Top Shelf: The Pink Hat, Andrew Joyner

Once there was a pink hat... I didn't think a book commemorating the 2017 Women's March could be done for the picture book audience. However, Andrew Joyner with Schwartz & Wade Books has honored the worldwide shout.

In The Pink Hat, an older woman knits a pink hat, as my own mother knit three: one for me, one for my daughter, and one for my friend. In the book, the hat is lost and found and lost, finally to be enjoyed by a young girl. Eventually, she wears her pink hat the day so many others wore theirs, as well. She joins the march, surrounded by diverse people marching for women's rights.

Dedicated to: "all the women who march us forward." Carry on. #Resist

The Pink Hat
by Andrew Joyner
Schwartz & Wade Books, 2017

Top Shelf: Let's Clap, Jump, Sing & Shout

Top Shelf is my new name for the very best that crosses my path. Here is the very best, collected by Patricia C. McKissack and illustrated by Brian Pinkney. Let's Clap, Jump, Sing & Shout; Dance, Spin & Turn It Out! is perfection. The author has compiled stories, songs, and games from her African American childhood. With wonderful research, she shares variations that twirled from person to person.

I found so many verses and chants ringing from my own jump rope days. The variances were fascinating. It is obvious the illustrations were "pure joy" to Brian. He said, "The images danced from my hand onto the page."

This collection preserves history, offers opportunities for growth and development, and brings happiness to readers. Here is beauty and brilliance. Thank you to the author, illustrator, and Schwartz & Wade Books. Bravo!

Let's Clap, Jump, Sing & Shout; Dance, Spin & Turn It Out!
by Patricia C. McKissack
illustrated by Brian Pinkney
Schwartz & Wade Books, 2017

Poetry Friday: The Longest Night

Dip into Poetry Friday with The Longest Night, a Passover Story by Laurel Snyder and illustrated by Catia Chien.

On the day we killed the lamb,
Aba wiped his bloody hands,

Marked the post above the door,
Drank and ate and said no more.

Till--the saddest sound, so stark.
Cries like knives that split the dark.

Cries that found us, frozen, numb,
Woke us, made us rise and run.

Brilliant, yes? Don't miss this beautiful celebration of Passover. Happy Poetry Friday!

The Longest Night, a Passover Story
by Laurel Snyder
illustrated by Catia Chien
Schwartz & Wade Books, 2013

January Pick For the Older Sibling: Annie and Helen

I was fascinated by Helen Keller when I was a girl, so I was excited to see this new picture book. I hoped it would be a good one that expanded my knowledge about Helen Keller and entertained me. I wasn’t disappointed.

It’s beautifully designed, with numerous sepia photographs of Helen Keller and her teacher, Annie Sullivan, on the inside covers. One photo shows them finger-spelling. Another shows Helen reading a Braille book, and still another shows her with her dog, Jumbo.

The story itself is engaging and thorough with just the right amount of information to satisfy. By means of excerpts from Annie’s letters, we learn even more about Helen’s progress and struggles.

The hand signs for the manual finger alphabet signing are shown in a text illustration. I loved the tactile addition on the back cover, which is printed with the Braille Alphabet, complete with raised dots for A to Z.

Annie and Helen

Author: Deborah Hopkinson

Illustrator: Raul Colon

Schwartz & Wade, 2012

Duck and Goose Find a Pumpkin: Tad Hills

Duck and Goose, the irrepressible team, spot Thistle carrying a pumpkin. The search is on for their own great gourd.



The journey takes the two to a log, a leaf pile, and up an apple tree. They look under water and on a stump. The reader almost expects flaps to appear on the spreads of this traditional search.

It's Thistle who tips Duck and Goose off, finally, that they might look in the pumpkin patch. Your totz will have fun staying one step ahead of the inquisitive, naive duo. Celebrate the season with Duck and Goose and a pumpkin from your local patch!

