PPBF – Home

Posted on April 26, 2024 | 2 comments

I’m a serial mover, so I think a lot about housing and what turns a dwelling into a home. It should surprise no one, then, that I love books about homes and what makes some homes special. Today’s Perfect Picture Book is one of those books that shows us the special places that some creatures call home.

Title: Home

Written & Illustrated By: Isabelle Simler

Translated By: Vineet Lal

Publisher/Date: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers/2024 (originally published in France as Maison, Éditions Courtes et Longues/2022)

Suitable for Ages: 4 and up

Themes/Topics: animal homes, poetry, nonfiction

Opening:

I’ve been to some truly amazing homes.

Brief Synopsis: A collection of 27 poems about animal homes.

Links to Resources:

  • Learn about animal homes and try these science experiments;
  • Take a walk near your home or in the woods and collect materials to build a nest for a favorite bird or insect;
  • Write a poem about a favorite animal’s home;
  • Learn more in the back matter about the amazing creatures featured in this poetry collection.

Why I Like this Book:

In 27 poems accompanied by gorgeous illustrations, author/illustrator Simler explores the different homes that birds, sea creatures, insects, reptiles, and other animals inhabit. I loved exploring these different dwellings, and I think kids will, too.

In a foreword, quoted above, Simler shares that she “had to bend, and shrink, and squeeze, and let myself be transformed in weird and wonderful ways” to imagine “life in these homes.”  From the text and accompanying illustrations, it’s clear that Simler has adopted the viewpoints of her subjects – a unique and interesting way to share their stories and build empathy among readers.

Even the poem titles raise our curiosity – who knew that a comet moth lives in a “Silky Apartment,” that a satin bowerbird builds a “Blue Pavilion,” or that a honeybee resides in a “Wax Palace.” Drawing comparisons between these dwellings and our own will, I think, help kids relate to them.

The creatures featured are not your run-of-the-mill farm or zoo animals. Simler includes lesser-known fan worms, weaver ants, alpine marmots, and many more. Such a fascinating array of animals is sure to capture the interest of budding naturalists and build awareness of the diversity of creatures and habitats in our world.

I highly recommend Home for school and home libraries – this is a picture book that all ages will enjoy.

A Note about Craft:

As I mentioned above, Simler crafted poems about each of the highlighted creature’s home from the perspective of that creature. That she chose first-person point-of-view without anthropomorphizing them is amazing. Equally amazing, Simler wrote these poems in French, and Lal translated them into English – no easy task, I’m sure.

This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!

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PPBF – Cicada Symphony

Posted on April 19, 2024 | 6 comments

For Earth Day, I thought it would be fun to highlight a Perfect Picture Book about a creature that spends most of its life burrowing in the earth. Enjoy!

Title: Cicada Symphony

Written By: Sue Fleiss

Illustrated By: Gareth Lucas

Publisher/Date: Albert Whitman and Company/2023

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: cicadas, non-fiction, rhyming

Opening:

There’s a secret you should know:

bugs are lurking down below.

In the earth, nymphs lay in wait

for their turn to…activate!

Brief Synopsis:

The true story of cicadas, which periodically emerge from the earth to breed.

Links to Resources:

  • Learn more about Cicadas;
  • If you live in an area where cicadas will emerge soon, download the Cicada Safari app to help scientists track their emergence, or go to the website to learn more about these fascinating insects;
  • Check out these Cicada Activities.

Why I Like this Book:

With engaging rhyme and colorfully-detailed illustrations, Cicada Symphony is a fun-to-read non-fiction exploration of a little-known insect that spends the vast majority of its life underground: the Cicada. For those of you who don’t live in the middle or eastern areas of North America, you may never have encountered one. Those who have, though, may never forget it – the noise of the male cicadas trying to attract mates, like the brass section of an orchestra, fills the air. Discarded exoskeletons crunch underfoot. And then there’s the cicadas swarming nearby, maybe a bit too nearby.

While Fleiss addresses the reader directly, she keeps the focus on cicadas. And while one illustration shows small woodland creatures, Lucas fills the pages with cicadas. For younger readers, the rhyming text is easy to follow. For older children, and those more interested in these fascinating insects, extra facts appear on each spread. And for those who want to learn even more, back matter includes a glossary, author’s note, list of children’s reference books, and a detailed illustration with labeled body parts.

A Note about Craft:

In an Author’s Note, Fleiss shares that she was inspired to write Cicada Symphony after experiencing the emergence of cicadas near her home in 2021. As anyone who has experienced a large emergence knows, the males’ clicking sounds are extremely loud, like the brass section of a symphony.

