More, More, More: Frederick Douglass, The Lion Who Wrote History

Are you ready for a masterpiece? Combine Walter Dean Myers with illustrator Floyd Cooper and have the two present a picture of Frederick Douglass. There is so much beauty in this picture book collaboration: Frederick Douglass, The Lion Who Wrote History, I can't convey the breadth.

Meyers begins:
"This is the story of how one man's careful decisions and many accomplishments not only made his own life better but in many ways changed the history of America."

With a meaty text from Meyers, Cooper's illustrations are both realistic and stylized in his oil on board paintings. There's a flickering glow in each spread. Unique perspectives invite the reader into Douglass' actions.

This work should not be missed. It should be awarded.

Frederick Douglass, The Lion Who Wrote History
by Walter Dean Myers
illustrated by Floyd Cooper
HarperCollins, 2017

Poetry Friday: Don't Bump the Glump!

On this Happy Poetry Friday, I share a poem from Shel Silverstein's Don't Bump the Glump! and Other Fantasies. Celebrating 50 years, you can find this collection in color for your totz. Enjoy!

About the Bloath

In the undergrowth
There dwells the Bloath
Who feeds upon poets and tea.
Luckily I know this about him,
While he knows almost nothing of me.

Don't Bump the Glump! and Other Fantasies
by Shel Silverstein
HarperCollins Publishers, 1964, 1992

More, more, more: Walking with Dinosaurs

Following the BBC miniseries that ran in the U.S. on the Discovery Channel comes the movie Walking with Dinosaurs. Looks like Harper is releasing many versions for totz:

Walking with Dinosaurs Encyclopedia
Walking with Dinosaurs Handbook
Walking with Dinosaurs: Patchi's Big Adventure
Walking with Dinosaurs: The Great Migration
Walking with Dinosaurs: A Reusable Sticker Book
Walking with Dinosaurs: Friends Stick Together
Walking with Dinosaurs: The Winter Ground



Whether you reach for the sticker books, the handbook, the encyclopedia, or the I Can Read series, you will be surrounded by dinosaurs. I'm pretty terrified by t-rex, but maybe your totz will stomp around with excitement!

More, More, More: Dot.

Perfectly timed, Dot arrives. Here's a young girl proficient at all handheld communications. But it's her mother's prod which send her outdoors where she grows reacquainted with tapping, touching, tweeting, and tagging with friends and nature.

Joe Berger's loose illustration captures the spirit of Dot and each of her discoveries.

A gentle reminder to get out and play and engage in life.

Dot.
by Randi Zuckerberg
illustrated by Joe Berger
HarperCollins, 2013

Everything Goes, Stop! Go!: Brian Biggs

I'm a new fan of Brian Biggs! These sturdy board books feature cars and fun people demonstrating opposites and counting. Everything Goes, Stop! Go! and 1 2 3 Beep Beep Beep! both have an underlying humor just waiting for the giggle.

My favorite illustration in Stop! Go! is "Loud Quiet." How perfect to use the ice cream man's truck to illustrate loud while a mother pushes a stroller for quiet? 123 Beep Beep Beep! features a similar ice cream truck on the "6 Food trucks" spread.

Biggs is current, fun, and bright. You and your totz will love his work!

Everything Goes, Stop! Go! A Book of Opposites
Everything Goes, 1 2 3 Beep Beep Beep! A Counting Book
by Brian Biggs
Balzer + Bray, HarperCollins

Goodnight Moon, Cloth Book: Margaret Wise Brown

So what do you think? The cloth version seems a perfect, soft touch for your totz. I was excited to see this new edition from HarperCollins. But, they've reduced the classic to three spreads, and I wonder if there's a retouch to Clement Hurd's illustration of the fishing rabbit picture above the bookcase. For clarity, if I'm right? With the reduction of pages, the cadence of the original is sacrificed, yet, the rhythm can be found in what is included:

In the great green room
There was a telephone
And a red balloon
And a picture of-
The cow jumping over the moon

Goodnight room
Goodnight moon
Goodnight light
And the red balloon
Goodnight bears
Goodnight chairs

Goodnight noises everywhere

It's almost what you might whisper to your tot as she clutches her blue plush pillow book to sleep. I believe it has grown on me. Look for it, and let us know your take.

