Review: "When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons" by Julie Fogliano

" august 3

if you want to be sure
that you are nothing more than small
stand at the edge of the ocean
looking out"

If you appreciate words and beautiful and seasons, please read "When Green Becomes Tomatoes" by Julie Fogliano. A year's worth of poems chronicling the passage of the seasons is lovingly and gorgeously illustrated by Julie Morstad. It is chock full of the wonder and loveliness that all children should be privileged to. Click on the link above to request a copy today.

"march 13 

politely
but tired of mittens
i asked the winter to please tell the snow
thank you very much, but no"

Andrea W., Headquarters 

"Wait" by Antoinette Portis

Every child who has tried to go from one place to another with an adult has been frustrated by the adult's singular focus on getting to where they're going. And every adult who has tried getting from one place to another with a child has been frustrated with the child's need to stop and examine everything along the way. Which way is best? Antoinette Portis examines this universal struggle in her newest book, "Wait." There are only two words used in this picture book, the adult saying "Hurry!" and the child saying, "wait." As they travel through town, the adult keeps admonishing the child, but he keeps finding beautiful and interesting things, like a fish tank, a cement mixer, and a butterfly. When it starts raining, they really hurry, but their flight is stopped instantly by something wonderful. This is a delightful and lovingly illustrated story for everyone.

--Andrea W., Headquarters

New Books Just for Winter!

When it's cold outside and the snow is falling, what's more fun than coming inside after a fun day of playing in the snow, warming up with your favorite hot drink, and curling up with a good book? Here's four delightful new snowy books for you and your child to enjoy together. Click on the links to reserve a copy today!

"Winter Bees" by Joyce Sidman

We are an ancient tribe,
a hardy scrum.
Born with eyelash legs
and tinsel wings,
we are nothing on our own.
Together, we are One.

Joyce Sidman offers an evocative collection of poems about the natural world in winter, paired with an accompanying scientific paragraph explaining the facts behind each poem. Illustrated by Rick Allen's delicately colored linoleum prints, each component of this book works together as a pleasing and beautiful whole that the whole family can enjoy.

"Blizzard" by John Rocco

No one does picture book memoirs better than John Rocco, and this new book is further proof. Through approchable text and bright and entertaining illustrations, Rocco recalls when his family was snowed in for several days after a blizzard. As time passes, his family tragically runs out of milk for their hot cocoa,  so young John braves the frozen wasteland on tennis rackets and makes it to the corner store for provisions. It's comedy, it's adventure, and your whole family will love it. It might make you wish for a blizzard of your own!

"Outside" by Deirdre Gill

If you don't want to actually play outside in the snow, this book is the next best thing. In this homage to imaginative snow play, Gill uses sparse words and vibrantly engaging illustrations to tell the story of a little boy on an adventure in the snow with a dragon and a snow man. In the end, he invites his little brother to join in. After reading about this wonderful adventure, you'll want to grab your favorite mittens, pull on your snow pants, lace up your boots and head outside to experience the magic yourself!

"Fox's Garden" by Princesse Camcam

Through the dimensional beauty of photographed cut paper illustrations, Princesse Camcam wordlessly tells the story of a fox mama looking for a place to have her babies on a snowy night. After being chased away by the adults in a house, a little boy peeks out the window to watch as mama makes her way into the greenhouse out back. When he takes her a gift, the fox shows thanks in an almost magical way. This story is perfect for the young animal lover in your house.


--Andrea W., Headquarters

Staff Review: "Druthers" by Matt Phelan

What can you do with a rainy day? This is the question posed by Matt Phelan's hug-worthy new picture book, "Druthers." 

"'If you had your druthers, what would you do?' asked her daddy.
'What are druthers?'
'Druthers are what you would rather do if you could do anything at all.'"

In this lovingly illustrated story, Penelope and her daddy play their way through the rainy day using only their imaginations. From pirates to cowboys, this duo knows how to make the best of bad weather. In the end, Penelope decides that, "if I really had my druthers . . . it would rain tomorrow, too." Click on the link above to request a copy, then spend some time playing imaginatively with your little one. Perfect for the pre-K and kindergarten set.

