Close to the Wind: The Beaufort Scale by Peter Malone

 I came across this book yesterday at a thrift store. Close to the Wind: The Beaufort Scale by Peter Malone. It's a lovely introduction to the Beaufort scale of wind speed/intensity developed by Captain Francis Beaufort of the Royal Navy in 1810 and used by mariners ever since. I believe it is a true living book. The author tells of each level of speed of the wind through the journal entries/letters written home to his sister by a 12 year old boy , William, on the ship as it journeys across the Atlantic. The illustrations are lovely. Each two page spread has the text with small vignette drawings on the left side, and across from that on the right a full page, full color illustration. At the end is a two page biographical sketch about Beaufort, a sketch of a typical ship of the early 1800s with explanations about its structure and sails, and a map of William's Journey. If you have anyone interested in shipping, I highly recommend this book. It would go nicely with old Ironsides by Weitzman and other books about ships of the late 1700s/early 1800s.

Geronimo, Wolf of the Warpath by Ralph Moody

 

Geronimo, Wolf of the Warpath

by Ralph Moody

a Landmark book published by Random House, c. 1958.

Republished by Sterling in 2006.

 

This book about Native American, Geronimo, was written by Ralph Moody, author of the well-known Little Britches series which are being republished by Purple House Press. He also wrote several of the North Star series books, some horse books and another Landmark, Kit Carson and the Wild Frontier. Most of his books were centered on life in the old west, so it’s no surprise that he was commissioned to write the story of Geronimo.  Interesting to note that Moody was 10 years old when Geronimo died! 

The book starts out with a historical overview of the events of the West in the times before Geronimo’s birth, explaining some background to the term “apache,” which became the name for Geronimo’s tribe. Coronado came into the Southwest after the Spanish had conquered the Aztecs, searching for the rich seven cities of Cibola about 1540 into Arizona/New Mexico. Gradually more and more Mexicans moved north; Native Americans there fought back by raiding rather than open warfare. Apache sounded like the word for enemy so that’s what this Native Americans tribe was then called. 

Geronimo was born in 1829 and died in 1909. His name at birth was Gokliya. His father was chief of his tribe and trained his son very early for all things to become a chief. He gained skills of hunting, their legends, the medicine man’s skills, and how to read the stars. His skills made him both admired and hated as he grew. His father died when he was young but his father’s instruction never left him. 

A white man named Johnson tricked the Apache and massacred 50 of them. Now the Apache feared and hated the white man. 

I feel the book shows clearly the power of a father AND mother’s influence. After his father’s death, his mother set him on a road of being a warrior, not trusting the Mexicans or white man ever again, ready to kill, and this was to shape the rest of his life. His mother, wife, and children were killed by Mexicans when he was a young man, and he became hell-bent on revenge for his family’s death.

 As he grew into adulthood, he became the most-hunted Native American by white men, including eventually the US government. This is when he gained his notoriety for his cunning trickery, his constant raiding and killing, and his refusal to comply with either the authorities of his people or white man. And it was at time that he was given the name of Geronimo. One biographer wrote that “he frightened his Mexican enemies so much that they began yelling “Geronimo.” Some believe they were screaming the Spanish word for Jerome — and that they were pleading for help from St. Jerome to escape Geronimo’s fury.” (https://allthatsinteresting.com/geronimo) 

Eventually, even the Apaches turned against him and refused to allow him to lead their people, as much as Geronimo had always craved that. He had never gained the respect of his people. They helped to capture him. The book doesn’t go into a lot of the rest of his life until his death. 

It’s interesting to think of the events of American history that touched his life in some way. He lived through the Mexican War, the time of westward expansion, the Cochise War, the Apache Wars, the California gold rush, the Civil War and its aftermath, the American Industrial Revolution, and into the 20^th century. All of these events shaped his life. 

As I read the book, I noticed that Moody was careful to tell of Native Americans who were good and honest as well as those who chose to follow Geronimo’s murderous treachery. Moody also tells of white men who could be trusted to be fair in the treatment of Native Americans and those who were unfair, as well as the American government’s often unjust treatment of them. The book was written in 1958, when most books presented them as illiterate, base savages, so Moody was ahead of his time in that way.  He does refer to them as Indians, which was typical of the time period in which he wrote. I don’t find that offensive and understand they were called that at that time.  Even he called himself an Indian in his autobiography, published in 1906. 

Biographer Marco Margaretoff wrote “Even now, people visit his gravestone, adorned with a soaring eagle, and imagine the courage it must have taken to defy this new American empire as it was roaring into power.” 

I highly recommend this book for middle school readers as a nice accompaniment to your studies of Native Americans and/or the 19^th century western expansion of the United States.

(Sandy Hall. All rights reserved 2023)

2022 Caldecott Medal and Honor Books

 

2022 Caldecott Award Winner 

Watercress, written by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Jason Chin

From the dust jacket: Driving through Ohio in an old Pontiac, a young girl’s parents stop suddenly when they spot something growing in a ditch by the side of the road . . . watercress! With an old paper bag and some trusty scissors, the whole family wades into the muck to collect as much of the muddy, snail-covered plant as they can. At first, it’s embarrassing. Why can’t her family get food at the grocery store? But when her mother shares the story of her family’s life in China, the girl learns to appreciate the fresh food they foraged. Together, they make a new memory of watercress in this tender story inspired by the author’s childhood memories and illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Jason Chin. 

