We Are Brothers, written by Yves Nadon and illustrated by Jean Claverie. Creative Editions, Raincoast. $24.99 ages 4 and up

"Every summer, at our family's lake house, my big brother and I swim to the rock.

Every year, he jumps off, as I watch and cheer, too afraid to even try.

This morning, while my brother and I were walking to the water, he told me it was time. I was big enough. "It's your turn now." Not now, I thought."

As we celebrate the arrival of spring, I have two books that I would like to tell you about today. Both speak to the power of nature to impact our days, and our lives.

In the first, two brothers replay a yearly summer event ... the swim to the rock. Each year the older one climbs up and jumps off. The younger cheers him on while he watches from the water below. This year is different. This year, they will both jump.

Off they go. Sure enough, the older one does what he has done every year.

"With force and grace, my
brother had flung himself
into the air. He always 
made everything look so
easy. He is cat. He is bird.
He is fish."

Should he? Could he? Not wanting to show how fearful he truly is, the younger brother climbs a clear path to the top of the rock. Standing there, he is not so sure.

"Breath. Heart. Breath, breath, heart.
Breath
breath
breath.
My brother's eyes ...
Heart.

Now!"

Told with joy and love, and illustrated with wonder, this is a book that is sure to become a favorite read for many. It is a story that has courage, love and family at its heart. One brother's belief in the other gives the confidence needed to overcome fear and take that plunge.
                                                                      

Mort Ziff Is Not Dead, by Cary Fagan. Puffin, Penguin Random House. 2017. $18.99 ages 8 and up

"Mort Ziff?"
"You've never heard of him?
I guess you're too young. Mort Ziff
was a famous comedian. He played
all the big nightclubs. He had his
own radio show, back before there
was television. And then when
television came, he used to be a
guest on The Milton Berle Show.
I remember that he moved out here -
they used to call him the Mayor ... "

It is 1965 when Norman enters a shopping mall contest and wins! The prize is one thousand dollars, and Norman's parents agree that the money is his to do with as he pleases. No one else will have a say in how he chooses to spend it. True to their word, they let him make the decision to take the whole family (his parents, his two older brothers, and himself) to Miami Beach at Christmas time. Norman wants to see the ocean, and to enjoy the sunshine!

Their home for the week is the Royal Palm Hotel, and it is pretty special - for a few reasons. Opulent and comfortable, boasting proximity to ocean waves, terrific food, and a slew of other guests. Among them is a family from New Jersey - the Horvaths. The irony is that the Horvath family has three girls, all matching the ages of the Fishbein boys. Rivals from the beginning, they are soon immersed in attempts to outdo the others. Norman and Amy, the youngest of the siblings, do not want any part of the constant bickering and strike up a friendship which they keep secret.

Entertainment in the dining room is provided by Mort Ziff, an aging comedian. Norman and Amy have a mutual admiration for the old man, enjoying his dry humor. When his spot in the dining room is usurped by a Beatles wannabe band, the two take action. They arrange with the outlandish owner of the hotel to have Mort perform in the coffee shop, a little-used small restaurant in the hotel. Wanting it to be a success so that Mort can continue working and living at the Royal Balm, they enlist the help of their siblings to advertise his gig. Good for them!

This is a funny, fast read. I love the old-timey family feel of it. It is cleverly written, very entertaining, and tender. Norman's first person voice gives the story heart. Mort Ziff is stand-out and makes for many enduring moments. Read it aloud to your family or share it in your classroom. You will not be sorry.

Here's proof that Mort is not dead!

"So tell me, how's the food? I ate here about ten years ago. But I'm better now, thank you.

I went to the shoe store today. The salesman tried to put a shoe on me. He said, 'You sure have a very large foot.' I said, 'I know, but it was the only way I could match the other one.'

I ran into a man I know. He said, 'You know, when my wife and I had our baby he was very cute. But as he gets older he gets a little uglier every day.' I said, 'Well, did you expect him to look like you all at once?'"

Islandborn, by Junot Diaz and illustrated by Leo Espinosa. Dial, Penguin Random House. 2018. $23.99 ages 5 and up

"Lola had always wanted to remember the Island, but no matter how hard she tried she never could. It was like a familiar word just at the tip of her tongue, but instead of a word this was an entire world! Lola closed her eyes and tried to recall anything about the Island but nothing came up. She kept trying all through the school day ... "

Who wouldn't want to meet this little girl? She exudes happiness and warmth. The title page places her story in the neighborhood of Washington Heights in New York City. The first two lines tell us everything we need to know about it.

"Every kid in Lola's school was from somewhere else. Hers was the school of faraway places."

In Leo Espinosa's opening double page spread, we can see just how welcoming a place it is, as parents and children make their way to the school's open front door. Ms. Obi has an assignment for her students; one that they can work on at school and at home - it is due tomorrow. The classroom erupts with excitement. Everyone is talking about the place they were born and the memories they will share it their assigned drawings. Everyone that is but Lola. She has no memory bank to draw from; she left the Dominican Republic as a baby, too young to remember anything about it. Through careful questioning and support from her teacher, Lola is able to make a plan.

Because she cannot remember a thing about her island home, she looks to her community to help her understand what is so special about it. Each person she talks with has a very specific story to share - the music, the colors, the food, the people. From her building superintendent she hears the other side of the story. He tells her of a time of great fear and endless sadness when a 'monster' (dictator Rafael Trujillo) held power, and how difficult it was for so many to resist his overpowering hold on their homeland. Their stories are all Lola needs to fire her imagination and provide incentive to create a drawing that makes her proud, and impresses her fellow students.

Lola is as delightful a character as her island home is beautiful. Her diligence and need to know about
La Isla fill her head with images that make their way onto to her drawing paper. As her family, friends, and neighbors tell their stories, her pride in her birth country swells until she is ready to share a very important discovery.

 "Just because you don’t remember a place doesn’t mean it’s not in you.”

Leo Espinosa has filled the book's many pages with energetic, detailed mixed-media illustrations that offer a sense of the pride felt for their island home and the beauty found there.
                                                                    

 
https://www.npr.org/player/embed/591732716/592823661

https://www.cbs.com/shows/cbs_this_morning/video/gwX3_rc06RdFkH5e_4dYX9c6TKBT7glO/junot-d-az-on-new-children-s-book-islandborn-/

Willy and the Cloud, written and illustrated by Anthony Browne. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House.. 2107. $22.99 ages 5 and up

"This cloud is awful, thought
Willy. How can I get rid of it?
The room was getting darker
and darker, so he turned on
the light and closed the curtains.