This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!

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PPBF – Hope is a Hop

Posted on April 12, 2024 | 6 comments

As spring blossoms in the northern hemisphere and new life emerges, I think today’s Perfect Picture Book is a wonderful way to celebrate.

Title: Hope is a Hop

Written By: Katrina Moore

Illustrated By: Melissa Iwai

Publisher/Date: Dial Books for Young Readers/2023

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: gardening, baby bunnies, new baby, rhyming, spring, hope

Opening:

Hope is a light you turn on in the dark,

An up before sunrise—start of a spark.

Brief Synopsis: After young Eva plants a flower garden, a pesky rabbit destroys it. But when Eva discovers why the rabbit invaded her garden, she has a change of heart.

Links to Resources:

Why I Like this Book:

In rhyming couplets, Moore explores the many meanings of “hope” from the perspective of Eva, a budding gardener. I love Eva’s enthusiasm to be outdoors and to create a flower garden. And I understand her frustration when a hungry bunny dashes her hopes. But Eva pivots and finds joy, and new hope, in the discovery of baby rabbits, and she is reinvigorated to replant her garden.

With its flower-filled illustrations and hope-filled rhyming narrative, Hope is a Hop is a perfect book to share with young nature lovers. And while I don’t want to spoil the ending, it’s the perfect gift for a soon-to-be older sibling.

A Note about Craft:

In an interview in Picture Book Builders, Moore shared that the genesis of Hope is a Hop was the discovery of a nest of baby bunnies during the height of the pandemic, a time during which many of us had lost hope. From that discovery sprouted this many-layered, hope-filled picture book.

This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!

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PPBF – How to Write a Poem

Posted on April 5, 2024 | 5 comments

I found the Perfect Picture Book to inspire budding poets for National Poetry Month. Enjoy!

Title: How to Write a Poem

Written By: Kwame Alexander & Deanna Nikaido

Art By: Melissa Sweet

Publisher/Date: Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins/2023

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: poetry, how to, nature, inspiration

Opening:

Begin with a question, like an acorn waiting for spring.

Brief Synopsis: A free-verse poem that shows children how to write poetry and inspires them to do so.

Links to Resources:

  • Discover resources to explore poetry with children at the Poetry Foundation and at poets.org;
  • Spend an hour, an afternoon, or a day experiencing nature. How do you feel? Try describing what you’ve experienced with words or pictures.

Why I Like this Book:

How to Write a Poem is a recipe that kids, and their adults, can follow to become poets. The tone is direct and easy for kids to comprehend. “Begin with a question…” “Close your eyes…” “Next, listen to the grass…” The collaged illustrations include arrows like a road map and lined paper, ready for the reader’s poetry. Even the text is part of the illustrations, as if the authors are printing like children themselves.

But Alexander and Nikaido also show us how to write poetry by adding poetic touches and natural imagery throughout. They challenge us to be open to the world around us and to dig into our feelings. They direct us to “dive deep into the silent sea of your imagination….” There, we’ll discover “a cotton candy cavalcade of sounds….” Say that aloud a few times. It just trips off the tongue and conjures up gorgeous images.

In the last few spreads, Nikaido and Alexander invite us to follow the directives, gather up the images, and write our own poems. After all, “words have been waiting to slide down your pencil…” and right onto that paper that Sweet includes for us.

How to Write a Poem is a perfect addition to school and home libraries – I read a copy from my local library, but I’ve added it to my “must purchase” list.

A Note about Craft:

In A Note, Alexander reflects that “[f]or so long, we’ve been taught that poetry is staid, complicated, and unfamiliar…” Nikaido and Alexander show us that poetry is anything but that – it’s Fun! And by addressing the reader directly, they show us that we can be poets, too.

This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!

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PPBF – A Tulip in Winter: A Story About Folk Artist Maud Lewis

Posted on March 29, 2024 | 3 comments

For the last day of Women’s History Month, I’m happy to share a Perfect Picture Book that features a little-known female folk artist and a harbinger of spring, tulips!

Title: A Tulip in Winter: A Story About Folk Artist Maud Lewis

Written By: Kathy Stinson

Art By: Lauren Soloy

Publisher/Date: Greystone Kids/2023

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: biography, folk art, overcoming obstacles, finding beauty in the everyday

Opening:

Close to a highway sat a little house like others in Nova Scotia.

And not like others.

