Hilarious New Picture Book: It's Only Stanley

It's Only Stanley, written and illustrated by Jon Agee.  Oh, how I love surprises in funny picture books, and Agee's latest offers surprises galore, with one of the best twist endings (which I will not spoil) I have seen in a long time.  Another great thing about the book is when you go through it a second time, knowing the ending, you encounter clever foreshadowing and new jokes--you have a whole new perspective of what is happening.  The story revolves one extremely restless night for the Wimbledon family.  Stanley, their beloved dog (who looks like a beagle), wakes them up by howling.  Ah, "it's only Stanley," Walter the father says, "he's howling at the moon" and back into bed they go.  However, a clanking sound sends a child scurrying into her parent's bedroom, and the father goes to the basement to discover Stanley fixing the oil tank with a hammer.  (I love the wide-eyed cat appearing in every illustration.)  And so it goes.  Weird noise.  Another distraught family member.  The father checks on the noise only to find Stanley doing increasingly more bizarre things.  What could he be doing?  Agee's bouncy, rhyming text keeps the action hopping along, and his drawings delight, containing outrageously funny details that make you chuckle.  The fact that Stanley looks so earnest, so driven, so serious only adds to the humor.  Bravo!

Picture Book of the Day: My Pen

My Pen, written and illustrated by Christopher Myers.  With striking illustrations done in black pen (against white backgrounds), this unique, philosophical look at the power of art soars thanks to Myers' unpredictable approach.  You never know what you are going to see when you turn the page next.  The book effectively walks an emotional and tonal tightrope with a moment of humor followed by a moment of sadness or alienation.  For example, before the title page we see the fedora-wearing artist on a 1,017 dollar bill ("The United States of My Pen"), but when you flip the page we see the same boy feeling small because he sees rich people who own jewels and pieces of the sky as well as famous people.  "But then I remember I have my pen," the pensive lad declares, and this empowers him.  A series of drawings follow, mostly surrealistic (a giant in the hand of the world's smallest girl, the boy upside down in the sky), accompanied by poetic language (the words written out in all caps with said pen carefully and beautifully).  The book has a stream-of-conscious feel that can be fanciful (love those satellite sneakers with computer laces, and the x-ray vision that shows the boy's ribcage as a butterfly) or bleak ("my pen worries about all the wars in the world").  What young readers will take away from this is that with your pen you can create anything your heart desires and what is on your mind.  Artistically impressive and yes an even a bit strange (in a great way), this will inspire young artists.  I love the sentiment:  "There are a million pens in the world and each one has a million worlds inside it."

Picture Book Star of the Day: Dan Santat

Here is a special tribute to this year's Caldecott winner Dan Santat!  I have been a fan of his work for years, so I was thrilled when his Adventures of Beekle was named the 2015 Caldecott Award Winner.  This post will touch on some other titles that he illustrated that I find extremely entertaining and fun, sporting cool, vibrant illustrations.  These are picture books, but I must add that he created the wonderful graphic novel Sidekicks and is currently providing the smash bang color illustrations in the reboot of Dav Pilkey's Ricky Ricotta series.

First off, hats off, once again, to the great Beekle:

The Adventures of Beekle:  The Unimaginary Friend, written and illustrated by Dan Santat (2014).  This magical and highly imaginative charmer offers illustrations packed with lovely and humorous details that readers will enjoy exploring.  The story feels inspired by Miyazaki, yet it is its own unique self.  The tale begins with the little marshmallow-like (with legs and friendly waving hands) creature being born on the island where imaginary friends wait to be beamed up to the real world, paired with children.  But no kid dreams up this poor little guy.  Instead of giving up and waiting around, he takes matters into his own hands and travels "through unknown waters" to the real world, one that perplexes the critter.  Santat then gives us human society through the protagonist's eyes, and he gives us moments that are both sad and satirical.  Will Beekle ever find a child who will embrace him as an "imaginary friend"?   Santat has illustrated many fun books for children, but this might be his finest achievement yet as a picture book artist.  Funny, poignant, rich in detail, a real keeper.

And now some other comical gems he illustrated: 

Carnivores, written by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Dan Santat (2013).  One of the funniest books of 2013, and one of the most subversive.  Three carnivores experience an existential crisis when they realize that others find their meat-eating ways alienating.  Can they change and become lovable vegetarians?  What do you think?  The book has one of the most startling bits of comedy of the year (poor owl!).  It's a book that adults who like their humor a bit on the dark side will love just as much as kids on the book's twisted wavelength.  Full disclosure:  I'm a vegetarian...and I thought it was hilarious.  Santat's animal characters, love that shark wearing that helmet filled with water, make you laugh from start to finish with their wildly shifting facial expressions.

