Guinea Pig Writers

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20 Jan 2012

Everyday Discoveries
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by Nancy J. Nash

It's no secret that young children have a penchant for exploring everything from closets and kitchen cabinets to open meadows and roadside ditches. Many are the books that chronicle their daily expeditions, which often must be conducted independently as adults go about their own business. One such book of discovery that has stood the test of time is Out and About, written and illustrated by the highly acclaimed Shirley Hughes (whose books have sold over 11 million copies).

Accompanied by simple verse, her drawings of the outdoor explorations of a girl and her baby brother cover a wide variety of seasonal settings. They depict the joys of mud-puddle hopping in spring, of framing tall summer grasses into a pretend house, of watching a bonfire on an autumn night, and of sledding in cold winter snow. The details that Hughes includes exemplify a respect for children that similar books often miss. Adults routinely tune out aspects of the daily scene that don't fit their agendas, but children seem to take it all in.

Another indication of respect for children is in the book's wide-ranging presentation of color. Variety seems to be the spice of illustration for Hughes. Her palette ranges from vibrantly bright to lovely pastels to muted earthy tones. In her consideration of color and hue, she appears to bypass the typical adult concern for "what children like," opting instead to simply observe and render the world children live in.

When children explore, they transform the landscape, with a mud pie here and a snowman there. Hughes doesn't miss this. Her young explorers interact with their environments in a multiplicity of ways. They see, touch, hear, smell, and taste. They try new things and think about what they experience. The poem "Cold" juxtaposes references to "Frost white" and "Sun red," bright red sunsets being one of winter's ironies. Hughes' young narrator obviously notices.

One of Hughes' more poetic lines is "Sun tucked up in a bed of cloud," but generally she avoids the lyrical. This is a down-to-earth book about everyday, nitty-gritty exploration, about the feel of snow and wind, of going barefoot in summer and splashing through puddles in rainboots in spring. It's about giving the world its own space and letting it speak to us much like the wind, in a "Wild and wilful" way. The message Hughes' young subjects deliver is this: as we explore the world and act upon it, we place ourselves where we can hear.

(Hughes' book, initially published in Great Britain by Walker Books Ltd., became available in a paperback in 2005.)

Copyright 2012 by Nancy J. Nash
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8 Jan 2012

Discovery
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by Alison Ernst

Hello writers, readers, and the calendar year 2012:

This month's Guinea Pig Writers theme is Discovery, one of those words that can have some wonderful and/or unsettling meanings. I'll start us off with my discovery of a recent book that has one of the best titles I've come across in a while.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne Valente, with illustrations by Ana Juan

The story, whose heroine's name is September, contains delicious and difficult reflections on the season of Fall, which for me is the REAL start of the New Year. "Autumn has a hungry heart - September is the beginning of death", this sobering phrase after "...think of all your favorite autumns, crisp and perfect, all bound together like a stack of cards."

We are in the middle of the death/rebirth season. The red glare of the solstice-related holidays are over. It seems unlikely the world will thaw again, though experience tells us it will. A grey time of reflection is also an opportunity for discovery, for plumbing our own minds and hearts, as well as the bookshelves of our friends, colleagues, and local libraries.
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27 Dec 2011

The Night Before Christmas
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by Nancy J. Nash

We all know the story - how a poem written for children established the American image of St. Nicholas as something approaching the modern Santa Claus, a "jolly old elf" who travels across the night sky in a sleigh drawn by reindeer, descending chimney after chimney to deposit toys and other gifts for Christmas morning. As to how significantly the story has influenced our economy and our culture, we can only speculate. The Night Before Christmas, usually attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, is known around the world, and the season associated with it has long been under its spell. Interestingly, the poem contains only one use of the word "children" and only one reference to toys.