After a couple of hours, Willy
nervously peered out of the
window. "Fantastic - it's gone!" he shouted."

I have always been a fan of Anthony Browne and his wonderful books. I eagerly await anything new, and am happy to share this one today.

In clear and candid text, Mr. Browne speaks to a wide audience about worry and fears. The cloud that dogs Willy represents so much of what children are dealing with in today's world. It is an emotional time and place. Readers will see themselves in Willy's worry.

Although his day begins comfortably, he soon finds himself consumed with the cloud that suddenly appears in the sky, first as a tiny one and then exponentially bigger. He does his best to outrun it, and thinks that he has. Not so. At the park, on the way home, outside his window, it is always there.

He tries to tell the police. They laugh. He does his best to avoid its presence. Fussing about it changes nothing. Exasperated, he charges outside, yells loudly and tells it what he thinks of it. FINALLY - it does what clouds are meant to do. Following a soothing and refreshing rain, Willy heads out to enjoy the rest of his day.

The illustrations are signature Anthony Browne. Created in mixed media, and filled with color reflecting the mood in each spread, they help young children understand just how debilitating fears can be, and how facing those fears makes a difference. I love the spread that shows Willy dancing around a light post in the rain! Trigger any memories for you?
                                                                           

Bloom: A Story of Fashion Designer Elsa Schiaparelli, written by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Julie Morstad. tundra, Penguin Random House, 2018. $21.00 ages 9 and up

"Ideas are everywhere I look:
among the books in my father's
library, among the trunks of
dresses and objects belonging to
my mother in the attic.

I am an explorer, a circus
performer, and even the night sky.
Dress up. Pretend. Make believe.
The world seems brighter."

What a beautiful tribute to Elsa Schiaparelli this is! Following their first book together, Julia, Child (2014), this talented team now consider the life of the highly influential and original fashion designer who took the world by storm with her imagination and love of color - especially 'shocking pink'.

Born at the very end of the 19th century to parents who favored her older sister, it wasn't long until Elsa was ignoring the doom and gloom of the family home and basking in the outdoor colors of Rome. Her quiet nature, her love of color and her inquisitive mind led her to ask questions of herself, even at a young age.

"Will I ever be as pretty as a peony,
as confident as a daisy?

A seed seller pins a flower to my dress.
It is strange but wonderful.

He has given me AN IDEA."

Few children would ever consider such an idea. "Schiap' immediately went home to plant flower seeds in her ears, mouth and nose! It was not a good plan; but, it led to the discovery of her own 'wild imagination'. A visit to Milan and her uncle Giovanni, also a dreamer, gives Elsa the courage to be herself and use her artist's eye to see her world through a different lens. What is missing in her pursuit of fame in fashion is money.

Dressmaking brings her much joy, and eventually supportive friendships with other artists who are looking for success and fame. At 37, she opens her own shop and the rest is history, told beautifully here.

"I say NO to the expected.

I say YES to my childhood dreams and the
colors that once fed me: scarlet, mauve,
periwinkle, green ...

and PINK!"

Just as Kyo Maclear impresses her audience with a first person voice and the angst that pushes 'Schiap' to find a meaningful life doing what makes her happy and successful, Julie Morstad dazzles with her stunning detailed illustrations, created using liquid watercolor, gouache, and pencil crayons. There are so many spreads that will startle and delight readers, while giving a real sense of this admired designer, her life, her loves, and her superb talent.

Back matter includes notes from both author and illustrator, a list of endnotes, and sources and further reading for those intrigued enough to learn about a true fashion icon.
                                                                           

Cloth Lullaby: The Woven Life of Louise Bourgeois, words by Amy Novesky and pictures by Isabelle Arsenault. Abrams. 2016. $22.95 ages 8 and up

"Among tapestries neatly stacked like books in a library, Louise's mother taught her daughter about form and color and the various styles of textiles. Some bore elaborate patterns; others told stories. She taught her about the warp and the weft, and how to weave. The tools of their trade: spiral-shaped spindles, spools of wool, and a needle."

Today, two books today about artists. Louise Bourgeois, of French and American heritage, was born into a family of restorers - of tapestries. As she watched her mother work diligently at the work she loved to do, Louise noted her great love and patience. In fact, she imagined her mother a spider, with each of the traits that make them so unique.

"She loved to work in the warm sun, her needle rising and falling beside the lilting river, perfect, delicate spiderwebs glinting with caught drops of water above her."

Louise lived a creative life filled with drama and often sadness. She learned the art of restoration at her mother's side, starting when she was 12. Her father did not work with tapestries, and was often absent. A move to Paris led to mathematical studies. She loved the order inherent in the work she was doing. While there studying her mother died suddenly, leaving Louise without her best friend.

She then applied all that she had learned so far to her art. It led to sculpture and her concentration on spiders made from varied materials - bronze, steel, and marble. Spiders reminded her again of her mother - "a repairer of broken things.'  She continued working ...

"With the remaining fabric of her life,
Louise wove together a cloth lullaby.
She wove the river that raised her -
Maternal pinks, blues in watery hues.
She wove a mother sewing in the sun,
A girl falling asleep beneath the stars,
And everything she ever loved."

And speaking of artists - Isabelle Arsenault uses all of her many magnificent talents in mixed media collages to fully complement Amy Novesky's exquisite language and bring attention to the color, scope and influences that dominate Ms. Bourgeois' life's work.

An author's note is included, as well as archival photographs, quotes and sources.
                                                                      

Petra, by Marianna Coppo. Tundra, Random House. 2018. $21.00 ages 4 and up

"Nothing can move me.

Not the wind.

Not time.

I don't go anywhere.

Everyone comes to me."

Just exactly what is Petra? Little ones will take great pleasure in trying to guess her identity. By watching the artwork, and hearing what she says about herself, the guesses might be even be wide-ranging. Cold, wet weather doesn't bother her, so long as she has her scarf. It appears she lived at the time of the dinosaurs. She even seems to have a small village perched atop her head. What is she?

She finally shares with her audience:

"I am strong.

I'm a fearsome, fearless,

mighty, magnificent mountain!"

True?

A series of wordless pages offers a different perspective. Will her confidence be compromised?  No! She just rewrites her own story, again and then again. Never losing her certainty that she is something very special, Petra teaches a lesson that should sit well with each one of us.

