In a book illustrated entirely in silhouette and written in the conditional tense, we meet a young girl who longs to have her own horse. She dreams of meeting one, shy like her, and befriending, taming and riding him. Her horse would be strong and gentle, and together, the girl imagines, they would conquer anything.

Author-illustrator Gianna Marino uses cool teals, purples and blues in expansive, border-free spreads (no borders could possibly corral this young girl’s big desires), balanced by the warm reds and yellows of the setting sun. The choice to convey all the action in silhouette is a fitting one for a book about a goal not yet met, as if we’re seeing the incomplete details of a dream. Movement propels the turn of each page; the girl’s hair and horse’s mane fly in the wind as she imagines how she would ride free if her wish were granted.

Marino’s tone is both gentle and fierce as the girl imagines the person she could become and what her moral character could be (strong, brave, curious and fearless) if she had her beloved horse by her side. It’s 40 pages of a girl’s most fervent wish, dreamy and wistful. Horse lovers will be especially rapt.

Julie Danielson features authors and illustrators at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, a children’s literature blog.

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

From its first page, Kate, Who Tamed the Wind might seem like a fairy tale about to unfold. There is a folk-art feel to the painting of a bearded man pedaling to his creaky house on the windswept top of a steep hill. But this clever collaboration between author Liz Garton Scanlon and illustrator Lee White is actually a delightfully original exploration of the role of trees in the environment, perfectly calibrated for children.

We soon see that the man in the house has bigger problems than a steep bike ride. The wind never lets up! It makes his shutters bang, knocks his teacup off the table and blows his hat—and his words—right out the door. “What to do?”

Enter a little girl called Kate from the tiny town below. Kate brings back the man’s hat, along with a wagonload of saplings. The saplings are planted, and they grow into trees as the old man’s beard gradually turns white. Kate gets older, too, and one day she returns for a celebratory tea party under the shade of the sheltering trees near the quiet house on top of the now-green hill.

The fictional story is accompanied by an informative author’s note, “More About Marvelous Trees,” which provides background on the role of trees in the earth’s ecosystem as well as internet resources for budding environmentalists.

This is the perfect choice for tree huggers of all ages.

Deborah Hopkinson lives near Portland, Oregon. Her most recent book for young readers is Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen.

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

In this sneak peek inside the lively world of the dictionary, we meet words that are exceedingly bored and long for liberation. They break free from Noah Webster’s dictionary and march throughout the land of Hollyword.

With bustling energy, this orthographic adventure celebrates the basic components of any elementary school language arts curriculum—verbs, conjunctions, interjections, contractions, homophones, antonyms and more—making it a great choice for classrooms. The anthropomorphized letters, composed with energetic lines, relish their freedom as they march, happy to be free from the book’s spine. Author Judy Sierra amps up the madcap fun with a palindrome family reunion and an onomatopoeia marching band. With a palette of teals, greens and oranges, illustrator Eric Comstock keeps the spreads balanced and never too cluttered, an impressive feat in a book with so much going on. A glossary closes out the book for those left wondering at the meaning of “lexicon” and “synonym,” as well as “garboil” and “sackbut,” which make their own delightful appearances in the parade.

In the end, Noah orders all the letters back into their tome, but when he runs into Roget and his thesaurus, we are left wondering if a sequel is in the works. Logophiles will be thrilled.

Julie Danielson features authors and illustrators at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, a children’s literature blog.

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

Most American readers have never set foot in Africa; its customs and languages may seem distant and even foreign. But the words handed down by its people contain the same wisdom handed down throughout the world. In From the Heart of Africa, Canadian author Eric Walters presents 15 proverbs, gathered during his travels throughout Africa.

Representing many African countries and cultures, the proverbs are short and simple. A place of origin and a brief description (written at a child’s level) supplement each proverb, but the accompanying artwork is what truly elevates this book. The artists are from all walks of life—a street artist, a horticulturalist, art teachers and designers all lend their creativity—and they use a variety of mediums and styles. While each illustration is unique, shared traditions and cultural pride create continuity from page to page. Collectively, the images are vibrant, celebratory and full of texture.

A foreword informs readers on the importance of oral tradition, making this an important addition to school libraries. From the Heart of Africa reminds us that while Africa is at a great distance, the soul of the continent—and humanity—is never far.

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

Nikki Giovanni and Ashley Bryan first collaborated in 1996 with The Sun Is So Quiet, and now they join creative forces once again to bring a new gift to readers. Anyone who knows Bryan knows his big, openhearted embrace of life, and Giovanni’s spare and eloquent poems embody his loving spirit, as in “Leaves,” which Giovanni has called a “love poem, from me to Ashley.” She writes, “When I’m sitting / In a tree / Looking for a friend / I hope you’ll be the one / Standing at the root / Holding out your arms / To gently catch / My fall.”

That spirit suffuses this volume, from “Because,” a gentle poem addressed to sons and daughters, to reflections on the strengths of ancestors in “I Am a Mirror.” But there’s also resoluteness behind these poems, a willingness to hint at big themes—age, death, loss, independence, heaven, the auction block and the middle passage, and an encouragement to take a stand. As in all good literature for the young, adult readers might see more in the words and images. “Wild Flowers” will resonate with anyone who has experienced recent loss: “Autumn will come . . . anyway . . . Let us continue . . . our dance . . . beneath the sun.”

Complementing Giovanni’s luminous poetry, Bryan’s ever-gorgeous tempera-and-watercolor art is a jeweled treasure—a stained glass and patchwork-quilt vision of love.

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

It’s a little ironic to judge Derrick Barnes’ Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by its cover, but this picture book is all about making a good appearance, so why not? The boy on Crown’s cover is beaming with pride—nothing can keep him down. Behold the alchemy of a good haircut on a black boy’s soul.

Inspired by his own weekly childhood haircuts by a man named Mr. Tony, Barnes tells a story of a young boy who walks into a barbershop with the weight of the world on his shoulders, and walks out looking and feeling like he can handle anything. Ace that geography exam? Sure! Impress that girl? Absolutely. Rule the world? You know it. This boy’s got it made. A fresh haircut in the barber’s chair is transformative, allowing the boy to see the world as a little less overwhelming and more as a place to belong and be happy.

Positive self-esteem is a fragile commodity among children, especially those from diverse backgrounds. With vibrant illustrations from Gordon C. James, Crown is an extraordinary and fun reminder that embracing your looks and putting your best foot forward are the first steps in tackling anything. Because when you look good, you feel good. And when you feel good, the sky is the limit.

A beautiful collaboration between author Julia Denos and illustrator E.B. Goodale, Windows quietly illuminates the places we call home and the connections we have to those around us.

Windows begins at the end of the day, under a warm, yellow-orange sky. Night classes and yoga are wrapping up, porches are being swept, dinner is on the stove. As the story unfolds in second person, a child in a hooded sweatshirt becomes all of us, and the town and street are our own for the night. As we walk, the dusky sky gives way to the glow of the windows, shining brightly against the muted outdoor colors.

Goodale’s subdued colors and fine detail capture scenes that are calm and familiar as well as eye-catching. Readers will be drawn from window to window, where bonsai grow, fish idle in their tanks and sewing machines wait. Denos keeps her words minimal, relying on creative descriptions to tell a story that leaves plenty of space for the reader’s imagination. But most compelling are the moments of human connection seen on the street as well as through the windows. Parents watch for their children, streamers dot the walls of a birthday party, partners dance, neighbors wave in passing, and kids chat via tin-can telephone.

A gentle, simple story with thoughtful undertones, Windows has the makings of a modern bedtime classic. As the town of Windows makes its way toward bedtime, so do we, surrounded by the objects, the loved ones and the books that we call home.

In Write to Me: Letters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind, author Cynthia Grady pays tribute to real-life Clara Breed, a World War II-era children’s librarian in the San Diego County Library system.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, many of Miss Breed’s Japanese-American child patrons were unjustly sent with their families to internment camps. The book opens with one patron saying a tearful goodbye to her beloved librarian. Miss Breed gives the girl a stamped and addressed postcard, asking her to write: “We’ll want to know where you are.” Thus begins the librarian’s correspondence with approximately 30 children. They write to Miss Breed about their poor living conditions, the resources they lack, the sicknesses that visit many camps and how happy they are to receive her postcards and books. When the war ends and the Japanese-Americans are released, they “no longer had homes or farms.” In the final spread, we see one girl return, greeting her favorite librarian at the library she never wanted to leave.

Illustrator Amiko Hirao incorporates the children’s postcards into many spreads, all rendered via subdued, soft-focus colored pencils. Both opening and closing endpapers feature World War II-era photographs of Japanese-Americans and the internment camps. In addition to the author’s note, extensive back-matter notes include notable dates in Miss Breed’s life, a selected history of Japanese people in the U.S., a bibliography and more.

This restrained introduction to a painful time in American history serves as a tribute to the power of books to sustain one’s spirit.

Julie Danielson features authors and illustrators at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, a children’s literature blog.