Reading The Night Before Christmas in the version illustrated by Tasha Tudor is a refreshing and though-provoking way to re-experience the famous poem. Tudor blends the wild with the domestic, framing each of her interior scenes, as well as her outdoor views of the old-fashioned house, in vertical oval cameos surrounded by starry space. The ovals remind me of 19th century watercolor illustrations. Tudor crowns their exquisite detail with both natural and domestic decorations at the top of the ovals. Inside the cameos, owls swoop past flying reindeer, and curious rabbits sit quietly in the snow. On one page, mice in their own cozy quarters underneath the floor boards decorate a tree resplendent with light.

Perhaps because Tudor was a woman who lived a 19th-century lifestyle and made toys for her own family, the details of food, decorations, and gifts in her art work are energetic and deligthful rather than cloying or showy. The interplay of cats, mice, dogs, and owls among themselves and with St. Nick (who dances with a Corgi) reminds us that a family lives in this house and that life can hold a day-to-day joyfulness.

These lively layers of activity are all encased in the night sky and nestled in mystery. Color is muted. The painted darkness of each scene allows the narrator's voice to come through and the strength of his words to be felt. I find myself noticing that we hear a father's voice in the poem, a father who takes it upon himself to investigate the intruder - and to satisfy his own curiosity. He is a reminder that we are all on the same continuum, adults and children. We hear the clatter of hooves on the rooftop, feel a little frightened, catch a glimpse of reindeer - and allow our wonder to bloom.

My paperback edition was published in 2002 by Little Brown.

Copyright 2011 Nancy J. Nash.
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23 Dec 2011

Holiday Children's Books, Christmas & Chanukah-style
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by Broche Fabian

Fun fact: Chanukah, the Winter Solstice, Christmas, and Kwanzaa all happen within the same week this year. Actually, Chanukah is occuring during ALL of the other winter holidays. Isn't that neat?

Of course, if you're the modern American multi-cultural family that celebrates two or more of these seasonal days-of-import, then it might be a little overwhelming. So, good luck with that.

Sadly, I am not up on my Winter Solstice or Kwanzaa books (or the Yuletide, Saturnalia, or Festivus books, either, if you celebrate those events), but I AM up on new Christmas picture books and old Chanukah favorites.

I would love to hear your favorites in the comments below!

Chanukah

Original round-up on my blog, WildlyRead.

Chanukah Lights
by Michael J. Rosen, illustrated by Robert Sabuda
9780763655334, $34.99
From a pop-up master and an acclaimed poet and author comes a glorious celebration of the true spirit of Chanukah.
Open this beautiful gift book and follow the Festival of Lights through place and time -- from Herod's temple to a shtetl in Russia; from a refugee ship bound for the New World to an Israeli kibbutz. Inspired by Michael J. Rosen's reverent poem, Robert Sabuda's striking pop-ups depict each night's menorah in a different scene, using imagery such as desert tents, pushcart lanterns, olive trees, and a final panorama of skyscrapers. Sure to be a treasured family heirloom, this stunning collaboration showcases the spirit and resilience of a people in search of home.
That book is honestly the only new Chanukah book published in 2011 that's worth mentioning. And by worth mentioning, I mean is up to my personal standard for both beauty of illustration and enticement of story.
Luckily, there are some classic children's Chanukah books that I can include in this round-up (most of them by Eric A. Kimmel:

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins
by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
9780823411313, Holiday House
A traveler rids a village synagogue of ghosts in this Caldecott Honor Book. The best part is doing the different voices for the different goblins that appear to Hershel each night. That Hershel - such a trickster. (A childhood favorite.)

The Chanukkah Guest
by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by Giora Carmi
9780823409785, Holiday House
Almost blind and deaf, a woman mistakes a visiting bear for a rabbi. Hilarity ensues. (A childhood favorite.)

Latkes and Applesauce: a Hanukkah story
by Fran Manushkin, illustrated by Robin Spowart
9780590422659, Scholastic
A Hanukkah miracle occurs as a poor family opens their doors to those less fortunate than even them. (A childhood favorite.)

