Giraffe On A Raft? GIRAFT!

 A week or so ago I had the rare privilege of joining nonfiction writer/guru, Kirsten W. Larson, at the Wisconsin SCBWI conference. The entire event was phenomenal, but those three hours with a small group of other writers were priceless. Among the many benefits to my own specific writing projects, her discussions clarified and strengthened my awareness of many fine points in decision-making when writing nonfiction picture books. Two outstanding examples of great choices and delivery share this post and another coming next week.

The first is mentor text as an information book structured with a storytelling (narrative) approach.  It is an account of actual (documented) events that provides essential, verifiable details but takes readers on an adventurous journey that feels as if it could be Disney fantasy.

SLEEPING BEAR PRESS, 2026

GIRAFT: A Real Life Giraffe Rescue is written by Laurel Neme and illustrated by Elisa Paganelli. It earned the valuable JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD designation, with good reason. As Larson pointed out, we now live in a world where anyone can carry the world in their pocket. Facts are at our fingertips, literally. A terrific nonfiction picture book needs to do more than relate facts. It needs to provide a compelling experience while fully honoring the facts.

Titles play an essential role in starting that connection with readers.

GIRAFT is a brilliant example that proves Larson's point. Who doesn't like (love) giraffes? And wordplay? And animal rescue stories? The mental image of a giraffe on a RAFT... are you kidding me?  If they gave awards for best title, this would win it. I only needed to HEAR the title (without having even a peek  at that gorgeous cover) and I knew I'd be reading and writing about GIRAFT.

I'm relieved  to report that that this book did not disappoint. My expectations were HUGE and this more than met, even exceeded my hopes.

The true story behind the "cover girl", Isawa, takes place in Kenya. Lake Baringo, to be specific. Climate change threatened the peninsular home of a small herd of endangered giraffes, flooding and shrinking their habitat. They needed to be relocated to the mainland, but a more pressing problem existed. Isawa had been separated from the herd on a steadily shrinking island, threatened by rising waters, surrounding animals (snakes, warthogs, hippos, crocodiles) and unable to rejoin the herd. 

Wildlife managers recognized the pending disaster and formulated plans and prototypes. Every effort was made to transport ISAWA first because she was the most immediately threatened. Their process and efforts are revealed in illustrations that include diagrams, maps, and more. 

It's a picture book, so I'll confirm your hope that this was successful. Yes, it was. They were also able to relocate Isawa's herd so they they are not only reunited but now roam in safer territory. I don't consider that a spoiler, since I'm withholding the innovative efforts, designs, risks, and processes that led to success. The true story begged to be told, and this version does not disappoint. Knowing in advance that it has a happy ending does nothing to diminish the excitement and drama of the account.

The illustrations deserve their own homage, as do the lyrical language and page layouts. I can hardly imagine a giraffe NOT looking adorable, but the color tones, scenes surrounding the stars, the secondary characters, and descriptions that capture sensations and struggles left me feeling I was an eye witness to real events. Perfectly applied literary devices (repetitions, onomatopoeia, alliteration, and just-right word choices) engage readers in heart-stopping emotional scenes, momentous interventions, and celebratory successes. 

The author is a wildlife photographer and the final double spread provides a more detailed description of the events, dates, etc., photographs of the scenes and structures, and further giraffe facts. DO NOT miss this one!

 

PLEEEEASE... Click HERE on this YouTube (under three minutes) account of various moments in the long-unfolding rescue operations. It makes the additional point that the many people involved represented two long-warring communities who came together  for this conservation cause and proved that peace could be sustained between their people. 

SCHOOL LOCKDOWN DRILLS: Not Like Every Day

 As back to school is now well under way, kids of any age have probably already experienced a "shooter drill"- a label I purposefully avoided in the post title. There are so many things about this fact of life that nearly bring me to tears. It would be seriously irresponsible to NOT have drills and training in schools, for any age. That includes those discussions about "bad people who do bad things" and the flip side that most people are good and are trying to keep each other safe and happy. Mr. Rogers' advice to "find the helpers" feels more important than ever.  Especially on lockdown drill days.

And yet...

The conversations around these drills (no matter how calmly and gently conducted) and the practices themselves (including the necessary rattling doors and potentially loud noises) are certainly going to generate varied levels of anxiety. The best case is that those who find their insides tied up in knots will say so. But all too often, they notice others dealing with things easily and hesitate to admit their anxiety reactions. 

