*Not in the House, Newton (1995)

*Not in the House, Newton by Judith Heide Gilliland (1995) surprised me by turning art into a fun way for a little boy to spend time. When Newton finds a red crayon on the ground outside his home, he asks his mother for paper. She supplies him with a whole box. “Newton carried the paper to his room. By now he could feel the crayon humming quietly in his pocket. . .Newton loved to draw.” Gorgeous pictures by Elizabeth Sayles show this little artist drawing a ball, a race car, and a fire truck—and all of them transform into real, tangible toys. Newton’s mother praises his creations, but reminds him that loud, active play belongs outside. With this in mind, Gilliland writes the perfect ending. 

*Merry-Go-Round: A Book About Nouns (1990)

*Merry-Go-Round: A Book About Nouns by Ruth Heller (1990) is one in her World of Language series. The text and illustrations make for a masterpiece. Think about it; how would you go about such an open-ended task, both describing and depicting nouns?! Heller chooses wisely by referencing legend, nature, and treasure. And she does so with brightly colored, elaborate pictures that fill her pages, often with close-ups. She transforms this dry topic into a gloriously beautiful exercise of English. “SINGULAR NOUNS are always one—PLURALS two or more. Just add an S when there’s more than one. . . That’s the way it’s usually done. . .” Her illustration for this page shows daffodils, eyes, ears, beetles, bows, roses, ships, sails, cabbages, chrysanthemums, and noses. How, might you ask? As two people wearing elaborate hats! 

*Hey, Al (1986)

*Hey, Al by Arthur Yorinks (1986) is a fun story with illustrations by Richard Egielski that earned a Caldecott Medal. The book in my hand is the seventh printing (1993). “Al, a nice man, a quiet man, a janitor lived in one room on the West Side with his faithful dog Eddie.” One day, they argued about their poor living conditions (yes, Eddie talks). The next day, a giant bird pops its head through Al’s bathroom window and offers to take him and his dog to a better life. That better life is on an island in the sky. They’re warmly greeted by a variety of birds, which, after finishing the book, feels a little creepy. In fact, the two-page spread illustrating this welcome has a single, subtle clue about what is to come. The island is paradise, until it’s not. Al and Eddie make it back home. The final sentence reads, “Paradise lost is sometimes Heaven found.” 

*Infinity and Me (2012)

*Infinity and Me by Kate Hosford (2012) is one of those daring picture books that tackles a numerical concept. It received a “Notable” book award from the Association for Library Service to Children. Uma is a young girl who looks up at stars in the night sky and wonders how many there are. “Maybe the number was as big as infinity. I started to feel very, very small.” After asking her peers and her grandmother what infinity means, she comes up with some metaphors of her own. Gabri Swiatkowska’s unique illustrations assist Hosford in bringing the idea of infinity down to earth and close to home. This is a brilliant book and reminded me of author/illustrator Mitsumasa Anno. Hosford and Anno invite young readers into the world of numbers. 

The Summer My Father Was Ten (1998)

*The Summer My Father Was Ten by Pat Brisson (1998) is a powerful story of intergenerational conflict and reconciliation. Every year, when a father plants a garden with his daughter, he tells her about an awful prank he pulled when he was ten years old. He and his friends destroyed an old man’s vegetable garden. He feels terrible about the incident, but doesn’t have the courage to apologize immediately. But he does when the opportunity presents itself, and this sows the seeds of a long term relationship with the elderly gentleman. The gorgeous watercolors by Andrea Shine make it a beautiful book.

*When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana (2018)

 *When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana by Michael Mavin (2018) is a powerhouse. This is a biography of Carlos Santana’s life, told directly to him.  For example, the first line is, “When you were born, your tía abuela called you el cristalino, the crystal one.” It’s a desperately difficult life. It begins with listening to his father play the violin. As Carlos grows, he tries several instruments without success. “But it was a way to make money, so your father forced you to learn more songs. Mozart. Brahms. Polkas. Boleros. gypsy music.” Then one day Santana hears a guitar and his parents get one. “It was battered and bruised and beautiful.” And the chronology continues in the rich colors of Jose Ramirez’ illustrations. Ramirez embeds dates into the pictures to help provide a timeline. A thread throughout the story is Santana’s fear of never being good enough for angels to sing in his music. This inner drama finds resolution quite separate from his multiple public awards. 

*The Scarecrow's Hat (2001)

 *The Scarecrow's Hat by Ken Brown (2001) is an ingenious story. The title and cover art beckon the reader without a hint of what the story is about. It doesn't take long to figure out Chicken's brilliant plan. And Brown's splendid watercolor paintings fill the pages with personality. Chicken covets Scarecrow's hat. Scarecrow says says they would trade the hat for a walking stick any day. Chicken happens to know that Badger has a walking stick. And so the pattern repeats itself. Badger would love a ribbon. Chicken knows someone with a ribbon. And so on. We meet Crow, Sheep, Owl, and Donkey. Everyone gets what they want. Except Duck. Duck isn't going to get the hat that Chicken worked to hard to get.

