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Great Children's Books with the Flavor of Great Britain!

7/3/2020

Why do we Americans love the UK so much? What is it about Europe that's just so alluring? A thousand things--the accents, the languages, the phrasing and funny-isms, the history, the art, the culture, the food, the fascinating people, the Marmite. Well, okay, not so much the Marmite...But we all love--or would love--to travel overseas at the drop of a hat (or $5,000!!! Choke!), right?

Since not many of us have the budget, or the green flag for travel at present (to jump the pond this summer), how about we revel in a few fantastic children's books that all have English connections, shall we? Let's!

1) Clever Jack Takes the Cake,
Written by Candace Fleming,
Illustrated by Brian G. Karas

Don’t laugh, this first book isn't even written or illustrated by a creative from the UK. But…hold on to your seats...once you've read this one, you’ll gain a smacking of timelessness that generally comes from stories originating in dear Old England--a feeling, rather, or a conjuring-up of the old world, that usually comes from reading Grimm’s Fairytales.

And this story, has an ending that's so fresh, it could be cut straight from your own heavenly lilac bush.

The story is replete with details of sleeping woods--laced with whispering winds--and four-and-twenty-blackbirds who descend to pluck walnuts off the buttery icing on the cake that a young boy sacrificed his all to bake, as a birthday gift for the princess.

The prose of Clever Jack Takes the Cake uses onomatopoeia of the satisfying variety--like that of the “pfft!” sound that candles make when sputtering out.

Better yet, this is the type of book to spark luscious one-liners for all ages! In fact, phrases from this book just might pop up at the most wonderful moments.

Occasionally a body or two around our table in Maine has been known to select a perfectly gorgeous strawberry (possibly even from our own scraggily patch in the garden--not worthy to be pictured below--the tidy rows below are from the "pick-your-own" fields at Gillespie Farms nearby), only to say, “The reddest, juiciest, most succulent strawberry in the land!”

Juice-a-licious!

For a fun run-down on the plot of Clever Jack Takes the Cake,
check out this link from the Children’s Book Review:

https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/weblog/2011/01/review-clever-jack-takes-the-cake.html

Other fantastic resources to enjoy, after sharing Clever Jack Takes the Cake with your kids, can be found here:

The illustrator’s website: https://www.gbriankaras.com/aboutme.html#top
The author’s website: https://www.candacefleming.com/video/video.html

2) That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown,
Written by Cressida Cowell,
Illustrated by Neal Layton

Likely, if you're reading this book review, you're already familiar with the first in the Emily Brown series. But on the slightest chance that you're not, I am writing this post JUST. FOR. YOU! This witty story is so cleverly-written, and so satisfying to read, that the only way to not slaughter its charm...is for you to experience it firsthand for yourself.

So, you absolutely must click on the link below to watch the author (a.k.a. Waterstones Children's Laureate [2019-2022]) read aloud from her "shed" in the bottom of her garden in London:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OOk7jWdWm8

(Pssst...click on the link above, not the screenshot photo below, to watch. It's SOOOO fun! And talk about a dream studio for any artist...I will not covet. I will not covet. I will not covet...)

Cressida Cowell is not only fabulously endearing (as you saw above in her online reading of one of the most fun contemporary children's books available), but her stories are engaging enough, to keep parents wanting to read them again and again in their best goofy faux-British accents. (We all secretly-wish we spoke in a clean, crisp British dialect, don't we?
Admit it. I will. Our own American nasal tones are pretty blech.

I wonder if in heaven we'll be able to Britspeak, or perhaps sound like Aussies(?), if we so desire upon having lived a good life? I better start stepping things up...just in case. (Matt could speak with a Scottish brogue--he does play the bagpipes, after all--and I could speak like I grew up in the Lake District.

3) The Sherlock Files #1
The 100-Year-Old Secret,
Written by Tracy Barrett

Unusual in feel, this book is a pleasantly-innocuous, London-based mystery. My kids and I have listened to the audio version at least three or four times over the last decade.

With all that re-listening, how is it then, that I only recently noticed the "Book 1" part of the title?! Honestly, Einstein! After awakening to this fact last week, we just checked out numbers two, three, and four of the series from the library, and the kids are happily devouring them. Yay!

That being said, I did just come across reviews of the second book, warning that volume two smacks of “Scooby Doo.” (I admittedly adored Scooby Doo as a kid…but any reader in their right mind would deflate instantly upon finding out the swamp monster really was the unmasked butler of the old mansion for the twenty-third time—in a series of books that are totally unrelated with the Hanna-Barbera cartoon!) Still, I can hardly wait to read the whole series as I do love book one.

But, back to the first book in the series, The 100-Year-Old Secret, is written well enough that it can stand alone. Had I all the money for books I wanted, I would easily buy the hard copy to keep on the shelves for any age of my children to read. Nothing creepy, morbid, or crass in this book. Just a wholesome mystery to crack the case of a centuries-old missing painting. Oooh, ooh--art is involved. Yes!

The premise of the cute tweens, Xander and Xena (the matching names may be a bit cheesy, but hey…), picking up where their ancestor, Sherlock Holmes, left off—to solve the case of the missing painting of the girl in the purple hat, sucked me right in. (Perhaps because the first portrait for which I ever had someone pose, was when I was eleven years-old, and my neighbor buddy, Emo Snell Lloyd, humored me by sitting for me on my family’s back steps--wearing a wide brimmed Easter hat.) So this book just struck my soft spot--of wanting to be an artist as a little girl.

Here’s a link to the Looking Glass Review to give you a more thorough synopsis of beloved book one in the series:

http://lookingglassreview.com/books/the-sherlock-files-the-100-year-old-secret/

4) Kat, Incorrigible,
Written by Stephanie Burgis,
Illustrated by Annette Marnat

If you’re always longing for more of the lusciously-satisfying details of JK Rowling’s world-building, and bask in the fast-paced repartee of sisterly banter in Jane Austen’s works...then Stephanie Burgis’s Kat, Incorrigible series is the perfect intersection for you. And the three of my kids who’ve read this series LOVED it—including one son.

This is a book I've seen those three fans pick up multiple times.

Really, how could one resist a trilogy set in the (Regency Era) English countryside, taking place in a parsonage with three sisters who squabble so realistically, that one almost remembers her own childhood quarrels?

But the genius of these books is that even though the siblings bicker, they ALWAYS stick up for each other when the chips are down. They have each other's backs. This family is so life-like, the reader lives on the page through Kat and her wiser (Elissa), and sassier (Angeline), older sisters.

But Kat's personality has enough grit and spunk that she ends up helping her older sisters to extract themselves from a dodgy betrothal and loads of mischief. As a reviewer named Leslie D. says, Kat can be "frightfully intuitive and woefully ignorant" enough to keep us turning pages at lightning speed.

Not to mention that the details of the Regency era magic (think a magic reticule bag) make a great escape. If you have a reader who loved Harry Potter, and will some day get lost in Jane Austen, this book will probably be a hit.

Here’s Goodreads’ spiel on the plot:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6609744-kat-incorrigible

And if you’d like to read a really fantastic take on the book, go to School Library Journal’s Fuse 8 Book Review at:

http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2011/04/15/review-of-the-day-kat-incorrigible-by-stephanie-burgis/

5) The Giants and the Joneses,
Written by Super Star Julia Donaldson,
Illustrated by Greg Swearingen

After my oldest daughters gobbled up this book years ago, it sat on the shelves for years, waiting...waiting...for my youngest two girls, ages six and nine. They just discovered it, and it makes my heart twirl!

Fair Warning: This book teaches kids how to speak in Groilish, or Giantese. Be aware that after a few days of reading, your child may begin to substitute in a few words of Groilish for their own language, and look at you slyly for signs of feeling out whether or not you know of the language they speak also. It's highly entertaining to watch a six year-old speak a foreign language to you with an empowered, savvy smile! I know something my parents don't! (Oh, just wait kids, after you surpass my educational knowledge in the fifth grade--you'll everything know everything I don't!)

This book has a few sweet lessons about doing unto others what you would have them do unto you. Julia Donaldson has a good mind for slipping a moral or two into her books to educate the next generation.

And if you're not previously familiar with the work of Ms. Donaldson, these are my personal favorite of hers:

• Charlie Cook’s Favorite Book
• Tabby McTat
• The Room on the Broom
• The Highway Rat (a nod to the old poem, "The Highway Man"--yes, the very one that Anne Shirley recites in Anne of Green Gables. AND...the prose in the picture book can be sung with your kids to the melody of Loreena McKennitt's "The Highway Man" song from the album below. Fun, fun, fun!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGFo0xn4JeY

Here are a few other collaborations between Ms. Donaldson and Axel Scheffler:
• A Gold Start for Zog
• The Gruffalo
• The Gruffalo’s Child
• Tiddler
• Superworm

And Ms. Donaldson's latest books (The last on the list, The Smeds and the Smoos, sounds like it was heavily influenced by Dr. Seuss--in creative word usage, rhyme, and the fact that it carries an agenda--think The Lorax, but about discrimination and blind prejudice):

• The Scarecrow’s Wedding
• The Smeds and the Smoos
• Zog and the Flying Doctors

The video below of Zog and the Flying Doctors is read by the most adorable young British voice (worth watching with a little person if you can't find the book):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYrB2UH0Yyc

6) Malala's Magic Pencil
Written by Malala Yousafzai,
Illustrated by Kerascoët

This relevant picture book biography of everyone's young Pakistani heroine, Malala Yousafzai (who still seeks refuge in England), brings a potent message of hope. Her words share with young children everywhere, that one person standing up for what they believe in, can sweep the world with change.

I spoke for all the girls in my valley who couldn't speak for themselves. My voice became so powerful, that the dangerous men tried to silence me. But they failed.

And now my voice is louder than ever, and together, we make a chorus--standing up together for what we believe--raising our voices for those in need.

Help people in danger, even if they are an ocean away! Think of the world as a family.

One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world."

Malala captures the imaginations of children right out of the gate--with her real-life childhood longing to have a magic pen that could draw up a bowl of rice, or erase the smell of the garbage heap outside her window.

You know the story. Later, as Malala grows, and sees the tyrannical leaders of her home town prevent girls from attending school, she begins to understand that she doesn't need a magic pen to make a change, she just needs to write with the one she already has--of her beliefs that all human beings deserve the right to an education.

For a read-aloud of this powerfully poignant and hopeful picture book,
enjoy this with your family below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSrC-GNbjQg

And to see Malala's beautifully-sincere acceptance speech as the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize at age 22, go here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2DHzlkUI6s

"I'm pretty certain, that I'm also the first recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize who still fights with her younger brothers. I want there to be peace everywhere. But my brothers and I are still working on that."

Well, every month, I say to myself, "This month, I'm going to write the quickest, simplest book review yet." And then I proceed to blether on absolutely far too much until you're completely gob-smacked by my barminess.

Did you like my use of fun words from the UK? I know. I'm a geek. Even more so, I hope you enjoy the books from the review.

Now, return the favor by going to the comments below, and please tell me which books about British characters, or written by English authors you love the most? Children's books, or adult, I'd love to hear from you about your favorite titles...

So, go be a bookworm, not unlike this slug enjoying his breakfast. Curl up and devour some of the best books! "Shloouuuup!"

Have a glorious summer, friends!

Love,
Emily

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Virtual Road Trip with Audio Books! For the Best of Times and the Worst of Times...

6/5/2020

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Charles Dickens coined it best in the opening lines of A Tale of Two Cities with:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, …”

Two hundred and fifty years after the fictional Charles Darnay chooses to live in England--because he can't bear to be surrounded by the cruel injustices of the French social system, here we are--facing the prejudice of our own country that we thought we'd battled ourselves first in the Civil War, and next in the 1950's and 60's with desegregation.

As our world spins out of control around the globe with racial injustice, protests and looting, a halted economy, and fear of the still-unknown dangers of this strange pandemic, I thought we might take a mental and emotional road trip.

Ahhhhh...Fresh air brings a clean-slate of a perspective! Breathe in the summertime breezes blowing through your rolled-down virtual car window. And make a stop in Portland Maine to step inside the childhood home of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Now imagine you're sitting in Longfellow's family sitting room, overlooking the courtyard gardens, sandwiched between two tall buildings in the cobblestoned-port city. The mist settles about the trunks of trees and lupine foliage as a storm brews overhead. Can't you almost just hear our young thirty-four year-old Henry scratching out the words,

"Into each life some rain must fall.
Some days must be dark and dreary."

Henry is aching over his first wife's death.

And yet another writer whom we all know and love equally understood that sorrow so keenly by saying,

“The pain I feel now is the happiness I had before. That's the deal.” (C.S. Lewis)

I was reminded of this line at the recent funeral of a beloved uncle. And because for most of us, that metaphorical rain is still falling out in some way or another, and may continue to do so for a while, there won't be many real, physical road trips this summer of 2020. And that's okay. How about then, if we send our minds on an escape instead?

Here are some beautiful summer recommendations that aren't really escapist, but rather a juicy ethical feast:

1) The Running Dream,
Written By: Wendelin Van Drannen,
Narrated by Laura Flanagan

You may have read this book, but have your kids listened to the audio version? All six of mine were GLUED to this story! In fact, it made the child on dish duty (no matter the age from six to seventeen) jump right up after a meal to start loading dishes so they could hear what Jessica was going to go through next after having her leg amputated.

I've listened to this audio book probably four or five times since it came out in 2011. There's just so much meat to think about and discuss, when facing a story full of opposition to overcome. And the author nails the character development for teens on its stubborn head.

This is the type of story that all of us need to hear. So we can remember that we can overcome hard, dark situations in life. Just by working through the next small step, even when it's painful, we can push forward. Jessica's character in this story reminds us that hundreds, and thousands, of baby steps line the path to achieving big goals. Goals take time. Days, months, years. Decades. And if they're really worth it? A lifetime.

Here's Goodreads' synopsis of the plot:

Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She's not comforted by the news that she'll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run?

As she struggles to cope with crutches and a first cyborg-like prosthetic, Jessica feels oddly both in the spotlight, and invisible. People who don't know what to say, act like she's not there. Which she could handle better if she weren't now keenly aware that she'd done the same thing herself to a girl with Cerebral Palsy named Rosa. A girl who is going to tutor her through all the math she's missed. A girl who sees right into the heart of her.

