7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #794: Featuring Matthew Cordell
May 15th, 2022 by jules
I’m sending you to the Horn Book today to read, if you’re so inclined, my review of Philip Stead’s Every Dog in the Neighborhood (Neal Porter Books/Holiday House), illustrated by Matthew Cordell and arriving on shelves in June. Here’s the review. This is, hands down, one of my favorite picture books thus far this year.
And then, if you’re so inclined again, you can look below to see some spreads.
Do you have a dog?’ ‘I had a dog once,’ says Mr. Pierce. ‘His name was Harvey. He doesn’t live here anymore. But he will always live in my heart.’ ‘Does your heart live here?’ I ask. ‘Oh, yes,’ he says. ‘It has for many years.’
That is good enough for me. I write down: 1. HARVEY”
(Click image to see spread in its entirety)
(Click spread to enlarge and read text in its entirety)
(Click spread to enlarge and read text in its entirety)
EVERY DOG IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. Text copyright © 2022 by Philip C. Stead. Illustrations copyright © 2022 by Matthew Cordell and reproduced by permission of the publisher, Neal Porter Books/Holiday House.
Note for any new readers: 7-Imp’s 7 Kicks is a weekly meeting ground for taking some time to reflect on Seven(ish) Exceptionally Fabulous, Beautiful, Interesting, Hilarious, or Otherwise Positive Noteworthy Things from the past week, whether book-related or not, that happened to you. New kickers are always welcome.
1) Wading in the river. And only two mosquito bites.
2) A surprise birthday celebration.
3) Being reminded of this, one of my favorite poems.
4) I finally finished season one of Our Flag Means Death in which we are all reminded, if we managed to forget, that Taika Waititi is a goddamn international treasure.
5) The baby robins in the nest right by our front door have managaed to stay safe and are nearly all grown-up.
6) Same for my oldest daughter, who graduates from high school today.
7) Yesterday I had my first summer swim, complete with swimming snacks and lemonade.
What are YOUR kicks this week?
Jules this book! A dog looking a bit like E.B.White? The best on my list.
Congrats to the graduate! Woot! My oldest grand went to her first prom last night. And first swim of summer, snacks and lemonade. Our weather is still thinking it’s more like winter.
1. Visiting a farmer’s market yesterday between rain showers.
2. Seeing goldfinches at my California Lilac.
3. Water aerobics.
4. Catching up with college friends on Zoom.
5. Voted!
6. Planted native plants.
7. Thirty days until I travel with my niece and her son to Ireland and Scotland.
Hello to all of the Imps and their pets, as well as to the illustrated ones featured today!
Happy graduation, daughter-of-Jules! I hope you have a wonderful day!
Jules: Hello to the robins!
Jone: Yay voting! Happy one-month-countdown.
1) Simple things
2) Joy
3) Space
4) Time
5) Rest
6) Chocolate
7) Cheese
Love this book and these illustrations!
Jules – congratulations to your daughter on her graduation! Hard agree on Taika, surprise birthday celebrations sound wonderful and so does that first summer swim.
Jone – what a full week! Yay for Farmers Markets and goldfinches and anticipating travel. Thank you for voting!
Little Willow – Your kicks read like the recipe for a perfect weekend. Love, love, love them all.
My kicks this week:
1) Knowing so many smart, funny, passionate, outspoken women who may be tired, but who also refuse to give up.
2) Sent tea and chocolate and sunflower seeds to a friend who was under the weather and it was well-received.
3) Starting seeds in my newly cleaned out garage. Eager to see how the Teddy Bear Sunflowers turn out.
4) Starting our weekend on Friday evening with underwater treadmill for Daisy – makes both us of us happy.
5) Season 2 of The Flight Attendant is really good.
6) Got my second booster shot yesterday – yay science!
7) Going to a brand new micro-restaurant Hank’s Place Southern Cuisine and getting to meet founder/owner Hank (aka Mary) who is originally from Louisiana but also grew up in Portland and was an ace softball player (Hank is for Hank Aaron – her softball nickname because of her skill), and getting to talk all things southern and softball. And she makes the best crawfish etouffee I’ve had outside of Louisiana.
7.5) I voted. I also called my US senators and rep to let them know my thoughts on some of their recent actions I thought were lame, as well as actions that were good. Love the feeling of being an active participant in government.
Have a great week Imps!
Jone, your trip is SOON! Exciting. Also, I love water aerobics and always have.
Thanks, Little Willow! Also, I can get behind all those kicks.
Rachel, hear! hear! to #1. Good luck to your seeds. Hello to Daisy. Kick #7 is extra neat, and #7.5 is THE BEST.
Have a good week, you all …