peek at ANTONIA: Thoughtprovoking Picture Book

 

MinEditions, 2021

In the midst of news about refugees, escapes, and heartache, I recently received a sample of a picturebook by Columbian author/illustrator, DIPACHO. ANTONIA: A Journey to a New Home will release on September 14 (2021) from MinEditionUS/Astra Publishing House. I try not to overdo being pushy in these posts, but this is an excellent example of how important every single aspect of cover designs can be.On first glance, it's easy to assume that ANTONIA is the lively, lighthearted dog. My assumption there was correct, but there is so much more to notice. 

First, Antonia is looking back, not ahead. Why is that? Is she escaping from someone? Leading the way? Playing with someone? And why is the subtitle "a" journey, not "her" journey? Any ideas?

As they say in the infomercials... wait, there's more! 

Any careful look at a well-designed book cover will include checking out the  back. Of course the text is intentionally helpful, hint-full. But before any words were added, you can compare the two halves of the story that meet a reader's eye before the first page is turned. The front is in bright and "happy" colors, familiar in the styles of the light-noted lively dog, its doggish smile, and a hedge that could be found in any neighborhood. In stark contrast are the color tones and visual suggestions on the back. Images are blurred and blue-er, from the ground up through the ominous sky. That horizontal herdgery is less vibrant, nearly suggesting fencing or barbed wire with a slight squint as you view. 

Any move has both good-and-bad aspects, as presented in books reviewed earlier this month, HERE, and in several other posts. This cover alone suggested to me that much higher stakes could be revealed once I cracked open the story. That's what the opening endpapers confirmed, as the dog is racing away from a lovely home with bags packed outside their door. Then, in several wordless pages that preceded the title page, the dog pauses, tongue lolling, at water's edge. He is soon joined by his young girl, arriving with a hug, followed by a boy with a duck on a leash.

Before the ongoing, eventful scenes unfold wordlessly, DIPACHO offers an introductory note to assure our understanding. He clarifies that many in his homeland, Columbia, are no longer safe in their longtime, lovely homes, but must escape to urban areas, at great risk and loss of their family heritage. Just as the back cover cautions, this introduction makes clear that "a journey" may be dangerous and difficult, and yet in the company of loved ones it is possible to find happiness and hope. 

I will not spoil the story by revealing what "difficulties" this migratory group will deal with, but I urge readers to keep your eyes peeled for the many little visual details that suggest answers to your questions. Who arrives? Who survives? What should be celebrated and what should be mourned? 

Sound like a lot? Well, current global events are "a lot", and without discussion and openness to questions from little ones whose big eyes and ears notice more than we realize, those can feel either unreal or overwhelming. Stories like this one, shared with trusted adults, can elevate empathy and expand understanding. 

While you're at it, give a look back at another kid-friendly but world-aware picture book, CROCODILE'S CROSSING: A Search For Home, reviewed HERE. 

I'm throwing in a bit of a Covid anchor here, too. The mandate against evictions in the USA is about to be lifted, and there will undoubtedly be countless families right around the corners from us who will be forced out of their "lovely homes" to seek "safe" shelter in unpredictable places and circumstances. This fall there will likely be exponentially more un-homed kids within our schools and among our acquaintances. Books like these can resonate with both those who suffer losses and those who can't imagine such losses. Please use books to open discussions that must be had in order to increase our capacity to empathize and actively help.

(Received from publisher without a promise of review.)

Houses, Homes, and Changing Lives

I discontinued adding "Covid updates" or anchors to the content of my posts several months ago, mistakenly believing that readily available vaccines would lead the way out of this pandemic. Instead, we are facing rising positive Covid test numbers and hospitalizations for Covid Delta variants in unvaccinated folks that are again overwhelming our physical and human resources. The clock is ticking on the various economic support programs, including an end to the eviction moratorium looming in coming weeks. With so many uncertainties (and scary) circumstances surrounding kids, the prospect of moving is one more variable beyond their control. Or is it?

