Picture Books about Friendship

May 17 – Get Caught Reading Month

Posted by

0

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-hudson-and-tallulah-take-sides-cover

About the Holiday

The Get Caught Reading campaign was initiated in 1999 by the Association of American Publishers with the idea to promote literacy and language development through reading to children and encouraging them to read on their own. As part of the campaign, posters of celebrities, dignitaries, and even fictional characters enjoying a book are available for schools, libraries, and other organizations to hang where kids will see them. The excitement of reading also takes over social media all month long, which this year is more important than ever. To celebrate this holiday, make sure you stock up on new and favorite books or download ebooks or audiobooks from your library and get caught reading! Learn more by visiting the Get Caught Reading website and the Every Child a Reader website.

Thanks to Two Lions and Blue Slip Media for sharing a copy of Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides

Written by Anna Kang | Illustrated by Christopher Weyant

 

Hudson, a lovable, shaggy mutt, and Tallulah, an orange tabby lived on opposite sides of a fence in their tidy neighborhood. Tallulah was just about to sneak up on a bird singing atop the fence when Hudson went “BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK!” Tallulah took a last-ditch leap, but the bird—warned—flew away just in time. Tallulah fumed. “Hudson.” 

Tiptoeing along the fence top, Tallulah saw Hudson digging a hole underneath the fence on the other side of his yard. “I’m busting out,” Hudson told Tallulah. He felt fences kept him trapped. Tallulah thought fences kept them safe. Still, Tallulah followed Hudson down the street. Behind the café, Hudson found breakfast in the trash can. Tallulah thought it was disgusting.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-hudson-and-tallulah-take-sides-fence

Image copyright Christopher Weyant, 2021, text copyright Anna Kang, 2021. Courtesy of Two Lions.

She was much more interested in the butterfly flitting here and there, there and here, and right into Hudson’s open, yawning mouth. Tallulah pounced, out spit the butterfly. Now it was Tallulah’s turn to lead. When they passed the dog park, Hudson headed in to play with his friends, while Tallulah waited. When the other dogs saw her, they went nuts. “CAT! BARK! CAT!!! CAT!! BARK! BARK! BARK! CAT!” Tallulah thought dogs were ridiculous.

Hudson and Tallulah had different opinions about mud, a squirt from the hose, and Dave the mail carrier. To Tallulah Dave was a friend; to Hudson he was an enemy. “You’re MY enemy,” Tallulah said. They continued on, but on opposite sides of the street, until… they came to a big puddle full of birds. Tallulah leaped, Hudson bounded. They splashed and ran in circles chasing the birds. When they reached the other side of the puddle at the same time, they looked at each other and smiled. They sat side by side and watched the birds scatter across the sky. Now they find lots of things they like to do together, and their home’s fences can’t keep them apart, but they still enjoy a little friendly competition: “You’re on my side,” Tallulah tells Hudson. But Hudson counters, “You’re on mine.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-hudson-and-tallulah-take-sides-butterfly

Image copyright Christopher Weyant, 2021, text copyright Anna Kang, 2021. Courtesy of Two Lions.

Anna Wang and Christopher Weyant work in perfect tandem in showing kids that even polar opposites that argue like cats and dogs can find areas of agreement and even have fun together. This gentle lesson in giving other people a chance will make kids giggle as Hudson and Tallulah’s clash over what is safe, delicious, worth chasing, and cleanliness comes to a head over Tallulah’s love for the mail carrier. Wang’s story is told entirely through dialogue between Hudson and Tallulah that makes it easy for kids to understand their quarrels.

Along the way, Weyant’s bright cartoon drawings depict the differences between Tallulah and Hudson with humor and personality. Where Hudson is quick and loud, Tallulah is sneaky and quiet. Hudson can’t wait to get under the fence; Tallulah relies on it. Hudson is messy; Tallulah is neat. The characters’ wry facial expressions will make kids laugh. When the two come upon the puddle full of birds, the wordless two-page spread, lets readers predict what’s going to happen. Hudson and Tallulah’s separate, but identical, reaction is playful, encouraging, and the kind of bonding experience that can lead to friendship—whether animal or human.

A story short enough to engage youngest readers who may be making their first forays into making friends, but thoughtful enough for older kids who may have hit a snag in making or keeping a friend, Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides is a charming choice for home and classroom story times as well as public library collections.

Ages 3 – 7

Two Lions, 2021 | ISBN 978-1542006682

Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant are the creators of Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner You Are (Not) Small as well as series titles That’s (Not) Mine, I Am (Not) Scared, and We Are (Not) Friends. They also wrote and illustrated Eraser, Can I Tell You a Secret?, and Will You Help Me Fall Asleep? Christopher’s work can also be seen in The New Yorker, and his cartoons are syndicated worldwide. This husband-and-wife team lives in New Jersey with their two daughters and their rescue dog, Hudson, the inspiration behind the character in this book. Visit them at www.annakang.com and www.christopherweyant.com.

You can connect with Anna on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 

You’ll find Christopher on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Get Caught Reading Month Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-match-the-kittens-puzzlecelebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-Peppy-Puppies-Match-Up-Puzzle

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are lots of kittens and puppies to play with in these two printable puzzles!

