I AM GRAVITY: A Welcome Companion to I AM SMOKE

 

Tilbury House Publishers, April, 2024

In case you missed it, check out my thoughts about a remarkable picture book from 2021: I AM SMOKE, here. The portrayal used a unique voice and poetic, personified narrative for such a ubiquitous, sometimes nostalgic and other times unwelcome, even tragic part of our lives, SMOKE. That picture book has been hailed as groundbreaking. That's not just my opinion. I (and many others) have been awaiting a companion picture book on some equally challenging abstract, universal experience. It's exciting that I AM GRAVITY is arriving soon. It does not disappoint. Both are written by Henry L. Herz and illustrated by Merce Lopez. 

In I AM GRAVITY, Herz voices a universal force (literally) that's infinitely more complex than smoke. With text that explores familiar daily life and star formation within the same spreads, the power, necessity, and magnificence of GRAVITY in our lives becomes vividly clear. Both concepts and images are illustrated with fluidity and subtle detail that offers something for every age and background on this subject. The limited colors allow gravity's invisibility to be "shown" or suggested through a sense of graceful movement lines and consistent color that catches the eye against neutral background shades. From the cover (ball catch and bouncing hair) to remarkably balanced rocks to black hole activity and star formation, gravity is somehow made visible. 

That's the alchemy of picture books as a format: text and images achieving more than either could accomplish alone. In this case it is also the nearly magical achievement of these two creators to turn potentially mundane scenes into transformational connections that evoke awe, appreciation, and  awareness of a vital life force that we rarely notice without the attention of such an effective homage.

It does not do justice to the complexity and appeal in this new picture book to offer excerpts, and yet I can't resist. Here's one example:

"I tether the moon to the Earth. High tide.

Low tide. I wave to you with the oceans."

Henry L. Herz, author

These two seemingly simple lines reveal the lyrical appeal and the accessibility of this material even to very young audiences. It also sparks curiosity in older readers and invites further exploration of the multilayered science elements and interconnections of gravity in everything we know and do. A few pages of back matter provide direct information for readers and their families. This is an excellent example of WHY and HOW picture books of such high quality have much to offer for readers of many ages, as well as purposeful uses within language arts and content area classrooms. A huge plus is that the young people whose lives are shown in these images are diverse and multicultural, additionally emphasizing the global significance of this topic.

The well-known librarian, Betsy Bird, shares her thoughts about this pair of books and an interview with the author, HERE.

Excerpt: “Holy moly. I think you’ve just written something even better than I Am Smoke.”   – Betsy Bird, librarian and blogger for School Library Journal

Check out the book trailer!

I appreciate and welcome the opportunity to have an advance look at this, (without promise of review) and I hope you'll read more about it, request it at your library, and (pre)order for gifts, your home library, or your classroom. You won't regret it. 

More Multiple-Target Picture Books

I'll keep this short, but these are just a few titles that deserve a deeper look. I'll share my Goodreads notes on them and links so you can follow-up for yourselves.

Each of these titles is distinguished by its potential use with readers of various ages, depending on the intended purpose. The writing and illustration style of each is dramatically different from the others, as are their topics and stories. 

First up:  GASTON, written by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrated by Christian Robinson. 

Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2014

Goodreads synopsis:
"This is the story of four puppies: Fi-Fi, Foo-Foo, Ooh-La-La, and Gaston. Gaston works the hardest at his lessons on how to be a proper pooch. He sips—never slobbers! He yips—never yaps! And he walks with grace—never races! Gaston fits right in with his poodle sisters.
But a chance encounter with a bulldog family in the park—Rocky, Ricky, Bruno, and Antoinette—reveals there’s been a mix-up, and so Gaston and Antoinette switch places. The new families look right…but they don’t feel right. Can these puppies follow their noses—and their hearts—to find where they belong?"

My review- with four stars:

"I added this recent title to categories for diversity and body image, because it not only works as a delightfully funny and heartwarming story for young readers/readaloud, it could also open discussions with older kids about family expectations, identity, and judging others based on physical traits/externals."

McSweeney's Mcullens, 2011

Next in line: SYMPHONY CITY, written and illustrated by Amy Martin.

Goodreads synopsis says:

"In Symphony City, a young girl, lost in a big city, makes her way home by following the rich and vibrant music of the streets. Bursting with bright colors and narrated in lively, staccato phrases, Amy Martin's debut children's book is at once a sweeping page-turner and a book that makes you want to stop and pore over every page.

Symphony City is an exciting adventure story for children and parents who love music, art, and big imagination. As a special bonus, the dust-jacket unfolds into a giant two-sided poster, suitable for extended gazing.

My review, with four stars:

I'm a fan of the illustration and the idea of this book rather than the text. It is a highly appealing concept, and the images offer ample opportunity for discussion and could even serve as prompts for personal writing. It offers an homage to the ubiquitous value of music in our lives, but I feel it might have been more effective if developed as a wordless book.

Roaring Book Press, 2014
A Neal Porter Book

Now for a non-fiction title, GRAVITY, written and illustrated by Jason Chin. Goodreads synopsis has this to say: "What keeps objects from floating out of your hand? What if your feet drifted away from the ground? What stops everything from floating into space? Gravity. As in his previous books, Redwoods, Coral Reefs, and Island, Jason Chin has taken a complex subject and made it brilliantly accessible to young readers in this unusual, innovative, and very beautiful book." My review, with four stars: "The spare text and vibrant, dynamic illustrations make this book a valuable resource to launch investigations about gravity and space. back matter leads readers through the basics and leads to further research and investigations. This is a gorgeous book in its own right, but also a valuable teaching tool." Finally, Here's RED KITE, BLUE KITE, written by Ji-li Jiang, illustrated by Greg Ruth. Goodreads synopsis says: "When Tai Shan and his father, Baba, fly kites from their roof and look down at the crowded city streets below, they feel free, like the kites. Baba loves telling Tai Shan stories while the kites--one red, and one blue--rise, dip, and soar together. Then, a bad time comes. People wearing red armbands shut down the schools, smash store signs, and search houses. Baba is sent away, and Tai Shan goes to live with Granny Wang. Though father and son are far apart, they have a secret way of staying close. Every day they greet each other by flying their kites-one red, and one blue-until Baba can be free again, like the kites.  Inspired by the dark time of the Cultural Revolution in China, this is a soaring tale of hope that will resonate with anyone who has ever had to love from a distance." My review, with five stars: Disney-Hyperion, 2013 "The intensity and heart of this story are matched by the illustrations and language, which portray a harsh reality but also evoke a gentle and loving relationship. The shadowy/foggy background images reveal the terrain, both political and physical, while not distracting from the central story. This works well with very young readers as a family story of hope and happiness and also with older readers as a personal story from what is otherwise a remote and disconnected time and place in history." I hope you'll take time to check these out, and share them with readers at every age.