The current housing market indicates many kids/families will find themselves moving from the home they know to something else. In some cases that might be a "movin' on up" experience, but for many others it could be due to an eviction or job change/loss, or even involve time spent within temporary housing for unhomed folks, or foster settings. (If you missed it, please read my recent review of A KID IS A KID IS A KID, HERE.) Another review from last season strongly recommends THE BLUE HOUSE, by Phoebe Wahl. 

Candlewick, 2021

I mention these perspectives before sharing two picture books about families and homes that won my heart on first reading and then amped up that reaction on repeated readings. The first of these is THE HOUSE OF GRASS AND SKY, written by Mary Lyn Ray and illustrated buy E. B. Goodale. Narration adopts the perspective of "the house", while maintaining a knowing third person voice to explore the lived experiences of this house on a hill in the country. From its earliest fresh lumber smells to observing growing families,  the house learns words like "good-bye" and then "hello", until it sits empty for a surprisingly long time. The grass and sky and tire swing and blooms reliably remained. Seasons passed, but potential new family residents (with diverse identities and preferences) would come, discuss, then leave.

Rabbits waited to be chased, dandelions prepared to be wished on, and starry nights comforted the house through its bare windows. Until... one of those families returns. Restoring the home with caring attention and coats of paint indicate that, once again, the house, the hill, the sky will be the stage on which lives are lived and memories are made. I love that each prospective new owner-family is not the assumed "white" families often depicted in rural and renovation scenarios.

This perspective is both tender and persuasive, never suggesting that the house has its own "life", but rather that every house has a purpose in OUR lives. That purpose is to become a home.

BLUE DOT PRESS, 2021

Next up, author Margaret Wild and illustrator Ann James adopt an entirely different approach and perspective to the home-leaving, home-finding, home-making process. GOODBYE, OLD HOUSE shifts to the perspective of a canny and caring little character who is already owning their transition. The leaving process is revealed by lifting them off the impressionist-styled scenes to the forefront with a black-line-on-white, loosely drawn identity. This intentional child collects significant experiences for one last time: fishing, woodland runs, pony petting, and good-byes to each room and home-location. 

In each case, they convey a sense of peace about the departure; not joyful, but also not melancholy. 

Then, with the same deliberate, in-the-moment awareness of good-byes, they experience many "This is the first time..." "Hello" scenes in a new house-to-become-home. 

This is a story of a child who is able to make an empowered transition from a prior home to a new one, regardless of the reason for the move. It suggests that the geographic locations, physical properties, or particular details of the buildings themselves, HOUSES becoming HOMES depends on the embrace of their residents. The ability to do that, for children especially, is in direct proportion to preparation and attitude conveyed by their adult caregivers/family. 

This is a book that should be shared with/recommended to any adults who anticipate moving, for any reason. It is also a wonderful book for story time and story-sharing in libraries and classrooms. The child who inhabits this story is ambiguously gendered and aged, conveys familiar emotions that invite connection, and models an open and adventurous attitude while holding close the memories and experiences of their past. The art style itself allows young audiences to imagine themselves being overlaid on this experience of moving, viewing themselves as the constant and stabilizing factor in life changes. 

While there are no direct references to back-to-school, these two titles make a great lead-in to conversations about being "new", about saying "good-bye", and about seeking ways to connect those two things in meaningful activities and memories. 

Soul-Stirring Non-Fiction Picture Book: The Elephants Come Home

 Just to be clear, the actual title of this astounding new non-fiction picture book is:

THE ELEPHANTS COME HOME: A True Story of Seven Elephant, Two People, and One Extraordinary Friendship, written by Kim Tomsic and illustrated by Hadley Hooper. 

Every word of that title matters. First and foremost is the notion of HOME, which has been an element in several recent reviews of animal books: PERDU and THREE. If you missed them, I urge you to click and read, but not just now, please. This books are about domesticated animals, dogs, each seeking a place to call home. Both, you'll not be surprised, end happily, but not without some tension along the way. 

