{"id":2122,"date":"2011-04-24T00:01:37","date_gmt":"2011-04-24T06:01:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=2122"},"modified":"2011-04-24T21:23:01","modified_gmt":"2011-04-25T03:23:01","slug":"7-imps-7-kicks-216-featuring-sergio-ruzzier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=2122","title":{"rendered":"7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #216: Featuring Sergio Ruzzier"},"content":{"rendered":"

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{Edited to Add, Sunday evening:<\/font> Quick announcement to say that Sergio has been invited to spend a month with Maurice Sendak as part of the Sendak Fellowship, which I believe is in its second year. I didn’t mention that in this post this morning, as I thought it was not-to-be-announced yet, and Sergio himself is too modest to mention it, I think I can safely say. But it turns out it’s okay to announce it, so here I am celebrating Sergio’s good—and well-deserved—news. I believe the fellowship starts in the Fall, and it means Sergio will find himself in Connecticut, sitting next to Maurice Sendak, talking about books, learning from the master himself. Author\/illustrator Paul Schmid<\/a><\/strong> discussed his experience as a Sendak Fellow here at this fairly recent post<\/a><\/strong>, if anyone would like to read more about the experience.}<\/em><\/p>\n

We’re being greeted this Easter Sunday by Eve Bunting’s<\/a><\/strong> and Sergio Ruzzier’s<\/a><\/strong> Little Elephant from Tweak Tweak<\/a><\/em><\/strong> (Clarion Books). I think if I could pinch that elephant’s cheeks, I would. (This is a sentence I never thought I’d type in life.) <\/p>\n

Since it’s Easter today, I wonder if I’ll be kickin’ it alone. I hope, where ever you may be, that you’re enjoying chocolate or marshallows or hard-boiled eggs or candy robin eggs or Peeps or dark chocolate bunnies or jelly beans — but just not all at once. I also hope you get to hunt for an egg or two. Preferably the kind with treats hidden inside. <\/p>\n

Author\/illustrator Sergio Ruzzier<\/a><\/strong> is here today, as mentioned, not only to share his Easter egg up there with us, but also to give us a sneak peek into his latest illustrated title, Tweak Tweak<\/a><\/em><\/strong>, written by none other than the esteemed Eve Bunting, who has written over two hundred children’s books in her career, including Smoky Night<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, the winner of the 1995 Caldecott Medal<\/a><\/strong>, illustrated by David D\u00edaz<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n

I thought Tweak Tweak<\/em> was already out, but I see its official release date is May. Ack! This is what I get for being generally disorganized with the stacks of picture books that surround me. I don’t mean to sound all taunting with a book you can’t get your hands on yet, but you won’t have to wait long. Not to mention it’ll also be worth the wait. I was eager to see it myself, as a fan of both Bunting and Ruzzier, and it truly delivers. <\/p>\n

Tweak Tweak<\/em> tells the story of a young elephant with his mother. As they head out for a walk one sunny day, Mama Elephant tells Little Elephant to hold on to her tail and tweak it twice for any questions. Well, Little Elephant is very curious and Mama’s tail gets lots of tugging. (When I first read it, my own young daughters were with me and there was lots—and I mean lots<\/em>—of loud laughter at each tweak. Little Elephant’s abundant curiosity will surely resonate with the youngest of readers\/listeners.) Little Elephant sees a whole host of creatures on their walk and wants to know if he can perform the same tasks as these animals. For instance:<\/p>\n

TWEAK, TWEAK!<\/p>\n

“Yes, my little elephant?”<\/p>\n

“Mama? What is that?<\/p>\n

“That is a frog.”<\/p>\n

“What is he doing?”<\/p>\n

“He’s jumping.” <\/p>\n

“Can I jump?”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Understand, mind you, that last sentence gets its own spread, and we see Little Elephant leaping—in his own mind anyway—through the air, complete with a huge smile and some frightened frogs beneath him. (Cue more loud laughs from the young children.)<\/p>\n

This goes on, with satisfying repetition, until the tables are turned, as they head home and Mama gets to tug on Little Elephant’s tail. (“Tweak, tweak!<\/em> ‘Do you know the way back, my little elephant?’ ‘Yes, Mama. I remember.'”) <\/p>\n

As Booklist<\/em> has noted, the heart of this story is the affectionate relationship between Mama and Little Elephant. It’s tender and sweet, but never cloying. And the way in which Bunting has constructed the text is spot-on. The Horn Book<\/em> review has noted the “elegant repeating structure” of her text. This is important. A clumsier author attempting this type of thing might end up giving the reader dull lists. Bunting wraps this all in a graceful rhythm of sorts that pulls the reader along with a real energy. <\/p>\n

