Category Archives: Perfect Pairing

Perfect Pairing Observes Refugee Week 2020

Posted on June 16, 2020 | Leave a comment

This Saturday, 20 June 2020, is the United Nations’ World Refugee Day 2020, and in the United Kingdom and other countries, this week is Refugee Week, a “festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees.” As regular readers know, I read, and review, many picture books about the refugee experience. I’m happy to pair two of these recent books this week.

Boundless Sky

Author: Amanda Addison

Illustrator: Manuela Adreani

Publisher/Date: Lantana Publishing/2020

Ages: 4-6

Themes: migration, birds, refugees, welcoming, friendship

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Nobody knew, nobody dreamed, nobody even considered the possibility that a bird that fits in your hand might fly halfway around the world looking for a place to nest . . . or that a young girl from northern Africa might flee halfway around the world looking for safety. This is the story of Bird. This is the story of Leila. This is the story of a chance encounter and a long journey home.

Read my review.

Wherever I Go

Author: Mary Wagley Copp

Illustrator: Munir D. Mohammed

Publisher/date: Atheneum Books for Young Children, an imprint of Simon and Schuster Publishing/2020

Ages: 6-9

Themes: refugee, resilience, imagination, resettlement

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):

A hopeful and timely picture book about a spirited little girl living in a refugee camp.

Of all her friends, Abia has been at the Shimelba Refugee Camp the longest—seven years, four months, and sixteen days. Papa says that’s too long and they need a forever home. Until then, though, Abia has something important to do. Be a queen.

Sometimes she’s a noisy queen, banging on her drum as she and Mama wait in the long line for rice to cook for dinner. Sometimes she’s a quiet queen, cuddling her baby cousin to sleep while Auntie is away collecting firewood. And sometimes, when Papa talks hopefully of their future, forever home, Abia is a little nervous. Forever homes are in strange and faraway places—will she still be a queen?

Filled with hope, love, and respect, Wherever I Go is a timely tribute to the strength and courage of refugees around the world.

Read my review.

I paired these books because, though they differ in their storytelling techniques, and though neither sugarcoats the refugee experience, both leave the reader feeling hopeful about the fates of the refugees highlighted. In Boundless Sky, Addison parallels the migration of a bird with the journey of young Leila who migrates from Africa to Britain. In Wherever I Go, Wagley Copp reminds readers that refugees, like the narrator, Abia, are survivors who will enrich the community where they eventually settle.

Looking for similar reads? See The Unexpected Friend, about a young Rohingya refugee, and Yusra Swims, about a refugee who competed in the Olympics.

 

 

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Perfect Pairing – of Two Books Illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini

Posted on June 9, 2020 | 1 comment

Imagine my surprise when I was shelving a picture book that I reviewed a few weeks ago and discovered that the illustrator had illustrated another picture book I had reviewed last year. Could this be the reason for a perfect pairing, perhaps?

Neema’s Reason to Smile

Author: Patricia Newman

Illustrator: Mehrdokht Amini

Publisher/Date: Lightswitch Learning, a Sussman Education company/2018

Ages: 4-8

Themes: school, Africa, poverty, dreams, multicultural

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Every day, Neema balances a heavy basket of fruit on her head and traces the dusty path to town that unwinds like a cheetah’s tail. She wants to go to school, but Mama cannot afford the uniform and supplies. Neema saves her money and dreams big dreams, until one day hope skips down the street wearing a red skirt and white shirt.

Read my review.

 

Nimesh the Adventurer

Author: Ranjit Singh

Illustrator: Mehrdokht Amini

Publisher/Date: Lantana Publishing/2019

Ages: 4-6

Themes: imagination, adventure, multicultural

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Nimesh is walking home from school. Except…there happens to be a shark in the corridor. And a dragon in the library! And why would crossing the road lead to the North Pole? A fun-filled story about a little boy with a BIG imagination, Nimesh the Adventurer will surely make even the dullest journey a dazzling adventure.

Read my review.

I paired these books because they feature the work of one illustrator, Mehrdokht Amini. In Neema’s Reason to Smile, Amini’s vibrant and colorful illustrations made me feel like I was journeying with Neema to the village and school. In Nimesh the Adventurer, Amini’s brightly-detailed illustrations render this picture book truly stunning, as they show how one child’s imagination can transform everyday scenes into the sites of true adventures. In both cases, Amini features main characters of color, and her illustrations transported this reader to another time and place.

