*Smokey (1962)

*Smokey by Bill Peet (1962) is another example of this author’s special "something". What is it that infuses magic into his storytelling? Maybe it’s the rhyme. His lines glide easily from page to page. His characters have personalities. A train is partially submerged in a pond on the cover of this book. Its eyes effectively communicate anxiety about its predicament. Ducks smile at the train. A frog, turtle, some dragonflies, and a fish look on with curiosity. Inside the book, big diesel trains actually look arrogant. Retired engines look worn, abandoned, and sad. Work horses lean into the hard labor of hauling hay. Smokey is an aging engine that puffs black smoke into the air. It’s the end of the line for him. After a long life of dedicated service, Smokey’s about to join his old colleagues rusting in a field. But, Smokey’s story has a happy ending. We can count on Bill Peet to write a happy ending. 

The World is not a Rectangle: a Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid

The World is not a Rectangle: a Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid by Jeanette Winter (2017) is a pretty straight forward synopsis of Hadid’s career. The text is dull and the illustrations are adequate. If you’re looking for a biography with an academic feel, this is the book for you. Zaha Hadid is less an interesting person and more a force of nature. There’s barely any reference to her childhood beyond her observations of the natural world. She comes across as a loner, which I suppose makes sense given her unique artistic vision. I watched a brief documentary about the building of One Thousand Museum in Miami. It appeared to be an extremely challenging project. This is an important story. I wish I’d learned more about Hadid rather than a timeline of her professional life.

The Bat in the Boot (1996)

The Bat in the Boot is a beautifully illustrated book by Annie Cannon (1996). A family consisting of mother, father, son, and daughter enter their mud room after a morning of gardening and find a baby bat in one of the father’s work boots. The story is predictable. It’s the watercolor illustrations that drew me in. Bats visit the family home every night, so this family is happy to rescue one. There’s very little text, just enough to give Cannon the opportunity to paint a sequence of events: securing the bat in a shoebox to protect it, feeding it with an eye dropper, and watching the mother return to claim it. Back matter indicates this is based on a true story. “The wu-fu symbol illustrated on the jacket back has been adopted as the logo of the world’s foremost bat research and educational organization, Bat Conservation International.” 

the day the goose got loose (1990)

the day the goose got loose by Reeve Lindbergh (1990) is silly fun. Steven Kellogg’s illustrations are perfect for this story of barnyard mayhem. “When the goose got loose She caused a riot. Nobody ever thought she’d try it. The day the goose got loose." You guessed it; the goose opens the gates to the sheep, horses, and cows. They crash into the house and head into town. Near the end of the story, we learn why the goose gets loose. The very end is saved for some of Kellogg’s fanciful pictures. This is a fun book. I did finish it wondering why the goose was fenced in such a small area to begin with. 

*Dream Meadow (1994)

*Dream Meadow by Helen V. Griffith (1994) caught me by surprise. This is a sweet story about old age and death. The cover art is a dream; actually it’s also a memory. Nancy Barnet’s pictures (are they watercolor or colored pencil, I wonder) provide an appropriate softness to accompany this romanticized vision of dying. I like this book very much. At the beginning of the story, an old woman sits in a rocking chair. An old dog lays beside the chair. Occasionally, the old woman and dog wake up and greet one another. But mostly they sleep and dream of younger days. Strictly speaking, I don’t see how this dog could be the same dog as the one in the old woman’s youth, but who cares about this detail when the story is so good. Jane dreams of running in a meadow with green grass, yellow flowers, and orange butterflies. Frisky dreams the same dream. Together their dreams merge into a happy ending. 

*The Trek (1985)

*The Trek by Anna Jonas (1985) was a delightful surprise and ranks as one of my favorite picture books. The trek is a child’s walk to school. It’s a walk of several city blocks, but watch out because there are animals everywhere. Here’s a hint: when the young girl in this story looks out onto a row of flowering bushes, she sees—and it took me a while to see in them too—sheep. Jonas’ clever illustrations are subtle and revealing at the same time. There’s a crocodile in a walkway, giraffes in a chimney, zebra in a bush, and elephant tree trunks. You need to look closely to find the alpacas and the warthog. There’s very little text because it’s unnecessary. The point is the pictures. All 36 animals are have thumbnails at the back of the book. Did you find them all? 

Jabari Jumps (2017)

Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall (2017)  is a gentle story about a little boy summoning up enough courage to jump from the diving board at a city pool. We can infer this from the cover art. Jabari’s dad listens with understanding. He validates Jabari’s multiple forms of hesitation and speaks kind words of encouragement. Jabari lets the children in line behind him jump first. He climbs the tall ladder of the diving board only part way and decides to climb back down for a tiny rest. He’s down right adorable. He looks at the diving board with high hopes yet real anxiety. When his dad reframes the situation, Jabari jumps.