We are what we are, and we should be happy with what change brings.

The story is carefully constructed in language sure to appeal to our youngest readers. Petra embodies adaptation, always with grace and charm.  Ms. Coppo uses tempera, pastels and digital collage to create the emotional twists and turns in her story, always with slight changes in expression and eye movement. White space ensures that little ones understand the changes in size that occur, almost by magic.

Joyful and uplifting, this is a book that needs to be read out loud ... loud and proud. I can't wait to share it!
                                                                         

Red Sky at Night, text and illustrations by Elly MacKay. Tundra, Penguin Random House. 2018. $21.99 all ages

"Long ago, here and far away, people looked for clues in nature to predict the weather. They learned from experience by watching the shapes of clouds or noticing the behavior of animals. This wisdom was passed down ..."

Elly MacKay, whose magnificent artwork has graced the pages of If You Hold a Seed (2013), Shadow Chasers (2014), Fall Leaves (2014), Butterfly Park (2015), Maya (2016), Beach Baby (2016), Waltz of the Snowflakes (2017), and Forest Baby (2018), does it again in this ingenious book concerning many familiar weather sayings.

She begins by asking her audience what they know about weather, and whether they have a saying that describes it. From page to page, she adds a new prediction and accompanies each with her signature cut out images placed in a diorama before each is lit and photographed. It is quite an amazing process. You can see her work here:

https://youtu.be/XvPqxFhKyE0

We share the journey from one image to the next with a man (perhaps a grandfather) and two children as they spend time together and explore the beauty of nature. They spend time fishing, swimming, camping, sailing, and encountering weather fair and foul. It is quite the trip.

Readers may or may not have heard each of the sayings - I had not. As their overnight camping experience enters its second day, they take notice that all nature is pointing toward bad weather. It is  the encouragement they need to make tracks for home, and none too soon.

"Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning!

Trout jump high when rain is nigh.

Hear the whistle of the train?
'Tis a sign it's going to rain."
                                                                          

Libba: The Magnificent Musical Life of Elizabeth Cotten. Written by Laura Veirs and illustrated by Tatyana Fazlalizadeh. Chronicle, Raincoast. 2018. $24.99 ages 6 and up

"When her brother Claude was at work, Libba snuck into his room and borrowed his guitar. "Dang!" she whispered. Claude was right-handed. Libba was not. She turned the guitar upside down and played it backwards. It was kind of like brushing your teeth with your foot. Or tying a shoe with one hand. Nobody else played that way, but it was the way that felt right ...  "

As a child Elizabeth Cotten felt music from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Her everyday life was filled with sounds that were music to her ears.

"She heard it in the river when she brought in water for her mother. She heard it in the ax when she chopped wood for kindling. She heard it in the freight trains moving down the tracks near her home."

She loved to play her brother's guitar when he was not at home. When he moved out and there was no guitar to play, Libba went to work doing what she could to earn money to buy one of her own. Five months later she had the $3.75 she needed to buy it. She played it endlessly, even writing her first song before she was 13!

Then life got in the way;  it wasn't until she was a grandmother working in a department store that fate stepped in and offered a new musical path. Helping a little lost girl find her mother led Libba to meeting Ruth Crawford Seeger. The two hit it off, and soon Libba was hired as housekeeper for that musical family.

"You could hear banjos in the bedrooms, pianos in the parlor, and bass drums in the basement."

Once the family was witness to Libba's musical talent, they got the word out. Finally, Libba was able to share her gift with people around the world in concert performances.

Using graphite and digital color, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh creates images dominated by the guitar Libba so loved, and the music that spoke to her soul. I appreciated how she used a train to show Libba passing through various periods of her life, as a train was such an important part of the music she heard around her when she was a child.

A lengthy author's note chronicles Libba's life, and shares the author's keen interest in her subject. Works cited include websites, videos, interviews, recordings and liner notes.

https://youtu.be/43-UUeCa6Jw

Who Says Women Can't Be Computer Programmers, written by Tanya Lee Stone and illustrated by Marjorie Priceman. Henry Holt and Company, Macmillan. Raincoast. 2018. $26.99 ages 10 and up

"This was a major turning point for Ada. She was excited to realize that math and imagination did not have to be opposites - as her mother had wanted so desperately to impress on her - they actually went together! Ada saw in Charles a person with whom she could discuss ideas. A great friendship started to grow. Dozens of letters began ... "

In her first book in this series, Tanya Lee Stone asked Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors? (about Elizabeth Blackwell). In this brand new book, she introduces readers to Ada Lovelace, daughter of Lord and Lady Byron. Lady Byron was concerned about her daughter's imagination, thinking it a detriment. It connected her to a father who left early in Ada's life and was not seen again.

"Lady Byron decided the best way to make sure Ada didn't grow up to have a wild imagination like her father was to train her to think like a mathematician, so she hired tutors for Ada from the time she was four."

Ada's other interests included "drawing, writing, singing and playing the piano and violin."

Her imagination led her on many flights of fancy, all disapproved of by her mother who only wanted her to marry well. At one such gathering meant to introduce Ada to proper society, she met Charles Babbage, an inventor with a fine mind. The two of them talked endlessly, sharing ideas and empowering Ada to find her own voice concerning mathematical discoveries. Writing about Babbage's Analytical Machine, and imagining how it could really work, brought recognition today as the first computer programmer.

"Charles never raised the money he needed for his invention, but if the Analytical Machine had been built at the time, it is quite possible that the entire age of computers would have begun more than one hundred years earlier than it did. And in large part we would have Ada, with her brain of a mathematician and her imagination of a poet, to thank."

Marjorie Priceman's soaring gouache illustrations fill the pages with details concerning the setting, the historical period, the joy Ada found in learning, and the imaginative wonder that was part of her being.

Should you want to learn more about this deserving woman, here are a few books to check out.

Ada's Ideas by Fiona Robinson (Abrams, 2016)

Ada Lovelace: Poet of Science by Diane Stanley (Simon & Schuster, 2016)

Ada Lovelace by Isabel Sanchez Vegara (Frances Lincoln, 2018)

Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine by Laurie Wallmark (Creston Books, 2015)

Write to Me: Letters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind. Written by Cynthia Grady and illustrated by Amiko Hirao. Charlesbridge, Penguin Random House. 2016. $19.99 ages 7 and up

"The US government thought Katherine and all people of Japanese heritage living on the West Coast could be dangerous. They looked like an enemy of the United States in a complicated war halfway around the world, so the government ordered that they be imprisoned. Miss Breed gave Katherine a stamped, addressed penny postcard ... "

We have all heard stories of the Japanese internment following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. In Canada and the United States, governments made the hasty decision that all people of Japanese descent were a potential enemy to their country, and they removed them from their homes and communities to isolated locations where they lived out the duration of the war.