From the Amazon description: While driving through Ohio in an old Pontiac, a young girl's Chinese immigrant parents spot watercress growing wild in a ditch by the side of the road.  They stop the car, grabbing rusty scissors and an old paper bag, and the whole family wades into the mud to gather as much as they can. At first, she's embarrassed. Why can't her family just get food from the grocery store, like everyone else? But when her mother shares a bittersweet story of her family history in China, the girl learns to appreciate the fresh food they foraged—and the memories left behind in pursuit of a new life. Together, they make a new memory of watercress. Author Andrea Wang calls this moving, autobiographical story “both an apology and a love letter to my parents.”  It’s a bittersweet, delicate look at how sharing the difficult parts of our histories can create powerful new moments of family history and help connect us to our roots. Jason Chin’s illustrations move between China and the American Midwest and were created with a mixture of traditional Chinese brushes and western media. The dreamy, nostalgic color palette brings this beautiful story to life. An endnote from the author describes her personal connection to the story, and an illustrator’s note touches on both the process of the painting, and the emotional meaning brought to the work.  

Awards: New England Book Award Winner; A New York Times Best Children’s Book of the Year; A Wall Street Journal Best Children's Book of the Year; A Boston Globe Best Children's Book of the Year; A Washington Post Best Children's Book of the Year; A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book; Winner of the Cybils Award; An SCBWI Crystal Kite Award Winner; A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year; A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year; An ALSC Notable Children's Book; Named a best book of the year by Publishers Weekly, BookPage, School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Lunch, Shelf Awareness , and more! A CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book; An NPR 'Book We Love!'; A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection! 

You can listen to the book read here by someone who had similar experiences growing up in Ohio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIU-Wp-CNOs

 You can listen to an interview about the book here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJbl-klxdkc 

Author: Andrea Wang is the award-winning author of The Nian Monster and Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando. [If you have a child or grandchild who loves Ramen noodles, this book is a fun read!] Wang was inspired to write Watercress by her experience growing up in rural Ohio as a child of Chinese immigrants. Andrea holds an M.S. in Environmental Science and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing for Young People. She lives in Colorado with her family. (quoted from the dust jacket). 

A Note from the Author: This story is about the power of memory. Not just the beautiful memories, like the ones my mother and father had about eating watercress in China, but also the difficult ones, the memories that are sometimes too painful to share. It starts with my own distressing memory of being made to pick watercress that was growing wild by the side of the road. As the child of Chinese immigrants, growing up in a small, mostly white town in Ohio, I was aware of how different my family and I were from everyone else. It’s hard to feel like you don’t belong, and collecting food from a muddy roadside ditch just made that bad feeling more intense for me—something my very practical parents didn’t understand. When I was young, my parents didn’t talk about their memories of China, of growing up poor, losing siblings, and surviving war. I don’t blame them—these are difficult topics to discuss with children. But it’s important, too, for children to understand their family history. Perhaps if I had known about the hardships they had faced, I would have been more compassionate as a child. Maybe I would have felt more empathy and less anger. More pride in my heritage and less shame. Memories have the power to inform, to inspire, and to heal. This story is both an apology and a love letter to my parents. It’s also an encouragement to all children who feel different and to families with difficult pasts—share your memories. Tell your stories. They are essential. 

Illustrator: Jason Chin is a celebrated author and illustrator of children’s books. His book Grand Canyon was awarded a Caldecott Honor, a Sibert Honor, and the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award. His other acclaimed nonfiction titles—Redwoods, Coral Reefs, Island: A Story of the Galapagos, Gravity, and Your Place in the Universe—have received numerous starred reviews and other accolades. He is also the illustrator of Stephanie Parsley Ledyard’s debut title Pie Is for Sharing and Miranda Paul’s Water Is Water and Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born, the latter, a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book. He lives in Vermont with his wife and children. (quoted from the dust jacket). 

My opinion: The illustrations are soft and lovely and yet at the same time realistic. I love this story about a young girl learning her mother’s childhood memories and the difference that makes in her. She grows to appreciate her mother’s difficult memories, experiences compassion for the uncle who did not survive the famine, and learns to have more pride in her heritage. The book gives a window into the heart and mind of second-generation immigrants who really live in two worlds. I love the child’s new sensitivity and maturity that occurs as a result of hearing her mother’s stories.

2022 Caldecott Honor Books

Mel Fell, written and illustrated by Corey R. Tabor 

From the dust jacket: Sometimes, you might fall down, down down, before you learn to fly up, up, up . . . A charming and innovative tale about a plucky little bird, from the award-winning author of Fox the Tiger. 

From the Amazon description: A Caldecott Honor Book and ALA Notable Book of the Year! An innovative and charming tale about a plucky little bird, from the award-winning author-illustrator of Fox the Tiger.Readers will delight in turning their book sideways and upside down to follow Mel on her journey from downward fall to triumphant flight in this tale of self-confidence and taking a leap of faith. An especially enjoyable and satisfying read-aloud!

Sometimes, you might fall

               down,

                               down,

                                               down,

before you learn to fly

               up,

                               up,

                                               up… 

Awards: Besides the Caldecott Honor 2022, the book has also won these awards: Barnes & Noble Picture Book Award Winner; PNBA Book Awards Shortlist; A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2021; A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2021; A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of the Year; Kids Indie Next List selection, and starred reviews from Kirkus, Horn Book, and Publishers Weekly. 

You can listen to the book being read here by the author/illustrator: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ5mRq9g4es 

Author: Corey R. Tabor is the author and illustrator of Snail Crossing, Fox and the Jumping Contest, Fox and the Bike Ride, Fox is Late, Fox versus Winter, and the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award-winning Fox the Tiger. Corey lives in Seattle with his wife and son and spends his time making pictures and stories. You can visit him online at www.coreytabor.com (quoted from the dust jacket). The author’s note says: Mel is a kingfisher. Kingfishers catch fish by diving into the water from tree branches or wires. Many kingfishers nest in tunnels they dig in earthen banks near water, while others nest in tree hollows (some even live in old termite nests). A young kingfisher probably doesn’t catch a fish the first time they leave the next. But then, Mel is a very special bird. 