In this case, the animals in question are far from domesticated, and the story itself is not a product of someone's imagination. It is, as the title says, a TRUE STORY, but it shares the truth of all three titles: every living creature is seeking a safe home. 

This story is launched with a brief introduction to Lawrence, who loves animals, and Francoise, who loves Lawrence. Rightfully, even Max, the dog, is introduced on that opening, despite being overlooked in the title.The page turn introduces THULA THULA, the wildlife sanctuary of African busk, savannah, and forest that they created to preserve life. 

Take a breath. Take it in. That much alone deserves a moment of appreciation and awe, as do the next several turns indicating what a vast, natural, and SAFE home THULA THULA is. 

The terrifying tragedy arrives suddenly, as a matriarchal elephant leads her herd of seven in seeking a safe home from encroaching human habitat, only to be frightened, angered, and confused into earning labels of DANGEROUS, OUT OF CONTROL, and THREATENING. hey were considered rogue, and efforts were underway to destroy them.

THULA THULA welcomes them, but that is only the beginning of some terrifying adventures, patient adjustments, and one of the most heartwarming stories you will ever read. 

I want to call the illustrations in this exceptionally long picture book luminous. Aspects and hints and washes of light are deftly applied throughout the oversized double spreads, suggesting various times of day with glowing expanses of landscape and lifeforms or slim lines of backlighting or uplighting. The effect is cinematic, and yet  the matte paper and carefully blended earthy tones are drawn from naturalistic settings of water, dust, fields, and woods. Within those scenes, fine black lines identify realistic and expressive creatures, human and otherwise. Their minimally portrayed body postures, orientation to the other, and lift of brow or knee hint at a fully animated enactment of the story of how a bond of friendship formed, remained, and was sustained even after death. 

When you finish the main text you may still wonder if such a story could be true, or not. back matter offers details of the verifiable events, characters, and reliable resources to explore further. You could be forgiven for doubting, though, because this TRUE story has deeper meaning and more ehawr than even the richest of fairy tales.

Please read this book.

THREE, A Picture Book with Countless Pleasures

 If you are a regular reader here you'll know that the soft spot in my heart for animals in general, and especially for dogs, is quite large. One reason there are so many picture books about dogs is that there are so many ways to explore the infinite hearts and natures of dogs. 

Earlier this spring I reviewed PERDU, by author/illustrator Richard Jones, including an interview. In that book, the title dog, Perdu, had a loving home but became lost. He is seeking, longing to restore his sense of belonging, something that he once knew and remembered well. (Spoiler alert: happy ending, but you already guessed that, right?)

Neal Porter Books
Holiday House, 2021

THREE happens to be a dog without a home. It just so happens  he is also a dog without a right front leg. Thus, he is THREE, a simple fact of life and number. That he is homeless appears to be a simple fact of life, unlike Perdu. 

Three conveys a gentle acceptance of everything in life, with intelligence and curiosity, including a clever capacity for making his solo journey through life with a happy heart and independent spirit. On a rainy day, he walks beside an umbrella-carrying character, he enjoys sunny days for warmth, raining days for a good wash, and keeps a wag in his tail to remain well-fed. 

"Every day was a skip and a hop for Three."

Light and direct text reveals the casual fact that Three occasionally looked for a home, but mostly spent time taking close account of the numbers of legs surrounding him. Little six-legs (ants) had a harder time surviving in the city, so made an underground home. Little eight-legs faced dangers, so had a home up high.It is not stated, but the inference is that somewhere there might be a just-right home for Three, but this was just another simple fact, not a cause for yearning or concern. Light touches like these prevent readers from feeling pity or worry, although Three invites connection and affection from the start. 

Three's joyfully rational perspective on legs notes that table and chairs have four legs, but never go far. In fact, some are often sat upon by two legs. Several colorful double spreads present urban landscapes with dashed-line trails revealing Three's various sojourns.Three follows his nose, and off he goes. 

