WIND IS A DANCE: Poetry Meets Meteorology

 I've been a fan of WATER IS WATER (by the talented creators, Miranda Paul and Jason Chin) since it released more than a decade ago. Its lightly lyrical (and brightly rhymed) text dances across gorgeously illustrated pages while revealing the stages of the water cycle as the emotional and essential role of water on this planet and in our lives. This offering did not include side bar expository text, but it did provide informative back matter. It has been a consistently popular book, and it should be.

Kids Can Press, 2024

To compare this new picture book to WATER IS WATER is high praise indeed, and I don't do so lightly. WIND IS A DANCE is written by Debra Kempf Shumaker and illustrated by Josée Bisaillon. This extended poem (unrhymed, but liltingly lyrical) moves from page to page through metaphorical comparisons of wind to familiar experiences and encounters. 

Wind is a dance...

Wind is a supportive teammate or ornery opponent...

... a whisk    ...a top    ...a feather  

and more. In each case a few comparative or descriptive phrases follow. On most pages, a brief inset box or bubble is included to name the types of winds (tornado, hurricane, etc.) with a bit of scientifically accessible details. 

The back matter includes a chart that clearly reveals that accelerating and sustained wind speed is a crucial factor in the escalating ways wind can be named and can affect the physical world. The chart also has a column to  describe/name each level, and to note impacts on land, and on sea. On the facing page is a brief description of wind-measuring instruments and sources (both websites and books). The author's "more about" section provides great explainers about various wind phenomena and where they generally occur.

The above are all well and good. I'm a fan of gorgeous writing and also of authentic, accessible science to explain our world experiences. But these are elevated further in several ways through well-suited illustration. The colors used are eye-catching but natural, feeling familiar and safe. The impacts of various winds, though sometimes dramatic or even scary, are mitigated by elements that anchor the metaphors in images- and excited puppy (which we all know can cause havoc!), a spinning top, a whirling whisk, or a delicate feather. Each wind expression allows for reasonable resolve, as is always true in our lived experiences. 

Within those images are effective movement elements: flowing hair, dancing children, swirling leaves, and snow-drifting blizzard. Within each spread, individuals shown are delightfully diverse in skin tone, body size and shape, gender. As a full experience (the way in which EVERY picture book should be read in a first round, and in many successive readings) this offers a beautiful and satisfying experience. The fact that this book also provides information and resources to return to for science and nature investigations is a bonus that should not be ignored. 

Overall, I genuinely encourage you to read this book and share it with young readers across man ages. It will blow you away. 

Rolling Along During EARTH WEEK: Garden Picture Books

 The books I've shared during 2021 Earth Week have stressed the significance of generational values and shared practices, of traditions, of commitment. That is true for both picture books by the Pumphrey brothers, THE OLD TRUCK and THE OLD BOAT. Then two picture books titled OCEAN SOUP,  about ocean environments, support the significance of learning about and acting on specific issues, across generations. If you missed either of these posts I hope you''ll click and check them out. 

Moving forward, today I'm declaring GARDENING day. This time of year there is an almost primal impulse to sow seeds, to feel the soil under our feet and in our fingers. Offering kids an opportunity to plant and grow a seed is a priceless gift, even if it is simply a sunflower seed in a paper cup. And yet the reality is that the REAL thrill of gardening is the return on investment of labor and love and relationships spent in gardens. Time and experiences often shared across generations.

A very recent release is MY NANA'S GARDEN, written by Dawn Casey and illustrated by Jessica Courtney-TIckle. 

I had to wait a bit to read this one, since it was backed up on my library hold. That should tell you something about it. Here's what Kirkus had to say  in their starred review: 

"Over the years, a little girl pays many visits to her nana’s house and garden...As the seasons cycle, the girl and her mother continue to visit and, increasingly, to help her nana in the “lovely and wild” garden....There is so much beauty in this heartwarming story. Written in rhyming couplets, the simple text flows smoothly. The stunning, delicate illustrations fill in the gaps left by the text, depicting the charm of the garden, Nana’s aging, the family’s emotions, and the girl’s growth. The artwork provides a wonderful display of three—and then four—generations and the love they share. The girl and mother have brown skin and long, black hair while Nana has paler brown skin and white hair...A beautiful, touching story of a family’s love and loss, the garden both metaphor and place of healing." (Kirkus Starred review)

Starbright Books, 2016

A terrific partner picture book is centered in a natural setting, not a family garden. GRANDMA IS A SLOWPOKE is written by Janet Halfmann and illustrated by Michele Coxon. Gentle text and images allow readers of any age to appreciate the delicate balance of long/short, old/young legs and minds. All the best picture book advice went into this one, with repetition, anticipation, ironic humor, and warm relationships enriching an already appealing story,

This will pair well with another recent picture book release: SIDEWALK FLOWERS (JonArno Lawson). And in case you missed it, check out my recent review of the glorious celebration of life, GROW, by JoAnn Early Macken, HERE. 

Finally, in this string of "bonus titles" related to celebrating nature across generations, explores the underlying truths about our family stories:  WATERCRESS, written by Andrea J. Wang and illustrated by Jason Chin. 

Has there ever been a child who did NOT feel embarrassed by a parent(s), who was not reluctant to take part in activities of parents, who did not judge their parents as "less" than other parents they observe? 

If so, I've never met those kids. It is a natural process in childhood to push back, and a natural part of parenthood to HOLD back- hold back stories that might make clear their own lives, experiences, struggles. That is universal, but it is even more pronounced among families involving immigration, migration, and relocation.When families are compelled to move, they often pack away the reasons for those moves, the stories behind lives left behind. Those stories become secrets, and yet continue to surface in the new lives and homes.
This story is written and illustrated with the tenderness of watercress leaves, but supports each gentle page of the story and the story-within-the-story on a foundation of resilience, love, and appreciation. Highly recommended for all ages and readers, with a special boost as mentor text to very young writers of "small moments" and adult writers of picture book stories with layers of heart and soul and reflection.

Here's hoping that wherever you are as you read this, the season and the weather surrounding you will invite you outdoors, into the wild or the gardens of your lives. It's asking a lot to care about the wider planet and its environment until we cultivate the deep appreciation of growing things in our immediate lives, especially in the company of people we love. 

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.