Crankenstein, written by Samantha Berger, illustrated by Dan Santat (2013).  In this zesty look at those days when you are in a horrible mood that causes you to say "mehhrrrrrr!!!" and turn into a pint-sized, green-skinned mini-Frankenstein, Santat has fun playing with monster movie conventions.  There is a shadowy figure on the title page that sets the mood in a playfully creepy fashion.  Berger addresses the reader directly, asking with a flip of the page "Have you seen Crankenstein?  Oh, you would totally know if you had" and we see Crankenstein buried under his blanket.  Another flip and reveal shows the boy having the covers ripped off of him and screaming with anger at the sunny unseen person shouting "Good Morning!!  How Are You?" (love that Santat uses different colors on these words, serving as a funny disconnect between the Crankenstein's mood and an otherwise happy day).  Horrible horrible things keep happening to the title character and he becomes quite Hulk-like greener and greener and greener, until he's in full drooly, snotty rage mode.  Of course it all leads to a sweet ending...with a rainbow even!  Santat does a masterful job capturing the lead's character rather startling mood swings thanks to fun shifting perspective shots and inventive use of speech bubbles and layout design. 

Fire! Fuego! Brave Bomberos, written by Susan Middleton Elya, illustrated by Dan Santat (2012).  In this captivating picture book, which has words sprinkled in Spanish throughout, Santat captures the extremely rapid trek of a group of fire fighters/bomberos (four men, one woman) rush to save a house on fire.  Elya's  rollicking rhymes propel the action forward as they put on their gear, slide down the pole, and ride their rig to the blaze.  The drawings of the fire are especially dramatic, you can practically smell the flames bursting off the page.  In a rather startling twist, just when the reader thinks that the bomberos have completely saved the day, a gato/cat needs to be rescued!  Santat then gives us a great perspective shot, looking down at the fire woman on a ladder while her team watches from waaaaaay below.  This rousing tribute to these heroes offers a perfect match of text and illustration.  What I like about the story too is, although it certainly works as a salute to fire fighters, it does not sugarcoat the job--the penultimate spread shows them being jarred awake by a 911 emergencia call (Santat does an excellent job showing their exasperated and startled and exhausted expressions).  The book has a great glossary of Spanish words in the back.

Oh No!  (Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World), written by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Dan Santat (2010).  In another thrilling, tongue-in-cheek monster movie tribute (this time Godzilla quickly comes to mind as a rampaging creature, a robot, threatens a city), Santat creates illustrations that look like they are truly from a sci fi movie, at times with full page spreads that look as if they were shot in CinemaScope (there are some comic book style panels at key points as well) .  The end papers show scientific blue prints.  Before the title page, we are given a "Please Stand By" warning that causes comical alarm.  And then the title page:  a guilty-looking bespectacled girl scurrying by a bunch of television sets in a store window all showing a Special Report about the robot attack.  We then see the carnage (love the inclusion of a "Dead End" sign).  Barnett's first person narration is a masterpiece of understatement:  "I never should have built a robot for the science fair," serving as a fun counterbalance to Santat's drawings.  How will this resilient girl stop the monster she has created?  Well, it involves a toad...

The Three Ninja Pigs, written by Corey Rosen Schwartz, illustrated by Dan Santat (2012).  And finally, this hilarious set-in-Japan fractured fairy tale adds a fun spin to the classic Three Little Pigs story.  Schwartz's bouncy limericks tell of a porcine trio who, tired of being bullied by a wolf, take martial arts classes to take on the villain.  However, the first two start slacking off and refuse to finish their lessons.  It's up to their sister who excelled at her studies to save the day!  Again, Santat does a brilliant job showing the fast-paced action, using comic book style panels and inventive speech bubbles to show the characters in motion.  Every thoughtful spread is done with wit and captivating color--it's a funny book yes, but also artfully rendered. 

So here's to Dan Santat!  Best author photos ever:

     

More Bird Books! Four Winners about Our Feathered Friends

Little Bird Takes a Bath, written and illustrated by Marisabina Russo.  Just in time for spring, this surefire story time winner stars a sweet darling of a feathered creature who does not like the rain but loves to splash in puddles.  Rendered in gouache and colored pencil, the charming and beautifully done illustrations have an almost three-dimensional effect as we see the little bird in an urban landscape watch with sadness as the rain falls.  He closes his eyes and then dreams about a glorious sunny day, which indeed follows, causing the bird to sing "rain, rain, gone away" with joy (love the musical notes floating above his cute little head).  The titular character then searches high and low for the Perfect Puddle, but when he discovers one, a bunch of obstacles disturb his splashy fun:  a bouncing ball, a girl's flip flops, a pesky pooch.  Children will love splashing like the bird, and making the various sounds and cheeps he makes.  Little Bird also sings quite a bit and this adds even more opportunities for enthusiastic interaction. 

