Here are two picture books that make anything seem possible.
Little Elephants,
by Graeme Base, Abrams, $16.95, ages 4 and up, 40 pages, 2012. When locusts threaten a boy's farm, a stranger appears with a magical horn that brings a herd of tiny elephants to the rescue. In this enchanting picture book, Jim and his mother are nearly out of luck -- their harvester is broken and a swarm of locusts is headed their way. But then something incredible happens. Jim sees a mysterious vagabond wading through the wheat stalks. Though the man cannot stay to help, he tells Jim the wind will bring good luck. That afternoon, Jim discovers a bullhorn left on the gate and as he blows into it, clouds of dust waft out and set off a wondrous chain of events. First, a wild mouse that Jim had let loose the day before returns to his bedroom with a surprise: A herd of toy-sized elephants scuffling under his bed. They're frisky and mischievous, and Jim tries to hide them because his mom doesn't want animals in the house. But then the locusts descend, and the elephants break cover and come charging out. They sprout wings and with trunks swinging, launch themselves at the locusts and drive them away. At last, the wheat is safe. But how will Jim and his mother ever harvest it? Base once again dips his pen into a magical place and gives readers something to dream about.
Best parts: Nighttime scenes of the elephants racing around Jim's room on toy cars and frolicking in the yard with egg beaters and spoons -- and later, flying off with the stranger into the sunset.
The Man from the Land of Fandango,
by Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Polly Dunbar, Clarion, $16.99, ages 4 and up, 32 pages, 2012. A jolly man in a tricolor jacket leaps off a painting on a magical journey into make-believe, in this sparkly treasure by the late Mahy and her long-time illustrating partner Dunbar. After a girl and boy dab the last paint onto the man's portrait, he "bingles and bangles and bounces" off the picture and takes them on a musical romp with instrument-tooting animals. By the end of the picture book, the showman has danced on ceilings and walls, and taken the children bouncing on kangaroos and sliding down a wave of dreams. Mahy's rhymes skip and somersault across the page, while Dunbar's watercolors shout with glee. Characters smile with half-moon eyes and take trampoline leaps as stars and bubbles float about them. Every character in the story looks dizzily happy and that makes readers want to feel that way too. A wonderful farewell from one of the world's most beloved writers.
Favorite part: Watching the man from Fandango leap into life and show us all that you're never too old to be playful -- "He comes in at the door like a somersault star" and dances around as merrily as chimney sweep Bert from Mary Poppins before popping back into his portrait.
I’m taking my cue for my Poetry Friday post today from my daughter. She came home very excited about a book she encountered at school called The Eleventh Hour by Graeme Base (Stoddart, 1988). Get it out of the library for me, she pined and so I did. The copy was well-worn and tattered, obviously a book enjoyed by many. A truly interactive book, The Eleventh Hour, in rhyming quatrains, sets out a mystery for the reader to solve through clues found on each of the elaborately illustrated pages. Horace, the elephant has turned eleven, and has invited all his friends to a birthday gathering at his estate. There will be a tremendous feast to be served at the eleventh hour — however, while the guests spend the day doing various activities, someone consumes the entire banquet, leaving nothing but crumbs for the hungry guests at 11:00. Who has eaten all the goodies? You the reader, must find out by deciphering all the clues found on each page. A key at the back will help you if you are really stumped.
My daughter and I spent a Saturday afternoon together with this book, trying to figure out the clues. It was tough, but fun! Similar to his earlier Animalia which my daughter also enjoyed, this book is all about looking closely and in that way, reminded me a little of Anno Mitsumasa’s picture books. If you and your child like a real good puzzle and figuring out clues, then this is the book for you. And the rhymes aren’t all that bad either!
Poetry Friday this week is hosted by Sara at Read Write Believe.
The terrible loss of life, injuries to survivors, destruction of homes, wildlife, property makes us try to come to grips with the power of Mother Nature.
While I enjoy beautiful Florida and am participating in the SCBWI Conference here, the USA news blares live shots of the 150 mile long and 50 mile wide crack in the earth that has torn Japan apart.
The Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators SCBWI with its 23,000 children’s writers & illustrators worldwide send their support. Organising the HOPE CARDS for the kids of the Victorian Bushfires with original illustrations and words of hope for the future was one small expression of care.
SCBWI authors and illustrators from around the world donated their works, which now hang in the newly rebuilt Marysville School in Victoria, Australia. The town including the school, was destroyed in the fires.
Currently, I am working with Norman Jorgenson award winning SCBWI author from Perth, to send $20,000 worth of new books to schools impacted by these new natural disasters.
Love to SCBWI New Zealand with special thoughts to SCBWI NZ led by literary agent Frances Plumpton and to SCBWI Japan led by author Holly Thompson.
May the books we write and illustrate bring some warmth to the kids and families of these disasters.