Match the Kittens Puzzle | Match the Puppies Puzzle

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-hudson-and-tallulah-take-sides-cover

You can find Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

 

May 3 – It’s Children’s Book Week

Posted by

0

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-where-is-bear-cover

About the Holiday

Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy program in the United States. The history of the holiday goes back to 1913, when Franklin K. Matthiews, the librarian of the Boy Scouts of America, toured the country to promote a higher standard in children’s books and proposed a Children’s Book Week. He then enlisted the help of Frederic G. Melcher, editor of Publishers Weekly who believed that “a great nation is a reading nation,” and Anne Carroll Moore, the Superintendent of Children’s Works at the New York Public Library to help spread the word. This year Children’s Book Week will be held twice: May 3 – 9 and November 8 – 14. Each week with host different programs under the slogan “Reading is a Superpower.” You can find resources to help your child take part in the Superpower Challenge, a list of cross-curricular activities that allow kids to explore their passions in depth, here. To learn more about this special holiday for readers visit Every Child a Reader.

About the Bear and Friends Series

In the newest addition to the Highlights Puzzle Readers – books that use an innovative approach to engage emergent and new readers in strengthening their skills and fluency – Jody Jensen Shaffer and Clair Rossiter charm the youngest readers with a sweet group of friends: Bear, Mouse, and Squirrel. Released at the same time, Where Is Bear? and A House for Mouse get kids excited about learning to read on their own with a combination of a story and a search-and-find letter puzzle. A bonus matching and vocabulary puzzle follows the story and will entice children to turn to page 1 again and reread the story.

A note for parents and other caregivers tells more about this book series that has been developed in collaboration with reading experts, how the puzzle-and-story structure of the books improve learning, and the skills children learn, including shape and letter recognition, letter-sound relationships, logic, and flexible thinking, and more.

Bear and Friends: Where Is Bear? (Highlights Puzzle Mystery)

Written by Jody Jensen Shaffer | Illustrated by Clair Rossiter

 

On a sunny day, Bear visits his friends, Mouse and Squirrel, in the woods. They are excited to see him. “Look! Look! It is Bear,” says Mouse. Squirrel lets readers in on two important facts about Bear: “Bear is big. Bear is fun.” They can’t wait to play together. Bear takes the lead, and whatever Bear can do, Squirrel and Mouse can do too. They swing and run and jump. 

But then Bear decides he’s going to play hide-and-seek. “Where is Bear?” Mouse asks the reader. “Is Bear here?” Squirrel and Mouse check behind trees, in a cave, and behind a big rock. They’re still looking for Bear as they cross over a stream on a fallen log. Mouse and Squirrel may not spot Bear or just miss him as he moves from place to place, but young readers will love finding him on each page and trying to guess why he’s picking flowers, acorns, and apples. Suddenly, Mouse points and exclaims. “Look! Look!” Then Squirrel says, “I see Bear.” But what is Bear doing? Kids will be as delighted as Mouse and Squirrel with Bear’s special surprise.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-where-is-bear-big

Image copyright Clair Rossiter, 2021, text copyright Jody Jensen Shaffer, 2021. Courtesy of Highlights Press.

Throughout Jody Jensen Shaffer’s sweet story, kids will also be on the lookout for the letter B, which is cleverly hidden in the texture of a tree trunk, made from blades of grass, constructed with rock, in the folds of mushrooms, incorporated into Bear’s picnic basket, and many other places. The puzzle presents an age-appropriate challenge that will encourage kids to search for the letters again and again. Many of these hiding places reoccur, prompting children to look for and recognize patterns in the illustrations, just as the story’s words and sentences have patterns.

The introduction of a ball and a bowl on the final page gives kids an opportunity to explore the B sound further and to return to the story to find more examples of words that begin with B (like Bear, branch, and boots as well as bandana, boulder, and bite for older readers) or include the letter b (as in the umbrella Mouse carries). Shaffer’s short, inviting sentences also introduce declarative, exclamatory, and interrogative sentences as well as their punctuation. Plenty of repeated words will build confidence and enthusiasm in even the most reluctant reader. 

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-where-is-bear-play

Image copyright Clair Rossiter, 2021, text copyright Jody Jensen Shaffer, 2021. Courtesy of Highlights Press.

Clair Rossiter’s enchanting, upbeat illustrations masterfully combine learning and fun as she maintains a focus on what Bear, Mouse, and Squirrel are doing as well as their facial expressions to give new readers visual clues to the words and sentences they are learning. Rossiter’s vivid color palette allows kids to show their knowledge of colors, including red, blue, green, brown, white, pink, purple, and orange. The forest scenery provides even more high-interest images for kids to explore.

Loaded with personality, charm, and the kinds of learning opportunities kids love, Bear and Friends: Where Is Bear? and A House for Mouse will be favorite go-to books for young readers that can grow with them as they increase their reading and other concept skills. The Bear and Friends series is highly recommended for home, classroom, homeschool, and public libraries.

Ages 4 – 7

Highlights Press, 2021 | ISBN 978-1644723388 (Hardcover) | ISBN 978-1644723418 (Paperback)

Discover more about Jody Jensen Shaffer and her books on her website.

