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At this time of year, I usually have plenty of nonfiction titles to choose from for my "best of" lists. This year, however, my nonfiction list comes with an asterisk.
* I'm looking forward to serving as a 2nd round judge in the 2011 Cybils Non-Fiction Picture Books category, and while I've read many of the nominated books, I haven't read them all, and won't receive the "shortlist" until next month. My personal reading list to date did not mirror the Cybils nominees and there is a possibility that I may have missed a great nonfiction title. When the shortlist comes out, I will certainly give each book careful consideration.
That being said, to date, my favorite 2011 nonfiction titles (linked to their reviews) are:
While I've read a few reviews from the titles that you've given, I haven't heard of all - it's my first to hear of the following: Self Portrait with Seven Fingers: The Life of Marc Chagall in Verse; I Spy with my Little Eye and Meadowlands: A Wetlands Survival Story. I believe Meadowlands is included this week in one of the Nonfiction Monday posts - and I may have seen the Chagall book - but it's great that you've wrapped up your favorite 2011 titles in this post. Many thanks!
One day a year he is Santa Claus, but the other 364 days Dan Santat works as a children’s book writer and commercial illustrator. He is also the creator of Disney’s animated hit, “The Replacements.”
Dan has written and illustrated his own books and books by other writers. His new graphic novel, SIDEKICKS came out in July and he has another wonderful picture book coming out this month that is written by Jill Esbaum titled, Tom’s Tweet which is a slapstick funny story that pays homage to the selfless act known as parenting. All in all Dan has written and/or illustrated nineteen books.
He graduated with honors from the Art Center, College of Design and lives in Southern California with his wife, two kids, a rabbit, a bird, and one cat.
For all you writers and illustrators who have wondered, what is the best way to develop and present a graphic novel, you are going to love this post.
Dan takes you through his process on developing his new graphic novel about SUPERHERO PETS! Captain Amazing, superhero and savior of Metro City, is getting old. He’s out all hours battling arch-villains, catching thieves, and helping little old ladies cross the street. He doesn’t even have time for his house full of pets. He needs – a SIDEKICK!
Captain Amazing’s four pets agree. But each one of them thinks HE should get the sidekick spot – and a chance for one-on-one time with the Captain. Get ready for sibling rivalry royale as pets with superpowers duke it out for the one thing they all want – a super family.
It began with a simple painting. Back in art school I took a class where we had to do a series of paintings that revolved around a theme. At the time I thought I wanted to go into the animation field so I decided to work on my character design skills and flesh out simple ideas of animals doing silly things. Towards the last month of the course I painted an animal super hero, which I called The All-American Beaver. The idea of a super animal really intrigued me and so I decided to paint another superhero animal. The next week I followed up with a painting of a cat who could generate large amounts of static electricity with his fur which I properly named Static Cat. Even though the term had ended before I could explore more possibilities I was suddenly obsessed and wanted to create more.
As I was sketching the characters over and over again I really didn’t think of a solid storyline until I had sold the manuscript to my editor. All I knew for certain was that they were all starving for attention and wanted to compete for the affections of their owner to find out who would be the favorite house pet of the house. In my mind I originally thought that Fluffy would be the leader of the group. He was going to be this arrogant loudmouth who wanted to just be bossy and give orders to everyone so he could wear a costume and be famous. Roscoe was the young naive kind hearted softie with massive strength (Think Lennie from “Of Mice and Men”)
A word of
1 Comments on Illustrator Saturday – Dan Santat, last added: 11/5/2011
Lewis, J. Patrick and Jane Yolen. 2011. Self Portrait with Seven Fingers: The Life of Marc Chagall in Verse. Mankato, MN: Creative Editions.
Self-Portrait with Seven Fingers pairs the art of Marc Chagall with the talent of writers, Jane Yolen and Patrick L. Lewis, for a result that is illuminating in every sense of the word.
"There's never been anybody since [Pierre-Auguste] Renoir who has the feeling for light that Chagall has," Pablo Picasso once said. "[W]hen [Henri] Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what color really is." Chagall himself wrote that "there is a single color ... which provides the meaning of life and art. It is the color of love."
Such is the praise that Chagall received from his contemporaries and is related in Self-Portrait. Marc Chagall's use of color and light makes his work particularly appealing to children. Chagall's art is the ingredient from which dreams may be made; and dreams and colors are things that children know intimately. But aside from a child's natural attraction to Chagall's colorful paintings on a purely visceral level, Patrick Lewis and Jane Yolen make Chagall's art accessible through words, poetry, history, and examination.
Paintings or works are presented in roughly chronological order, each chosen to represent a period in Chagall's life. Each is paired with a poem by Yolen or Lewis, which gives context and definition to both the artwork and Chagall's life. Opposite "My Fiancee in Black Gloves," Yolen writes, borrowing words from Chagall's first wife, Bella Rosenfeld.
"I was surprised at his eyes, they were so blue as the sky, and oblong, like almonds," Bella writes, and having written, falls in love, she so young and rich, and he but a poor apprentice, working for a Russian painter he will one day eclipse, a sun over Bakst's pale moon. Did she know how he would rise like an angel into the sky on that first day they met, having tea at Teja's house, or the next time on the bridge when he and Teja walked the dog, and Marc's curly hair spilling out from under his hat. Or did she just fall in love with the surprise of his blue eyes?
