HOPE Is a Thing With Wings... and Ears: RABBIT's FEAT

HIPPO PARK (Astra Books) 2025

Spring is the season of change, of hope, of... rabbits! Whether you welcome them or dread their nibbling intrusions in your gardens, rabbits are appealing and hard to resist. A new fiction picture book, RABBIT'S FEAT, created by author/illustrator Barney Saltzberg, is also appealing and utterly irresistible. (That sweet little title pun has a few punny partners within the text, but not enough to annoy the anti-pun-folks among us!)

This new book presents, on the cover, a simple but fantastic premise...Boulder is firmly anchored on a high ledge, not far from prickly Cactus that blooms only occasionally, as is often true for  cactus plants. The two have shared this exact desert space long enough to become "friends", and the text centers on their minimal dialogue. In only a few lines it's clear that boulder genuinely longs to get closer to witness those rare blooms more fully, and cactus dreams that would be possible. This central problem and ensuing discussions are  illustrated with warm, saturated desert-night colors. The text elicits empathy, even for inanimate, immovable objects.

 But wait...

A parallel VISUAL narrative is launched on the first page. Rabbit hears their conversation of friendship and longing, spring after spring, and understands that boulder and cactus are each incapable of moving. On that same opening spread is a butterfly, reappearing throughout each spread. Both the rabbit's awareness and the butterfly's presence symbolize that hope can be nurtured, even in seemingly hopeless situations. 

This essential wordless visual narrative is anything but stationary, revealing rabbit's attempts to move Boulder. Imagine that. Even with burtterfly's help, (imagine that, too) it seems a lost cause. But without evidence of movement, Boulder senses their efforts, imagines that a move just might be possible, that things might change.

Rabbit recruits support, and (spoiler) succeeds. The winners are kindness, team work, and science, and especially readers. 

Illustrations are a masterful blend of collage (using handmade papers) and soft-edged art with crisp rabbit character elements (eyes, nose, whiskers, claws) that enrich an appealing emotional story among the collaborators.

Harking back to my longtime soapbox, that the best of picture books offer value and meaning to readers of any age, this story made me think of so many current situations involving separation, longing, and seemingly hopeless situations. Throughout our country and in our own lives. Just sensing that someone, anyone, recognizes that longing, cares, and wants to help can make the struggle survivable, right? if those who want to help will recruit others, if they collaborate in creative thinking and energy, if even the slightest among them is valued and included, anything is possible.

Whether used intentionally as SEL text in support of dreams, hope, teamwork, empathy, and community, or as a fun intro to the power of levers and other simple machines, or simply to entertain and engage young audiences, RABBIT'S FEAT is a winner.

Meet WOMBAT, My New Best Friend!

 Think about the wombats you've met. 

What, you've never met a wombat? 

Truth be told, the only ones I've "met" have been in the pages of picture books and nonfiction books for young readers. There are some remarkable wombats in those pages, and I consider several of them "friends". 

PEACHTREE PUBLISHING, 2022

But then I got my hands on the very recent picture book release, WOMBAT SAID COME IN, written by the incredibly talented Carmen Agra Deedy and illustrated by the visual-narrative master storyteller Brian Lies.

Regular readers may notice that this is NOT nonfiction, which I've been immersed in since October as a Cybils Awards panelist in that category. I considered saving this post until late December when that process ends. 

Then I read WOMBAT SAID COME IN. 

Once. Twice. A half dozen times. 

I read the story first, noticing its serious subject matter  (an Australian wildfire forces animals to seek refuge). There's certainly nonfiction truth in that situation, truth that's likely (sadly) to occur again many times in the future. 

I read for craft next, a delightful narrative that uses prose storytelling with a rhyming refrain throughout. I was quickly chiming in at each repetition of the irresistible lines, as any young audiences will no doubt do. That includes reading the refrain with nuanced tone and attitude as the story progresses.

