This Book is Gray by Lindsay Ward. Unpgd. Two Lion/ Amazon Publishing, December 1, 2019. 97811542043403. (Review of finished copy courtesy of Blue Slip Media.)
If you are a person who skips the end-pages, dedication and title pages, stop right now! You absolutely must not. This book is adorbs as Lindsay Ward's books are wont to be. The primary and secondary colors are busy drawing a rainbow. Even Black and White have jobs drawing clouds. Poor gray is stuck on the sidelines. He moans, "They never let me color!" on the dedication page. On the title page, he resolves to "show them!" And so, he sets out to write and illustrate his own book, "the grayest book ever!" It is perfect until the primary colors get into the act. Blue asks, "Dude, where's all the color?" Soon, the secondary colors chime in. Poor Gray!
The dialogue is filled with puns, word-play and the familiar cadence of playground oneupmanship. The text does double-duty as readers learn color theory as well as inclusion. Astute readers will notice the entrance of Brown and may wonder where he fits in. Brown is neither primary, secondary nor achromatic, but a composite color. This is not noted and gives curious readers the opportunity to look it up. This Book is Gray would be a great introduction to color theory for elementary art teachers.
The closing end-pages jar a bit visually. Part of both of the end-page is cut off by the flaps. Young readers will want to spread open the flaps to take in the full spread. It's going to be tough for librarians to tape down those covers! #librarianwoes. The front and back flap cover a third of each of the end-page.
This Book is Gray is a fun addition to any elementary, home or public library. Check out this terrific review at Babiestobookworms for great connecting activities to try with your students!
Lindsay Ward is the creator of the Dexter T. Rexter series as well as Brobarians, Rosco vs. the Baby, and The Importance of Being 3. Her book Please Bring Balloons was also made into a play. Lindsay lives in Peninsula, Ohio, with her family. Gray is one of her favorite colors. Learn more about her online at www.lindsaymward.com.
Twitter: @lindsaymward
Santa's Story by Will Hillenbrand. unpgd. Two Lions/ Amazon Publishing, September, 2019. 9781542043380. (Review of finished copy courtesy of Blue Slip Media.)
In addition to already being a fan of Will Willenbrand, I fell instantly in love with the cover! The snow, Santa's jaunty walk, the light from the lantern, everything just warmed and tickled. I don't know about you, but I am a faithful reader of dedication pages. Reading the author's touching dedication to his dad, who read the poem, "Twas the Night before Christmas" each Christmas Eve certainly stole my heart.
So. Santa is ready to launch on Christmas Eve. His sleigh is stuffed but the stable is empty. Where are the reindeer? As Santa searches, the reader sees what alliterative activity each reindeer is involved in frosty mostly double-page spreads featuring a variety of endearing woodland creatures as well as the eight reindeer. "Vixen vexed, "More snow!" as a snowman pushes a snowblower. Hilarity ensues. The illustrations are filled with little bits of visual humor.
Just in time, Santa remembers! Storytime! He forgot the reindeer's story! And what better than, Clement Moore's, Twas the Night before Christmas?
Santa's Story is an excellent addition to the Christmas holiday rotation!
Author bio: Will Hillenbrand has written and illustrated many beloved picture books, including Snowman’s Story, Down by the Barn, Mother Goose Picture Puzzles, and the Bear and Mole series. He has also illustrated dozens of books, including the Big Bear series by Maureen Wright. Will lives with his wife and son in Terrace Park, Ohio. You can find out more about him at www.willhillenbrand.com.
On Instagram: willhillenbrand
Not My Idea: a book about whiteness written and illustrated by Anastasia Higginbotham. 64p. Ordinary Terrible Things series. Dottir Press, September, 2018. 9781948340007. (Review of purchased finished copy.)
I have been struggling with how to be an ally for most of my life. I have good intentions but often fail. Attending SLJ's Diversity Bootcamp a couple of summers ago helped. It was just the tip of the iceberg and would've registered for the bootcamp again this past summer were it not my husband's 70th birthday and all the celebration I needed to plan.