Each poem is accompanied by a shaded box, offering facts about each particular period in Chagall's life, including his home, marriage, paintings, colleagues, friends, and the effects of war, politics and circumstances on his very existence and his work.
Yolen's poetic additions to Self-Portrait with Seven Fingers ("with seven fingers" is a Yiddish phrase meaning "done well" or "adroitly done") are free-form in nature when compared with Lewis' more measured and often rhyming verse, however, all flow seamlessly and complement Chagall's work, sometimes inviting deeper exploration of the painting - offering almost a "seek-and find" challenge to the reader,
From "I and the Village"
I hailed a milkmaid standing on he
3 Comments on Self-Portrait with Seven Fingers: The Life of Marc Chagall in Verse - a review, last added: 9/20/2011
While I do enjoy the occasional picture book portrayal of scientists and mathematicians - I have a soft spot for writers, poets, musicians, and artists. And this book has captured me from the get-go. I LOVE the concept - and the promise of 'exquisite' illustrations. I would not have known about this book if we had not joined Nonfiction Monday. Thank you for sharing this.
Houston, Gloria. 2011. Miss Dorothy and her Bookmobile. Ill. by Susan Condie Lamb. New York: Harper.
North Carolina resident, Gloria Houston, tells the true story of Dorothy Thomas, a young woman from Massachusetts who wanted to become a librarian,
in a fine brick library just like the one in the center of the square in her hometown.
But instead, she fell in love, married and moved with her husband to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, where there was no fine brick library. In fact, there was no library at all - until the people of the community raised funds for a new green bookmobile, and eventually, "a little white house to be used as a library." And so, Miss Dorothy delivered and provided books to her community and the surrounding areas, and in doing so, she became a hero to her community - and to Gloria Houston, who wrote this book.
Susan Condie Lamb's illustrations capture both the simplicity and earnestness of the past, and the beauty of one of my favorite places, the Blue Ridge Mountains. A simply lovely book!
Pair this one with other stories of unusual book-toting librarians, Jeanette Winter's, Biblioburro(2010, Beach Lane) or Daniel Pinkwater's, Aunt Lulu (1988, Macmillan).
Lisa, thank you for letting me know about this book. My wife was a student in one of Gloria's classes and really enjoyed the experience. I like books like this and Biblioburro as they touch upon the importance of books and reading.
Miss Dorothy and her books inspired Gloria, Gloria inspired your wife, your wife inspired you (here, of course, I assume!) and you inspire children to read more books. We've come full circle. What wonderful things a book can do! :)
This looks like a really interesting read. Stories like these are inspiring particularly in this day and age when libraries are not as valued as they should be. I shall look out for this book. Thanks for sharing.
I remember bookmobiles from my youth, living in a 'smallish' prairie, Canadian city. Loved it!! I'll look for this one. Thanks for the recommendation. Tammy Apples with Many Seeds
We loved reading 'My Great-Aunt Arizona' by Gloria Houston, so I know this will be a winner too. Her style of writing really appeals to me. Thanks for the recommendation!
John Kanzler grew up in Norwalk Connecticut in a house formerly of William Steig’s and currently lives on a small farm in Greenfield Massachusetts with my wife Diane and his daughter Lorelei. They have several sheep and a llama or two. I have been drawing on things as far back as I can remember and is completely a self taught artist. Most recent titles include CHRISTMAS PUPS (Albert Whitman & Co.), LITTLE LUCY (Random House) and PRICELESS GIFTS (August House). When not doing any of the above, I generally pursue a crazy range of interests, from astronomy to paleontology.
Question: Have you seen your style change since you started?
Okay, you are asking me to go back and look at twenty years’ work now. Afterwards I am either going to feel amazingly hip and current, or simply unchanging, obsolete and depressed!
In essence, I would say no, I am still me and my art reflects that. Years ago I would not have agreed. I exposed myself to lots more influences and allowed them to rub off. Now, I am my own main influence and happily so. On the surface (that is to say, technically), I certainly evolved over time. I think I generally keep an idealized version of what “my” art should look like, with respect to color sense, painterliness, etc. I will always love nice visible brushstrokes and drybrushing, whether painted traditionally or digitally. I always look at characters through Norman Rockwell glasses…So there is that consistency that I always strove for. Overall, perhaps my palette has toned down a bit.
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company (August 1, 2011) QUESTION: Tells us about the materials you use, paper, paint, brushes, pencils, etc.
Currently, I am working on a mac (an older G5 1.8MHz dual-processor, upgraded RAM and lots of external storage…until I win the lottery) running Painter and Photoshop mainly. I use a large Wacom Intuos 3 tablet instead of a mouse. When I switched full-time into digital painting, I had waited until I was sure I was emulating my acrylic painting style fully to my satisfaction. I accomplished that by customizing many of my digital brushes, and creating custom painting textures from scans of actual gessoed boards. I felt that this was a critical process that has helped to keep my art distinctive.
•Pub. Date: July 2011 – Publisher: Random House Children’s Books
QUESTION: Did you ever try to mix mediums?Early on, I tried lots of combinations of pencil, ink, paint and paper. Paper texture was really a player in my stable of tools. I had started in colored pencil and usually combined watercolor or acrylics into that. Finally I moved wholly over to paint and stayed with acrylics.