Goodnight Moon, Cloth Book
by Margaret Wise Brown
illustrations by Clement Hurd
HarperCollins Publishers

April Older Sibling Pick: Rain Brings Frogs

True to the subtitle of this book, Nate--the upbeat hero of the story--is a ray of sunshine, offering a lighthearted dose of much-needed hope. The first spread reads:

When Mom says, I HATE RAIN.
Nate says, RAIN BRINGS FROGS!

Lately, I have considered the maxim that "little pitchers have big ears," and I've wondered how the tragedy and turmoil in the world is affecting young children. There's a lot of angst out there, and this book is a timely reminder that there is good after bad. Totz haven't lived long enough to know that and may need this idea reinforced.

One of my favorite spreads in this books is the one with an illustration of what appears to be the finale of a swim team race. A dejected Casey clutches a 2nd place ribbon, while Nate's waving a 5th place ribbon:

When Casey says, I LOST.
Nate says, I FINISHED!

Rain Brings Frogs reinforces many such instances of "looking on the bright side," yet it's not saccharine. I'm a fan of Maryann Cocca-Leffler's and a friend. When I received this book from her publisher, I was delighted to see that it was already in a 2nd reprinting! You go, Maryann!

Rain Brings Frogs
Author-illustrator: Maryann Cocca-Leffler
HarperCollins, 2011

Counting Animals: Jodi Huelin

Are you ready for cute? I mean cute, cute, cute! Fisher Price has published Counting Animals by Jodi Huelin, illustrated by Betsy Veness. As part of their Precious Planet series, this work is recommended for ages 6 months and older. I think the age suggestion is an interesting concept, but I wouldn't let it stop me from sharing this work with younger totz.

Counting Animals does just that on each spread. Whether it be hippos, whales, or kangaroos, totz are given a flap to lift to verify they've counted the characters carefully. Verbs like walk, float, and hop are illustrated as well as locations such as plains, ice, and sand.

Jodi's text is simple and direct while Betsy's computer generated illustrations are filled with dots, stripes, and flat color spaces.

Enjoy Fisher Price books and toys. Count and lift those flaps with your totz!

Counting Animals
by Jodi Huelin
illustrations by Betsy Veness
Fisher-Price, HarperCollins Children's Books, 2010, Mattel, Inc.

More, More, More: Design, The Archive Series

Creating children's books is a vast collaborative process. Even down to the simplest board book, there is a synergy between the entire creative team's efforts. From the writer's words, to the agent's input, to the editor's tweaks, to the art director's choice of illustrator, to the illustrator's vision looping back to the writer's words, to the marketing team's suggestions, to the printer and binder, to the final book. Even still, I've left out crucial team players.

Today, Joan and I will often turn in board and picture books with illustrated dummies of our vision. At times we are asked to develop those images further, and other times, our designs are shared with another illustrator, as a further guide to our concept. Sometimes they are withheld to bring a fresh look to the table.



Maybe this process is what made me so excited for Design, The Archive Series, by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Here is a visual record of those images and concepts which fed into our beloved children's animated films. We solidly know the scope and presentation of Bambi and now Tangled, but what were the whispers, the emotions, the sweeping colors that guided those final choices? Stylized or abstract; watercolor, oil or pencil, each entry conveys a mood which in turn shaped a film.

This immense work is a document to the progression of film imagery in the United States. What a treasure to saturate yourself with Mary Blair's paintings, and then Chen-Yi Chang's, and my favorite, Eyvind Earle's. It is a pleasure to find inspirations and wisps of familiar characters.

I recommend this collection for your own coffee table. Totz and their siblings will devour the pages, along with you and your friends. Who knows? Maybe it will feed a budding artist in your very midst.

