Walking the Walk, Playing the Long Game

The past two weeks of COP sessions (and arguments and protests) have dominated the news regarding the current state of our planet and its looming future, for better or for worse. If each of the words exchanged had been a tree planted, or had been a dollar donated to a flooding island, or otherwise had any real action attached to it, we'd already be ahead in the battle to save Earth as a habitable planet. 

This post features two biography/profiles of individuals who moved beyond words to actions, who recognized serious problems early, then engaged with powerful political, social, and governmental forces for decades to make changes that saved countless lives and the environment.

One of these remarkable people had a relatively unknown name outside of Florida until there was a mass shooting at a school that was named to honor her lifetime environmental work in Florida, Marjory Stoneman Douglas. MARJORY SAVES THE EVERGLADES: The Story of Marjory Stoneman Douglas is written by Sandra Neil Wallace and illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon. 

This picture book is a testament to the power of a single individual dedicated to the study, support, and protection of nature and a world larger than themselves. The many ways in which Marjory Stoneman Douglas defied conventions, expectations, assumptions, and powerful forces set a template for young readers to look around, recognize a need for change, and "walk the walk" on behalf of important causes and issues.

Back matter is superb, and the occasional quotations by Marjory are all documented in sources, as well as making connections to present day environmental and other activists. Her rescue of the Everglades is jaw-dropping, but the truth that even her heroic efforts only managed to preserve/restore half of the original expanses is heartbreaking. Art enriches and expands the information and tone of a very powerful biography.

On an entirely different continent and dealing with quite a different issue, Joseph Bazalgette's commitment to improving the quality of life and prevention of disease in Old London is equally impressive. THE GREAT STINK: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London's Poop Pollution Problem is written by Colleen Paeff and illustrated  by Nancy Carpenter. 

There is plenty to love about this book, despite it being about the disgusting and deadly deposits in the River Thames during the mid-1800s. Joseph Bazelgette brought phenomenal insight, engineering, and persistence to his understanding of and commitment to correcting the situation. The countless hurdles he overcame and the result of his efforts on a massive (and ever-growing) London population are inspiring. What might sound like a gross and uninteresting story are instead elevated in this biographic account to heroic status. The intricate and well-researched illustrations combine with dramatic and comedic elements in this topic to make it appeal across a wide audience of ages and interests. The patterns and voice within the narrative are appealing as well as supportive of language and vocabulary development, while the remarkable back matter answers questions and invites further investigation.

These are two nonfiction picture books that will leave adult readers impressed and informed while entertaining and inspiring young audiences. It is true that our feverish planet needs an all hands on deck approach to recover and survive, but it is equally true that one committed individual can rally support and make changes that others thought to be impossible.

It's NEWBERY AWARD Time: BALDERDASH!

The clock is ticking away the few remaining days until the annual AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION Midwinter Conference.  (February 9-13, Denver, CO). I've been looking forward to sharing a 2017 picture book about JOHN NEWBERY but held back until this very moment. If you're at all involved with books for kids and teens you'll recognize the name of the man for whom the annual NEWBERY AWARD is named. You may also have heard of (or even led) a mock Newbery contest among your learners. Whatever level of  awareness you have of this prestigious award, I urge you to read this book and share it with others in your family, at a library, or in a school. 
Hold on to that earlier reference to mock contests, because I'll circle back to it after sharing more about the book below.

Chronicle Books, 2017

BALDERDASH: John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books is written by Michelle Markel and illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. (Click on Carpenter's name to see sample finished art pages from the book and a short clip of the accumulating layers of color that turned her line drawings into full color spreads.)
Author Markel works in similar ways with the unfolding text in this nonfiction/biography of a man who changed the world, literally (pun intended.) Newbery's emerging impact on the literary world is revealed in stages and layers. On the opening spread this book speaks directly to young readers, happily announcing that their bookish young lives are NOTHING like the literate lives of young folks before John Newbery came on the scene. Adults will find the history impressive and may even learn a bit about a savvy and innovative business person. 

Take a look for yourself. Read the shrewdly selected words and enjoy the clever page-turning invitation to learn more about what life was like before Newbery made his mark on the world. Author Markel wisely launches this Newbery biography when John was a book-loving boy, despite his minimal book options. He turned his back on farm life to pursue a career in printing, book-making, and bookselling. His eager pursuit of book-lovers, book readers, and book buyers INCLUDED children, to the shock and dismay of adults in London. 

What was wrong with that Newbery fella from the country? Didn't he know that reading books by choice would turn perfectly polite youngsters into wild beasts? Hadn't he been schooled using the same miserable, preachy, painful texts that had raised generations of British children for centuries? 

But John did not agree with the many complaining adults. He wrote books with those essential school lessons, incorporating accepted learning content into entertaining and lively stories, ones filled with lively characters familiar to children.  
And he found that readers (kids and their families) adored his books, devoured his books, celebrated his books. He placed kids' books prominently in colorful window displays at his shop, pairing them with toys in his promotions, and putting smiles on young faces. In fact, John Newbery has long been considered the FATHER of Children's Literature! Why? Because he shared his love of books with young readers and knew that the old ways were nothing but:

Don't neglect the engaging backmatter when you get your hands on this book. Really, you'll adore this very timely title and want to share it with kids. 

