My girls and I have always been a huge fan of Lucy Cousins. In fact, I may have to dig out our all time fav to review soon. But, Maisy's Fire Engine recently came to my attention, and I wanted to share it first.
So, yes, boys love books about transportation. Girls may also find an interest in books about vehicles. But why not combine a book about a fire engine with an emotional story? This is exactly what Lucy has done! All totz will be engaged. Best of all, Maisy is at the wheel. Girl power!
As Maisy and Cyril check the fire engine, Little Black Cat is scared and flees to the roof of a nearby house. Through the fire fighters help, there's a rescue and then a fun ride together. All the action occurs in eight full bleed spreads.
With her trademark bright, flat colors and heavy black outlines, Lucy tells a simple compelling story for your readertotz. I'm a great lover of her simple lettering and bold backgrounds.
Before there was Captain Underpants, there was Dragon, the endearing star of three early chapter books by Dav Pilkey that began with A Friend for Dragon. It's rare and wonderful when a book tugs at both my heart and my funny bone. This is one of those books.
Dragon longs for a friend. After being turned down by several candidates he approaches, he's ripe for the practical joke a snake-in-the-grass plays on him. When an apple falls from a tree and hits Dragon on the head, the snake tricks him into believing the apple can speak. Not only that, the apple announces that it wants to be Dragon's friend.
"At last," said Dragon. "A friend."
Dragon and apple have some good times together, but when apple is eaten by a stranger, Dragon is devastated. I felt a true sense of loss when this happened. Amazing that Pilkey could pull this off, but he does! I think my love for Dragon has something to do with the fact that he is so believably goodhearted and gullible in the way of many young children, which made me want to protect him from hurt.
Dragon buries his pal the apple and mourns him. Time passes and a new apple tree grows, bringing new friends to a delighted Dragon.
"He wished for a friend. Suddenly something fell out of the tree and hit Dragon on the head. It was an apple."
Inside Scoop: True to form, Dav Pilkey created his bio as "adventures" in cartoon style, depicting himself as having artistic inclinations immediately upon his birth, much to the dismay of a hospital nurse. If your totz' siblings are eager for more, his site also has a variety of games and a text bio, which I particularly enjoyed.
Big sister and Baby Bundt are an appealing duo in Yum Yum, Baby Bundt, a sturdy new board book that's billed as a "Recipe for Mealtime." Its first two pages offer a list of ingredients for baby's lunch beginning with: "1 hungry Baby Bundt; 1 bib, washable; 1 high chair; Handful of toys; 1 plastic plate; 1/2 cup noodles with sauce;" and so on. I think this is an interesting format. When I was little, I loved make-and-do activities with steps to follow, and this is somewhat like that in concept.
This felt like a story the big sister was telling rather than a story told by an adult, something I appreciated. The interaction between Big Sis and Baby as she helps with feeding is light-hearted fun, and Sis often gets creative as shown in the illustration below.
Yum Yum may very well prompt your totz into offering to help with a younger sibling's feeding time.
Inside Scoop: A former pastry chef, Jamie Harper is obsessed with scrapbooking, as you can see at her blog. If you're like me and have a fascination with seeing the workplaces of authors and illustrators, you'll enjoy Jamie's photos and notes about her studio and how she works.
I'm so pleased with the illustrations for my text of Hug Hug! Rebecca's (Becky's) work is absolutely beautiful. I had to ask her a few questions to share the answers with you. So listen in with your totz...
Becky do you want to share your technique?
Sure, Lorie Ann! I use acrylic paint for my illustrations. First, I prepare an illustration board by coating it with two coats of gesso. When that is dry, I put a light coat of cadmium yellow paint over the whole surface to make sure that no white peeks through in the final painting. If some yellow peeks through that's ok -- I think it gives a nice warm feel to the finished illustration. The yellow background also helps me to keep my lights and darks in balance as I'm working.
I transfer my sketch to my prepared illustration board by rubbing the back of the sketch with a soft pencil. I then place it right side up on the board and trace over it.
Next comes the fun part -- putting on the color! I usually use no more than seven tubes of paint -- two blues, two reds, two yellows, and a white. I find that I can mix up almost any color I need with just those few tubes of paint.
Do you have a favorite spread?
Hmmm... I think maybe the owls ("Hugs in the dark.") -- they were fun to paint. I liked thinking about how safe and snug the babies would feel sleeping all together with their mom on that branch, listening to the night sounds in the cool forest air.
