One Cool Friend (PBOW)

A Picture Book Of the Week (PBOW) feature

One Cool Friend
Tony Buzzeo, author
David Small, illustrator
Dial, 2012
Caldecott Honor

I wrote a 5 page paper on this lovely gem during my 2013 spring semester. I'll try to keep this post a bit shorter...but you never know! That's what happens when you start talking about a great picture book. The more you study it and read it, the more you see.

Let's start with the cover of this book: Notice the frosty aqua blue spine with hand drawn wavy grid lines? Does it remind you of ice cubes and cold places? Oh--look at that penguin on the front! Yes, we're in for a cold one. But not a dreary cold place: this is a fun cold place. After all the boy and penguin look like they are best friends and also share a secret. The font choice is breezy and playful as well with the word "cool" printed in the same cool aqua shade; is the friend "cool," as in "cold," or "cool," as in "popular, fun, awesome"? Both, as it turns out.

Endpapers are next. The endpapers of this book continue the cool aqua association as well as those hand drawn white grid lines that remind one of ice cubes. Brrrr....

Opening pages: We see Magellan (the penguin) up close and personal, and doesn't he look a charmer? On the next page, we see Elliott (the boy), and he looks dapper as well. The perceptive reader notices that both the penguin and the boy look alike (in palette, at least). The penguin is the "friend" in the title--after all, he's pointing at the word on the title page. And Elliott looks like he's got a little secret. His presence at the far right of that first page invites us to turn the page and find out.

Palette: this book is a terrific example of a well chosen--and well used--palette. Note the frosty blue, the black and white, the spots of red (where the action is!), and the suspicious turtle-green color associated with Elliott's dad. Hmm.... as we look more closely at these colors, we might notice a suspicious-looking turtle shape in a few pictures. Or that the dad is always linked to this color much like Elliott and Magellan are linked to the spots of aqua and red on a black and white backdrop. Huh. Who or what is the father dressed like? Aaaahh... Cook it is.

Perspective: Another element Small uses effectively in this book is perspective. Palette goes hand in hand with perspective since it's usually a particular color that is drawing our eye to part of a page. But Small cleverly shields us from noticing the obvious by providing only part of an image. A reread shows us some striking partial turtle-shapes as well as other details (maps and the like) that we missed the first time around because our eyes were drawn to something completely different.

All in all, this is a delightful book to read once, twice, three times--looking closely at the elements mentioned above as you read. When you look for particular elements, like palette, then it's easier to start appreciating why certain books win awards even if at first glance you don't find the book remarkable. (For the record, *I* found this book remarkable before the Caldecotts were announced :-). )

What do YOU think of this book? Like it? No? Why not?

Next PBOW: I want it to be Moonday by Adam Rex (September, 2013--you may need to look at this in a bookstore because libraries won't have it yet), but I'm not sure I'll make it back to the bookstore for another read before then. So, it will be Nino Wrestles the World by Yuyi Morales (2013 publication, but should be in local libraries by now.)

Favorite Reads of 2012--Mid Year Report

Most of these are recent publications; some I have had the privilege to read as Advance Reader's Copies... and let me tell you, August and September are going to be GREAT months if you need to buy something at the bookstore ☺. If I've reviewed them, I've linked to my review. The ones I haven't reviewed yet, I hope to do soon. (If you'd like to see lists/short reviews of everything I read--including the ones I don't bother reviewing on LiterariTea, simply "follow" me or be a "friend" on goodreads--click on the "g" icon in the right margin.) Following my friend Brandy's idea, the * indicates books that are definitely in line for my top 10 regardless of what else I read this year.

• Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead (middle grades; coming out August)*
• Lulu and the Duck in the Park by Hilary McKay (early chapter book; coming out in the U. S. in August)*
• Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (Young Adult; published in May)*
• The Drowned Vault by N. D. Wilson (book #2 in Ashtown Burials series; coming out in September)*
• Ordinary Magic by Caitlen Rubino-Bradway (middle grades; published in May)
• The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt (middle grades)
• Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt (Young Adult)
• Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (children's novel)*
• Stuck by Oliver Jeffers (picture book)
• Water Sings Blue by Kate Coombs (picture book of poetry)
• And Then It's Spring by Erin Stead (picture book)*
• Wonder by R. J. Palacio (middle grades; published in January)
• The One and Only Ivan by Katharine Applegate (children's novel/middle grades; published this year)
• Crow by Barbara Wright (middle grades; published spring)
• The Runaway Princess by Kate Coombs (children's novels/middle grades)
• My Friend the Enemy by Janie Cheaney (middle grades)
• Mouse and Mole books by Wong Herbert Yee (early readers)
• Half Magic by Edward Eager (children's novel)

Literary Fathers--the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Megan and I have long discussed the absence of good father figures in children's literature. Have you ever noticed this lack? I came up with 10 favorite book moms (and types of book moms) quite easily around Mother's Day. But it's not so easy to do for book dads. Here's a quick snapshot of what we have to work with:

