Jill Lorenzini

Fly! by Mark Teague encourages young children to spread their wings through the calm and comical story of a tenacious baby bird.

Tired mama robin says her baby is old enough to fly. But baby, with a shock of feathers standing straight up on his head, is perfectly happy in the nest, eating worms delivered by his mother. Baby demands worms with increasing volume until he screams himself right out of the nest. Sitting in the grass, he envisions fantastical ideas for achieving flight—everything but the use of his own two wings.

In this wordless picture book, author/illustrator Teague masterfully balances humor and sincerity. He lets image-filled thought bubbles and charmingly illustrated bird facial expressions guide the narration. This inviting and interactive book makes the most of every page with soft, colorful illustrations. In a unique twist, a few two-page spreads compel the reader to turn the book vertically, physically engaging the reader in the baby bird’s journey.

Readers will laugh out loud at baby’s innovative migration ideas (which include a pogo stick and a shiny red convertible) and mama robin’s increasing exasperation. Familiar, funny and sincere, Fly! gently encourages children to grow and learn. Perhaps the best part of trying new things is having a warm, safe place to land at the end of the day.

When you think of nature, what do you imagine? Anthills, molehills, bears in dens and lions in the sun? In A Stone Sat Still, author-illustrator Brendan Wenzel tells a universal story of life through an ostensibly nonliving object. Unmoving and constant, a stone may be still. But it is full of life, both for and because of the life surrounding it.

Through Wenzel’s unique art, each page contains a small ecosphere to explore. Wenzel gives readers a new awareness, envisioning life through the expressive eyes of myriad creatures. A variety of media (paper collage, pastels) and colors transform the stone from crisp and bright to slippery and mossy or shadowy and secretive. Soft and blunt edges come together to create dimension, texture and movement. Slightly fantastical, Wenzel’s art flows from season to season; time passes, and the land changes, both dynamic and perpetual.

Lyrical and precise, A Stone Sat Still reads like a poem. In addition to rhyme, Wenzel weaves together metaphors, alliteration and personification to tap into the reader’s senses and imagination: How does the stone feel, smell or sound to the creatures that temporarily inhabit its world?

The littlest readers will find comfort in A Stone Sat Still’s repetition. Curious minds will be fascinated by both the familiar and unusual creatures parading across the pages. Imaginative brains will find vast realms of inspiration. And all readers will leave the stone with a sense of wonder about the next chapter in its life.

Kids are masters of wild invention. In The Neighbors, author and illustrator Einat Tsarfati cheerfully pulls young readers into a world of colorful, untamed imagination as seen through the eyes of one creative little girl.

There are many doors in the girl’s apartment building; some doors seem playful, some foreboding, and one is downright smelly. The lobster door knockers, jungle plants and paw prints she finds in the halls all lead her to one conclusion: Her building is full of museum thieves, mermaids and jazz musicians. Whoever they are, she asserts, the residents of her building are far more exciting than her own parents.

While Tsarfati writes with a genuinely kid-friendly voice, she wisely limits her narration and lets her art take over. Again and again, our curiosity ends with a satisfying explosion of intriguing detail and vibrant colors that tumble boldly into each apartment. Rare gems join a clutter of Legos, fire-breathing acrobat babies toast bread and pirate-ship chandeliers sway underwater. Readers will want to explore every inch of the pages. Hint: keep your eyes open for the missing pet hamster that appears as a sort of Where’s Waldo? in each apartment scene.

Tsarfati writes and illustrates with a child’s enthusiasm and sense of possibility. Bold and exciting, The Neighbors teeters delightfully on the edge of chaos with an acrobat’s balance of storytelling and imagination. With so much to look at, it’s a hard book to close. Tsarfati tells one apartment resident’s story, but there are countless others yet to be discovered.

Omu’s hearty stew has been simmering all day, and she’s not the only one who has noticed its enticing aroma. But after Omu’s kind heart and generous ladle feed several hardworking neighbors and friends, Omu finds herself supperless. Unassuming and simple, Thank You, Omu! by author and illustrator Oge Mora begins with a lesson on compassion and ends with a celebration of community.

Mora’s art is a visually intriguing multimedia feast. Newspaper clippings, pastel art, clothing patterns and maps cheerfully collide in collages that reflect the bustling community of the story. Mora’s characters are bold, diverse and expressive, her cityscapes exciting and fun. Influenced by her Nigerian roots, Mora’s eclectic style is lively and urban but easily translates to different neighborhoods around the world.