With the support of family, friends, a coach, and her track teammates, Jessica may actually be able to run again. But that's not enough for her now. She doesn't just want to cross finish lines herself—she wants to take Rosa with her.

Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award

Here's a fantastically-sympathetic interview clip with the persistent Wendelin Van Draanen. She radiates hope and a can-do attitude: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Revi1nl4dg

2) Les Miserables,
Written by Victor Hugo,
accessed free on Librivox.org

Have you ever tried to push through the mammoth tome of Les Miserables, only to hit the brick wall of the war chapters? I've been stymied by them twice. Almost thrice. :)

I even tried checking out the audiobook from the library years ago, then came to the same dry recounting of the Napoleonic wars, and Zzzzzzzz...felt I was facing the front lines with a short saber instead of a bayonet or rifle.

Maybe it just took having a daunting commission last year, with hours of uninterrupted painting time ahead of me, to get through that spot in the story. Or...hearing the audio book on LibriVox! The scenes of Napoleon's downfall actually turned into one of the tenderest parts of the story for me after Napoleon's personality was fleshed out at his up-seating.

Who knew? The history building up to the French Revolution came alive in my mind for the first time ever (well, at least since falling under the spell of The Scarlet Pimpernel when my older college-going brother introduced Percival Blakeney to me and my best friend and sisters as young teens. "Cool!")

And the chapters describing the saintlike priest who forgives Jean Val Jean--showing him mercy and kindness for a second chance on life, and in God's eyes--more than worth the read!

So back to LibriVox. What is it, a few of young'uns might be wondering?

For starters--free audio books! Just as the Latin name implies: "Libri"=free, "Vox"=voice, hence, "free voice." The purpose of Librivox is: "To make all books in the public domain available, for free, in audio format on the internet."

What's included in the public domain, you might ask? Well, the Electronic Frontier Foundation says,

"In general, works published after 1977 will not fall into the public domain until 70 years after the death of author, or, for corporate works, anonymous works, or works for hire, 95 years from the date of publication or 120 years from the date of creation, whichever expires first."

Which boils down to this: Les Mis is read for free. For you. To enjoy. Since it was published 158 years ago, and its copyright belongs now to the people. Because of this...

"Do you hear the people sing, singing the songs of happy men (and women, and children!)? It is the music of the people who will not be charged again!" Ha ha!

Just joking around. But here's the catch. LibriVox Works on volunteer fuel. That means that people all over the world record one chapter at a time. So when I listened to Les Miserables last year, one chapter would be read (for instance) from the viewpoint of Marius by a male's Australian voice. Then the next chapter (from the viewpoint of Cosette), would be read by a female British voice. And then the next chapter from the view of Eponine, would be read by a female American voice. And so on...

This unusual mash-up of readers makes for an adventure. At first, I wasn't sure if I was going to like the hodge-podge of volunteer voices. But actually, I was pleasantly surprised by how the readers seemed to fit the chapters they narrated. Don't know how that worked out...Or maybe I just grew used to the readers and their excellent quirks.

Below is a pic of the chapter by chapter format for listening. You don't even have to download a thing. Just go to the website when you have time to listen...the hardest part is remembering on what "SECTION" you left off between listens (tip--write it down on a log) and squeeze in more free classics when you have time!

Here's the link to a random chapter, below, of Les Miserables if you want to see what you're in for:

http://ia803109.us.archive.org/32/items/les_mis_vol01_0810_librivox/lesmiserables_vol1_33_hugo.mp3

So, if you want to hear the Dickens, Bronte, or more classics per month than your audio book provider allows for your budget, LibriVox is a fantastic, FREE option, or addition, to your audio-listening habits. Happy "hearing of the people sing," to you!

3) The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate,
Written by Jacqueline Kelly,
narrated by Natalie Ross

If you couldn't get enough of Jacqueline Kelly's rock-solid storytelling in her first book, Newbery Honor Award-winning The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, but didn't realize a second installment slipped under the door in 2015, then this is your story.

The audio narration by Natalie Ross is fantastic--she does an especially great job of portraying Calpurnia's Mark Twainesque grandfather with just the right amount of austerity and gentleness.

As a side-note, I still feel that some resolution with Calpurnia's aversion to domestic skills needs to be addressed in a third volume by Ms. Kelly. Perhaps if Calpurnia goes off to medical school, she'll realize that even veterinarians need to know how to cook for themselves--if they don't want to slog through fried eggs and oatmeal for every dish.

And hopefully Ms. Kelly could enlighten Calpurnia to the fact that the sacrificing of one's passions to stop daily (for some of us that's two or three times daily, right?) to prepare food for others, is one of the most vital acts a body can do to continue progression for all, and service to others. (..."when ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God." -Mosiah 2:17, The Book of Mormon).

I mean, if there's one thing we have all learned from CoVid-19, it's how much we DEPEND on hard-working people in the food service industry--produce and dairy farmers, grocers, butchers, bakers, and truck drivers. Thank you every one, for making the world's food happen every day!

So Calpurnia, wake up and smell the hot cocoa (which you need to know how to heat up yourself)!

But as much as Calpurnia's character loathes domestic duties, she's helped my own family find sanity, even joy (hear that, Callie V.?!), while cooking because of her antics. The irony! The stories of Calpurnia dreading to be taught by SanJuanna to whip up egg-whites by hand somehow make it easier for me to do that very act--all while hearing her complain about it. Go figure. We can do hard things. Cooking is not hard. Just tedious, sometimes. Right?

Enter audiobooks.

The author here, gives us a look at what went into preparing a single meal for a large family from the side of those who did all the grunt work behind closed kitchen doors. Calpurnia curiously wonders at the efforts, lifestyle, and workload of the people who really keep the show going for her family each day. We see highlights of:

SanJuanna: The Tate family maid who reminds us what employment was like for so many women of color for so many eras.
Alberto: The Tate family helper, and husband to SanJuanna, who's considered a shadow--as he's always there to help, but not considered to have a life of his own. And...
Viola: The Tate family's sassy cook and the one who really controls everyone's mood with making sure meals are on time, on the dot.

I may never know or understand what hardships so many oppressed peoples have gone through, but even reading fictionalized accounts, can give us a flavor or appreciation.

4) Beatrix Potter: Artist, Storyteller,
and Countrywoman,
Written by Judy Taylor,
Narrated by Patricia Routledge

(Maybe I just soaked up every word of this biography as I love Beatrix Potter so much that I named one of my children after her. Or maybe Ms. Potter just lead a very intriguing life? Either way, this bio is delightful. And a read that older children will enjoy/endure hearing as well.

Audible carries it, and if you liked the movie "Miss Potter," or "Peter Rabbit," I think you'll dig the audio bio that covers Beatrix's courageous battles to preserve 4,000 acres of rural farmland and countryside which she gifted to the National Trust upon her death in 1943, as well as 14 farms. Beatrix Potter was truly a forward-thinking woman, artist, illustrator, sheep-breeder, and conservationist.

,
Besides, this audio bio is narrated in a lovely, British, school-marmy accent...Can't wait for you to gobble it up faster than the Flopsy bunnies did those soporific lettuces in Mr. McGregor's garden.

(Talk about rabbit holes...that milky juice that oozes from a lettuce stem after being cut fresh from the garden, turns out to be not just be a clever literary ploy on Ms. Potter's part to make her bunnies sleep after all. http://thetanglednest.com/2009/06/soporific-salads-and-lettuce-opium/ I always thought that white bleeding from the spiky stem of the lettuces was weird--now I know it wasn't just my own gardening misadventures gone awry. "What kind of spiky, milk-bleeding monster lettuce is this, anyway?!")

5) Interview with the Robot,
Written by Lee Bacon,
Narrated by a Fabulous Full Cast

This is not my typical genre of book. But if you thought Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card was fun (but didn't revel in the swears--totally unnecessary!), then you'll love the smooth writing and curiously-clean plot of Interview with the Robot. Really, if you're reading this review, you're the type who will dig this story.

In fact, I think anyone would find this book fascinating. My youngest son turned it on to help him get through his afternoon chores each day, and the whole family just happened to hang out where he was listening--for several days...oh, until about the time the book ended. It's that good! Even my oldest girls and husband lingered to hear. If one of us missed a few minutes, we'd ask questions to get caught up to speed.

This cutting-edge story is perfect for any age, but especially tweens! The intriguing plot makes your mind wonder about the ethics of recreating life in robotic form. Plus, the sweet friendship between the two main characters is utterly charming here. Definitely worth a listen if you are an audible subscriber! We loved this book. More like it, please?!

6) The Great Brain,
Written by John D. Fitzgerald,
Illustrated by the Inimitable Mercer Mayer

I think many of us can remember either having this series of books being read to us as children, or coming across them on the library shelves at some point during adolescence. Did you? Can you recall that? Comment below, if you have childhood memories of these books...I'd love to hear about it...

So my husband and I often checked out these audio cassettes (that's how old we are!) for long-distance car rides when our oldest three kids were younger. But now it's time to introduce these classics to our youngest three. The funny thing is, I went to pull the first book in the series off the shelf last night, only to find that the second and third books were missing.

Hmmm...I asked my husband about it, and while I was in the little girls' bedroom reading the first book to the six and nine year-old, he was in our bedroom reading the third book to our eleven and thirteen year-old. Ha ha! Great (brain) minds think alike. I guess it just feels like this is a unique time in the world when we can slow down and empathize with what a simpler, old-fashioned life was like. Not to say it was perfect. There were ills and misguided ideas in that era too. But reading about the past helps us re-evaluate our "family-functioning" (or not-so-functioning, depending on the day!) today--to see where we may have gone wrong, or what we can do better...

Here's one of the best reviews (from Goodreads, naturally) that I've come across to describe the caliber of solid writing in a children's book. It made me laugh as my youngest just did (last night, while hearing book two) exactly what this reviewer describes his son doing while listening to these stories:

I've read a lot of books to my son. A lot. The Hobbit, all three books of The Lord of the Rings, the Narnia books, Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain, six or seven of the original Doctor Dolittle books, several Three Investigators books, and far more. And he's loved almost all of them (I selected them carefully, from the books I loved best as I child and teen).

But so far, I think he loves the Great Brain series best.

Partly, I think that because they're so accessible. John D. Fitzgerald writes about his semi-fictionalized younger self in the true voice of a child - and that's quite an accomplishment. When his brother insults the father of a friend, the young John D. tells us that he has visions of that man coming down the street after them with a butcher knife. That's not the sort of language that most modern publishers allow in books for children, I believe, but it's how children think - some of the time. And over and over, as I was reading The Great Brain to my son, he'd stop me and ask me if the book really said what I'd just read.

You see, I sometimes can't resist adding a humorous comment or line now and then in some books - always, however, immediately admitting that the book didn't really say that. For this book I didn't add a word - but many of the passages in the book were so funny that my son suspected that I'd added them. I had to show him the lines in the book to convince him!

He pretty much had a huge grin on his face the whole time that I was reading. When I'd finish a chapter, he'd hold my arm and beg for another one. I can't think of higher praise for a book for children.

Each chapter in this book is a self-contained story, written in a beautifully straightforward style that some have compared to that of Mark Twain. John D. Fitzgerald (the author, as you'll note) chronicles his childhood as the younger brother of the infamous Great Brain, the greatest kid swindler in town. He is, of course, frequently the victim of the Great Brain.

In fact the Great Brain is pretty much a complete jerk, as we all noticed fairly quickly. But the stories are so entertaining that it doesn't matter.

A warning: the original edition and most later reissues are perfectly illustrated by Mercer Meyer. For some insane and inexplicable reason, there are a few editions out there that have been re-illustrated by other artists. This makes about as much sense as replacing the classic Tenniel illustrations in Alice In Wonderland (which has, of course, also been done. What were they thinking?).

Another point: the story begins in 1896. Although the town has electricity and street lights, one of the stories features the installation of the first flush toilet in town. It's hysterical, but it's also a great opportunity to explain something about history to young children in a way that they'll enjoy and remember.

All in all, a deeply enjoyable classic.
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And... just in case you haven't read or watched it yet, here's :

• Bonus Book/Movie Recommendation #1):

Stargirl,
Written by the brilliant Jerry Spinelli

Hopefully you've already been spellbound by the magic of this unusual book. I've been waiting for years to share it with my own kids, and now that they're finally old enough to enjoy it, it's out as a movie! Ha! I'd better have them read it quick!

My oldest daughter was woken up by a fox circling the chicken coop last week at 4:30a.m., and couldn't fall back asleep after shooing it away. So she went downstairs, turned on this movie, and was swept away before early-morning seminary!

The story is an uplifting reminder to find joy in who we are, let go of fear to make room for friendship, and open our eyes to the situations of those around us.

Here's a link to the fun movie trailer (aimed at the high school crowd, and a great movie for parents and teens to see together--though a certain thirteen year-old I know may scream from the gross factor of two innocent kisses...):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br-CdxgxAvY&vl=en

And for me personally to learn more of what I need to understand about the history what it's like to be someone in the minority in America, while navigating this unsettling day and age, here's a title long overdue on my to-read list:

• Bonus Book/Movie Recommendation #2):

Chains (Seeds of America #1),
Written by Laurie Halse Andersen

My two oldest daughters thought it was definitely worthwhile. Having loved Ms. Andersen's book Fever, I'm pretty confident this one will be a poignant reminder of what I have yet to learn to understand what freedom really means. For all. Not just half, nor some, but equality for ALL of God's children.

Here's what good old Goodreads has to say:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3002300-chains?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=YG3FcbFb70&rank=3

They may be different colors, but inside their chemical make up is the same. They both want their days to glow in the sun.

Please, share with me in the comments below, which books have helped YOU make it through the most uncertain times. And which books have made the biggest impact on your heart and mind to understand the roads others tread.

Sincerely,
one heavy-hearted bookworm buddy--Emily

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Interview with author Andrea Cluff...

5/8/2020

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Author Andrea Cluff

ER: Hi, Andrea! As a busy mom of four active kids, how did you find time to write Joshua Little and the Leaves? And was there an incident with one of your own children that inspired the story?

AC: Joshua Little and the leaves was not inspired by any incidents with my own children. In fact, it was written before any of them were born.

