Lili on Stage (1995)

 Lili on Stage by Rachel Isadora (1995) is for the young ballerina. It begins with a Note to the Reader  describing the The Nutcracker.  Lili is one of many young children performing in the party scene of this famous ballet.  A few sentences on each page complement water color paintings of children  back stage. One stretches, one writes in her diary, several play jacks, and one catches up on homework. The reader sees children warming up, rehearsing, and applying makeup. "Suddenly all the rehearsals fade away, and Lili feels as if the party is real." She's on stage performing with the other children and adults. It's exciting. The audience shouts, "Bravo! Bravo!" Lili gets a toe shoe signed by her favorite ballerina. For Lili, it's magic. 

Madeline Finn and the Library Dog (2016)

 Madeline Finn and the Library Dog by Lisa Papp (2016) has cover art that previews what's inside the book. Papp's illustration style offers a gentle approach to children who struggle to read. This young girl is Madeline and she wants to read. She doesn't like to read because it's difficult. She wants to earn stars for reading like her peers do. "But sometimes I can't figure out the words. Sometimes the sentences get stuck in my mouth like peanut butter. Sometimes people giggle when I make a mistake." This last sentence is key to the story's resolution. There's no mention of seeking the help of a reading specialist. This absence always disappoints me in stories like this one. Somehow, simply reading without threat of embarrassment solves Madeline's reading problem. She's paired with a very large and gentle looking dog at her local library. Just picture a big, white golden retriever. This dog, Bonnie, doesn't giggle when Madeline gets letters mixed up, doesn't pronounce words correctly, and otherwise gets stuck. So Madeline's reading improves. She actually reads aloud in class by thinking about reading to Bonnie. Of course, she finally earns a star. 

Cross-Country Cat (1979)

Cross-Country Cat by Mary Calhoun (1979) is a satisfying story about a lost pet. The pet is a cat. Calhoun sets us up for her drama by explaining in the first few pages that this kitty is familiar with moving on only two feet. “Henry was a hind leg walker.” Oddly, Henry’s owners are identified as “The Kid”, "The Man”, and "The Woman.” This family enjoys cross country skiing. The Kid makes Henry a pair of tiny skis, which Henry rejects. But when the family accidentally leaves Henry behind when they head for home, Henry attempts to ski home. Of course, we encounter woodland creatures on the journey. The ending has a cute twist that cat lovers will like.  Erik Ingraham’s illustrations are beautiful drawings in a limited palette. I wonder if they are colored pencil and watercolor. 

*The Bunnies’ Easter Bonnet (1994)

*The Bunnies’ Easter Bonnet by Nan Roloff and Amy Flynn (1994) is apleasant surprise. I wish Flynn hadn't given away the ending in the cover art. I enjoy seeing the many ways that artists picture rabbits. The rabbits in this book have a visual texture that reminds me of plush toys, not so much hairy, more like a soft blanket. They're also minus whiskers. The many animals in this story have similar exteriors, allowing for a sweet consistency. When bunny twins enter an Easter bonnet contest, you think the story then writes itself, and it does up to a point. That point is when the oversized bonnet we already saw on the cover (the surprise that isn’t), nearly crashes into the contest crowd—but then, it doesn’t. Why can wind suddenly lift it into the air? Hint: notice what it’s made of. 

Letting Swift River Go (1992)

Letting Swift River Go (1992) is another of Jane Yolen’s superbly crafted stories. It begins with an author’s note, “The Quabbin Reservoir is near my house.” Thus begins a very personal recollection of childhood by a now grown-up Sally Jane. She felt safe in her valley town. She walked to school, fished the Swift River, picnicked in the graveyard, and slept outside with her friends. Then “everything began to change.” Boston voted to “drown our towns that the people in the city might drink.” Barbara Cooney’s illustrations contrast the beautiful landscape of the Swift River Valley prior to its destruction with the vast barrenness required to create a reservoir. She finishes with the immense body of water that covered the towns of Dana, Enfield, Prescott, and Greenwich. As an adult, Sally Jane looks back and recalls her mother’s words, when a city girl visited with mason jars to capture fireflies. My resource focuses on the people who lived in the valley, not the construction of the Winsor Dam and Goodnough Dike. This story is read aloud online by Denver DiMarzio. 

My Picture Book Talk resource for this story is here. 

Love (2018)

 Love by Matt de la Peña (2018) is a surprise. The cover art and one word title suggest this is another idealistic story about how humans express love. But the hard stuff foreshadowed on page 4, escalates on page 9, and punches you in the gut on pages 11 and 12. After some beginning pages of lovely bliss, we're seeing people on the street because of an apartment fire. An old lady comforts a young girl by saying that the night stars shine with love "long after they've flamed out." Turn the page and the scene hints at domestic violence; a young boy and his dog hide under a piano; a woman covers her face with her hands; a chair and lamp lie on their sides on the floor. Summers flame out, "And friendships. And people." More  scenes imply that we live in frightening times. The final pages return us to lighter topics. Then, curiously, this picture book fast forwards to the future, when the young reader leaves home for . . . somewhere. Loved ones will wish you luck. "But it won't be luck you'll leave with. Because you'll have love." Illustrations by Loren Long often fill two pages spreads. They are both soft yet distinctive. This is a book for the 21st century child. 

