EMILY SAW A DOOR: Consider WHY Doors Matter

 In recent posts I've featured titles dealing with "Others" or with separation or discrimination. (I've featured other titles on this topic in the past, of course.) Whatever the reason for treating others differently, the stories each reveal ways in which denial of access or justice have affected people for reasons unrelated to right or wrong. In the new, recent picture book, we find Emily trying to enter various doors. The response from the "doors" (or whatever was speaking from the other side) varied. In this story there is rejection, welcoming  (for nefarious reasons), and willingness to accept without offering any benefit to entry.

EMILY SAW A DOOR is written by Mel Rosenberg and illustrated by Orit Magia.

RANADOM HOUSE STUDIO, 2026

Responses to her knocks point out  on Emily's size, or color, or volume, or mindlessness, or more. In the end, Emily has been left to her own devices and determined that if she wants access to a door, she'll have to create her own. She eventually uses resources at hand to make a choice, celebrating her own positivity and imagination. 

The door she creates is exuberant, vibrant, smile-inviting. Unlike the refusals or false welcomes on the previous pages, which included subtle symbols fading or dying plants, diminished spirits, and minimizing of Emily's value. Emily's door is uplifting. When she creates her own door it attracts a knock, which she quickly responds to with welcome, leading to joyous play and friendship. 

This book is a kind of parable or analogy for the many ways in which acceptance by others can feel like our only way forward. many may feel that finding the right door, the right validation, the right sense of belonging are necessary to be our full selves. Certainly, those things matter, but not as much as figuring out that we, the truth of who WE are on our own, is already enough. Then expressing and sharing that self, embracing our own potential can be the very door we were seeking. 

In this story it feels to me that the many blocks Emily dealt with made her more willing than ever to welcome others into her own space. If that were the pattern for all adults, throughout history, much of the pain and suffering that "othering" causes could have been avoided. Prevented. Countered. Repaired.

With so much talk and concern about the potential for AI engagement to harm children, one fear focuses on the "pleaser" programming that makes such systems eager to confirm whatever the user wants or feels.I thought about that as I reread this story. I hope this might be shared across many ages with that very discussion in mind. If affirmation and guaranteed approval define us, it also limits what we might learn about ourselves. Building capacity to deal with struggle and rejection, if not in excess, can be the fuel for inner strength and identity. 

This story has staying power, especially when shared with the intent for such discussions and in combination with specific titles placed in history and actual events. But it is also a delightfully simple and elegant story for even the very youngest audiences. Enjoy!

WE ARE DEFINITELY HUMAN Swells with Heart and Humor

 

TUNDRA BOOKS, 2024

Be prepared to suspend your inner cynic to embrace a naive and welcoming attitude in WE ARE DEFINITELY HUMAN by X. Fang. That's what the humans (the ones we recognize as human) do in their chance encounter with three folks whose "car" lands in the middle of the night. These beings find themselves in need of serious help. That serious dilemma doesn't diminish the over-the-top humor or the genuine heart of the story itself.

This quirky and clever story features "strangers" who instantly declare, when asked, that they are human, definitely, though clearly they are not. Definitely human. Yep. Despite their obvious differences, the kind family who locate their crashed transport vehicle open their hearts and doors to the outsiders. They are willing to take their declaration of being humans at face value and overlook unfamiliar appearances, odd behavior choices, and stilted language patterns.

The humor and vivid differences throughout allow readers to laugh at such silliness while digesting the choices being made with kindness and a gentle underlying message. This is a perfect example of my assertion that picture books are meant to be consumed as a whole, beginning to end, as an art form and story in their own right. This book, read aloud to a group or on a lap, will have everyone of many ages chuckling and likely laughing aloud. But the best books, as this one is, invite readers to go right back to page one and begin again, discovering what is lurking in the nuances and corners of the pages. 

The thoroughly simple premise opens plenty of opportunities for potential skepticism, or even a condescending assessment of the locals folks who seem clueless about being obviously misled. Instead, the readings of the story,  from first through multiples, leads to a sense of what it means to be human, definitely. Even the youngest will identify and appreciate the warmth and rightness of kindness, finding balance and truth in the impact such kindness can have on others, directly and as a ripple effect into the future. Definitely.

SEVEN: A MOST REMARKABLE PIGEON Whose Story Inspires

 That's right, I'm sharing another bird book. Trust me, I realize there are probably more than enough posts about birds books on this blog (HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE...  you see what I mean?) But don't expect me to change. First, birds will always hold a special place in my heart. That must be true for many, since there's no shortage of books of every kind for every age that feature birds in fact, fiction, and with a blend of those approaches. 

CANDLEWICK PRESS, 2025

That blend is what propels my thoughts about  SEVEN, A MOST REMARKABLE PIGEON onto yet another post. I read this lovely, heartwarming, and entertaining book by author Sandra Nickel and illustrated by Aimeé Sicuro multiple times. I usually do that, but in this case I pursued even more repeated readings. Because i have a broad knowledge base about birds, I saw countless facts about pigeons within  a story that was clearly fictional. I had a concern that young readers might come away with confusions about what was real and what was made up. The author's note did a fine job of pointing out the factual details, and yet the storytelling was so nearly-magical that I wanted to feel confident that the account was not misleading.

In brief, the story features a singleton hatchling pigeon  in a nest that almost always holds two eggs. Parent pigeons DO tend faithfully to the young, they DO urge flocking and close contact with other pigeons, they DO work with young prior to migration to prepare them for successful travel. This little loner was named SEVEN because pigeons consider seven a lucky name (obviously storytelling) but this tidbit is used as a device to share the fact that SEVEN thousand miles is the longest recorded route a pigeon has return to its home. Seven, the pigeon, has a remarkable sense of smell, particular preferences, and doesn't mind going its own way. 

