SOMEONE LIKE ME... Worth Reading at Any Age

 Patricia MacLauchlan authored some of the most classic and unforgettable novels for young readers of all time. If the author's name doesn't ring a bell, how about the titles SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL, SKYLARK, THREE NAMES, and the audio books for BOXCAR CHILDREN. She lived a long and productive life (1938-2022), writing now-classic stories for children and all humans. 

Neal Porter Books, 2017

SOMEONE LIKE ME is written by Patricia MacLachlan and illustrated by Chris Sheban. This lyrical picture book addresses young readers (well, really, readers of any age) with a gentle, second person voice. Illustrations mirror that tone and expand the possibilities of imagining life deeply immersed in the daily experiences as suggested in questions and lines of text. 

The title page shows an older woman and young person (gender and age don't really matter) on a stoop. They move throughout the scenes as unlimited possibilities drawn from everyday life are illuminated with an optimistic glow.

The opening spreads indicate that the root of her ideas was storytelling, evoking connection and then becoming nuggets of memories that would later launch familiar titles, including THREE NAMES. Then the author invites her companion to imagine being a little girl who read voraciously- even while walking home and crossing streets.Finding more stories and absorbing them deeply. Or being a girl who climbed trees to watch the changing skies, or snuck under a diner table to hear grown-ups talk. A girl who did SO many things that connected her to the world under her toes and at her fingertips. 

This was written late in MacLachlan's life, but there is such a sense of youthful spirit and joyful engagement, such immediacy,  that readers will want to find her and tell her of their own special moments. I know that was my wish while reading it. 

I haven't mentioned the tremendous value of using picture books as mentor text in recent posts, but this title demands it!  Many of the youngest learners are encouraged to write simple stories from their lives. "Small moments" is a prompt often used. Young writers can be eager to write highly fantastical stories with dramatic characters and events, stories that mirror movies or video games. That can and should be encouraged. But when trying to guide and develop writing skills, sentences that flow from one thought to the next, stories that becomes rich with emotions and meaningful language that the learner has experienced directly, small moments serve well. Except ...some would-be writers feel like their own lives aren't worth writing about.  SOMEONE LIKE ME can be the perfect read aloud to shake loose any hesitancy about writing everyday life stories. Just a mention of the many awards and medals and movies and accolades that such "Small Moments" inspirations sprouted for MacLachlan should encourage excitement about writing from personal experiences. 

Then there are older writers, those in middle and older grades. The structure of the language used merits a read aloud to demonstrate conditional forms (If you were... ) throughout the text, along with second person voice and a tone that bridges realism and dreaminess. Writers at this age likely know (and may well cherish) MacLachlan's books, recognizing their origin stories  in this simple text.  They might even find deep connection in that closing line:

"You might be someone like me...

a writer."

Whether shared as the gorgeous and heartwarming story that it is, a memoir-like childhood account by a treasured author, or as the launch to a writing lesson, this should, in fact be shared. I hope you'll read it and pass it on. And maybe read/reread some of those fabulous books.

Early to be Waiting for A SNOW DAY FOR AMOS McGEE, But...

It's still early in November, so these drought-stricken midwest streets include some autumn leaves still clinging to trees and clustering along fence lines. Snow days seem a distance memory, even when overnight temperatures have us tugging on a blanket along with our summer sheets. 

On the other hand, snow will come, eventually. And the time is always right to welcome a picture book by the phenomenal creative team of writer Philip C. Stead and illustrator Erin E Stead. Both have produced outstanding offerings in recent years, individually and as a team. But their joint creation, the irresistible zookeeper AMOS McGEE, has not had another starring role since the CALDECOTT MEDAL graced the cover of A SICK DAY FOR AMOS McGEE in 2011. 

Roaring Brook Press, 2025

We needn't wait to celebrate A SNOW DAY FOR AMOS McGEE with the gleeful excitement of the first snowfall of the season. Both the text and the illustrations are tender and gently-paced. The story unfiolds slowly, allowing multiple spreads to absorb the calm and depth of life in Amos's little house. I kept wanting to ascribe another word to the title, "Waiting", since that's what the early pages introduce and take time to explore. His bunny and mouse housemates are just two of the many animal companions that populate his life, on the bus, at work, and back at home again. All waiting.

The fine line illustrations are, in part, black-and-white, while others are colored in the most delicate of natural tones. Text, too, ranges from sheer simplicity to remarkably touching elaboration, as evidenced on the first page:

"Amos McGee loved the snow. Every morning as winter approached, he wrapped himself in  a cozy blanket and listened in hope to the weather report." 

Straightforward and clear, pure and simple. Then the next lines hit you in the heart:

"Amos liked to imagine that his radio was a crackling fireplace. He warmed himself each day with the possibility of good news."

Black and white. Then subtle, heart-throbbing color.  Magnificent.

Throughout the book readers will notice echoes of the original Amos title, not only in the characters and setting, in their comfortable companionship, but in the butter-sunny yellow stripes on the wall, in McGee's little cottage tucked between massive buildings, not unlike THE LITTLE HOUSE by Virginia Lee Burton. Anachronistic, but not the least bit uncomfortable in its place in the world. This could describe the AMOS McGEE books to a "T". The touches of humor throughout have the deft subtlety and smile-making power, with page after page of special details to be noticed on every turn.Nothing is rushed, overplayed, or exaggerated.

And every bit of it is not only enough, it is absolutely "just right".