• Picture books: a smattering of "I love you" type books about Dads-kids (such as Daddy, I Love You), but not a whole lot of picture books actually featuring dads being, well, great dads.
• Fairy tales and folk tales: oh, boy, folks. Have you ever noticed that, while mothers are strikingly absent and replaced by mean, nasty stepmothers, the dads in fairy tales are downright awful? Beauty's dad bargains away a daughter in return for a safe return home, the miller tells the king his daughter can spin straw into gold, Hansel and Gretel's dad lets his wife talk him into leaving his children in the forest to die,....
• Middle grade and Young Adult fiction: the dad is usually absent or, in a plot device that occurs far too often for my tastes, we see the dad-who-abandons-his-child-and-she-discovers-herself-in-novel.... (Moon Over Manifest is a recent award-winning example). Or, we have the terrible-dad-who-sticks-around-and-main-character-still-manages-to-discover-himself (like Schmidt's Wednesday Wars and Okay for Now).

Good dads are out there, but they're hard to find, especially in contemporary children's literature. Here is a small list of noteworthy father figures in books for kids--or books which honor the importance a father has in his child's life:

Mr. Penderwick tops our list. If you haven't met the Penderwicks, do so ASAP!  Mr. Penderwick is a widower with four daughters, and he is a great dad. Really--a GREAT dad. He's not perfect, but he comes pretty darn close.

Mr. Weasley. His wife Molly made my top 10 book moms list, and her husband makes this one. Ingenius, brave, devoted to his family--Mr. Weasley is a great example of a book dad who defends his family, works hard at his job, and loves his wife. (Harry Potter Series)

Gen's father in the Queen's Thief Series. He doesn't land in the spotlight too often in these books, but a man who can raise a son like Gen is a man to be admired.

Frank Willis and Henry's father in the 100 Cupboards Series. Their wives also made my top 10 book moms list; these are strong couples indeed. Brave men defending their families, loving their wives, raising their children right, and leading their families and communities well.

Frances's father in the beloved Frances books. Another husband of a mom who made the top 10 list, Frances's father loves her and is an involved dad! I love it.

Matthew Cuthbert, husband of top 10 Marilla Cuthbert. He's an adoptive father, and a terrific one. Gentle and understanding of his Anne, he loves her to pieces.

Easy Reader Dads: interestingly enough, easy reader land is a gold mine of terrific, involved dads! Henry's dad (Henry and Mudge books) and Annie's dad (Annie and Snowball) are both great dads. The dads in Mouse Tales, Oliver the Pig, and other similar tales are clearly involved in their children's lives, too, even if they're not main characters.

Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce is a terrific adventure of a boy who pretends to be a dad in order to go up in a rocket and orbit the moon. In the process, he discovers just how valuable his own father is; the book celebrates dads!

Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri is the reverse of many stories out there for the upper middle grades/YA audience: in it, a boy is dumped back on his father's doorstep and the book show these two strangers getting to know each other again and learning the importance of both having a father and being a father. Neither is perfect, but the importance of an involved father comes through.

Please give us suggestions in the comments of other great books about great dads that you know of--we'd love to discover them. We're particular interested in picture books featuring great dads.

10 Favorite Book Moms

In honor of Mother's Day tomorrow and at the inspiration of my friend, Brandy, I thought I'd throw out a list of amazing "book moms"--the moms that appear in books and make us all want to be like them.... These are fictitious mothers; I am blessed to have a wonderful mom in real life myself. In no particular order, here they are (including a few "types" of moms near the end):

Mrs. Weasley (Harry Potter books, mother of HP's best friend Ron): If ever there was a mom in literature who fiercely loved her family, Molly Weasley is it. She has a clock that tells her where her precious brood is at any one time, mothers her children's friends as if they were her own, whips up feasts and keeps a cozy house (albeit with some magical aid), and boy howdy--when someone goes after one of her own--Molly Weasley, um, well, the she-bear comes OUT. (Brandy and I aren't the only ones in awe of Molly. I read a blog post just this morning that mentions some of these same wonderful traits).

Marilla Cuthbert (Anne of Green Gables): OK, Marilla is not technically a "mom" in the traditional sense, but she is a perfect mother to Anne. She grows into her role despite herself and sticks by Anne loyally through all of Anne's scrapes. One of those characters you love and admire almost without realizing it. At the end of the series, you are just as much a fan of Marilla in some ways as of Anne herself.

Frances's Mom (Frances books): This lovable badger manages to be all-wise/knowing as far as her young daughters are concerned, but she doesn't micromanage. She lets Frances figure out some life lessons the hard way (such as in A Bargain for Frances). She also doesn't entertain Frances, but lets Frances figure out how to entertain herself. Her disciplinary wisdom is wonderful (such as in Bread and Jam for Frances). She's just an all around great mom.

Mrs. Sowerby (Dickon's mom in The Secret Garden): ahh... another amazing mother (didn't she have 12 children?!) who manages to mother the extras brought under her wing, too. She raises such great kids as Dickon and Martha, and she extends that mothering wisdom to her nurturing of Colin and Mary. She's a force behind the scenes in this book, and the garden wouldn't have happened without her mothering of Colin and Mary.

