Picture Book Month Day 9!

Today I want to celebrate a local Massachusetts author, whom I'm sure everyone knows and loves - Jan Brett.  She has over 37 million books in print  and in 2005 she was awarded a Lifetime Acheivement award by the Boston Public Library.  One of the things that I love about her illustrations is her use of the borders.  Often the borders will show what is going to happen next.  Her illustrations are so lush and detailed that you can just be drawn into the beauty.   I love all of her books, but have chosen a few to highlight.

The Mitten was published in 1989. and remains one of my all time favorite books.  Based on a Ukrainian folktale, it tells the story of a little boy's lost mitten that becames a cozy nest for many woodland animals.  The illustrations bring you right into a Ukrainian winter with the borders of birchbark.  I like to point out the action in the borders to the children so that they can anticipate the arrival of each new animal and keep an eye on the little boy's travels.  A well-deserved modern classic.

This book from 2002 is set in China, my daughters birthplace, so it holds a special place in my favorites.  One of the things I love about this author/illustrator is how she changes the details of her stories to fit in with the artistic style and motifs of each culture. Instead of  the Ukrainian birchbark borders, we now have bamboo and basket weave patterns.  Jan Brett was inspired to write Daisy Comes Home after a trip down the Li River in China. It tells  of a little hen who is bullied by the others in her coop and must find courage when she floats away in a basket. Again, the borders help forward the story and the riverside moutains form the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac.  There are always so many details to pore over in these books that your child will want to read them over and over - and so will you!

This retelling of the classic Goldilocks story transports the characters to the Arctic.  The borders and illustrations are filled with Inuit carving, fur and beadwork.  As the owner of a Siberian husky, I love the dogs in the book - the grey one looks like my Meeko!  A little Inuit girl, Aloo-ki, is searching for her runaway dogsled team and enters the igloo of the 3 polar bears.  The bears have gone out for a walk and soon find the missing huskies.  The borders feature arctic animals decked out in parkas inspired by actual Inuit designs. This fresh retelling of a classic fairytale is sure to delight young readers.

Jan Brett has traveled extensively and is able to put so much authentic detail into her illustrations. Check out her webiste and sign up for the Jan Brett e-mail newsletter: http://www.janbrett.com/index.html

Picture Book Month - Day 8

Welcome back to another column about picture book favorites.  To make up for my non-blogging weekend I will introduce a family of authors today, the Woods.  Audrey Wood is a fourth generation artist who began writing picture books after the birth of her son, Bruce.  Her husband Don began illustrating some of her books, beginning with Moonflute.  The story will always come first and then they will decide on who will illustrate it.  Their son Bruce started as an illustration model for their books and is now an illustrator of over 20 books - 5 written by his mother. 

Silly Sally was written and illustrated by Audrey.  In this rhyming, cumulative story "Silly Sally went to town, walking backwards, upside down." Along the way she meets some animals who join her until they meet Neddy Buttercup "walking fowards, right side up."  They continue into town where everyone joins them.  This is a fun story for story time.

A Caldecott Honor winning collaboration between Audrey and Don, this is a rollicking tale of a king who refuses to leave his tub.  Children will love the antics of the silly king as the members of his court must one-by-one join him in the tub!  The repeated refrain is "King Bidgood's in the bathtub, and he won't get out! Oh, who knows what to do?"  Each member of the court has an idea, but they end up in the tub: "...cried the Queen...,'Get out! It's time to lunch!' "Come in!' cried the King, with a yum, yum, yum. 'Today we lunch inthe tub!'"  Children will find the illustrations hilarious as the tub fills up.  Finally the little page boy solves the problem by pulling the plug. 

Beginning in 2001, Audrey has collaborated on 5 picture books with her son Bruce.  So far, they have concentrated on concept books including 3 alphabet books, one color book and this counting book.  Ten Little Fish is a book I use for story times about the ocean, fish or counting.  The story counts down from ten, "Ten Little Fish, swimming in a line./One dives down, and now there are..." and the children love shouting out the answer "Nine!"  When only one little fish is left he meets another fish and they have 10 little fish and it begins again.  Children will love the colorful digital illustrations.