Duck and Goose Find a Pumpkin
by Tad Hills
Schwartz & Wade

More, More, More: Everything I Need to Know Before I'm Five

This picture book for the older sibling of your totz is just delightful. Imagine all the little toys on the cover sharing what it is you need to know by five years old. The little doll driving the dump truck introduces numbers, opposites, shapes, colors, seasons, weather, and the alphabet.

Valorie Fisher's photography is bright, clever, and fun. There's so much to observe that your readers will be looking at every inch of this book. Enjoy the retro atmosphere as you pour over Everything I need to Know Before I'm Five together!

Everything I Need to Know Before I'm Five
by Valorie Fisher
Schwartz & Wade Books, 2011

Poetry Friday: October, For the Older Sibling

Aha! I'm combining Poetry Friday with the recommend for the Older Sibling of your totz. It's a perfect fit.

Chirchir is Singing is a quiet, beautiful book full of poetry, suspense, and assurance of one's worth. I was charmed to enter Africa and was captivated by Kelly Cunnane's text. Jude Daly's illustrations are sparse and open, hinting at the vast spaces Chirchir inhabits.



Listen to the opening spread:

"High in Africa,
wind like a cat paw
wipes the sky clean.
Chirchir, Born Quickly, is singing.

Jambo! Hello! Day is growing tall.
Wake up to green sunlight and rooster's call!
"I'm going to help Mama today," Chirchir announces to Rooster,
whose feathers shimmer like fire.
And away she runs."

The language sustains as we enter Chirchir's daily work in Kenya. Share this exquisite work with the older siblings of your totz. And enjoy Poetry Friday!

Chirchir is Singing
by Kelly Cunnane
illustrated by Jude Daly
Schwartz & Wade Books, 2011

May: For the Older Sibling, I'm Not.

I love, love, love I'm Not. Absolutely. Here's a book to encourage the introvert, the quiet one blessed with a friend who is "all that." Here is a book to encourage the extrovert concerned with his own short comings.

Evelyn is not ordinary. She's mysterious, fashionable, a decorator, and a jumping bean. The protagonist is none of those. However, Evelyn is horrible at karate, scared of the dark, and crummy at making cookies. She's in need of a very best friend, exactly what the protagonist can provide, while at the same time happening to be great at karate, unafraid of the dark, and able to make the most excellent cookies.

I'm Not. is the perfect work to begin to explore how we are different and how those differences create joy in the world as well as great friendships. Older siblings will enjoy author Pam Smallcomb's humor and Robert Weinstock's cartoon images. Think James Marshall meets Dav Pilkey. How can that not be fun?

I'm Not.
by Pam Smallcomb
illustrated by Robert Weinstock
Schwartz & Wade Books, 2011

Duck & Goose, It's Time for Christmas: Tad Hills

Could these characters be any more adorable? I love Duck & Goose. It's winter, and Goose is enjoying all kinds of wintery pleasures such as catching snowflakes, sledding, and making snow angels. Duck looks on, saying things like:

Goose, it is not time
for catching snowflakes.

It is not time for sledding.

Turns out that:

Come on Goose!

It's time for Christmas!

A sweet, sturdy board book totz will enjoy this holiday season. And it has great glitter on the cover, which I always enjoy (and totz will too). Nice!

Duck & Goose, It's Time for Christmas
Author-illustrator: Tad Hills
Schwartz & Wade, 2010

Princess Baby on the Go: Karen Katz

Karen Katz's Princess Baby books are a big hit with my neighbor's 3-year-old daughter. She particularly likes this one because she can carry it around easily by the built-in 'handle'. This concept is perfect because PB is headed for Grandma's for a sleepover and she is packing a bag to 'carry' with her.

This sturdy board book has lots of big flaps, some glitter, and princess-pinkness. And there's a storyline to pull totz through the book, which I like. PB is packing her goodies, but she's looking for one special item. Although she doesn't find it at first, she does find other things to pack in locations such as under the table (lift the flap) and in a trunk (lift the flap). In the end she finds what she's looking for: her prince, a stuffed bear. This is an ending that really satisfied me. A very cute, age-appropriate book!

