Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

“… cuando conozco a alguien / me sonrojo tímido como / Marte en martes /
when I meet someone new / I turn red like Mars / on Tuesday …”
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If you’re having trouble waking up this morning, today’s illustrations from Maya Christina Gonzalez might just do the trick. I’ve got here today some of her bright, vivid artwork for Francisco X. Alarcón’s Family Poems for Every Day of the Week / Poemas familiares para cada dia de la semana (Children’s Book Press / Lee & Low Books, October 2017).

These are poems, published posthumously (the award-winning Alarcón died last year), celebrating family and community for each day of the week. Evidently, the entries are based on Alarcón’s own childhood experiences with his family. Each entry is published in both Spanish and English, including the fascinating opening author’s note about the days of the week and how their names came about. The book’s playful font and typography keep readers on their toes, and the poems strike various tones. “I can barely open / the shut oysters / of my sleep eyes” on Mondays, Alarcón writes, yet Saturdays are joyous: “I feel thrilled and free / like a hummingbird / in the Garden of Eden.”

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“It feels good when I receive messages from mothers, teachers, librarians, and grandmothers, who have said that Crown has moved them and their children. It has filled them with pride and speaks directly to their soul.
That’s exactly why we do what we do. I want to create a body of work
that will stay with readers for a long time.”

 

Today over at Kirkus, I talk to author Derrick Barnes, pictured above left and quoted above, and illustrator Gordon C. James, pictured right, about their debut picture book, Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut (Denene Millner Books/Bolden/Agate Publishing, October 2017).

That is here.

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Photo of Derrick Barnes by Victoria Blackshear. Photo of Gordon C. James is courtesy of the illustrator.

 
Today, I’ve an original, modern fairy tale for you, dear Imps. I’m featuring a story the creators, sisters Natalia and Lauren O’Hara, describe as “a dark fairy tale, inspired by the stories our Polish grandma told on snowy nights.” Hortense and the Shadow (Little, Brown) will be on shelves early next month.

The protagonist of this lyrical, atmospheric tale (which I think would make Florence Parry Heide proud) is a young girl named Hortense (I love this), and she lives “through the dark and wolfish woods” and “the white and silent snow.” Hortense is kind and brave, but she’s also sad and, to be precise about it, quite frustrated — because she would like to be sans shadow. Everywhere she goes, her shadow goes, “tall and dark and crooked,” and she’s weary of it. She even figures that her shadow hates her too. One day, she manages to cleave her shadow via slamming down the sash of a window. The shadow puts up a fight but eventually wanders off in the dusk. Read the rest of this entry �

“It was late at night. A noise had woken Anyaugo. …”
— From Nnedi Okorafor’s Chicken in the Kitchen, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini
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“”The only thing they didn’t lose was each other.”
— From Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl’s Sleep Well, Siba & Siba,
illustrated by Sandra van Doorn
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— From Xu Bing’s Look! What Do You See?:
An Art Puzzle Book of American & Chinese Songs,
illustrated by Becca Stadtlander
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“When he went fishing with his middle-sized fishing rod, he managed to catch the most middle-sized fish in the lake, which he put into his middle-sized basket.”
— From Susanna Isern’s Middle Bear, illustrated by Manon Gauthier
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Last week, I wrote here at Kirkus about new picture books with an international flair, including Nnedi Okorafor’s Chicken in the Kitchen (Lantana, September 2017), illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini; Xu Bing’s Look! What Do You See?: An Art Puzzle Book of American & Chinese Songs (Viking, November 2017), illustrated by Becca Stadtlander; Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl’s Sleep Well, Siba & Saba (Lantana, October 2017), illustrated by Sandra van Doorn; and Susanna Isern’s Middle Bear (Kids Can Press, October 2017), illustrated by Manon Gauthier.

I’m following up today with some art from each book.

Enjoy!

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“CHARGE!”
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I’ve got a BookPage review of Mac Barnett’s The Wolf, the Duck, and the Mouse (Candlewick, October 2017), illustrated by Jon Klassen. It’s so good. That is here.

Here today at 7-Imp are a few spreads.

Enjoy!

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“Between two windows, there could be a phone,
used for good ideas.”
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You all are going to think I’m lazy today, but hear me out.

I’m showing you two spreads from one of my favorite picture books this year, Julia Denos’s Windows (Candlewick, October 2017), illustrated by E. B. Goodale. (This, in fact, is Goodale’s debut.) Oh, how I love it. However, I’m not going to tell you right now why I like it, because that is to-come.

As mentioned previously, I’ve joined the team over at the Horn Book’s Calling Caldecott this year. We are in the swing of things and writing about all kinds of wonderful picture books — and have been for several weeks now. I not only know that we’re going to cover Windows, but I may be the one writing about it. So, I’ll wait for that — but did want to mark the book’s publication this coming week and give you a peek inside.

For now, if you want to read more, I’ll send you to the Kirkus review, which is here.

And more on this book from me later, whether it’s in a couple of months or early 2018. (We will still be blogging at Calling Caldecott in January.)

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Today over at Kirkus, I’ve got some picture books that are from all over the map. One is pictured above.

That is here.

Next week here at 7-Imp, I’ll follow up with some art from each book.

First image: An early sketch;
Second image: A final spread (“I didn’t look up. I didn’t look down.
I just kept climbing. One step at a time …”)
Click second image to enlarge

 
I’ve got a review over at BookPage of Dan Santat’s After the Fall (Roaring Brook Press, October 2017). That is here.

Here at 7-Imp, Dan shares some preliminary, behind-the-scenes images (when the book, as you can see, was in third-person). After that are a few more final spreads from the book.

Enjoy!

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“I figure out how to make clothes that are better for life on an island.”
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I’ve got a review over at BookPage this month of what is one of my favorite 2017 picture books, if not my very favorite — Peter Sís’s Robinson (Scholastic, September 2017). JUST LOOK AT THOSE COLORS ABOVE!

You can read about it here at their site, and today at 7-Imp I’ve got a bit of art from the book.

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— From Julie Falatko’s Snappsy the Alligator and His Best Friend Forever (Probably),
illustrated by Tim Miller

 

“Dring-dring, dring-dring!
Chirri and Chirra have wonderful dreams that night.”
— From Kaya Doi’s Chirri & Chirra: The Snowy Day
(Click to enlarge image)

 

— From Laurel Snyder’s Charlie & Mouse & Grumpy,
illustrated by Emily Hughes

 


— From Bethan Woollvin’s Rapunzel

 

“When it gets dark, Kuma-Kuma Chan listens to the … stars.”
— From Kazue Takahashi’s Kuma-Kuma Chan’s Travels
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Over at Kirkus today, I’ve got activism on the mind.

That is here.

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Last week, I wrote here about the return this Fall of some beloved picture book characters. I’m following up today with some art from those books, which include Kazue Takahashi’s Kuma-Kuma Chan’s Travels (Museyon, October 2017); Laurel Snyder’s Charlie & Mouse & Grumpy (Chronicle, October 2017), illustrated by Emily Hughes; Bethan Woollvin’s Rapunzel (Peachtree, October 2017); Julie Falatko’s Snappsy the Alligator and His Best Friend Forever (Probably) (Viking, October 2017), illustrated by Tim Miller; and Kaya Doi’s Chirri & Chirra: The Snowy Day (Enchanted Lion, October 2017).

Enjoy! Read the rest of this entry �