 That emotional nuance was my next focus in reading. These are anthropomorphized animal characters, Australian critters whose voices and patterns reflect their zoological and habitat realities. Each, though, (wombat, of course, and wallaby, kookaburra, platypus, koala, and sugar glider) reveals personality and behaviors that provide layers of humor and tension. Their behaviors and conversations  also reflect deeply universal feelings, responses, and complexities within families and friendships, ones that apply far beyond these specific animals and this situation. 

Finally I read the text once more, trying (unsuccessfully) to block out the remarkable illustrations that offer a complementary visual narrative that expands, enriches, and informs readers of the heart and the facts of this story. Eventually I resorted to typing the text and reading it separately for a last admiring look at how wonderfully it is written. 

Then, I dove deeply into the illustrations multiple times. In readings above I allowed the color tones, expressive faces, rich scenes, and lively actions to enhance the story as told by text. It was time to examine each page and spread closely, noting the choice and placement of the perfectly suited details to draw the audiences into the underground Australian life of WOMBAT. From the cover (look at that cover again, please!) anyone will recognize the artistic talent, skill. and affection Lies has for animal characters. Fans of his BATS books, MORE, and THE ROUGH PATCH will be pleased to meet this new collection of animal friends. 

Wombat's glance over his shoulder at his front door invites the reader to come right in to the story. End papers deserve more than a glance, opening with various paw/claw prints approaching Wombats welcome mat. The closing end papers suggest those same tracks walking away from the welcome mat, a gloriously subtle open and close to this story. A slightly ominous eye peeking out from a postal slot is followed by an inset image of a steaming mug (etched with an Australian bottle tree?) and a plate of cookies on the copyright page. There, a dedication from Deedy honors those who welcome refugees while the dedication from Lies celebrates friends who are masters of hospitality. The opening double spread after the title page reveals wombat in his comfortably decorated and maintained underground home, mug and plate in hand: A cozy light, bookcase, and furniture reassure us that the scorched and barren earth above ground is troubling, but not a threat to him. 

Before that page turns, a cry for help is heard, and wombat finds wallaby at his door, begging for refuge. Use your imagination for now to picture additional critters seeking aid from a friend, met each time by "Wombat said, "Come in!" then a rhymed refrain. Along the way the visual details are irresistible, including a cassowary (native bird) tea cozy, an Adelaide mug, a comfy chair with structural elements reminiscent of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, outback and fancy dress hats, and assorted Aussie-labeled open food containers. Wombat's country-style clothing suit him to a tee, though the portrait on his wall suggests he comes from more formal ancestry. 

These are only a few of the mindfully chosen, artfully rendered, and carefully situated details within the story that suggest Wombat's diminishing patience but bottomless wealth of goodwill and welcome, despite the many strains his "guests" impose. Every well-constructed story needs a satisfying conclusion, often followed by a bit of a surprise or twist. This new picture book provides those generously, in text and images. I won't spoil your reading with more than I've already provided, but you will ruin my day entirely if I've failed to get you to click a library hold or make a purchase to read and share this book.

Now I return to my nonfiction reading and assessments, but I intend to keep this book at hand for at least a few more weeks. Each time I crack the covers, or even glance at the front or back views, I smile and want to peruse it again. Wombat represents to me the better part of our nature, and certainly the aspects of my own nature that I need to nurture and practice more consistently. Welcoming those in need to share what we have, to recognize myself in their need, allows me to imagine myself having Wombat's heart. That's a goal worthy of my attention and effort. Yours, too?

Two Wordless Wonders: Something Special for Every Age

Candlewick Press, 2021

The creative pairing of author JonArno Lawson with illustrator Qin Leng was inspired. Both are listed as being residents of Toronto, but I tend to imagine them as being residents of a single mind. I first met their shared brilliance in OVER THE SHOP. This wordless book tells a gradually unfolding but complex story of the transformative power of openness, positivity, curiosity, and inclusion. A young girl lives with her curmudgeonly-grimaced older adult. He's likely, but not necessarily, her grandfather, and they reside together above his shop.They each seem well-established in daily routines, but with different demeanors. When making a stack of breakfast pancakes, his expression is as down-turned as it is when a cat intrudes on his grocery display outside the shop.The girl, however, is intrepidly intent on doing her own chores while noticing and engaging with the cat and other occurrences. She is NOT  relentlessly grinning or apparetnly a 'chipper" child, but is attentive, patient, and respectful of the space others need to feel safe. 