The Legend of the Golden Snail, written and illustrated by Graeme Base, Abrams Books, $19.95, ages 4-8, 48 pages. A plucky lad named Wilbur sets sail on a wooden chair to find a giant snail from his favorite bedtime story in this grand and wondrous tale. According to the bedtime legend, a Grand Enchanter once cast a spell on a giant Golden Snail that turned it into a ship and forced it to take him wherever he wanted to go. But when the enchanter tired of life, he banished the Golden Snail to the Ends of the Earth so no one else could ride in it. Now, whoever finds the golden galleon must utter a magic verse if he wishes to master over it too. Wilbur can think of nothing more exciting than to be the next Grand Enchanter, so he sets off, with his tabby as his mate, to fulfill his dream. As Wilbur pretends to turn his boat to the wind in his living room, his chair becomes a skiff and the room around him, wide-open seas. Fitted with a captain's hat his mother sewed, Wilbur recites the spell and bravely heads off into the unknown, equipped only with a watering can, a broom, scissors and a corkscrew.
Before long Wilbur stumbles upon fantastical creatures that are in trouble and, trying to be heroic, comes to their aid. First he waters a wilted bush of blossoming butterflies, then frees a crab the size of an island from a net, and next, saves a school of light bulb fish from marauding earwig pirates. Still, the boy doesn't feel very grand, and the snail is nowhere to be seen. But as Wilbur drifts into treacherous waters toward World's End, he discovers that he'd much rather be a Gallant Captain than someone who chains down another creature. Majestic in size (the book is over a foot tall and nearly 11 inches wide), Base's story looks like it was cast from magic. Epic, lush paintings capture the boy's larger-than-life imagination and by book's end have you soaring vicariously through clouds.
Dust Devil, by Anne Isaacs, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky, Schwartz & Wade, $17.99, ages 5-9, 48 pages. That feisty, tornado-wielding gal who outgrew the state of Tennessee in the Caldecott Honor-winning book Swamp Angel settles into her new home, the expansive state of Montana, and makes a few adjustments to the terrain that will have historians laughing themselves silly. In this much-anticipated followup, the ferociously determined Angelica Longrider, nicknamed Swamp Angel, makes her home in Big Sky Country as only a spunky giant can. Isaac once again hornswoggles us to great effect, with cleverly imagined tales of how Montana's pioneer days came about. At first, the Tennessee woodswoman is homesick, and complains that Montana is flatter than a flapjack in a frying pan, and as a result, the sun is waking her too early. So, Angel grabs an armful of mountains from the Rockies (for herself and her neighbors) and plunks them down on the prairie for some morning shade. Now she's ready to farm, but Montana soil is rich and soon the corn is growing so big and fast that cows are being sh
By:
Susanne Gervay,
on 11/29/2009
Blog:
Susanne Gervay's Blog
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
Australian Publishers Association,
Margaret Hamilton Boosk,
Pan MacMillan Australia,
News,
SCBWI,
Young Adult Books,
Writing,
Kids Books,
William Kostakis,
Sarah Davis,
Charities,
Graeme Base,
Allen & Unwwin AustraliamHarperCollins Australia,
Add a tag
The terrace is famous for a good heart-workout - climbing all those steps. Relief as we reach the terrace and it’s lovely with views over North Sydney, outdoor roof top gardens, delicious food and great company:- Publishers, authors, illustrators, publicists,marketing ….. thankyou to Allen & Unwin and of course the APA and Libby O’Donnell who’s a wonderful organiser of the Children’s Publishing Division.
News from lots of friends and colleagues who were there:-
Sue Whiting is Publishing Manager of Walker Books
Cristina Cappelluto is now Head of Children’s Publishing, HarperCollins Australia.
Margaret Hamilton’s children’s gallery of original illustrations is nearly there - wait for next year!!! Max, her terrific husband has been building their rustic retreat in the Blue Mountaains.
- so many people were there and it was great to catch up with Linsay Knight, Zoe Walton, Zae Morton from Random House, Cate Sutherland from Fremantle Press WA, Anna McFarlane former publisher Pan MacMillan and now production film manager for Garth Nix, Claire Craig Publisher for Pan MacMillan …. and authors William Kostakis, Kate Forsyth … and illustrators Sarah Davis … everyone donated a book for under privileged kids for the Christmas appeal.
I shared the news of the SCBWI HOPE CARDS and showed some of the beautiful illustrations - works including Graeme Base’s koalas in the bush fires.
All in all, another great APA Publisher Christmas Party.
By:
Susanne Gervay,
on 11/25/2009
Blog:
Susanne Gervay's Blog
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
Jan Latta,
Charities,
Frane Lessac,
Graeme Base,
Lee Delehanty,
the Hope Cards,
News,
SCBWI,
Writing,
Add a tag
Finally the Hope Cards from the children’s illustrators and authors of the world to the children of the Australian bushfires, have been finished.
A huge thanks to Jan Latta, wildlife photographer, author, publisher, who did the design and layout. It was weeks of endless emails, changes, discussions- and it’s now at the printer.
The book of the Hope Cards is beautiful.
Thankyou to the generous and talented authors & illustrators of the world. Here’s a snapshot of some of the work inside the Hope Cards:-
Young Bertie Badger's Grandpa was a conjurer of note,
With magic spells and magic wand and magic hat and coat.