It is hard for any of us to imagine what it was like for those families and their children. Clara Breed loved and empowered all the children who visited the San Diego public library where she was librarian, offering guidance for book choice and encouraging their passion for reading. So, when some of the children who were regular visitors were forced to move away, she wrote to and received letters from many of them. Those letters made a connection to the lives they led before the war made them prisoners.

Ms. Breed sent books, postcards and art supplies, wrote letters to the children and to those who had put them in those camps. She sought justice from an unjust system. The letters are housed at the Japanese American National Museum and speak to the power of books to make life better. Many quotes from the children's correspondence are included on the pages of this uplifting  book.

"Dear Miss Breed,

I was overwhelmed with joy to see
the books when the postman
opened the package for inspection.
Thank you, Miss Breed, Thank you!

Very sincerely yours,
Louise Ogawa"

"Dear Miss Breed,

We have one large shower
and one large laundry room.
We certainly don't see how
they expect over 16,000
people to be clean and also
have their clothes clean.

Yours truly,
Fusa"

Archival photographs with informative captions are featured on front and back endpapers. Colored pencils are used to create the soft, sepia-toned artwork that shows the conditions in the camps, the joy the children felt when books and postcards arrived, and the uncertainty that awaited them at the end of the war. An author's note, a timeline of important dates in Ms. Breed's life, a short history of the people who came from Japan to live in the USA, source notes, a bibliography, and books for further reading extend the learning.

Teachers and parents wanting to know more about Miss Breed should check at the library for Dear Miss Breed by Joanne Oppenheim (Scholastic, 2006). It is also worth your attention.

Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and LInes, written by Jeanne Walker Harvey and illustrated by Dow Phumiruk. Henry Holt and Company, Macmillan. Raincoast, 2017. $24.99 ages 8 and up

"One day when Maya looked at the patterns of light and lines on the ceiling of her college library, she imagined she would become an architect who created buildings with art, science, and math."

It constantly amazes me to see the number of quite remarkable picture book biographies being published today. As I was looking through the ones I had piled up to share while honoring women this past week, I was quite surprised to see how that stack had grown. We have good reason to celebrate those who have accomplished exceptional work in their field, and I want to tell you a little bit about one more of them.

It recognizes the Chinese-American artist who created the design for the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial. As a child, Maya Lin loved to play in the woods near her home, and often spent hours in silence, watching the wild animals who lived there. She even held out a hope to tame them. At home, she and her brother enjoyed chess, art and doing what made her happy.

Her parents, artists themselves, encouraged Maya's ability to learn. In her last year at college, she decided to put that learning and artistic ability to work by entering a contest to design a memorial honoring those who had died in the Vietnam War. She visited the site where the memorial would stand. Everything she felt about the soldiers, the space and the reason for the contest led her to a design that was accepted from a strong group of 1,421 entries.

What an accomplishment and what a furor it caused. Despite many objections, Maya remained true to her vision. Work began.

"The first time Maya visited
the finished wall, she searched
for the name of the father of a friend.        
When she touched the name, she cried,
just as she knew others would."

Since that day, many thousands of people have visited - seeing, touching, remembering those who gave their lives. The memorial was only the beginning for Maya. She has gone on to work on many different projects, all with the same wish for those who visit.

"Each piece  is different,
but all share Maya's vision.
She wants people to be
a part of the art. Look. Touch. Read.
Walk around. Sit by. Think about."

This book is a quiet celebration of the artist-architect's work, and gives readers a real sense of what she has accomplished, including being inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame, and being awarded the National Medal of Arts. 

Detailed artwork offers varying perspectives, clean lines, and the wonder that Maya Lin saw around her. An author's note follows the clear and impressive text.

Mary's Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created FRANKENSTEIN, written and illustrated by Lita Judge. Roaring Brook Press, Macmillan. 2018. $28.99 ages 14 and up

"A SPECIAL CURSE

Banished,
outcast,
rejected
forever.

There is a special curse
reserved for girls
who dare to run away
without a wedding ring."

What a glorious, and heartbreaking, introduction to Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley this is! It is a departure for Lita Judge from her much admired picture books. For five years Ms. Judge has researched and crafted a brilliant novel in verse about a teenage girl living in 19th century England. What was it in her life that led her to write the fascinating story of Frankenstein, first of its kind and a book that remains popular even today?

Written in first person, readers follow the events and experiences that fueled Mary's imagination and gave her inspiration to write. Working diligently through considerable sources, Ms. Judge follows  Mary from 1812 through to the publication of her first book in 1817, at a time when she could not even be named author because of gender bias. It is a harrowing journey.

Mary, at 16, is ousted from the family home for her relationship with Percy Bysshe Shelley. She is a teenager, deeply in love at first sight, and pregnant with his child. Their relationship does not sit well with the mores of society, and the two are plagued by poverty, grief, and misfortune.

"Father promised
freedom, love, equality
for women.

But for me, it seems,
he has locked the door
to any future
beyond selling books."

The many struggles, untimely deaths, Shelley's dalliances with other women, his cruelty and mental illness are woven though Mary's story and help readers understand how such a young woman could write her most celebrated work. Knowing  more about the times she was living in helps to explain why she remained in that relationship ... she had few options, and she loved him.

Written in nine sections, paralleling  the nine months it took to 'give birth' to Frankenstein, the book is illustrated using a combination of pencil, watercolor, ink and digital techniques. The realistic black-and-white images evoke all of the emotions felt as Mary lived her life - fear, sadness, love, passion, anger, agonizing grief. Realistic and innovative, it will attract readers with its exceptional design, and distinct format.

The introduction, the prologue and epilogue (written in Frankenstein's voice), further notes about Mary and her times, an author's note, concise notes on each of the characters and a list of the books they were reading at the time, source notes and a bibliography speak to the dedication Ms. Judge had for her research and this remarkable story.