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (March 23, 2004)
QUESTION: How did you get your first picture book contract? When was that?It is hard to remember. Early on, I had done readers and work for some smaller educational publishers and packagers. Gradually, the scope of these projects increased, mostly because of doing my best on each job I ever received, and having an agent going to bat for me on a daily
2 Comments on Illustrator Saturday – John Kanzler, last added: 7/26/2011
Wonderful, wonderful art. Thanks for the post. I love illustrator Saturday.
:Donna Marie said, on 7/26/2011 7:47:00 PM
This work is truly beautiful and SO expressive! And I LOVE the photos you took for reference art Thanks for sharing it with us, John, and Kathy for all the hard work you do to bring us these WONderful “Illustrator Saturdays!”
Donna
...an adult book today. Either indulge me in my annual adult nonfiction baseball read, or come back later in the week when I hope to have great things from BookExpo America in New York. Thanks!
Breslin, Jimmy. 2011. Branch Rickey. New York: Penguin .
The two men sat across from each other at Joe's Restaurant. Breaking salt rolls into crumbs, Rickey immediately told Barber, "Mrs. Rickey and my family say I'm too old at sixty-four, and my health is not up to it. They say I've gone through enough baseball and [taken enough] from the newspapers. That every hand is baseball will be against me. But I'm, going to do it."
"He looked straight into my eyes," remembered [Red] Barber, fixing my attention."
Rickey said, "I'm going to bring a Negro to the Brooklyn Dodgers." Barber remembered Branch Rickey speaking slowly as he said it. "I'm going to bring a Negro to the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Barber sat straight and silent.
"I don't know who he is," continued Rickey, "or where he is, but he is coming."
Whatever one may think of the controversial Jimmy Breslin, it's difficult to deny that he's a great writer, and due to his long career and many connections to the sports world and New York in general, he was the perfect choice to write this book on Branch Rickey for the Penguin Lives series. Although he, himself, met Rickey only once, Breslin read extensively about him, and interviewed many people who still remembered the man who brought Jackie Robinson, the first African American, player into Major League Baseball.
What little I knew about Rickey came from watching Ken Burns' documentary, Baseball, and from reading books about Jackie Robinson; but I always wanted to know more about man who put the wheels of integration in motion. What motivated Rickey? Altruism? Money? Religion? Baseball? It was all of these, and yet it was none. In the simplest explanation, it was Rickey's sense of fairness that drove him to integrate Major League Baseball. That he was the manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers gave him the opportunity to make his dream of equality take root in the game of baseball. That he was a religious man, made him see the righteousness of his cause and allowed him to bring other like-minded individuals into the fold. When faced with those who were neither fair nor religious, Rickey appealed to their sense of business acumen. These talented young African Americans were the future of baseball. He saw it as a good financial investment (although it was devastating to the Negro Leagues), and wasn't afraid to sell the concept on its business merits, and make money in the process, too. In short, he was a clever, fair, and honest man with a dream of racial equality. It took him years of planning and the ideal choice of Jackie Robinson to make it happen, but Branch Rickey, can be credited with the integration of Major League Baseball. Not bad for a poor boy "from the hills and swamps of Southern Ohio."
Told in a largely anecdotal style, Branch Rickey is a short, fascinating read for baseball and history fans, regaling the reader with little-known stories of baseball lore. At one point, the always opinionated Breslin (once a heavy drinker) inserts his own theory on alocohol, smoking, and cancer,
2 Comments on Branch Rickey, last added: 5/25/2011
Thanks for sharing, Catherine. For those interested, here is a link to Catherine's book on Jackie Robinson. http://www.catherinenichols.com/jackie_robinson_93584.htm
Ellen Jensen Abbott thinks that life would be perfect if she could move her home, her job, her friends and her family to the White Mountains of New Hampshire where she grew up. Until she can convince everyone to join her, she’s content to be writing, teaching English, and living with her husband and two children in West Chester, PA. She is the author of a YA novel Watersmeet and a sequel, coming Sept. 2011, The Centaur’s Daughter (Marshall Cavendish) www.ellenjensenabbott.com.
Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen never thought she’d grow up to be a writer. She’d thought of being a doctor (but she’s afraid of blood), a model (but she likes to eat), the president (but she had a dissolute youth)…so much for childhood dreams. Sudipta is the author of 13 picture books and 17 nonfiction books for children, including The Hog Prince (Dutton), The Mine-o-saur (Putnam), Quackenstein Hatches a Family (Abrams), and Chicks Run Wild (Simon & Schuster). Sudipta visits schools around the country to share her stories and teaches writing to children and adults. She lives in NJ with her three children and an imaginary pony named Penny. www.sudipta.comCharlotte Bennardo is the co-author of Sirenz, (Flux) the first in a YA contemporary fantasy series. Her work for adults and children has appeared in newspapers, magazines, e-zines and newsletter. Currently she is dreaming up dark dramas for the characters while she waits on the fate of her other novels. She is held captive in NJ by three sons, husband and cat. www.charlottes-website.net
Ann Bonwill is the internationally published author of four books for young children: Pocket’s Christmas Wish (Oxford Univ. Press UK, Barron’s Educational Series US), Bug and Bear (Oxford Univ. Press UK, Marshall Cavendish US), Naughty Toes (Oxford Univ. Press UK, tiger tales US), and I Don’t Want To Be Pea (Oxford Univ. Press UK, Simon & Schuster/Atheneum US). She has a master’s degree in social work, and has worked with children with autism and taught in a Montessori School. Ann has spent time in England and Germany and now lives with her husband and son in Virginia. www.annbonwill.com
Irene Breznak is the author of a picture book, Sneezy Louise (Random House). Her background is in consumer product development, copywriting, and education. She has an MA in Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood Development. She lives in Clarks Summit, PA with her two teenage sons, their huge appetites, and dirty laundry. www.irenebreznak.com
Felicia Sanzari Chernesky is a poet, writer, and editor. She is managing editor of the quarterly Academic Questions. A magna cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied American poetry, French literature, and Latin, Felicia is pursuing a MFA in Poetry with an Emphasis in Formal Verse at Western State College of Colorado. Felicia writes children’s poetry, picture books, short stories, middle grade and young adult fiction, and poetry and nonfiction for adults. She is represented by Susan Hawk of The Bent Agenc
1 Comments on A little Bit About Our Authors, last added: 5/23/2011
How lucky are WE?! I hope I get to meet all of them in one way or another. And I’d really love to meet Sudipta’s imaginary pony, Penny Then maybe I can get an imaginary pony ride (though I think I probably weigh more than the pony! lol
Donna
It's Nonfiction Monday and I'm back from my vacation to Boston, a wonderful city which lays claim to the title of Birthplace of America. The role of Boston in the American Revolution cannot be denied, nor can the contributions of Alexander Hamilton, scholar, soldier, politician and statesman.
Frtiz, Jean. 2011. Alexander Hamilton: The Outsider. New York: Putnam.
In Alexander Hamilton: The Outsider, Jean Fritz follows a theme that ran through all aspects of Hamilton's life - that of outsider. Born on the island of St. Kitts in the West Indies, Hamilton was often accused of being an interloper in Revolutionary American politics. Once committed to the ideal of a free and independent America, however, his "outsider" status never dampened his enthusiasm for his country. Fritz recounts his many contributions to the revolutionary cause and to these United States.
Besides serving in the Revolutionary War, he was also an aide-de-camp to then General George Washington. He served as a New York delegate to the Constitutional Convention. He was the architect of the Bank of the United States and the nation's first Secretary of the Treasury. As a New Jerseyan, I knew that his life ended in Weehawken in the famous duel with Aaron Burr, but I did not know that he founded the city of Paterson. He was convinced that American should and would be more than an agrarian society. He chose Paterson because its large waterfall could be used to generate electricity for business. (In 2009, Paterson's Great Falls became a National Park Historic District)
In short, using her customary exactitude, Fritz tells a complete story of a complex man, using only facts and period quotations in this small, slim, 144-page volume. Archaic language ("poltroon") or long-abandoned customs (anonymous leaflet writing) are explained fully in the author's Notes. Historical reproductions (credited) are scattered throughout. A Bibliography and extensive Index complete the book.
This would make an excellent choice for a school biography report, much better than the formulaic series that students often choose.
Krull, Katherine. 2010. Kubla Khan: The emperor of everything. Ill. by Robert Byrd. New York: Viking.
Working with what she acknowledges is "sketchy" information, Katherine Krull has nonetheless provided a detailed and fascinating account of Kubla Khan, the Mongol warrior who, in 1271, became emperor of China. Against overwhelming odds, Kubla Khan (grandson of the feared Genghis Kahn) oversaw an empire that he expanded to include Russia, Korea, Tibet and large portions of the Middle East. Unlike later emperors, Kubla Khan welcomed foreigners (including Marco Polo), and his reign was a golden age for the arts and sciences as he freely embraced new ideas from the far reaches of his empire and beyond.
Krull writes in a familiar, easily accessible style, yet she still conveys the majesty and immensity of Kubla Kahn's empire,
On the Khan's birthday there was a wild party for as many as forty thousand people. That may sound like quite a guest list, but his bodyguards alone numbered twelve thousand. ... One party blended into another. Besides birthday bashes for his wives and children, other relatives, and various Mongol leaders, plus the parties for all religious holidays, there were celebrations for each of the thirteen lunar months. Most over-the-top was the New Year's festival. Everyone dressed in robes of white and watched the spectacle of five thousand elephants carrying in precious gifts for the Khan from all over his realm.
The text is written on parchment inspired pages and the previous passage is accompanied by an illustration of bedecked, marching elephants accompanied by soldiers while the waiting Khan and his wife are attended by white-robed guests. Illustrator Robert Bryd (Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village and Leonardo: Beautiful Dreamer) was a perfect choice for the story of this 13th century ruler. His folk art style illustrations complement and enhance Krull's storytelling, colorfully depicting the vastness of the Chinese empire and the resplendence of Kubla Khan's court, while conveying the sensibilities and possibilities of the time period. Every page is richly illustrated.
Contains author and illustrator notes and sources. Highly recommended.
Visit the illustrator's website, Robert Byrd Art for a video preview of Kubla Khan's stunning artwork.-
Ryan, Pam Muñoz. 2010. The Dreamer. Illustrated by Peter Sís. New York: Scholastic.