The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story
by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Lisa Brown
9781932416879, McSweeney's Books
Latkes are potato pancakes served at Hanukkah, and Lemony Snicket is an alleged children's author. For the first time in literary history, these two elements are combined in one book. A particularly irate latke is the star of "The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming, " but many other holiday icons appear and even speak: flashing colored lights, cane-shaped candy, a pine tree. Santa Claus is briefly discussed as well. The ending is happy, at least for some. People who are interested in any or all of these things will find this book so enjoyable it will feel as though Hanukkah were being celebrated for several years, rather than eight nights. (An adulthood favorite.)

Christmas

Original round-up on my blog, WildlyRead.

The Third Gift
by Linda Sue Park, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline
9780547201955, Clarion Books (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), $16.99

From two extraordinary talents, a beautifully crafted picture book for the Christmas season.
The three wise men, or the three kings, are familiar figures in the Christmas tradition. Newbery medalist Linda Sue Park has taken the brief biblical references to the three as the starting point for a new story. In it we meet a boy who is learning his father’s trade; a man who gathers resin from certain trees; a merchant in the marketplace; and three strangers in brightly colored robes who are shopping for a gift for a baby. Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline with exquisite paintings, this simple, moving tale of ordinary people involved in an extraordinary event brings new resonance to the well-known gift list of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Auntie Claus and the Key to Christmas
by Elise Primavera
9780547576794, Sandpiper (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), $7.99
It’s getting toward Christmas at the Bing Cherry Hotel, and Auntie Claus is preparing for her annual "business trip." Just before she is ready to leave, her favorite nephew, Christopher Kringle, begins to have doubts about the family business. Chris decides to take matters into his own hands: He plans to get on the Bad-Boys-and-Girls List on purpose! Even after his older sister, Sophie, reveals that their great-aunt, Auntie Claus, is really Santa’s sister, Chris needs to see for himself, in order to believe.

Follow the Star: A Pop-Up Christmas Journey
by Andy Mansfield
9781452103587, Chronicle Books, $19.99
Open this elegant pop-up book and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas! Lyrical words describe how the Star of Bethlehem lit the sky over the first Christmas, and how it shines still today: as families gather, as gifts are given, as we celebrate our love for one another, and as we wish for peace and joy for the world. The beautiful diorama-style format invites the reader to follow the star that shines every year during this special season, all over the world, in our homes and hearts.

The Story of Christmas
Text based on the King James version, illustrated by Pamela Dalton
9781452104706, Chronicle, $17.99
Pamela Dalton s exquisite, intricate scissor-cut illustrations wonderfully illuminate The Story of Christmas. Deeply reverent, richly detailed, and teeming with life, Dalton s images follow the story of the Nativity from the appearance of the Angel, to the shepherds who came from the fields, and to the three wise men who followed the star to pay respect for their new king. Working in a Pennsylvania-German folk-art tradition, rich with lovingly rendered animals and figures, Pamela Dalton has created a book that takes a deserved place among the finest celebrations of Christmas.

Over the River and Through the Wood
by L. Maria Child, illustrated by Matt Tavares
9780763627904, Candlewick, $16.99
Matt Tavares's lavish illustrations illuminate this definitive edition of a beloved seasonal classic.
The horse is ready, the air is bracing, and everyone is bundled into the sleigh. So let the wind blow and the snow start to fall! This family is off to Grandfather's house for a delicious feast. Matt Tavares, with his keen eye for detail, fresh and surprising perspectives, and all the warmth and coziness of a big holiday dinner, illuminates the original text of Lydia Maria Child's verse about Thanksgiving Day, which has marked the start of the holiday season for generations of children.

Santa's On His Way: A Changing-Picture Book
by Ruth Martin, illustrated by Sophy Williams
9780763655556, Templar (Candlewick), $12.99
In the week before Christmas, Santa has so much to do!
Watch Santa and his elves as they make all the presents, groom the reindeer, and prepare for their most important night of the year -- Christmas Eve. With tabs to pull to change the pictures, readers can watch them get everything ready day-by-day, until finally Santa's sleigh takes off into the sky on Christmas Eve.