The story allows SEVEN to rise to the hero role due to environmental circumstances paired with its own warmly-embraced talents, despite outside pressures. The story itself incorporates facts within a delightful and charming account of a character that encourages independence and individuality, that appreciates differences, that celebrates multiple ways to solve problems, and that encourages empathy and acceptance. The illustrations allow readers to enjoy both a fictionalized, semi-personified pigeon while viewing information about pigeons through visual narrative and scenes. 

SEVEN will work well for many ages, with multiple layers about science, group dynamics, individual identity and development, and patterns of the environment and nature. Pigeons are the urban birds that young people are most likely to interact with, and that's because they are versions of domesticated birds that are now considered wild but deeply adjusted to (and sometimes dependent on) human interaction. This book is a way to make pigeon science and their specialized talents more available to young readers. It also invites discussions about individual differences and respect for those differences. That's a lovely combination.

If you'd like to see an example of how that can help or hurt the survival of pigeons, here's an interesting video you might want to watch. It's on YOUTUBE and  begins with a short ad, but it called to mind the power of human support for our natural friends. HERE's the video. I want to be sure that viewers know this should not be attempted on your own, and certainly not by children. It can be a skill developed with support from trained wildlife rescuers. The trust and experience of this individual are impressive and worth learning about, IMO.

Embrace Your Inner ODD DOG OUT!

For months I've been immersed in reading and evaluating nonfiction titles as a Round One panelist for  elementary and middle grade Cybils Awards nominees. Here's a holiday break in praise of title that is out of step with those books. It's timely to share it now, as a potential holiday gift and a suggestion to add to your own wish list for home or classroom or library. 

Harper, 2019

ODD DOG OUT is the creative work of award- winning author/illustrator. Rob Biddulph. It's also a delightful and welcome funny book, a lively lift for the eyes and ears. The title and cover reveal the problem: a free-spirited dog with a flair for fashion does not fit in with the buttoned-down, uptight "others" in a very busy city. The rhymed text moves line by line and scene by scene to reveal that this ODD DOG OUT bucks the trends and zigs when all the others zag. 
Conformity keeps that busy city humming along, at work or at play. Odd Dog is happy to play along, but on her own terms. Terms that are not always welcomed.
It's only when the Odd Dog resolves to leave that we become aware this is a female dog, as pronouns "she" and "her" are used. She admits defeat and embarks (See what i did there?) on a journey to find a place to fit in.
Her arrival in DOGGYWOOD brightens her eyes and adds a smile to her lips. She's found an entire city that hears the beat of her drum.
Until...

She spots one dog, an odd dog out, and offers a friendly bit of sympathy. To her surprise, this odd hound feels right at home, proclaiming that standing out in a crowd should make you proud!
That nibble of wise kibble sends her flying back home, ready to reclaim her place in the big city. To her surprise, she's welcomed back with cheers by the others who missed her distinctive style. In final page twists, many others had begun to explore their own free spirits,  discovering that uniformity isn't all it's cracked up to be! 
This is a timely and timeless message that will ring true from the littlest littles to awkward adolescents right through to adults. That feeling of not-fitting-in can be isolating and crippling, even for the most confident among us. 
In this case I was particularly pleased with the twist in which her journey to fit in led her to a place in which she was "matchy-matchy" with everyone else, but it didn't end there. 
I'll come back to that thought in my final note. 
First, though, kudos to Biddulph for the vibrant tone and detail of the illustrations. The art is distinctly digital with crisp edges, saturated colors, meaningful repetitive images, and page layouts that reflect his art director background. Tiny details (the eyes always have it!) and subtle idiosyncrasies defy those who might see this as stamped art. Young fans of WHERE'S WALDO will relish a chance to locate our ODD DOG. In fact, Waldo's perfectly round glasses with pinpoint eyes are charmingly similar to the eyes of these delightful dachshunds.
There are also many grin-worthy visual asides and quirky corners to explore. Below are just a few examples: an irresistible introduction to ODD DOG OUT on the cover, another invitation to examine each and every compartment on the commuter train to locate our Odd Dog, the sailing sea dogs whose uniforms are consistently, well, uniform, but whose windblown ears make me wish i could decipher semaphore signals, and the comical interpretations of ODD DOG's  heroic journey.

I'm a fan of this book because it offers something for everyone, at every level.  It's perfect to hold in your lap with a toddler, rhyming encourages rereading and eventual independent reading, the humor ranges from slapstick to sophisticated, and the philosophical questions invite discussion. Adults will recognize the buttoned up East Coast versus the free-spirited West Coast crowd.
Now for my only quibble:
When ODD DOG arrives in DOGGYWOOD, it's only natural that she would at first feel right at home. She found "her people", after all. I was just a bit disappointed that she "learned" to embrace her unique style through "mansplaining". I would have preferred that she spend enough time to miss "home" and friends and come to self-acceptance on her own.
PLEASE don't think this makes the book less appealing- it is a winner. Just consider the possibility that this subject, too, might merit some discussion, even with the younger ones. 
And the final page twists and surprises are some of the most fun images in the book, with a message all their own. 
Uncork your bottle, people, and let your ODD DOG OUT!

Postscript:  Creator Rob Biddulph replied that the pivotal advice of the ODD DOG in the sweater (jumper) and cap is NOT male. It's my error to have judged by clothing stereotyping, but his comment led me back to take a closer look at signals for gender. 
This, too, opens up a chance to explore gender stereotyping among even the very youngest readers!  
Love those layers!
And thank you to Rob for chiming in with that note.