OLD BLUE IS MY HOME: A Bittersweet Beauty

 

ABRAMS BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS, 
2025

Lita Judge is a talented and prolific author/illustrator who creates picture book experiences that resonate on every level. The storytelling is masterful, the illustrations are subtly soft but pack emotional and informational punch, the relationships (in this and other titles) are unquestionably authentic, and broader social issues scaffold the powerful blend of fiction she produces. OLD BLUE IS MY HOME is such a book, a very recent release depicting a timeless issue. 

(Check out THE WISDOM OF TREES, among other Lita Judge titles.)

A careful look at the jacket cover art will suggest that timely theme, a loving family who have adapted to a harsh reality. The title page gives visual evidence of their departure from a stationary, physical home, transferring their lives into the stability and safety of OLD BLUE. Throughout each  page turn readers will find narrative and illustration evidence not only of survival, but of resilience and love and the joyful pursuit of what many might doubt is a "good life". 

Each revelation or reflection within the narrative, told in first person voice of a child, provides more persuasive evidence that this family knows how to work, play, share, and learn within the restrictions of a life on not-so-fast wheels. Attending school and other interactions with a more traditional community can leave the child feeling like an outsider, "from nowhere", sad. Her perceptive parents are gently attuned to days like that and provide stability and comfort in the moment and beyond. They like their lives fully, until the time comes, and they all believe it will, when a forever home finds them. 

Please find OLD BLUE IS MY HOME, read it, share it.

REMEMBRANCE DAY: September 11Memories/Histories

 On this Infamous date, September 11, many reading this post will have an instantaneous memory of where you were and what/how your reactions unfolded on that morning. For an entire generation, this momentous day is only known as history. Anyone too young at the time to realize what was happening, or born in the last twenty-three years, has learned of the events indirectly, through the consequences of that day's direct and indirect results- decades of distant wars, hyper-patriotism and polarization in politics, an extended recession and family struggles, as well as other shifts, perhaps less directly related. 

There has been no lack of movies and books and documentaries about the time surrounding 9/11 events and subsequent changes in American society. Some are objective, some present points of view that can make hate or anger even worse. Among the objective accounts are books for children. I'll use this day to link to some titles that contain healing and other positive developments from such a horrific time. It's of particular interest to me that many involve trees in various ways.  Prior posts include THIS VERY TREE, HERE, THE TREE OF LIFE, HERE, LEAFY LANDMARKS: Travels With Trees HERE, and WITNESS TREES: Historic Moments and the Trees Who Watched Them Happen, HERE.

CAPSTONE BOOKS, 2016

But here's a  book directly about the events of 9/11 and below this I share a resource related to this particular series of events that day. It reveals the in-the-moment decisions of everyday folks who lacked answers but not heart. Folks who traded safe havens for a sea rescue for desperate people rushing to the harbor. SAVED BY THE BOATS: The Heroic Sea Evacuation of September 11, is written by Julie Gassman and illustrated by Steve Moors. At the time of its release It somehow missed my radar entirely. 

For me, at least, time continues to shift this potent memory deeper onto the history shelves. But I encountered a short documentary video about the boat rescues that day. With SO MANY things to absorb and process, the boat rescue operation had receded in my memory, overwhelmed by other horrific images: falling towers, clouds of ashy debris, and ensuing painful days and weeks and months of personal stories and global changes. This video brought it all back.

It is an aspect of that day, those times, of the people we really are, that compels me to to dip back a few years to share this book, but also to urge you to watch this short (11-12 minutes) documentary, featuring the actual people involved and narrated by Tom Hanks. Watching brought me right back to that day, those feelings, and such powerful emotions keep events like these steeped in meaning. When relegated to historic status, young people need ways to find empathetic connection, which they can get by viewing this video. Please watch, and then find as many others to share it with as possible. As the subtitle says, resilience is at the heart of our hopes for survival as humans, and as a planet. Even the most unthinkable disasters can be responded to with action and hope:

Here's the video link:  BOATLIFT: AN UNTOLD TALE OF 9/11 RESILIENCE

Help make this DAY OF REMEMBRANCE only one day among many, and demonstrate HOPE. And think back to that time itself, and the years before, when we as a society sought out our common ground rather than our differences.

Another Look: Cybils Nonfiction Nominees of Note!

 I traveled recently, after NOT traveling, and returned to find a potted plant looking dead. After apologizing to it and watering it liberally, I reflected on the resilience of plants: blades of grass popping through rock or sidewalk crevices, trees that scar after lightning strikes but live on, seeds that can lie dormant for centuries, even millennia, to sprout when conditions allow. 

So, I spoke to that miserable, withered plant daily, urged the one or two struggling stems to keep fighting, and cheered when other leaves or stems joined in the struggle to lift and turn to the light. The entire plant is back, drinking steadily and basking in southern sunlight each day. I've even noted that morning holds excitement for me as I notice the restful darkness has made a clear difference in the overall recovery. I'll be more aware of needs next time BEFORE leaving them in such a state, but it was an important reminder to me of faith, hope, and patience.