I will leave the final words to her; they are taken from an interview with Julie Donaldson: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/breathing-life-mary-shelley/

"By using free verse and full-bleed art, this is not just a novel in verse or a graphic novel. It is part biography, part visual fantasy, and part feminist allegory. I also wanted readers to emotionally connect with this remarkable young woman. I thought poems paired with art could accomplish this best."                                                                      

https://player.vimeo.com/video/224856678

Not Your Princess: Voices of Native American Women. Edited by LIsa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale. Annick Press, 2017. $14.95 ages 16 and up

"What are you?
Excuse me?
You don't look all white.
I'm Indigenous.
Oh, well what kind of Native
are you?
Cree.
You don't really look it.
I am also Scottish and Metis
on my dad's side.
Were you raised on a reserve?"

Francine Cunningham describes her conversation with a massage therapist, and goes on:

"No, I was raised in the city.
Oh, well, I guess you're not a real one then, right?
...
What do you do?
I'm a student.
High school upgrading?
No, I'm getting my master's degree.
Well, good thing you got the taxpayers to pay for it,
right? Wish I could go to school for free.
...
Anyways, I guess you're one of the good ones, right?
What?
Well, you're not a drunk or anything, good for you.
...
Okay, turn over, let me get to your back."

Read that again, and then again.

This amazing book offers a look at the Indigenous experience from the point of view of women, young and older. It is a diverse collection; as diverse as the women whose work is included. Artwork, poetry, photography, news articles, op-eds, and memoir all find their way onto its pages, informing and enlightening readers.

Fifty-eight women have made contributions, and their vocations are as varied as can be: athletes, filmmakers, politicians, students, elders, artists, environmentalists, actors, photographers, physicians, and businesswomen. Their accomplishments, the obstacles they have faced, their life experiences and their hopes for the future are presented in four sections, beginning with The Ties That Bind Us. Their bonds with family memories and lessons are presented in various ways.

In the second section, It Could Have Been Me, the artists explore their many fears about becoming one of the missing and/or murdered Indigenous women. They also show concern for the actions and mindset that have led them to being victims.

"I don't want to be afraid
"All over the news there are Native girls being
hurt and abused. I feel afraid when I walk
around. But I don't want to be afraid.
I want to have good energy."
             -Imajyn Cardinal (Cree/Dene)

The third section is titled I Am Not Your Princess. It explores media that does not value the culture of Indigenous people, by stereotyping and negative representation. There is sadness, anger, and bewilderment.

"I've finished my lunch. I walk alone out of
the dorm cafeteria. The smell of fries and other
processed foods lingers in the air. I walk out the
door and down the paved sidewalk to my next class.
I have SURVIVED INVISIBILITY."
                                 -Cecelia Rose La Pointe (Ojibway/Metis) 

And finally, Pathfinders is a celebration of strong women who lead with distinction, honor, and hard work. Their stories are emotional, inspiring and worthy of attention.

It is a book written to speak of what has been, what is now, and where the future might lead. The design is dramatic, authentic, and full of observation and wisdom. It provokes thought and causes readers to reflect and consider alternate ways of looking at diversity, history and identity. You should read it, and then share it!

Dear Girl, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Paris Rosenthal. Illustrated by olly Hatam. Harper, 2017. $21.99 ages 3 and up

"Dear Girl,
Sometimes you may feel like
being pink and sparkly.

Sometimes you many feel
pretty much the opposite.

Dear Girl,
Look at yourself in the mirror .
Say thank you to something
that makes you YOU."

It's been a year since Amy Krouse Rosenthal's untimely death. Her family, friends, and people around the world have been keeping strong her memory in acts of kindness that are inspirational and infinite. Her last book was a collaboration written with her daughter, Paris.

Together, they have penned a string of quick letters, offering advice and encouragement to go forward with pride and strength. It is a lovely reminder to those who read it that a book can lift you up, at any time and for any reason.

Thoughtful, protective, aware, kind, tenacious; readers will find themselves (at one time or another) in its pages, and hopefully open to taking the important advice given. It is what parents want for each of their children.

It's sad to think that we need to remind those children on a daily basis of their strengths, their unique abilities, their place in the world. This book helps them love who they are.

"Dear Girl,

There are no rules about what to wear
or how to cut
your hair."

https://www.today.com/video/beloved-author-amy-krouse-rosenthal-s-daughter-carries-on-her-legacy-1132712515722

When Sophie Thinks She Can't ... written and illustrated by Molly Bang. Schoastic, 2018. $22.99 ages 4 and up

"Sophie's sister walks by.

She moves the pieces,
and suddenly they
all fit perfectly.

"Too bad you're not smart,"
says her sister.

And she walks away."

Poor Sophie! She wears her heart on her sleeve, and her emotions come quickly to prominence. I have been sharing her books since 1999 when I read When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry for the first time. And then again with When Sophie's Feelings Are Really, Really Hurt (2015). So, I was excited to see this new book about solving problems and not feeling very smart. Each and every one of the three books speak to young children about the authenticity of their feelings and encourages them to persevere.

Sophie is really discouraged about her inability to solve puzzles. She knows she can't do them, and that math is not her strong suit. Her sister just told her so. Her teacher encourages her students who are finding a given assignment difficult.

"You haven't
figured it
out ...

YET. 

Keep working!
Keep trying
and you will."    

Sophie and her partners find their own unique ways to solve the puzzle presented! On her way home from school, Sophie delights in her newfound skill, and uses that spirit to help her father with a difficult project. Once she thinks she can do it, she is on a roll.

I love Molly Bang's signature art for Sophie's stories. Bright, busy and full of detail, young readers will find much that is familiar to them. The expressions are well-known to those who have seen Sophie's struggles and her determination.

I Can Be Anything! Don't Tell Me I Can't. Written and illustrated by Diane Dillon. Blue Sky Press, Scholastic. 2018. $23.99 ages 4 and up

"No, I'm not. I'm bigger than
you. Maybe I'll be a scientist
and discover things, or I'll be
an inventor and build a robot
that will talk louder than you -
so I won't hear you."

The voice was quiet for a
while.

"I'll be a veterinarian and help ... "

Zoe is not afraid to dream, and to voice those dreams for her future. Nothing is going to get in her way. The voice has something to say about that:

"What if you fall? said a little voice."

"What if you can't get home? said the voice.

"What if you get homesick?
You're too little, said the voice."