A Master of Illusion, an Ambassador of Fate,
The famous, one and only, world-renowned Gadzooks the Great.
Overview:
Bertie Badger has great fun visiting his grandpa at the Retirement Home for Elderly Magicians, and watching him do his magic tricks. But one day, Grandpa greets him at the door with terrible news: someone has stolen his special magical props. In fact, the thief has stolen everyone's magical props. And worse still, Grandpa's beloved magic bunny rabbit is missing, too. Bertie is determined to get to the bottom of things. Will he find all the missing props? And who is behind this disappearing act?
For Teachers and Librarians:
Little guys love magic, and Enigma: A Magical Mystery will be great fun for them. Older kids thrill in trying to solve mysteries, and Enigma is full of clues, hints, mystery, and code. As is usual in a Graeme Base book, have your students look closely at the colorful and detailed pictures for the hidden clues and interesting goings-on shoehorned into each and every page.
This is a great book to use with a mystery unit: have kids identify the components of a mystery story; let them keep detective booklets to keep track of all the possible clues they find within, both in text and pictures; have them create a list of questions to ask the theft victims, then let them play parts and act out their questioning; create a class chart to keep track of the clues they find on their own, discussing how they think the clues will or won't help solve the mystery; have them come up with possible solutions to the mystery and back up their positions. Use the letter at the end of the book to crack the code and discover the hiding places of each item.
You can use this book to fit curriculum in a variety of ways: reading genre (mystery), analytical thinking, math (code), deductive reasoning (figuring out the clues), poetry (the story is in verse), rhyming pairs and phonics, art appreciation (color schemes used in each scene, pictures hidden in the illustrations), components of magic shows (the various methods of magic performers employ)...and so much more.
But most of all, use this book to let your kids have fun with a story, and enjoy reading or having it read to them.
For Parents, Grandparents and Caregivers:
Enigma: A Magical Mystery is the perfect book to get you and your kiddos involved in a sweet story, and have fun activities to do, as well. The story portrays a great example of how a kid can be helpful, shows a positive family relationship, provides a priceless opportunity for you and the kids to bend heads over the book and eagerly search for hidden pictures and clues, and will get you working together to break a code and solve a mystery. With beautiful illustrations, a fun story told in rhyme, and an opportunity for family togetherness, what's not to like?
For the Kids:
Do you love finding clues and solving mysteries? Do you think it's fun to find hidden pictures and solve codes? Do you think magic is totally cool? If so, then Enigma: A Magical Mystery is the book for you! Bertie Badger's grandpa is a retired magician, but he still does shows for Bertie. One day, Grandpa's magical props go missing - and so does his magical bunny rabbit. Will Bertie be able to find them? Can he figure out who took everything? You will find clues in the pictures, and can help find the missing props by solving a secret code. The author and illustrator, Graeme Base, has even hidden little pictures within each big picture for you to have fun searching and finding! What are you waiting for? Go find this book!
Wrapping Up:
Enigma: A Magical Mystery is a warm and fuzzy story packed with magic, mystery, hidden pictures, and a secret code. It's a book sure to be a favorite with the kids, and a great addition to anyone's Graeme Base book collection.
Title: Enigma: A Magical Mystery
Author and Illustrator: Graeme Base
Pages: 48
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Publisher and Date: Abrams Books for Young Readers, September 1, 2008
Edition: 1st
Language: English
Published In: United States
Price: $19.95
ISBN-10: 081097245X
ISBN-13: 978-0810972452
.jpeg?picon=3103)
Little Elephants, by Graeme Base, Abrams, $16.95, ages 4 and up, 40 pages, 2012. When locusts threaten a boy's farm, a stranger appears with a magical horn that brings a herd of tiny elephants to the rescue. In this enchanting picture book, Jim and his mother are nearly out of luck -- their harvester is broken and a swarm of locusts is headed their way. But then something incredible happens. Jim sees a mysterious vagabond wading through the wheat stalks. Though the man cannot stay to help, he tells Jim the wind will bring good luck. That afternoon, Jim discovers a bullhorn left on the gate and as he blows into it, clouds of dust waft out and set off a wondrous chain of events. First, a wild mouse that Jim had let loose the day before returns to his bedroom with a surprise: A herd of toy-sized elephants scuffling under his bed. They're frisky and mischievous, and Jim tries to hide them because his mom doesn't want animals in the house. But then the locusts descend, and the elephants break cover and come charging out. They sprout wings and with trunks swinging, launch themselves at the locusts and drive them away. At last, the wheat is safe. But how will Jim and his mother ever harvest it? Base once again dips his pen into a magical place and gives readers something to dream about. Best parts: Nighttime scenes of the elephants racing around Jim's room on toy cars and frolicking in the yard with egg beaters and spoons -- and later, flying off with the stranger into the sunset.
what a great idea for a blog! like half the planet...or maybe half of america...i've been wanting to get together a children's book..but ended up writing a blog that's probably rated pg13 at best...with cartoons that at least look like they are meant for kids! hurray!
anyway, thanks for all the cool links. I still like to hear about new kids books that are out there...