Illustrator: Corey R. Tabor is also the illustrator of this sweet book. The art is done with pencil, colored pencil, and acylic paint. 

My opinion: This book is simply delightful! The story brings the reader to a desperate hope that Mel, the little bird falling by his own choice from the tree, will be safe. He gets offers of help all along his fall as various creatures desperately try to save him from his fall. But the book ends with all well, thankfully! The book is so creative in its format. You turn it sideways and read each page with the bird falling down and down and down, but then the story takes a turn and the pages literally take a turn as well. You turn the book the other way and follow little Mel as he flies up and up and up! Such a creative idea. I love the line, “As Mel flew by, the spider clapped her hands. All eight of them.” I can highly recommend this book for your youngest listeners, although older children will love it, too.

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre, written by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Floyd Cooper

From the dust jacket: In the early 1900s, Tulsa, Oklahoma, was home to a thriving African American community. The Greenwood District had its own school system, libraries, churches, restaurants, post office, move theaters, and more. But all that would change in the course of two terrible, unspeakable days. On May 31 and June 1, 1921, a mob of armed white Tulsans attacked Greenwood. They looted homes and businesses and burned them to the ground as black families fled. The police did nothing to protect Greenwood, and as many as three hundred African Americans were killed. More than eight thousand were left homeless. News of the Tulsa Race Massacre—one of the worst incidents of racial violence in US history—was largely suppressed, and no official investigation occurred for seventy-five years.  Celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and acclaimed illustrator Floyd Cooper provide a sensitive and powerful introduction to the Tulsa Race Massacre, helping young readers understand the events of the past so we can move toward a better future for all. 

From the Amazon description: Celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrator Floyd Cooper provide a powerful look at the Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in our nation's history. The book traces the history of African Americans in Tulsa's Greenwood district and chronicles the devastation that occurred in 1921 when a white mob attacked the Black community. News of what happened was largely suppressed, and no official investigation occurred for seventy-five years. This picture book sensitively introduces young readers to this tragedy and concludes with a call for a better future. 

You can listen to the book read here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEQkRj5kRXk 

Awards: Besides being awarded the Caldecott Honor, this book has also received these awards: Coretta Scott King Book Awards for Author and Illustrator; A Sibert Honor Book; Longlisted for the National Book Award; A Kirkus Prize Finalist; A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book; "A must-have"―Booklist (starred review)

Author: Carole Boston Weatherford is the author of numerous books, including Caldecott Honor winners Freedom in Congo Square, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Homer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movements, illustrated by Ekua Holmes, and Moses: When Harriet Tubman Let Her People to Freedom, illustrated by Kadir Nelson. A Sibert Honor winner and two-time NAACO Image Award recipient, she won a Newbery Honor for Box: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom, illustrated by Michele Wood. Her writing spans the slavery and segregation eras and covers such topics as jazz and photography. When she’s not traveling or visiting museums, Carole is mining the past for family stories, fading traditions, and forgotten struggles. The daughter of educators, she has a passion for rescuing events and figures from obscurity by documenting American history. She lives in North Carolina. (quoted from the dust jacket). I have all of those titles mentioned here and find them worthy additions to the shelves of my library. Carole’s website for further information is https://cbweatherford.com/. Carole’s son Jeffery Weatherford is an illustrator with much recognition.

 Illustrator: Floyd Cooper received a Coretta Scott King Award for his illustrations for The Blacker the Berry and won Coretta Scott King honors for Brown Honey in Broom Wheat Tea, Meet Danitra Brown, and I Have Heard of a Land. He has illustrated numerous books, including Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin Alexander Ramsey. Born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, he first heard about the Tulsa Race Massacre from his grandfather, who survived it as a young man. Floyd now lives in Easton, Pennsylvania, with his wife and two sons. (quoted from the dust jacket). I love the illustrator’s personal connection to these events as told to him by his grandfather who experienced them. The illustrations were created using oil and erasure. The faces are passionate and full of emotion. 

My Opinion: The story of this event should be told and remembered by new generations. We must learn from the past. I’m always amazed at the actual connection people of today have with events from 100 years ago. My dear husband’s grandmother was delivered by a Civil War doctor! To think we have a link to someone of the 1860s is amazing! In this book, the illustrator Floyd Cooper learned of this event from a grandparent who lived through it. I think because of that, he so well drew the illustrations. It was part of his own heritage. And he explains more in the Illustrator’s Note as the end of the book. Yes, the book narrates that awful time, but it also ends with hope as it tells about Tulsa’s Reconciliation Park which remembers the victims as a place “to realize the responsibility we all have to reject hatred and violence and to instead choose hope.” The book includes an Author’s Note in which Weatherford tells of her own connection to the trauma of racism in her cousin’s life and other family members of her ancestry. Knowing these things led her to research the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 and to tell the story. And to further your understanding of this event and help your children learn, Download the free educator guide here: https://lernerbooks.com/download/unspeakableteachingguide

Have You Ever Seen a Flower, written and illustrator by Shawn Harris.

From the dust jacket: Have you ever seen a flower? Have you ever been a flower? 