*Persuading Miss Doover (2018)

 Persuading Miss Doover  by Robin Pulver (2018) is about writing a persuasive essay. In this case, an essay of only four sentences. Jack and Samir are classmates and best friends who conspire to embarrass their teacher. She responds by separating them. "Miss Doover sat Jack in the front of the room. She sent Amir to a seat in the back." This was simply intolerable for the boys. So Miss Doover challenges them to convince her that they should sit together. In fact, she takes writers' workshop time to challenge the entire class to write four sentences about something they would really want. She provides a template. Jack and Samir's submissions often need revision. Consequently, the reader sees their multiple attempts at convincing paragraphs. There are submissions by classmates too. "My dog should be our class pet. . . We should be allowed to take more than two books out of the library at a time. . .Recess should be for two hours." This book is an ingenious way to teach persuasion. Stephanie Roth Sisson's illustrations convey the delight and desperation of Jack and Samir. Miss Doover appears compassionately steadfast in her objective. 

Obadiah's Ghost (1990)

 Obadiah's Ghost by Richard M. Wainwright (1990) has a much greater word count than most of the books reviewed in this blog. It's a long story packaged similar to a picture book. I think it would make a better story if the word count was dramatically reduced. This is a story about overcoming one's fear, a familiar theme. Tommy is afraid of the dark. He's so afraid that he doesn't go trick-or-treating with his friends on Halloween. He's not afraid of the spooky, falling-down mansion near his house though, nor the ghost he meets inside. This ghost, or rather spirit, is Obadiah. He's been afraid of spiders. "And it was written that I should remain here with only Tobias and friendly spiders until I helped someone learn that courage is stronger than fear." And there you have it. The story writes itself now. Obadiah gives Tommy a pair of glasses that make the night appear as day. That's on page 13. There are 20 more pages to go. Jack Crompton's illustrations are pretty standard fare for such a book. 

Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind (2006)

 Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind by Judy Finchler & Kevin O'Malley (2006) stars an elementary school age boy who does not like to read. Actually, this main character is never given a name, but hangs with three male friends. They love to play video games. This child's school is participating in the Everybody Read in America program. The school will read 1,000 books by June 12, at which point the principal will dye his hair purple and sleep on the roof. This student's teacher, Miss Malarkey gives her students a wide variety of books to choose from. Gradually, this student's three friends play fewer video games and read more books because Miss Malarkey succeeded in finding books they actually enjoy. Will our main character find any book fun? Of course he does. Kevin O'Malley's illustrations remind me of those by Harry Bliss. The characters are crisply defined and speech bubbles complement the text. 

*Wake Up, Woods (2019)

*Wake Up, Woods by Michael Homoya and Shane Gibson (2019) has a copyright by the Indiana Native Plant Society. The beautiful illustration on the cover by Gillian Harris fooled me into thinking this was a story for very young children. This is actually a book for the budding botanist in elementary school. Each plant featured takes up a two-page spread that includes its common name, scientific name, a rhyme, and detailed descriptive text. The fine art pictures are essential in this kind of nonfiction. There’s a glossary, appendix, and several pages of additional information at the end of the book. This book belongs in every elementary school science room! 

*I’d Know You Anywhere My Love

*I’d Know You Anywhere My Love by Nancy Tillman (2013) is simply one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. Her illustrations are stunning works of art. The premise and rhyme of the text flow gently as a lullaby. She explains on the first page that this is a story about being “different one day” without any risk of becoming unrecognizable. How do you rhyme rhinoceros? Here it is: “If one day we’re walking and talking, just us, when you’re abracadabra, a rhinoceros. . .” Tillman’s illustration is a woman smiling down at a young, gray, (cute?) rhino. The woman is not appalled, not judgmental, nor frightened. Her unconditional love is obvious in her expression and open palmed gesture. Successive pages highlight Tillman's artistry. They include paintings of furry animals and feathery birds. Children change daily, even hourly. This story assures them that strict adherence to a prescribed persona is not required to receive a parent’s (or caregiver’s) love. This book is the perfect gift for a young child. 

*APT.3

*APT.3 by Ezra Jack Keats (1971) is another succinct and powerful book. How does EJK combine strong minimalist visuals with just enough text to draw one into his scenarios? As I write this, I think, maybe his strategy is to demand readers fill in the details. Keats makes readers work. It’s the reader who decides how scenes look and feel as they turn the pages. Readers must draw upon their own lives to fill in gaps. When Sam looks out at a page of blurry rain beating against his windows, we remember what raindrops actually look like as they have fallen outside our own windows. This particular story focuses on sound. We’re guessing what “Crunch, crackle, crunch!” could be before turning the page and learning it’s the sound of someone eating potato chips. We remember how salty and crunchy they feel. When Sam hears arguments behind closed doors, our insides tighten at the memory of arguments in our own lives. The ending of this book is a satisfying surprise. Sam is someone we like.