When such a day leads him away from the city, he encounters entirely new and interesting four legs and two legs and long ears, and ... a two leg pretending to be a four leg. That new creature, named Fern, becomes a friend. Exactly the kind of friend they both needed.

This lightly told and lively-illustrated tale combines simple concepts with deep-seated truths. Perfect for even the youngest, there are  plenty of counting opportunities and loads of laughs at the clever insights offered. The rich reality of acceptance and confidence and respect also make this an ideal picture book for older readers, inviting discussion about differences and adaptability and attitudes. 

THREE is written and illustrated by Stephen Michael King. His books reveal mastery of versatile art techniques, applied with thoughtful effectiveness to the intention and spirit of the text. THREE is a winning example of using a light touch in both art and text to explore character and differences, resulting in a picture book I highly recommend. 

BARNABY: A Flash of Color and Memory

 

As soon as I saw the cover of BARNABY, written by Andrea Curtis and illustrated by Kass Reich, I raced to reserve it at the library. That sweet parakeet on the cover called out to me from my own childhood. When the book finally perched in my hands, I was not disappointed.  

My lifelong love of birds, both wild and pet, is too long a story to share here. But I will reveal that my first pet, the one that was exclusively mine (not shared by the entire family) was Blue Jingles, a parakeet who closely resembled Barnaby. Sadly, BJ's life was short. Soon after came Cupid, who shared my life for several years. 

When a parakeet  (or other pet bird) ends up in the vastness of the world, results are rarely as happy as they are in this story. Odds are slim that a safe return to home will ever come to pass. It does happen, though, and it did for my Cupid. (See below) In this picture book, Barnaby is the avatar for a very human story of jealousy, anger, isolation, loneliness, and growth. There is a reason some truism are true, as in: absence makes the heart grow fonder. 

Yes, it does.

For other bird fans in a mood for an extended story of such inadvertent travels through the wide world, I highly recommend to you the middle grade novel by Jane Kelley, THE DESPERATE ADVENTURES OF ZENO AND ALYA. In fact, if you are simply a fan of a wonderful middle grade novel, give it a read. 

And, as promised, here's a poem I wrote that reveals my long ago Cupid's adventure into the wide world beyond our front door:

                                    HERO

                                    by Sandy Brehl

 

                                    Have you ever had a hero?

                                    They are daring, bold, and fine.

                                    Some are wrapped in capes and emblems -

                                    They're not half as grand as mine!

 

                                    You would not quite call him handsome-

                                    Tall and wrinkled, but so kind.

                                    Just last month he had turned sixty.

                                    Still,  no braver man you'll find.

 

                                    When he scaled the giant elm tree

                                    Right outside my kitchen door

                                    I just chewed my nails and worried

                                    While I prayed and paced the floor.

 

                                    Could he really reach the summit?

                                    Would my parakeet be hurt?

                                    Uncle Bill came down a hero -

                                    Cupid safe inside his shirt.

Octopus Love: HOME IS HOME!

In keeping with my temporary "shortcut" posts, here's one that deserves a LOOOONG look, and some follow up connections. THE OCTOPUS ESCAPES is written by Maile Meloy and illustrated by Felicita Sala.

Indiebound included a review and summary:

"From a New York Times bestselling author comes this poignant, lyrical tale about nature's great escape artist—perfect for fans of the Oscar-winning documentary film My Octopus Teacher."

"The octopus is happy in his undersea cave until one day, a diver captures him and takes him to live in an aquarium. The humans give him food and tests that look like toys. But every day is the same, and the octopus soon tires of captive life. And so, under the cover of darkness, he makes his daring escape...

Maile Meloy and Felicita Sala bring us a story full of excitement and heart, about the thrill of hard-won freedom and the pull of home."

Now from me:

Their summary saved me the trouble of mentioning the amazing documentary, MY OCTOPUS TEACHER, but allowed me to contribute this link to the real life story that, just guessing here, inspired this charmer:

INKY THE OCTOPUS ESCAPES FROM NATIONAL AQUARIUM OF NEW ZEALAND!