From the Amazon description: Have You Ever Seen a Flower? is a beautiful exploration of perception, the environment, and humanity. This enchanting picture book explores the relationship between childhood and nature. In this simple yet profound story, one child experiences a flower with all five senses—from its color to its fragrance to the entire universe it evokes—revealing how a single flower can expand one's perspective in incredible ways.
CELEBRATION OF NATURE: Full of bright, stunning illustrations, Have You Ever Seen a Flower? reminds readers of all ages to appreciate the beauty of the world. 
INCREDIBLE TALENT: Have You Ever Seen a Flower? is the authorial debut of award-winning illustrator Shawn Harris. His previous illustrated books have garnered multiple awards and starred reviews, including Her Right Foot and What Can a Citizen Do (both by Dave Eggers), Everyone’s Awake by Colin Meloy, and A Polar Bear in the Snow by Mac Barnett.
CRITICS LOVE IT: This award-winning book has received praise from numerous esteemed publications. Highlights include: 
"[A] stunning tour de force."—The New York Times
"The pictures have a rich visual texture, vibrant color, and a naive style, which together imply a child as ostensible artist. This effect is well aligned with the playfully inquisitive text, with rhythm and repetition akin to books by Margaret Wise Brown and Ruth Krauss. . . . Have you ever seen a book quite like this? Not likely."—The Horn Book Magazine

You can listen to the book read here by the author/illustrator here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4tMuLaedQ0  (Also in this video, he does a drawing lesson on how to draw flowers. So fun!)

 Author/illustrator: Shawn Harris is an artist and musician who lives and works in Half Moon Bay, California. The first picture book he illustrated, Her Right Root, was the recipient of seven starred reviews. He is also the illustrator of What Can a Citizen Do? And Everyone’s Awake. This is his authorial debut. (quoted from the dust jacket). The illustrations in this book are done with pencil and colored pencil. His illustration style in the various books he’s illustrated are surprisingly varied with many different styles including cut-paper and more cartoon-like drawings. Very interesting. 

My Opinion: This is a poetic “story” of what a flower is like and what it would be like to be a flower. It describes the life of a flower and how similarly we have life. Flowers “drink” and have veins and grow and bloom, and so can you! “Have you ever felt a flower? Do a flower petal’s veins feel like the veins beneath your skin? Have you ever pricked your finger or fallen on  your knee and seen the brilliant color of your life?” And then the next page is all red, like your blood. I love how the book starts out with the black/white drawings of a city. Only the little girl is drawn in bright colors. Then the book explodes with bright colors as the girl runs through a field of flowers and begins to explore them. The drawings look similar to what a child would draw. This book is a celebration of life all around us and inspires children to explore nature. A worthy addition to your read-aloud time or your family library.

Wonder Walkers, written and illustrated by Micha Archer

From the dust jacket: Ready for a wonder walk? Well, then just head outside. Let your imagination soar and your curiosity run wild and soon you’ll be looking at the world in a whole new light. Micha Archer’s stunningly detailed collages bring the wonders of the natural world to vivid life and demonstrate the fun to be had in exploring its marvels.

 From the Amazon description: Micha Archer's gorgeous, detailed collages give readers a fresh outlook on the splendors of nature. When two curious kids embark on a "wonder walk," they let their imaginations soar as they look at the world in a whole new light. They have thought-provoking questions for everything they see: Is the sun the world's light bulb? Is dirt the world's skin? Are rivers the earth's veins? Is the wind the world breathing? I wonder . . . Young readers will wonder too, as they ponder these gorgeous pages and make all kinds of new connections. What a wonderful world indeed! 

The book is available on Kindle and Audible. 

Awards: Caldecott Honor 

You can listen to the book read here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL5isUTsDWU 

You can listen to an interview with Archer here: https://www.michaarcher.com/interview-on-nepr 

Author/illustrator: Micha Archer wrote and illustrated Ezra Jack Keats Award winner Daniel Finds a Poem and its companion, Daniel’s Good Day, and has also illustrated several other picture books, including Girl Running (by Annette Bay Pimentel). Micha works in oil and collage on paper she creates with homemade stamps and layered tissue paper. She came from a long line of artists and teachers and taught for many years in a kindergarten. Raising two kids and teaching are where she cultivated her love for picture books and realized their importance as teaching tools. Micha lives in western Massachusetts in the house she and her husband built, surrounded by gardens and forests to roam in. (from the dust jacket) 

My Opinion: I love this book! Let’s get kids off the screens and outside to enjoy their surroundings. The children in this book think creatively in such interesting ways as they wonder and ponder. “Are branches trees’ arms? Are roots the plant’s toes? Do caves have mouths? Are rivers the earth’s veins?”  For older students, this would be a lovely introduction to the literary technique of personification. I highly recommend this beautiful book. Read it with your children and then go outside….and wonder! 

 

 

Down the Big River by Stephen Meader

Pirates, Native Americans, capture and rescue, treasure, buffalo hunting, and even killing an attacking bear with just a knife! Now there’s a combination of exciting events for a story! 

Down the Big River by Stephen W. Meader is a story of travel, adventure, danger and rescue, and is set in the early 19^th century during the time of early westward expansion in America. 

I have 25 books by Stephen Meader. His 40 plus books are fiction, upper elementary and up reading level, and many are set in an actual historical time period. Forty-four of his books are listed on Biblioguides website! Some of his other titles include: The Black Buccaneer, Boy with a Pack, Buffalo and Beaver, Everglades Adventure, and Clear for Action. 

Stephen Meader was an American author who was born in 1892 and died in 1977. Many of his books have been reprinted. Purple House Press has recently reprinted Down the Big River, and I hope will do many more. Southern Skies has also reprinted quite a few of Meader’s titles. On the Southern Skies website, Meader is quoted as saying, “I think I developed the idea, after publishing about 20 books, that I had a mission and that mission was to cover all of America, all of the periods that were adventurous and romantic and hadn’t been written about and all the, to me, fascinating places.” Many of Meader’s books can be read on Internet Archive, and Biblioguides website gives the links for those. 

