STILL LIFE: A Study in Quiet... and Artful Adventure

"Twas the night before Christmas and all; through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse."

Greenwillow Books, 2024

Wanna bet?
 

On this EVE of Christmas, Hannukah, and Kwanzaa, on these dark days of winter solstice, I seek "peace" and "stillness" in rare moments of calm and  deep reflection. STILL LIFE, written by Alex London and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky riffs on that theme and does so with insight and humor, for every age. Both are award-winning creators of works for young minds and eyes, and both have contributed those talents to this work of art, about works of art. And about LIFE, still or otherwise.

Big picture first, since the cover suggests an up-close perspective. It raises BIG questions, too. There is a painter involved, front and center, and a still life artwork.(For a full version of the intended masterpiece, check the back jacket cover.)

The front of the jacket cover indicates a potentially mischievous dragon who "enters the picture", breaking the frame, hinting at all sorts of imagined adventures that might ensue. In this case, dragon's "second point of view" emerges within the art. In real life, that "other" point of view is the audience. Once the artist declares "done", all control of the art is lost, and we make of it what we will. That interactivity of creation by the artist and creativity from the viewer takes on a special twist when the "other" emerges from within the painting. 

Much of the fascination for reader/viewers will lie in close examination of each page-turn variation within the painting as a distinctly alternative "not-at-all-still" story unfolds in contrasting cartoonish, bold-lined style involving characters we recognize from other picture book tales. You can guess, can't you? A princess, a dragon, mice, and more? The text, though, carries its weight by also setting up contrasting expectations:

"The candle does not flicker, glow, or drip.

There is a knife and a spoon, but no one to use them.

The coins in the purse will stay where they are."

That's an open invitation to examine these aspects closely, markers for pending change. When viewing actual still life art, I tend toward such details, wondering in what ways, for what reasons the artist assembled the objects to model for the work. What story did they have in mind about the people behind the places/times in which the display would have occurred? That state of inquiry is both deeply peaceful and imaginative. And it parallels the unfolding of this book. 

Not a spoiler, but some advice... 

Adults who share this with children might tend to examine the "still life" art most carefully, but lap-audiences and other young minds are going to quickly catch the unexpected shifts and appearances in the background of the easeled art. Somehow, mice, obviously stirring creatures,  appear and  make their way from outside the art to inside it, and thus the action/adventure is launched. 

I wondered about the magical creative thinking here: were the mice interacting with the actual modeled scene, with evidence of their actions somehow appearing within the art itself? But the actual illustrator, as always, provides subtle and delightful clues to that answer. Check the spreads for evidence that the "life" characters within the "still life" art are interacting on images painted on canvas. In fact, the adventure also breaks the frame of presumed expectations. It is the princess who runs to the rescue, and the note calling for help is not as simple as classical assumptions might suggest.

The surrealism and magical genre juxtapositions with classical images will have readers begging, "read it again!'. Perusing the overall visual complexity and detail, both evident and obscure, could occupy a quiet afternoon. Such examination will yield satisfying discoveries while, most likely, leaving many more specifics to find in the next encounter. Among those close-looks could be a side-by-side comparison of the before-and-after images using the back jacket and the final two spreads. 

I recommend this highly, as holiday gifts and throughout the year. Anyone who has ever enjoyed a "Where's Wally" title will dive into this with glee. Please urge them to read and savor the full story, first and foremost. More than that, fans of Zelinsky's other works will treasure the blend of elements of his classical mastery (Rapunzel, Rumplestiltskin), lively and complex cartoonish creations (Z Is For Moose), and his wry visual humor throughout, most especially when blending classical and comic styles, including speech bubbles (Awful Ogre's Awful Day). For more of my reflections on picture books by Zelinsky, type his name in the search box and sit back to enjoy!

BONUS INFO....

***Beneath the jacket cover, the hard case front and back (under the paper jacket) presents a visual tale of this lively and lovely book, one that reminds both artist and audience that art is in the eye and talent of the artist, but also the eye and imagination of the beholder. Finding a way "in" to the art we view allows access to creativity and imagination. It's an opportunity to treasure, as is this book.

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.).

Another Look AT JOY!

Here's a brief post with a review to follow-up my previous post about summer fun, currently and in "the good old days", as recalled by Jacqueline Woodson. In that post I praise the recent THE WORLD BELONGED TO US and, slightly older, THE HULA-HOOPIN' QUEEN. Within those books and my notes are celebrations of PLAY and JOY. The circumstances in each are location- and time-specific, with both, in fact, set in densely urban city streets. The images are universal while  anchored in those specifics. Text and images effectively speak to Black-American audiences, and yet the aspirations and challenges apply to ANY child in any culture, (at least to those  living with the human right to play and grow naturally, not dealing with trauma, war, poverty and other disruptions in development.)

Candlewick, 2022

Follow those titles with an even MORE universal, affirming, and necessary picture book. This one presents illustrations and authors,  text to inspire and demonstrate the potential of every child, but specifically a girl child. In fact, a Black girl child. BLACK GIRL RISING is written by Brynne Barnes and illustrated by Tatyana Fazlalizadeh.

From the glowing cover art and expression, a lyrical, rhyming text embeds single name references to Black female icons in many fields. Lines issue challenges to the "girl" being addressed. A half-mocking voice mirrors phrasing that would have been used across centuries, confrontations directly issued to intimidate and belittle anyone who was getting "uppity", acting as if they were/might be talented, capable, beautiful, and in so many ways valuable! A sort of "Who do you think you are?" attack. As the names roll across the pages, so do the images, the every-Black-girl possibilities, including a variety of skin and hair tones and types, features, body shapes, and cultural dress. Expressions, too, are wide-ranging, not simply dreamy-eyed and positive. The illustrations and color pallet provide effective showcases for these variations, including the less-often seen images of "blue-purple, black-ruby-sapphire tones". 

Throughout all stanzas and double-page spreads there is strength, rhythm, and musicality that uplift while firmly anchoring the characters in sure-footed confidence. Various lines also blend Black-culture vocabulary in powerful patterns and unexpected ways:

"from your skin, your lips, your freckles, you're fade,

your fro, your naps, your dreads, your braids,

your  blowout, your kinks, your twists, your waves, 

your coils, so free and unafraid.

Who gave you a CROWN so wonderfully made?"

As I so often say, (many) picture books will find purpose and appeal across a wide range of ages. This would make an ideal gift book for a young girl about to enter school, or having a recital or performance of some kind, celebrating a landmark birthday, or even graduating. Just imagine the many generations of Black youth who received the time-honored SEUSS book for graduation instead of this. It's about time, I say. As for upper grade literature classes, use this to identify the remarkable array of authors mentioned and locate the words or references to iconic lines or titles or themes. For this lovely picture book my only suggestion would have been to provide that reference list in a single page back matter, citing full names and titles referenced

Please check it out and share it. And PLEASE DO not think it is "only" for Black audiences. 

Please. All children need diverse books, and diverse images about others.