Zoe is tenacious, and imaginative. She is not too little. She will not fall. Always, that little voice to make her stop and think ... but, she won't give up her dream of being anything she wants to be. That voice won't stop her. Zoe gives young readers pause to consider what they want for their future. In the end, she knows exactly what she must do.

" ... but first I have to learn to read ...
and read ... and read! And I'll read books
about all the things I can be.
Don't tell me I can't!"

In this first book to be both written and illustrated by Diane Dillon, she brings Zoe into scenes filled with detail and placed on thick white framed borders. Each little scenario shows a confident, thoughtful little girl making her way in a world of imagination and delight.

Before She Was Harriet, written by Lesa Cline-Ransome and illustrated by James Ransome. Holiday House, Thomas Allen & Son. 2017. 25.99 ages 5 and up

"Before she was a
Union spy
she was a nurse
caring for those
with bullets
and hatred
and fear
tending to them
with bandages
and words
in the bloodied dirt ... "

Harriet Tubman is a familiar name to most of us. What I love about this picture book biography is that Lesa Cline-Ransome begins at the end of her life, when she is on board a train. From there she moves back in time to chronicle all of the amazing roles Harriet played in her long life. She was a union spy, an Underground Railroad conductor (perhaps her most noted work), a nurse, a suffragist, a guide for her parents to safety in Canada, and a slave herself. She is known by many names - Araminta, Minty, Moses, Aunt Harriet, General Tubman and finally, Harriet.

Harriet was not allowed to ride a train in her early life, so it is fitting that she now can do so, although it remains a segregated means of travel for her. It is impressive that the train ride begins and ends the book, with a slight change in the text on the final page. Wonderful!

James Ransome uses watercolors to show readers what a truly special woman Harriet Tubman was. Through his detailed double page spreads the audience is witness to her compassion, her resolve, and resourcefulness, and her belief in better days. Once a young girl, strong and determined, she remains near the end of her life as regal and iconic as she ever was.

"as Minty
as Araminta
who dreamed
of living long enough
to one day
be old
stiff and achy
tired and worn and wrinkled
and free "

Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World. By Susan Hood and illustrated by 13 Extraordinary Women. Harper, 2018. $23.99 ages 8 and up

"...
fourteen months later,
unbeknownst to jacqueline,
her younger sister, eileen (just 22),
flies into france
in the dark of night
into "a life in the shadows,"
code name - rose
her job - wireless operator
in paris's "wizard" network
tap-tap-tapping morse code ... "

13 amazing and distinguished women artists create the brilliant images that enhance Susan Hood's
spare biographies of 14 exceptional women. If you are like me, some of the women will be familiar and others will not be, and you may not recognize each of the illustrators. You will come away from the reading content that you know more than you did when you sat down with this uplifting book.

Starting off with a timeline that begins in the early 1780s and winds its way through to 2014 when Malala Yousafzai accepts the Nobel Peace Prize, readers are sure to feel inspiration and awe at the lives described. Each double page spread has a full page illustration on the verso with a quote about the featured woman. The recto provides a title for the verse, the woman's name and occupation and an additional paragraph at the bottom of the page which presents further pertinent material.

The poetic forms are as diverse as the women themselves, and most enjoyable to share aloud. It is crucial for teachers and parents to share stories of those who influence, take an active role, and bring change to the world. They are brave, resilient, intelligent and come from many walks of life. If we want to inspire readers to be more, do more and believe in their ability to make a difference, this is a fine way to start. What an opportunity for conversation it presents. Brava!

Back matter includes an author's note, and an excellent list of 'sources, books, websites and more'. That list will surely lead some readers on a quest to find out more than has been presented in the thoroughly enjoyable and informative text.

Of her book, the author says:

“I chose to write this book … to celebrate the world I want for my daughters, my new granddaughter, and the young girls and boys out there.”

https://youtu.be/hdNXaTz2EDo

Shadow Warrior, by Tanya Lloyd Kyi. Illustrations by Celia Krampien. Annick Press, 2017. $14.95 ages 10 and up

"Thirteen-year-old Aki, thin and barefoot, hovered in the doorway of her thatched-roof hut. She stared up at the samurai warriors, their armor marked with Takeda Shingen's personal crest. As the sun rose behind them, they seemed to glow. It was as if other worldly creatures had appeared on the dirt road through her village. One of them wore a bow ... "Blending fiction with history, the talented Ms. Kyi introduces her audience to feudal Japan in the 16th century when only men were considered to be trained as ninjas. Wanting to follow in her great grandfather's footsteps, Chiyome must prove herself worthy of such training. Her grit and determination, in the face of strong resistance and more stringent training, impress her male classmates and her teachers. She proves herself worthy of  her Ninja status.
 
To her dismay, she arrives home one day to find she has been promised in marriage to the nephew of Takeda Shingen, a ruthless and powerful diamyo. Her future is set, with marriage to a samurai warrior. When he dies in battle, and after waiting for a respectable period of mourning, Chiyome proposes a new method of warfare to Takeda. She will travel Japan seeking worthy young orphan girls who show the character of a ninja, and train them to be shrine maidens as well, assuring their ability to be close enough to soldiers to learn secrets and attack plans. All that she achieves is tantamount to success, and succeed she does.
 
The engaging text is accompanied by striking artwork that lends authenticity to the story told, using an ancient and modern blend of Japanese images. It is a beautifully designed tale.
 
The subtitle, Based on a true story of a fearless ninja and her network of female spies, says it all. Not everyone is convinced that Chiyome was a real person. She is the stuff of folklore. In an epilogue, Ms. Kyi makes a case for her historical significance:
 
"Mochizuki Chiyome was probably real. In the 1600s, Japanese writers created storybooks, the ancestors of today's graphic novels. Some of these tales featured a woman ninja trainer, a widow who lost her husband and went to work for his uncle, training spies in an undercover school."
 
In additional back matter, a glossary provides understanding for Japanese terms used, further readings are listed and a resource list provided.                                                                   

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

                                                                

 

Today we honor all women everywhere, and I am going to post some very special books that speak to their strength, intelligence, tenacity and worthiness.

Between The Lines, by Nikki Grimes. Penguin Random House, 2018. $23.99 ages 12 and up

"But since you asked,
here's one thing
that makes me mad:
Poverty,
and a mother too busy
to keep an eye on her kids
'cause she's working
two jobs
to keep us fed.
That's reason enough,
ain't it?"