I begin with this because trees are even greater wonders of survival, strength, and successful lives. Two of the nominees in the elementary/middle grade category for nonfiction are especially good examples of this quality of trees. 

As the song lyric says: Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start...

Kids Can Press, 2021

Before We Stood Tall: From Small Seed to Mighty Tree is written by Jessica Kulekjian and illustrated by Madeline Kloepper. 

This approach to conveying the role and life cycles of trees in our environment is lyrical, lilting, and informative. It challenges readers to explore the earthy impressionistic illustrations and layers of scientific information within its minimal, moving narrative. The effective use of patterns and repetition in phrases and themes is powerful and effective. Simple back matter organizes extended insights and information without being overwhelming. 

A marvel of a book about the marvel of trees on our planet in their earliest stages of life and growth.

Contrast the focus of the above book with the big-picture portrayal of a particular tree(s) in PANDO: A Living Wonder Of Trees. It is the magical creation of graphic storyteller Turine Viet-Tu Tran and Kate Allen Fox.  Named One of the Best Books of 2021 by School Library Journal, this is a MUST SEE new picture book that has won attention and awards already.

The luminous, ethereal, and inspiring illustrations elevate an already important and informative nonfiction picture book to the five-out-of-five stars I give it. Many folks, young and old, have been learning about ways forests communicate and connect at the underground level. This is a separate look at a massive single organism, one involving 47000-plus apparently separate locust trees. It reveals the unique way in which a single plant can extend itself underground. As a result, the leaves all bud and turn green simultaneously, they turn vibrant yellow in fall and drop at the same time, in chorus. 

Small facts inserted on most pages supplement a lovely, lyrical text. Pando is a very specific aspen organism in Utah, the largest of all known, world-wide. Early pages indicate that the multi-verse tree emerged shortly after the ice age and long before human life was known to coexist on this continent. 

The information is as jaw-dropping as the images are soothing and meditative. 

Give this one a close look, and if sharing with young readers, pair with THE WISDOM OF TREES, by Lita Judge.

And always give plants a chance, indoors or out, even when they seem to have given up on life. As a matter of fact, that's not bad advice for any life. A little improvement in conditions and some sincere encouragement can go a long way when it comes to resilience.

Wherever I Go: Carrying Stories Into Our Lives

I read this picture book many times in the past months, maxing out my library renewal. This story inspires and haunts me, so I was waiting until I felt I could do it justice. Now that I have no renewal options left, the time has come to make a stab at sharing my thoughts.

Atheneum Books, 2020

WHEREVER I GO is written by Mary Wagley Copp and illustrated by Munir D. Mohammed. The fictional story is told in the first person voice of Abia, a girl who lives with her family in a fictional, but very authentic, refugee camp in northern Ethiopia. They have been there longer than anyone else, and her father can quote that time in years, months, and days. "Too long," he says.

That makes Abia the QUEEN of the camp, and she proudly wears a handwoven crown that her father made for her. 

As Abia spends day after day, year after year, in the camp, she transforms tedious chores into experiences that strengthen her body and spirit: surveying her realm, pumping and carrying water, tending to her baby cousin, howling at the night animals.

At night, before falling asleep on her straw mat in the small tent they call home, Abia listens to the stories of why they are there. Through minimal and age-appropriate text, readers learn about the fighting and threats that forced them from their forever home, escaping on foot from the human and wild predators who could end their lives. 

When the time finally arrives for them to travel to a new-and-forever home, they leave everything behind for another family who will need their tent and belongings. Abia holds tight to her stories. They remind her that she will always be strong in body and spirit, a queen, even when she can't speak the language of her new home or when her crown remains behind for someone else. 

My hesitation in writing about this book was my concern that I could not adequately convey the pervasive dignity and warmth of this family and of the people of the camp. It all sounds terribly dire, and yet Abia engages in familiar child's play.  She doesn't bother with princess stories. Hers is an act of claiming her place as queen. She needs no toy wand to recognize the magic within her. The crown of acacia vines woven by her father is an affirmation of her value and her future. Drawing on the powers of persistence, hope, love, and trust, Abia walks with her head held high. She does not claim her strength, or cleverness, or balance, or her troops based on any sense of superiority, but as her human right to a place of agency within a world that provides very little control.

The text is as steady and straightforward as Abia's steps through life. The illustrations realistically reveal details about camp life and Abia's family in saturated and earthy colors. The expansive and intimate perspectives do not shy away from a dusty and repetitious life, but they do not invite pity or disdain. 

Back matter includes an author note about the fiction and reality within the story, as well as providing reliable links to learn more about camps for refugees and displaced persons. An extensive bibliography of other books for young readers on this topic is particularly useful for adults (especially teachers) and kids.