I must say that the Wood's books are a staple of my story times.  I  love The Napping House, The Big Hungry Bear, A Dog Needs a Bone, Quick As a Cricket, Piggies and Little Penguin's Tale.  Stop by the library and check some out!

Picture Book Month, Week 2, Day 1

I am back with some more picture book favorites.  Since I did not post on the weekend, I will highlight 2 different authors today and 2 more tomorrow!

My first author is Keiko Kasza.  She was born in Japan and arrived in the United States in 1973 to continue her education.  Work as a graphic designer led her to discover  picture books.  Her first book was published in 1981 in Japan and in 1987 she published her first book in the U.S.  Some interesting facts that she notes on her website (http://www.keikokasza.com/index.php ) "Keiko’s worst subject at school as a child was art! She enjoys writing more than illustrating her books."

The Wolf's Chicken Stew was publiched in the U.S. in 1987 and was named an ALA Notable Book for Children.  This was probably one of the first books I used for story time, as I began my career in 1987.  I loved telling this story about a hungry wolf who tries to fatten up a chicken for his dinner.  He makes her lots of yummy and fattening treats, but she doesn't seem to get any fatter.  He discovers at the end that she has a slew of baby chicks who now love "Unlce Wolf" for making them all the treats.  A sweet story!

As a mother who adopted a child  who does not look like me, this is one of my personal favorites. Little Choco searches for his mother and finds some animals that have some parts that look like him - feathers, a beak - but none are his mother.  He runs into Mrs. Bear who definitely does not look like Choco.  But she kisses him and cheers him up just like a mother would.  Then Choco meets her children Hippy, Ally and Piggy!  None of her children look like her , "And Choco was very happy that his new mommy looked just the way she did."   I use this for Mother's Day story times as a little introduction to adoption.

My second author was actually the reason that Keiko Kasza became interested in picture books.  His name is Leo Lionni and he was born in Amsterdam in 1910.  His first career was as a successful and award winning art director. His picture book career developed from a long train ride in 1959 with two of his grandchidlren.  To keep the children occupied, he began tearing up a magazine and telling the story of "Little Blue and Little Yellow." This became his first published book in 1960. Before his death at age 89, he would write 40 children's book and win 4 Calecott Honor Awards. 

"His innovative use of collage, white space, and clean, modern design was a major influence on Eric Carle, Ezra Jack Keats, and other children’s book artists. In 2007 the Society of Illustrators awarded him a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award." (http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/lionni/index.php)

A Caldecott Honor book in 1964, Swimmy  is a modern fable about a little fish who comes up with a plan to survive.  Swimmy is the only fish in his school to survive being eaten by a bigger fish.  So he finds some new friends and together they are able outwit the larger fish.  A great story about teamwork and big ideas.

This Caldecott Honor Book of 1966 is a story about artists and their palce in the world.  While the other mice gather food for the coming winter, Frederick sits on a rock by himself , “I gather sun rays for the cold dark winter days,” he tells them."   He also gathers "colors" and "words".  When the food runs out and things are at their bleakest, Frederick uses his colors and words to create stories and poems that keep everyone hopeful until spring finally arrives.  A beautiful story about the power of art and how we all need the dreamers in our lives. 

Check in tomorrow for 2 more picture book authors!

Picture Book Month Day 4!

Today I'd like to spotlight another classic author, Robert McCloskey.  He published 8 books for children between 1940 and 1963.  Out of these 8,  he won 2 Caldecott Medals and 3 Cadecott honors!  Many of his books are set in Maine, where he spent his summers.  Robert McCloskey was named a Living Legend by the Library Of Congress in 2000.  He died in 2003 at the age of 88.

This winner of the 1942 Caldecott Medal is probably familiar to most of us.  Surely most of you have seen the bronze Mallard statues in Boston's Public Gardens.   Every Mother's Day children dressed as ducklings descend on the Public Gardens to honor this beloved book.  Growing up in Boston, I was amazed to find my city in a book - there were the Swan Boats! Of course, one of the first places I took my daughter was a visit to the ducklings - like many visitors I captured the  photo of my Olivia perched on one of the ducklings! The book tells the story of a family of ducks trying to find a place to settle down in the city.  They are helped by a friendly policeman and finally settle in the Public Gardens.  Next time you find yourself in the city, be sure to stop by and visit the Mallards and the Swan Boats!