 

 

 

 

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Perfect Pairing – Of Ideals that Matter

Posted on June 2, 2020 | Leave a comment

I don’t know about the rest of you, but this past week I’ve experienced feelings of profound disbelief, sorrow, outrage, anger, and so much more. As I perused my bookshelf looking for books that may empower others to action and/or bring healing, these two stood out.

Equality’s Call: The Story of Voting Rights in America

Author: Deborah Diesen

Illustrator: Magdalena Mora

Publisher/Date: Beach Lane Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division/2020

Ages: 5-8

Themes: voting rights, activism, people of color, rhyming, non-fiction

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Learn all about the history of voting rights in the United States—from our nation’s founding to the present day.

A right isn’t right
till it’s granted to all…

The founders of the United States declared that consent of the governed was a key part of their plan for the new nation. But for many years, only white men of means were allowed to vote. This history of voting rights looks back at the activists who answered equality’s call, working tirelessly to secure the right for all to vote, and it also looks forward to the future and the work that still needs to be done.

Read a review at Miss Marple’s Musings.

Peace and Me: Inspired by the Lives of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates

Author & Illustrator: Ali Winter

Illustrator: Mickaël El Fathi

Publisher/Date: Lantana Publishing/2018

Ages: 7-11

Themes: peace, peace builders, non-fiction

Short Synopsis (from publisher’s website):

What does peace mean to you? This illustrated collection of inspirational ideas about peace is based on the lives of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates of the 20th and 21st centuries, among them Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa and Malala Yousafzai. A must for anyone interested in exploring this essential issue of our times, this child-friendly exploration of what peace means to you and me is a book for every bookshelf.

Amnesty International endorses this book because it shows how standing up for other people makes the world a better, more peaceful place.

Read my review.

I paired these books because they highlight differing aspects of the issues facing us today and how they have been dealt with by those with the courage to fight racism, injustice, and inequality.

Looking for similar reads? See, People of Peace, Peaceful Fights for Equal Rights.

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Perfect Pairing – Helps Save Nature

Posted on May 26, 2020 | Leave a comment

Today’s Perfect Pairing features two women, one famous and one not as well known outside her native Michigan, who loved the natural world and helped preserve it for future generations, including us.

Nature’s Friend: The Gwen Frostic Story

Author: Lindsey McDivitt

Illustrator: Eileen Ryan Ewen

Publisher/Date: Sleeping Bear Press/2018

Ages: 4-8

Themes: biography, ecology, women’s history, nature, art

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):

The art and writing of Gwen Frostic are well known in her home state of Michigan and around the world, but this picture book biography tells the story behind Gwen’s famous work. After a debilitating illness as a child, Gwen sought solace in art and nature. She learned to be persistent and independent–never taking no for an answer or letting her disabilities define her. After creating artwork for famous Detroiters and for display at the World’s Fair and helping to build WWII bombers, Gwen moved to northern Michigan and started her own printmaking business. She dedicated her work and her life to reminding people of the wonder and beauty in nature.

Read a review at GROG blog.

Saving the Countryside: The Story of Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit

Author: Linda Elovitz Marshall

Illustrator: Ilaria Urbinati

Publisher/Date: Little Bee Books/2020

Ages: 5-9

Themes: countryside, rural England, biography, nature, women’s history, famous author/illustrator

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Growing up in London, Beatrix Potter felt the restraints of Victorian times. Girls didn’t go to school and weren’t expected to work. But she longed to do something important, something that truly mattered. As Beatrix spent her summers in the country and found inspiration in nature, it was through this passion that her creativity flourished.

There, she crafted The Tale of Peter Rabbit. She would eventually move to the countryside full-time, but developers sought to change the land. To save it, Beatrix used the money from the success of her books and bought acres and acres of land and farms to prevent the development of the countryside that both she and Peter Rabbit so cherished. Because of her efforts, it’s been preserved just as she left it.

This beautiful picture book shines a light on Beatrix Potter’s lesser-known history and her desire to do something for the greater good.

Read a review at A Mighty Girl.

I paired these books because they both involve women who helped save natural spaces in their later lives. Both were known during their lifetimes first and foremost as artists, and, in the more famous Potter’s case, as an author-illustrator of one of the most famous series of children’s books and perhaps its most famous main character, Peter Rabbit. Whereas Frostic helped save nature by creating artworks directly based on it, Potter used the vast sums she earned from her books to purchase farmlands and open spaces in the English Lakes District to preserve them for future generations.