Ever since moving out to Utah for school, I had lived close to my sister, Melanie. And when her twins were born I would bike to their house by the Provo Temple after my last class on BYU campus to help out with the babies. Consequently, their children James and Joshua were a big part of my life.

My nephew, Joshua, was about 3 at the time that I wrote the book. He had discovered how fun it was to play in the leaves and...my sister...had bought a new camera and taken lots of pictures of [him]. They were darling photos and I have a tender spot in my heart for Fall because of my years growing up in Maine, and...my birthday is in October. So pictures of my nephew in vibrant piles of leaves combined with my love of Fall is how it all started.

Joshua has grown up every bit as creative and resourceful as the character in my book though. Even as a very young child he would ask questions like “do turkeys have ears?” He has also always been a doer and a builder. One year for Christmas his parents just gave him lumber. Now, even Though he is still only fifteen years-old, he's already worked on a framing crew and builds everything from sheds, outhouses, and horse jumps, to dirt bikes..."

ER: What did you study in school, and how did that influence your interest for writing children's picture books?

AC: I majored in English and minored in German. I also worked in the publication lab at Brigham Young University where local authors would bring in their work and we would help them research markets for their writing and the submission process.

As a result I read and wrote a ton in college. And I saw everyday people writing and submitting their work for publication. It was encouraging. One time I also met with a local children’s book author, Rick Walton, to learn about how he got started. I discovered that he wrote a lot of stuff other than picture books to support his family.

These experiences made me think it was possible to write and publish my own work, but I would say my upbringing also had a hand in influencing me. [My] mom read to us every day. There were plenty of books at home and library trips were frequent. I enjoy many kinds of literature (novels, poetry, plays, philosophy, short stories, essays) but picture books have always been special to me. I never outgrew them.

...Even in high school my mom subscribed to "Cricket Magazine" which was filled with illustrated short stories. In college, when school got especially stressful, sometimes I would go to the library or the bookstore on campus and just plop down for ten to twenty minutes to de-stress with a pile of picture books.

Sometimes that was my date choice when looking for someone to marry. And even now, I mostly check picture books out of the library. I don’t think I will ever get tired of them. And my kids will probably be the same way. When I sit down to read to my toddler, it isn’t long before all three older ones crowd around to listen and see the pictures too :-)

ER: Do you have much time for writing at all now that your hands are so full?

AC: Life has only gotten busier and more demanding the more children I have. Ironically, even though we aren’t running around to appointments or sports or school, it feels even more so with COVID 19 since they are all home all the time and I am now the home school teacher too :-)

Sometimes I am able to spend time writing, but It is really rare. I simply don’t have much free time at all any more since so much of it goes to meeting [my kids'] needs and helping them develop their talents now or simply giving them my time to show them how much I love them.

The most important things in your life are what get your time. For me that includes scriptures, family meals, practicing instruments, reading, one-on-one snuggles at bedtime and all the necessary things that get put in between all that like house hold chores, school and work. Consequently, a lot of things that I really love (like writing, art, quilting etc.) are just on hold at the moment.

I look forward to the day when I have a bit more of my own time back, but for now I am trying to enjoy all the little ones around me while they are home 24/7.

In fact, without Jake (my husband) Joshua Little and the Leaves might never have gone from being a manuscript to a published book.

ER: Thanks, Andrea, for sharing your fabulous story! One ending note of interest for our readers...Andrea mentioned on the phone that if it hadn't been for her husband coming across her old manuscript in a desk drawer, the book wouldn't be in children's hands and on library shelves today.

So kudos to Jake Cluff, for saying, "Hey, Andrea, what about that old manuscript of yours, do you want to publish it, or what?" Supportive spouses make the world a happier place, one writer, one picture book at a time. Thanks to my own good husband, Matthew, for encouraging me to write... instead of going crazy.

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A Garden Plot of Picture Books...

5/1/2020

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As there's nothing quite like the contentment that comes from working a "bit of earth" (as Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary from The Secret Garden calls it), I'm sharing six books this month about the pleasure of gardening. I think we could all use an escape from cabin fever about now...

1) Joshua Little and the Leaves,
Written by Andrea Cluff,
Illustrated by Evgeniya Pautova

When I set this book--atop a stack of others--on my youngest daughter's bed, she jumped up (no exaggeration), and said, "OOOOH! I love that book! It's so funny! Can we read it right now?!"

Wow! Impressive that one "little" story made such an indelible mark on my child's book-loving soul.

So we did read it. And she was right. It's charming! Yes, I know it's not the right season to share a book about leaves falling when the buds are just starting to push up. But the whole point of Joshua Little and the Leaves, is that change can be enjoyed--through every season of life. Even when at first we don't understand, or even like it!

And so fitting a story for little people who don't quite understand why life is changing as it has, from whatever this crazy virus has thrown at them. This book can be a great segue into a conversation about how life alters--when we least expect it. But there are some things we can do to prepare, or to cope. Like play with those we love. (As depicted by Joshua and his mama below...)

Beyond all the serious talk, this book is simple, but graceful. The flow of the text's rhythm and fresh, computer-generated illustrations remind me of Ludwig Bemelmans' Madeline...but with a cool 2.0 retro nod.

The illustrations are not overworked. Evgeniya Pautova, how did you make such a lovable little mop-of-a-Scottie dog with so few strokes? And Andrea Cluff, thanks for making the world a better place with one sweet "Little" story.

Readers, check back in one week, on Friday May 8th, to enjoy a mini-interview with author
Andrea Cluff as she answers questions about the inspiration behind her book and the road to self-publishing Joshua Little and the Leaves!

2)Anna's Garden Songs,
Poems by Mary Q. Steele,
Illustrations by Lena Anderson

So I happily stumbled upon this golden treasure at our local GoodWill last summer. Where has this book been all of my life?!! It was published forever ago, apparently! How is it not more widely printed? Painted by the same illustrator as Linnea in Monet's Garden, these watercolors are magic.

If you have a green thumb, these illustrations--paired with cleverly-silly poems--are a dream for every vegetable-pushing parent. See for yourself...

"Peas you sow in early May
Will clamber up a curly way
And bloom for you some pearly day
When rain comes down a swirly way.

And when the sun comes out to shine
Pods will grow about the vine
And fatten up--all stout and fine.

Then what delicious peas there'll be
For you to eat--and me! and me!"

That poem is almost as sweet as a crunchy June pea right off a June vine. Now if only our chickens didn't eat all of ours! Argh! Not so much free-ranging this summer, I'm thinking...(The garden-ravaging stinkers!)

Unfortunately, my kids will completely empathize with this cheeky rhyme:

"I do not think I'll eat
This beet.
Too much of it is red,
Too much of it is head.
I do not think I'll eat
This beet."

Two of my kids chose potatoes for their "vegetable-to-plant-and-weed" last summer. Not so much happened on the weeding end. But the kids sure went wild when it was time to dig for buried treasure! The happy painting above by Ms. Anderson exactly depict that satisfaction of digging up these "apples of the earth" (as the French call them).

One child was excited for the harvest, the other thought it was work--until he hit gold, rather fuchsia--himself!

A few last illustrations from Anna's Garden Songs so you can see how delightful this book truly is...

"We grew so many onions
That we couldn't eat them all.
I'll braid the leaves together
And hang them on the wall.

They make a pretty ornament,
With skins of golden brown,
A cheerful thing in winter
When snow is coming down.

Mother will cut them, two by two.
We'll eat them, one by one.
And every bite will taste as sweet
As summer's shining sun."

Don't you love this book?! Just a visually-nourishing treat. That's veggies for you! (My kids would gag at my sentiment towards greens. Oh well, they won't be gagging when they're the mothers and fathers trying to keep everyone healthy! :)

Scrumptiously happy? Don't you think?

3) Miss Bridie Chose a Shovel,
Written by Leslie Connor,
Illustrated by Mary Azarian

This book. Is one of the best. I mean, if I had to choose maybe ten picture books in our entire collection to keep (and we have an embarrassingly obscene number--collecting them as an artist, illustrator, and mother for almost two decades), this would be one of them. And once again, it's not just that the incredible Mary Azarian painted her stunning woodcuts to illuminate the story either.

It's the power of this book's message--of hard work and determination that reminds us to continue on. To pick one self up and move forward with practicality. Right on the opening page, it begins:

My eight year-old chose this book for us to read the other day while we were doing her hair. "There's the shovel hanging out in the barn!" She pointed out. For some reason, my blind self had never noticed it there before (seen through the window above). Kids notice everything!

I won't spell out the whole plot for you (hopefully you already know it!), but let's just say the shovel serves our heroine in every stage of life--from clearing a path for iceskating to meet her husband in Central Park, to aiding her husband in digging out the doctor's wagon when it's stuck in mud as Ms. Bridie's laboring to bring her babies into this world.

Through disaster and the necessities of life, the shovel is a tool for Miss Bridie to make life meaningful. A symbol of what life is--hours of toil to teach us what can be accomplished when we put our efforts behind an uplifting idea.

Click on this Goodreads review link for a clearer synopsis.

4a) Jodie's Beans
Written by Malachy Doyle,
Illustrated by Judith Allibone

and...

4b) Vera's Baby Sister,
Written and Illustrated
by Vera Rosenberry

I can't tell you how many bean pole teepees these two books have sparked in our family's gardens over the years. In fact, because there are two inspiring "bean pole teepee books," this is your lucky two-fer for the day. Not a nasty go-pher in your garden, but a bright two-fer for your home library! Yay!

If you love gardening and have young children (especially ones with baby siblings, or who are expecting an infant sibling soon), I would just go ahead and order these books used online. Sight unseen. They're worth it. Just enchanting!

My favorite part of late summer and early fall is harvesting handfuls of these scarlet runner beans every few days to steam up with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of salt for dinner.
Soooo delicious--waxy beans are! (Even Yoda thinks so!)

Our slightly lopsided (why are they always leaning?) beanpole teepee one misty
summer morning in Maine...JOY!

5) A Child's Calendar,
Poems by John Updike,
Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

You probably know this oldie-but-goodie well. But as it gets so much mileage at our house, I thought I'd remind you all to pull your own copy out about now. Even if you don't have kids at home anymore...

Someone usually unearths this beautiful book around our place at least quarterly to read aloud the poem that corresponds with the current month. And spring just feels right to celebrate all that this book gives.

Lately, with homeschooling going on, I'm bribing (I mean urging--of course!) the kids to memorize a poem in 24 hours to pass off with a dinnertime recitation for the rest of us to enjoy--rewarded by a bowl of ice cream, for just that person. We just ran out of ice cream--we had a few takers. I love it!

And did I mention yet how GORGEOUS I still find this book, with each perusal? The late Trina Schart Hyman was a master of capturing life and movement, and the feeling of a place and time.

How I wish I had been bold enough, when she was still alive, to call her up and ask her how she sketched the human form "just so"--to make us feel a certain way when we'd see her illustrations. Many of the figures in her books were drawn using her daughter, Katrin, as a model.

At the time Trina was in full-swing with her illustration career, she often included depictions of black children (based-off her grandson) when there wasn't much diversity in the children's book market at all (check out the cherubic sledders and leaf-jumpers on the cover of this book, as well as the cute solemn brothers below--using her grandson as a model).

So much wonder in Hyman's pictures--aglow with the ordinary brilliance of life. Look at the mushroom ornaments on the tree. The sleeping dog. The toddler's leg poking through the bars of the chair. She was a genius! And John Updike's poetry isn't too shabby either...

6) The Gardener,
Written by Sarah Stewart,
Illustrated by David Small

So many people revere this book with a soft spot in their hearts, that it's almost ridiculous of me to include its title here in this review. All of you already know about it. But let's be realistic. What good is a list of children's picture books about gardening without including Sarah Stewart and David Small's Caldecott Medalist, The Gardener as its culmination?

Nadissimo!

So, I'll just tell you why I hold this book dear. It:

-recounts the pain of homesickness.
-paints an accurate picture of tight financial times with their uncomfortable, but educational, ripple effects.
-effuses emotion in the simple expressions on the characters' faces.
-uses excellent perspective in the buildings, structures, and locomotives. So savvy, David Small!
-makes us laugh with every reading of Lydia Grace saying, "I haven't forgotten what you said about recognizing Uncle Jim: 'Just look for Mama's face with a big nose and a mustache.'"
-gives us a cozy feeling while we peer into the behind-the-scenes illustrations of the bakery with Emma Beech teaching Lydia Grace to knead bread dough, in exchange for learning the Latin names of flowers.
-thrills our hearts at seeing the barren roof top transform to a garden of Eden, as well as witnessing Uncle Jim's stern countenance soften as he grows to love his little niece and give her a gentle clinging hug at the end of the book.

Why do you love The Gardener? And what "gardening in children's books" titles do you have to recommend to the rest of us? If you've slogged down this far in the review, PLEASE, share with us your favorite recommendations in the comments below...

Once upon a time...fairies danced upon the garden paths of local libraries.
Let's take heart--this will happen again someday soon!

Happy planting from your bookworm buddy! And take care of yourselves with some good books. Sincerely,

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Children's Books about Resourcefulness with an Attitude of Gratitude...

4/2/2020

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If you've found yourself thinking about the lines our grandmothers used to live by,

"Use it up,
wear it out,
make it do,
or do without,"

over these last few years--I mean days--of social distanciing during this pandemic,
then the next six books might be of comfort.

1) Boxes for Katje Written by Candace Fleming, Illustrated by Stacey Dressen-McQueen

The sense of want and need in this book is tangible. The small acts of kindness the starving Dutch people received during WWII had such a profound boost on their morale, as to pull them through possibly what would have been a horrific winter of starvation, had they not received the few packages they did from a handful of thoughtful souls overseas.

For many of us who have always "had," this sensation of uncertainty for the future is a new reality, depending on the day--what news arrive to change our livelihoods. This story helps one empathize a little more with what so many have experienced over the centuries during hardship and disaster.

Once again, I'll turn your bookish eyes to Goodreads for a better blurb than anything I could attempt:

After World War II there is little left in Katje's town of Olst in Holland. Her family, like most Dutch families, must patch their old worn clothing and go without everyday things like soap and milk. Then one spring morning when the tulips bloom "thick and bright," Postman Kleinhoonte pedals his bicycle down Katje's street to deliver a mysterious box – a box from America! Full of soap, socks, and chocolate, the box has been sent by Rosie, an American girl from Mayfield, Indiana. Her package is part of a goodwill effort to help the people of Europe. What's inside so delights Katje that she sends off a letter of thanks – beginning an exchange that swells with so many surprises that the girls, as well as their townspeople, will never be the same.