A Caldecott Honor book in 1949, this is the story of a little girl in Maine who almost swaps mother's with a little bear as they are both picking blueberries.  The wonderful illustations are thought to be of McCloskey's wife and eldest daughter Sally.

Have a great weekend!  I'll be back on Monday with some more picture book favorites!

Picture Book Month Day 3

I'd like to continue the celebration of picture books with another of my favorite authors, Kevin Henkes. He is the winner of the Caldecott Medal in 2005 and received an honor in 1994.  He also writes children's fiction and received a Newbery honor in 2004.  What I have always loved about his books is how they convey the true-to-life feelings of his characters.  He really remembers how it feels to be a child and his characters are all so vibrant. 

This was one of the author's first books that I read.  It was published in 1990, when I was starting out as a children's librarian and became an immediate favorite of mine.  The book was a winner of the ALA Notable Children's Books 1990.  It is the story of a little mouse named Lilly, who appears in many of Henkes' books, who is dealing with a new baby brother. "Before Julius was born, Lilly was the best big sister in the world...After Julius was born, it was a different story."  Lilly is feeling quite put out with everyone fawning over Julius, so she gets her "revenge" in little ways - reciting the alphabet wrong to him, calling him a "germ" and asking her parents when he will be leaving.  Lily spends a lot of time in the "uncooperative chair", but when a cousin insults her brother she quickly defends Julius.  As a big sister, I really identified with Lily's feelings and Henkes portrayed them so accurately. He doesn't sugarcoat Lilly's feelings of anger or her mean words and actions. A wonderful book that deals with all the feelings that come with a new sibling - both jealousy and love.

This book won a Caldecott honor in 1994.  Owen reminded me of my little brother and his "Blankie." Owen is very attached to his yellow blanket, "Fuzzy."  "He carried it. And wore it. And dragged it. He sucked it. And hugged it. And twisted it."  When it is almost time to begin school, his parents take the advice of a next door neighbor to ween Owen from Fuzzy.  Their plans to get rid of Fuzzy do not work.  Finally, mom makes Fuzzy into little handkerchiefs that Owen can carry to school.  Another book that deals with a common childhood issue in a loving way.

Winner of the 2005 Caldecott medal, this title introduced a new style of picture book from Henkes.  This book is a simply told story of a kitten who thinks the moon is a bowl of milk.  The illustrations are black and white and beautifully rendered with simple line and shapes.  The story is told with a rhythm reminiscent of Margaert Wise Brown. As each attempt by the kitten to reach the milk fails, "Still, there was the little bowl of milk, just waiting." This story works wonderfully for story times. 

 

Kevin Henkes has continued this new style of picture book, with the exception of another Lilly book, Lilly's Big Day. He has added color to the beautful lines of Kitten's First Full Moon.  These are two of my favorites in the new style.  In Old Bear, a hibernating bear dreams his way through the seasons.  Again, the rhythm complements the illustations, "Old Bear slept and dreamed, dreamed and slept."  The newest book, 2011's Little White Rabbit  is a story about a springtime adventure. The beautiful illustrations perfectly capture the palette of spring.  The text is even sparcer that in previous titles and the rhythm is still perfect, "When he hopped by the fir trees, he wondered what it would be like to be tall...When he hopped under the butterflies, he wondered what it would be like to flutter through the air."  These pages are followed by a full 2-page spread illustration of rabbit's imagination - see him peeking over the fir trees and soaring with the butterflies.  I have used both of these very successfully in story times.

Kevin Henkes is obviously multi-talented and I love his children's novels as much as his picture books.  I love both styles of picture book and wonder if he will be re-inventing his style again someday.  Be sure to check out this wonderful author!

Picture Book Month Day 2

To continue our celebration of Picture Book Month  I'd like to jump from yesterday's classic author to one of the stars of today, Mo Willems.  Mo Willems began his career as an animator and writer on Sesame Street and won 6 writing Emmy's for his work there.  His first children's book was published in 2003 and he has quickly risen to the top of his genre.  The New York Times Book Review referred to Willems as "the biggest new talent to emerge thus far in the 00's."  He has won 3 Caldecott Honor medals for illustration and has been awarded the Theodore Geisel Medal for most distinguished American book for beginning readers in 2008 and 2009 and an honor medal in 2011. This makes him the only author to win twice and the only to receive 3 awards. Below are a few of my favorites.

