Another Fave from 2018

Families Books, 2018

You only need to examine the cover of LUIS AND TABITHA, written by Stephanie Campisi and illustrated by Hollie Mengert, to recognize who the two main characters are in this delightful picture book. Fall into their eyes to feel their irresistible appeal and imagine the star-crossed love story waiting within the pages of this recent picture book.

DISNEY

Luis is one irresistible cat, and I'm speaking as a cat-lover with allergies. Both the text and the sleek, stylized illustrations make Luis's distinctive charm purr-fectly clear. He has become an unofficial member of the fire crew who saved his life, savoring his regular meals, public appearances, and freedom to stroll the neighborhood at will. 
Those strolls introduce him to prim and proper (and indoor) show cat, Tabitha. Unfortunately, Tabitha's owner is not a romantic, especially when it comes to street cats. Charming Luis woos them both, bringing the sweetest (and funniest) treats to Tabitha's door. He wins Tabitha's heart even more, but not her owner's. 
I'll stop the story there and mention that my reading was interrupted at this point. I couldn't return to it until the next day, but I found myself yearning to get back to the book, to find out what happened next. This is often true while reading novels but it rarely happens with picture books. In this case, once I returned to it I wasn't disappointed and realized that this forty-plus page picture book has many of the plot points of a novella. Luis and Tabitha have the character depth to carry it off, and the extra pages allow the illustrator to take a well-told story and "work it" fully. 


This is a thoroughly modern and appealing story enriched by updated/old-school illustrations, giving a solid nod to Disney's LADY and the TRAMP of my childhood memory. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Luis (and- SPOILER- Tabitha) make a return appearance in future picture books.

For Peet's Sake, Check These Out!

Let me start by saying I’m a fan of book blogs. Booklist, School Library Journal, and Hornbook were my “suppliers” for hooking up with new titles before the advent of blogs, but now reviews of new and special titles feed right into my digital links. My current vote for the coolest blog about kids’ books goes to The Nerdy Book Club. Day after day, each post reminds me of familiar, well-loved titles or introduces me to amazing new books.

Sarah Wendorf’s March 10 post on Memorable Read Aloud Titles included many of my own favorite titles. Right there, smack dab in the middle of her list, was Bill Peet's The Whingdingdilly!
In case you don't know the book, here's the essence of a fantasy story rooted in genuine experiences: Scamp the dog has been in a mournful mood for weeks, weary of life as a dog and longing for a change. "Oops, be careful what you wish for", right?

There is something in the way Bill Peet captures Scamp's inner voice that reminds me of Katherine Applegate's Ivan of the incredible The One and Only Ivan. It shouldn't be a surprise, considering that Peet was major creative voice behind Disney's Dumbo and many other unforgettable characters.

Bill Peet, like Theo "Seuss" Geisel, Jan Berenstain, and so many other creators of remarkable kids' books, left behind a collection of classics. Just a few of his titles will be listed here with links, but all are featured in rich detail on Peet's web page.

Cock-a-Doodle Dudley, The Wump World, and
Caboose Who Got Loose are some of my favorites. You can view a reading of his eerily timeless, almost prescient Wump World here.
Current picture book publishing emphasizes text of 400-800 words (at most), but his books are perfect examples of complex, vocabulary-rich, multi-layered stories for established readers. In fact, I recommend using a collection of Bill Peet's books to introduce author studies up through middle school and beyond.

I'm not a fan of the famous (or infamous) Accelerated Reader listings, but their reading “levels” for his titles range from a rare 3.5 (Eli), a 3.7 (The Gnats of Knotty Pine, an authentic practice opportunity for silent consonants) through to 6.9 Bill Peet: An Autobiography. More importantly, the length and content allow established readers to consider unknown words, nonsense words, wry humor, irony, deep themes, and complex stories within the time constraints of crowded school days. Some specific word counts include: The Wump World- 1542 words; Whingdingdilly- 3424 words; Huge Harold- 1660 words; Fly, Homer, Fly- 3218 words; and Bill Peet: An Autobiography- 17,358 words. His website offer richly detailed insights into his work, including this sketch of an early version of a cover for his autobiography.

Peet's books are widely available on library shelves and should be making their way into the hands of readers of many ages. Wouldn't it make a great discussion to compare readings of Mo Willems titles and his background working on Sesame Street to Bill Peet titles and his long career with Disney?

After learning more about these two, who wouldn't want to grow up and become a maker of books for kids? It certainly made Bill Peet a happy man.