While her illustrations are distinct and inviting, Mora, like all good storytellers, uses repetition to create a tale that becomes instantly familiar. Repeated phrases such as “big fat pot” and “thick red stew” help even the youngest readers follow—and delightfully predict—the chain of events. Mora writes with a composed energy that is both kid-friendly and timeless.

Thank You, Omu! isn’t a book that lectures, nor is it a tale of grand gestures. It’s a book about the simplicity of sharing what you have, and that kindness being returned with love. Based on the author’s memories of her grandma, Thank You, Omu! is a fitting tribute to those thoughtful hearts who turn houses into homes and streets into communities.

Award-winning author David Almold’s evocative and expressive new picture book, The Dam, tells the story of a father and daughter’s last visit to their valley community before the arrival of the newly constructed dam’s rising waters. The duo brings forth twirling, ghostly images from the past—supplied by Levi Pinfold—as they play violin and sing in each abandoned house. As remembered souls and memories drift away, the pair leaves the houses ringing with song.

Almond sets the mood with short, almost curt sentences, creating austere poetry rife with repetition. He doesn’t linger on descriptions, instead allowing the illustrations and the reader’s imagination to flesh out the story.

Pinfold poignantly illustrates this true story of England’s Kielder Dam valley and creates his own visual opus with broad, sweeping hills and hovering fog—rendered in muted colors—that foreshadow the coming loss. With incredible detail, Pinfold also gives young readers an intimate portrayal of the various creatures that made their homes in the valley with his sepia-toned portraits.

Perhaps the most extraordinarily lovely and melancholy picture book published this year, The Dam will linger in readers’ minds. But what sticks with you after the book is closed is not desolation and defeat; it’s blue water and open skies, exuberant children, dancing stars and, of course, music.

This article was originally published in the September 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

We don’t know much about Adrian Simcox, except that he is messy, poor and absolutely doesn’t own a horse. At least, that’s according to his assertive classmate Chloe.

Convinced that Adrian has been lying about his pet horse, Chloe loudly attempts to sway other students to adopt her opinion. It takes an evening walk and an accidentally on-purpose encounter (contrived by Chloe’s mom) at Adrian’s small home for Chloe to take the first steps toward friendship.

Earnestly written by Marcy Campbell, Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse is a creative and honest look at compassion. Campbell puts us inside Chloe’s mind, where her journey toward kindness is real and intimate. Chloe’s mother proves a clever teacher, gently encouraging Chloe to look deeper. Another artful lesson comes in Adrian’s open-hearted bravery as he takes the first steps toward forgiveness.

Corinna Luyken illustrates with precision and grace. Detailed, expressive faces and Chloe’s orderly house stand in contrast to the lavish gardens that burst across the page when Adrian imagines his horse. Hidden in the foliage are the rough outlines of the horse, so beautifully and artistically rendered that they are easily missed. Look carefully; they are worth finding.

School curricula that focus on acceptance and compassion will benefit from incorporating this story, which reminds all readers to look at others with empathy, because they may find a friend.

This article was originally published in the August 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Olive and her best friend, a stuffed owl named Hoot, are adventurers—or at least Hoot is. But when their latest escapade becomes more windy and rainy and woodsy than they’d planned, Hoot’s intrepidness fails, and it’s up to Olive to get them home again. Captivating and endearing, Jonathan D. Voss’ Brave Enough for Two gives readers a gentle and timeless message: It’s one thing to be bold and daring and seek adventure, but the friend who takes your hand when your own courage falters is also brave.

Voss is well-acquainted with best-friend tales, having illustrated Sally Walker’s picture book biography Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh. While Brave Enough for Two is his first book as both author and illustrator, Voss writes with vast talent, lyricism and gentleness. With compassionate and slightly off-beat dialogue, Olive and Hoot’s world feels like a neighborhood next door to Pooh’s Hundred Acre Wood.

Using unique perspectives such as a bird’s-eye view of a balloon ride and the catawampus angle of a capsizing basket boat, Voss skillfully captures big dreams, vast skies, frightening storms and the relief of returning home. Soft colors, sidebar sketches and full-spread adventure illustrations make every page turn unique and inviting.

Brave Enough for Two is an instant classic, as is its enduring message of friendship and pluck. Any journey, big or small, is better with a friend by your side. But perhaps the biggest, grandest adventure of all is friendship.

This article was originally published in the June 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.