Lane Smith: Another Winning Picture Book

The only thing that makes me more excited than discovering remarkable picture books and sharing them here is when the creator(s) ofd those books are new to the field or would otherwise benefit from having their voices and vision lifted to wider audiences. My impact may be small, but lending support to promising talent is a plus to what I do here.

Even so, I can't resist showcasing new books from established creators when they touch special places in my heart. Several of such reliably impressive folks come to mind and come to these pages again and again (Pat Zietlow Miller, Paul O. Zelinsky, Brian Lies, Beth Anderson, Laurie Wallmark, and many more). 

In this case, Illustrator/author Lane Smith has been producing outstanding, award-winning picture books for decades, ones that might target middle grade readers or the youngest, and everything in between. He most assuredly is not relying on my support or feature here to make his latest picture book successful, and yet I could not resist sharing it.

Random House Studio, 2022

 A  GIFT FOR NANA is a heartfelt story starring an earnest, determined young rabbit. He is struck by a deep desire to find the "perfect" gift for his Nana. He invites advice and help, from a variety of unexpected players. The first, a crow, is certain that what he seeks is through and beyond the woods. That leads rabbit to meet Moon (who hangs out in the woods while Sun rules the sky), the Stickler (a fun creation whose identity is unclear), a HUGE fish, a volcano, and a cave before reaching a cliff/mountain requiring superior struggles, despite Rabbit being weary. But nana is worth the effort.

The gentle illustrations and simple direct text allow readers to sense how genuinely rabbit loves (and knows) Nana, how mindful he is of her interests, style, and connection to his life. In the process of very few yet "perfect" lines, readers recognize themselves in being read to, sharing time with, and "knowing" a beloved elder  fully. Rabbit's quest story is demanding but not overwhelming, the intimidating encounters all make helpful suggestions and offer encouragement, yet it falls to Rabbit to decide what will ultimately work. 

All of that effort and satisfaction are celebratory but undermined with humor and a realization that the gift might not be as perfect as it seemed. The deepest comfort arrives as Rabbit and Nana share the closing spreads in recognizable activities and conversation that lead naturally to "read it again" requests. 

Yes, this is an ideal gift for grandparents, of course, but it is also a gift to children, confirming their agency and admirable intentions. While the text is spare, each word and scene is essential. The art is both subtle and spectacular, allowing readers to join Rabbit on his quest, experiencing situations that are both mundane and slightly magical. I highly recommend it for young readers, but also for striving writers of picture books. The infusion of a sort of "nothing" story with characters, language, organic tension, and gentle humor makes this mentor text worth studying. Of course, the illustrations are incredible, but it could be read without the visual and still be deeply moving and gratifying. 

Enjoy! (By the way, this one is also available as an audio book. I have not checked it out in that format but it makes be VERY curious about how the encounters are depicted throughout.).

Two Journeys to a Similar Destination: The Best Place to Be

For every moment in the past fourteen-to-sixteen months in which you've resisted or resented being "stuck" where you are, for every grace-filled moment of gratitude and appreciation that you actually had a safe place to be, and for every wish you've made that you could be someplace better, some vague feeling that there IS a better place waiting for you to find, I offer you two new picture books. They are as different in visual style as gray is to a rainbow, as distinct in entertainment approach and mood as Charlie Chaplin is to a Pixar animated film. In both books there is heart and humor and depth and satisfaction. 

Candlewick, 2021

Up first is a remarkable new picture book written and illustrated by the widely admired Jon Klassen, creator of THE ROCK FROM THE SKY. For those who know his award-winning picture book titles, I WANT MY HAT BACK, THIS IS NOT MY HAT, and WE FOUND A HAT (who doesn't know and love these?) this latest book will feel both familiar and entirely new. With a vertical trim size and 96 pages (!) this is a minimal-text/sometimes wordless book that invites zen-like reflection on our place in the world.