Cassie's Mom (Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry): I can't remember their last name, but I do remember always being amazed at Cassie's mom's strength in this book. Her family is facing serious danger, yet she remains calm, cool, and collected. She protects her family, is wise in her counsel, and doesn't let fear paralyze her. Another mom who faces danger and keeps it together for her family is the mother in Between Shades of Gray--wow. That's all I can say about her.

Mrs. Murry (Wrinkle in Time): Smart! And still a great mom. Many literary moms are great moms in the typical sense, but Mrs. Murry is a different breed. She's a great mom for Meg, but she's not the sort slaving away in the kitchen cooking up chocolate chip cookies for her kids when they come home from school. More likely, she's messing around in her lab with some pot of something edible bubbling away on a Bunsen burner. Still, she's there for Meg and mothers her in other, more important ways.

Mary Curtis (Bright Island): I just read this book for the first time (review coming soon), but I was amazed at this mom of multiple children who had to be fairly self-sustaining on an island. She cans enough food for an army, homeschooled her children expertly, lets her children roam with just the right amount of tether, and is one of those moms who truly sets the tone for her household; she's their rock even while being unobtrusive about it. And yet, she allows her own daughter to segue into the same role, having done a terrific job of fostering Thankful's independence as well as instructing her in how to run a home. This makes her sound rather "Little House on the Prairie," but that's not quite the right impression of the intrepid Scotswoman here.

Dottie Willis and Hyacinth: (100 Cupboards Trilogy) Dottie is Henry York's first real "mother" in the sense of what we think mothers should be like. And, similar to Mrs. Weasley, she really rises to the occasion. Hyacinth is a mother we meet eventually in this series, and I can't tell you too much about her without spoiling some of the story. But she's a rock, as well. And, they both love and respect their husbands--without being cheesy or simpering about it.☺

The General "Nurturing" Mom: These are the moms in books who are great moms, but who sort of run together in my mind--all contributing to the general image of "nurturer." Examples are Marmee (Little Women), Mrs. Pepper (Five Little Peppers), the mother in All-of-a-Kind-Family, Ma Ingalls (Little House on the Prairie), and others. Making do with little, loving each of their children, creating a nurturing home, etc.

The Mothering Type: These are the women who aren't mothers in the traditional sense (nor even in the adoptive sense like Marilla Cuthbert), but who step in and "mother" children. Mary Poppins, Miss Penelope Lumley (The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place), Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, and others fall into this category. In a sense, some more astute fairy godmothers also fall into this camp as well!

Who do YOU admire? Who should we add to this list?

Literary Favorites: Beginning Readers

My friend Brandy has a great little category on her blog titled "My Favorite Things." She regularly posts on her favorite (something) in literature, most recently her favorite literary mothers. I love this idea--such a great way around the inevitable (and totally unanswerable) question posed to bibliophiles: "What's your favorite book?" I mean, really. Who can answer that? So, to start off our own favorites section here and to highlight an oft overlooked category of children's literature, I'll list my favorite Beginning Reader series. These are so worth seeking out and, unfortunately, (as Brandy and I were bemoaning today) you'll have to head to a library. The "beginning reader" category at the big box bookstores usually stars pop culture remakes that are worthless as far as actual literature goes. But these books are the first ones a child actually reads and they will remember these books. These books will help shape their future literary experiences, so make these early experiences good ones! Great stories! Well-crafted text! Well-executed illustrations (which must walk that fuzzy line between illustrations that help carry picture book texts and merely subtle illustrations occasionally in a chapter book).

A truly great beginning reader series is a work of art. Any author who can craft a well-written (and often well-illustrated) book for this reading level is a genius. Try writing a story someday using such a limited vocabulary and make it something even a grownup wants to read. Try... just try. In the meantime, here are some to look for in your library (in no particular order):

1. Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel (OK, I lied. These are my faves. And my all-time favorite Frog and Toad is Frog and Toad Together; the cookies story is especially appropriate as Girl Scout Cookie season approaches....)
2. Little Bear by Minarik (and illustrated by Sendak; my all-time favorite and the best read aloud of this series is Little Bear's Visit--especially the goblin story)
3. Elephant and Piggie by Mo Willems (and his single story Amanda and her Alligator)
4. Poppleton and Friends by Cynthia Rylant
5. Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant (and the ones about Henry's cousin, Annie and Snowball)
6. Cat in the Hat and other Seuss beginning readers*
7. Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same by Grace Lin (single book, not a series) 
8. Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hof (incidentally, this was the very first book I read on my own--I still remember the experience vividly... it was the page with the monkeys on it where the letters suddenly coalesced and became meaningful and I've never been the same!)
9. Are you My Mother? and The Best Nest by P. D. Eastman (just for the record, Go, Dog Go! drives me crazy)
10. George and Martha by James Marshall (and I can't even pick a favorite here--they're all awesome!)**

*The most phonetic and approachable for new readers--still, after all these years!
**The George and Martha books are not as phonetic as the others on this list, just so you know.