The Dreamer is a book that almost defies description. Is it poetry? Is it biography? Is it fiction? This fictional account of real life poet Pablo Neruda's childhood is all of these things. Born Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto, he was a shy, stuttering, skinny youngster with a larger-than-life domineering father. Working with Neruda's prose and poetry, along with anecdotes of his early life, Pam Muñoz Ryan invents the thoughts, hopes and dreams of the shy young man who quietly refuses to become the man his father wishes. With beautifully poetic language, she paints a portrait of a boy determined to be true to himself. This is a book for thinkers and dreamers and poets and all children who yearn to be nothing but themselves.
A better artist than Peter Sís could not possibly have been chosen for this book. The white spaces of his signature illustrations are filled with symbolism - the image of the small and frightened faces of Neftali and his sister swimming in an ocean whose shoreline is the outline of his domineering father speaks volumes without words. Illustrations are abundant throughout the book.
Kulling, Monica. 2010. All Aboard! Elijah McCoy’s Steam Engine. Ill. by Bill Slavin. Ontario, CA: Tundra.
One of the things that I love about reviewing children’s nonfiction is the number of new things that I learn every day. Today I learned a little-known, but interesting and inspirational life story, as well as an interesting tidbit of etymology, the origin of the phrase “the real McCoy.”
Get on Board!
we hear our conductor singing low the song she uses to let us know now is the time to get on board...
the midnight train runs underground we hide and pray not to be found we risk our lives to stay on board...
So begins All Aboard! But All Aboard! is not the story of the Underground Railroad, rather it is the culmination of the Underground Railroad's greater purpose - a self-determined, productive life, lived out in freedom. Elijah McCoy was the son of slaves who escaped to Canada on the Underground Railroad. His determined and hardworking parents saved enough money to send Elijah to school overseas, where he studied to become a mechanical engineer.
He returned in 1866 to join his family in Michigan. Though he may have been free, his opportunities were not equal. Despite his education, he was only able to secure work as an "ashcat," feeding coal into the firebox of a steam engine for the Michigan Central Railroad,
What a letdown! Elijah knew engines inside and out. He knew how to design them. He knew how to build them. He also knew the boss didn't think much of him because he was Black. But Elijah needed work, so he took the job.
Still, Elijah persevered in his job while his mind, trained in engineering, sought to find a solution to the miserable job of "grease monkey," the boys (including Elijah) who oiled all of a train's gears when they frequently seized up due to friction and lack of lubrication. Trains of the time were typically stopped every half hour or so for greasing. After several years, Elijah invented (and patented) an oil cup, which was used successfully to keep the trains running. Travel by train became faster, safer, and more efficient. He continued to invent throughout his life, eventually filing 57 patents! Others tried to copy Elijah McCoy's oil cup, but none were able to match his success.
When engineers wanted to make sure they got the best oil cup, they asked for the real McCoy.
All Aboard! Elijah McCoy's Steam Engine is an obscure but inspiring story, made particularly poignant by the juxtaposition of his parents' Underground Railroad experience, and his own experience working for the Michigan Central Railroad. The dialogue is invented and there are no references cited, however, the engaging story is simply told in a manner that makes complex topics like the inventive process and racism accessible to young readers. All Aboard! is short enough that it can easily be read aloud to a classroom or storytime for older children.
The book's pen and watercolor illustrations are colorful, and full of life and expression; the reverse side of the dust jacket doubles as poster. The cov
1 Comments on All Aboard! Elijah McCoy’s Steam Engine, last added: 10/5/2010
Today is Nonfiction Monday, and today’s host is Rasco from RIF. Be sure to stop by and read all of the great nonfiction posts from today’s contributors.
Yolen, Jane. 2010. Lost Boy: The Story of the Man Who Created Peter Pan. Illustrated by Steve Adams. New York: Dutton Children’s.
Here is another book whose cover begs the reader to pick it up. I wish there were explanatory remarks on Steve Adam’s illustrations. Unfortunately, I don’t know enough about art to discern the process. The results however, are priceless - full page, “framed” illustrations that appear to be aged paintings on wood, evoking J.M. Barrie’s bygone era, the images of Barrie, boyishly similar to those of Peter Pan. The text, as well, speaks of a simpler, bygone age. Here Yolen recounts the adult Jamie Barrie playing in the park with young boys,
Soon the boys were playing games with Jamie and his dog, the nanny sternly looking on. Jamie could wiggle his ears, do magic, tell wild stories just as he had as a boy in the upstairs room. He could make up plays as he had with Robb in the washhouse He led the boys in pirate games, just as he had with his childhood friend Stuart in the Dumfries Academy.
J.M. Barrie clearly placed a bit of himself in his famous character. It was interesting to learn that
he gifted the copyright for Peter Pan to the Great Ormond Hospital for Sick Children in London, which meant that any money made from the book, the play, and associated sales, went to the hospital.
Peppered throughout Lost Boy are quotes from Barrie’s works,
“(S)he was just slightly disappointed when he admitted that he came to the nursery window not to see her but to listen to stories.” From Peter Pan and Wendy,
accompanied by small “window” illustrations of each quote. A selected list of works and a list of famous actresses (yes, they’ve all been women) who have portrayed Peter Pan completes the book.
Booklist suggests Lost Boy for grades 2-4, SLJ for grades 3-5, Amazon for ages 4-8(!). I think SLJ has the best suggestion, although I would add sixth grade as well. Sadly, at only 40 pages, this book may not pass the minimum page requirement imposed by many teachers (a pet peeve of mine).
Indeed, such beautiful illustrations; I have been on a couple of websites tonight looking at other work of this illustrator - exquisite! Thank you for contributing to Nonfiction Monday today.