Birds and butterflies danced up and down its door and flowers were painted on its window!

Who would do such a thing?

A woman as one-of-a-kind as her house!

Brief Synopsis: The biography of Maud Lewis, a folk artist in Nova Scotia.

Links to Resources:

Why I Like this Book:

Until I learned about A Tulip in Winter, I had never heard of Maud Lewis nor seen her art. My guess is that you might not have either. But her exuberant folk art brought smiles to others, and this full-life biography will bring smiles to children.

At the outset, Maud was a cheerful child who enjoyed playing the piano. But she suffered from an unknown illness that caused her fingers to stiffen and that stunted her growth. When she no longer could play the piano, her mother suggested painting.

I love how the text shows Maud pivoting when her passion was no longer possible and immersing herself in a new passion. What a wonderful lesson for children who may not be able to pursue a sport or other endeavor because of physical limitations.

When Maud reached adulthood, she faced even more challenges until she eventually met and lived in the home of a poor fishmonger. There Maud painted on the walls, doors, furnishings, and windows of the house, and she also created small paintings that she sold to passersby.

Unlike the subjects of many picture book biographies, Maud never achieved material success during her lifetime, nor was she even regionally famous for her art. Perhaps because she wasn’t a famous artist, perhaps because she overcame obstacles and still seemed happy, or perhaps because she remained child-sized throughout her lifetime, I think that children will relate to her story. That her artwork has a childlike exuberance and lacks the polish of a trained artist will appeal to children, too. Soloy’s illustrations, which showcase Maud’s art and capture its nature-filled and colorful beauty, make this a gorgeous book to share with children.

A Note about Craft:

When I saw the title of today’s Perfect Picture Book in a Nerdy Book Club blog post by the author, I was curious. Everyone knows that tulips bloom in springtime, not winter. But Maud painted what she liked and what she imagined, so tulips bloomed in her wintry scenes. And like a rare tulip that could survive a wintry storm, Maud overcame adversity. What a great title to capture her sense of whimsy and perseverance and to pique the curiosity of readers.

This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!

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PPBF – Just Flowers

Posted on March 22, 2024 | 2 comments

It’s spring! Here in the northern hemisphere, the hours of daylight are increasing, temperatures are warming, and, most importantly, flowers are beginning to bloom. I found the Perfect Picture Book to celebrate, with thanks to Vivian Kirkfield, whose review alerted me to it, and to Sleeping Bear Press, who granted me access to an online copy for review, so I wouldn’t have to wait to share it with you.

Title: Just Flowers

Written By: Erin Dealey

Art By: Kate Cosgrove

Publisher/Date: Sleeping Bear Press/March 2024

Suitable for Ages: 6-7

Themes/Topics: gardening, sharing, beauty, neighbors, nature

Opening:

One blustery brr day, in a dreary dull town, a new neighbor moved in next door.

“Hi!” Izzy said to him. “I’m—.”

Brief Synopsis: Izzy’s grumpy new neighbor is interested only in the roses that grow in his garden, and he directs Izzy to get rid of the other flowers that grow there. As Izzy does so, Izzy beautifies the town and brings joy to its residents.

Links to Resources:

Why I Like this Book:

In Just Flowers, readers meet Izzy, a young child who loves flowers and learning about flowers, and a grumpy new neighbor who finds beauty only in roses. As late winter turns to spring and then summer, Izzy finds a variety of flowers growing in the neighbor’s garden. But the neighbor is interested only in his rose bushes, and he directs Izzy to get rid of the other flowers. Izzy does that by giving them to many people in town, thereby brightening their lives.

Children will love learning about the various flowers growing in the garden, including their Latin names, with further information about them in the back matter. Like Izzy, they’ll wonder why the grumpy neighbor doesn’t love all of the flowers. After all, who hasn’t seen a child mesmerized by a dandelion, that most beautiful “weed.” What a great opportunity to discuss notions of beauty and worth.

Children and their adult readers will love the inclusivity of the text and illustrations: Izzy is never identified by a pronoun, the name is genderless, and they wear a rainbow hoodie; and townspeople include a pediatrician wearing a head scarf, a principal with a prosthetic leg, a fellow student in a wheelchair, and many other inclusively-portrayed people.

I think everyone will agree that Izzy’s kindness paired with these not-roses flowers makes them anything but just flowers. Whether you read Just Flowers at home, in a classroom, or at the library, this hope-filled, inclusive story will bring a bouquet of smiles to brighten your life.

