THE COUCH IN NTHE YARD: A Surreal Summer Escapade

I'm living in my home state of Ohio again, after living elsewhere for many decades. Since my return I'm often reminded of the distinctly different topography, sociology, and cultural heritage of the various regions within this supposed "flyover" state. The area of Ohio most distinct, in many ways, is the southeast region that embraces an Appalachian vibe similar to that of Kentucky, where my mother grew up. All too often, any references to regions marked with valleys and hollows, rural roads, very small towns, generational residents, and stereotypical white steeple churches seem to be shadowed by an air of condescension. Perhaps that description is too strong, but at least I detect a degree of judgement or assumption that such an area is backward, isolated, or in other ways "less than" more urban regions. 

NEAL PORTER BOOKS, 2025

Cynthia Rylant, author of many beloved books for kids, both early readers and award-winning picture books, grew up in Appalachia West Virginia, an area adjacent to Appalachia Ohio. She honored and celebrated the pace and people of her childhood, the rhythms of language and depths of relationships. That richness and relevance of story and place and population is what I felt in a recent picture book, THE COUCH IN THE YARD, written by Kate Hoefler and illustrated by Dena Seiferling.

It may be that those who treat such regions and their residents as "drive through" rather than "flyover" are still so removed from those "other" lives that  they only notice the front yard cars on cinder blocks or the upholstered furniture near the garden. Perhaps it is only a residual awareness or memory of such things, since most travelers stick to the freeways and make their stops at Buc-ee's or other franchises, cookie-cutter places with no way to tell one from the other.

The author chose to put that yard couch front and center. The couch is fully foreground in this tale that takes readers along on a summer night adventure. The couch is strapped to the roof of the car, a car finally urged into its potential to run. Using well-managed rhyme in the pattern of "This Is The House That Jack Built", these smoky-toned, starry-night images build upon each other as the verses do, sharing the joy and excitement of seeking a full moon to view and a beautiful world to celebrate. The joy of the experience is irresistible, the moon is luminous amid the lifting fog, and the family shares their front row seat with readers. Grateful. Delighted. Thrilled, even, at the wonder of it all. 

This story celebrates love, life, and luxury- the luxury of a family that sees and appreciates each other and the world around them. A world that would be lost to them in the city.

The author grew up in the rolling hills of Ohio's Appalachia and treasures her experiences there.  The illustrator did not, but captured the values and tone of Kate's words in images that took me right back to summer nights in Kentucky. I seemed to hear the crickets, the distant train whistles, the wind in the tree tops. I won't share details from the author's or illustrator's  notes, but I do urge you to take a moment after reading this book to absorb what they have to say. Especially if you're ever heard (or felt) that slightly judgmental tone in in discussions about the people and lives of western Appalachia. The blend of gentle rhythmic language and ethereal art will wrap you in s sense of how and why the life portrayed is one to be envied.

Now that summer is upon us, we are all capable of setting foot outside to discover what wonders might await us, whether on a front stoop or  the front seat of a car, on a bike or on foot. Life is out there. And life is in all of us, especially when we share the ride. 

A PLACE JUST FOR ME: Priceless.

 The words of Virginia Wolff resonated from the moment they first appeared in her 1929 extended essay: A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN. That piece is a very adult reflection on creativity, identity, and independence. Even so, the impulse to have "space", to find yourself and be yourself, can be recognized in even the youngest among us. A PLACE JUST FOR ME, written by Loredana Baldinucci and illustrated by Melinda Berti, seizes that impulse and celebrates agency and self-awareness in a young mouse.

GREYSTONE BOOKS
2023

Beginning with the illustrations, Berti has captured the perspective and character of nature at mouse-scale, blending realism with lighthearted marvel. The youngest mouse in the family lives in the roots of a large tree in a sprawling meadow. That little mouse and family live a human-ized life that mirrors that of many young children. 

There is absolutely nothing WRONG with mouse's life, but something about it is just not RIGHT. Silver's many siblings and generations are busy mice, with space to pursue their interests. Silver seeks a place to do NOTHING, at least for a little while, amid the very busy household. This simply-stated narrative is enhanced with detailed scenes on white backgrounds, with clarity that even the youngest audiences will investigate but with enough simplicity to feel safe and comforting. Silver doesn't need to escape, he needs to FIND a place that is a good fit. This is a quest story at its heart.

The narrative and scenes allow Silver to explore among safe neighbors, and to recognize ones that are not safe. His journey offers growth and learning what does or doesn't work for him. He is only out and exploring for a few hours, and yet he acquires awareness that some of his dissatisfaction comes from within. The lovely conclusion reveals that his quest has been on Mama Mouse's radar. Carving out a niché for Silver leads to recognition that home is the right place: for doing nothing, for doing something, and for being HOME. 

DRAGONFLY BOOKS, 2017
(reprint)

Something about the visuals and the gentle sense of mouse-persona reminded me of Leo Lionni's mouse tales, especially FREDERICK.  The illustrations involve very different media and techniques, but both titles and visuals capture a lightness of spirit, insights into the mind of a sensitive young mouse, and calming resolutions that welcome repeated readings and imagined connections. Both the creators of A PLACE JUST FOR ME and FREDERICK are (were) from Italy. It makes me wonder what magical personalities those Italian mice must have!