His first children's book was Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, which won a Caldecott Honor in 2003.  What is amazing about his work is that he can convey so much humor, emotion and story with so few words and artwork.  In this favorite, children are encouraged to interact with the book character as he pleads with the reader to let him drive the bus.  Children love this one at storytime.  I think they appreciate the fact that they are the ones who get to say "No!" They get to imitate a parent reigning in a rambunctious child - the pigeon.  Lots of fun!  You'll want to read all of the Pigeon books!

Knuffle Bunny: a cautionary tale was published in 2005 and also won a Caledecott Honor.  Little Trixie heads out to the laudramat with her Dad, but on the way home she realizes she has lost her beloved toy bunny.  Since the toddler doesn't talk, "Trixie bawled. She went boneless. She did everything she could to show how unhappy she was," to let her father know what happened.  When the bunny is found in the laundry, the book ends with Trixie's first words, "Knuffle Bunny."  Children will relate to the fear of losing a security item and sympathize with Trixie's efforts to communicate with her dad.  Parents will enjoy the illustratations which consist of Willem's brightly colored drawings superimposed over sepia-toned photographs.

In 2008, Mo Willems won his first Theodore Geisel Award for this early reader from 2007.  Although not the first "Elephant and Piggie" book, it is one of my favorites.  I am amazed at how funny a book with such few words can be.  The books are written in comic book style with the character's words apearing in word bubbles.  In this story, Elephant learns that there is only one thing worse that a bird on your head - two birds on your head! These two friends are a great way to get children reading! 

So. like Pigeon and his hotdog "Enjoy! Go ahead!"

For lots of fun games and more visit :  http://www.mowillems.com/

November is Picture Book Month!

In the wake of a front page story in The New York Times on October 2010 that declared picture books are "no longer a staple", some people are fighting back.  A group of authors and illustrators have declared November 2011 Picture Book Month and have launched a website http://picturebookmonth.com/. 

It sometimes seems to me that children are rushing past these wonderful picture books in their haste to read more "grown up" books.  This is something that we need to fight against so that children are enveloped in the wonderful world of picture books. 

As author Jane Yolen notes in her Picture Book Month essay:

"I have always believed that literature begins in the cradle -- the poems we say to the babies, the stories we tell them -- prepare them to become part of the great human storytelling community. We humans arethe only creatures in the known universe who make and remake our world with story."
-Jane Yolen

To help celebrate I will be blogging this month about some of my favorite picture books and picture book authors and/or illustrators.  Today, I'll begin with some classics. 

Many parents are familiar with my first author Margaret Wise Brown.  It is a testiment to her art that her books are still popular almost 60 years after her death.  In her short life of 42 years she wrote over 100 books and stories and many are still in print today. She was one of the writers of the "new" school who felt that children wanted to read stories about their own lives instead of just folk and fairytales. You can learn more about this prolific and wonderful author on the website: http://www.margaretwisebrown.com/index.html.

Goodnight Moon

What can be more soothing to a child than to bid a sleepy goodnight to all the objects in their room?  The gentle rhythm and rhyme of this classic perfectly captures the scene of a nighttime ritual. There is a reason that this book has become a classic bedtime story.  Somehow I don't believe the new parody entitled "Goodnight Ipad" will stand the test of time for over 50 years.

"Goodnight room
Goodnight mooon
Goodnight cow jumping over the moon..."

The Runaway Bunny

This classic story of a little bunny who threatens to runaway from his mom only to realize that she will follow him wherever he goes is another comforting story that features the same characters from Goodnight Moon.  This was a favorite of one of my nieces to such an extent that my brother and sister-in-law tried to hide it so she'd choose another story to read - it didn't work.  All children need to know that parents will be there and love them no matter what. At the end of the story the little bunny says:

"Shucks," said the bunny, "I might as well stay where I am and be your little bunny."

And so he did.  "

Have a carrot," said the mother bunny.

Stay tuned for more picture book favorites - I'm going to try to make a new post daily, but time will tell!