--Andrea W., Headquarters

Staff Review: "Bluebird" by Lindsey Yankey

In the face of beauty, sometimes words aren't enough. I know that's a bit ironic of me to say, since I have to use my words to tell you about "Bluebird" by Lindsey Yankey, a picture book so lovely that words fail me. Which means you'll just have to check it out and experience it for yourself!

The plot centers around a little painted bluebird who wants to fly, but can't find his friend, the wind, to help him out. So he hunts and hunts for his friend in its favorite haunts, but all for naught. In the end, the bluebird discovers that his friend has been waiting for him to learn to fly on his own. It's a nice little story, but the mixed media illustrations of a quaint European town and people going about their daily lives in rich detail steal the show. Ms. Yankey did such a smashing job that I'd like to crawl inside her book and stay for a day or two. This story is wonderful for anyone age three and up, and you can reserve a copy by clicking on the link above.

--Andrea W., Headquarters

Staff Review: "Boom Snot Twitty" by Doreen Cronin

We all know and love Doreen Cronin for her smart, sophisticated and subversive yet gentle books for kids ("Diary of a Fly," "Click Clack Moo," "Wiggle," etc.). Cronin's latest book, "Boom Snot Twitty,"  shows her simply sweet side in a minimalistic tale of friendship.

Boom (a bear), Snot (a snail), and Twitty (a robin) spend an eventful day together. With sparse prose, the three friends ponder what to do. Everyone has a different idea and sets off to do just that. Eventually the weather takes a turn and they all ride it out in their own way, only to come back together for a sweet good night.

I personally love Snot and her simple contentment the best, but all three friends are adorable and rendered perfectly by Renata Liwska. This is a snuggle-down-and-read-with-your-best-stuffed-animal kind of book, and it's meant to be shared with the ones you love. Best for preschool to first grade.

--Andrea W., Headquarters

Book Trailer: "The Adventures of Beekle" by Dan Santat

Check out this wistful trailer for illustrator (and author!) Dan Santat's lovely new picture book "Beekle, the Unimaginary Friend"! It looks to be wonderful, so request your copy today before the line gets too long!

--Andrea W., Headquarters

Staff Review: "Wild Berries" by Julie Flett

Life is made up of a continuous movement of small, everyday activities. It's easy to find these little tasks dull and repetitive, but they can be so full of meaning, especially to a child. It takes a poet's eye for detail to bring out the beauty in these simple things. "Wild Berries" by Julie Flett quietly celebrates the seasonal trip of Clarence and his grandma to pick blueberries in the woods.

"Grandma likes sweet blueberries/ininimina, soft blueberries, juicy blueberries. Clarence likes big blueberries, sour blueberries, blueberries that go P O P in his mouth."

Flett's simple prose describes what the boy and grandmother see and experience, sprinkling in a few words of Cree. Her simple illustrations perfectly match the text and highlight the quiet loveliness of each moment in subdued shades, always with a pop of red. At the end is a Cree pronunciation guide and a recipe for delicious blueberry jam. What a fun activity it would be to read the book  with your little one (along with "Blueberries for Sal," of course!) and make some jam together! For ages 4-8.

--Andrea W., Headquarters

Staff Review: "The Silver Button" by Bob Graham

If you've never read a Bob Graham book, you really should. His illustrations are friendly and inviting, his characters are people you'd love to meet, and his stories are affirming and sometimes a little bit funny. His latest book, "The Silver Button," is no exception.

I have never met the man, but from reading his work I can tell you that he loves two things: people and cities. "The Silver Button" tells a story not so much about a person or a place, but of a moment, in a place, with people. Graham illustrates these moments--some ordinary, some very meaningful--and makes them holy with his attentions, much like a poet does. It begins and ends with a baby taking his first steps, but little snapshots of the same moment all over the city serve to highlight the beauty of this milestone that most of us pass without remembering. Reading "The Silver Button" is like getting a hug from the world, and it leaves you aware and thankful of little things.  For preschoolers on up.

--Andrea W., Headquarters

P.S. Check out some of Bob Graham's other books!