*Mr Archimedes’ Bath (1980)

* Mr Archimedes’ Bath by Pamela Allen (1980) is a brilliant book. There’s very little text and it’s in a large font. That’s ok because the pictures tell the story. Mr Archimedes puts “just a little water in the bath, as he always did, and this time he measured the depth.” He’s wondering why water spills out of the tub when he and his animal companions climb in. When they all climb out of the tub, the water level drops. Each animal takes turns not joining the others in the tub, and yet, the water still rises. He finally figures out that they are the ones making the water level rise and fall. “The friends had so much fun that night, jumping in and out, making the water go up and down, that they made more mess than ever before.” This is the Arcimedes’ principle.

*What You Know First (1995)

 *What You Know First by Patricia MacLachlan (1995) is a stunning book. It’s one of those very special treasures I sometimes find at library book sales. This copy was actually on the free shelf because it didn’t sell at the sale a few days prior. The dark silhouettes on the cover don’t attract like the brightly colored digital art so common nowadays, I guess. The enigmatic title invites only the thoughtful to open the book. Barry Moser’s illustrations are engravings based on photographs from Patricia MacLachlan and Barry Moser’s family albums. The copyright page reads “The images in this book were engraved in Resingrave, a synthetic wood engraving medium manufactured by Richard Woodman in Redwood City, California. They were printed from the blocks by Vance Studley at the Archetype Press, Pasadena, California.” 

The story is about a child’s resistance to her family's move move off a farm on the prairie. There’s an emphasis on the people and the special landscape of the child’s home. We never do find out out why the family is moving, but we know the parents are sad about it. Mama cries about selling the farm. “And Papa took a long walk when they came to take the cows away after he whispered good-bye to Bess after she leaned against him the way she always does.” The message is not to forget; remember what you first knew. 

*Time Train (1991)

 *Time Train by Paul Fleischman (1991) is a wonderful concept that Claire Ewart illustrates with a helping of humor. This is the story of a class trip to see dinosaurs. In New York City, they try to purchase tickets for the Rocky Mountain Limited train that will take them to the Dinosaur National Monument in Utah. But the ticket seller instead books them on the Rocky Mountain Unlimited. As this train crosses the country, it also travels back in time. In Utah, the teacher and her students land in a prehistoric never land. As the teacher sits baffled beside her suitcases that night, the children sleep in a gigantic dinosaur footprint. The dinosaurs are real and friendly. The children have a wonderful time working on class projects. Fortunately their teacher hears the Rocky Mountain Unlimited making returning and the students arrive home. Only their teacher, Miss Pam, looks worn out. 

*Little Red Riding Hood (1983)

 *The copy of Little Red Riding Hood I found at a library sale is an Anniversary edition published in 2003. It is retold and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman and won a Caldecott Honor award. There’s a forward by Jason Chin that praises the art of Schart Hyman. And it's the kind of beautiful and detailed story illustration I never see  in contemporary picture books. The story is “retold” but it closely resembles the version I recall hearing as a child. Maybe an investigation of the the many revisions of Little Red would make an interesting Wordpress post. But for now, I can echo Chin’s forward—this is a beautifully illustrated picture book. 

LUCY The cream of the crop

 LUCY The cream of the crop has no date nor publisher. So, I assume Melissa Gemelli self-published this fun, silly story to advocate for the American Cream Draft Horse. I'm not sure how she created the illustrations. They seem to be photographs edited and collaged together. Lucy is a filly who wants to leave her beautiful farm and see the world. "'I want to be brave and make my mark on the world. I want to see what's out there and show the world who American Cream Draft Horses are!'" she proclaims one day after lunch. Her family supports this adventure. Cousin George accompanies her. Sure enough, they "trotted, galloped guiddyup'ed and walked" all the way to the president of the United States! The president invites all the farm animals to be in a big parade. Lucy returns home grateful for the support she received, including a note from her sister: "Remember who you are. Remember you're a star. Make all of your dreams come true. And always remember your family loves you." Contact info at the end of the book is www.acdha.org 

*Katje the Windmill Cat (2001)

Katje the Windmill Cat by Gretchen Woelfle (2001) is about a famous cat that saves a baby during the Saint Elizabeth’s Flood of 1421. Katje lives  “with Nico the miller in a Dutch village by the sea.” Life is easy. Nico grinds wheat into flower and Katje catches mice. One day, Nico takes a wife and Katje’s life changes. When baby Anneke arrives, she and Katje bond immediately. They play in Anneke’s cradle. But mother Lena disapproves and shoos Katje away with words that foreshadow the drama that follows. Katje moves into the windmill but sometimes sneaks into the house to play with Anneke. Katje and the baby are playing when sea water breaks through the nearby dike and sweeps them both away. 

Beautiful paintings by Nicola Bayley contribute to this well-crafted work of art. She includes blue and white Dutch tiles along the border of most pages. 

My Picture Book Talk lesson for this story is here. 