To learn more about Clair Rossiter, her books, and her art, visit her website.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-where-is-bear-cover

You can find Bear and Friends: Where Is Bear? at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-a-house-for-mouse-cover

Bear and Friends: A House for Mouse (Highlights Puzzle Mystery)

Written by Jody Jensen Shaffer | Illustrated by Clair Rossiter

 

As the story opens, Mouse is looking through a house magazine. “Mouse wants a house,” Bear says. Squirrel tells readers, “Mouse wants a good house.” Bear finds a house for Mouse right away in a cave in a hill. It is so big that Bear can even fit inside. “You can live here,” Bear says. But Mouse says, “No, thank you. It is too big!” Squirrel thinks a leafy nest up in a tree would make the perfect house. But once up on the branch, Mouse says, “No, thank you. It is way up.”

The friends look up, down, under, and all around – even at some houses on the water – but none of them are quite right for Mouse. Hmmm…. Mouse and Squirrel lie on one end of a log that’s balanced on a rock to think, while Bear rests his foot on the other end. “Where is a house for Mouse?” Bear wonders as he steps down hard on the log, sending Mouse and Squirrel flying. They land right in front of the perfect house – and it’s for sale! “It is a good house,” Bear declares. Mouse packs up a wagon with boxes and in no time is moved into the cozy home at the base of a tree.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-a-house-for-mouse-map

Image copyright Clair Rossiter, 2021, text copyright Jody Jensen Shaffer, 2021. Courtesy of Highlights Press.

Kids will enjoy helping Bear, Mouse, and Squirrel find a new house for Mouse while they also look for the letter M hidden in some pretty creative places. Trees, furniture, fencing, home decor, and other natural homes all sport the letter M for eagle-eyed readers to find. As the friends search up, down, under, and in, children also learn these spatial relationships. They’re also introduced to the idea of “far away” and “near,” as the tree Mouse eventually moves into is seen with a “For Sale” sign from afar early in the story and increasingly close as the story goes on.

The matching puzzle at the end of the story invites kids to match mug, map, and mouse to their pictures, while enticing them to find these objects throughout the pages as well as others, such as magazine, mat, mushroom, and scuba mask.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-a-house-for-mouse-cave

Image copyright Clair Rossiter, 2021, text copyright Jody Jensen Shaffer, 2021. Courtesy of Highlights Press.

Just as in Where is Bear?, Jody Jensen Shaffer charms new readers with a question that will pique any child’s interest: Where will Mouse live? In this story Shaffer introduces slightly longer sentences while again incorporating a mix of statements, exclamations, and questions and repeated phrasing.

Children will look forward to spending more time with Bear, Mouse, and Squirrel in the familiar setting, enhanced with new sights that give kids and adults an opportunity to talk about the variety of animal homes found in nature. Clair Rossiter uses the same appealing color palette and decks out Bear, Squirrel, and Mouse in their favorite outfits that makes sharing another reading adventure as comforting as coming home.

Ages 4 – 7

Highlights Press, 2021 | ISBN 978-1644723425 (Hardcover) | ISBN 978-1644723418 (Paperback)

Children’s Book Week Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-children's-book-week-book-mark

Bookmarks and Activities

 

One of the highlights of Children’s Book Week are the bookmarks created by illustrators and author/illustrators. This year’s bookmarks and attached activities were designed by Angela Dominguez, Paola Escobar, Ebony Glenn, Oliver Jeffers, and Aram Kim. To download one or all five bookmarks as well as their accompanying activity sheet, visit the Every Child a Reader website.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-a-house-for-mouse-cover

You can find Bear and Friends: A House for Mouse at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

April 1 – April Fools Day Interview with Pug & Pig and Sue Lowell Gallion & Joyce Wan

Posted by

1

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-pug-&-pig-and-friends-cover

About the Holiday

What would April Fools Day be without having fun with friends? Just April 1st. Sounds boring, huh? So to celebrate, we have a surprise! A couple of your favorite literary friends, the adorable Pug & Pig, have dropped by for a chat about life together and their new book Pug & Pig and Friends coming on August 3. And, oh yeah! They’ve even brought along their friends—author Sue Lowell Gallion and illustrator Joyce Wan who also join in the fun! No joke! If, after spending time with Pug & Pig, you’d like to discover astounding facts about the origins of April Fools Day and learn some outrageous pranks played throughout history, visit History.com. 

A Sneak Peek at . . . 

Pug & Pig and Friends

Written by Sue Lowell Gallion | Illustrated by Joyce Wan

 

Pug and Pig and their friends Robin and Squirrel love digging in the garden and zooming around the backyard together. But there’s another “friend” in the backyard who isn’t quite so friendly. That’s Cat. What does Cat love doing? Cat loves sneaking up on Pug and scaring him! Pug does not think this is funny. And he does not like it at all. But when a thunderstorm comes and Cat gets scared up a tree, Pig, Robin, and Squirrel can’t get him to climb down. Only Pug can help. But will he?

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-pug-&-pig-and-friends-playing

Image copyright Joyce Wan, 2021, text copyright Sue Lowell Gallion, 2021. Courtesy of Beach Lane Books.