[This is a YouTube link of a news station report. Even the ads appear to be kid-friendly. I certainly hope that you'll give this book a look and then share it, along with the short video clip, with kids in your lives. It could lead to some interesting discussions about the role of zoos and similar organizations have in our world, how we think about that, and maybe even about the things (lives) we eat.]

PERDU: Cuteness Meets Heartache and Home (Including an interview with Richard Jones!)

Lost dog stories are certainly heart-tugging, heart-aching, and even heart breaking. In books and in real life. I lived in a rural area for more than decade, one in which homes were acres apart and traffic was light. In the time I lived there it was not unusual for stray dogs (and kittens) to be found roaming, often alongside or even in the middle of the road. My neighbors and I assumed that these were rarely lost or runaway animals, but had been abandoned intentionally with the false assumption that a domesticated pet could fend for itself and find its own home. Whoever among us found these confused and frightened pets circulated pictures, but those efforts rarely located owners. More often, these abandoned furry beings went to rescue organizations who would actively re-home them in safe and loving surroundings. I still wonder how many we missed.

I share my experience because poignant-eyed Perdu on the cover obviously has a back story and I NEEDED to know what that was. I found no clues in endpapers, or on the opening spreads/title page. The  clue I DID find is that little red scarf around his neck. Perdu, I imagined, has been left to his own devices, despite having once been someone's beloved pet. Perhaps abandoned. Perhaps a companion to someone no longer in his life, but not by choice. The scarf suggested to me that little Perdu understood  LOVE and HOME. Now he was in a confused but determined pursuit of a new home. One where he would be safe. Where he would be loved. Hope and instinct led the way, paw after paw.

With that premise in mind, I was ready to read. But I had burdened Perdu with a heavy load of metaphor for many in our world who also have face wearying journeys in our lives.

  

PEACHTREE, 2021

PERDU is written and illustrated by Richard Jones. Perdu is also the name of the little stray dog on the cover, the homeless, hopeful  little dog with a coat as black as night and a straggly red scarf around his neck. Perdu is also, as Jones's website reveals, the French word for LOST.

I shared the cover in extra large format because this seemingly simple book, about an apparently ordinary dog, deserves our full attention. As it turns out, my constructed back story was a good way to set the stage for reading, and for the universal story I found within its pages. 

Perdu does as dogs do, follows his nose and vision forward, step after step. When a leaf catches his attention, he follows its floating path, leaving the woods behind, leading him into a crowded urban setting where tender paws became sore and weary, where a forest of long-legged folks never even looked down. 

PERDU, interior, used with permission

Readers, especially small ones on laps, will begin feeling hopeful when they notice that another small being is much closer to Perdu's eye level. As Perdu's four tender paws move him from challenge to challenge, that other small being with her own spot of red is led by the hand through the same places and confusing spaces. When Perdu has his back to the wall (literally), he resorts to yips and snaps, but escapes to a quiet open space. Still alone, he assembles the comfort of a leaf nest. That resilient and resolute little traveler makes the best of a bad situation, but visual clues allow readers to predict a happier ending. That promise is fulfilled, but not until the pair of small ones negotiate a relationship of trust. 

Perdu, interior, used with permission

I appreciated the subtle visual foreshadowing in Perdu's journey, the signals of transitions, of escalating struggle and sustained hope. All of it made the final scene of encircling comfort and safety even more satisfying. The minimal text is gentle but powerful, and the illustrations enhance mood and emotional impact. Perdu is a very 

expressive pooch, but remains every inch a dog. 

Readers who explore the creator's website will be delighted by the various tabs that offer details about Jones's own journeys through life, as well as guidance for drawing Perdu! I reached out to ask Richard some questions and he was kind enough to respond, despite being on deadline.