And it’s a delight, as a fan of Ruzzier’s work, to see this title. Now, you all know I never resort to merely the word “cute” to describe a children’s book (note my pledge on this page<\/a><\/strong> of the blog), so I won’t say that Little Elephant is that. But I will say he is ADORABLE. (Note my cheek-pinching proclivity up there at the post’s introduction.) I can spout off a long list of qualities to Ruzzier’s illustration work that I like, but “adorable” isn’t often one of them. But this? This is the most adorable I’ve ever seen one of his characters — as a wide-eyed, curious, wee elephant should<\/em> be. Really. I want to scoop Little Elephant up in my arms and hug his sweet neck. I believe it was (once again) the Horn Book<\/em> review of Tweak Tweak<\/em> that noted Ruzzier’s offbeat style, hands down my favorite thing about his work. It really works here with Bunting’s text. And there’s so much joy and humor in his illustrations here that it’s infectious. There’s also comfort and warmth, what with his round lines (particularly with Mama and Little Elephant). <\/p>\n

All-around it’s a winner. I’d put it in my top-ten list of 2011 picture book titles thus far. Undoubtedly. Here is Sergio to share three sets of roughs from the dummy, preparatory pencil drawings, and finals in pen and ink and watercolor. I thank him for visiting 7-Imp — again. (He visited me in ’08 for a breakfast interview<\/a><\/strong> and last year<\/a><\/strong> to talk about Hey, Rabbit!<\/em>)<\/p>\n


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“‘Hold on to my tail, Little Elephant,’ Mama Elephant said. ‘Today we are going for a walk. If you want to ask me a question, tweak twice.'”<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n


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“‘Can I go swimming in the river?'”<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n


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“‘Can I sing like that?'”<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n

TWEAK TWEAK. Text copyright \u00a9 2011 by Eve Bunting. Illustrations \u00a9 2011 by Sergio Ruzzier. Published by Clarion Books, Boston. Reproduced by permission of the illustrator.<\/em><\/p>\n

* * * * * * *<\/center><\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

* * * * * * *<\/center><\/p>\n

* * * Jules’ Kicks * * *<\/strong><\/font>
<\/center><\/p>\n

1).<\/strong><\/font> I am continually amazed by the kindness of the friends I’ve made through blogging. I received some really lovely, neato-skeeto (to channel my inner six-year-old there) gifts this week from friends\/blog readers, people I haven’t even met in person (yet) but whom I consider good—and special—friends. <\/p>\n

2).<\/strong><\/font> This<\/a><\/strong> children’s book festival, coming up in May in Knoxville, is going to be awfully fun. With, as you can see, a good line-up of authors and illustrators. <\/p>\n

3).<\/strong><\/font> I’ve been so remiss—all on account of the huge writing deadline looming ahead of me and just General Too Busy-Ness—in not pointing out all the wonderful poetry posts going on in the kidlitosphere this April for National Poetry Month<\/a><\/strong>. There is so much goodness going on that the best thing I can do is send you to this link<\/a><\/strong>, which I linked to back at the beginning of the month. (I’m pretty sure it’s MotherReader<\/a><\/strong> we have to thank for that link.) If you have the time to catch the April posts of people like Jama Rattigan<\/a><\/strong> and Gregory K. Pincus<\/a><\/strong> (“30 Poets\/30 Days” over at GottaBook<\/em>), to name only two, I mean to tell you that you will be rewarded. These hard-working, talented bloggers with excellent<\/em> taste are national treasures. They truly are. (Greg says that great logo there on the right came from artist and illustrator Mary Peterson<\/a><\/strong>.) <\/p>\n

4).<\/strong><\/font> This Tiny Desk Concert<\/a><\/strong> from Pokey LaFarge<\/a><\/strong> is like a breath of fresh air. <\/p>\n

5).<\/strong><\/font> This<\/a><\/strong> bootleg Elvis tune really made my week. You can listen to the performance by hitting the play button there at the bottom of that link. <\/p>\n

I did not know Elvis even said<\/em> words like that. <\/p>\n

6).<\/strong><\/font> I find this<\/a><\/strong> about babies and mamas and invading cells really fascinating, and I hope that the “too dangerously beautiful idea” of science wins out. I do. (As I was typing that sentence, it made me think of Mason Jennings’<\/a><\/strong> “Ballad for My One True Love,”<\/a><\/strong> in which he sings, “God bless the babies that sleep in you.” Such a heart-breaker of a song, just on account of its beauty. But I digress.) <\/p>\n

7).<\/strong><\/font> This week, NPR premiered a video produced by Mason Jar Music<\/a><\/strong>, a cover of Blind Willie Johnson’s<\/a><\/strong> “Nobody’s Fault But Mine”<\/a><\/strong>, as performed by Abigail Washburn<\/a><\/strong>. It is here<\/a><\/strong>, and I lurv it. (That is, there is a video at that link, though I can’t get it to embed properly here.)<\/p>\n

What are YOUR<\/font> kicks this week? Anyone even around? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

{Edited to Add, Sunday evening: Quick announcement to say that Sergio has been invited to spend a month with Maurice Sendak as part of the Sendak Fellowship, which I believe is in its second year. I didn’t mention that in this post this morning, as I thought it was not-to-be-announced yet, and Sergio himself is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-seven-good-things-before-monday","category-picture-books"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2122","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2122"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2122\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}