This inspiring story, with strikingly original art, is based on the author's mother's childhood and will show young readers that they, too, can make a difference.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/835306.Boxes_for_Katje

2) A Stick Is an Excellent Thing,
Poems Celebrating Outdoor Play,

Written by Marilyn Singer,
and Illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Given the fact that my heart skips a beat at any illustrations done by the talented LeUyen Pham, I fell in love with this book about such a timeless topic--children finding joy out of the simplest of natural items--sticks! And really, what better toy is there, than an excellent stick to keep kids busy?! (Did you catch the nod to the book, Stick Man, for you Julia Donaldson fans?)

But I must complain, Ms. Pham, the kids on the cover need walking sticks--not just stubby Hogwarts wands! Give 'em something to heft and swing! I'm guessing your art director put her foot down here, nixing all danger-prone specimens that could be considered weapons? Kids need big sticks to play with too!

Anyway, here's something mind-blowing for you, gentle readers, and your stick-lovers to watch. To inspire the creation of exciting forts, discoveries, and even music out in the woods (I didn't quite believe this when I stumbled across it. But it looks pretty amazing)...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_CDLBTJD4M&feature=youtu.be

I don't understand how those Forest Ninjas had the time or talent to create such a soul-stirring rendition of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" from blocks of wood--in the woods, nonetheless--but I guess some musicians can spark transcendence in our souls wherever they are!

3) Mandy,
Written by the Julie Andrews Edwards

The premise of this book is every child's dream--an orphan finding an abandoned cottage in the woods. As my oldest girls were constantly daydreaming about the romance of being orphans when they were younger (This could say loads about my lack of parenting skills...Oh boy!), this book has both the basic longing to find family connections, and the adventure and thrill of securing a space of one's own.

One reviewer from goodreads made me laugh when she said,

"Is anything more satisfying than reading about someone else doing a lot of tidying up?

Yes, only, in fact, if that "someone" were a ten year-old girl. And I know from doing that tidying up with my sister and friends around that age, in an old, abandoned "Red Pioneer House" (as we called it) in our own neighborhood. The little decrepit home was set back in a bosque of trees at the end of a dirt road, and no one seemed to want it except us.

The home had no front door, and an ancient stove from perhaps the 1930s. There was an old couch
(a bit gross to think about now!) and box spring out in its yard, and even a spice rack in the kitchen, if I recall correctly. We made brooms of tree branches, swept house, tidied up, and felt we were the ones in charge of that household for many Saturdays...until our parents caught wind of what we were doing! But those magical, uninterrupted days of "tidying up" were bliss for the bunch of us pretending that we were the ones who ran that household. This book is just that--a dream for a child to read!

One dear friend, whose taste in books I trust implicitly, adored this book as her childhood favorite, and gave it to my oldest daughter when she was about thirteen. She gobbled it up, and I can't wait to read it aloud with my eight-year-old now for her birthday next month! Comment below if you read this book as a child yourself, or, if you've enjoyed it already with your own kids! I'd love to hear about your take on it...

4) Pelle's New Suit,
Written and Illustrated by Elsa Beskow

I'm assuming most of you have come across this tiny gem in your reading experience, so this review is for the one or two of you who hasn't yet discovered the simple beauty of Elsa Beskow's universe.

Particularly in this "Old-world" story of Pelle's New Suit, the little boy is so resourceful (maybe far too much so to be a real child), that it gives any parent a thrill to show such a paragon of industry to any of her children.

"See," you'll want to say to your kids, "the next time your Sunday pants are high-waters, you too can go sheer your own sheep, take the wool from it to your granny to card, passing it on to your other grandma to spin after that ("Ummm...is that after her yoga class has finished or after she goes shopping to Costco?" your children will ask). Ignoring them, you'll keep showing them the story, "Then once you have a skein of wool," you, like Pele in the book, "can go work the professional house painter's job for him (no matter you don't know how to hold a paint brush yet!!!) to earn enough money to row across a major lake all by your lonesome without a life jacket, to go to town to buy blue dye at the store. After which you'll go dye your own wool roving in the river (Right!) before returning home to your nonchalant, but glad to see-you-home-without-asking-any-questions-of-where-in-the-world-her-six-year-old-has-been-for-three-days-straight-mother, who has no qualms about seeing her kindergartener playing near two major water sources. And she'll take up your wool to spin for you, so you can pass the fabric on to the tailor's to cut and sew you a new suit, while you watch his pigs and do his grown man's farm work for him while he whips up a new suit for you, ALL...of a Saturday. From one Monday to the following Sabbath! Whew!

Okay, so the unrealistic aspects of this tale are not lost on me. But I still adore reading this book! And my kids always do too! I'd say it's best savored with three to six year-olds. Though I did find one of my teens snooping through it for old-time's sake this very morning as I had it out for this review. And my two youngest girls (ages six and eight) love to read it whenever they come across it.

5) Home in the Woods,
Written and Illustrated by Eliza Wheeler

My personal-home-librarian-friend, Christa (she basically has an entire library section of children's picture books in her home), shared with me this recent find.

The way I felt after reading this tender recollection of the author's grandmother's childhood--of living in a shack in the woods during the Great Depression--was bittersweet. As an adult, our children never may know what sleepless nights or anxiety we have on their behalf--just to keep food on the table or provide for their stability and future as best we can.

But that does mean, that for the most part, a child's imagination is free to soar among the clouds and woods in their own innocent, safe realm for a few years of peaceful exhilaration before their eyes are opened and the starkness of the world creeps in.

This book is a fine reminder of the fortitude our grandparents and great-grandparents employed during wartime, stock market crashes, pandemics (to which we gave little thought until our own arrived!), and all of the other wrenches life can throw at us.

THIS BOOK, is why I love children's literature--because it brings the magical, the wondrous, the good, and the uplifting, even in the throes of daunting impossibility, to the forefront of our minds. Kids' books remind us, that amidst the bleakness of the world...there is still beauty, peace, and hope ahead.

One of my heroes in this life once said:

“It isn't as bad as you think it is. It all works out. Don't worry-I say that to myself every morning. it will all work out. If you do your best, it will all work out. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future.”
(― Gordon B. Hinckley)

Again, I can't resist including Goodreads' blurb about Home in the Woods:

This picture book from Eliza Wheeler is based on her grandmother's childhood and pays homage to a family's fortitude as they discover the meaning of home.

Eliza Wheeler’s book tells the story of what happens when six-year-old Marvel, her seven siblings, and their mom must start all over again after their father has died. Deep in the woods of Wisconsin they find a tar-paper shack. It doesn’t seem like much of a home, but they soon start seeing what it could be. During their first year it’s a struggle to maintain the shack and make sure they have enough to eat. But each season also brings its own delights and blessings–and the children always find a way to have fun. Most importantly, the family finds immense joy in being together, surrounded by nature. And slowly, their little shack starts feeling like a true home–warm, bright, and filled up with love.

And here's a delightful little video that shows the creative process Eliza Wheeler used to illustrate this wonder. The drippy paint and vibrant stock of supplies are irresistible:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCsYSQqMzJE

Not to mention Kirkus Review's spot-on description:

“Wheeler shares a poignant tale, based on her grandmother's childhood, of a Depression-era family's hard times. . . . Lovely ink-and-watercolor double-page spreads, in somber grays, sunlight yellow, and meadow green, evoke both the period and the family's stark poverty. . . . Delicate visual details abound, from the sparkle of evening raindrops to Mum's side-buttoned apron. Marvel's ruminative narration takes occasional poetic turns. . . . A quietly compelling look at an impoverished family's resourcefulness and resilience.”--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

6) Spoon,
Written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal,
Illustrated by Scott Magoon

I hope that you all already know this book. Because it's one of those that I've admired so much over the years, that it hurts to imagine anyone not owning it. Spoon is one of those books that I've found myself giving as baby shower and birthday gifts at every chance possible--because I want to populate the land with such cleverness--such great vibes!

The message? Open your eyes to the blessings you've been given in your own unique gifts, and embrace them! Come alive to what time you have been given with the people and family around you and enjoy life for what it is!

The witty message is so clever, so simple, yet so profound, that you absolutely must seek out this book with someone you love, if you don't know it already, and like spoon, say, "Come, snuggle."

Here's a sweet little read-aloud video of link on youtube so you can just watch it without further adieu:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3Iz8yaoWT8

So amidst the weird "limbo" of this phase in our lives, during the lockdown of Co-Vid 19, I hope you're finding the pockets of joy available to each one of us--to connect one-on-one with your home people. What a blessing to have to slow down, get more rest, look each other in the eye across the dinner table, push back your chair, and play sock tag.

Sock tag?!

Yes, try it. Bend down, take off your socks, roll them up into a ball, aim well at a family member, and shout, "YOU'RE IT!" It's the best game ever to shake things up! Plus, you'll get your heart racing, break a sweat, and feel the LOVE toward your family members! All while chasing each other around with a dirty pair of socks.

Try it. It will make you laugh, and you might as well...since you're all cooped up breathing on each other anyway. You won't regret it. Unless you break a lamp...

(If you're afraid of spreading Co-Vid 19 with a pair of dirty socks, then seal the socks in a Ziplock baggy, wash your hands, and THEN chase each other around with that DIRTY PAIR OF SOCKS! But that kind of deflates the "gross sock-touch factor," doesn't it? Have fun!

Sincerely,

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Biography in Children's Lit!

3/5/2020

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With the weather still too chilly out to be actively engaged in gardening, beach-hopping, and hiking in March, let's delve into BIOGRAPHIES! There are so many incredible retellings of favorite heroes' and heroines' lives, so it's almost ridiculous to pick only six, but here are my half-dozen recommendations to keep us all occupied happily for another month or so!

1) Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen
Written by Deborah Hopkinson,
Illustrated by Qin Leng

What a thrill I had to stumble across such a singular gem online—a picture book biography of everybody’s sweetheart regency writer--ROCKSTAR, JANE AUSTEN!

The following review from Goodreads will whet your appetite so much, you’ll be clamoring out the door this very afternoon to get your hands on a copy at your local library!

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen is one of our greatest writers.

But before that, she was just an ordinary girl.

In fact, young Jane was a bit quiet and shy; if you had met her back then, you might not have noticed her at all. But she would have noticed you. Jane watched and listened to all the things people around her did and said and locked those observations away for safekeeping.

Jane also loved to read. She devoured everything in her father’s massive library, and before long she began creating her own stories. In her time, the most popular books were grand adventures and romances, but Jane wanted to go her own way . . . and went on to invent an entirely new kind of novel.

Deborah Hopkinson and Qin Leng have collaborated on a gorgeous tribute to an independent thinker who turned ordinary life into extraordinary stories and created a body of work that has delighted and inspired readers for generations.”

Thank you, beloved Goodreads, for telling our bibliophilic friends exactly what they wanted to know about this treasure--much better than I ever could! See the full synopsis at Goodreads here:

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/34972694

However, gentle reader (as Jane might say), you must promise me this one thing for tipping you off with such a piping hot title…COME BACK to the COMMENTS at the bottom after reading the book and leave your impressions of the book with us! Please, pray tell! A ha’penny for your thoughts?

2) Louisa May and Mr. Thoreau's Flute
Written by Julie Dunlap and Marybeth Lorbiecki, Illustrated by Mary Azarian.

As today, March 6th, is the day Louisa May Alcott passed from this world (one hundred and thirty-two years ago) in the year 1888, we’ll celebrate her first steps on her journey
to become the writer we love!

The prose of Louisa May and Mr. Thoreau’s Flute is a delight (“words seemed trapped inside her, like fish under ice”), as are the homey illustrations by one of my favorite Caldecott medalists, Mary Azarian. You can see more of Mary Azarian’s woodsy, gorgeous books here: https://www.maryazarian.com/lightbox2.04/books.html

If you enjoy Little Women in any form (e.g., book, movie, play), you’ll devour this fictionalized tale of how Louisa’s dear friend, Henry David Thoreau, inspired her first attempts at mingling words together--to capture ideas and create poetry.

And the next time, you have two minutes to rub together over a lunch break, here’s a link to a beautifully in-depth editorial review by Publishers Weekly:
https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-8037-2470-9

Don't forget to COMMENT below if you've already read this book,
and have your own review to share with other Louisa May Alcott fans...

3) The Underground Abductor,
Written and Illustrated by Nathan Hale

Part of the Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series (https://www.nathanhaleauthor.com/#/hazardous-tales/), this graphic novel is based on the remarkable life and heroic adventures of Harriet Tubman.

This specific title in the set is a perennial favorite of my own kids. I’m talking, someone between the ages of 6-17 is usually reading this book on any given day at our house. (If another sibling hasn’t hogged-it-away under his or her bed first--that's when I haven't loaned it out or hidden it to shake things up a bit!)

One fact about Harriet Tubman brought to light by this book for my family, was that Harriet suffered from narcolepsy. (And I thought it was just a sleep-deprived parent thing. But, no…) The fact that Harriet overcame this major physical obstacle to lead over three hundred souls, through the exposure of the wilderness, for hundreds of collective miles, to freedom…is a wonder.

These books aren’t just loved by kids either. My husband Matt usually indulges in reading the latest arrival to our home collection before the kids do. Some of the books deal with difficult realities such as amputation, or horrific oddities like as cannibalism (e.g., The Donner Dinner Party—we don’t keep that particular book laying out on the shelf just yet—it’s a bit much for our younger set still).

I was too immature in high school to absorb much about the horrific events of the World Wars in my history classes. So again (*I’m blushing*), my first real understanding of the causes, locations, and battles of WWI came through reading Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood by Nathan Hale when my home-schooling sister, Celestia, introduced me to them as an adult. Learning hard core history from visual graphic novels, folks! Hey. It works!

Nathan Hale is a #1 New York Times bestseller, and Eisner nominated writer and illustrator who makes assimilating history like eating a slice of chocolate cake with ganache. You'll see! In fact, the kids are constantly asking when the next installment of the series will be out, so we’ve been known to pre-order them for the closest birthday whenever there’s news of an upcoming release.