In this companion book to Bronx Masquerade (2003), a new group of students have joined Mr. Ward's poetry class. They are culturally diverse, and share many of the same worries that other teenagers face. Darrian Lopez is hoping for a career in journalism, and provides poetry and narration as he listens to their stories and gets to know them better. His astute headlines catch the reader's eye and provide insight into their lives, their families, their fears and their achievements.

Mr. Ward is the teacher I would want to be if I were teaching high school. He encourages, guides, gives reason to the art of poetry, and allows time to reflect on and respond to meaningful prompts. He provides a goal - a poetry slam. As the student poets learn about each other, and become more comfortable with penning their thoughts and feelings, the reader also begins to know their stories.

We meet, and return to each poet in short, first person chapters that combine prose and poetry ... they are an admirable company of eight artists. Memorable and emotional, you will not soon forget them. Stories of foster care, anger, family dysfunction, death, alcoholism, and being overprotected are there to consider. It is easy to forget that one person writes in these eight voices, and gets each one so right.

 Difficult to read at times, but always with a sense of hopefulness as they express themselves through poetry, this is a fine book to read in a classroom setting as April is National Poetry Month. Nikki Grimes once again shows readers why she is so deserving of the 2017 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for her “substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children. Her love for poetry and the impact it has on literacy is commendable and we are better for having shared it.

An author's note focuses on Jenesis, a foster child about to age out of the system. Ms. Grimes has personal experience.

"I spent several years in the foster care system when I was young, and as a result, I am especially sensitive to the incredible challenges experienced by teens who age out of the foster care system after their eighteenth birthday. I was fortunate. I didn't end up on the streets, as so many former foster kids do ... "

"Tick tock. Tick tock.
Eighteen is the clock
my life is set to.
On that day,
my social worker will say,
"Jenesis, it's time.
No more foster home
for you.
Get your books stacked,
get your clothes packed.
Don't dawdle. Don't stop."
So what if I've got
nowhere else to go?"


Readers will go back and read these poems again. I know that I did.

Tricky, written and illustrated by Kari Rush. Owlkids, 2017. $18.95 ages 5 and up

"One morning, when they went for their usual breakfast at the bakery, the Duke and Tricky were surprised to find a new baker working there. Ms. Paisley had just moved to town. The Duke was always delighted to meet newcomers."

The Duke and Tricky have reason to be well known in their town. On any given day, they play mean tricks, steal food from children,  and treat others with callous disregard for their feelings or physical well-being.

For children, those who are older than they are can often be the catalyst for personal learning that is not much appreciated by many. It is the same for Tricky. He has learned each of his dirty tricks from his owner, the Duke. The Duke has a sadistic bent, and so does Tricky. They both spend their days doing the worst they can do.

"After dinner each night, over some
hot tea, the Duke would whoop and
laugh about the day's mischief while
Tricky snuffled and rolled on the rug."

Neither knows (or wants to know) that things could be different. So, when a new baker comes to town, the Duke and Tricky are quick to distract her while they execute their mischief. Ms. Paisley has a good heart, and she shares the love that is in it with Tricky when she provides kindness and a delicious treat. Tricky has never been the recipient of such a gift, and it has an effect on the sentimental part of Tricky's soul. He is unable to sleep as the warmth spreads to the innermost reaches of his being.

The next trick played by the Duke no longer feels right to his accomplice. Tricky has a conscience, and uses it to exact revenge on his uncaring owner. What's a dog to do? Will he find a better way to live his life? Can you teach an old dog new tricks?

Heartwarming and humorous, kids are going to love hearing this debut picture book. It is fun to read out loud, and  its illustrations will have little ones giggling as it is shared. The art was 'created with a mix of traditional media composited and coloured in Photoshop'. Attention to character and facial expressions, nefarious tricks, and retribution are sure to elicit the desired response from readers regarding both action and drama. 

The Bee Book, by Charlotte Milner. DK Publishing, 2018. $20.99 ages 7 and up

"You have probably heard the buzz of a honeybee, but have you ever thought about what causes it to make that sound? For a bee to fly, its wings have to beat very fast. This makes vibrations in the air that we hear ... "

Wow! If you are interested in bees, or think you are, you have come to the right book. I can't imagine there is more to tell you than what Charlotte Milner shares in this wonderful nonfiction work.

The bee's world is evident in the well-designed and written text, beginning with a comprehensive table of contents that immediately takes readers to their most pressing interest. From the first two page chapter that lets readers know 'there are around 20,000 different species of bees' through honey, pollination, the queen, predators, stingers, the dwindling population, and why we need them to 'the bee all and end all', it is filled with information sure to surprise and inform.

"SOME BEES ARE ANGRY ...
KILLER BEES escaped from a science experiment
and have spread across South and Central
America. These bees are very defensive, stinging
10 times more often than other bees."

...BUT THE MOST FAMOUS BEE IS THE HONEYBEE ... "

The honeybees work diligently. Not only do they provide delicious nourishment in the honey they produce, they do so much more than that. They are builders, socialites, and contributors to the production of fully one-third of the food that we eat. How does that happen? Find out here. You will learn about daily life in the hive, about a bee's anatomy and why their return to good health is so very important to our world!

The question and answer format is important for her younger audience, assuring focus and clear understanding before moving on to another topic. She presents the subject in clear and careful text, including important vocabulary that informs. The artwork is equally useful and direct. Many illustrative details help give context to what is being shared. I especially like the sections that explain how necessary bees are to all of us, and her suggestions for helping to keep populations strong and healthy. Learn about the plants that are most beneficial, stay calm when they are near, know as much as you can about them, and tell others. Information is power, and sharing our passion for such subjects can be a very impressive motivator for getting others involved.

Charlotte Milner has aced this job ... taken her love for bees, shared it, and done all she can to encourage the rest of us to take a stand and make the world a better place by learning all we can, and then stepping up and do SOMETHING! There are many compelling reasons for us to do so.
                                                                       

The Wild Robot Escapes, written and illustrated by Peter Brown. Little, Brown and Company, Hachette. 2018. $22.49 ages 8 and up

"The children smiled and hugged the robot. They really seemed to care about her. Roz wondered if they cared enough to help her escape from the farm. One of these days, she would have to risk everything and tell them the truth. For now, however, she did the next-best thing. She led Jaya and Jad out to the oak tree and told them another story about the robot on the island."