A Note about Craft:

I knew I wanted to read and review Just Flowers the minute I saw the cover and read the title. A lifelong gardener, I wondered about the qualifier “just,” as in only, merely, or less desirable, with flowers. I was intrigued to find out what made them less desirable, who considered them just flowers, and to what they were being compared. What a wonderful title to get readers thinking before they even open the book!

This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!

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PPBF – When Things Aren’t Going Right, GO LEFT

Posted on March 15, 2024 | 3 comments

When my children were young, we visited Disney World with dear friends. One of those friends had read a guide book and instructed the kids at every junction to “go left” to avoid the crowds. As that friend has a birthday next week, I thought this was the Perfect Picture Book to share as we celebrate.

Title: When Things Aren’t Going Right, GO LEFT

Written By: Marc Colagiovanni

Art By: Peter H. Reynolds

Publisher/Date: Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc./2023

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: optimism, determination, perseverance, obstacles

Opening:

One day, for no particular reason, nothing was going right.

Brief Synopsis: When nothing seems to be going right, a young boy pivots and chooses to go left.

Links to Resources:

  • What do you do when things aren’t going your way? Think of some ways to solve your problems, diminish your worries, or overcome your fears. Draw a picture that shows you doing something you’re afraid to do or that shows that problem solved;
  • Try these games to distinguish between your right and left hands; which do you use most of the time?

Why I Like this Book:

As this charming picture book begins, an unnamed protagonist is having a bad day, “for no particular reason, nothing was going right.” Sound familiar? I think this is a problem that resonates with kids and adults of all ages.

But rather than complain or become immobilized over seemingly immense obstacles, the plucky child pivots and, one by one, sheds those things holding him back: worries, doubts, fears, and frustrations.

Using first-person point-of-view and addressing the reader directly, Colagiovanni creates a very relatable narrator. Reynolds furthers the relatability by showing the unnamed main character looking straight towards the reader during several key scenes. And to further help the reader understand what’s going on, Colagiovanni personifies the worries, doubts, fears, and frustrations, and Reynolds illustrates them as small monsters. I think any child will feel better about whatever is troubling them after reading When Things Aren’t Going Right, GO LEFT.

A Note about Craft:

I’m one of those writers who often starts with a title. And how I wish I had thought of the title of today’s Perfect Picture Book. Everyone knows that when things aren’t going well, you need to drop what’s holding you back and pivot. But how many people would pick up a picture book entitled, “When Things Aren’t Going Well, Pivot”? And how many kids would understand that? By incorporating a double entendre into the title, and weaving it through the text, the concept is so much more comprehensible – and fun!

This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!

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PPBF – Is This a House for Hermit Crab?

Posted on March 9, 2024 | 2 comments

Today I’m happy to feature a newly-illustrated version of a classic picture book that truly is a Perfect Picture Book.

Title: Is This a House for Hermit Crab?

Written By: Megan McDonald

Art By: Katherine Tillotson

Publisher/Date: Neal Porter Books/2024 (originally published by Orchard Books in 1990, with illustrations by S.D. Schindler)

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: hermit crabs, home, moving, nonfiction, nature

Opening:

Hermit Crab was growing too big for the house on his back.

Brief Synopsis: A hermit crab outgrows its shell and seeks a larger one.

Links to Resources:

  • Read the Back Matter to find out more about hermit crabs and other sea creatures;
  • Make your own hermit crab.

Why I Like this Book:

With its endearing main character seeking a new home, its repeated question, “Is this a house for Hermit Crab?”, and its repeated refrain that begs readers to turn the page, “So he stepped along the shore, by the sea, in the sand…scritch-scratch, scritch-scratch”, Is This a House for Hermit Crab? is sure to become a favorite in homes, libraries, and classrooms.

Although McDonald wrote the text over 30 years ago, the story seems fresh and the amount of text seems just right for read-alouds, even to younger kids. Tillotson’s vibrant watercolor, acrylic, finger paint, and collage illustrations made me feel like I was walking on the beach with Hermit Crab and snorkeling above the underwater action. And the facts in the Back Matter will make this a welcome resource as kids seek to learn more about hermit crabs and other ocean creatures.

A Note about Craft:

As a querying picture book author, I follow the advice of those in the know and only include books published within the last three years, max five years, as comparable titles. But as you can see above, McDonald penned the text for Is This a House for Hermit Crab? over 30 years ago. Which goes to show that some picture books that we may remember from our childhoods or from our children’s childhoods stand the test of time and are worth studying as mentor texts. In this case, I think a combination of several factors helps this story seem fresh today: the relatable story – crab has to move; the fact that very few, if any, picture books about hermit crabs have been published in the last several years; and the fairly short text with its distinct refrain – “So he stepped along the shore, by the sea, in the sand…scritch-scratch, scritch-scratch.”