When you or someone you know seems in need of a place of their own, or time and space to do NOTHING, share this book. Or both!

WALK With Me Through Powerful Picture Books

 Two new picture books share several things. Each includes WALK in the title. Each addresses topics or issues that could be (actually ARE) stressful and wrapped in grief, yet each provides a deep experience with the positivity and potential of our lives.

AND THEY WALK ON  is written by Kevin Maillard and illustrated by Rafael López. 

ROARING BROOK PRESS, 2025

Luminous illustrations offer hints (and some subtle indicators of the ethnic origins), providing a sunset endpaper spread with vibrant tones and a winding trail, then echoing the same landscape in the closing endpapers, viewing it at sunset. That unless cycle of our planet mirrors the sense that we habitants also have an endless quality. 

The text is simple and lyrical, but capture the voice of the narrator, who only occasionally clarifies that with some "I" phrasing. This gives the text a sense of the child's distance from his experiences in the early pages. Someone has "walked on" , someone he cares for deeply, but what does that mean? 

Will he see them again? Where have they gone? their room seems unchanged, and the kitchen, the "hearth" of their home still beckons. That kitchen and the family's activity there (making grape dumplings) brings the missing someone back into existence, "like a cauldron of memory".

The conclusion pages offer even more of the connection and identity of this family and its members, those present and others walking on.  The luscious language reveals shifting mood, from concern to acceptance, celebrating the cultural sense that people we love never leave us, we walk on through our lives alongside them. 

Back matter includes helpful notes from both author and illustrator, as well as receive for those grape dumplings. This certainly fits well in collections about dealing with grief, but it seems to me it has potential for helping young readers recognize the concept of Death before they even experience it. Everything about it makes me want to read it again and again.

A second book that captures big concepts through words and text that wrap readers in care and conviction is THE WALK, 

ABROMS BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS
2023

written by award-winning creators, among my favorites. Winsome Bingham wrote the compelling and upbeat text while E. B. Lewis sets the scenes with his recognizable style:  familiar faces that might often be overlooked, shifting perspectives to assure that each person and detail merits our attention, rendered in tones that offer both depth and glow. In this case the endpapers are solid color- a golden splash that assures good things are ahead. 

The story opens with a girl and her granny preparing for a walk. Along the way they encounter and encourage folks from their neighborhood, as the girl asks questions and granny offers bits of personal and social history in simple snippets and hints. "The walk" they are taking is longer now that it once was, but no political commentary indicates why that is, or confronts readers directly with debates about access to their goal. Granny's nods to those who came before, to those who managed past struggles and walks, is subtle but certain and sincere. 

The language is direct and accessible, incorporating onomatopoetic phrases and capturing the rhythm of the neighborhood with "just right" word and illustration choices. 

"A sea of faces swimming 

upstream like a school of fish."

while the spread casts the walkers on sharp white backgrounds  as their  shadows double their numbers. 

Then the girl's big question catches in my throat as I read aloud. They arrive at their destination, and she asks, "Why do people vote?"

Granny answers firmly, "For HOPE, baby. For HOPE!" This captures the story in a nutshell, lifting it beyond a stroll or civic duty and making it personal. "Voting lets grown folks speak up."

That's just what the girls Mama had taught her to do. 

TEA IS LOVE... And I LOVE Tea!

When my body was younger and more resilient, I consumed coffee at a furious pace. Faster and in greater volumes than allowed for any effort toward connoiseur reflections. Coffee was coffee. 

Then, with age, I couldn't tolerate coffee on a physiological level, even though I still enjoy coffee's aroma. Instead, I became a tea drinker, gradually acquiring preferences among various types and brands. Mainly, though, I found a calming effect in tea, in contrast to  the "ramping up" impact of a cup of strong coffee. 

That's all a lead in to a new picture book that considers tea as an experience rather than as a beverage, TEA IS LOVE, 

DIAL BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS
2025

written by Adib Khorram and illustrated by Hannah Cha. With lyrical lines that, written alone, launch entire spreads, the lines assembled reveal a poetic humage to tea, the poep[le who provide it, and those who share it: 

"TEA is a plant.

TEA is a journey.

TEA is a rainbow.

And TEA is love."

With full spreads and spot illustrations, tea becomes an experience between and among people of every background and culture. Much of the "information" within this warm-hearted revelation about the power of TEA in our various lives is explored through images that involve diversity of homes, geography, and identity. Tea transcends it all. The author note in back (using many more words than the brief main text) offers details on types of tea, ways tea is used in various cultures, and ways it is prepared for market and then in various homes and restaurants. 

The distinctly diverse individuals (in age, ethnicity, gender, geography) suggest that TEA is a unifier, a universal experience despite distinct differences among us.The end papers are not only warmly welcoming with soft edges, finishes, and tender colors, but also in the variations of vessels associated with tea. This approach invites curiosity and questions rather than challenges and concerns.There are so MANY ways we can learn more about tea, but this simple book is a lovely introduction to and reminder of the "big picture " of TEA, what it is and what it means in our lives.

 For many decades now I've been on firm footing: I LOVE TEA. But this book (a new favorite of mine) persuades me that TEA IS LOVE. Why not pour yourself a cuppa your favorite tea and check this out?