Pug & Pig and Friends is the third book in the Pug & Pig series that includes Pug Meets Pig and Pug & Pig, Trick or Treat. The book will be released August 3, 2021.

Ages Baby – 8

Beach Lane Books, 2021 | ISBN 978-1534463004

Now let’s have some fun with the stars of the series and their creators!

Meet Pug

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-Pig-Meets-Pug-pug

Pug made his publishing debut in Pug Meets Pig, published by Beach Lane Books in 2016. Before meeting Pig, Pug was a very happy pup. He had his own yard, his own bowl, and even his own cozy bed! That is, until Pig moved in and started eating from Pug’s bowl, interrupting Pug’s routine, and, worst of all, sleeping in Pug’s bed. The world wondered: could Pug and Pig ever learn to live together as friends? The answer was Yes! Since then Pug & Pig had a wonderful adventure together in Pug & Pig, Trick-or-Treat and are excited to share their new story Pug & Pig and Friends. You can connect with Pug here and here.

Welcome to Celebrate Picture Books, Pug! It’s quite a treat to talk with you today! I’m sure readers would love to know – What’s the best thing about being a pug?

Being everybody’s favorite. Oh, and the naps.

What is your favorite holiday and what do you like best about it?

Halloween. Answering the door with Pig, trick-or-treating with Pig, and eating all the tasty tidbits with Pig,

Eating all of those Halloween treats is fun! What is your favorite?

Lolli-pups

You’ve known Pig for a long time. What do you like best about her?

Once you get past her attention-hogging tendencies, she is fun-loving and radiates positivity. There’s never a dull moment when Pig is around.

I can imagine! So, tell me, what is it about Pig that makes her such a great friend?

She makes a great snuggle buddy during nap time.

What part of the day do you like best?

Nap time, with meal time being a very close second.

Today is April Fools Day, a holiday when people play tricks on each other. Have you ever played a trick on Pig?

I don’t like surprises or tricks as much as Pig does, but I covered myself with mud one time and pretended to be Pig’s shadow. Whatever Pig did, I followed. We had a really good laugh about it later.

That sounds like so much fun! I bet you can’t wait to unleash your newest book! And no bones about it – I’m sure kids are eager to read it! What’s that? Ohhh… Almost nap time…! Let me talk with Pig a little and then you can snuggle into your little house in the yard. Thanks for spending time with me!

Meet Pig

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-Pig-Meets-Pug-pig

Pig first trotted onto the literary scene in Pug Meets Pig. Even though she might have been a little bit oinksious about Pug’s initial reaction, Pig and Pug have grown to be best of friends. Pig is always ready to try something new and her welcoming smile is an ever-present part of her sty-le. For Pig there’s nothing better than sharing a new adventure with Pug, and she’s excited for the summer launch of Pug & Pig and Friends. You can connect with Pig here and here.

It’s so nice to meet you, Pig! In your stories, you’re always so happy. What’s the best thing about being a pig?

Being a pig is delightful in every way. I am a pig for all seasons. I do wish I was taller, and I’d like to get out of the yard more. Maybe in another book?

Did you say, “another book?” That would be fantastic! Just listen to all those kids saying, “Yes, please!” I bet they’re also wondering what your favorite holiday is and what you like best about it.

I like to find something to celebrate in every single day. But my birthday would have to be my favorite. I love to look around and see friends and family all together for one happy reason—a party! With treats!

From Pug & Pig, Trick-or-Treat, readers know you love treats, but what’s your favorite Halloween treat?

I am very fond of candy corn (I’m a pig, after all!). I also like miniature Snickers bars. I might peek in Pug’s treat basket when mine is empty, but don’t tell him. . . .

Ok, I got it: Shhhh…. What do you like best about Pug?

Pug is in charge of security at our place. He’s always on the alert for any change in our routine. I can relax and go with the flow. We make a good team.

You certainly do! What makes Pug a great friend?

Pug’s bark is definitely worse than his bite. (With that underbite, I’m not sure he could bite too well. He’s a champion chewer, though.) Underneath that tough guy exterior, he’s a sweetheart.

What part of the day do you like best?

I’m definitely a morning pig.

Today is April Fool’s Day, a day for pranks and shenanigans. Do you like playing tricks on your friends?

Of course! I like to keep my friends on their toes/hooves/paws/claws!

I can see why Pug and all of the neighborhood animals love you! Thanks so much for trotting over to chat with me today! I understand it’s nap time, so I’ll let you meet up with Pug and talk awhile with Sue and Joyce. 

A Chat with Sue Lowell Gallion

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-Sue-Lowell-Gallion_2021_credit Isbell Creative

As the daughter of a printer, Sue Lowell Gallion has a life-long love of type, paper, and the aroma of ink. She is the author of the Pug & Pig series and the picture book All Except Axle as well as a nonfiction board book, Our World: A First Book of Geography, and three books in the Tip and Tucker early reader series. Sue lives in Leawood, Kansas, with a black lab mix who provides her with daily inspiration. To learn more and download free activities for all of her books, visit suegallion.com. You can also connect with Sue on Instagram and Twitter.