 Don't let that description mislead you. The three hat-wearing characters will feel like old friends. Turtle, armadillo, and rattlesnake inhabit five short stories that, cumulatively, involve danger and suspense, confusion, dreaming and time travel, and an odd but menacing space alien. There is enough dry humor, side eye, jealousy and surprise to fill a Broadway stage, minus the action, music, and dance. Seriously, this is a dram-edy of the highest order, and one that will have kids enthralled and eager to read it again and again. 

I'm convinced it will also have adults reflecting and connecting with their own lives, especially during this Covid year. 

Candlewick, 2021

Next on the picture book journey is THE BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD, written and illustrated by Petr Horacek. One glance at this cover will reveal that it is a distinctly different art style, in color, emotion, and relationships. While Klassen's characters are contained and cautious and hold their own spaces, Horacek's characters seek each other out and nearly spill over with open emotion. In the cover image alone, the relationship of Bear and Hare approximate a glowing heart space between them. 

Klassen stories are subtle and subdued, despite being layered and deep. Turtle and Armadillo and Rattlesnake, by their very nature, in nature, pull back, warn others away, and tuck themselves apart from the wider world. Horacek's characters are direct and daring and eager to explore, to find and feel and flex the power of seeking self.

In this story, Hare is joyously appreciative of the marvelous meadow in which he lives. And yet, what else might await them in a wider world? What if something better is "out there" waiting? Each of Hare's friends explains what makes the meadowland a perfect place to live, the BEST for them. Hare understands, but simply MUST see for himself. Within his journeys, he finds marvels for which he had hoped, in each case imagining how his meadow friends would appreciate it, too. And after many discoveries and considerations, without explicit statements, Hare heads home. Those ever-returning thoughts of what would make his friends happy draw him back, with a recognition that it is those friends, in their shared, lovely spaces, that determine the BEST place in the world for Hare. 

There are so many ways in which these two books are "different" and could certainly offer opportunities to compare and contrast. And yet they both, deeply and truly, offer open invitations to discuss themes and philosophical assumptions and reasons for internal impulses. 

Whether using these with older students to model higher level analysis or with art students to discuss matching technique and story purposes, or in any other reflective way, please do the creators the well-earned honor to share the books for what they are meant to be, first and foremost: entertaining and engaging stories with intention and beauty and grace and humor. 

Only then should they be considered, piece by piece. As always, with any works of art, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.And both of these new picture books are works of art.

Squirrel Stories: A Character You Won't Forget

While reading fiction picture books for the Cybils awards I encountered a range of characters from animal to vegetable to fantastical to mechanical. 
Oh, and human, too.
Most were delightful; many even memorable.
Among the most memorable is Mr. Squirrel.

NorthSouth Publishing, 2015

That's Mr. Squirrel right there, on the cover of MR. SQUIRREL AND THE MOON, written and illustrated by Sebastian Meschenmoser. He appears to specialize in quirky and unforgettable characters, as you'll see here: Teaching.net.

In the midst of marathon reading, note-taking, and evaluating, this book compelled me to comment at some length. Here's what I had to say about it on Goodreads: 
"Oh, my. I can't exactly say why, but I wasn't expecting to enjoy this when only reading the title. But it won me over from the cover and endpapers and wrapped itself around my heart with each page turn. The stark contrasts throughout seemed like a perfect parable of life- conflict, worry, determination, surprises, apparent success leading to more challenges and absurdity, balanced with an earnest belief in ourselves. Mr. Squirrel's reality (*and his somber black and white imagination) contrast with the brilliant glow of the "moon". The illustrations themselves and the color palette elevate this to brilliant, in my opinion.
This is "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie" flipped on its head and given a moral spine.
The somber "punishment" scenes are utterly hilarious, and the eventual final scene mirrors the hunched silhouette from those somber scenes.
In my many teaching years I often witnessed innocent, earnest kids imagining that some unexpected development in their lives could result in disproportionately negative consequences. I wish I had this book to share with them at the time." 

For a detailed description of the story, take a read of the FUSE-8 Blog post from School Library Journal, here.

Better still, check it out of your local library and read it for yourselves. Then again. Then return it and buy a copy for yourself or for someone you love.
Then sit with them and read it again.