(End paper maps with the Relatable Hangman's snark, as well as the historically-fictional Nathan Hale's no-nonsense facts. The perfect blend of fun and learning! I just love it!)

There's clever banter in each book, between The British Provost, the original Nathan Hale (yes indeed, the one and only Revolutionary War spy who said, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country”), and the silly but lovable Hangman. Kids can’t help but seek out these books for more forays into mankind’s fascinating past.

(There's a "Hazard Level" warning on the back cover of each book that tells parents what wild chaos is about to ensue within, while concurrently giving kids a sneak preview.

Interesting side note: Nathan Hale, the author, was born in 1976. Which is certainly why his lovely parents gave him his fabulous name. Could he be a descendent of the Nathan Hale, I wonder...If only the fact-checking babies at the end of each Hazardous Tales book could
COMMENT below to ascertain this fact…

And, if any of you haven’t seen the movie yet, based on Harriet Tubman's uncommon life, here’s a link to a montage of scenes from the powerful film from last fall, Harriet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn19xvfoXvk.

4)The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever
Written by H. Joseph Hopkins,
Illustrated by Jill McElmurry

My personal librarian coach--really just my friend Christa (who’s always loaning us magically-obscure books from her own well-stocked home library) introduced me to this story. You can sneak a peek at Christa’s lovely hand-made block print cards here at: http://cardsbychrista.com/.

The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever is the picture book bio of Katherine Olivia Sessions, who grew up more than one hundred years ago among the giant Redwood forests of California. After moving to the stark desserts of San Diego to teach school, “Kate” began her life-long journey to collect and plant hundreds of varieties of palms, ferns, and succulents that would make the coast of California the inviting place it is today.

I remember the first time I traveled to San Diego as an eleven year-old girl, and breathed in the lush atmosphere of a tropical place. It felt as if I was on another planet! Little did I know then, that the whole environment of bright blooms and gorgeous greenery was there because of one
industrious horticulturist—Katherine Olivia Sessions--
and her desire to make her place a greener, more welcoming home.

If you’d like to be reminded of how each life can influence others in positive ways—for generations to come—check out this cool biographical sketch on San Diego’s most beloved gardener:
https://www.hillquest.com/hillquest/community/katesessions.htm#:~:text=Katherine%20Olivia%20Sessions%20(1857%2D1940,%2C%20vines%2C%20shrubs%20and%20succulents.

5) Some Writer! The Story of E. B. White
Written by Melissa Sweet

All right, bookworms! Here's a bouquet of balloons for your Friday! The author/illustrator of this work, the talented Melissa Sweet, was gracious enough to humor me by sharing with us what most impressed her while creating this gift-to-the-world of a biography. In her own words,

"...Because I read all of White’s work, I found interesting things about him every day I worked on this project. But the thing that impressed me the most was his conviction for how he lived his life. He never compromised his integrity or beliefs. That continues to inspire me.

I drew from Maine in every square inch of the book. The colors and landscape, and overall the peacefulness of living near the ocean and the natural world all around even in our small cities. The quote by him, 'All I ever hoped to say…is that I love the world….' is spot on."

Melissa (you can take a gander at her radiant collage work here: https://www.melissasweet.net/ ) thanks so much for sharing with us a personal insight into what made E.B. White tick as a genuine, salt-of-the-earth human being! Not to mention, what you learned on your own journey to research such a beloved writer.

Reading through Ms. Sweet's book, feels like turning the pages of a sacred family photo album. And being privy to E.B. White's deepest thoughts and journal entries is pretty. cool. indeed. Melissa's genius use of vibrant splashes of contemporary hues, make the book inviting to any generation of readers. I've always loved her design choices, so to see Melissa employ her joie de vivre by illuminating a bio of E.B. White is just joy!

The funny thing is, until reading through this book, I didn't know E.B. White had such strong connections to Maine. His words:

"What happens to me when I cross...into Maine...? I cannot describe it...but I do have the sensation of having received a gift from true love." (E.B. White, pg. 53 of Some Writer! The Story of E.B. White)

Mr. White, that's the identical buzz I get every time we drive up the forest-lined I-95. After crossing over the Piscataqua River Bridge that connects Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Kittery, Maine, there's something tingly in the air.

Cruising up that long parting of the ocean of towering trees on either side is galvanizing. And the forest--it spreads out over the hills like the thick quilts laid over an old, worn-out bed.

When I first felt the stirrings to put words together on a page for myself...my writing buddy and sister-in-law, Amelia Kynaston, gifted me a yellowed copy of an ancient booklet, entitled, The Elements of Style, by William Strunk, Jr.

Imagine my surprise then, to read Melissa Sweet's account in this book, of how Elwyn (aka, "E.B.," "Elwyn Brooks," or "Andy") studied under Professor William Strunk, Jr., at Cornell University. CRAZY! Amelia and I often used to send one another quotes from our favorite parts of "Strunk," such as one line in particular that Melissa highlights (given as direction to Strunk's students):

"Omit needless words."

And another tried and true favorite,

"If you don't know how to pronounce a word, say it loud!

Tough advice that I obviously still struggle to implement. But so sage, no? My favorite quote of all from the book is what Melissa says of Elwyn's learning to express himself:

"Andy saw, 'with blinding clarity,' how important it was to live with the freedom to express ideas. 'To be free, is to feel you belong to the earth.'"

(Does anybody else use T.P. to mark their favorite passages in books?)

So, don't forget to put this study of E.B. White's oeuvre on your list to bring home from your next library jaunt! And if you think this book appears too dense for readers who've enjoyed Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, remember what E.B. says about taking on big things:

"It has been ambitious and plucky of me to attempt to describe what is indescribable...[But] a writer, like an acrobat, must occasionally try a stunt that is too much for him." (Melissa Sweet, pp. 134, Some Writer! The Story of E.B. White)

6) Discovering Nature’s Laws: A Story about Isaac Newton
Written by Laura Purdie Salas,
Illustrated by Emily C.S. Reynolds

If you’ve made it down this far, you are in for a laugh. Because the gorgeous book by Melissa Sweet we just reviewed, makes this last straight-laced little nonfiction piece look like saw dust. And I should know as it was one of my first illustration babies. As I was reconsidering my list of figures whose bios I thought would be enjoyable this week , my titles kept fluxing.

At one point yesterday, I deleted two titles I’ve been planning on since September. Yesterday morning, after filling the 5th spot, I had one last hole to cover for my sixth book to review. I thought, Who else would we all really love to learn about through children’s books? I’ve already got Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, Harriet Tubman, Katherine Olivia Sessions, E.B. White. Hmmm…learning about the life of Alfred Einstien or Isaac Newton would be really cool. Wait a minute...I ILLUSTRATED a book about Isaac Newton--you dummkopf, Emily!

In all honesty, that was my actual thought process. I am a discombobulated scatter-brain! How does my family put up with me?! (Maybe I don’t really want to consider
that question right now. Or ever...)

But, here you go anyway, my own self-serving recommendation of my own book! Ha ha! Talk about sheepishness. (Really, though, it's a very out-of-the-way little tome. Your library certainly doesn’t stock it, but…on the rare chance that they do, Laura Purdie Salas (see her 130+ other books here: https://laurasalas.com/) did a great job researching Mr. Newton's life, habits, and personality.

(Young Isaac Newton drawing birds, animals, people, ships, and plants, etc. on his attic bedroom walls at Woolsthorpe Manor near Grantham, England.)

Ms. Salas, serves us up a juicy slice into the life of Isaac Newton’s proverbial fallen apple with her account of his progression from lazy non-farm boy, to fighter in school, to achiever in academia, to being knighted by the Queen. And this book actually makes a decent resource for a third-grader's nonfiction book report...Maybe I'll show it to my own third grader! (I don't know if she's ever noticed it on the shelf in our family room before. It's not exactly Polly Diamond and the Magic Book,
which, she adores, by the way!

From reading the manuscript before illustrating the story, I learned Isaac built sundials in almost every room of the home where he lodged while at school.

"He put pegs right into the walls to show hours. He tied strings along the wall to mark the sun's shadow on different days. Isaac even invented a ceiling dial." (-Laura Purdie Salas, pp. 10, Discovering Nature’s Laws: A Story about Isaac Newton)

And here's an illustration where I forgot to finish drawing-in the pattern on the rug (WHOOPS!):

Anyway, if one of your kids is studying Isaac Newton's Principia and the Laws of Inertia (as my 8th grader is at present--building a Rube Goldberg machine to entirely over-run our living room for a solid week!), chapter 5 has a great explanation of the principle. Enjoy!

Whatever you end up reading this season, DON'T FORGET to enter for a chance at winning a free watercolor painting from my WATERCOLOR GALLERY SALE ITEMS by COMMENTING BELOW on what your all-time favorite biography is--children's picture book, or otherwise! Or tell us all why YOU deserve an original piece of artwork to hang on your walls.

I'll read the comments below anonymously to my kids (without revealing names of friends or family) to give them an unbiased chance at voting on which commenter they think deserves the painting of his or her choice. The winning selection will receive the painting (one of four of their choice) to be announced on the homepage on Friday March 13th!

Happy reading, bookish friends! Can't wait to hear your biography recommendations in the comments below...

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Interview with Illustrator Fumi Kosaka!

2/14/2020

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Fumi, when did you first realize you wanted to be an illustrator?

Probably when I had to decide on which major to focus on in College.

I was trying to choose between either culinary arts or fine arts. I thought I will always be cooking and baking on my own anyway, but art was a skill I thought I could only learn from school. One of the professors at the college had a major influence on me, and he recommended studying illustration first before pursuing a fine arts career.

As a child, was there anything else you dreamed of becoming?

There was a big bread factory near my house, and it always smelled so good when I passed by. So for a long time, I wanted to be a baker!

How did being raised in Japan influence your creative work?

The schools in Japan always have art classes. Although the classes were not necessarily always taught by an art teacher, they still gave me many opportunities to experiment with different mediums and variety of ideas. We also learned to write calligraphy with pencils and with ink and brush, and I think that writing trains kids with precise motor skills and design sense skills. As I learned about other cultures, I realized that Japan is a much more art and design oriented culture compared to others.

Japanese people are very conscious of what makes something beautiful, and one can see and feel that in everything there, including how food is made and presented, the ways that gifs are wrapped, and the way people dress, etc.

What’s your secret to balancing mothering, teaching, and illustrating?

Of the three roles, being a mom is my most important. So I have been making that my first priority especially when my kids were very young. I was blessed because I didn’t have to work when they were little. Although I understand some moms have to work. As my kids got older, I started teaching and getting back into illustrating a little at a time.

Everyone’s situation is different, and for me, I have been receiving many promptings to get back into this again. So I’ve been doing the best I could to follow them. I pray every morning so that I will know what I should focus on, and what to work on first. I don’t get everything done on my list at the end of the day, but that’s OK because I know I’m accomplishing what’s most important for me at this time in my life.

What’s your favorite snack to snitch while painting?

Whatever I have on hand - usually dried fruits, nuts, dark chocolate, etc. Herbal tea and Pero are my favorite drinks during the cold months.

What music do you listen to for inspiration?

I love classical music, and of course, jazz!

What’s the one thing you’re always telling your students at Brigham Young University to do (or not to do)?

Use your talents to do good - create artwork to inspire and uplift others! Not the other way around.

What do you like best, and least, about teaching college students?

Best: When I can feel the goodness and commitment of a student.
Least: When I notice some students trying to get away with less effort.

Which professor had the greatest impact on you at BYU-IDAHO or BYU, and why?

Ricks: Leon Parson. Although I didn’t fully comprehend what he taught because my English skills were very limited at the time, but I could feel his enthusiasm for art. He taught me how having faith in God affects everything we do in life, including creative work.

BYU: Richard Hull & Robert Barrett. They are the ones who gave me the specific guidance and the drive I needed to succeed. I had no desire to go to NY after college, and they are the ones who insisted that I go, and everything changed after that.

Share with us your job description at Harper Collins back in the day. What was the greatest lesson you picked up from working there?

I was the assistant to Harriet Barton, the head art director in the Children’s Design Department. Answering her calls, going through her mails, scanning original art work, making copies, welcoming & directing visitors, ordering materials, keeping track of everyone’s sick days, etc. Later on, I did work on some design projects.

Harriett was the best boss anyone could ask for. She taught me so much about picture books; their history, influential artists, how the publishing companies work, etc. Most importantly, she taught me about life!

Which authors/illustrators did you most enjoy meeting at Harper Collins?

The illustrator I remember that most was Marc Simont (he won a Caldecott with the book The Happy Day back in the 1940s). I was surprised to see this grey-haired fellow arrive by bicycle to deliver his original paintings for the book we were working on. I was thrilled to have him sign some books in my collection that he has illustrated. I wish I would have known what to say or how to ask better questions than I did back then!

What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time now? (If you have any?)

Yeah, if any, I’ve always enjoyed sewing and knitting. I also love to work in the garden. Weeding actually is a very calming and peaceful activity for me!

What is your favorite picture book, chapter book, adult novel, and movie?

That’s a hard one to answer. There are so many good ones - Story-wise: Ox-cart Man, Only Opal, The Man Who Planted Trees (there is a short video of this last story on youtube, you should watch it, it will leave a very deep impression on you!). Japanese ones: Hanasaki-yama, Kitsune no Okyaku-sama, Mahou no Enogu are my favorite. Illustration-wise: The Orange Book, The Happy Hocky Family, any of Kinuko Kraft’s princess books. There are so much more, but these are what came to my mind!

Fumi and Emily as roommates with buddies (including illustrator, Brigida Magro, center--check out Brigida's work on instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/sweetbeyond/)
most likely riding the N/R subway line from Queens into Manhattan. Fun fun! Oh, the days!

What were your three favorite activities to do while living as a starving young artist in NYC (besides teaching me how to cook Japanese curry, eat soba noodles for breakfast, and pronounce baking powder in Japanese (“bakingu-powdah”)?

Having a friend like you there was one of the best things about living in NY. Everyone needs a good friend to help ease the transition of learning to live in the big city!

Walking around different neighborhoods and feeling the city’s energy, going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for only a quarter(!), taking a stroll in Central Park especially during spring and early summer when everything was in bloom.