Hi Sue! I’m so happy to be talking with you about your next Pug & Pig book with Joyce! Since we’re celebrating April Fool’s Day today, I have to ask: Have you ever played an April Fool’s joke on anyone? Can you tell readers more about it?

I grew up in a family and neighborhood of practical jokers. One of the most memorable was when the neighborhood set up a Used Christmas Trees lot on the driveway of a family that was out of town for the holidays. In fact, some jokes are better done on days other than April Fool’s Day! People are less suspicious.

Would Pug and Pig ever play tricks on each other?

Yes, their relationship has grown to this point. But at first, Pug probably would be annoyed.

I’m sure readers are eager to find Pug & Pig and Friends on bookstore shelves. Can you give readers a sneak peek of your and Joyce’s upcoming book?

I’ve been pondering Pug’s relationship with Cat since the first book, Pug Meets Pig. It took a lot for Pug to welcome Pig into his world, and his relationship with Cat was tricky to begin with. Expanding the circle of characters gave me lots to work with. I want each Pug and Pig book to have unexpected twists and explore feelings and friendships in a different way.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-pug-&-pig-and-friends-cat

Image copyright Joyce Wan, 2021, text copyright Sue Lowell Gallion, 2021. Courtesy of Beach Lane Books.

A thunderstorm in Pug & Pig and Friends is another layer. I was terrified of thunderstorms as a kid (and I grew up in Kansas City, right in the middle of Tornado Alley). I hope it’s a conversation starter or reassurance for kids who aren’t fans of storms, either.

Pug and Pig make such perfect companions. Where did the idea for this sweet series come from?

A friend in my water aerobics group told us about her daughter and family adopting a rescue pig. The family already had a pug, and the two animals didn’t end up getting along. I was intrigued with how the words “pug” and “pig” rolled off my tongue together. These two animals somewhat resemble each other, with their snouts and curly tails. And the joy of fiction is that you can make the story unfold (and end!) however you want!

In Pug Meets Pig, you mix humor and disappointment in such a poignant way. How do you balance those emotions in a story for little readers?

Kids feel deeply and those feelings are important. Experiences may seem small from an adult perspective, but they aren’t small to a child. The themes of handling change and growing in empathy are intriguing to me as a story creator. I also love funny moments in books and sharing giggles with kids over a story and the illustrations! Sometimes it’s easier for all of us to absorb or process emotions and ideas that way, too.

In your Pug & Pig stories, you show how friends don’t always like the same things but can still find ways to enjoy time together or cooperate. Why do you think this is such an important idea? What do you want kids to take away from your stories?

I hope the takeaway is that all of us experience the world differently and we don’t always feel the same way as others. Those differences need to be understood and respected, and friendship involves supporting each other in our differences. I want to continually grow in trying to understand others’ perspectives, and in giving others grace. And a sense of humor always helps! Joyce’s illustrations in Pug Meets Pig where Pig is stuck in the new doggy door really show that combination of humor and understanding. It’s one of my favorite spreads.

Do you identify more with Pug or Pig?

I probably am closer to Pig’s personality. I’m pretty sensitive at times. Pug was partly based on the personality of my dog, Tucker, but there’s plenty of Pug in me, too.

Thanks, Sue! I’ve loved learning more about your series and its two stars, Pug and Pig! I wish you all the best with Pug & Pig and Friends!

A Chat with Joyce Wan

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-joyce-wan-headshot-2019-credit City Headshots

Joyce Wan is the author and illustrator of several books for children, including Pug Meets Pig, Pug & Pig Trick-or Treat, Sleepyheads,You Are My Cupcake, We Belong Together, and The Whale in My Swimming Pool. Joyce lives with her husband and daughter in New Jersey. Visit her at wanart.com. You can connect with Joyce on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter.

Hi Joyce! It’s so wonderful to chat with you about your newest Pug & Pig book with Sue! These two characters are so endearing, you just can’t help but fall in love with them. In this latest story there’s a little bit of shenanigans going on, so since we’re celebrating April Fools Day today, I have to ask if have you ever played pranks on anyone? 

Yes, mostly on my siblings, like using trick birthday candles that don’t blow out and wrapping a Christmas gift in an empty cereal box.

Your illustrations of Pug and Pig are adorable. It’s hard to imagine them looking any different than as these little bundles of cuteness. Did they undergo transformations as you developed your drawings for Pug Meets Pig? If so, can you talk about that a little?

My drawings usually require a few iterations before I get to a final design. I often work backwards, drawing things as they look with a lot of details and then stripping away lines, making things rounder, and simplifying as much as possible.

The upcoming Pug & Pig and Friends is the third book in the series. As the illustrator, what do you look forward to as you revisit the characters and setting with each new book?

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-pug-&-pig-and-friends-home

Image copyright Joyce Wan, 2021, text copyright Sue Lowell Gallion, 2021. Courtesy of Beach Lane Books.

I love revisiting characters and settings. The look and feel of the characters, and the world they inhabit have already been established (that part of the process can often feel daunting) so I get to dive back in and pick up where we left off. It’s like visiting and spending time with old friends.

I love your gentle color palette. Even though there are conflicts in the story, the calming colors give you the feeling that things will work out. Is that idea in your mind when you choose colors for these books?