RANDOM HOUSE, 2025

NOT LIKE EVERY DAY: Finding Calm During Lockdown Drills is written by Stephanie V. W. Lucianovic and illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard. Endpapers are charningly and lushly dense with images that will appeal and offer familiarity and  comfort. Opposite the title page is a message from school psychologist Dr. Christine Chester, and discussion questions follow the story with a short list of resources for adults. My years in classrooms with kids of many ages and needs assured me that the visual narrative and the text reflect these drills accurately, and in ways that reveal their seriousness and need for sensitivity to individual reactions. The facial expressions are worth extra attention, and they are both subtle and sensitive during the preparation, drill, and afterwards. 

I haven't seen anything like this and would have valued it and used it across any ages and classrooms. To think that older kids are able to "take it" more easily is not necessarily the case. A young child can be overwhelmed by trying to sort real from not real (despite the teacher's gentle reminder that this is practice only, NOT REAL).

 But older  students can also carry the baggage of multiple years of drills, and perhaps even actual drills due to suspicious persons or warnings. Those can build a callous over emotional responses OR they can hypersensitize someone who has become more able to process the never-ending news of school shooting and other attacks. That is especially true as kids get into social media at younger ages where reels or other targeted notices expose them to stories and details that rub emotions raw. 

I hope everyone who reads this post will seek out and read this book, then suggest it to any and all classroom adults (parents, teachers, principals) as an essential tool to support the necessary but dreaded drills. It merits everyone's attention, on ANY day.

CAROLRHODA BOOKS, 2024

On a lighter note, this author has a picture book with lively and delightful text and illustrations showing strong emotions of another kind. TOUCH THE SKY, also written by Lucianovic and illustrated by Chris Park. In this brief story Vern loves the sense he experiences (vicariously) when another kiddo PUMPS, feet touching the sky, eyes wide, and seeming to fly. 

Unfortunately, Vern can't figure out how to PUMP and achieve this self-propelled movement. His face and body language reveal both determination and frustration in stages, with action-packed sweeps of color bringing the page to life as his failed attempts twist, twirl, and deflate him. Others laugh but before he gives up, Gretchen's toes tickle the sky overhead and Vern longs to do THAT! Even though they  had never talked before, Vern coaches and encourages, offering a chant for the actions and this sage advice: 

"It feels hard until you get it, then it's not."

The exuberance of success is powerful, but so are the many pages of simple, minimalist dialogue and sweeping movement, as are the lovely closing pages. Anyone who has ever muttered that "kids need more grit" mantra,  or otherwise bemoaned a young generation locked onto screens, will celebrate Vern's success and also find here a treasure of a story to share.

VOTING RIGHTS: Two Serious Stories of HEROES

HARPER, 2022

Without apologies, I'm continuing a discussion of the incredible value of the right to vote! Moving from a recent post featuring the significance of VOTING as a central identifier of democracy, HERE, this post offers two biography-nonfiction picture book titles that celebrate heroes of past and present. Heroes of voting rights and celebrating voices for all citizens, including those who have been silenced and marginalized. Denied, by social patterns, and even more so, by intention.

 STACEY ABRAMS and the FIGHT TO VOTE is written by Traci N. Todd and illustrated by Laura Freeman.

Stacey Abrams first gained national prominence by LOSING her election race for governor of Georgia to Brian Kemp, who was then Secretary of State. In that elected role, kemp was charged, why oath, with assuring safe and fair elections in their state. But the actual events of the elections included countless ways in which the full power of ALL voices was not fully heard... including the closing of polling places, purging names from eligibility, locating the remaining poll stations where they were harder to reach, and more. Stacey called it the "Great Silencing". While she acknowledged that Kemp would be certified as the new governor, she called out the absurdity that he and his offices had actively reworked voting processes to make it harder for his opponent to win. 

Before the election Abrams had led a statewide drive to register voters, and that mission resumed in full force after the election ended. 

The remarkable part of this youth-to-present-day account of a modern day civil rights and political leader of national note is not just its lively writing and compelling illustrations, but also the way in which women's rights/voting rights leaders of history appear on the pages and throughout Stacey's efforts to inspire and uplift all voices. It is both biography and history, both recent events and nation-changing figures of the past. 

The vibrant and inspiring illustrations reflect the compelling impact of Abrams's words and actions. The ethereal, ghost-like images of earlier women heroes are in no way depicted as frail or outdated. Rather, their continuing impact is carried through text, quotations, and celestial surroundings of their determined gazes.

Backmatter offers further details about Abrams as well as clarifying foundational information about  Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells, Septima Pointsette Clark, and Fannie Lou Hamer.

A further feature is the two page timeline spanning 1776 to 2021, focused on the legal and social standing of voting rights for women and those who are not white.  A selected list of references and bibliography gives reliable sources for those anyone/everyone who is inspired to learn even more.