Looking for similar reads? See Spring After Spring: How Rachel Carson Inspired the Environmental Movement.

 

 

 

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Perfect Pairing – Sudses Up

Posted on May 19, 2020 | Leave a comment

With adults everywhere reminding children (and themselves) to wash hands, not touch faces, and stay clean, I thought these humorous books about bathing may add some fun to the situation.

The Bath of Least Resistance

Author: Gregory E. Bray

Illustrator: Steve Page

Publisher/Date: McLaren-Cochrane Publishing/2017

Ages: 5-8

Themes: pets, bath time, humor, ingenuity

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):

A paint covered puppy.
A brothers unsuccessful attempts to get him clean.
What will it take to get Bogie into the bath?
Or is he destined to remain a colorful pooch forever?

Read a review at Picture Books Help Kids Soar.

 

When Your Lion Needs a Bath

Author: Susanna Leonard Hill

Illustrator: Daniel Wiseman

Publisher/Date: Little Simon, a division of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division/2017

Ages: 2-4

Themes: pets, bath time, humor

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):

When your lion needs a bath, you have to be pretty sneaky! This charming and hilarious board book highlights the many ways to get your lion into that tub!

Does your lion need a bath? When your lion needs a bath, you must be a little sneaky. After all, have you ever met a cat who likes water? So gather up your towels and rubber ducks and get that lion into the tub! But be careful…or you just might end up in the bath, too!

Read a review at Little Red Story Shed.

I paired these books because they add humor to what often seems like a never-ending, messy job, especially as the weather warms and the little ones spend more time playing outdoors. And I think everyone needs some humor in their lives now. Don’t you agree?

 

Looking for similar reads? See When Your Llama Needs a Haircut (Susanna Leonard Hill, Daniel Wiseman/2018)

 

 

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Perfect Pairing of Little Things that Matter Most

Posted on May 5, 2020 | 2 comments

Sometimes it’s the little things that matter the most in life, like time spent together and stew shared. I think today’s picture books capture these things.

Saturday

Author & Illustrator: Oge Mora

Publisher/Date: Little Brown Young Readers, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc/2019

Ages: 4-8

Themes: mother-child relationship, day off, special routines, disappointment, multicultural

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):

In this heartfelt and universal story, a mother and daughter look forward to their special Saturday routine together every single week. But this Saturday, one thing after another goes wrong–ruining storytime, salon time, picnic time, and the puppet show they’d been looking forward to going to all week. Mom is nearing a meltdown…until her loving daughter reminds her that being together is the most important thing of all.

Author-artist Oge Mora’s highly anticipated follow up to Caldecott Honor Thank You, Omu! features the same magnificently radiant artwork and celebration of sharing so beloved in her debut picture book.

Read a review at Kirkus Reviews.

 

Thank You, Omu!

Author & Illustrator: Oge Mora

Publisher/date: Little Brown Young Readers, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc/2018

Ages: 4-8

Themes: kindness, sharing, community, stew, multigenerational, multicultural

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):

A generous woman is rewarded by her community in this remarkable author-illustrator debut that’s perfect for the Thanksgiving season, perfect for fans of Last Stop on Market Street.

Everyone in the neighborhood dreams of a taste of Omu’s delicious stew! One by one, they follow their noses toward the scrumptious scent. And one by one, Omu offers a portion of her meal. Soon the pot is empty. Has she been so generous that she has nothing left for herself?

Debut author-illustrator Oge Mora brings a heartwarming story of sharing and community to life in colorful cut-paper designs as luscious as Omu’s stew, with an extra serving of love. An author’s note explains that “Omu” (pronounced AH-moo) means “queen” in the Igbo language of her parents, but growing up, she used it to mean “Grandma.”

Read my review.

I paired these books because they both capture and celebrate life’s little moments. Saturday recreates a highly anticipated outing shared by a mother and child, but when several things go wrong, the child realizes it’s the time together, not the activities, that matter. In Thank You, Omu! an older woman shares a rich stew with her neighbors. As we’ve hunkered down and have missed so many “important” events, these two picture books by the talented Mora remind us that it’s time spent with family and sharing with others that truly matter. And we haven’t lost these!

