ONLY MY DAD AND ME

June is the month to honor dads.
What children’s book is your ode to fatherhood?

Welcome to KidLit Gems!

Join us in a coffee-style chat about favorite children’s books and the elements that make them shine.

This month’s theme: KidLit Gems for Dad

NameplateKristisGemIONLY MY DAD AND ME
Text © 2003, Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Illustrations © 2003, Tiphanie Beeke

ONLYMEANDMYDADPicture Book Fiction

Age Range:  2-5 years

Grade Level:  Preschool-K

Harper-Festival, HarperCollins Publishers

Award
2004 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award Winner

When it’s only my dad and me, We pick shells from the sand, And jump waves hand in hand. ~ ONLY MY DAD AND ME

Only My Dad and Me, is a wonderful rhyming book that takes the young reader through seasonal rituals. This book resonated with me as I read it with my children because the setting is always outdoors, which was our favored place to explore. The double flaps of the book reveal how time spent together can build a lifetime of beloved memories that celebrate the friendship a child has with their father.  Beeke’s saturated hues and watercolor style further celebrate Satin’s capricious narration. Their married simplistic style creates an overall feel of energetic love, that Only a Dad and child share.  The perfect picture book to celebrate the Father’s Day season.

~ Kristi

ONLYMYDADANDME ONLYMYDADANDMEII____________________________________________________________________

We go sailing away. “IT’S SUMMER! HOORAY!” When it’s only my dad and me. ~ ONLY MY DAD AND ME

Kids love buried treasure. This quiet little gem provides the joy of discovery with whimsical watercolor surprises on hidden double flap pages. Your young ones will ones enjoy opening the folds to spot a dancing squirrel amidst autumn leaves, a winter snow bunny eating a carrot, a spring scarecrow and a bluejay nest, summer seashells and fishing mice, during four seasons of adventure with a bunny father and child.

Kudos to Alyssa Satin Capucilli and Tiphanie Beeke for creating such a sweet tribute to fatherhood.

~ Anna

ONLYMYDADANDMEIIIONLYMYDADANDMEIV

KEM Sapphire

Watch for Kristi’s gem again next week!

We want to hear from you!
What children’s book is your ode to fatherhood?

July’s KidLit Gem Theme – Reptilian Tales

MY DAD IS BIG AND STRONG, BUT . . .

June is our month to recognize fathers.
What children’s book would you recommend for Father’s Day?

Welcome to KidLit Gems!

About favorite children’s books and the elements that make them shine.

This month’s theme: KidLit Gems for Dad

NameplateAnnasGemIMY DAD IS BIG AND STRONG, BUT . . .
Text © 2012, Coralie Saudo
Illustrations © 2012, Kris Di Giacomo

MYDADISBIGANDSTRONGBUTCoverPicture
Book

             Fiction

                 Age Range:
4-8 years

              Grade Level:
Preschool-Third

       Enchanted Lion Books


Awards

Kirkus, Starred Review

At first, I try to be nice. ~ My Dad Is Big And Strong, But . . .

This father/child picture book is a French import that shows how humor and tenderness can survive translation. In it kids everywhere can experience the universally exhaustive side of bedtime manigances (That’s French for shenanigans. Aren’t you impressed?) The protagonist must convince his father that it is bedtime; that he’s read him enough stories; and no, the dark is nothing to fear. What a delightful way to affirm a strong and playful bond between a father and child. All this while empowering the child with a newfound empathy for his or her caretaker.

I hope Coralie Saudo’s deadpan text will make you laugh out loud while you study Kris Di Giacomo’s unique and funny illustrative style with its muted and earthy color palette. Wouldn’t you love to be a little birdie in the corner as Saudo and Di Giacomo tuck children into bed? With their humor and creativity, it must involve entertaining negotiation.

Fathers: experience My Dad Is Big And Strong, But . . . with your children. It might not make the lights-out process less eventful, but it’s sure to make the ritual more fun.

~ Anna

MYDADISBIGANDSTRONGBUTIII

MYDADISBIGANDSTRONGBUTII

MYDADISBIGANDSTRONGBUTI

And when he looks at me with those pleading puppy dog eyes, I give in every time and read him another story. ~MY DAD IS BIG AND STRONG, BUT . . . (the next page)

MYDADISBIGANDSTRONGBUTIV

GEM Ruby

Watch for Kristi’s pick next!