How does your husband’s (Tim Davis) background/vocational expertise influence you in your work? Does he critique your paintings for you? Do your kids give you their two cents as well when you paint?

Tim is a wonderful husband and a father, and is amazed with anything I create! So he’s not so good with critiquing my work. But my kids are honest and eager, and they have a good sense of what makes good art, so I often show them my work to get some good feedback.

What are your creative plans for 2020?

Create many new pieces for my portfolio, and finish my own book project!

Do you still sew, and work in origami, or fiber arts or textiles?

Yes, I’ve been making clothing and toys for my kids whenever I get a chance. I love creating with my own hands with raw materials!

How many books have you illustrated? Which is your favorite?

10 books. My favorite one will be the next one—hopefully!

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

Over the years, I’ve met and talked with many people who have read my books not realizing that I was the one who illustrated them. When they find out, I get looks of surprise and admiration, along with kind words.

Who was your creative inspiration as a young girl? And as an adult now, who are your favorite current artists or illustrators?

When I was very little, my mom had a mother goose book illustrated by Gyo Fujijkawa who was a Japanese American. I think that was the only English picture book we had in our house. The book had so many illustrations, and I used to look at them over and over. We used to get some books from the mobile Library Truck every week, and I used to love to look through all the illustrations in the picture books and chapter books. Ken Kuroi is an illustrator I really admired at the time. He has very soft warm touch to his color pencil work, and I loved it. Besides regular illustration, I used to buy this magazine called Ribbon which was a manga series for girls. I would copy many of the drawings from it.

I love simplified well designed art. My favorites right now are: Shizuko Wakayama, Mary Blair, Ingela Parrhenius, Leo Espinosa, Kenard Pak, and many more!

Do you have any advice for children’s book enthusiasts who’d like to write or illustrate their own stories?

Although I can’t provide much help to the writers, for artists, the best advice I can give is to get good training by either going to art school or a professional online school—now there are many affordable options. There is a big difference between an amateur and a professional illustrator, and you really need to be one of the best if you want your work published by major publishing companies. Publishers usually like to choose their own authors and illustrators, so if you are new, it is very unlikely they will publish a story which you have both written and illustrated. I would work on getting some illustration work published first to get some experience and connections, then introduce your own illustrated story to either your agent or publisher. If you just want to self-publish, that’s a whole different story. I don’t have experience with that.

Tell us about your most recent book release from 2019…

This is a sequel book to the book I illustrated over 15 years ago. The first book Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed has sold many copies over the years, and the publisher wanted to make another book. I think the story in the sequel is better than the first one although it’s a bit complicated. I had to paint 17 unique characters from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and that was not easy. It’s called Ordinary Mary’s Positively Extra Ordinary Day. I hope you enjoy looking at the pictures as well as reading the story!

Thank for humoring me with all of these questions, dear Fumi! It was a delight to hear what you’re up to and it will be a pleasure for all of your readers to see your latest book!

To peruse more of Fumi’s cheery and uplifting illustration work, and to watch her new style unfold over the next year, check out Fumi’s portfolio on Instagram!
https://www.instagram.com/fumi_kosaka_art/

Can't wait to see what Fumi's up to next! Happy Valentine's Day, Sweet Readers!
XO,

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Forget the Roses and Chocolate...

2/7/2020

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We all know that the real purpose of Valentine’s Day isn’t to give or get flowers or sea salt caramels from a romantic interest. It’s to give books, or course! (Are you reading this Matt? Ha ha! Just kidding. Kind of.)

February 14th around here, means cutting and pasting construction paper cards, crunching conversation hearts and exclaiming over their latest -isms (like "Text me"), and decorating sugar cookies--iced with the names of those we can't get along without. (You thought I was going to say, "icing the names of those we can't get along with," didn't you? Well that too....) At least that's how it goes at our house. What about yours? Any fun Valentine's Day traditions? Spill them in the comments below...

Not to mention celebrating the friends that text us goofy commentaries about life's awkward or miserable moments--to make us laugh out loud even when the sun is not shining inside, and it's twelve degrees outside. Because as we all know...uncomfortable experiences can always be related after the fact, to a trusted friend for shared glee in hindsight!

A true friend is someone who’s seen your best and worst, and still loves you regardless.

So this month’s book review will share six books about FRIENDSHIP, and the real meaning of the word LOVE. (And you can hum Nat King Cole's lyrics to "L-O-V-E" in your head all the while...)

1) If You’ll Be My Valentine, written by
Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Fumi Kosaka

With Valentine's Day next week, I'll be posting an interview with my long-time friend from college, and former roommate (from our “starving-artist-days-in-New-York-City"), Fumi Kosaka. You'll hear the scoop about her latest book release, and the inspirations behind her bright and cheery style.

But right now, I'll share with you my all-time favorite Valentine's Day books, Fumi's If You’ll Be Valentine. This tender tale is written by everyone’s picture book sweetheart and Newbery medalist, Cynthia Rylant. But combining this duo of author and illustrator, is like what Mr. Reese must have felt when he first paired peanut butter with chocolate—cups of sweet and salty bliss! Going along with the topic of “salty,” how could anyone not enjoy a book that has text such as the following:

“If you’ll be my valentine
I’ll give you extra treaties.
I’ll give you two,
and maybe three,
and let you lick my feeties.”

My childhood mutt (part terrier/pekingese/poodle/chihuahua), Taffy, really would crawl down under my covers at night and lick the salt from between my toes. EEEK! Fumi actually captures this tickly sensation in her darling and tidy illustrations! You'll find that her pictures are are sweet simplicity. The faces of my dear Fumichan's characters depict what is best in life—the innocence and joy of friend and family relationships experienced during childhood.

From parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, and animals...to the trees outside our windows, this short picture book shows kids how to connect with others through small acts of kindness.

2) Jake’s Thumb, written by Ilene Cooper, illustrated by Claudio Munoz.

Spoiler ahead (!):Though quiet for a little thumb-sucker, Jake, can maneuver all sorts of tasks while sucking, like riding his bike, walking the dog, mastering the remote, (such skill!) etc. But Jake’s family doesn’t understand the joy he derives from his “best thumb,” and they continually pester him to stop sucking, because as everybody knows…big boys don’t do it.

But when Jake starts kindergarten, and sucks his thumb in public, he’s teased by a bully in his class, Cliff. Jake is threatened and lonely, until he meets a sympathetic friend who also finds security through a crutch—her stuffed animal. But the climax peaks when the bully Cliff, jeers at Jake by calling him, “Thumb-sucker" loudly on the playground--just at the moment when a piece of much- stroked “blankie” drops from his pocket, mid-ridiculing.

Instead of turning the tables on Cliff, and calling him “Blankie Baby,” or drawing the attention of the entire studentbody to Cliff’s weakness (as Cliff did to Jake), Jake does something magnanimous--he forgives and lets go, to stop the cycle of hurt. We readers are forced to pause and consider ourselves...wondering what we would do in such a situation. I hope we can follow Jake’s path.

Bravo to Ilene Cooper for writing a character so endearing and so full of compassion and forgiveness, and to Claudio Munoz for making the story come so alive with emotion and detail.

The golden rule trumps all, thanks to the big-heartedness of one fictional yummy-thumbed boy.

3) The Great Sandwich Swap, written by
Rania Al-Abdullah, Kelly DiPucchio,
and illustrated by Tricia Tusa.

The story starts out, “It all began with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich…and it ended with a hummus sandwich.” When two best friends, Salma and Lily, (who have done everything together at school), finally admit to being grossed-out by each other’s unfamiliar lunch choices, a school-wide food fight ensues. But as the two girls realize how lonely it is when they let their cultural differences come between them, they brave trying the other’s sandwich, and are in for a wildly-happy surprise.

This funny story pricks at our consciences, reminding us that no one has the market on deliciousness in life—the good in every culture can be shared when we let down our guards of fear, judgement, and blind repulsion, and try something new! Who knows, we might say, “Hey, this is delicious! And…this is heavenly!” just like Salma and Lily.

4) Dahlia, written and illustrated by
Barbara McClintock.

If you love an old-world feel, but haven't seen Barbara McClintock’s fresh takes on classic subjects, go straight to the library and enter her name in the catalogue's search window! Dahlia is the tale of an earthy little girl, Charlotte, who receives a delicate doll from her prissy Great Aunt Edme. Charlotte does not “do” dolls. As said in the story,

“In Charlotte’s room, among the dragonflies and boxes of beetles and found birds’ nests, the doll looks out of place. ‘We like digging in dirt and climbing trees…no tea parties, no being pushed around in frilly prams. You’ll just have to get used to the way we do things.’” Charlotte instructs. And Dahlia the doll does.

The illustrations, of the said bedroom, are fantastic! Bird nests are settled in tree branches behind the bed frame, sketch books lay open on the floor with drawings of mushroom specimens poised on the carpet, a woven basket holds a stash of walking sticks, a dragonfly collection is mounted on the wall, a snake in a cage lives on the dresser, an arrangement of cattails in a vase resides next to the seashells. Not to mention robin’s eggs, pet birds, pinecones—every sensible parent’s nightmare! KOOKA-BURRA! Craziness to a mom, I tell you!

No, I would not want to be Charlotte’s mother. But at times I guess I am that mom, when my kids ravage the woods here in Maine, and sneak walking sticks under their beds, robin’s eggs into their drawers, and wintergreen berry potions concocted into jars on their dressers. But Charlotte’s character is like a compendium of all six of my kids, making one ultra explorative, clutter-collecting child. A naturalist hoarder!

Though finding these “natural treasures” in my own house drives me batty (when I remind the kids that, “nature doesn’t belong in the house—it wants to live outside”), I am glad in my heart, secretly, that children do have that innate sense of wonder and awe at the creation around them. I like to enjoy it with them—just in the woods, though.

As Charlotte takes her new doll outside to tag along in her adventures with her teddy bear, Bruno, she discovers that anyone can enjoy the wonders of nature.

The transformation in Charlotte's perceptions of others undergoes a change as well, by the end, as she’s called upon to show her doll to her prim Aunt Edme after a surprise visit for supper. With the now-sullied and tattered Dahlia, Charlotte's afraid to face her aunt with the dirty doll in her hnads. But Aunt Edme gives her the stamp of approval when she says,

“When I saw your doll in a shop window, I thought she needed to be out in the sunshine, and played with, and loved. I knew that is just what you would do for her; I only wish I could make mud pies and be tossed in the air; but I’m too old.”

When you’re done reading Dahlia with your kids, if you’re still craving more naturalists' adventures—without having to bring the snakes inside yourself, pick up the cool bio on Charles Darwin and his wife, Emma, entitled Charles and Emma.

You’ll get an insider’s view on how the Darwins raised their explorative children as real-life “Charlottes.” (Think ten kids—seven lived long lives into adulthood—climbing trees, welcoming wild animals right INTO their home, looking at everything under microscopes, experimenting and observing flora and fauna on a regular basis. The details, of Mr. Darwin taking his daily walks alongside the hedgerows near their home every day, are delightful!

Such a life sounds incredible. Incredibly messy for parents. Ha ha! (The Darwin’s must have had a maid or two…or ten!) Still...beautifully adventurous! And the Darwin bio is a treat for those of us who need to relax and embrace a little more creative chaos--perhaps for the sake of science, or higher yet, our children’s joy of discovery.

5) Dear Dragon, written by Josh Funk, illustrated by Rodolfo Montalvo.

Josh Funk’s witty storyline makes adults and children alike laugh and smile while pouring over every one of Rodolfo Montalvo’s vivaciously-ironic illustrations. Really, people, the humor in this situation is too delicious: a young dragon and a school boy corresponding as pen pals for a class assignment, without even knowing they aren’t of the same species!

Anyone who loves getting a letter in the mail will eat this tale up! Who didn’t thrive on having a pen pal as a kid? I still do love my occasional adult pen pals. I can’t get enough of sending and receiving snail mail to cherished friends and family. And in the case of George Slair (the human boy here), and Blaise Drogomir (the dragon child), the misperceptions are rife with charm.

Not to even mention that Josh Funk, the writer, went against what all editors advise (avoid rhyming like the plague!), and came out spectacularly well with a lyrical story that floats off the tongue, and into the hearts and minds of all kids who love dinosaurs, dragons, and imaginary worlds colliding with their own.

6) The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, written by Kate DiCamillo, and illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline.

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Okay...so you know how there are some books you pick up, and think to yourself, “Nah. This book is not for me. I can just tell by the cover!” Well, for shame, Self! I did this to all of Kate DiCamillo’s books for at least a decade (after watching the movie version of The Tale of Despereaux BEFORE reading the book—BLOOP! BLOOP! BLOOP!—bibliophile faux-pas alert!). And how much I’ve missed!

Thus, how much my older children missed—or at least didn’t get from me, because a poorly-made movie adaptation affected my ideas about a book. Ugh. I really didn't enjoy the movie rendition, and quite conversely, I really did revel in the depth and creativity of the book's strong prose in The Tale of Despereaux. Only because after a fellow writing friend (Julie--bless you!) mentioned, on several occasions, how much she appreciated Kate DiCamillo’s stories, I figured I’d better give them an actual chance. So my kids and I checked out a few audio books from the library, and listened to The Tale of Despereaux during dish-washing duty.

And our consensus? Ms. DiCamillo nails humanity in her quirky, relatable characters. And after the film adaptation's stilting and vapid portrayal of the story, I was delightfully surprised at the moral heft and meaning the book holds.

Which leads to The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. After Despereaux, I wanted more! I needed more of Ms. DiCamillo’s insight. So we listened to the next book on our queue, and after disregarding Edward Tulane’s odd duck cover in second hand stores and book shops for years, I was sucked right in from the first chapter.

One must find out if Edward (a strangely-unique porcelain rabbit/doll/toy/thing) overcomes his own vanity and empty emotions. As he's hoisted into rough, ugly, and humble situations over the years, Edward gleans a shred of love here, and an appreciation for others there.

Soon, much like The Velveteen Rabbit, Edward's heart becomes real as he learns to love, and sacrifice his beauty and own comfort for the welfare of others. (I won’t give up the satisfying ending if you haven't read Edward Tulane's tale), but I will say this, there are parts in this book that may or may not make a driver quietly quake with tears and wipe them away while listening, among rapt children in the back of a twelve-passenger van.