This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!

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PPBF – Welcome to the Wonder House

Posted on March 1, 2024 | 2 comments

When I saw the cover of today’s Perfect Picture Book on Deborah Freedman’s website, I wasn’t sure what this book was about. But that title intrigued me, and I couldn’t resist that dreamy cover art. Enjoy!

Title: Welcome to the Wonder House

Poems By: Rebecca Kai Dotlich & Georgia Heard

Illustrations By: Deborah Freedman

Publisher/Date: Wordsong, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers/2023

Suitable for Ages: 7 and up (per the publisher; I think all ages will enjoy it)

Themes/Topics: poetry, imagination, curiosity, nonfiction

Opening:

Room of Curiosity

Why do diamonds wink and shine?

What is quartz?

What is lime?

Brief Synopsis: A collection of 29 poems about curiosity arranged topically in 12 rooms of a house of wonder.

Links to Resources:

  • Check out the Authors’ Note with its suggestions of finding wonder by beginning a poem, telling a story, sharing discoveries with a friend, etc.
  • Find more activities in the Discussion Guide.

Why I Like this Book:

A house filled with wonder? And I’m welcome to visit? Yes! Please!

Any child will be enchanted by this collection of poems about curiosity, arranged into 12 rooms by topic. What a wonderful way to introduce children to poetry and pique their curiosity.

The collection begins with a spread laying out the Contents, to make it easier for readers to choose the order of rooms they visit depending on their mood. Craving Nature? There’s a room for that. Thinking about Time? Read about tree rings and “a cracked iguanodon tooth.”

Because each room in the collection stands on its own, there’s no right or wrong way to read Welcome to the Wonder House – Do you have loads of time and you want to visit the rooms in order? That works. Studying different types of scientists? Head to the room of Science. Searching for a few quick stanzas before your little one nods off to sleep? Explore the room of Imagination to foster vivid dreams.

Although wonder connects all of the rooms, as well as a few ladders and staircases sprinkled about, the rooms are also distinct, which broadens this collection’s appeal. And if the thought of entering wonder-filled rooms isn’t enough to get you reading, Freedman’s detailed, gorgeous mixed media illustrations should.

Welcome to the Wonder House belongs in every home and school.

A Note about Craft:

Two poets and an editor go for a ride. Really! Check out the book launch interview with Betsy Bird to discover the genesis of this awesome picture book. And maybe schedule a trip with a few potential collaborators.

This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!

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PPBF – Over and Under the Waves

Posted on February 23, 2024 | 4 comments

Grab your paddle and climb aboard for a magical journey in this Perfect Picture Book!

Title: Over and Under the Waves

Written By: Kate Messner

Art By: Christopher Silas Neal

Publisher/Date: Chronicle Books/2022

Suitable for Ages: 5-8

Themes/Topics: kayaking, marine life, nature

Opening:

Over the waves we paddle, away from the beach to the water’s deep blue.

Brief Synopsis: A girl and her parents kayak over the sea kelp beds in Monterey Bay.

Links to Resources:

  • Learn more about kelp forests;
  • Discover kayaks and kayaking;
  • Check out the amazing back matter with Author’s Note, information about the animals, and further reading suggestions.

Why I Like this Book:

In this gentle journey in Monterey Bay, a young girl and her family explore what they see above the waves, and readers learn about life underwater. I love that Messner chose a non-motorized boat that silently glides through the water and that doesn’t distract from the peaceful surroundings. I also love that the family propel themselves, just as the sea creatures propel themselves through the water. And I especially love when the worlds above and below the waves intersect, when, for instance, a sea lion dives from the rocks into the sea, whales breach the surface causing the kayaks to rock, and the young narrator’s red jacket matches both the kayak and the octopus swimming below them.

As many of you probably know, Over and Under the Waves is part of a series of picture books by Messner and Neal that explore the natural world and the connections that unite creatures and plants over and under various divides. Neal’s soft mixed-media illustrations combined with Messner’s fact-filled text provide a perfect way to explore nature in classrooms, libraries, and homes.

A Note about Craft:

Messner’s use of first-person point-of-view enables the reader to feel as if they are in the kayak with the young narrator and her mother.

This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!

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