We want to hear from you!
What children’s book would you recommend for Father’s Day?

THE EMPORER’S EGG

June is our month to honor our fathers.
What children’s book makes you think of your dad?

Welcome to KidLit Gems!

Join us in a coffee-style chat about favorite children’s books and the elements that make them shine.

This month’s theme: KidLit Gems for Dad

NameplateLousGemITHE EMPORER’S EGG
Text © 2002, Martin Jenkins
Illustrations © 2002, Jane Chapman

THE EMPORERS EGGPicture
Book


Nonfiction


Age Range:
4-8 years


Grade Level:
Preschool-
3rd Grade


Candlewick
Press


And because he’s egg-sitting, he can’t go off to the sea to feed. So that means two whole months with an egg on your feet and no dinner! Or breakfast or lunch or snacks.”
~ The Emporer’s Egg

With June honoring fathers, let The Emperor’s Egg serve as a shout-out to all those single dads, stay-at-home fathers, and any guys who shoulder the bulk of child-rearing. And yes, I’m also talking about penguins here.

The Emperor’s Egg draws us into Antarctic family life from a male Emperor penguin’s point of view. After the female lays an egg, she disappears to feed all winter. The male warms, protects, and hatches the egg, then feeds the chick until the female finally returns to land.

Stellar non-fiction picture books intertwine facts with emotion-evoking narrative. In The Emperor’s Egg, author Martin Jenkins slips in non-fiction tidbits while getting us to really care and root for the penguins. Illustrator Jane Chapman’s soothing acrylics capture charming penguin body language, while bringing life and depth to a barren landscape.

Whatever your family situation, if you’re looking for a Father’s Day book that really embodies dad devotion, check out this gem.

~ Lou

THEEMPORERSEGGIV ___________________________________________________________________

And when it gets really cold and windy, they all snuggle up together and shuffle over the ice in a great big huddle.
~ The Emporer’s Egg

THE EMPEROR’S EGG is an EGGcellent tribute to fatherhood; plainly stating the sacrifices that are made as the Emperor patriarch. I love how the narrative begins with the extremes of nature while the illustration portrays a simplistically painted landscape. The illustrations are seemingly simple, yet masterfully rendered. Much like the extremes of the Arctic cold and starvation, the bold brushwork allows the onlooker to feel the heaviness of the dire situation. Then, CHIP, as though the sound of the newborn chips away the icy cold, the narrative and brushstroke’s shift and we are introduced to the feathery ways of parenting a penguin chick. This to me is a true picture book, as neither the narrative nor the illustration would behold such beauty, if it weren’t for the other. A true union that hatches a gem worthy of royalty.

~ Kristi

THEEMPORERSEGGIII ____________________________________________________________________

It’s mom! She starts trumpeting “hello” and the father penguin starts trumpeting “hello” and the chick whistles. The racket goes on for hours, and it really does sound as if they’re extremely pleased to see each other.
~ The Emporer’s Egg

There’s something special about waddling penguins, newborn babies, and doting dads. Martin Jenkins, author of Chameleons Are Cool and Grandma Elephant’s in Charge, combines them to add another irresistible animal-centered picture book to the Read and Wonder series. Through Jenkins’ enthusiastic and conversational writing style young and old readers will fall in love with the biggest penguins in the world. Their unconventional, gentle, and efficient tag team-style cooperation toward making a family offer subliminal inspiration to us humans as we strive for a higher level of selflessness and commitment. Jane Chapman’s lifelike illustrations and Jenkins’ clever footnotes pull the story together for an authentic nonfiction experience. If you enjoyed National Geographic’s March of the Penguins, you’ll enjoy The Emporer’s Egg.

~ Anna

THEEMPORERSEGGII

KEM Diamond

Watch for my pick next!

We want to hear from you!
What children’s book makes you think of your dad?

HUSH LITTLE BABY

May is the month to honor mom.
What children’s book is your ode to motherhood?

Welcome to KidLit Gems!

Join us in a coffee-style chat about favorite children’s books and the elements that make them shine.