Since hearing these audio reads, I’ve been ravenously looking up every interview I can find highlighting Ms. DiCamillo. Here’s the most remarkable one I’ve heard yet about her determination to overcome resistance and failure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcTgWWTD5lQ (regarding her experience in receiving 473 rejection letters before being published). There’s also another lovely acceptance speech for the Newbery Award on youtube, but if you watch the first interview from the link above, you’ll probably go on to see the subsequent offerings of Ms. DiCamillo’s goodness right there for your partaking. Just inspiring.

Enjoy these loverly books about true friendship. And Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you sweetheart reading buddies!

What's your own favorite book about friendship? Give us a recommendation in the comments below!

XOXO,

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Stories to Inspire the Goal-makers...

1/2/2020

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Are you a goal-setter? If you're here, reading this book review about children's literature, you must be. So just for you, here are a half-dozen story* recommendations that will inspire you to train for that triathlon, start your own business, lose thirty pounds, travel around the world and learn a new language, or get your pilot's license in the new year.

(*Slight caveat: not all of these "story recommendations" are in picture book format--two of them are movies...Wha?!!! Time to shake things up, I guess.) Enjoy! This list is a quickie...

1) After the Fall, by Dan Santat

If you're not acquainted yet with Dan Santat's genius, you're in for a picture book BFF relationship! This title of Mr. Santat's is my personal favorite of his repertoire. I won't say more than this spread alone made my entire family laugh--from our six year-old to the forty-seven year-old!

I had to open the book up multiple times over the two week period when we checked this out--just for the sheer pleasure of poring over the names of these cereals. I mean, check out the pic of the black and white box of bland old "Twigs and Berries" on the bottom (left) shelf--it's completely out-radianced by the cereals named, "FREE TOY!" or "SUGAR FROSTED SUGAR" on the top row. Dan Santat, you're having way too much fun. And aren't we glad because of it?! Ha ha!

So much so, that I wouldn't mind eating a bowl of "Sad Clown" cereal (second shelf up, third from the right--behind the sliding ladder) if it meant I could peruse through "After the Fall" while munching on a bowl.

Go, gobble this book up yourself. And you'll exceed your laughing quota for the day. And perhaps get a little surprise of finding yourself teary-eyed at the end. Warning! You may have to read through the conclusion a few times before the "what happens" really sinks in. It took me a minute. Or maybe I'm just slow. More likely the latter. :)

2) Vera Rides a Bike, by Vera Rosenberry

Do you and your little people know the Vera books? If not...(OH!) you will love them! I even adored them before we found out Ms. Rosenberry lives in England. (Okay, I openly admit it--I am obsessed with all things English. How dorky am I? Yes, I know it. You all know it. *Blush.* Oh well. What to do...)

But here's why Ms. Rosenberry's books work. Vera's view of the world is so spot-on, so childlike! And Vera's vision of the world is authentic, so much so that adults and kids can't help commiserating for this little soul as she tries her best to navigate the world of big feelings and first happenings in a small person's body. Vera Rides a Bike just reminds one of the great feelings we all experience after finally figuring out a new skill. Then to make it through a scrape using that new skill is fantastic, right?!

Not to mention that the quirky illustrations are genuine and one-of-a-kind. I sure wish I could draw in such a fresh style. Teach me, Vera! Teach me.

Here's a link to the Goodreads blurb about this title:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2889822-vera-rides-a-bike

And here's a list of Vera Rosenberry's many other published books:
https://g.co/kgs/BTch89

3) Sahara Special, by Esme Raji Codell

My eight year-old, Quincy, just read this one last summer. She fell in love with it even more so than I did a decade ago, when my older sister first introduced me to Ms. Raji Codell's writing (Thanks, Celestia!).

Every person with an Achilles Heel, that is, um--all of us--can relate to the vulnerability Sahara feels when her weaknesses are exposed publicly amidst the desire to achieve her heart's dream of becoming a writer.

And because there are two or three curse words in this book, checking out a title before we hand it to our children is a good idea, as each child is particular in their methods of handling media. If I had the time to read all of my kids' books aloud to them, I would just swap out the few swears, but reading this one ahead, may be helpful for some.

Here's what one parent's review from Common sense media says:

"An impressive offering
I was offered this as a choice to use for a book review assignment for a diversity class. I found the book to be a strong voice for students that often go unheard. It offers inspiration for the young reader and insight for those of us that are a bit older. It reminds us that kids' lives are as complex as our own and that each child needs that consideration. I highly recommend this book."

And one child's review of the book, just as a heads-up:

"very good book...
I loved this book...I thought Sahara is funny and has a heart of gold. The language surprised me. I couldn't believe it was in my school library! ( I'm in elementary school, my school accepts grades K-6th Grade) Still, it is an AWESOME book and I would love to read it again."

The way this book made me feel was unforgettable--empowered and touched. This title would be an exceptional read-aloud, which would solve any problems regarding children reading cursing, as a parent could skip right over the profanities. Note: Ms. Codell is writing from the perspective of an inner-city school where she taught for several years in actual life. Still, note to self, that when writing my own book, I can make the narrator explain that any unschooled characters, "cursed under their breath," rather than spelling out the unsavory wordage. Right? Right.

4) The trilogy:

Emily of New Moon,

Emily Climbs, and

Emily's Quest, by L.M. Montgomery

No, I did not choose this trilogy because of the name, Silly goose. Probably more likely that I must have subconsciously empathized with the protagonist as she discovered a love of words and writing. In my adolescence, these were three of my very favorite books by L.M. Montgomery about following one's dreams. I almost loathe to admit it, but I like these titles even better than the Anne books. EEK! Is that blasphemy? They're right up there with Pat of Silverbush. Are they your old friends as well?

Here's Goodreads weighing in, once again, on the trilogy:
Emily of New Moon, book 1:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49344637-emily-of-new-moon?from_search=true&qid=SEVX4ScPxN&rank=3

Emily Climbs, book 2:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49028792-emily-climbs?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=yUPsRLIlCx&rank=2

Emily's Quest, book 3:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49028822-emily-s-quest?from_search=true&qid=prlt1IBsRt&rank=4

And now the anomalies I promised...the family MOVIES to keep you entertained through the long winter...

5) Dangal has, by now, hopefully been seen by you all. But, if there is one soul out there who has not seen this movie yet, this entire blog was written just for you. Dangal is (quote) "an extraordinary true story based on the life of Mahavir Singh and his two daughters, Geeta and Babita Phogat. The film traces the inspirational journey of a father who trains his daughters to become world class wrestlers." (UTV Motion Pictures)

I cannot say enough good about this movie. If you know me personally, you've already heard me blab on and on about it, until I've pestered you for at least six months, asking, "Have you seen it yet? What about now? Have you had time yet?" Until you've finally watched the movie just to appease my blethering. It's that good.

See the official trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuIVa_K59QE

And a behind-the-scenes/making-of-the-movie here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGZjouuqY4E

I always know I'm in for a treat--that a film is going to be supremely good--when my husband Matt, movie connoisseur extraordinaire, insists that the whole family watch something together that he's already previewed and enjoyed on his own.

I'll tell you something...when elementary-aged kids can sit down right along with the high schoolers, and the adults thoroughly enjoy the whole thing along with every one of the kids--this, my friend, is fine cinema at its superlative.

By the end of this movie, you'll be giddy to wake up at 5 a.m. to go run the mile, drink raw eggs by the fistful, and dust off whatever other strange ambitions you've always wanted to accomplish.

Truly, this based-on-real-life movie is simple inspiration--showing us one true example of how one man's dreams and patience to mentor his daughters, brought an entire community and country together, above prejudice and dusty ideas, to witness something exceptional--all for the love of the sport and one's own people. Meet you on the wrestling mat. (With a head bobble. You'll see what I mean when you watch the movie.)

(Unfortunately, this film is only available on Netflix, as far as I know. If you've found it elsewhere, or have located a great place from which to order the DVD, please fill us in, and comment below!)

And lastly...numero
6) Pele: Birth of a Legend

This movie makes me want to be a better parent. My family laughed, cried, hoped, and danced at the end. I mean, up on our feet, jamming. You will too, just wait and see--oh, just wait! (With such powerfully-rhythmic music, ninguém pode evitá-lo--no one can avoid it!) So beautiful. So touching, and so incredible that the story is actually true, neh? (As they say "no Brahz-io.")

Besides, I'm a sucker for the Brasileiro and Português cultures--from my days serving as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (in ye olde days of snail mail--gasp--can you imagine?!) in Portugal and the Cape Verde Islands. Makes my heart go wild when I see the big heartedness of the Brazilian culture and hear the beauty of that sing-song Portuguese language of the Iberian Peninsula. Joy.

Once again, thanks to the hubs for insisting last winter that my kids and I watch this great pic. Você tem bom gosto, Matt! What'll it be next? Bring it on! I'm ready...

So a happy, shiny, new 2020 to everyone! And don't be shy. Someone out there has GOT to have a fun new year's resolution to share in the comments below. Pretty please? With a Brazilian cereja on top...

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Celebrating Christmas through Picture Books!

12/6/2019

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1) Christmas Day in the Morning, written by Pearl S. Buck, illustrated by Mark Buehner

In my mind, this is one of the most meaningful picture books about Christmas that a child can read. In fact, that everyone should read it. Why, you might ask? Because, not only does it share with us what event--and actual being--started this millenias-old Christmas season, but also why Jesus Christ's life, example, and atoning sacrifice help and change us today and forever.

These hard-to-grasp topics can be tricky for little people to digest (and those of us big people too, for that matter!), unless seen applied in our own lives. This beautiful, simple story, by one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century (if you also love The Good Earth, by Peal S. Buck, you'll know what I mean), does just that.

When I was a girl, I remember being shown a film strip, based on this story, at church every year around Christmas time. (Yes, that does make me a million years old to admit that I was around when humming projectors were used to show movies. But weren't they fantastic?! Those ancient projectors that flipped the last strand of film around and around at the end of the movie...) The film version of this story made me weep like a baby, as an eight year-old, just as reading the book aloud to my own kids does now.

The storyline is of a boy, Rob, overhearing his father's tender desire to let his growing son get enough sleep. And with this accidental eavesdropping, comes an awakening to the fact that the boy's father loves him, and that he loves his father in return. But how to show his dad, with little money to buy a Christmas present?

So as the boy thinks about his father, when they arise before the crack of dawn each morning, he decides something...

On Christmas morning, after rising at 2:45a.m., the boy dresses, goes out to the barn in the darkness, and does his father's chores by himself, puts everything to rights for the day for his dad, then climbs back into bed and pretends to be asleep, waiting for his father to discover his gift.

Just serenely joyful, isn't it? Thanks to Mark Buehner, and the late Pearl S. Buck, for bringing such a gift of love and light to the world. I can't help but want to give copy after copy of this book away at Christmas over the years. This story just encapsulates everything right in the world. And the glowing illustrations aren't anything to sneeze at, either!

2) Lighthouse Christmas, story by Toni Buzzeo, pictures by Nancy Carpenter

Trying to use my own weak words to describe this little gem of a cozy, heart-warming story is absolute slaughter. But I have to try, as the voice of these homey, family-oriented characters is spot-on to people we all know and love. From Frances and Peter's conversations, to the simple, home-spun computer illustrations. Just read the first page of text below, and you'll see what I mean:

After the passing of the children's mother the previous spring, their father takes a transfer from the mainland to be a lighthouse keeper on a small island off the coast of Maine. Peter, the youngest, wonders if Santa noticed their move? He longs for sugar cookies, singing, and presents.

But practical Frances, now stepping-up to fill her mother's homemaking shoes, worries the supply boat won't make it to their island before Christmas so the family can receive even the simplest of necessities such as sugar to flavor their bland oatmeal again--let alone ingredients for baking holiday cookies.

So when the children's aunt Martha radios to offer sending her dory to fetch them for Christmas Day on the mainland, the children's longing hearts must decide whether to leave their father home alone for Christmas (someone's got to keep the light burning to protect the ships at sea from crashing into rocky shores!), or fulfill their wishes of enjoying Christmas traditions with extended family.

But when a shipwreck off the coast requires an act of bravery and sacrifice from the Ledgelight family, Frances and Peter learn what the true meaning of Christmas really is. Without deflating the ending here too much, I'll just say there's a lovely surprise conclusion--based on actual events for many lighthouse-keeping families throughout the last century.

So in a nut shell, in the midst of hardship and kindness, two children learn what it means to give up one selfish desire for something even better--loving one's neighbor. And one good turn deserves another.

The author, Toni Buzzeo, gives a lovely nod to a big-hearted part of New England history--included in the author's notes at the end of the book. (Don't you love indulging in "author's notes" after your kids get up and walk away?) In my eyes, the "author's notes" were written for the grown-up readers, who'd care for a little bit more info re: the history of the hows and whys of the story.

This book is Just delicious, almost as good as Christmas butter cookies--sweet with sugar! :)

So if you're looking to add another feel-good Christmas book to your family's collection, Lighthouse Christmas is a singular choice--a reminder of how serving our fellow men is what makes Christmas so magical.

3) Christmas on Exeter Street, written by Diana Hendry, pictures by John Lawrence

After housing fifteen people under one roof for Thanksgiving a few weeks ago (only three of them being adults), I have an even keener love for this quirky and splendid story about making enough room in the inn, and revelling in the adventure that comes with it!

My husband was rather impressed with our nieces and nephews, "Those are some pleasant kids!" Pleasant, dish-washing guests do make for an enjoyable holiday, I must say. Thanks for the happy memories, guys!

And the guests at Mrs. Maggie Mistletoe's home in Christmas on Exeter Street are no exception to being good guests--if uninvited tailgate crashers, at that! Still, they're easy to please as you'll see below.

And for all of you fellow Anglophiles out there who love a good British book written with English phrasing and cultural tidbits, this book's a complete charmer...

From the first set of grandparents arriving (getting the finest "spare bedroom") to the next set of grandparents getting the second-best bedroom, you can guess what happens...As quintuplet aunts, an uncle fresh from Australia, neighbors with parents visiting Timbuktu, mere acquaintances, the minister's family, and even complete strangers (with a broken-down car) all show up...they all seek asylum under the roof of the cozy Mistletoe home on Christmas Eve.