Lorie Ann: That's my favorite, too! And yet, I also love the curves of these dear chickens:
Can you tell us about the final painting in Hug Hug!?
Ok, now that one really is my favorite -- because the two people on that spread are me and my son! The stuffed animal that you see there was originally sketched out as a stuffed kitty -- which is my son's bedtime snuggle pal -- but the publisher asked me to change it to a bear. Every time my son looks at that spread he says, "Why didn't you tell them that I sleep with a kitty, not a bear?" -- I have to keep explaining to him that the publishers don't even know that the picture is of me and him... !!
Lorie Ann: And now they do!
Would you like to scan a preliminary sketch to share?
Sure -- here is my original sketch for that last spread of the book ("Hugs while we sleep."). You can see that the original is quite different from the final -- I showed more of the boy's bedroom... there was a lot more detail. I think the illustration that ended up in the book is successful because it really focuses in on what is important -- the mom and the son and the loving hug that they share.
Lorie Ann: I agree!
How will you celebrate Valentine's Day? I hope to spend the day eating lots of chocolates and inhaling the perfume from the many bouquets of flowers that my husband will buy for me (Mike, if you're reading this... hint hint!).
Who are your favorite people or animals to share a hug with?
That's an easy one -- my husband Mike and my son Ryan are my favorite people to hug and to get hugs from. As for animals, the two that live with us -- our old chocolate lab named Grizz and our new little kitten named Friendly -- are my favorite animals to wrap my arms around.
Anymore books in the hopper?
As of this writing, I have three books under consideration with an editor and am working on a fourth that I hope to have ready to submit within the next few weeks -- it's a counting book featuring an omelette! No hugging in that one... ;^)
Do you have any websites/blogs to share so everyone can see more of your work?
Yes, thank you for asking -- my website is www.rebeccamaloneillustration.com -- if you check it out, you'll find more of my illustrations, some sketches, and even a few interior illustrations from "Hug Hug!".
Even Further Inside Scoop
Lorie Ann: Becky didn't know I had submitted a dummy to illustrate Hug Hug! But the publishing house felt her work was an even stronger fit for my text this round. Here's an illustration from my dummy. It always is so nice when the illustrator has the same vision. This was true throughout. Look at how similar our chickens are!
Many thanks to Becky for gifting my text with such beautiful art. Thanks to Little Simon for combining our strengths!
Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Randomly, I'll award a comment on this post on Valentine's Day with a copy of Hug Hug! Best to you each!
It's been so fun to see our work in Barnes & Noble this February. Woohoo!
Hug Hug!, by Lorie Ann Grover and Rebecca Malone, Little Simon, 2009
In Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants, J. D. Lester uses sweet rhyme to explore nicknames a mother bestows on her child. From Monkeypants to Snuggle-up, Splishy-splash to Polka Dot, your readertotz will be presented a logic for creative name calling done in love.
Hiroe Nakata's sparse watercolors illustrate each phrase. Refreshing white lines embrace most of the imagery while wide swathes of slightly variegated color provide simple backgrounds. The babies are most endearing in each spread.
Inside Scoop: View more of Hiroe's work at:
Your readertotz will respond so positively to this board book, they'll be creating new nicknames for you!
Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants by J.D. Lester, illustrations by Hiroe Nakata Random House, Robin Corey Books, 2009
So, I'm still working on a poetry collection for a hotel in Cancun. I posted this poem from the work last week at my blog, but thought I'd share it here as well.
Playful
The moon plays hopscotch over the waves, hide and seek in the fluttering curtains, and tags my daughter's cheek with a glimmering kiss.
Lorie Ann Grover, 2009
Think of this poem as you kiss your totz tonight! Catch the full roundup at Wild Rose Reader.
It's the end of the day and nighttime has come. Little ones are getting sleepy as they're tucked into bed by their parents. Mem Fox's rhythmic, repetitive phrases ease toddlers toward the notion that bedtime has arrived.
It's time for bed, little sheep, little sheep.
The whole wide world is going to sleep.
A sleepy baby animal and its parent fill much of the visual space on each spread. The refrains and illustrations are equally cozy and are full of the kind of warmth that helps lull readers. At the end of the book a mom kisses her young one good night--a lovely and helpful cue to your little reader that her or his bedtime has arrived as well.