This month’s theme: KidLit Gems for Mom

NameplateKristisGemIHUSH LITTLE BABY
Text © 1997, Sylvia Long

HUSHLITTLEBABYcoverBoard Book
version
of the
well-known lullaby

Fiction

Age Range:
Infant –
7 years

Grade Level:
Preschool -2nd

Chronicle Books
LLC


AWARDS

Child Magazine “Best Books of 1997”
1997 Bookbuilders West Award

Hush little baby, don’t say a word, Mama’s going to show you a hummingbird. If that hummingbird should fly, Mama’s going to show you the evening sky. ~ Hush Little Baby, by Sylvia Long

Bedtime was such a special ritual for my children. And thanks to Sylvia Long’s, Hush Little Baby, we all sang a lullaby together as we read this book.  Long’s magical version of the lullaby quietly takes the reader on a journey out the bedroom window, all the while, reassuring the young child that Mama will be there at every turn of the adventure. Long’s rich illustrations are as peaceful as the setting sun, and as beloved as the creatures that scurry to bed at dusk. This book is a tribute and a celebration of motherhood, and all the blessings it beholds.

~ Kristi
____________________________________________________________________

When the nighttime shadows fall, Mama’s going to hear the crickets call.  ~ Hush Little Baby, by Sylvia Long

Sylvia Long’s masterful illustrations have the timeless appeal of Clement Hurd’s Runaway Bunny and Milo Winter’s The Hare and the Tortoise from The Aesop for Children.  Long says she changed the classic lullaby’s promises of materialistic reward (Papa’s going to buy you . . . ) to words offering comfort in the natural world. (Mama’s going to show you . . .) My thoughts: Papa needs to buy Mama a diamond ring. Fussy bedtime bunnies won’t find contentment in jewelry. Kudos to Long, for taking something beautiful and making it even better.

If you loved this cuddle time board book, you’ll also love Marla Frazee’s charming 2007 version, Hush, Little Baby: A Folk Song With Pictures.

~ Anna
_____________________________________________________________________

HUSHLITTLEBABY-SYLVIALONG

Copyrighted material

HUSHLITTLEBABY-SYLVIALONGII

HUSHLITTLEBABY-SYLVIALONGIIIKEM Sapphire

Watch for Lou’s pick next!

We want to hear from you!
What children’s book is your ode to mom/motherhood?

June’s Theme – KidLit Gems for Dad

GASTON

May is our month to recognize mothers.
What children’s book mothers go above and beyond?

Welcome to KidLit Gems!

Join us in a coffee-style chat about favorite children’s books and the elements that make them shine.

This month’s theme: KidLit Gems for Mom

NameplateAnnasGemIGASTON
Text © 2014, Kelly DiPucchio
Illustrations © 2014, Christian Robinson

GASTONCover450Picture
Book

Fiction

Age Range:
4-8 years

Grade Level:
Preschool-Third

Antheneum Books
for
Young Readers

An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division

Awards

Kirkus, Starred Review
Horn Book Magazine, Starred Review
Shelf Awareness, Starred Review
Publisher’s Weekly, Best Summer Books 2014

Mrs. Poodle admired her new puppies, Fi-Fi, Foo-Foo, Ooh-La-La, and Gaston. ~ Gaston

Gaston is a story about a delivery room mix-up that goes right. What’s not to love? It has humor. Fi-Fi? Foo-Foo? Ooh-La-La? I bet Kelly DiPucchio’s critique group spit cappuccino out of their noses when they first read these names out loud.

It has smarts. Alliterations please the ears: “There was much to see. Daffodils. Ducklings. Dogs.” Attention-getting cues engage: “Would you like to see them again?”

It has heart. Despite parenting alone and discovering a post-delivery mix-up, the canine supermoms, Mrs. Poodle and Mrs. Bulldog, raise well-adjusted,  thriving offspring. This is the perfect book for those who question their place in the world. While researching Gaston, I was surprised by nature vs. nurture debates.  My take: While every family situation is different, one element remains the same. Belonging isn’t about similarities. It’s about love.

Christian Robinson’s retro illustrations, including the Poodle and Bulldog family pictures; make me miss my sentimental supermom; and my fairly normal, but unique gold, orange, and green childhood.

~ Anna
___________________________________________________________________

From that day forward the families met in the park every afternoon to play. Rocky, Ricky, Bruno, and Antoinette taught the poodle puppies a thing or two about being tough.

Likewise, Fi-Fi, Foo-Foo, Ooh-La-La, and Gaston taught the bulldog puppies a thing or two about being tender. ~ Gaston

Gaston reminds me of Romeo & Juliet, two families from opposite sides of the tracks, circling their territory. This age appropriate picture book’s delightful alliteration, rhymes and Matisse-esque illustrations contribute to the age-old adage, “opposites attract”.  Children will delight as the “brutish or brawny” and the “proper or precious” unite. Three cheers for the mothers in this story that wisely, stand-by as Gaston and Antoinette explore their true identities. And unlike Romeo & Juliet, where the families are meddling, there is a happy ending to this love story.