If you are lover of all things Disney, check out this blog for more, more, more!

Design, The Archive Series
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Disney Enterprises, 2010

Cat the Cat Who is THAT? by Mo Willems

So who has been waiting for Mo's work to reach our youngest readers? Mo for totz? ME! And the day is here!

Balzer & Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishing, has published a Cat the Cat series for newborns to age 5. Larger than a traditional board book, the works have extra thick pages and simple, large text.

readertotz can begin to recognize characters, friends of Cat the Cat. While early readers will begin to sound out and sightread repeated phrases. Everyone will enjoy Mo's humor and the encouragement to reach out and make new friends.

You'll recognize Mo's illustrations with a varied black outline and flat color spaces. The palate is subdued a few values but maintains vibrancy.

Enjoy Cat the Cat Who is That? with me. Your totz will love it. Then look for others in the series!

Blarggie, blarggie!

Watch an interview here! "Just because you are very young doesn't mean you don't have a sense of humor."

Cat the Cat Who is THAT?
by Mo Willems
Balzer & Bray, 2010

Older Sibling Pick of the Month: An Amelia Bedelia Celebration

This 214 page hardcover book contains four complete books, a CD of the stories for listening as you read, eight brainteasers and puzzles, two tasty recipes, and four crafts, and is priced at $19.99. Peggy Parish was a third grade teacher when Amelia Bedelia was first published in 1963. She passed away in 1988 and fans still begged for more. Her nephew, Herman Parish, has written 15 more Amelia Bedelia stories.

I was a big fan of Amelia Bedelia as a girl. It was one of the books that made me laugh and made me want to read. I'm glad the books continue.

An Amelia Bedelia Celebration
Authors: Peggy Parish and Herman Parish
Illustrators: Lynn Sweat and Fritz Siebel
Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins)

Poetry Friday: A Light in the Attic: Special Edition

In celebration of the release of A Light in the Attic: Special Edition, here's a YouTube entry narrated by Shel of "Backward Bill." Pick up the new release and enjoy those 12 new poems with your totz! What a treasure!

A Light in the Attic: Special Edition
by Shel Silverstein
HarperCollins Children's Books, September 22, 2009
www.shelsilverstein.com

Catch the full Poetry Friday roundup with Wild Rose Reader!

Wednesdays Win: Biscuit's Walk in the Woods

Drop a comment here on readertotz for a chance to win Biscuit's Walk in the Woods, an adorable board book by Alyssa Satin Capucilli just published by HarperCollins! Good luck, and don’t forget to check back to see if you’ve won next Wednesday when we'll announce the winner and also post a new contest for yet another book! (Due to mailing costs, open to USA only.)

Congratulations to Hannah, winner of last week’s Wednesday’s Win -- A Little Kitty -- on readertotz! Please email joanholub at aol dot com with your snailmail addy.

~ Joan Holub and Lorie Ann Grover

Biscuit Visits the Petting Zoo: Alyssa Satin Capucilli

I've been a Biscuit fan since the first I Can Read early reader titled Biscuit was released in 1997. I remember precisely how I first became aware of the book. I was standing in a Barnes & Noble store in Seattle when I overheard two young girls talking about Biscuit and saying how much they loved him. Of course, I took a look at the book myself after that and fell in love with the simplicity and charm of this character. It's not easy creating a book with minimal text that still manages to hold the attention and garner the love of young readers. Yet there's a need for these books. (This one's cited for ages 2-6.)

Since then, there have been many more early readers and board books featuring Biscuit, the little yellow puppy. Now we have Biscuit Visits the Petting Zoo. Biscuit and his girl go to a petting zoo where they meet various other animals who have woolly, fuzzy, silky, etc, features which young readers can stroke to learn what 'woolly' and 'furry' feel like. I'm a fan of touch-and-feel books and totz seem to love them, too!

Biscuit Visits the Petting Zoo
Alyssa Satin Capucilli ~ author
Rose Mary Berlin, in the style of Pat Schories ~ illustrator
HarperCollins, 2009