Patience is a virtue that pays off well in this gem. We are halfway thru the book with only "waiting", although McGee's preparations and faith fill  that first half and give little readers faith and hope. It is only at the midpoint when the fantastical fun begins. The menagerie from the zoo, comfortable in their hand knit wrappings, make their way to McGee's front door. The most  delightful blend of familiar  snow antics with "Let the wild rumpus begin." (WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, SENDAK) captivates and inspires bliss. There is no scrimping on the joyful play, page turn after turn. But a double spread and final single page is reserved to provide one of the most perfect endings you'll find in a picture book.

This is another example of a picture book that will enchant youngest listeners, delight older kiddos, and fully entertain adults. It's original as well as nostalgic. 

Roaring Brook Press, 2011

On the rare chance that you missed the original, be sure to check out A SICK DAY FOR AMOS, too. In fact, give it another look, even if it is an old favorite. It has aged well and is a lovely companion title for gifting!

LATE TODAY! An Immersive Experience

 If you've been reading here you'll know that I've recently indulged in sharing some stunning picture books about birds, both fiction and nonfiction, as I did in my last post HERE. 

EE5RDMANS 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS, 2025

I'm overdue to expand my species focus, so CATS are on the agenda. I am allergic to cats, but not in picture books and today CATS take center stage. LATE TODAY, written by Jungyoon Huh and illustrated by Myungae Lee, with translation by Aerin Park is a cat story and so much more.

Not only is this book masterful at capturing a moment in time: a rainy morning in gridlocked traffic on a bridge, an empathetic awareness of a tiny creature in need. It presents a brief storyline (lasting less than an hour in plot) with tension that evokes the lived experiences of delayed commuters and a stray kitten who is  dodging cars, dripping wet, confused, and seemingly helpless. 

The title, LATE TODAY, offers an effective and engaging double-intended descriptor. The heavy traffic will certainly slow things down. The rain isn't helping. When that dripping kitten is seen dodging tires and skirting curbs, traffic slows even more. 

Concise text launches this story before the title page with what seems to be a news report about slowed traffic, followed by a mention, at 8:15 AM, that "We can't be late TODAY!".

The scenes described above open the first several pages of the story, after many in various vehicles who notice and appear to care about the kitten's well-being. 

And yet...

The heart of the book relates to choices. To the many on that bridge and their reasons for looking away, despite claiming to care. To the penetrating rain, with one double spread simply showing RAIN! Ultimately, a decision is made. Horns honk and traffic stalls. The closing bridge scene features the initial font and pattern of a report indicating that traffic is beginning to ease. The perspective of the bridge at opening and closing are similar and yet those minimal words and slight angle shifts allow readers to view the traffic as STALLED in the opening spread but ROLLING AGAIN in that closing spread. Absolutely brilliant! 

The limited text also reveals the priceless value of a topnotch translator, not merely turning words from one language to those of another, but choosing and arranging those selected words in ways that preserve and convey the full potential of this richly layered work. 

This book is a cat book, as promised, but it is so much more. Those opening and closing spreads frame satisfying storytelling with heart.More than that, those multiple center spreads invite readers to slow down, despite the tension of a kitten in trouble. It puts readers in the position of deciding what CARING means. Is it an emotion that confirms to ourselves what good people we are, or does actual caring REQUIRE action? It's not an easy question to answer. How exactly should folks on a bus manage to help that desperate cat? How could any driver even stop in such bumper-to-bumper traffic? The people ask themselves various questions, through visual expressions and other cues, leaving it to readers to decide for themselves what they might do.Then, a page turn, a decision made by one person, one that  stops traffic but sets a solution in motion. 

There is plenty to enjoy about this evocative, heartfelt, challenging story. LATE TODAY reminds us, too, of the pace at which we race through each day. How LATE is late, and how important is that? What differences can we make in our own and others' lives? That seems like a lot for a tiny wet kitten to carry into our minds, but with the help of authors, illustrators, and a translator, it's  a successful effort! 

I AM WE! (A Crow's Eye View of Unity)

I can't help myself... here's another amazing picture book about BIRDS! 

CHRONICLE BOOKS, 2025

I AM WE: How Crows Come Together to Survive is written by Leslie Barnard Booth and illustrated by Alexandra Finkeldey.  In case you missed some of my former posts about the brilliance and appeal of birds, feel free to click on a few to read HERE, HERE, HERE, or HERE. 

Using first person voice, CROW voices a personal account of  exactly what I AM WE means. The text is a lyrical, sometimes rhymed revelation of the life-facts of crows. Language rich in onomatopoeia and rhythmic flow swoops across the pages to explore the intelligence, behaviors, and social dynamics of individuals, family groups, and flocks. 

It is the perfect time of year to share this, since the most intense flocking begins at summer's end  ago and persists through Fall and Winter until early spring nesting resumes.The reasons for that are made clear, with subtlety and surety. Both rural and urban flocking is described, revealing benefits for both habitats. 

The illustrations are superbly suited to the tone and details, darkly extending a sense of urgency and intensity across the pages. Flocking happens at night, and these wing-sprawling, bright-eyed birds seem both elegant and intimidating but are vulnerable within nature's food chain. Their interactivity and the beneficial effects of flocking may seem self-evident in a few cases, the the combination of visual and narrative storytelling draws readers into the lives of crows, in this case, AMERICA CROWS, among the most common variety. 

If you are looking for a seasonal, slightly suspenseful, moody picture book to share in a read aloud during this fall season, give this one a try. It will offer just-right intensity and a suspenseful tone while sharing important facts about a species and its evolutionary patterns. A huge bonus, while reading, is a growing awareness of something I have said often and will say again. Birds, especially Crows and others black birds, are remarkably intelligent and worthy of respect and attention. Calling someone a "birdbrain" simply reveals ignorance of those facts. I AM WE helps make that point clear.