Nothing attracts kids to books more than shiny silver or gold stickers on the cover. Which brings me back to those mock Newbery (and Caldecott) contests that engage and excite young readers. Kids wait anxiously for announcements of winners and honors on Monday morning. (Click the link to watch the announcements on live stream on 2/12, 8 AM MT, or catch it on video later and share with kids.) It's an amazing celebration of authors, illustrators, and literature. Among a generation of kids who respond to "What do you want to be when you grow up?" with "FAMOUS!", this is a rare opportunity to see book-world-creators being honored and celebrated like rock stars.
The downside to the mock contests, though, is that kids too easily invest in the process as a "win-lose" activity. If their choices win, they fist-pump and cheer. They are celebrating their favorite books, and what's wrong with that? 
Oh, but what about those who selected other titles? They not only feel rejected, like "losers",  but they even second-guess their choices, forsaking their valuable persuasive arguments in support of their personal favorites, conceding that they were wrong.
These are very NORMAL human reactions, but should not pass without comment. That's why I hope you will share this book, with some additional discussion. I have no doubt that Newbery would be honored to see the way his name has  inspired book creators to aspire to excellence. Even so, I'm firmly convinced that he would NEVER want to pit excellent books against each other, dismissing non-awarded titles or undermining an individual child's opinions about a beloved book. 
I rarely offer specific classroom activity suggestions, but in this case I can't resist. Why not make each reader a designated award-selector, like this, using imaginary student Mika Sanchez:

1. Establish 3-5 criteria for the Sanchez Award of Excellence.
2. Narrow finalists to five-ten titles.
3. Read carefully and evaluate each, using the stated criteria. 
4. Design a medal, front and back, for the Sanchez Award (see Newbery sample above)
5. Plan an event at which each participant names his/her winner and honor(s) titles in a grand and glorious celebration, complete with bright new stickers on the covers!

Now THAT, I think, would make John Newbery smile!

Apple Season!

At this time of year distinctive aromas, textures, sounds, and images fill our lives, indoors and out. It's the time of year for pumpkin pies, harvest soups, sweet potatoes, and.... apples?
Carmel apples, maybe.
Bobbing for apples, perhaps.
Otherwise, apples are pretty darn mundane, readily available on store shelves year around, right?
Right.
But not because of imports from distant climates, as is true for more fragile fruits. Apples have played a role in everyday diets for centuries because they "keep" so well, throughout an entire year of seasonal climate changes. Even before our modern era of refrigeration and transport, apples could be "harvested" and "kept" all year long,  as cider, applesauce, dried, or just packed in straw in a root cellar. These days they also come in many varieties, new hybrids as well as heritage flavors, each with individual combinations of color, size, texture, and taste.

Greenwillow Books, 2012

In the recent release, SEED BY SEED: The Legend and Legacy of John "Appleseed" Chapman, by Esme Raji Codell, illustrated by Lynne Rae Perkins, the story of one man's impact on a continent and its residents is depicted with detail and grace. It is also told with impressive thoroughness, inviting readers to move back in time from the windowscape of skyscrapers and  traffic lights to a horizon filled with the tangle of roots, branches, and wide tree trunks. The evocative opening pages move forward to unveil the life of a farmer- a seemingly a unimportant character in history- who changed the future by his example.

John Chapman's life was focused on principles that stand the test of time:

Use what you have.

Share what you have.

Respect nature.

Try to make peace where there is war.

Reach your destination by taking small steps.

Johnny Appleseed was an eccentric, gentle man, dedicated to his principles even when that meant he might be ridiculed or live in lowly accommodations, like sharing a hollow log with a bear and her cub.  The text, illustrations, and back matter in this new title together revealed more than other versions I've read about John Chapman. I grew up in Ohio where Johnny's legacy thrived, watched the Dennis Day/Disney version of Johnny Appleseed more times than I can count, but this biography moved me. The final double spread returns us to a current time and place, ending with a compelling question:    "What seed will you plant?"

Washington Post review can be found here.

On a side note, this provides yet another view of a life that is "different" but deserves our respect, an especially suitable addition to discussion during anti-bullying awareness month, or at any time of year.

Aladdin, 2008

 A related title, perhaps with the longest subtitle ever, is APPLES TO OREGON: Being the (Slightly) True Story of How a Brave Pioneer Father Brought Apples, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Grapes, Cherries, (and Children) Across the Plains, by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter.
This book launches the reader right into the past, telling a story that is largely tall tale, but based on a pioneer in 1847, his wife and eight children, and the wagon they towed west to Oregon, filled to the frame with soil and seedlings.
In the midst of this rambunctious and entertaining "Apples, Ho" adventure, an abundance of information about the landscape, chores, laughter, and challenges of a wagon train trip can be harvested from text and illustrations. Filled but not overloaded with figurative language, dialect and dialogue, humor and exaggeration, this book not only appeals, it challenges readers and serves well as mentor text for colorful and distinctive writing. If you've ever attempted to grow anything, especially from seed, you'll appreciate the real-life drama of hauling and watering those seedlings (and siblings) across half a continent. To say they arrive safely doesn't give away the ending (the title gave that away, right?), because this is so much more than a Point A to Point B story.

Both are powerful examples of the ability of picture books, fiction and non-fiction, to extend across ages and continents, time and travails, to touch each of us with surprises and inspiration.
Now go crunch an apple, and then leave a comment about other apple picture book that are "keepers", or even your favorite apple variety!