I hope that this picture book will find its way into the lives of many of you, and that you will be as affected by it as I have been. If so, please share it. 

Live, Learn, and Love Your Life -- Every Day

That's a trite title, right?
I suppose so, but it is also wise advice. Speaking for myself, it is also too easily and too often ignored. Several recent events have me paying more attention to that advice and wanting to share my thoughts here, though picture books.

Two picture books can be compared to explore the magnificence and the fragility of daily  life, the importance of living in the moment, and the value of being present to those who matter in our lives. 
One of this pair of picture books was released thirty-five years ago but is still cited and shared as exemplary storytelling and beautiful illustration. The other was released just last year and is equally impressive.

HarperCollins, 1984

BADGER'S PARTING GIFTS was written and illustrated decades ago by Susan Varley. (I'm imagining many of you sighing,  then adding, "Awww, I love that book!" If this is a new title to you, please pause now and write it down, or go to your library link and place a hold, or put it on a wish list. This one is a must-read and a keeper.)
Briefly, Badger is the beloved but aging resident of this meadowland community. The scientifically  accurate  predator/prey roles is suspended among these friends, but the story is otherwise deeply anchored in realities of life. 



The first page of text begins like this:

"Badger was dependable, reliable, and always ready to help when help was needed. He was also very old, and he knew almost everything. Badger was so old that he knew he must die soon."

On the next page the narrator clarifies that Badger doesn't fear death, but he is concerned about how his passing will make his friends feel. That, too, is dealt with directly. Soon Badger does go down "the long tunnel", leaving behind a note for his friends. Despite his request, though, they cannot deny the sadness they feel at his loss.
Grief and winter inevitably settle in on the meadow residents. But spring returns, as it always does. The friends often gather, sharing stories to honor Badger's life, his friendship, the many ways in which he changed their lives. Badger patiently taught Mole how to cut a paper chain of moles. He taught Frog to ice skate, taught Mrs. Rabbit to make gingerbread rabbits, and taught Fox how to tie his tie, perfectly. In fact, Badger's friendship had given each of them a gift, a special memory of their time together. Gifts that they, in turn, could give to others. On the final page when Mole has something to tell Badger, he speaks it to the wind, knowing Badger will hear him, that he is still among them.

In the classroom I often shared this title when a child experienced a loss- a pet, a relative, a friend. Or when a loved one or pet was fading, moving toward that final journey, when the end was near and anticipated. Badger's lessons are simple ones, but profound. Sadness cannot be avoided, should not be denied. Even beloved Badger could not make that so. Yet the passing of time eases the sharp edges of pain. Remembering and practicing the gifts left behind can offer very real comfort. And as long as we keep those memories and feelings alive, our loved ones are still with us.

Princeton Architectural Press, 2018

In recent months another picture book picks up on this theme in very interesting ways. UP THE MOUNTAIN PATH is written and illustrated by Canadian Marianne Dubuc, published originally in her native French. These two books offer comparisons of publication eras, with Varley's art and book design presenting a more traditional style, somewhat reminiscent of Beatrix Potter's books and animal portrayals. Dubuc's art is equally charming and engaging, but accomplished with a lighter hand: black and colored pencil lines, fewer but well-chosen details, soft washes, and less realistic but equally expressive characters. Her images flow throughout and across the spreads rather than locking into facing text/image pages. 
In this story it is Mrs. Badger who is a naturalist and a friend to all the creatures in her mountainside community. Her weekly hike to the top of the mountain has a routine to it, but each trip presents opportunities for surprise and for curiosity. The opening image and text reflects both similarities and differences to the previous book:
"Mrs. Badger is very old. She's seen many things. Some can be found in her kitchen: pottery shard, smooth pebble, sand from the sea, finch nest."
In this case, Mrs. Badger is not anticipating her pending death, but is engaged in learning and savoring every moment of her rich life. Early on she invites a "follower" (Lulu the cat) to join her. During their weekly hikes, Mrs. Badger supports, guides, shares, and otherwise provides her small companion with countless "gifts". Lulu, in turn, continues the weekly hikes when Mrs. Badger is unable to do so. Mrs. Badger welcomes updates each time Lulu returns, and Lulu becomes a friend, guide, and mentor to others along the way. 
Both books are visually appealing, tender-hearted with light touches of humor, and convey multi-generational experiences as deeply significant and rich. Both deal with the undeniable  end of a long life, as do other special books, reviewed previously (Here and Here). 

I commend these two titles to you for your own reading and consideration. Apart from their undeniably rich content, in language, image, and theme, they pair well for compare/contrast discussions. As for myself, they offer comfort and powerful reminders that each friendship, each routine, each moment in nature presents an opportunity to do good, to notice and celebrate the marvel of our world, even in distracting or distressing times.

Whether in words or in the silent message of your attention, show your appreciation. I'm hardly the first to say so, and many have said it better. For example: