Deborah Hopkinson

BookPage Children's Top Pick, August 2015

Fannie Lou Hamer was a tireless champion of civil rights, from the moment she attempted to register to vote in 1962 until her death in 1977. Malcolm X called her “the country’s number one freedom-fighting woman.” In 1964, Hamer came to prominence at the Democratic National Convention, where she delivered a speech that aired on national television. An older white man once expressed what many felt, telling her that she did “what he was afraid to do.” 

Award-winning poet Carole Boston Weatherford and debut artist Ekua Holmes bring Hamer’s courage and legacy to life in this striking volume. The large, attractive format shares Hamer’s life story through powerful, first-person poems and colorful, detailed collage illustrations. The poems often incorporate Hamer’s own words, and source notes, a timeline and bibliography are included in the back matter.

As Weatherford tells us in her author’s note, Hamer was an unlikely heroine. Born in 1917 into a large sharecropping family, she married Perry “Pap” Hamer in 1944 and worked with him on a plantation. She first became active in voting registration efforts after realizing she didn’t even know she had the right to vote. Being arrested and beaten only solidified her resolve, and she became a leader and inspiration to others. 

“All my life I’ve been sick and tired. Now I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired,” said Hamer. Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer is a fitting tribute to her unforgettable spirit.

Illustrations © 2015 Ekua Holmes. Reproduced by permission of Candlewick.

Deborah Hopkinson’s next book, Courage & Defiance, will be released this fall.

This article was originally published in the August 2015 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

A rambunctious preschooler can be a hard trial for even the most patient canine. After all, sometimes all a dog wants is a nap—a nice, long, uninterrupted nap.

But there’s not a wink of sleep in store for the long-suffering dog in Laurie Ann Thompson and Paul Schmid’s delightful new picture book, My Dog Is the Best. Looking a bit like a young Linus, complete with blanket, the boy in this story is definitely ready for action. His good-humored, four-footed friend goes along with one activity after another—rolling over, playing with a ball and engaging in a game of tug-of-war (though it is clear that playing dead is this dog’s favorite). Eventually, the little boy tires out and snuggles down for his own nap, just as his fluffy companion gets a second wind and is ready to play in earnest.

With its deceptively simple text and spare, gentle illustrations, My Dog Is the Best is a wonderful bedtime story with enough subtle humor to bring a smile to parents’ faces on multiple readings. And with its repetitive chorus of “My dog is the best” and clear sentences that match text to action, the story is also ideal for beginning readers. Most of all, this book celebrates that special bond that can exist between a child and a family pet.

Next time you’re invited to a baby shower (or puppy shower, for that matter), consider giving Thompson and Schmid’s story of two best friends.

Deborah Hopkinson’s next book, Courage & Defiance, will be released this fall.

Meet Daredevil Duck, who wants very, very much to be brave. Why, he’s just raring to swing from balloons high in the air or speed through the wilderness on his Super Speedy tricycle. He’s dressed for the part, too—decked out in his Hero Helmet, super-cool x-ray goggles and a Super Hero cape (which looks suspiciously like a tablecloth borrowed from the picnic basket).

Yes, Daredevil Duck definitely wants to be the bravest duck in the whole wide world. But sometimes (in fact, most of the time) he’s not.

For the truth is that the big wide world has lots of frightening things in it: things that are too dark or too fluttery, things too high or too wet. And that’s just for starters. The world is also full of other ducks who sometimes tease.

Then comes the day when Daredevil Duck forgets his own fears to perform a daring deed for a little mole. This success gives him the confidence and the belief in himself to try one new thing, and then another and another.

Daredevil Duck is British artist Charlie Alder’s first authored and illustrated picture book. She was inspired to create her hero’s antics by watching her own son careen around on his squeaky red tricycle. With its bright and colorful pictures and inventive use of flaps to entice young readers to turn the page, Daredevil Duck is a fun and appealing book perfect for any daredevil tricycle rider.

Deborah Hopkinson’s next book, Courage & Defiance, will be released this fall.

Award-winning illustrator Carin Berger harbors in spring with this warm tale of a bear cub, who, just like impatient human children, has a bit of trouble with waiting.

The story begins in the cool days of fall, when Maurice and his mom fill up on berries to get ready for hibernation. “Waiting is hard,” his mother tells Maurice. While Mama Bear slips into a winter nap, Maurice ventures out of the den to find spring all by himself.

But, as Maurice soon finds, spring is just one of those things that comes in its own time. This is the advice Robin gives him before she flies south just in time to miss the first snowfall. For his part, Maurice is treated to a flurry of gorgeous snowflakes. Eventually, Maurice drifts into hibernation and, accompanied by a burst of bright colors, is able to share the excitement of spring with other forest friends when he finally wakes up.

Berger’s ingenious paper collages, which are crafted out of ephemera including old books, letters, receipts and various kinds of paper, bring a sophisticated and fresh look to a familiar story. While young children will delight in Maurice’s adventures, adults and budding artists will find delight in perusing the details of the art, from the jaunty hat on Robin’s head to miniature striped flowers to imposing, magnificent trees. Like spring itself, this story is an enchantment.

Deborah Hopkinson lives near Portland, Oregon. Her most recent book for young readers is The Great Trouble.