According to that center illustration above (of Jane and Annie lying on the mattresses), it looks like it wasn't just my sisters and I, who would lay on our backs with our feet soles-to-soles playing the pedal-'madly-til-you-giggle-yourself-into-almost-having-an-accident game. The details of hominess in this book are too inviting!

Funny, as I've noted that the text in the older version of this book has been edited out. The older copies (on the above page) say something along the lines of, "Lily slept on the small sofa in the playroom, which had been bounced on so often it was very soft and saggy, kind of like Lily herself." The editors must have thought better on that one. Whew!!! Probably was the one who'd had a few babies, and knew what it's like to have one's body go from being fit and young, to drooping into soft and sagginess as the babies come, the years go by, and we don't have time to play tennis and freeze tag anymore. Ha!

But not even the kitchen sink was safe from being made into a safe haven that night on Exeter Street...

The zaniest turn of the book though, is when the five quintuplet aunts arrive from Abingdon, bringing with them a big turkey and their three Pekingese dogs.

Their bunking arrangements take the cake--or at least the plates off the shelves by which to eat any!

The highlight of this book, which kids love, is the full-spread layout of the lodging arrangements--showing all five stories of the Mistletoe home, and where each person is bunking down for the night:

And don't forget the Christmas Day feast, to which they all wore Lily's Christmas hats (except for Amos, who wore his blanket tied around his head because "he felt happiest that way"). Such a silly, sweet, wonderfully welcoming book. I hope you're kooky enough to adore it with me as it reminds us all to let the Christ child in, and make room in the inn for everyone!

4) Merry Christmas to You, Blue Kangaroo, written and illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark

This book is on the list because it's pure eye candy--it's as plain as that. I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for bright splashes of color. And all of Emma Chichester Clark's books have that luminosity. Besides, every child and adult (hard to remember as it may be...) can relate to having had one special toy that was everything to them for a spell. Blue Kangaroo is that stuffed toy for Lily. It's Blue Kangaroo's first year with his person, and Lily wants to show and share with him everything magical about Christmas.

So Lily introduces her special stuffed toy to his first advent chain countdown.

And Blue Kangaroo's first Christmas tree.

And when Aunts Florence and Jemima arrive with mince pies and gingerbread men...

...Lily shares with Blue Kangaroo all the joys of being with family and making special foods together to celebrate the holidays.

Do you not love the aunts' so-very-English hats? I forgot to mention that this book is just one in the entire fabulous series of Emma Chichester Clark's Blue Kangaroo books. Not to mention her scores of other British gems! Wouldn't it be loverly to have a Limey friend read this book in an authentic accent? I'll put Emma's official website, listing her scads of books, at the bottom of this review. (Lest you fall down the rabbit hole now, and never finish reading about Blue Kangaroo...)

Okay, those illustrations made me totally snacky--I just caved and went to sneak that last gingerbread cookie out of the jar. My kids will kill me! EEK! But, hey, they all got a gingerbread man packed into their bags for their snack time at school today, so all's fair in cookies and war. Moms are people too, you know. (And it was so spicy and satisfying!) Gingerbread is truly one of the perfect homemade treats on this earth. Besides, there's nothing better than having that very food on-hand which you're seeing pictured or advertised before you! Am I right? You know what I'm talking about. :)

Can't you feel the cold blast of air swirling in with the snowflakes--melting on the grandparents' coats as they greet Lily and her snuggly, warm little sleeper-clad brother here? These illustrations are perhaps the loveliest, homiest, most welcoming pictures in about any children's picture book I've ever seen. How does this illustrator create such moods? I would love to know. Great shadows and saturation, maybe?.

So as Blue Kangaroo is repeatedly overwhelmed with love from Lily, he longs to do something "just for Lily" in return. And since he's been such a good little stuffed marsupial all year, his wish is granted.

On Christmas Eve, a certain someone arrives with a great "thump"(!) in the night to help him find a suitable present for Lily ...

Isn't the above picture every child's dream-come-true? To see Father Christmas, or Santa Claus, just chilling in the kitchen--writing a little note over milk and cookies...so fun!

But not only does Blue Kangaroo give Lily a sweet little gift (with the help of Father Christmas), but unexpectedly finds one left in a tiny blue stocking for himself as well...

A very happy ending for a sweet little girl and her mild-mannered blue side kick. Just so you know, in the other Blue Kangaroo books, Lily's a bit more headstrong, and gets into the regular mischief that any other normal, healthy child would. So we relate with her even more when we know she's as mischievous as our own kids.

Here's Ms. Chichester Clark's website:
http://emmachichesterclark.co.uk/?LMCL=rfIAAf&LMCL=EA_dV8&LMCL=rfIAAf#
Enjoy the rest of her books!

5) A Christmas Like Helen's, written by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock, illustrated by Mary Azarian

Every year, I think I'll thread popcorn and cranberries on a string to decorate the tree. We've only been so leisurely and romantic once--years ago. And had really sore thumbs afterward. But, it always looks fun, doesn't it?

To really get a taste of this book, you'll just have to read its prose, not my own nonsensical foolishness. Without further adieu:

Are you starting to hanker for an old-fashioned taffy pull by now? Mmmm-hmmm...

There's something binding in braiding a little girl's hair--a connection of action between one being made tidy, and another being grooming the other out of love. It's therapeutic.

Queue the Celtic music...

Okay, okay, okay...I live even farther north than Vermont(!), so I do not like that line above that says, "You'll have to not mind living in a place where winter lasts nearly eight months of the year." ARGH! I suppose it's true.

But November through February is the prettiest time of year for many of us in New England. Truly spectacular coats of ice on the trees and shrubs, and a Narnia like feel when walking in the woods. But, March through May--I could leave it! Mud city, my friends! Blech. One of these years we'll escape back to Utah for the spring to see the daffodils bloom under our old front window in late FEBRUARY!!!

But the rest of the year really is as enchanting in the northeast as this book purports. Just NOT during the spring, which is why this book is not titled, "A Spring Like Helens." Because Vermont and any place further north like Maine have no spring. Only winter until mid-May, a week of strange, sudden transition, and then summer in June. So weird. But so worth it.

The lines above are a bit eye-opening for any of us who don't grow all of our own food, right? I mean, most people have probably had experience gardening a few crops of some vegetable in their lives. But how many of us, in the middle of January, think about who raised the crop of apples sitting in our refrigerator--six months ago?! Kind of some cool thoughts going on in that text to make kids ponder on where things come from, and who does all the work to make it happen...

Here are my favorite hay bales from around the corner and down the road a mile, just across the street from my friend, Christa's place. Some time this winter, I'll paint these happy bales (I can hear Bob Ross saying that..) in oils. I can hardly wait...

What a neighborly sentiment to teach young kids reading this book. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" will never go out of fashion.

Notice (in the illustration above) that as the youngest, Helen isn't even wearing skates--she's just being pulled by the older kids who do. So accurate in the order of taking the turn being the littlest. Reminds me of when my sister and I (being the two youngest of five) inherited the smallest two pairs of metal roller skates from our older siblings, so we could join them in skating around our basement in upstate New York when I was five, and she was six. The skates consisted of metal toes and metal heals that could slide up and down a metal sole bar (attached to metal wheels) to accomadate one's foot size. We secured the (ancient-seeming) skates around our feet with strips of cloth. Brilliant! And then we had such a blast--going rickety-gliding over the concrete floors playing cops and robbers! Shwoopee! Crash! Oh, the days...

When I was fourteen I was a gangly, late-blooming wanna-be ballerina. I auditioned for the Nutcracker (which the Utah Valley Regional Ballet Company would put on every year). I made it into the performance as..."a parent." I'd started taking lessons so much later than the younger girls in my classes, and was so tall compared to my peers (who were being cast as Russian dancers, soldiers, or sugar plum fairies), that the only role the directors could use me in, was as a parent at the Christmas party where Clara gets her nutcracker. It was a little awkward, as most of the other parents, were, well...real parents. Yes, it was a funny situation...but I was thrilled to take part in my first ballet!

Anyway, to make a long story short, those were stressful weeks, being in an onstage performance at a university theater, and having lots of new systems and routines to learn quickly. The slip of my ball gown even caught on the heal of my "stage partner's" character shoe during one matinee and was pulled down to my ankles. Exciting times! Maybe it helped the audience to enjoy the show that afternoon?

But by the last night of performances, I began to feel weak and achy. A gripping cough seized my chest, and I couldn't draw full breaths. I remember slumping down against the wall in the wings of the stage, and people walking about in tights and tutus at my eye level. Then at the end of the last round of applause, my parents were standing before me. And my dad scooped me up, and carried me out of the building, and through the parking lot of the Harris Fine Arts Center at Brigham Young University. After weeks of early hours, long days, stress, and exhaustion, we were going home. Bless-ed home! And even more blessed were my mom, dad, and family!

The ordeal was done. I'd made it into a ballet--and successfully wiped myself out. As I lay listless in my dad's arms outside that fine arts center, huge snowflakes (the size of silver dollars and goose down) drifted slowly out of the pearly sky. I've never seen such a serene snowfall. And I'd never loved my dad so much before for helping me--carrying (and caring for) me, as when I felt so miserably ill.

My sweet mama took me to the doctor the next day, and I came home with a diagnosis of bacterial bronchitis--the nastiest sickness I've ever felt. But I'll tell you what...that Christmas is my most memorable one. My family laid out a cot next to the Christmas tree, so I could enjoy the glowing lights, and experience the season even if I couldn't sit up much or do anything for the next few weeks. I loved my parents more than ever that year. I don't remember a single present, but I do remember my mom reading to me, propping me up to watch a movie with everybody, and feeding me. Family is what it's all about.

So since my oldest two girls have begged/promised their way into getting a doghouse-converted-chicken-coop full of hens, I now understand an inkling more about the realities of the unglamorous life of living on a farm. This book makes farming as a family seem pretty swell, indeed. And I'm sure there are many pluses to such a wholesome lifestyle. But there are probably many drawbacks as well. Cleaning out the chicken coop, being one.

What I love about this book is not so much the lifestyle or place it describes, but the light the story sheds on the joys of family life. The memories made with siblings and parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. This is the stuff joy is made of. Sledding, going to church together, playing baseball with brothers in an open field at night, telling stories around the dinner table, raising animals together, helping out the neighbors as a family.

Read this book with someone you love this Christmas, and bask in that warmth of that familial strength.

6) The Night Before Christmas, written by Holly Hobbie, poem by Clement C. Moore

This version of The Night Before Christmas is perhaps the most lovely illumination of Clement C. Moore's poem I’ve ever seen. Artistically, it is a wonder of design and craftsmanship.

Are any of you as ancient as I am? Do you remember the Holly Hobbie paraphernalia that was so popular in the 70s? Those Holly Hobbie dolls were all created by this very same Holly Hobbie, the author and illustrator of the Toot and Puddle books. We're talking, this woman knows how to make and remake her style again, and again, and again. I am impressed. If you haven’t seen this redo of The Night Before Christmas, though, you are in for a treat! I can hardly wait for you to check out a copy of this book, pull a little person into your lap, and revel in its peace!

So this is a little spooky. The house above could be my neighbor's around the corner--but without a snowman, and painted green instead of grey. Typical old Main-uh home, eh.

Such a sense of place. You can almost feel the sandy blast of ice crystals blowing against your face here, with that beautifully-painted gust.

I love the old creaky-looking floorboards!

How does Holly Hobbie do it? Really, it kills me how stunning these paintings are!

You're wanting to scratch that warm, lazy cat's belly, right? (Unless you've got allergies like me...Ugh!) But aren't those ilustrations a treasure? Almost as much of a delight as...

...or decorating for Christmas, or going out to walk in the first snow of the season, or watching your husband or child open a gift you know they'll really like.

So, if you're looking for a timeless book to celebrate Christmas for adults, or kids, I think this instant classic by Holly Hobbie pleases both crowds.

Now, since it's Christmas, I'm throwing in one last extra recommendation. I just couldn't narrow the tremendous list of fantastic picture books down to six. So, pretend the Half-dozen Mama is the Septuamom, for this month, as here is a seventh book title:

#7--a Bonus Book, since it's Christmas and all): Stickman, written by Julia Donaldson, and illustrated by Axel Scheffler

Do you know this book? It's strangeness is equal only to its charm. My kids and I LOVE it! In fact, if we didn't keep it up on the top shelf with the Christmas books for 11/12th of the year, we'd be reading it once a month. Which we did, after we were first acquainted with Stick Man.

Who wouldn't "root" for this spindly guy from the get go? (Carrying his tiny twig son on his shoulder like that!)

The story of Stick Man is as basic as they come. A hero is separated from his family and wants to find his way home. A tale as old as "The Odyssey." And the Christmas twist at the end is that Stick Man helps Santa Claus out from a very tight spot, so you can guess how Santa thanks him...

And the rest (this isn't The Little Match Girl--I never did quite understand that tragic tale...), is before you below...Kids will be glad to read the satisfying ending. Don't look at the last page below if you hate spoilers, even in picture books. :)

Yeah, you knew what would happen all along, but it's still good to see it spelled out plainly with a fun illustration by Axel Scheffler.

Congratulations! You just slogged your way through the longest book review of your life! Ha ha! Oh, boy...(*head shake...*) But I hope the titles listed above did give you at least one or two ideas for gift-giving to those you hold dear in your life.

And since you're a marathon reader and made it ALL THE WAY down this far (bless you, patient soul!), PLEASE, tell me what your favorite children's picture books to read at Christmas time are in the comments below, or share your most cherished holiday memory or tradition. We would all love to get some more great recommendations for new books--and ideas of how to bring our families closer this season.

Merry Christmas and much love to you and yours!

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Hello!

Great Children's Books with the Flavor of Great Britain!

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Celebrating Christmas through Picture Books!

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First Friday of the Month
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Hello!

A few last illustrations from Anna's Garden Songs so you can see how delightful this book truly is...

Archives

Categories: ​Children's booksFirst Friday of the Month Gardening ​LighthousesMaineMothering​Recipes

Categories:
Children's books
First Friday of the Month
Gardening
Lighthouses
Maine
Mothering
Recipes