The Southern Sky website also records that “if you look over the list of Meader’s books, they cover the United States from Maine to Hawaii, Puget Sound to Florida…Meader states, ‘What I wanted to do is give children from sixth grade on a chance to open their minds to the bigness of the country and the richness of its history and that has been my aim. I think a lot of kids have developed some of that feel. They have enlarged their horizons. If I have done anything that is worthwhile in this life, that is it.’” 

Down the Big River was first published in 1924 and is historical fiction taking place in the year 1805. The story has exciting action right from the start in the first few pages with an unprovoked fight on the riverbanks near Pittsburgh as Tom Lockwood, and his aunt and uncle journey westward from their Pennsylvania farm to join friends living in Missouri. 

As they made their way down the Ohio River, his family is taken captive by river pirates. With the help of his faithful dog Cub and some friends he meets along the way, Tom, who escaped, sets out to rescue them with courage, determination, and a little bit of luck.

For those of you who might read this aloud to your family, It would be fun to get out a US map and trace their journey to combine fiction with geography. 

Of course, Tom and his friend Andy, a younger boy he meets, are the “good guys,” and those rough mean river pirates are decidedly evil. And the “good guys” win! The story also has some Native American characters and although they are stereotyped with the typical verbal response of “how” in greeting, they are definitely sided with the Tom and Andy to outwit the river pirates. The Shawnees are there to help at key times. 

Even Daniel Boone makes an appearance, entering the story at an important point. He speaks to Tom and Andy of the future of America. He passes the dream, the excitement of the journey that lies ahead, and the baton of exploration to these two young men in this poignant moment: 

And I quote,  “The old man rose and spread his great arms to the east and west. A light was on his face brighter than the glow of the fire. ‘The people that have come to live in these valleys,’ he said, are own kin to the folks back in Virginny an’ New England an’ the rest o’ the states—brothers, sisters an’ cousins. Some came an’ some stayed. An’ all this land, from the Lakes down to the Gulf is ours – America. It can be – it’s goin’ to be the greatest country in the world.’ The stern light left his eyes as he concluded. He returned to sit once more between Andy and Tom.. ‘Ye see,’ he said, after a little, ‘I’m getting’ along past the age when I’ll see much o’ this myself. Reckon I wasn’t cut out fer that sort o’ livin’ anyhow. But you boys’ll see it, an’ be part of it. So, Andy, that’s why I say you’re right to go East an’ git some schooolin’. But, ‘went on the white-haired hunter, “ye needn’t to worry about that yet awhile. Come fall, ye kin go down to New Orleans, an’ git aboard a packet bound for Baltimore or Philadelphy, an’ make the whole trip in less’n a month. An’ long ‘fore the time comes to start, ye’ll be a full-fledged Missourian. ‘You boys have got some great sights ahead o’ ye,’ he chuckled. “There’ll be the ol’ He-River, runnin’ a couple o’ miles wide, slow an’ yaller. An’ you’ll go up, polin along for days on end. An’l you’ll see prairie, stretchin’ away, green an’ rollin’ without a sign of a tree, clear to the far ridge. You’ll shoot your first buffalo, an’ watch the herds of ‘em run, with their tails up an’ their heads to the groun an’ their eyes shut, while the earth shakes. ‘Yes,’ he repeated, a trifle sadly, ‘you’ll see a heap o’ things. Wish I was your age, an’ goin’ with ye.’” 

I can highly recommend Meader’s books, especially for boys in those middle school years. The Southern Skies website tells that “by the time Meader finished his last novel in 1969, the world of the 1970s youth literature involved sex, drugs and more contemporary subject matter. Harcourt indicated that they would not be publishing any additional Meader novels, and Meader decided that he didn’t really want to try to change his style to match the times. According to his son John, “He did some writing for the Cape May Historical Society, but that was about all. By then, he was well into his seventies and content to relax and read.” 

Biblioguides website quotes Chesley Howard Looney in her dissertation Stephen W. Meader: His Contributions to American Children’s Literature, “Values that Meader expressed in his books, such as self-reliance, patriotism, courage, doing the right thing, working diligently, loyalty, community, free enterprise and entrepreneurialism, and taking care of oneself and one’s family, are important in American society.” 

And I can say that all those themes are present in Meader’s book, Down the Big River.

 

 Caldecott Medal and Honor Books 2015

Caldecott Medal Book: The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend – Dan Santat

From the dust jacket: This magical story begins on an island far away where an imaginary friend is born. He patiently waits his turn to be chosen by a real child, but when he is overlooked time and again, he sets off on an incredible journey to the bustling city, where he finally meets his perfect match and – at long last – is given his special name: Beekle. Award-winning author and illustrator Dan Santat combines classic storytelling with breathtaking art, creating an unforgettable tale about friendship, imagination, and the courage to find one’s place in the world. 

You can listen to the book read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1DEvJKPgbo

Or listen to the author read his book here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g29lOWkAKjQ

The book is available on Kindle and Audible. 

You can listen to an interview with the author here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZF5Sbsri78 

Author/Illustrator Dan Santat is an American-born son of immigrant parents. He was born in Brooklyn, NY, and then moved to California at a young age. He studied in college for a career in biology, but then made a career switch to art and attended the Art Center College of Design. In 2006, he was the creator of the Disney channel show “The Replacements,” and is also a commercial artist for such big corporations as Macy’s and The Wall Street Journal. This book, The Adventures of Beekle, was his third book for children. He went on to write and illustrate others including Are We There Yet? And After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again. Also, he has collaborated with other authors to illustrate their books. 