If you have missed Roz (ROZZUM robot unit 7134), miss her no more! She is back in a sequel that I found to be as good as her first story. At the end of The Wild Robot (2016), she was captured by the RECO robots and quickly removed from the island home she had been sharing with the animals there, and her adopted goose son, Brightbill. Her life on that island was never meant to be. In fact, as you might expect, Roz was never meant to learn how to speak the language of the animals or feel love for the gosling who became her adopted son. But, she did!

After reconditioning, Roz is sent to help a widower and his children maintain the Shareef dairy farm that has been in the family for generations. There she does what a robot is meant to do ... work to make human life better. However she cannot forget her island life or the love she feels for her son. Roz talks with the animals there, sharing her story while caring for them. Her farm work and competence are are highly valued and much appreciated.

She enjoys her farm life, and loves the children. That does not lessen the ache in her heart for home and hearth. She misses her island, she misses her son, and she wants to go home. The children love Roz, and are willing to help her escape. Brightbill also comes to her rescue. The day arrives when the two must take a chance. Their journey is long and arduous; not without tension and danger. With the help of other animals along the way, and a meeting with her inventor who is intrigued by Roz's unusual capabilities, the two finally return to their island.

The audience is always a part of the journey through personal addresses that ensure they are keeping up with Roz. They will have questions. Are the risks she takes worth it? Will she find Brightbill again? Will she miss the farm and the children, and her life there? Will the two escape the many perilous events that challenge them along the way?

Readers, like me, who have loved Roz from her beginnings, will be happy to share the 'rest of her story'!

Waiting for Goliath, by Antje Damm. Translated by Sally-Ann Spencer. Gecko Press, Thomas Allen & Son. 2017. $13.95 ages 3 and up

"Bear waits patiently
for his friend. The robins
fly south and the first
snow falls.

When Bear awakes from
a long sleep, he hears a
noise like a hand sliding
slowly across paper.

Goliath is coming!"

After sharing a story of friendship, patience, and the natural world yesterday, I thought I would continue the trend with this new book about Bear and a lovely lesson taught. It is obvious to many of us how impatient society has become. We don't get instant information, we can't wait at a stoplight for the 30 seconds it takes to change without irritation, we expect every text to be answered immediately, and don't get me started on how busy we all are ... busy enough that we can't read to kids in school classrooms, or to our kids at night, or even to ourselves. Come on!

We should all take a lesson from Bear. He is waiting for his best friend, Goliath, even as seasons change and he is besieged with questions and comments from a nearby robin. Bear is very happy to share what it is about Goliath that makes him so special. Bear never loses patience or belief in his friend. How happy he is when Goliath finally arrives with an earnest excuse:

“I came as fast as I could.”

Bear knows Goliath is right. You will learn why when you read this meticulously designed book, with beautifully photographed dioramas. The characters are drawn, colored, cut out and placed in each scene. The materials used to create the dioramas will be recognized by young readers and might encourage them to give such artwork a go.

Bear has endurance and an uncanny trust that his best friend will do as he promised. Good for him! He is a shining example for each one of us. The writing is uncomplicated, the story full of wonder, and the art encourages careful scrutiny and endless revisits.
                                                                            

What Are You Waiting For? Written by Scott Menchin and illustrated by Matt Phelan. Roaring Brook Press, Macmillan. Raincoast. 2017. $23.99 ages 3 and up

"Does it have a mustache?

That's funny, but no!

Does it have eyes?

Yep! Sure does.

Does it have legs or a
tail?"

The two friends are obviously waiting for something special; at least the badger is hoping so. As they wander through the beauty of the woodland that is their home, they chat. The badger, at a disadvantage to knowing just what it is they are waiting for, is full of questions. The rabbit is content to answer only the questions asked.

There is no rush, no pushing beyond the quiet, shared conversation. It is an amiable way to spend their day. Readers will enjoy the mystery as much as the beauty of the natural world they explore with the two friends. That dialogue is simple and telling, without spoiling the ending.

"Oh no, I fell asleep.
Did I miss it? Did I miss it?

You woke up just in time.

I don't see anything.

Turn around."

The turn of the page requires a accompanying turn to vertical, and the mystery is revealed ... as wondrous as the rest of the natural world the two have shared throughout their day! The delicate and dreamy pencil and pastel illustrations keep the focus on that natural world, while also designed to include variety in perspective. Matt Phelan uses double page spreads, bordered images and the occasional spot illustration to add context and enjoyment.

Just right for bedtime, although it will surely draw requests for 'please, read it again!'

Contemplative, captivating and worth waiting for!

                                                                                 

Somewhere Else, by Gus Gordon. Roaring Brook Press, Macmillan. Raincoast, 2017. $24.99 ages 4 and up

"This apple strudel makes
me think of Paris at night,
dear boy.
Come see it with me, George.
It's truly extraordinaire!"

"So sorry, Walter," said
George. "I'd love to come but
I've got a mountain of ironing
to do."

It's a known fact that most birds find somewhere else to be with the approach of winter. They want to be where the sun shines and keeps them warm. Gus Gordon suggests that some birds take the bus and some seek advice from an avian travel agency to ensure they end up in the perfect place.

George Laurent is not like those birds. He has no need to leave his home. He never goes anywhere, and for good reason:

"I like it here better than anywhere somewhere
else," he told himself. Besides, there was always   
something nice baking in the oven."

George loves to bake and his friends love to eat his baking. They also want him to do some travelling with them. He refuses all invitations. Winter makes its appearance and finds George alone. Well, not quite. There is Pascal Lombard, a burly bear who wishes he could be somewhere warm and wonders why George isn't; after all, he can fly!

George shares all that keeps him busy. Pascal has a rebuttal for every excuse. By the end of their conversation, George is ready to share his secret, and his fear. Pascal, it turns out, is adept at problem solving. Or not! Though they are both dismayed by their lack of success, they settle in to spend the day together. Reading provides a perfect aha! moment.

The ending is as perfect as the beginning and the middle! The artwork created using 'watercolor, pencil, crayon, and lots of beautiful paper (old and new) is cause for pause as you read. The collages feature maps, vintage photos, newspaper ads, fabric, constantly changing perspective and patterns. The journey through the book, from valise and suitcase filled endpapers front to back, is first-rate. The scenes are filled with detail that constantly attract attention and the backgrounds are inspiring.

Lively characters, noteworthy art, an invitation to venture beyond the familiar, and a love for the comfort of home make this a book I will happily read repeatedly.

And a tribute to Life of Pi on the back cover! Superb!