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-pug-&-pig-and-friends-squirrel

Image copyright Joyce Wan, 2021, text copyright Sue Lowell Gallion, 2021. Courtesy of Beach Lane Books.

Sue created such sweet and heartwarming characters and stories. I wanted to carry this through into the pictures, picking colors that evoke a cozy and comforting feeling, books that feel like a warm hug.

Would you say you identify more with Pug or Pig?

I have more of a happy-go-lucky, fun-loving personality like Pig but I do enjoy and appreciate my alone time like Pug—even more so with everyone home these days!

Thanks, Joyce! I know readers can’t wait to see Pug and Pig in their new adventure!

Readers, while you wait for Pug & Pig and Friends, enjoy Pug & Pig’s other adventures! You can find activities and coloring pages to enjoy on Sue Lowell Gallion’s website and on Joyce Wan’s website while you read Pug Meets Pig and Pug & Pig, Trick-or-Treat. Visit their page at Beach Lane Books, too!

April Fools Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review--pug-meets-pig-coloring-page-nap-time

Snoozing Together!

 

Enjoy this coloring page of Pug & Pig snuggling up for nap time!

Pug & Pig Snoozing Together Coloring Page

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-pug-&-pig-and-friends-cover

You can preorder signed and personalized copies of Pug & Pig and Friends at Rainy Day Books!

 

You can also preorder Pug & Pig and Friends at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

March 31 – It’s National Umbrella Month

Posted by

0

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-sunday-rain-cover

About the Holiday

The rainy season is coming—do you know where your umbrella is? March, with its unpredictable weather has been designated National Umbrella Month to commemorate those useful objects that keep us dry in the rain and shaded from the sun’s rays. Invented in China over 4,000 years ago, the umbrella underwent many changes before becoming the pocket-sized helper it is today. To celebrate this month, check on the condition of your umbrella or treat yourself to a new one!

Thanks to Lerner Books for sharing a digital copy of Sunday Rain with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Sunday Rain

Written by Rosie J. Pova | Illustrated by Amariah Rauscher

 

When Elliot heard the wind Whoosh by and a tree branch tap against his window, he stopped reading and went to the window to look outside. “A leaf few by, swinging down and side to side. Then another and another.” Elliot watched craggy lightening break through the clouds and heard a crash of thunder. Elliot went back to his book, back to the princess, the dragon, and the raging sea.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-sunday-rain-wind

Image copyright Amariah Rauscher, 2021, text copyright Rosie J. Pova, 2021. Courtesy of Lerner Books.

In a bit Elliot heard laughter. He went to the window again “and glued his nose to the glass.” On the sidewalk outside his house, kids from the neighborhood were “skipping, springing, and splashing in oodles of puddles.” When one of the kids looked his way, Elliot stepped away. Then he heard his mother calling. She had pulled his rainboots from a box she was unpacking. She encouraged him to go out and “make some friends.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-sunday-rain-thunder

Image copyright Amariah Rauscher, 2021, text copyright Rosie J. Pova, 2021. Courtesy of Lerner Books.

Elliot took his toy boat and went outside. It “smelled like wet grass and flowers and the pages of a new book.” Two kids were playing at the next stoop. Elliot let out a roar and stomped in a puddle. “‘My boat is filling up with water,’ he said to no one in particular.” Suddenly he had two helpers to row them all to the safety of the nearby island. But the dragon had landed on the mast and was pushing the boat backward. All three kids pulled on the dragon’s tail to dislodge it.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-sunday-rain-dragon

Image copyright Amariah Rauscher, 2021, text copyright Rosie J. Pova, 2021. Courtesy of Lerner Books.

Safely on the island, the three were joined by a little girl wearing a gold crown and flying a dragon kite. They built a sandcastle, listened to shells, and Elliot caught raindrops falling from the trees on his tongue. As the sun began to peek out from behind the clouds, Elliot and his two new friends headed back across the ocean to the city. Back home, it was time for supper with “freshly baked bread and stew and warmth.” Before turning out the light, Elliot finished his book. “The princess befriended the dragon and saved the kingdom. He snuggled down into his covers, hugging his book and listened to the hoot of an owl as he “drifted off to sleep.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-sunday-rain-cat

Image copyright Amariah Rauscher, 2021, text copyright Rosie J. Pova, 2021. Courtesy of Lerner Books.

A quiet aura of nostalgia wafts through Rosie A. Pova’s fresh story of imagination and making new friends after a move. No angst or worry, fear or longing ripples Pova’s gentle nudge for readers to step a little bit outside their comfort zone to meet new experiences head on. The rainstorm, soon spent, creates two inviting environments: Elliot’s cozy bedroom and a playground of “oodles of puddles” where Elliot feels comfortably at home. Pova’s neat transition from reality to imaginative play is seamless and authentically childlike.

Her lyrical phrasing and close observations shine, giving the story a tenderness adults and kids will want to share again and again. Coming in for supper (a word that conjures images of old-fashioned family dinners), Elliot is embraced by the warmth of good food and family love. As he drifts off to sleep, all is well in Elliot’s story and his heart.