My opinion: Santat’s illustrations for this book are done with great variety in pencil, crayon, watercolor, ink, and photoshop, and the text is hand-lettered. The illustrations are appropriately imaginative to match the story well. The imaginary friend waits and waits but is never chosen to be someone’s friend. What child hasn’t felt sad about that at some point in his life? He then decides to set out on his own to find a friend and eventually reaches the real world. He experiences all new things, searches and searches, and finally finds a friend. He gets a new name, Beekles, and off they go to explore the world together. This book is perfect for very young children, many of whom have an imaginary friend; perhaps a toy bear, or a Lego man, or some other character toy. This book displays the value of friendship and the delight that friends bring to life when shared together. Did you have an imaginary friend when you were little?

Caldecott Honor Books

Nana in the City – written and illustrated by Lauren Castillo

From the dust jacket: A boy visits his nana at her new home in the city. The city is busy and loud and filled with scary things. But a special gift from Nana makes the boy feel brave and transforms the city into something . . . extraordinary.

 From the Amazon description: In this magical picture book, a young boy spends an overnight visit with his nana and is frightened to find that the city where she lives is filled with noise and crowds and scary things.

But then Nana makes him a special cape to help him be brave, and soon the everyday sights, sounds, and smells of the city are not scary—but wonderful. The succinct text is paired with watercolor illustrations that capture all the vitality, energy, and beauty of the city.

 

You can listen to the book read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-KSOBf55jk

 

You can listen to an interview with the author/illustrator here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7rhbIRP5PE

 

Author/Illustrator Lauren Castillo is an American artist. She has collaborated with other authors on other picture books. Lauren writes and illustrates especially for very young children and loves to write and illustrate books of childhood memories. Her drawings are made with thick heavy lines and then painted with watercolor. Lauren even sprinkles the paint with salt to create texture. That would be fun to try at home! She has lived in the city and loved it so her illustrations here come from personal experience. Her website is: https://www.laurencastillo.com Her website even has downloadable activity sheets and coloring sheets for some of her books. I’ve requested several more of her more recent books from my public library to enjoy. Twenty Yawns sounds delightful! And the Hedgehog short chapter books. 

My opinion: This story portrays such a sweet, sensitive relationship between a grandmother and her grandson. She is not too busy to truly recognize and understand his fears of all the new aspects of city life and makes him a red cape to help him be brave. What little child doesn’t feel like a superhero when wearing a cape! I, too, am a grandmother with grandsons and actually live with three of them. I remember one night during a heavy thunderstorm having one of the grandsons come tearing downstairs in great fear to me. I held him, calmed him down, talked about the storm, and got him back to bed. This book will be enjoyed by both little ones facing new circumstances as well as by grandmothers. The text is short and simple and just right for very young children. I highly recommend it. If you enjoy this book, you might also like Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Pena. 

The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract Art - written by Barb Rosenstock and illustrated by Mary Grandpre.

 From the dust jacket:  Vasya Kandinsky was a proper little boy: he studied bookfuls of math and history, he practiced the piano, he sat up straight and was perfectly polite. And when his family sent him to art classes, they expected him to paint pretty houses and flowers—like a proper artist.

But as Vasya opened his paint box and began mixing the reds, the yellows, the blues, he heard a strange sound—the swirling colors trilled like an orchestra tuning up for a symphony! And as he grew older, he continued to hear brilliant colors singing and see vibrant sounds dancing. But was Vasya brave enough to put aside his proper still lifes and portraits and paint...music?

In this exuberant celebration of creativity, Barb Rosenstock and Mary GrandPré tell the fascinating story of Vasya Kandinsky, one of the very first painters of abstract art. Throughout his life, Kandinsky experienced colors as sounds, and sounds as colors—and bold, groundbreaking works burst forth from his noisy paint box.

From the Amazon description: Vasya Kandinsky was a proper little boy: he studied math and history, he practiced the piano, he sat up straight and was perfectly polite. And when his family sent him to art classes, they expected him to paint pretty houses and flowers—like a proper artist.
 
But as Vasya opened his paint box and began mixing the reds, the yellows, the blues, he heard a strange sound—the swirling colors trilled like an orchestra tuning up for a symphony! And as he grew older, he continued to hear brilliant colors singing and see vibrant sounds dancing. But was Vasya brave enough to put aside his proper still lifes and portraits and paint . . . music?
 
In this exuberant celebration of creativity, Barb Rosenstock and Mary GrandPré tell the fascinating story of Vasily Kandinsky, one of the very first painters of abstract art. Throughout his life, Kandinsky experienced colors as sounds, and sounds as colors—and bold, groundbreaking works burst forth from his noisy paint box.
 
Backmatter includes four paintings by Kandinsky, an author’s note, sources, links to websites on synesthesia and abstract art.