Jane Dyer's soft-hued watercolor art of animals such as cats, fish, and even snakes are a perfect fit for the story. This was originally published as a picture book by Harcourt, but it translates so nicely into board book size that it really could've been published as either one initially.
A classic, and one of my favorite bedtime books.
Mem Fox
You and your totz can enjoy one class's study of Mem Fox's books.
So, recently Joan and I were chatting about the process of board book production. We thought it would be great to share from the author/illustrator's viewpoint what makes the experience excellent. Much of this we gleaned from my recent rocking time with Rotem Moscovich at Scholastic. She's been awesome to work with!
1. Like any submission, it's great to hear back in a reasonable amount of time regarding purchase. 2. During the rewrite process, it's essential that the text to be respected and collaborated on between the author and editor. Changes in text made without author permission can be so deflating. 3. Keeping the author in the loop as the artist is chosen is a nicety. 4. Offering early imagery samples to the author helps the writer grow with the publisher and artist's vision. 5. Requesting and clearing all color changes with the artist prior to printing is greatly appreciated. 6. Providing early copies to both author and illustrator, before the release, aids both parties in celebrations and marketing. 7. Full marketing efforts for the board book are greatly appreciated.
I imagine editors and art directors have mental lists on what makes a good collaboration from their point of view. Anyone want to share? Feel free to comment or email me. I'll collect the input and represent the flipside.
Visit a day in the life of two friends with your readertotz. Owen & Mzee, A Day Together is based on the true story of the baby hippo Owen, who lost his mother during the tsunami in Southeast Asia, and the giant tortoise Mzee, who befriended him. The work springs from the NY Times Bestseller Owen & Mzee: The Language of Friendship.
Peter Greste, photojournalist and broadcaster for the BBC, captured the love between these two unlikely friends through his beautiful photographs.
The board book contains varied layouts which keep the presentation fresh. Graphic edges along certain photos and text bring additional color and playfulness. The layouts build until the above closing full page spread. The work is well-paced for strong emotional impact.
Alongside the dear photographs, the focused and limited text expounds friendship. Friends may talk in their own language, go for walks, and swim. But like true friends:
"Owen eats what Mzee eats and rests when Mzee is tired. Owen protects Mzee when he is scared. And Mzee makes Owen feel safe."
Your heart will be touched, just as mine was, as you share this board book with your readertotz.
Inside Scoop Orphaned off the coast of Kenya, it took a full day to rescue Owen who was named after the rescuer who had tackled the hippo at a crucial moment. Mzee means "old man" in Swahili, perfect for the 130 year old tortoise. The interactive website with a documentary will be a favorite of your totz.
Okay, this just cracked me up this morning. Snuff is powdered tobacco, by the way. We debated about it on New Years Eve, actually. "What were they sniffing from those little boxes?" we asked.
And so we say to our readertotz, don't put things in your nose! Not even beans. Or peas. Or Hot Wheel wheels. Ever. Thank you.
Barber, barber, shave a pig! How many hairs to make a wig? Four and twenty, that's enough! Give the barber a pinch of snuff.
My first Sandra Boynton experience was a birthday card that said “Hippo Birdies Two Ewe.” It was accompanied by simple, whimsical illustrations of a hippo, birds, and two ewe. I’ve loved her quirky sense of humor and her illustrations ever since. (Okay, that “ewe” pluralization sounded odd to me as I wrote it just now, so I looked it up on wiktionary. Sandra is right—“ewe” can be pluralized with or without the “s.” Who gnu?)
A true small-size board book made of paper over board, The Going to Bed Book is goofiness at its finest. A crew of endearing animals on board a ship prepare for bed by going below to take a bath, brush their teeth, and so on. The surprise comes as the moon rises, when they all go upstairs for a bit of exercise before settling down to sleep. The rhythm never misses a beat and the last spread echoes the soothing, sway of a ship as "They rock and rock and rock to sleep."
Inside scoop: According to an article in the New York Times, Sandra Boynton’s studio is located in a renovated barn beside her Connecticut home, which sits on 100 acres. With her first illustration sale at age 14 to a local newspaper, she bought two shares of AT&T stock!
Enjoy these videos of families reading this book. Take a look:
I LOVE ELEPHANT AND PIGGIE! Honestly. So, for your readertotz' older sibling, I'm excited to recommend My Friend is Sad by Mo Willems.
