Month: March 2021

PPBF: Out of Nowhere

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Author/Illustrator: Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
Publisher: S&S, 2021
Age: 4-8
Themes: best friends, beetles, metamorphosis

Opening:  Once, I had a friend. She arrived out of nowhere one day. I asked where she’d come from, but she just didn’t know.

Summary: (from my library catalog) A beetle courageously sets out in search of his best friend–a caterpillar that arrived out of nowhere and vanished without warning.

I like this book because: I fell for the cover! I am a fan of metamorphosis stories, and a few are way up there with my favorite books. So, what did this offer that was unique? For one, THE COVER, but all the illustrations are beautifully composed, simple yet striking, and with a limited palette (if you’ve been reading any of my posts you know I go weak in the knees for a limited palette!). And the beetle has so much personality, you just wanna hug them! I am not posting spreads that go too far into the story – I don’t want to spoil the experience for anyone! Find it!

Resources/activities: first, read other metamorphosis stories, and please try my favorite: Tadpole’s Promise, Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross; Read a book with a limited palette similar to Out of Nowhere, like: Shadow by Suzy Lee; watch a video:

A little excitement to share – knowing that an appearance in PW may never happen again!

For more Perfect Picture Book Friday picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog  HERE.

I’m also over at Vivian Kirkfield’s blog TOMORROW talking about I’M A HARE SO THERE! with a GIVEAWAY!

PPBF: No Roses for Harry!

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Author: Gene Zion
Illustrator: Margaret Bloy Graham
Publisher: Harper & Row, 1958
Age: 3-7
Themes: dogs, gifts, sweaters
Opening: See images below

Summary: (from Amazon) Harry is the not-too-happy recipient of a handmade sweater, and what makes matters worse is that it’s a sweater with a pattern of roses. Harry does everything he can think of to get rid of that sweater. But when it seems like he’ll never lose the sweater, an unexpected visitor helps him solve his problem…

I like this book because: everyone loves Harry the Dog, but this particular edition from the series is printed on a luminescent yellow paper! (If anyone out there has a first edition or at least a much older copy, please let me know if it also used this paper.) It transforms the reading experience in an unexpected way which fascinates me! The limited color palette in the illustrations is common because of the old printing process at the time it was published, but this yellow paper amplifies the beauty of that simplicity, I cant stop looking, and these photos do not do it justice! That’s it! Please, if you’ve seen this, share your thoughts with me!

Resources/activities: draw with colored pencils or crayons on different colored papers and and compare how it affects the colors you’ve drawn with, or use collage to compare colors; read An Eye for Color, by Natasha Wing and Julia Breckenreid, and Squares & other shapes with Josef Albers (video link).

For more Perfect Picture Book Friday picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog  HERE. 

PPBF: Little Mouse’s Big Breakfast

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Author/Illustrator: Christine Pym
Publisher: Nosy Crow, 2018
Age: 3-7
Themes: mice, breakfast, hunger

Opening:  On a cold crisp day, as the night crept in, a hungry little mouse discovered he had nothing to nibble for breakfast the next morning.

Summary: (from my library catalog) When Little Mouse realizes he has nothing for breakfast the next morning, he makes his way to the kitchen next door and finds all sorts of appetizing foods that will be perfect for his breakfast..

I like this book because: I’ve been thinking a lot of my friend who lives on Blueberry Hill, and reading this reminded me of her, not because her eyes are bigger than her belly, but her heart is so generous! And it’s got beautiful illustrations sprinkled with fun details, a delicious palette, striking compositions – and an adorable story!

Resources/activities: discuss your favorite breakfast foods; talk about Mouse’s food choices and which ones are healthy and why; consider filling our plates with our eyes compared to our appetites; gather objects and give them food names from the book, then see how many you can stack before it all tumbles down.

For more Perfect Picture Book Friday picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog  HERE.

I’m also over at Writer’s Rumpus today talking about I’M A HARE SO THERE!, with a GIVEAWAY!

PPBF: Bea & Mr. Jones

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Author/Illustrator: Amy Schwartz
Publisher: Harcourt, 1982
Age: 4-8
Themes: parent-child relationships, school, work

Opening:  “I’ve had it with Kindergarten!” Bea Jones said to her father as he was sitting down to breakfast. “I’ve had it with bean bag games! I’ve had it with clothespin games! I’ve had it with sitting on that dumb green rug and playing that dumb colored lollipop game! I’m ready for a change.”

Summary: (from my library catalog) Tired of kindergarten, Bea Jones trades “jobs” with her father, who works in an office.

I like this book because: At first glance, I somehow thought I might not like this one. The perspective on the cover gave me the heebie-jeebies! But I opened it and the simple but effective endpapers hooked me in – thank goodness. There are so many wonderful details like hidden artwork (kitchen calendar, bosses office) in the pencil illustrations, so many fun pattern clashes (see the image directly below!) I spent a lot of time looking for more on each page! It’s basically a Freaky Friday story (published 10yrs earlier) with a cuter ending! Try to find it – worth the effort!

Resources/activities: draw boxes or shapes of black and white patterns directly next to each other; have a chat with a parent or guardian about what it would be like to switch places; dress each other up as if you would!

For more Perfect Picture Book Friday picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog  HERE.

I’m also over at Beth Anderson’s blog today talking about how my forthcoming character-driven fictional picture book became “informational fiction” – with BACK MATTER!