A Christmas Tree for Pyn
by Olivier Dunrea
9780399245060, Penguin, $16.99
Christmas is coming. In the craggy rocks on the snowy mountainside, tiny Pyn has her heart set on decorating her very first Christmas tree. But, "No Christmas tree," Papa says. Still, Pyn won't take no for an answer. She knows that a Christmas tree is just the thing their cottage needs to make the season festive and cheery. Pyn is determined to find the perfect Christmas tree - no matter what. With this story of the love between a father and daughter, Olivier Dunrea captures the true spirit of Christmas.

The Twelve Days of Christmas
by Laurel Long
9780803733572, Penguin, $16.99
The astounding talent of Laurel Long brings this beloved song to life with breathtaking style. Set against a lush countryside, each day brings a new gift elegantly rendered. And like in the verses of the song, the previous gifts are repeated in every illustration, giving this striking artwork a hidden aspect, culminating in a staggering spread featuring them all. Readers will pore over every page, searching for golden rings, turtledoves, and all the rest, secretly tucked into each stunning painting. Laurel Long's unparalleled style makes this exquisite volume a treasure that will be cherished for years to come.

The Scrawny Little Tree
by Ed Mehler, illustrated by Susie Pollard
9780843198607, Penguin, $6.99
Originally published in 1973, The Scrawny Little Tree tells of a destitute little boy who has always wanted a Christmas tree. He finally has saved enough to buy a little tree all his own, one with scrawny limbs and very few needles. But the boy's love for his first Christmas tree is not affected by its diminuitive stature. His love and the magic of Christmas combine to make a strange and wonderful thing happen to the town . . . Told in rhyme and with retro illustrations, The Scrawny Little Tree is sure to become a favorite holiday tale!
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19 Dec 2011

The Kind of Guy I'd Like to Meet
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by Eliza Brown

Two of my favorite Christmas-themed picture books happen to be close and personal looks at good ol' Saint Nick. I love that both books are so beautiful and cheery while maintaining a clear sense of originality and character. While I've never been too keen on a big jolly man coming down the chimney while I sleep or a bearded fellow sitting kids on his lap, shouting "Ho Ho Ho" and the like, these books portray a Santa Claus I'd actually like to meet.

The Christmas Magic by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by Jon J. Muth (Scholastic, 2009)

It's hard not to love a Santa with a crazy mustache who wears bunny slippers and capri pants. He's the kind of guy who lives alone with a puppy-like reindeer pet, darning his socks while his reindeer dozes by the fireplace and his kitten plays with yarn. It doesn't get much sweeter than that. No Mrs. Claus, no elves. Just an attic room where he keeps all of the toys and a big book of names. There's also not the traditional stressing of "good and bad" lists of children. "For Santa loves them all, and he knows what each child at heart wants most." I like a Santa who doesn't wear the obnoxious Western red suit, but instead a coat of midnight blue, lined in white fur, with a star topped hat. Most endearing of all is the idea that Christmas magic isn't made by Santa. It's a more natural thing -- a magic that comes from nature, from the earth, from the season, from the special day of the year. A quietly magical book.

Santa Claus: The World's Number One Toy Expert by Marla Frazee (Harcourt, 2005)

While The Christmas Magic is a lovely, quiet book with an endearingly sweet and subued Santa, Marla Frazee's Santa is bursting with energy and humor. This is a rotund and loveable Santa who dozes with a teddy bear and lounges around in a hilarious variety of printed boxer shorts. You get the sense that this is the real Santa at home. Again, no Mrs. Claus or elves, just Santa working "long, long hours the whole year round" in a warehouse full of boxes and toys. Thoroughly testing the toys leads to humorous situations and shows a man who truly has not lost his sense of play, while absolutely loving his grown-up job. With so many details in his illustrations, Frazee shows us a Santa who is very human. He's Santa who gets the right gift to the right child "99.9% of the time. Well, no one is perfect. Not even Santa Claus." That's the kind of guy I'd like to hang out with.
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14 Dec 2011

It Finally Feels Like Christmas
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by Molly Garlick

When I decorate my house for any holdiday, I love to display my holiday-themed picture books. Most of these are books I had when I was younger and simply could not part with when I moved into my own house. One of my favorites is Apple Tree Christmas by Trinka Hakes Noble.