This, after multiple scenes, sets the stage for the "plot": a second residence above the store is available to rent. The apartment has little going for it, as the first potential renter (and reader) observes before making a speedy exit. Then a series of potential residents are shown coming... and quickly going. When a mixed-race young couple arrive, the owner's scowl is even deeper than usual, despite his obvious need for renters. The child intervenes, and he grudgingly concedes. A happy ending, I'd say.

But wait, the story is only half over. 

This is a transformative story, in which the young couple demonstrate gently that they are not only hardworking but eager, friendly, greeting even the fellow on the porch next door, who notes but does not respond to their greetings. As they dig into deep cleaning and restoration to a livable space, the girl joins in their effort, chasing away the hungry cat who threatens the birds nesting on the balcony. 

This is a highly realistic story. Change is not achieved overnight, but small signals of investment of care into the place gradually bear fruit. The tiny trail of cat tidbits that eventually play a role feel symbolic of the overall small steps leading to the gradual taming of the owner, celebrating the infectious power of caring, kindness, and community in warm and wonderful everyday acts.

Whew! Look at all those words up there! Lawson is a poet and poets use words very sparingly. ALL of the above words are mine. This poet, this master of the "just right word", managed to convey his story wordlessly! That means he somehow created and described all of this  in a way that allowed the illustrator ample space for her own creative interpretation, knowing the intent was a wordless story that captured his original creation. And Leng accomplished that with grace and nuance. Each time I "read" this story i note added visual details that enhance it further- from the setting details in the shop, residence, apartment, and neighborhood, to the clothing, body postures, and facial expressions of the central characters and the ones who appear only on a page or two. The story as a whole and in its particular parts and details is fantastic and offers something for every age. The same is true for this subtle and persuasive message.

Candlewick Press, 2022

Their second wordless collaboration is A DAY FOR SANDCASTLES. This, too, displays the nuance and visual appeal of OVER THE SHOP, but takes a very simple premise and conveys a full emotional arc in a circle story about a family day at the beach. A family alights from a tour bus unloading eager beachgoers. The adults set up at the edge of dunes, while the three children head to water's edge to build a sandcastle. Time after time they achieve, or nearly achieve, that goal, only to suffer setbacks from many angles (not just the predictable incoming tide). In this story the fun is in those visual details, noting subtle cues, predicting what could come next, imagining what they will do now (or what the reader might decide to do!). But then ... several factors in quick succession send them all back aboard the bus for a weary but satisfying sunset ride home. It's hard to imagine a more perfect purely-summer picture book! 

Once again, I wondered just what words Lawson might have used to set the stage for these remarkably familiar yet specific and fascinating  images, revealed in a  combination of full spreads, horizontal panels, and comic-style quick sequences. Whatever they were, and whatever editor and/or art director orchestrated these two wordless/visual narratives, they achieved timeless brilliance with both. 

Lawson has paired with other illustrators, notably with Sydney Smith in the multi-award-winning wordless book, SIDEWALK FLOWERS. That's a favorite of mine, one I featured in an earlier post while serving as a Cybils panelist a few years ago:

"This wordless book uses color, detail, subtle facial and body expressions in black/white illustrations with the spot color contrast to lead readers through an emotionally complex story. It is accessible to the very young but offers content to spark potentially intense discussions at any age about relationships, personal expression, and pursuing that often-referenced "in the moment" awareness in daily life."

It was this picture book that alerted me to Lawson, and I've been delighted with where that attention has led. I hope that my small spotlight on these books will bring them to your attention, too, and you'll share them with others!  Wordless books, like these, are accessible to the very young, but carry meaning for every age.