~ Kristi


GASTON1GASTON2GASTON3GASTON4

GEM Ruby

Watch for Kristi’s pick next!

We want to hear from you!
What children’s book moms excel in the motherhood department?

I LOVE YOU, STINKY FACE

May is a month for mothers.
What children’s book makes you think of your mom?

Welcome to KidLit Gems!

Join us in a coffee-style chat about favorite children’s books and the elements that make them shine.

This month’s theme: KidLit Gems for Mom

NameplateLousGemII LOVE YOU, STINKY FACE
Text © 1997, Lisa McCourt
Illustrations © 1997, Cyd Moore

I LOVE YOU STINKY FACEILOVEYOUSTINKYFACE1Picture Book, Fiction

Age Range: 3-7 years

Grade Level:
Preschool-
2nd Grade

SCHOLASTIC,
CARTWHEEL BOOKS
A division of Scholastic Inc.

1998 National Parenting Publications Awards Honor Book

“But Mama, but Mama, what if I were a Cyclops, and I had just one big, gigantic eye in the middle of my head?” ~ I Love You, Stinkyface

Here’s one of my own family’s favorites! Imagine all the sweetness of the classic picture book Mama, Do You Love Me? but with dinosaur claws, slimy seaweed, and bug sandwiches tossed in. In I Love You, StinkyFace, author Lisa McCourt creates a bedtime exchange between a mother and son with just enough silliness to keep the ‘mush factor’ in check. The mother’s funny, reassuring responses validate each reader’s uniqueness. No wonder Scholastic snapped this up!

~ Lou
___________________________________________________________________

“Then I would look right into your one eye and say, “I love you,” and I would sing to you until your one droopy eyelid finally closed and you fell fast asleep.” ~ I Love You, Stinkyface

How do you write a picture book that allows mothers to express their unconditional love for their children in a non-gooey, non-sappy, non-gushy way (even when we are gooey, sappy, and gushy)?  Author Lisa McCourt knows. You insert the magic word:  “stinky.” Add “dinosaurs,” “monsters,” and “aliens,” and gooey, sappy, gushy mothers can get away with saying the “l” word eleven times in a row–thirteen if you read the front and back covers. Love, love, love!

Cyd Moore’s thoughtful and playful illustrations, particularly the child’s embrace of the mother’s face and the one-eyed monster in pajamas, lift the story to a whole new level of wonderful. Children will love looking for the monkey, bunny, toucan, and tin man.

~ Anna
____________________________________________________________________

“But, Mama, but Mama, what if I were a Green Alien from Mars, and I ate bugs instead of peanut butter? ~ I Love You, Stinky Face

I can’t think of a better board book tribute for mother’s day. Lisa McCourt’s I Love You Stinky Face is the epitome of a mother’s unconditional love. “Mama” is certain she can manage any creature her child morphs into and nothing can change that, not even a: skunk, slimy swamp monster or alien. Cyd Moore chose muted tones and playful, yet ominous creatures for the illustrations that strike the perfect balance of scary, yet quiet for a bedtime story. And, like life, there are scary creatures out there that just need a little maternal love to tame them. If only all the world had “Mama’s” wisdom.

~ Kristi


ILOVEYOUSTINKYFACE2Note:

These photos are from the abridged board book.

ILOVEYOUSTINKYFACE3ILOVEYOUSTINKYFACE4KEM Diamond

Watch for my pick next!

We want to hear from you!
What children’s book makes you think of your mom?
Extra question for moms: What children’s book makes you feel motherly?

CALPURNIA TATE

Welcome to KidLit Gems, a coffee-style chat about favorite children’s books and the elements that make them shine.