Amariah Rauscher’s lovely illustrations perfectly reflect the welcome and hope of Pova’s story. As the storm begins, Elliot looks up from his book with an expression of curiosity. Returning to his book after peeking out the window at the storm, the same blue-gray of the sky colors the ocean on which he and the intrepid princess battle the dragon. Readers first meet the neighborhood kids the way Elliot does—through his bedroom window. A nice touch that puts them in his shoes.

When Elliot takes his boat outside, readers can see—and almost feel—his momentary hesitation before he takes that first stomp and goes about making friends. When Elliot’s little boat turns into a sailboat for three, the dragon and princess from Elliot’s book show up to play too. But is the princess another new friend or just in Elliot’s imagination? Ask your young reader and see what they say! Rauscher’s children are sweet little charmers, full of fun and all the possibilities in the world.

As Elliot’s mom says, “Sunday rains are the best!” Rosie J. Pova and Amariah Rauscher’s Sunday Rain will quickly become a family or classroom favorite for cozy, imaginative story times and is highly recommended as a gift or addition to home, school, and public library bookshelves.

Ages 4 – 8

Lantana Publishing, 2021 | ISBN 978-1911373971

Discover more about Rosie J. Pova and her books on her website.

To learn more about Amariah Rauscher, her books, and her art, visit her website.

National Umbrella Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-umbrella-match-up-puzzle

Find the Matching Umbrellas

 

These umbrellas and raincoats were mixed up in the wind! Can you find the matching pairs? Look carefully! How will you match them up?

Rainy Day Mix Up Umbrellas Matching Puzzle

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-sunday-rain-cover

You can find Sunday Rain at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

 

March 17 – It’s National Introverts Week

Posted by

1

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-meesha-makes-friends-cover

About the Holiday

Introverts, this is your week to shy-ne. National Introvert’s Week was founded by author Matthew Pollard to celebrate the achievements of introverts and combat the stigma and stereotypes associated with being on the shy side. Oftentimes extroverted people are considered more powerful, popular, and successful in society. Introvert’s Week is meant to offer a counternarrative to this belief. In actuality, introverts and extroverts alike can be perfect friends, role models and achievers. Celebrate National Introvert Week by recognizing the introverts in your life, learning about role models who identify as introverted, and reading lots of books. Meesha Makes Friends provides a sweet story of how an introvert makes friends in her own, unique style.

Thanks to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for sharing a copy of Meesha Makes Friends with us for review consideration. All opinions of the book are my own.

Review by Dorothy Levine

Meesha Makes Friends

By Tom Percival

 

Meesha loves to make her own pictures, music and imaginary creatures. There is just one thing that she can’t figure out how to make—friends! She is a shy kid, and often has trouble connecting with other kids her age. “For Meesha, making friends was so difficult that she wondered if she would ever be able to do it.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-meesha-makes-friends-difficult

Copyright Tom Percival, 2021, courtesy of Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

Luckily, Meesha has a solution. She gets out her creating materials and makes a whole crew of friends. Meesha happily totes her new pals around with her. She is pleased to find that they are easy to talk to and transport. However, her creations are not exactly perfect: “Admittedly, Meesha’s new friends weren’t very good at tennis…or soccer…or catch. / But Meesha felt comfortable with them, and that was what mattered.”

When Meesha attends a birthday party, she is nervous to join in with the other children. Overwhelmed, she finds a quiet spot to do what she likes best—creating creatures, her ownfriends. A boy named Josh comes to watch and asks if Meesha will teach him how to make them. At first this makes Meesha a little worried. She wonders if Josh will not be gentle enough with her friends. But she takes a deep breath and decides to give it a try.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-meesha-makes-friends-Josh

Copyright Tom Percival, 2021, courtesy of Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

And, as a matter of fact, “Josh didn’t get it all wrong, and he didn’t ruin anything either.” Josh and Meesha soon build a whole town for all of their creatures to live in together. When Josh suggests that they show their new creations to the rest of the kids at the party, Meesha is once again hesitant. But, with some bravery and encouragement, Meesha and Josh share their creations with the rest of the group. And, to Meesha’s excitement, everyone loves them! “For the first time ever Meesha knew exactly what to say and what to do.” And with that, Meesha makes new friends.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-meesha-makes-friends-playing-together

Copyright Tom Percival, 2021, courtesy of Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

“Making friends is one of those things that looks really easy but can sometimes feel like the hardest thing in the world!” Tom Percival says it best in his kind note to readers at the end Meesha Makes Friends. Author and illustrator of the Big Bright Feelings picture book series, Percival produces yet another beautiful read for children to explore and engage in conversations about feelings. Meesha Makes Friends teaches young readers how to communicate, make friends and interact in their own unique ways. At the end of the story, Percival provides helpful tips on how to make friends for readers who may identify with Meesha’s struggles.

Tom Percival described himself in an interview as a quiet, creative and thoughtful child. Through his Big Bright Feelings series, he hopes to help kids explore different emotions and why we feel the way we do. Intricately drawn details and expressions allow readers to easily understand and empathize with the emotional states of the characters. Percival thoughtfully plays with the color pallet of his illustrations to perhaps allude to sensory sensitivities and provide a vibrant view of Meesha’s perception of the world. A diverse cast of characters of different races and abilities makes this book an accessible read for all. Truly a book driven by thoughtfulness, kindness, creativity, and compassion.  