Restraining myself from commenting on any of his other award winning books, let's talk Gerald Elephant and Piggie, this generation's George and Martha by James Marshall.
When Piggie finds his friend sad, he goes to great measures to cheer him up. He dresses as a cowboy, clown, and a robot. Gerald fails to recognize Piggie so his sadness increases as he believes his close friend is missing all of these amazing encounters.
Piggie, who is impetuous and bold, has far more self control than I do. He never tells Elephant it was he all along. He merely tells him, "I am here NOW!" That is awe inspiring maturity. :~)
To the art. Every line of these characters performing in white negative space communicates emotion. Every beat, including the silent ones, are perfectly timed. Piggie looks to the reader with his irritation, and one can't help laughing. As Elephant sinks deeper and deeper in sadness, his mouth shrivels and the lines about his eyes increase. Mo's lines win my heart.
Inside Scoop Mo began as a writer and animator for Sesame Street where he garnered six Emmy Awards. You can visit Mo Willems Doodles Blogspot. And watch this awesome video where Mo talks about his work. Take note: he loves Elephant and Piggie best, just like me!
And then check out Bookie Woogie's review of two other Elephant and Piggie Books. Bookie Woogie rocks!
For the Older Sibling My Friend is Sad by Mo Willems Hyperion, 2007
Like "The Owl and the Pussycat," anything is possible! Enjoy this rhyme with your readertotz!
A Mother Goose Rhyme
A cat came fiddling out of a barn, With a pair of bagpipes under her arm; She could sing nothing but fiddle cum fee, The mouse has married the bumblebee.
Written by Jayne C. Shelton and illustrated by the board book queen, Karen Katz, In Grandma's Arms is a delight for your readertotz' imagination. Join the main character as she sits on her grandmother's lap in their Storybook Chair. Through the power of books they explore the skies, the sea, landscapes, and fantasies. Always safe, because Grandma is there.
The text is set in curves and waves, reinforcing the feeling of travel or a journey. I find the language and rhymes in keeping with the child's voice, and they are fun to read aloud:
"We leap on a comet And zoom through the stars-- Have lunch on a moonbeam, Then blast off to Mars."
And:
"On a carpet of magic Just made for a ride-- With the wind in our faces, We swoop, loop, and glide.
The work is illustrated with Karen Katz' stylized paintings of layered, flat patterns and round faces. With warm painted portions, a bit of cut paper, and sweet smiles, the images are sure to be welcomed as friends.
Inside Scoop Aha! Digging around a little, I discovered on Karen's website that she has a love of Indian miniatures, Mexican ceramics, Chagall, and Matisse. But of course!
This was Jane's writing debut. She is a practicing psychotherapist.
In marble walls as white as milk Lined with a skin as soft as silk, Within a fountain crystal clear, A golden apple doth appear, No doors there are to this stronghold, Yet thieves break in and steal the gold.
It’s okay to like this book. It’s definitely okay to like this book. Readers of The Okay Book will learn that it’s also okay to have freckles, wear different socks, and try new things.
The art is all bold black lines with bright, solid-color infills. They’re childlike in their simplicity, but the story packs a powerful message: You are okay as you are.
Inside Scoop: Todd Parr says: “My overall message is to empower kids to feel good about themselves while learning about differences, reminding them to be kind, and inspiring them. The end. Love, Todd.”
At 6 ½ inches square, The Okay Book is a fairly typical board book size, but its interior pages are heavyweight paper rather than board.
Todd’s website lists twenty-nine books to his credit. The Peace Book is another of my favorites and I love the whole Otto the dog series, which is based on Todd’s pit bull.
If your readertotz can’t get enough Todd, you’ll also find his characters on TV at ToddWorld on TLC and Discovery Kids. Your readertotz might enjoy these clips from the show. I particularly enjoyed seeing Todd interact with kids during a school visit 123 (in three parts) on YouTube.
This review wouldn't be complete without a quick shout out to author-illustrator Laura Kvasnosky for introducing me to Todd Parr’s books during a critique session in Seattle about five years ago. Thanks, Laura!
Let's start the new year off with this dark, mysterious poem for Poetry Friday. Who could forget the Golden An? May your new year sparkle as much as it does. Riiiiiight.
Take the Golden An in the tan van and give to Dan who'll take it to Fran.
Sesame Street
As for this new year, it's time we began. A shout out to the readertotz clan. (Sorry, I just had to. :~)
