{"id":2307,"date":"2012-03-11T00:32:51","date_gmt":"2012-03-11T06:32:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=2307"},"modified":"2012-03-11T00:46:18","modified_gmt":"2012-03-11T06:46:18","slug":"7-imp%e2%80%99s-7-kicks-272-featuring-ashley-wolff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=2307","title":{"rendered":"7-Imp\u2019s 7 Kicks #272: Featuring Ashley Wolff"},"content":{"rendered":"

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“Baby Bear sees orange.”<\/em>
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Here’s a picture book I’ve been enjoying for a while and am finally featuring here at 7-Imp. Ashley Wolff’s<\/a><\/strong> Baby Bear Sees Blue<\/a><\/strong><\/em> was released in February by Beach Lane Books. Have you seen it yet? Heavens, it’s cozy and wake-you-right-up beautiful is what it is. This morning, Ashley (who has written and illustrated more than sixty books for children) is sharing some images and early thumbnails from the book. <\/p>\n

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This is the story of a bear cub who wakes up from a deep sleep to step out of his cave and see the world. After yawning and stretching himself awake, he peeks out of his den, as “an opening slowly fills with light. A glow creeps in. ‘Who is warming me, Mama?’ asks Baby Bear. ‘That is the sun,’ Mama says.”<\/em> It’s here that Baby Bear sees his first color in the book, the glowing yellow of the morning sun. He ventures out to explore the world, getting to know each color. (You can get a sense of this below from the final images from the book, which Ashley sent for this post.)<\/p>\n

She rendered these illustrations by “printing linoleum blocks in black on Arches Cover paper. These are then hand colored with watercolor.” (Publishers Weekly<\/em> writes, “{c}hildren will be absorbed by the complex textures of Wolff\u2019s linocuts, the Japanese woodblock\u2013style graded shades of the sky…”) I don’t know if these images here do the book justice. You must<\/em> find a library or bookstore copy—by hook or by crook, I tell ya—and take these in with your own eyes as you hold the book in your hands. I really believe it’ll be worth your time. These spreads burst forth with highly-saturated color and lots of energy and life. This story doesn’t shy from any<\/em>thing. Baby Bear, like a young (human) toddler is wont to do, is curious and seeking to explore the world — and with his mother right by his side the entire way, he is reassured that all will be well. <\/p>\n

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“Baby Bear sees green.”<\/em>
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We readers are reassured, too, as at the book’s close, he sees only “deep, soft black” while cuddling up next to his Mama back in the den. (“Small children notice small things,” writes the Kirkus<\/em> review, “and plenty of tiny creatures–grasshopper, frog, mouse and more–await their discovery. Imbued with a spirit of exploration, fostered by parental protection, Baby Bear’s colorful adventures will enrich repeat bedtime read-alouds.”)<\/p>\n

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Ashley notes in the book’s back-flap bio that she has always been fascinated by the mother and baby bears in Robert McCloskey’s<\/a><\/strong> Blueberries for Sal<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, which serves as one inspiration for this book. I’m so glad she made it, and I thank her for sharing images and thumbnails today. I’ve always wanted her to visit for a 7-Imp breakfast interview, and she may be doing that soon. <\/p>\n

Until then, enjoy the images this morning…<\/p>\n

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“Baby Bear sees brown.”<\/em>
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“Baby Bear sees red.”<\/em>
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“Mama and Baby Bear curl together. Baby Bear yawns. ‘Good night, Baby Bear,’
Mama says. ‘Good night, Mama,’ says Baby Bear.”<\/em>
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Trout spread as work-in-progress<\/em>
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“Very early thumbnails” from the book<\/em>
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BABY BEAR SEES BLUE. Copyright \u00a9 2012 by Ashley Wolff. Published by Beach Lane Books, New York. All images (with the exception of the McCloskey cover) used with permission of Ms. Wolff.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Note for any new readers: 7-Imp\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n

* * * Jules’ Kicks * * *<\/strong><\/font>
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Kicks ONE<\/strong><\/font> to FIVE<\/strong><\/font>: The people seated around this table. I spent this past week as a special guest instructor at a Highlights Foundation workshop in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, and all the folks there were ever-so nice. The only person not pictured here is the photographer, who was a student at this workshop, author and photographer Doug Wechsler<\/a><\/strong>. The other folks pictured there are, left to right, Bobbie Combs<\/a><\/strong> (faculty); author Lindsey Leavitt<\/a><\/strong> (faculty); Children’s Literacy Consultant (and frequent 7-Imp kicker), Stacey Loscalzo<\/a><\/strong> (student); Laurina Cashin<\/a><\/strong> (faculty); Nija Sreenivasan (student); Robin Heald (student); author\/illustrator Katie Davis<\/a><\/strong> (faculty); Yours Truly (with coffee at the ready); and Marianne Prokop (student). The other “special guest” instructor was Paul Crichton of Simon & Schuster, though he was unable to stay all week. <\/p>\n

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The Highlights campus in Honesdale is lovely, and though I’m glad to be back home, I already miss these wonderful breakfasts (and overall great eating) with The Gang. If any of them happen to be reading today, I am waving from near Nashville, and I want to say (again) that I wish all of them luck in their writing careers. <\/p>\n

KICK #SIX<\/strong><\/font>: This is an anticipatory kick. Delta Spirit’s<\/a><\/strong> new CD comes out this week, and I very much love their music (as in, they’re quickly becoming one of my favorite bands)…<\/p>\n