 

You can listen to the book read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDY5S6mD_Ek

 

You can see the book’s story dramatized very creatively here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHBWlxQB3-w

 

Kandinsky’s art can be explored here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGq1IsgQHAs

 

Barb Rosenstock, an American author of children’s books, has written many award-winning picture books. Most of them are picture book biographies. You can see the list here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Barb-Rosenstock/author/B003ECSCII?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

And you can read an interview with her here: https://judaicainthespotlight.com/meet-the-author-barb-rosenstock/

 

Mary Grandpre, the illustrator of The Noisy Paint Box, is an American who is perhaps most well-known for her illustrations in the Harry Potter books. She has also worked on the art for Blue Sky Studios’ film “Ice Age.” You can read more about her and her artwork here: http://www.marygrandpre.com/

 

My opinion: This book presents such an interesting look at the early life and eventual notoriety of Vasily Kandinsky and his art. Some believe he may have had a genetic condition called synesthesia, in which  one sense connects with another to “hear colors, see music, taste words, or smell numbers.” (Author’s note in the book). This concept was so interesting to me because my oldest daughter once had a piano student who associated colors with specific musical tones. Kandinsky was a Russian-born who was first a lawyer and economics professor. He once saw an exhibition of Monet’s paintings. While listening to Wagner’s opera Lohengrin, he saw colors as he listened. He first painted an abstract painting in 1910 which “sparked a revolution in the art world.” (Author’s note in the book)

 

I am not really a fan of abstract art, perhaps because I don’t really understand it, but I do recommend this book because of the influence of synesthesia on his work. Such a fascinating concept! Do you know anyone with that capability? If you like this book, then you might also enjoy Blue Rider, by Geraldo Valerio. Kandinsky was the founder of the art group Blue Rider of Germany.

Viva Frida, written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales.

 From the dust jacket: A young woman searches. She sees. She explores. And finally, she creates. With spare, polished text and luscious illustrations, award-winning author/illustrator Yuyi Morales explores the passionate, imaginative life of the incomparable Frida Kahlo.

 

From the Amazon description: Distinguished author/illustrator Yuyi Morales illuminates Frida's life and work in this elegant and fascinating book, Viva Frida. Frida Kahlo, one of the world's most famous and unusual artists is revered around the world. Her life was filled with laughter, love, and tragedy, all of which influenced what she painted on her canvases.

 

You can listen to the book being read here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj4EKvbla5s&t=62s

 

You can watch a video about how the author/illustrator, Yuyi Mirales, created the illustrations for this book here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mu8mZLmewI

 

You can watch a video here as Morales talks about this book and reads it aloud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bOOVA32z7c

 

Yuyi Morales is a Mexican-born artist. She hosts a Spanish-language radio program for children. Her artwork reflects her heritage with flamboyant, colorful illustrations. When she emigrated to the United States with her little son, she discovered the public library, and as she read to her son, she learned English right alongside him as he and grew and his language skills developed. Yuyi is a six-time recipient of the prestigious Pura Belpré award, and the first Latina to receive a Caldecott honor for her book, Viva Frida, in 2015. (From https://www.nccil.org/yuyi-morales).

 

My opinion: Yuyi does a lovely job of portraying the story of the life of the Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo whose husband was also an artist and muralist Diego Rivera. The book’s text is very simple and is written in both Spanish and English. While I don’t personally care for Morales’ illustrations, I do understand her purpose here and appreciate the honor she gives to the life of Frida Kahlo. As always, I like the picture book biographies that are being written in our current time and am gladly adding them to my library. Also, for those families studying art, why not gain some knowledge of those artists from Mexico and other countries, not just those from Europe in times long ago. And for any family learning about Mexico, this book adds more to the understanding of the country’s culture. 

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, written by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen

From the dust jacket: Sam and Dave are digging a hole, and they will not stop until they find something spectacular.

 

From the Amazon description: With perfect pacing, the multi-award-winning, New York Times best-selling team of Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen dig down for a deadpan tale full of visual humor.

Sam and Dave are on a mission. A mission to find something spectacular. So they dig a hole. And they keep digging. And they find . . . nothing. Yet the day turns out to be pretty spectacular after all. Attentive readers will be rewarded with a rare treasure in this witty story of looking for the extraordinary — and finding it in a manner you’d never expect.

 

You can listen to the book being read here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMkScC4Vu5c

 

You can read more about the author and the reviews of this book here: https://www.macbarnett.com/sam-dave-dig-a-hole/

 

Mac Barnett is an American author of many picture books, as well as the Brixton Brothers series of mysteries, The Terrible Two series, Mac B: Kid Spy series, as well as other short fiction. As a child, he dreamed of becoming an author. He loved picture books and his mother kept his collection of picture books on his shelves even after he “outgrew’ them. Because of that, he read picture books all through his life. His favorite picture book authors are Ruth Krauss, Arnold Lobel, Margaret Wise Brown and Maurice Sendak. His books have an interesting quirkiness to them which he says children love. In his view, children understand that life is not all tied up sweetly, and his books reflect this. He has received many honors and awards for his books including E.B. White Read-Aloud Award, New York Times Best Seller, New York Times Notable Book, PBS Best Picture Bok of 2014, Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of 2014, Kirkus Best Book of 2014, and a Junior Library Guild Selection, along with many others. He collaborated with Jon Klassen on Sam & Dave Dig a Hole and also on another on Caldecott Honor book, Extra Yarn.

 

“Jon Klassen grew up in Niagara Falls, Canada, and now lives in Los Angeles, California. He is the author and illustrator of the picture book I Want My Hat Back as well as the illustrator of Cat’s Night Out by Caroline Stutson and the middle-grade series The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place by Maryrose Wood. He also created the concept art for Coraline, the stop-motion animated film based on the book by Neil Gaiman.” (from the dust jacket of Extra Yarn) You can read more about him and see his art here: https://www.imjonklassen.com/

 

My opinion: One of the true tests of a picture book is how children respond to it. In this case, my four-year-old grandson loved it and wanted it read over and over. Sam and Dave? Are they brothers, twins, or friends? They set out to dig a deep hole. They dig and dig and dig. And their dog digs with them. The illustrations are done with a cross-section view of their hole, created digitally and in colored pencil in soft tones. The reader can see a large diamond gem that Sam and Dave keep missing as their digging changes course just at the wrong time. They eat chocolate milk and animal crackers. Wouldn’t it be fun to serve those while reading this book to a child? At the end, the boys are in their home again. How? Or were they dreaming? Let your child decide. 