I do believe that whites need to confront their own white privilege and acknowledge their implicit bias. It also needs to be discussed openly in schools. This book would go a long way in helping parents and teachers grapple first with their own biases and then help them help students understand white privilege.
I will be honest. I needed to read this a few times before truly understanding its message. The collages are quite arresting. The dialogue requires a bit of attention. Get comfortable with this before sharing it with your children. It is an important conversation starter and one that will most likely trigger a bit of resistance and denial.
If you are looking for a resource to open conversations about race, look no further than this extraordinary book.
How Many? A different kind of counting book by Christopher Danielson. 39 p. Charlesbridge, September, 2019. 9781580899437. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)
I learned from the author's earlier book, Which One Doesn't Belong? that he makes math accessible and fun. This counting book has no rules and no particular order - just crisp, clear pictures of mostly food items and the invitation to count - anything. So, cool!
After a short introduction explaining the open-ended nature of this inviting book, the verso pages merely ask, "How many?" while the recto pages depict the items. There seems to be no agenda and any answer a child gives is correct. There's also a standing invitation to return to find other things to count. Counting will make you hungry though. The food looks amazing!
How Many? is certainly a different kind of counting book and one that belongs in all collections. Highly recommended!
Love and the Rocking Chair by Leo & Diane Dillon. Unpgd. The Blue Sky Press/ Scholastic Inc., October 2019. 9781338332650. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)
Our family has a rocking chair that has spanned generations. Does yours? This book is a favorite for all sorts of reasons both sentimental and objective. According to the jacket information, Love and the Rocking Chair is the Dillons' final collaboration. And a fitting one it is.
It's a lovely story, sparely told, about a young, interracial couple who are expecting their first child and shopping for the perfect chair. They find it, have the baby and the chair is perfect - for rocking, for reading, for playing and finally for holding cast-off belongings. Then it is packed away and forgotten about until...
The muted palette and the Dillons' signature style draw the eye and invite lingering over each scene. Pull a young one into your lap and share this book! Highly recommended! It's the perfect gift for new parents.
ETA November 9, 2019: I had the book on the kitchen counter to send with my husband when he visited my son, d-i-l and grand-daughter today. As he often does with my book droppings all over the house, he paused to read the book. I busied myself at the kitchen table and didn't look up when he said, "Nice book." A beat later, I turned to see him wiping his eyes with a tissue. I asked, "What's wrong with your eye?" He responded, "I'm crying! That book was beautiful!" We've been together for 35 years and I think I can count how many times he has openly wept on one hand.
Ocean Meets Sky by the Fan Brothers. 48 p. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, May, 2018. 9781481470377. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)
I am so sorry to have taken so long to get to this utterly gorgeous meditation on the power of storytelling, a grandfather's love and grief.
A young boy misses his beloved grandfather. On what would've been his 90th birthday, he builds a boat with the intention of finding where the ocean meets the sky. The boat he builds is absolutely adorable and totally un-seaworthy! It is somewhat reminiscent of the clubhouse my brother put together from wood scavenged at garbage days. But he has built it and he is proud.
But shipbuilding is hard work! The boy falls asleep but awakens to discover a huge white-bearded, golden fish who is willing to travel with him to where the ocean meets the sky. Is this his grandfather? Or is his grandfather in the moon?
The illustrations are perfectly captivating. Each spread invites pause. Do not rush through this book. The writing is spare and lovely, inviting contemplation and discussion. Was it all a dream or did he really travel there?
Ocean Meets Sky is a perfect lap book.
It's Picture Book Month and I've stumbled right out of the gate! Yesterday was a gorgeous day. I went to my yin yoga class, did the food shopping and headed out with my audiobook plugged in to take care of some leaves. Once dinner was cooked, eaten and cleaned, I realized that I hadn't blogged but time and energy had run out. No picture book entry for November 2.
It nearly happened again today. Leaves part-two and this time, with an aching back!