SB: Thank you for spending this time with my readers, Richard. I found your website easily, but wondered about the name you chose, PaintedMouse.com.  A charming little mouse appears in several of your illustration examples, and just once within the pages of this book. (That's a direct challenge to readers to find it!). I wonder if you'd share any connections that led a painted mouse to become the namesake for your site?

Richard Jones (background),
Perdu (foreground)

RJ: When I registered the domain paintedmouse.com, I was doing a lot of freelance graphic design work alongside my other illustration projects. I wanted a name that might be memorable to graphic design clients but that might also appeal to the children's book world. The painted part was for the illustration and the mouse was for the graphic design!

SB:  Well, I wasn't on the right track at all, was I? But it's very whimsical and appeals to this picture book fan. And I do enjoy backstories! Your site is very user-friendly and appealing to readers of any age, with some lovely tidbits that introduce you and your characters into our lives. When you described childhood stories of life near The Brook, you included an incident involving a bite on the bum (by a dog). Was it your own dog? Did you have dogs as a kid? Did the bite cause you to be afraid of dogs? Curious readers will want to know!

RJ: It was a neighbor's dog called NuNu! I think it got over excited by our football game and for some reason went for me out of everyone there! I'm not sure if the incident made me warier of dogs, but I have always been careful around them. I did have a dog as a child. He was a sweet little black and tan terrier named Barney.

SB: Naughty NuNu! I sensed wariness and a cautious curiosity in Perdu, so perhaps that attitude made its way onto the page from your own past. Good to know that NuNu did no lasting damage to your connection with and affection for dogs. 

I felt that the many tall columns (tree trunks, infrastructure, etc.) are included (very effectively) as a visual device to emphasize Perdu's small size, to indicate moving from natural to urban setting. Several other illustrations and pages in your other books include this column-llike background, too. Just wondering if there is more to it than that?

Perdu, interior, used with permission

RJ: I love that you spotted that! Yes, those trees were there to indicate his relative size in the big world and describe the transition from one stage of life to the next. Towards the end of the story, when the little girl approaches Perdu, the electricity pylons in the background do the same job but are also intended to draw the reader's eye from one character to the other. 

I do seem to include a similar device in most of my books, don't !? I think it's useful and (hopefully) effective to include within the same drawing, opposing or contrasting shapes and forms. Having something tall and broad can emphasize another element's fragility or softness. 

SB: I found it to be effective in both ways. Also, the horizontal expanse of each double page spread set Perdu into a wide world that held both promise and threat, but the vertical images advance the eye toward each page turn, creating a kind of rhythm to the journey. 

Curious readers (speaking for myself here) always love to know what to watch for next, so please share any news that you are free to announce (or hint at something, if you'd like.) For example, any more dog books coming?

RJ: I have just signed off the proofs for my follow up book called Little Bear. It's a story about a little boy who one day discovers a tiny bear in his back garden. It will be out in the UK in the autumn and hopefully the US a little later. 

 

SB: Congratulations! I'll certainly hope for that, and watch for the news about it's American release. It sounds like another heartfelt story with layers of relationships and surprises. 

Thank you again for spending time on these questions and for creating Perdu for us-  both the character AND his story!

Readers, you will want to launch your own journey to find, read, and share PERDU. And please, when you see animals in need of help, contact available services to keep them safe.

To find out more about Richard Jones, or get in touch with him:

Website: https://www.paintedmouse.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006730442927

Twitter: https://twitter.com/apaintedmouse

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apaintedmouse/
Check out PERDU and other current releases from Peachtree publishing here;

Peachtree social handles:

Facebook: @PeachtreePub

Twitter: @PeachtreePub

Instagram: @peachtreepublishing

I received a  copy of PERDU from the publisher with no promise of a review of any kind.

This is the first of several posts in a blog tour starring PERDU:

Monday (4/12): Unpacking the Power of Picture Books

Tuesday (4/13): Mom Read It

Wednesday (4/14): Good Reads with Ronna

Thursday (4/15): Literacious