This month’s theme: Planting Seeds

NameplateKristisGemITHE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE
Text © 2009, Jacqueline Kelly

CALPURNIACover460Middle
Grade

Historical Fiction

Age Range:
9-12 years

Grade Level:
4-7

Henry Holt and Company, LLC
Macmillan Publishers

AWARDS

2010 Newbery Honor Award

2010 Bank Street – Josette Frank Award

The IRA Children’s Book Award
North Carolina Young Adult Book Award
Virginia M. Law Award
Judy Lopez Book Award

We arose in the dark, hours before sunrise, when there was barely a smudge of indigo along the eastern sky and the rest of the horizon was still pure pitch. ~ The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

In The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate the beloved Callie Vee’s independent and curious nature takes the reader on an adventure into the lives of a spirited, small town Texas family. Kelly’s rich settings and attention to detail aptly fits the scientific investigations that 11-year old Callie and her cantankerous Granddaddy explore.  And like Darwinism, the strong survive! The question is, will Callie endure, or will she be like the green grasshoppers that get eaten before they fully mature? I found myself rooting for Callie to evolve beyond the southern ladylike conventions of “housewifery” so she could follow her intellectual inquisitiveness..
~ Kristi
____________________________________________________________________

Great. I could see the newspaper: Girl Scientist Thwarted for all Time by Stupid Sewing Projects. Loss to Society Immeasurable. Entire Scientific Community in Mourning.  ~The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

The book cover reveals that its author, Jacqueline Kelly, is not only a Newbery-winning novelist; she’s also a practicing physician and lawyer. For Dr. Kelly, Esquire, I apologize, but this cosmically lopsided distribution of brilliance made me swear in my Yosemite Sam voice, “Oooooo. I hate that woman.”

Luckily, southern charm and dry humor won me over. Calpurnia made me laugh out loud when she compared unpleasant thoughts to “a bothersome, bad smelling dog demanding attention” and wondered why dogs have eyebrows. I’m convinced that Calpurnia earned her doctorate in the sciences–and maybe a law degree and a Newbery, too. By page 340, I vicariously celebrated the victories of Calpurnia and Jacqueline. You might say I evolved.
~ Anna
_____________________________________________________________________

CALPURNIABackCover

Watch for The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate. Expected publication date: July 7, 2015.

KEM Sapphire

Watch for Lou’s pick next!

We want to hear from you!
What children’s books plant seeds of wisdom or wonder in you?

MAY’S THEME – KIDLIT GEMS FOR MOM

MAPLE

Welcome to KidLit Gems, a coffee-style chat about favorite children’s books and the elements that make them shine.

This month’s theme: Planting Seeds

NameplateAnnasGemIMAPLE
Text and Illustrations © 2014, Lori Nichols

MAPLE440Picture
Book

Fiction

Age Range:
3-5 years

Grade Level:
Preschool-Kindergarten

NANCY PAULSEN BOOKS

An imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group

and there was just enough room under the tree for Maple and her little sister . . . Willow. ~ Maple

Maple will charm anyone who loves Kevin Henkes’ Chrysanthemum. Lori Nichol’s début picture book also has the sweet promise of new life; the struggles and rewards of friendship, growth, and self-identity; and a curious female protagonist who loves her name. Nichols skillfully communicates innocence and calm through white and blue space, then embraces her characters and readers with translucent leaves. The pages, with their recurring themes will make you go back to revisit. Was a bird’s nest there before?

Growing up in a family of die-hard tree-lovers, I appreciate how Nichols created special bonds between her human characters and their deciduous namesakes. I’ll admit, I’m relieved my parents didn’t do the same, because my name would be Spruce. And evergreens are harder to hug.

If you enjoyed Maple, you’ll also love Sophie’s Squash written by Pat Zietlow Miller and illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf.
~ Anna
___________________________________________________________________

When she was still a whisper, her parents planted a tiny tree in her honor! ~ Maple

Full disclosure here: Maple and Willow were both on my baby name list in case I had girls. But even without my inherent bias, this endearing story following a little tree-hugger through the seasons definitely holds its own. Sparse text and uncluttered illustrations work in harmony to parallel the growth of trees and families. Maple’s sometimes clumsy attempts to befriend her tree, and later her baby sister, are sweet but not sappy. Pun intended, fir sure!
~ Lou
____________________________________________________________________

Maple Book Trailer by Lori Nichols

GEM Ruby

Watch for Kristi’s pick next!

We want to hear from you!
What children’s books plant seeds in you?

MISS MAPLE’S SEEDS

Welcome to KidLit Gems, a coffee-style chat about favorite children’s books and the elements that make them shine.