Fleischman, Sid. 2010. Sir Charlie: Chaplin, The Funniest Man in the World. New York: Greenwillow.
For many, particularly the younger generation for whom this book is written, Charlie Chaplin is an icon, but not an icon in the sense of its earlier definition - as a symbolic star, an iconic idol of the silver screen, but an actual icon - a face with a ridiculously small mustache and bowler hat; a silhouette with bowed legs, a cane, and over sized shoes. Sid Fleischman's book, Sir Charlie Chaplin, The Funniest Man in the World, breathes new life into this icon, the genius of the silent screen.
From Chaplin's meager beginnings as the son of minor vaudevillian performers, a drunken father and a mother beginning to lose her voice - Chaplin fell still farther into the depths of London's Cockney slums. Already educated in the school of hard knocks, seven-year old Charlie and his older brother Sydney were sent to a workhouse in 1896, "owing to the absence of their father and the destitution and illness of their mother," according to the ledger entry at the "booby hatch." His mother, as she would many times throughout her life, was admitted to a ward for the mentally ill.
Using period quotes and engaging prose packed with personification and similes,
...Chaplin was losing confidence in his isolated and bullheaded judgment. Disaster holding aloft a mallet, as in one of his slapsticks, might be waiting for him in the theater. Silent films had become as out-of-date as the once-stylish spats he still wore over his shoes.
Fleischman gives a chronological account of Charlie's rise to fame with the creation of his signature character, The Little Tramp, his personal foibles (including paternity scandals), his wartime contributions, his fall from favor with the American people (including his investigation by the House Un-American Activities Committee and J. Edgar Hoover during the notorious "red scare" years), and his eventual arrival at the place of elevated regard that he finally held in his later years and beyond. He was belatedly honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1972, and knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1975.
In the book's preface, Fleischman reveals that he arrived in Hollywood in the 1950s to write movie screenplays only shortly after Chaplin had left for Switzerland, but "his (Chaplin's) footprints were everywhere." Fleischman credits Chaplin's films with tutoring him in the school of "spectator theater" and the gift "of the visual." Fleischman's interest in and connection with his subject is apparent throughout.
Fans of Chaplin will appreciate this intense look into the ups and downs of a life devoted to the entertainment of others; sometimes at great cost to Chaplin himself and those closest to him. Those who know Chaplin only as a bowler-wearing icon will (hopefully) scurry out to the public library in sea
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Winter, Jeanette. 2010. Biblioburro: A true story from Columbia. New York: Beach Lane.
Biblioburro is a true story, simply told, about Luis and his two burros, Alfa and Beto. Together they carry books to children in remote Columbian villages, undeterred by burning sun, long distances, or even a bandit seeking silver! (Luis gives him a book.)
Every week, Luis and Alfa and Beto set off across the countryside to faraway villages in the lonely hills. This week they travel to El Tormento. ... The Biblioburro continues on its way over the hills, until at last, Luis sees houses below. The children of El Tormento run to meet him.
The illustrations are reminiscent of the colorful traditional clothing or the small, hand-sewn trinkets that are sold as souvenirs in many South American Countries. The book states that the "illustrations are rendered in acrylic paint with pen and ink," however, it appears that Winter has used fabric or felt and markers as well, to evoke a vibrant, rural feel.
Biblioburro is a joyful celebration of books and one man's determination to make a difference in the lives of children, and thus "a small corner of the world is enriched." Highly recommended for ages 4 and up.
Please take the time to watch this video of Luis Soriano. It's truly inspirational.
I've fallen behind in all the great new books that I'd like to review - so here's a quick take on a few of my new picture book favorites.
Waddell, Martin. 2010. Captain Small Pig. Illustrated by Susan Varley. Atlanta: Peachtree. (first published in the U.K., 2009)
This book had me from page one.
One day Old Goat and Turkey took Small Pig down to Blue Lake. They found a little red boat. "I want to go for a row!" Small Pig said, dancing about. "Turkeys don't go in boats," Turkey said. "Neither do goats," said old Goat, but he climbed into the boat, and they rowed off onto Blue Lake.
It doesn't matter that one cannot catch a whale in the lake, that Little Pig is too small to row, or that he is too small to steer, Turkey and Old Goat let him try. And when Little Pig is done trying, he's tired out... and he dreams, dreams
of a lovely day out in a boat with good friends on Blue Lake...the day that he was Captain Small Pig.
And what could be better than that? The only lesson in this book is one for grownups - Let children try. It may aggravate you today, but it gives gives the lifelong gift of confidence and remembered joy. A perfect pairing of cheerfully painted ink drawings and an enchanting story! Love it!
Yolen, Jane. 2010. All Star! Honus Wagner and the Most Famous Baseball Card Ever. Ill. by Jim Burke. New York: Philomel.
Paintings evocative of a bygone era grace this non-fiction, picture book for older readers and help to tell the story of baseball great, Honus Wagner, and his rare baseball card, last sold for nearly three million dollars.
Stories from his childhood (he worked in a coal mine for 79 cents a day) and his early career (to try out for his first professional job, he hopped a freight train and then ran to the field without uniform, glove or spikes), offer a glimpse into both his personality and the time period. A great baseball story for independent readers or as a read-aloud for school-age baseball fans.
Harper, Charise Mericle. 2010. Pink Me Up. New York: Knopf. What's a little bunny to do when she's got a "pink-nic" to attend and Mama's sick? What else can she do but "pink up" Daddy?!
I hold Daddy's hand because he is not used to being pink. "Don't worry, Daddy. Being pink will be fun," I tell him.
Pink Me Up is pure pinkish fun.
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Weathford, Carol Boston. 2010. Oprah: The Little Speaker. Illustrated by London Ladd. Tarrytown: NY.
If ever there was a life story about overcoming odds, Oprah, The Little Speaker is it. It's well worth remembering that as recently as the 1950s, a woman in the rural south could be raised in such primitive conditions
in a run-down house off a Mississippi dirt road...No indoor plumbing, just an outhouse, not even a bed of her own. ... God only knew what would become of that child.
Well, we all know now what became of that intelligent and precocious child. An inspiring story of Oprah Winfrey's earliest years; a paean to faith and the power of words.
Enjoy the trailer by Jefferey Weatherford.
Today's Non-Fiction Monday is hosted by Bookends. Head on over!
Alas, it's been a busy weekend, and I don't have anything prepared for Non-Fiction Monday, but I encourage everyone to check out this week's host site, Books Together.
Although I don't have a review prepared, I did check out Atheneum's, bilingual Sonia Sotomayor: A judge grows in the Bronx, written by Jonah Winter and illustrated by Edel Rodriguez (2009).
According to the book jacket, Sonia Sotomayor is a Children's Book-of-the-Month Featured Selection, and and also an Alternate Selection of Mosaico. Despite these honors and the book's illustrious subject, I found the writing slightly disappointing. Jonah Winter's "familiar" style and does not fit with the lofty story of this hard-working justice from the Bronx.
She was also known for having no patience for lawyers who weren't prepared - you better not mess with Judge Sonia! Yet she was known for much more than this.
I can't speak as to how the book flows in its Spanish translation.
I did however, enjoy the overall comaprison of Sonia Sotomayor with a tenacious vine that thrives and blooms with care and hard work. The artwork is soft and simple, and accurately portrays Sotomayor's Latina heritage. This is a perfect choice for Women's History Month.
OK, so I guess I did have something for Non-Fiction Monday. It's amazing what one can accomplish in a lunch hour.
I will be hosting Non-Fiction Monday on April 12th.
Let's face it. Vampire books are all the rage these days. Some are pretty dark, some are more like romances with fangs and a little (or a lot) of gore. And then there is Sucks to Be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, teen vampire (maybe)!! In this book first timer Kimberley Paul tells the story of a would-be (maybe) vampire who is a pretty normal teenager, except for all the vampire business that is. The story is funny, touching, and a delight to read. After reading and reviewing this title I decided that I just had to 'talk' to the author and find out a little bit more about her and her book.
Kimberley Paul has been reviewing children's books for some time and she has a wonderfully quirky sense of humor, which you can see if you check out her main website, herreview website, her review blog and her book blog. Yes, she is a very busy lady.
This is what she had to say when I interviewed her via email:
What made you decide to write a story about vampires? There were a few things, though if someone had told me before I started writing the story that my first published book would be about vampires, I would have laughed at them. I was actually working on some other manuscripts (this was back in 2005), mostly fantasies. Then I read this YA book about vampires (which shall remain nameless) and it had a lot of references back to Dracula (which I’d studied more times than I’d like to count in college and high school). And it got a lot of stuff wrong, which really annoyed me. That started me thinking about vampires in general and how all the stories are all so angst-y and dark and full of blood and slayers and evil vampires, etc., etc. ad nauseum (not that I don’t enjoy some of those stories, mind you). I thought it would be fun to try and do something different. The first line came to me and I kept trying to think of ways I could turn the “normal” vampire story upside down, but still remain true to the fundamental vampire myths that have been passed down for centuries in pretty much every culture. And I wanted a book that anyone could enjoy, even if they don’t normally read vampire stories.
Mina’s character is incredibly true to life. How did you get inside her head so effectively? Aw, thanks! I’ve actually had a few people ask me that and it especially makes me smile when a teen tells me how they feel like Mina is a real teen. My husband would probably say that I’ve got an inner snarky teen or that I’ve just never grown up, both of which are probably true. It was actually so much fun and far too easy to write as Mina.
Have you thought about continuing Mina’s story? I know that I, for one, would love to find out what happens next. I’m working on a sequel now and I’m again trying to not do the “typical” thing, so I think some of the elements of the sequel will surprise people. I’m having a lot of fun with it. Of course, it will depend upon how well the first book does, so everybody who loves Mina, go out and tell your friends to get to know her too! J
Did you do a lot of research into vampires before you started writing this book? Yes, though I’d also learned a lot in college studying Dracula and the like. I actually took a class with James B. Twitchell, who literally wrote the book on vampires. The excerpt from the paper that Mina wrote on Dracula that is in the book actually came in part from something I’d written in college (it obviously wasn’t a very formal research paper!). Once I started writing the book, I researched the vampire myth in many different countries (you’d be surprised by how prevalent it is).
Sucks to be me is not just a great story, there is also a meaningful message there. What do you think that message is? Thank you! I think a lot of people miss that. While most of the reviews have been good, I’ve seen a couple where the reviewer thought that Mina chose what she did because of a boy (!) or they don’t understand why she even debates the decision at all, which completely misses the point, I think. I definitely didn’t write it to be a “message book” but I wanted some good messages to be in there, if you want to find them. There are a few, to me…like being true to yourself and not doing things just because people expect you to…standing up for yourself and your friends and for what you feel is important…that things are better when you communicate…that family and friends matter…and that girls can be strong individuals with minds of their own. That sounds like kind of a lot of messages, doesn’t it? There’s more, really, and I suppose every individual gets whatever out of it that they will. And honestly, sometimes the message is different even to me (depending on my mood), and I wrote it! I’m curious – what do you feel the central message is?
Most books are written in the third person. What made you decide to write this book as if Mina is speaking to the reader in the here and now? At first, it wasn’t a conscious decision. It’s just how it came out. I’d written in first person, past tense before and doing it in first person, present really felt to me like it added a nice immediacy to the story. It’s an interesting way to write, because even in my own journals I would normally write in past tense. I like how it came out, though I do have to watch out for slipping back into past tense at inappropriate times.
Sucks to be me was written for teenagers. Are you at all interested in writing a book or books for younger readers, and if so why? I do have at least one middle grade level manuscript that is partially completed and notes on a few picture books, but YA is definitely my first love. However, since we had a baby this year, I’m finding myself paying a lot more attention to picture books than I ever used to. There are a lot of good ones out there, but also a lot of not-so-good ones, especially in board books.
In addition to writing this book you run a huge book reviewing website. How did you get interested in this work? I was an English major in college and I took as many classes in children’s and adolescent lit as I could (and science fiction). I was working in the corporate world (which I finally got out of for good in 2005) and reviewing allowed me to exercise the other part of my brain and do something I liked versus something that paid the bills. I still enjoy it, but it is hard to find time for now with Max (our little boy) and trying to get the sequel completed. Luckily, I have some great volunteer reviewers who help out at YA Books Central. The site couldn’t exist today without them.
Like you I review A LOT of children’s books and YA titles. Do you ever find that you really need to read something completely different to take a break? Every now and then, but there’s so much available in YA that I don’t often feel that way. You can truly find anything and I mean ANYTHING for YA readers. Romance? Got it. Dystopias? Bingo. Hard core sci-fi steam punk? It’s there. Pretty much anything is out there, if you look for it.
What was your favorite children’s book when you were little? I was a voracious reader, so it is hard to pinpoint just one book. I also went through a lot of reading phases. But, some of my continuing favorites include Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers (which is sooooo not like the Disney version) and Mistress Masham’s Repose by T. H. White and the Madeleine L’Engle books featuring Charles Wallace.
Here is a little bit more about Kimberly:
Kimberly Pauley loves a good book you can sink your teeth into. She majored in English at the University of Florida and took as many classes in adolescent fiction (and science fiction) as she could find. As her alter-ego, the Young Adult Books Goddess of YA Books Central (yabookscentral.com), she has been reading and reviewing books since 1998 and meeting tons of great authors. Sucks to Be Me is her first novel, though she has published various poems and short stories over the years that she will even periodically admit to. She now lives in Illinois outside of Chicago with a husband who loves her even though he hasn’t read a young adult book since he was about twelve and can’t quite comprehend what the whole fuss is about, a brand-new baby boy already completely surrounded by children’s books, and a devious cat who resembles a tub of lard covered in fur.
Today's blog entry: announcing that I blogged at someone else's house...again.
I am floored by the collective talent over at2010: A Book Odyssey aka: The 10'ers, a group of authors who'll debut their middle-grade and young adult books in 2010. Visit us here: community.livejournal.com/10_ers
At this time of year, I usually have plenty of nonfiction titles to choose from for my "best of" lists. This year, however, my nonfiction list comes with an asterisk.
* I'm looking forward to serving as a 2nd round judge in the 2011 Cybils Non-Fiction Picture Books category, and while I've read many of the nominated books, I haven't read them all, and won't receive the "shortlist" until next month. My personal reading list to date did not mirror the Cybils nominees and there is a possibility that I may have missed a great nonfiction title. When the shortlist comes out, I will certainly give each book careful consideration. 
John Kanzler grew up in Norwalk Connecticut in a house formerly of William Steig’s and currently lives on a small farm in Greenfield Massachusetts with my wife Diane and his daughter Lorelei. They have several sheep and a llama or two. I have been drawing on things as far back as I can remember and is completely a self taught artist. Most recent titles include CHRISTMAS PUPS (Albert Whitman & Co.), LITTLE LUCY (Random House) and PRICELESS GIFTS (August House). When not doing any of the above, I generally pursue a crazy range of interests, from astronomy to paleontology.
I recently finished Bossypants and can vouch that it is indeed hilarious. Tina Fey IS Liz Lemon.
Great minds think alike! I think A Nation's Hope is fantastic and will be part of my favorite 10 books of the year.
Glad you agree, Jeff. I’ll be looking for your top 10 list.
While I've read a few reviews from the titles that you've given, I haven't heard of all - it's my first to hear of the following:
Self Portrait with Seven Fingers: The Life of Marc Chagall in Verse; I Spy with my Little Eye and Meadowlands: A Wetlands Survival Story.
I believe Meadowlands is included this week in one of the Nonfiction Monday posts - and I may have seen the Chagall book - but it's great that you've wrapped up your favorite 2011 titles in this post. Many thanks!