Katrina, her younger sister Josie, and their mother and father live in the end of a cozy old barn, with their animals living underneath. Near the barn is an old apple tree, where the family picks apples to make pies, cider and apple fritters, and they choose the most beautiful apples to decorate their Christmas tree. The girls spend many hours playing in the old tree, Josie on her swing made from the grape vines that grow around the tree, and Katrina in her "studio" - a branch where she draws her pictures. A fierce winter blizzard rages for three days, while the family and animals are snug in the warm barn. They make it through the storm, but the old apple tree does not and to Katrina, it just does not feel like Christmas anymore. But Christmas Day brings surprises for both Josie and Katrina, as they realize their beloved tree is not gone after all. And it finally feels like Christmas to Katrina.

I love this book because it makes me feel all warm and cozy. The watercolor illustrations are lovely. The story takes place in the year 1881 and has that simple, old-fashioned feel, but not so much that children can't relate to it. I was an artist growing up, so I could relate to Katrina's sadness at losing her art studio. I was also a big fan of Little House in the Big Woods - it was the only book I had from the Little House series and so far I have still not read the rest! But Apple Tree Christmas has that same "Laura Ingalls" quality that I love to this day.
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5 Dec 2011

Pass it Down: The Family Quilt
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by Eliza Brown

I've never made a quilt. It's always been too daunting a project. But I remember helping my big sister make her first quilt for her newlywed bed. We sat on her bedroom floor with squares and squares of colorful fabric all around us as we worked through, piecing and stitching it all together. We messed up a lot and had to rip out stitches and start again. But we didn't really think much about it. It was just a way for us to spend time together while keeping our hands busy. And hopefully, my sister and her husband would get a beautiful and heartfelt quilt that would keep them warm for years to come.

As New England enters the cold months when quilts are taken out of storage and the cozy warmth of family is being sought out, I realize just how speical quilts can be to a family. Tradition is passed down through a quilt, through the reuse of fabric that used to be old clothes and curtains and bedsheets. Memories are stitched into every piece. Not only does a beautiful piece of practical art and history get passed down to keep generation after generation warm, but hopefully the tradition of the craft will be passed down as well, as new generations learn and appreciate the craft of handmade.

I have a few favorite picture books that capture this feeling of warmth and family you get from a quilt so well:

The Quilt Story by Tony Johnston, illustrated by Tomie dePaola

When a mother makes a quilt for her daughter, the daughter uses it in many different ways. It's a blanket that keeps her warm, as well as a place for a tea party and a gown for playing pretend. But when the family moves, the quilt is a comforting constant in the girl's life. It gives her a feeling of comfort, of feeling tucked in and safe, even in a new and strange place. As time passes on, the quilt is passed down through generations, and each new owner finds the quilt comforting when they need it most. A familiar, hand-me-down quilt can make you feel at home wherever you are. DePaola's folk art inspired illustrations are a perfect match for this homage to Americana quilt history.

The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

While helping her grandmother make a quilt, Tanya learns the true power of handmade. "Yes, your mama can get you a quilt from any department store," Tanya's grandmother tells her. "But it won't be like my patchwork quilt, and it won't last as long either." The two start piecing together the quilt, using bits of old clothes from every member of the family. When Tanya's grandmother gets sick, Tanya takes it upon herself to finish the quilt that they started. With the help of her family, they all work together to finish the quilt, passing down not only family memories through each of the significant quilt pieces, but also the sewing knowledge and skill needed to keep this kind of tradition alive.

Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Hudson Talbot

During the time of slavery, Jacqueline Woodson's ancestors would sew quilts called "Show Ways" that would map the route to freedom for slaves to follow. These women then passed down the sewing and selling of the quilts through generations, even after slavery was abolished, to preserve the history. The quilts represented strength and bravery as time went on, as well as comfort and family. Using the most beautiful language and rhythm, this book, like a quilt, is meant to be passed on and on. It's a personal family history of Jacqueline Woodson, but also a history of the African American people. The illustrations are pieced together quilt-like to round out this beautiful, Newbery honor book.