P. Zonka Lays an Egg, written and illustrated by Julie Paschkis.  Striking watercolors (done on 100% rag archival watercolor paper) add a delightfully retro feel to this colorful, zesty, and very funny story about a bunch of egg-laying hens concerned about their friend P. Zonka, who has yet to lay one.  Paschkis does a great job setting up the situation, introducing Maud, who lays one egg every day, Dora who habitually lays an egg every other day, and Gloria (and I love this joke) who never lays an egg because he turns out to be a rooster.  Swirling lines please the eye as the hens start clucking about what could possibly be wrong with the lovable P. Zonka.  "She's a dreamer," claims Dora.  This might be true because our feathered heroine does seem a head in the clouds, always checking out the nature around her instead of concentrating on the task at hand.  It all leads to a wonderful, surprising ending that is beyond spectacular, one that will make young listeners go "wow" and cheer.

Yeti and the Bird, written and illustrated by Nadia Shireen.  Originally released in Great Britain in 2013, this most welcome import tells of a gigantic Yeti who lives deep in the forest.  The yeti is a huge mountain of fur, with two friendly little peepers peeking out and a tiny line of a mouth.  Employing mixed media, Shireen gives us an evocative forest, with frightened creatures hiding in the reddish dark while the yeti plods on alone.  Young readers will empathize with the lonely creature, wishing he would find a friend.  Suddenly plopping, landing on his head is an adorable bird...with a suitcase.  The yeti roars at the sqwalking little bird (I love this first interaction), and the fearless little bird finds the situation absolutely hilarious, giggling with giddiness (the "sqwalka sqwalka sqwalkas" push it over the edge).  This pair forms a completely wonderful unlikely friendship that proves both enduring and witty.  Soon all the forest animals join into fun.  This sounds cloying perhaps, but in Shireen's able hands, it is far from saccharine.  There's a playfulness here, and then a sense of melancholy, that gives it an edge. 

You Nest Here with Me, written by Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple, illustrated by Melissa Sweet.   This soothing, rhyming lullaby of a book serves as both a bedtime offering and an informative look at birds.  Yolen and Stemple introduce a human mother tucking her young daughter, whom she calls "baby bird," into bed.  In a meta touch, the mama reads the book You Nest Here with Me to the child, lulling her to sleep with bird facts.  The vocabulary-rich stanzas mostly have an A, A, A, B scheme with the book's title a reassuring refrain:  "Pigeons nest on concrete ledges/Catbirds nest in greening hedges/ Tiny wrens, in shoreline sedges.  You nest here with me."  Caldecott honoree Sweet's drawings are magical, giving us cozy views of the various bird species, parents and children about ready to snooze.  This is a first-rate addition to any bedtime or bird collection.    

Picture Book of the Day: If You Plant a Seed, written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson

If You Plant a Seed, written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson.  The latest from the amazingly talented Nelson works beautifully as a cautionary fable about selfishness, with various animals fighting over but then learning to share a garden.  The narrator addresses the young reader in concise, direct manner, using the "you" pronoun effectively.  Nelson's wondrous, brilliant oil paintings fill the page as we see a rabbit and mouse plant a tomato seed, a carrot seed, and a cabbage seed.  The next humorous spread shows four scenes of the animals patiently waiting for the seeds to grow (I love the bunny reading the upside down gardening book, and the mouse happily catching the rainfall in its mouth).  Soon the plants grow and the pair munch on their lunch, but the meal comes to a stand still when a bunch of birds stop by, hoping to join in the festivities.  Two wordless spreads follow, accentuating the silent showdown (what a great POV shot of the birds staring directly at the reader).  Then all chaos breaks out as the furry friends battle the feathered pals.  Nelson does a great job showing the selfishness growing and growing into a heap of trouble.  Which animal will help make amends and bring peace?  You will have to read it and find out!  Another winner from Kadir Nelson, who truly is one of the greatest illustrators working today.

Picture Book of the Day: Gordon Parks

Gordon Parks:  How the Photographer Captured Black and White America, written by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Jamey Christoph.   Great for older students, this handsomely illustrated picture book introduces readers to the versatile and influential Gordon Parks.  Weatherford begins her elegant and concise account of Parks' life at the most logical place:  the moment he is born.  It is a dramatic birth because he arrives stillborn and needs ice water to shock his heart to beat (and I love Christoph's emotional illustration--Parks' mother shedding a tear of relief and joy as she holds her newborn child).  The author effectively uses the present tense to bring to immediacy to her telling, showing how Parks encounters loves life on the prairie, encounters a racist white teacher, and works odd jobs.  Parks' life changes when he buys a camera for $7.50 at age 25; the financially troubled man finds success taking fashion photos and portraits.  Christoph does an excellent job recreating these photographs with his drawings.  Parks becomes an activist as a photographer using his work to show racial inequality and struggle in America.  Weatherford beautifully then shows how Parks focuses on Ella Watson, a cleaning lady who, along with her family, becomes the subject of some of his most famous shots.  Informative back matter, including some examples of his photographs including his iconic "American Gothic," reveals more information about Parks who would go on to write novels, direct movies, and compose music and poetry.  A first-rate book about a fascinating individual.