 

The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus, written by Jen Bryant and illustrated Melissa Sweet

From the dust jacket: If only all the ideas in the world could be found in one place, then everyone would have one book where they could find the best word, the one that really fit. Peter carried this idea with him like a secret treasure. The story of Peter Mark Roget, creator of Roget's Thesaurus, one of the most widely used reference books ever published, is presented in this delightful picture book biography by award-winning author and illustrator Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet. Their previous collaborations include the Caldecott Honor book A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams (Eerdmans) and A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin (Knopf), winner of the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award.

From the Amazon description: For shy young Peter Mark Roget, books were the best companions – and it wasn’t long before Peter began writing his own book. But he didn’t write stories; he wrote lists. Peter took his love for words and turned it to organizing ideas and finding exactly the right word to express just what he thought. His lists grew and grew, eventually turning into one of the more important reference books of all time. Readers of all ages will marvel at Roget’s life, depicted through lyrical text and brilliantly detailed illustrations. This elegant book celebrates the joy of learning and the power of word.

You can listen to the book being read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRB1bkZYytE

You can read about the author here and listen to an interview with her: https://www.jenbryant.com/about/ab_jen01.html

Jen Bryant, the author, is American-born and writes picture books, poetry, and novels for children and young people. Her poetry has appeared in Highlights magazine and she has won various literary awards. This book, The Right Word, not only won the Caldecott Honor Book award, but also the Robert F. Sibert Medal, an award for the best informational book published each year for children.

Melissa Sweet, the illustrator, has illustrated over 100 books for children. You can read an interview with her here: https://www.melissasweet.net/about. She illustrates with watercolor, mixed media and collage, which is beautifully done in The Right Word and seems to delightfully correspond with the topic of Roget’s life and his many lists of words.

My opinion: I am a list-maker so I totally “get” Roget. I, too, have loved words since I was little, and the thesaurus was a book used many times in our homeschool days as I taught my own children to write. During the years when I taught English/Language Arts in schools, I would have my students help me make lists of synonyms for good, said, and other nondescriptive words. I thoroughly enjoyed The Right Word and learning about Roget’s childhood tendencies and how they blossomed into such a powerful tool still used today, albeit now on the computer at the click of a button. I have several other books by Jen Bryant, all wonderful picture book biographies: Georgia’s Bones, about Georgia O’Keefe, A River of Words, about William Carlos Williams, and Abe’s Fish, about Abraham Lincoln. I can highly recommend The Right Word as well as the others that I personally own and lend from my library, and I will definitely be on the lookout for more by her.

This One Summer, written by Jillian Tamaki and illustrated by Mariko Tamaki

 From the dust jacket: Rose and her parents have been going to Awago Beach since she was a little girl. It’s her summer getaway, her refuge. Her friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had, completing her summer family. But this summer is different. Rose’s mom and dad won’t stop fighting, and Rose and Windy have gotten tangled up in a tragedy-in-the-making in the small town of Awago Beach. It’s a summer of secrets and heartache, and it’s a good thing Rose and Windy have each other. In This One Summer, cousins Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki, the team behind the award-winning Skim, redefine the teen graphic novel. Gorgeous, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful, This One Summer is a vibrant view into girlhood and growing up. 

From the Amazon description: Every summer, Rose goes with her mom and dad to a lake house in Awago Beach. It's their getaway, their refuge. Rosie's friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had. But this summer is different. Rose's mom and dad won't stop fighting, and when Rose and Windy seek a distraction from the drama, they find themselves with a whole new set of problems. One of the local teens - just a couple of years older than Rose and Windy - is caught up in something bad... Something life threatening. It's a summer of secrets, and sorrow, and growing up, and it's a good thing Rose and Windy have each other. This One Summer is a tremendously exciting new teen graphic novel from two creators with true literary clout. Cousins Mariko and Jillian Tamaki, the team behind Skim, have collaborated on this gorgeous, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful story about a girl on the cusp of childhood - a story of renewal and revelation. 

Awards: The New York Times Bestseller; 2015 Michael L. Printz Honor Book; An Eisner Award Winner; and the 2015 Caldecott Honor Award.

You can listen to an interview with the author and illustrator here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODS7znhendE&t=14s 

Author: Mariko Tamaki is a Canadian writer and performer. In addition to her celebrated graphic novel Skim, co-created with Jillian Tamaki, she has also published several works of prise fiction and nonfiction, including the young adult novel (You) set Me on Fire. Mariko’s short film, Happy 16^th Birthday, Kevin, premiered at the Inside Out Festival in Toronto in May 2013.  (quoted from the book cover). You can visit her blog here: marikotamaki.blogspot.com 

Illustrator: Jillian Tamaki is a Canadian illustrator and comics artist living in Brooklyn, New York. She is the creator of two books of personal works (including Skim, with Mariko Tamaki) and the ongoing webcomic, SuperMutant Magic Academy. (quoted from the book cover). You can visit her website here: jilliantamaki.com

My Opinion: While there are positive themes in this book like friendships, coming-of-age, and a child’s view of parent problems, I will not be adding this book to my lending library, nor can I recommend it. I personally feel the content is inappropriate, especially as it is recommended for ages 9 to 12. The story line includes a lot of sexual content and crude language. If the book was chosen as a Caldecott Honor book, which is the award given for the best illustrated books published in a given year, I can understand with the growth of graphic novels, the board’s decision to include a graphic novel. Always in the past, however, the award has been given to honor children’s picture books so I am surprised and kind of shocked that a book with this content was chosen.