*The Ice Bear (2010)

 The Ice Bear by Jackie Morris (2010) was a powerful story due to magnificent watercolor illustrations. Power eminates from the cover art; a close-up of a polar bear's face looking directly at the reader. The bear's majestic presence projects from the title page on which Morris paints a profile. Throughout the book we see large paintings of the story's characters in close and intimate. We feel the furry warmth of this bear cuddling with her two babies. We're shocked and afraid when a raven, so large as to extend beyond the boundaries of the page, carries off one of the cubs. The raven drops the cub and it magically transforms into a human infant and a passing hunter scoops it up. Both the human parents and the mother bear are passionate about this human-cub. When the child is seven, the raven returns and tricks the child into wandering back into the wild. The ending is heartwarming. I don't have the cultural knowledge to adequately summarize this story, but I can say it is a beautiful tale. 

*Never Trust a Squirrel

*Never Trust a Squirrel by Patrick Cooper (1998) is a classic tale of a little creature, this time a guinea pig, venturing out into the world. A squirrel coaxes William out of his hutch to play. Despite his mother’s warnings, William tries playing games with the squirrel until a fox appears. The squirrel runs away up a tree and leaves William to fend for himself. His mother saves the day. Catherine Walters's pictures are perfect and the reason I made this one of my favorites. The scenery is full of wild flowers. The simple, furry faces of the squirrel and guinea pigs have expressions. The squirrel sticks its tongue out at the mother guinea pig as it scampers off with her son! A scene with the fox is truly frightening. 

*Is That You, Eleanor Sue? (2018)

* Is That You, Eleanor Sue? by Tricia Tusa (2018) is a fun story because of Eleanor Sue's mother. Not only does Eleanor Sue love to dress up, her mother plays along. When this little girl wears a wig, jacket, and purse she climbs out her bedroom window and knocks on her own home's door. Eleanor Sue introduces herself as Mrs. McMuffins, a new neighbor; her mother invites her in for tea. When Mrs. McMuffins transforms into a witch, her mother  fixes lunch. She listens as this witch explains how she flies around. Eleanor Sue returns as a wizard, a bear, a delivery person, and a kitty. The story has a delightful ending. 

*Playing Right Field (1995)

*Playing Right Field by Willy Welch (1995) is a unique story made even more special because it’s in rhyme and made fabulous by Marc Simont’s illustrations. First of all, a simple picture book about baseball sure is fun. There’s only four lines at most on a page. Often only two lines captures the essence of standing far away from the action. “Playing right field can be lonely and dull. Little Leagues never have lefties that pull.” The writing is excellent, the rhyme works, and the vocabulary assumes a familiarity with baseball. Simont fills the book’s large pages with acres of dandelion covered fields. Right field feels miles away. The ending is authentic. The kid who ends up in right field doesn’t suddenly display awesome, until now hidden, athletic talent. But he’s a hero anyway. 

*Khalil and Mr. Hagerty and the Backyard Treasures (2020)

*Khalil and Mr. Hagerty and the Backyard Treasures by Tricia Springstubb (2020) is a truly lovely story. And I enjoyed Elaheh Taherian’s collage illustrations. Everything about this book is heartwarming. There’s no conflict. There’s no drama. Candlewick Press doesn’t drag readers uphill through anxiety towards some kind of conflict resolution. This is a gentle tale of inter-generational friendship. A young child named Kahlil  lives upstairs from an elderly gentleman named Mr. Haggerty. They share a backyard and get to know each other. Springstubb subtly weaves a theme of words across her pages: Kahlil needs help reading some words in his books, and Mr. Haggerty needs help remembering the names of things. The story ends with “One of the best words of all.” 

*Amos: The Story of An Old Dog and His Couch (1987)

*Amos: The Story of An Old Dog and His Couch by Susan Seligson (1987) is a Weekly Reader Book published by Little, Brown & Company. I imagine it was fun to receive a Weekly Reader story. This book is a thin 8 ½ x 11 paperback stapled at the spine. And it’s such a fun story! Amos’ owners go out a lot and leave him home alone and lonely. One day, Amos accidentally discovers that his old couch can move, fast. Amos follows his owners when they drive away. In one hilarious scene, they’re all at a yard sale where Amos’ owners recognize their couch. Since we need a bit more drama, Amos drives around on his own and. . . no, he doesn’t get lost. . . he gets stuck in rush hour traffic! The ending is sweet and reminds us that dogs are family. Bowie Schneider’s illustrations are just perfect. 

*Clifford We Love You (1991)

*Clifford We Love You by Norman Bridwell (1991) is timeless. I wonder if Bridwell consulted child development specialists when he wrote about Clifford. “Clifford was feeling down-in-the-dumps.” I found it genuinely unsettling to see Clifford wearing a sad expression. He stops eating and howls at night. The vet finds nothing wrong with Clifford. I wanted to know why Clifford was distressed, but, of course, dogs can’t talk. It’s any dog owner’s nightmare. The children in the neighborhood try to cheer Clifford up, but nothing works. Finally, Emily Elizabeth writes a song for him. A key feature of her song is that it celebrates who he is and what he does. The music and lyrics are on the last page.