 

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Perfect Pairing Stays Home

Posted on April 28, 2020 | Leave a comment

Week six, and counting, at least in my neck of the woods. How’s everyone holding up? Or should I write “holing up”, as we all hole-up in our respective homes? Luckily, before the library closed, I stocked up on quite a few picture books, including the two I’m pairing today about, you guessed it, different houses. Enjoy!

The Full House and the Empty House

Author & Illustrator: LK James

Publisher/Date: Ripple Grove Press/2019

Ages: 4-7

Themes: houses, belongings, differences, inequality, friendship

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):

The Full House and the Empty House are very good friends— when they dance they admire in each other the qualities they lack within themselves. Even though the houses are different on the inside, it doesn’t reflect how they feel on the outside. The bathroom of the full house
was full of many bathroom-y things. There was a big bathtub with gold clawed feet, a sink shaped like a seashell, a hairbrush and comb made of bone, and cakes of lilac soap. In the bathroom of the empty house was just a toilet and a sink. In the evening when the two houses
grew tired of dancing, they would rest on the hillside and look out at the world together.

Read a review at Kirkus Reviews and one by Betsy Bird at School Library Journal.

The One Day House

Author: Julia Durango

Illustrator: Bianca Diaz

Publisher/date: Charlesbridge/2017

Ages: 3-7

Themes: intergenerational, house, beautifying, volunteerism, neighbors

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Wilson dreams of all the ways he can help improve his friend Gigi’s house so that she’ll be warm, comfortable, and happy.
One day, friends and neighbors from all over come to help make Wilson’s plans come true. Everyone volunteers to pitch in to make Gigi’s house safe, clean, and pretty.
Inspired by a friend’s volunteerism, author Julia Durango tells a story of community and togetherness, showing that by helping others we help ourselves. Further information about Labor of Love, United Way, and Habitat for Humanity is included at the end of the book.

Read a review at Kirkus Reviews.

I paired these books because they both explore houses. In The Full House and the Empty House, the houses themselves are the main characters, and, despite their differences, find joy and friendship with each other. By contrast, in The One Day House, young Wilson dreams of how he can fix up his elderly neighbor’s once majestic home and restore its former beauty. Both books provide glimpses into how we inhabit homes, an apt topic as we currently spend so much time in them.

Looking for similar reads? See my recent pairing of Home in the Woods and Home is a Window.

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Perfect Pairing is Abuzz about Bee Books

Posted on April 21, 2020 | 1 comment

It’s Earth Day tomorrow and a month when flowers blossom and insects reappear near my house. To celebrate, I’m pairing two recent non-fiction picture books that focus on a very important creature in our world: the honeybee.

Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera

Author: Candace Fleming

Illustrator: Eric Rohmann

Publisher/Date: Neal Porter Books, an imprint of Holiday House Publishing/2020

Ages: 6-9

Themes: honeybees, nature, nonfiction

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Get up close and personal with Apis, one honeybee, as she embarks on her journey through life, complete with exquisitely detailed illustrations.

Beginning at birth, the honeybee emerges through the wax cap of her cell and is driven to protect and take care of her hive. She cleans the nursery and feeds the larvae and the queen. But is she strong enough to fly? Not yet!

She builds wax comb to store honey, and transfers pollen from other bees into the storage. She defends the hive from invaders. Apis accomplishes all of this before beginning her life outdoors as an adventurer, seeking nectar to bring back to her hive.

Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann describe the life cycle of the hard-working honeybee in this poetically written, thoroughly researched picture book, similar in form and concept to the Sibert and Orbis Pictus award book Giant Squid, complete with stunning gatefold and an essay on the plight of honeybees.

Read a review at The Picture Book Buzz and another by Jilanne Hoffmann.

 

The Honeybee

Author: Kirsten Hall

Illustrator: Isabelle Arsenault

Publisher/Date: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster/2018

Ages: 3-7

Themes: honeybees, nonfiction, nature, rhyming

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Buzz from flower to flower with a sweet honeybee in this timely, clever, and breathtakingly gorgeous picture book from critically acclaimed author Kirsten Hall and award-winning illustrator Isabelle Arsenault.

Bzzz…

What’s that?
Do you hear it?
You’re near it.
It’s closer,
it’s coming,
it’s buzzing,
it’s humming…

A BEE!

With zooming, vibrant verse by Kirsten Hall and buzzy, beautiful illustrations by Isabelle Arsenault, this celebration of the critically important honeybee is a honey-sweet treasure of a picture book.

Read a review at Julie Rowan-Zoch’s blog.