Other favorite quilt books to cozy up with:

The Quilt by Ann Jonas

The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau, illustrated by Gail de Marcken
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1 Dec 2011

Books for the Holidays
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by Deborah St. Thomas

December is full of holidays and traditions and there are many books available to help us celebrate them. We will highlight a few over the course of the month but you can find many more on display at your local library, bookstore, and on-line.

Here is one of my favorites, ’Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore. I picked up a copy of the “Original 1912 classic with illustrations by Jessie Willcox Smith” yesterday at R.J. Julia Booksellers, a lovely and unique independent bookstore in Madison, CT. It is always fun to re-read this lovely, magical poem.
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30 Nov 2011

Papa's Bedtime Story
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by Nancy J. Nash

Picture books centering o n m o t h e r - c h i l d mother-child r e l a t i o n s h i p s a a bound. Picturebooks c e n t e ring on e d o n father- - child relationships r e l a t i o n s h i p s are rarer . P e r h a p s a n o v e r l o o k e d g e m is Papa's Bedtime Story, written by Mary Lee Donovan and illustrated by Kimberly Bulcken Root. It is a quiet book, slightly tongue-in-cheek yet ultimately soothing enough to coax a little one into the land of sleep.

Set in "a stout log home/by a big mountain wood," it tells of a father, mother, and their baby son. The boy, of course, wants a bedtime story. His father, undoubtedly exhausted from farm work, obliges. Root depicts the young man as kind, sanguine, and absorbed with his offspring.

"On a warm and rumbling night in June," the father begins, a baby owl stands in need of a bedtime story. Papa owl responds by telling his baby about a young chipmunk who also pleads for a bedtime story. As the father's narrative continues, Papa chipmunk in turn introduces a rabbit who, "in his little rabbit voice," requests a story, too. Papa rabbit echoes the expected refrains, adding a deer mouse mother, father, and son to the repertoire. Next we hear from crickets, and finally wood frogs.

As the story unfolds, the illustrated landscapes presage an approaching "sweet summer storm," which brings a needed and welcome coolness celebrated by an expanded chorus of frogs. And guess what? The boy has fallen asleep under the tender watch of his rapt parents.

This book has an elemental feeling. These rustic human parents seem no different from modern parents in their hopes and longings. Yet their world is simple and unhurried, at least at the end of the day when their words and actions need to lull their child into a night's rest. The only furniture we are allowed to glimpse is a cradle.

The little animals provide interest and comfort to the listener. The father's narrative embodies his knowledge of woodland and field, reminding us of the world outside ourselves. This is done quietly, and the father seems unaware and uninterested in his own abilities. There is no parading here, no posing for the camera, and the author does not draw attention to the bonds between the family members. Unlike picture books that openly proclaim the love between parent and child, this book simply embeds it. The reader comes away as refreshed as the book's creatures are by the cooling rain of a summer's night.

Papa's Bedtime Story was first published by Knopf in 1993.
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16 Nov 2011

Celebrating Books for Children
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by Deborah St. Thomas

Teaching children the importance of bookmarks and how to use them is an important step in learning to read longer chapter books. After all, they are not expected to be read in one sitting. I learned this insightful tip at the recent BookFest event at Bankstreet College of Education in New York City during a breakout session called “Transitions: bridging the gap between easy readers and middle school chapter books,” facilitated by Ellen Loughran, Professor of Children’s and Young Adult Literature, Pratt School of Library and Information Sciences. Professor Loughran’s key points were that kids need to transition to reading and that their futures truly depend on their ability to read.

These books feature interesting plots, strong characters, memorable settings, simple vocabulary, and short sentences. At the same time, they have stand-out beginnings and are full of surprises. For families, parents, teachers, and librarians who are encouraging and assisting children to become confident and able readers, here are the books Professor Loughran recommended and discussed during the session. Enjoy!

(download)

Click here to download:
celebrating-books-for-children-wncfmramilfbdprzHAtE.zip (1.73 MB)
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