This month’s theme: Planting Seeds

NameplateLousGemIMISS MAPLE’S SEEDS
Text and Illustrations © 2013, Eliza Wheeler

MISSMAPLESSEEDSIIPicture Book,
Fiction
Age Range:
3-5 years
Grade Level:
Preschool-Kindergarten

NANCY PAULSEN BOOKS
A division of Penguin Young Readers Group

2013 New York Times Bestseller

“Take care, my little ones,” Miss Maple says, “for the world is big and you are small.” ~ Miss Maple’s Seeds

In Miss Maple’s Seeds,  a sweet caretaker gathers lost and forgotten seeds, tenderly cares for them through the winter, and prepares them to set off on their own in the spring. Parents will certainly catch the poignancy here. Young readers will love the illustration details showing how Miss Maple treasures each and every seed, and will turn the last page dreaming of their own marvelous futures. I ‘sneak’ this book into my science class under the guise of introducing seed variety and dispersal, and my first graders adore Miss Maple’s Seeds as much as I do. Bravo, Eliza Wheeler!
~ Lou
___________________________________________________________________

“. . . even the grandest of trees once had to grow up from the smallest of seeds.” ~ Miss Maple’s Seeds

Throughout Miss Maple’s Seeds, Eliza Wheeler gently guides readers into picturesque settings and seasons to experience life as a tiny seed. Like a true parent, Miss Maple brings hope to her adoptive plant embryos as they dream of rich soil and warm sunshine. She warns them to “stay clear of weedy characters,” encourages them to dance in the rain, and when the time is right, she sets her infants free to take root.

Wheeler’s quiet illustrations captivate. Soar on the back of a bluebird. Explore Miss Maple’s tree home. Let Eliza Wheeler nurture your curious mind.
~ Anna
____________________________________________________________________

BLUEBIRDCOMINGBLUEBIRDGOINGKEM Diamond

Watch for my pick next!

We want to hear from you!
What children’s book make you think of planting seeds or spring?

ART & MAX

Welcome to KidLit Gems!

Join Louise Aamodt, Kristi Janikula Herro, and me for a coffee-style chat about favorite children’s books and the elements that make them shine.

This month’s theme: Illustrative Gem

NameplateAnnasGemIART & MAX
Text and Illustrations © 2014, David Wiesner

ArtNMaxPicture Book

Fiction

Age Range:
4-8 years

Level:
Preschool-3rd Grade

Clarion Books,
An Imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Well  . . .  you could paint me. ~ Art & Max

ART & MAX: Three-time Caldecott Medal winner David Wiesner blew me away with this “Art”ful treat. His entertaining, sparsely worded storyline takes readers on a creative adventure through a lizard skin canvas. Art’s opaque scales flake off to a pastel then watercolor undercoating to a line drawn outline, then back again.  Look also for Max the Chameleon’s blend-action. It’ll make you snicker.

Illustrator acquaintance, Emmeline Hall, attended a recent Wiesner keynote.  Tidbits she shared: 1.) Salvador Dali’s work inspires Wiesner’s landscape and sky, 2.) and Roadrunner cartoons, his Acme props. 3.) Wiesner is pronounced Wheeze-ner, not Wise-ner. Emmeline encourages everyone to delve into his magnificent blog, especially his interactive and creative process pages. (See this older David Wiesner Blog, too. Fascinating!)
~ Anna
______________________________________________________________________

Ta-da! What do you think? ~ Art & Max

David Wiesner took the classic archetype of opposites to explore the artist’s creative process. I love the idea of starting the story with a blank slate, because for any artist, any medium, it is that very freedom, that can often times be so overwhelmingly stifling. So stifling, in fact, that you may feel the need for some reptilian armor to overcome it. Unless, of course, you allow yourself room to explore and laugh, which is what Wiesner seems to hint at, when he allows the armor to crumble into a new and exciting form of expression.
~ Kristi
__________________________________________________________________

More detail, I think. ~ Art & Max

What a great example of focusing first on the story, and letting the message (explore the world in your own joyful way) come subtly through. If you like those old Sesame Street videos showing how crayons or noodles are made, you’ll love seeing Max recreate his friend.

A few years ago I visited the Dali museum in Florida. I can imagine how much inspiration a children’s book illustrator would find in there. Kids don’t see the world the same way as most adults, and there’s no doubt that Salvador Dali viewed things differently, too!
~ Lou

___________________________________________________________________

Book Review: Art & Max by David Wiesner

GEMrub

Watch for Lou’s Gem next!

We want to hear from you!
What children’s book is your Illustrative Gem?

APRIL’S THEME – PLANTING SEEDS