Staff Review: "Journey" by Aaron Becker

When I first saw the spine of  "Journey" by Aaron Becker on the shelf, I thought it was perhaps a David Wiesner  or Chris Van Allsburg book. When I looked at the beautifully detailed castle on the cover I thought, "Ahhhh, David Macaulay!" Then I started looking through the book and thought, "This reminds me a bit of "Harold and the Purple Crayon!" So many allusions and influences could have turned me off to this wordless book, but Becker has taken all of these great influences and created a wonderful picture book of his own, worthy enough to share the shelves with his illustrious predecessors.

"Journey" is the story of a little girl whose family is too busy to play with her. She discovers a red crayon on the floor, draws a door on her wall, and walks through it into a magical world. She continues to have adventures, creating different vehicles that take her different places. On one adventure she rescues an exotic purple bird that leads her to a small purple door in a tree. When she crawls through after the bird, the girl discovers that she's not so alone after all. 

With no words to get in the way, this story is an adventure in the power of imagination. It also reminds us that friends can be right around the corner. And if this is what the inside of Aaron Becker's brain looks like, I want to live there! I recommend this book for adventurers of all ages.

--Andrea W., H.Q.

P.S. I mean, seriously, don't you want to go here? Click below to watch the book trailer. If it doesn't give you goosebumps, I don't know what will.

Staff Review: "if you want to see a whale" by Julie Fogliano

if you want to read a book
with wonder and quiet delight
you will need "a not-so-comfy chair 
and a not-too-cozy blanket
because sleeping eyes can't" read 
the beautiful and poetic
"if you want to see a whale" by Julie Fogliano

If you happened to miss Julie Fogliano's first book "and then it's spring," a lovely and lyrical story of the browns of early spring slowly creeping into the early green of a young garden, then it's time to catch up! Her second book, "if you want to see a whale,"  is now out, and it's a delight for eyes, the tongue, and the ear. We join forces with a little boy on a whale-hunting expedition, learning about the things not to look for if you want to see a whale.

"if you want to see a whale
be careful not to notice
something inching, small and green
across the leaf, just nibble scoot
because things that are smaller than most small things
can't be as giant as a whale"

After navigating the distraction of inch-worms and clouds, roses and sailboats, we are rewarded with a quite glimpse of a lovely blue whale.

"if you want to see a whale" is a perfect marriage of art and text, as Caldecott-winning artist Erin E. Stead illustrates this quiet voyage with simple, detailed and gorgeous  linoleum print and pencil pictures. It is sure to become a timeless classic that you'll want to read over and over again. And perhaps, if you are quiet and patient enough, you might be able to see a whale of your own. Great for pre-K to second grade.

--Andrea W. H.Q.

Staff Review: "Twelve Kinds of Ice" by Ellen Bryan Obed

 

If you’re looking for explosions, heart-stopping drama, or canny characterization, don’t read this book. If, however, you are in search of what I call “quiet books of wonder,” then you need to stop everything and soak in the simple beauty of “Twelve Kinds of Ice” by Ellen Bryan Obed. At 64 small pages, with detailed drawings by Barbara McClintock offsetting the text perfectly, it is just the right book to curl up with over a cup of hot cocoa and read to the whole family on a snow day.

This is a memoir of spending winter on the ice—from the first fragile shards in a bucket to the lovingly tended backyard ice-rink, ending with the muddy, slushy puddles of spring. Chronicling her childhood in Maine, Obed  writes with lightly sparkling prose leaning almost into poetry, expressing the wonder and joy of frozen lakes, late-night skates, and the delicious expectation of watching temperatures drop enough to freeze.

“We sped to silver speeds at which lungs and legs, clouds and sun, wind and cold, raced together. Our blades spit out silver.  Our lungs breathed out silver.  Our minds burst with silver while the winter sun danced silver down our bending backs.”(19)

Filled with the hush of wind over a frozen pond, the flash of sun bouncing off snow, and the joy of a warm, active body in the cold of winter, “Twelve Kinds of Ice” captures the wonder to be found in the frozen sleep of winter, and I recommend it to anyone at any age (however, School Library Journal recommends it for grades 3-6). Click on the link to reserve a copy today.

--Andrea W., H.Q.

P.S. For more quiet books of wonder, click on the titles below.