Princess Baby on the Go
Author-illustrator: Karen Katz
Schwartz & Wade, 2010

June Pick for the Older Sibling: The Garbage Barge

Do you remember this news story?

In 1987, a barge loaded with many tons of garbage left Long Island, New York. The garbage could not be buried locally, so the plan was to dump it in a landfill somewhere else. But it was turned away from ports over and over. It became infamous as the most unwelcome trash ever! This book is an amusing fictionalized account of that intriguing tale.

The barge visits North Carolina, New Orleans, Mexico, Belize...and winds up returning to New York. Meanwhile, it is the talk of TV and is splashed all over the news.

The Garbage Barge serves as an encouragement to recycle and take better care of our shared environment. The ending pretty much says it all:
MORAL: Don't Make So Much Garbage

The illustrations are fascinating. Like nothing I've seen before. Check out the video on the Amazon page that showcases their creation. A cover Red Nose Studio created for Angie's List magazine is a favorite of mine. On the blog, click on the September 2009 link.

The Garbage Barge
Jonah Winter, author
Red Nose Studio illustrations
Schwartz & Wade, 2010 (A Random House imprint)

June Pick for the Older Sibling: How to Get Married by Me, the Bride

Remember when you played bride as a child? How to Get Married will make you want to do it all over again. It's a step-by-step guide to staging a happily-ever-after wedding, told by a child, with some help from her friends. There are suggestions for finding a mate, getting engaged, and dancing at the wedding. No bride will go wrong with advice like:

You should never get married when it's dark
because you won't be able to see
and you might marry the wrong person.

Sue Heap's illustrations are just right--simple, adorable, and appropriately frilly. The text is playful and often reads as if we're actually eavesdropping on children who are having a make-believe wedding:

Your friends and sisters and pets and toys and grandmas
should all come to see your wedding in their best outfits.
And when the music starts everyone has to stop whatever
they're doing and look at you.
And you walk down the aisle, which means you must go
extra slowly down a long path and not fall over.


I can't say enough good things about this picture book. I love it!

How to Get Married
Sally Lloyd-Jones, author
Sue Heap, illustrator
Schwartz & Wade Books (Random House), 2009

~ reviewed by Joan Holub, author

More, More, More: You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?!

So, I'm not an avid baseball fan. When You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?! arrived, I didn't expect to connect. Yet, the lenticular cover was compelling as it enabled me to see Andre Carrilho's illustrated Sandy pitch when I opened the cover.

With endpapers of Sandy's baseball card, the story begins. Told from the viewpoint of an old-timer, Sandy's introduced as a leftie who pitched from 1961 to 1966. Illustrating a rocky start where Sandy is frequently benched or is on the mound with unpredictable throws, the story progresses. Amidst difficult performances, he's mocked by others in the field for being Jewish.

Given more time on the mound, he fails and quits the game, only to return in spring. With the bases loaded, there finally is a connection, and Sandy throws his first no-hitter. He's able to relax and let his body perform. "What a thing of beauty that was."

The streak lasts for six years during which he honors a Jewish High Holy Day in the 1965 World Series by sitting out of the game. He eventually retires at the height of his career to protect his body.

So, what connected with me?

* The passion of the narrator created by author Jonah Winter
* The discipline of Sandy as he searched for his game
* How he was mocked for his beliefs and didn't sway
* That he practiced his faith in a public way
* That he knew when to stop for his body's sake
* And the unique illustrations of Andre Carrilho

With a limited pallette, Andre creates an historical time. There's an elegance in the textures, gold use, charcoal renderings and thin red line. A retro-graphic touch and new expression are captured in this work.

No wonder this picture book is garnering starred reviews. Thanks to the author, illustrator, and publisher for bringing to light Sandy Koufax for everyone.

You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?!
by Jona Winter
illustrated by Andre Carrilho
Schwartz & Wade Books, 2009