Christy Ottaviano Books
Little Brown and Company, 2024

Thankfully, the name Ida B. Wells is widely recognized today, but the details reflected in this picture book will captivate and further inform readers across many ages. IDA B. WELLS Marches for the Vote is written by Dinah Johnson and illustrated by Jerry Jordan. In it hard truths are revealed, but always secure on  the scaffold of Ida's determination and irrepressible will. This account assures us of her progress and ours, even when not totally successful. 

There's plenty to celebrate in her life as well as in her legacy of activism and strength, celebration  that her decisions and actions deserve. Oil on canvas spreads include soft-edged exuberance and an encouraging vision of the Wells family's constructive efforts to make the most of transition from slavery to emancipation. This fully supports the direct and accessible narrative of Ida's life.

She took on early responsibilities for her orphaned siblings, and these were only the first of the many ways in which she faced challenges with practicality and authority. That tone and attitude shaped the voice she found in writing and speaking, which became the foundation of the woman whose historic achievements we know of today.

The sad truth is that despite the general acclaim Ida had received for her leadership among Black citizens and speaking out for civil rights, she faced racial discrimination when it came to the fight for women's suffrage. Leaders of that movement, white women, shamefully, did not wish to include Black women in their fight. One particular story of Ida's response is dramatic and  satisfying, although the entire trajectory of her accomplishments is warmly and realistically on display throughout the pages of this biography. Back matter includes archival photos and an author note, followed by an impressive timeline of Ida's life and accomplishments. I urge everyone to read and share this book.

CALKINS CREEK
Imprint of ASTRA BOOKS, 2022

And I can't resist mentioning a third nonfiction title that I featured in an earlier post, here. EVICTED: The Struggle For the Right To Vote is written by Alice Faye Duncan with art by Charly Palmer. This thorough account and illustration of the story behind Black citizens of Tennessee risked all (loss of jobs, homes, and fundamental safety in their effort to cast ballots. the lengthy text makes this an ideal source for established/older readers, including the very extensive backmatter to support the text and encourage further reading and understanding. 

The illustrations are masterful, executed with the sweep and depth that characterize Palmer's works. The intensity of the situations portrayed are balanced by the strength of the individuals who literally stood up for their rights and beliefs. Contrasts of light and shadow in each spread suggest the dramatic balance between the powers of existing social forces and the powers of characters and determination. For more, read the link to my prior post above, but please don't overlook the importance of this remarkable account.

BASEBALL PLAYOFF SEASON! (Go Brewers!)

My personal team bias is revealed in the title of this post, but I've been celebrating BASEBALL as a sport, a community phenomenon, as history and as guide to living well for years. Posts from the past (about a dozen!) can be found by putting "baseball" in the search tab, but a few I'm especially fond of can be clicked HERE, HERE, and HERE. Most  baseball posts included two or more titles, so dive in!

As MLB Playoff Season underway, nstant betting of countless kinds adding to the excitement but  lends a slightly sour taste to the historic, classic, All-American sport. I've chosen to feature an older title that celebrates the truest soul of baseball. 

CLARION BOOKS, 2018

I GOT IT is the virtually wordless picture book by virtuoso visual storyteller, David Weisner. If you aren't familiar with his body of work, click on his name/website link and learn more. Many of Weisner's award winning titles involve intensely complex and surrealistic stories with many levels. In this case, though the cover reveals the purity and clarity, the nearly perfect truth that baseball belongs to everyone. And I feel safe in saying that every player on every team in the play-offs and eventual world series began dreaming of these days on a sandlot or local field, with or without a coach. 

Starting with the universally dreaded scene revealing a "Can I play, too" moment to assignment to the outfield, the eager player confidently shouts 

"I GOT IT!"

Those words appear more than  once, and the scenes that ensue  are both recognizable and fantastical. The emotional journey is both extraordinary and utterly familiar. 

As the playoff season unfolds, I'm prepared for the ups and downs, the nail-biting moments and (likely) dull ones, willing and eager to pay the price of angst and upset for the love of the team, the love of the game, the chance to participate. Despite what is undeniably disproportionate monetary investment in major league sports, and now the quagmire of betting on bits like how often someone touches their cap or taps their bat, I choose to celebrate the joy at the heart of the sport. From T-ball to the world series, from trips to triumph, from childhood dreams to standing on those big fields of dreams, baseball is special. I hope you'll take a look at this title (and any clicks you choose) to remind yourselves that there is value in teamwork, in trying, in playing. Play ball!