I paired these books because they explore the same topic in different ways. In Honeybee, Fleming and Rohmann get up close to one honeybee and recount her life in minute detail. This reader, and reviewers, have noted that it feels like you’re inhabiting the hive with Apis as the tension builds to the day Apis flies. In contrast, The Honeybee is a rhyming picture book, suitable for younger readers, that encourages readers to follow along with a flying honeybee, as she zooms through fields, pollinating as she flies, and then returns to her hive. Both books contain back matter, useful for further research about these fascinating and important insects.

 

 

 

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Perfect Pairing – of Dog Rescue Books

Posted on April 14, 2020 | 2 comments

As the mother of a rescue pup, Sadie, and the grandmother to rescue pup, Gracie (who I haven’t even met in person yet), I know how much these pups are loved and needed, especially during this prolonged period of stay-at-home mandates. I also know how much we all enjoy reading heartwarming fur-ever home tales, like the ones I’m pairing here!

 

Mr. Scruff 

Author & Illustrator: Simon James

Publisher/Date: Candlewick Press/2019

Ages: 5-8

Themes: dogs; rescue; names; pets; companionship

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):

A sweetly silly story of a little boy and a dog who make an unlikely (but perhaps perfect) pair.

Everyone knows that owners and their dogs belong together in a unique way. Polly belongs to Molly, Eric belongs to Derek, Berry belongs to Terry. But poor Mr. Scruff, alone in the rescue shelter, doesn’t belong to anyone. Then a boy named Jim walks in, and they seem to get along. Jim and Mr. Scruff don’t look anything alike, and their names certainly don’t rhyme, but they may end up belonging to each other just the same. From author-illustrator Simon James comes a warm, winning story about friendship and finding a home.

Read a review at Julie Rowan-Zoch’s blog.

Toby

Author & Illustrator: Hazel Mitchell

Publisher/Date: Candlewick Press/2016

Ages: 4-6

Themes: dogs; rescue; moving house; pets

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):

A heartwarming story about the growing bond between a child and a new pet—inspired by the author’s experience with a rescue dog of the same name.

When a young boy and his father move from one house to another, they decide to adopt a dog from the local rescue shelter. But their chosen dog, Toby, is having a tough time adjusting to his new life outside the shelter—howling all night, hiding fearfully from his new humans, forgetting where to go to the bathroom, and chasing a ball through the flower bed. The boy has promised to train his new companion, and he’s trying his best, but Dad is starting to get exasperated. Will Toby ever feel comfortable with his new family and settle into his forever home, or will Dad decide he’s not the right dog for them after all?

Read a review at Children’s Books Heal.

I paired these books because both involve bringing a new dog into the family and figuring out how that dog and its boy belong together. In sweet rhyming text, Mr. Scruff shows how one young boy and one older dog may be the perfect match. In Toby, it’s clear that a new puppy is just what one lonely little boy needs to help settle into his new home.

Looking for similar reads?

See my Rescue Dog Perfect Pairing from 2019; Found. (Jeff Newman & Larry Day, 2018); and The Story of Moose: How a Big Dog on a Little Island Found Love…After Nearly 5 Years in a Shelter (Laurie Damron, 2016).

 

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Perfect Pairing – of Bible Stories

Posted on April 7, 2020 | 2 comments

I decided to deviate from my usual pairing of two picture books this week. Why, you ask? When you see the book I’m highlighting, I think you’ll understand my reason.

Tomie dePaola’s Book of Bible Stories

Text from the New International Version of the Bible

Illustrator: Tomie dePaola

Publisher/Date: Puffin Books, part of the Penguin Group/1990

Ages: 3 and up

Themes: Bible, religion, Judaism, Christianity

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Lovingly illustrated by award-winning artist Tomie dePaola, this stunning collection of stories brings some of the most memorable and significant figures in the Old and New Testaments to life. Adam and Eve, Abraham and Moses, Peter, John, and Jesus are all vividly portrayed in wonderful detail. The original Bible text captures all of the drama of the best-loved stories from the Bible, including Noah and the flood, Jonah’s encounter with a great fish, and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Here is a beautiful collection of Bible stories, perfect for gift-giving.

Read a review at Kirkus Reviews.

 I chose this collection of Bible stories as a way to celebrate the life of the late, great Tomie dePaola, who passed away last week, and to celebrate Passover and Holy Week this week. I think Tomie will be in many of our thoughts and prayers during these holiday seasons. I know he’s in mine.

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