For parents, teachers, and other caregivers who are looking for a sensitive, relatable, and truly helpful way to talk to kids about shyness, making friends, and socializing, Meesha Makes Friends is a must addition to home, school, and public library collections. Be sure to look for the other books in the Big Bright Feelings series: Perfectly Norman, Ruby Finds a Worry, and Ravi’s Roar.

Ages 3 – 6

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2021 | ISBN 978-1547605194

To learn more about Tom Percival, his books, and his art, visit his website.

National Introverts Week Activity

free-kids-crafts-animal-mixup-activity

Image courtesy of Free Kids Crafts

Mixed-up Creatures

 

You can make creations like Meesha’s with this Flower/Animal Mix-Up Activity! 

Materials

Instructions

Print these pages, cut up the parts, and glue or tape together pieces on a blank piece of paper to make the quirkiest creatures you can!
 
You’ll find many more craft and activity ideas at Free Kids Crafts and Making Friends!

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-meesha-makes-friends-cover

You can find Meesha Makes Friends at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

March 9 – Unique Names Day

Posted by

2

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-my-name-is-wakawakaloch-cover

About the Holiday

Unique Names Day was established in 1997 by Jerry Hill, a hobbyist in onomatology – the study of the etymology, history, and use of proper names – as part of Celebrate Your Name Week. The holiday celebrates uncommon or uncommonly spelled names and encourages those with unique names to always take pride in their name. One way to enjoy the day is to find out more about your name and how or why your parents chose it. You can have fun with names every day this week. Upcoming are Discover What Your Name Means Day, Nametag Day, Middle Name Pride Day, and Descendent’s Day. You can learn more about each daily holiday at Names Universe.

My Name is Wakawakaloch!

Written by Chana Stiefel | Pictures by Mary Sullivan

 

Wakawakaloch had a problem. Well, it wasn’t really her problem; none of the kids at school could pronounce or even remember her name. After another day in which her name was mangled (Oog called her “‘Walawala,’” Boog shouted “‘Look out, Wammabammaslamma!’” and Goog cheered her on during Club Club with “‘Swing, Lokamokatok!’”), Wakawakaloch was as angry as an erupting volcano.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-my-name-is-wakawakaloch-easy-club-club

Image copyright Mary Sullivan, 2019, text copyright Chana Stiefel, 2019. Courtesy of HMH Books for Young Readers.

When her parents asked what was wrong, Wakawakaloch said she wanted to change her name to Gloop. Pa thought Gloop was a good name, but reminded his daughter that her name had been “‘in family many, many moons.’” But Wakawakaloch was inconsolable. Not only could no one say her name right, but she never found it on any T-shirts. Ma and Pa thought there was only one thing to do—take her to see Elder Mooch.

Despite his leathery skin and aroma of “rotting mammoth poop,” Elder Mooch was an insightful Neanderthal. He started off with an ill-considered joke that set Wakawakaloch reaching for tissues from the nearby dispenser rock. But she poured out her heart and the fact that she wanted an easy name, one found on T-shirts. She could just imagine all of the heroic and adventurous things she could do with a name and T-shirt like that.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-my-name-is-wakawakaloch-easy-name

Image copyright Mary Sullivan, 2019, text copyright Chana Stiefel, 2019. Courtesy of HMH Books for Young Readers.

Elder Mooch looked at her and then bestowed his wisdom. He told her she was a “‘forward thinker’” but “‘must be a backward seer too.’” This bit of knowledge cost her two pigeons and left her smoldering. What did he mean by that? Later that night as she tossed and turned in bed, she caught a glimpse of the paintings on her wall. They showed her great-great-great-great-great grandmother Wakawakaloch “performing brave and heroic acts…. Little Wakawakaloch placed her hand on the ancient handprint of her mighty namesake. It was a perfect match.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-my-name-is-wakawakaloch-cave-drawing

Image copyright Mary Sullivan, 2019, text copyright Chana Stiefel, 2019. Courtesy of HMH Books for Young Readers.

In the morning, Wakawakaloch was smiling. She no longer wanted to be called Gloop, and she told her parents that she was ready to help others. When the Roll-the-Boulder tournament came round, Wakawakaloch had her personalized T-shirt stand all set. Oog, Boog, and Goog thought her shirts for Chana, Sioban, Xavier, Eoghan were “‘Ooga booga’ (way cool).” Wakawakaloch had even made one for herself. Elder Mooch wanted to buy three, and when little Hoopaloopie came by, Wakawakaloch got to work on another shirt.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-my-name-is-wakawakaloch-tee-shirts

Image copyright Mary Sullivan, 2019, text copyright Chana Stiefel, 2019. Courtesy of HMH Books for Young Readers.

For all those kids who never find their names on shirts, mugs, necklaces, keychains, or other personalized items and who frequently hear the question, “How do you pronounce that?,” Chana Stiefel’s book is for you! This fresh tale will also resonate with any child who feels different for any reason. Wakawakaloch, with her strong personality, thoughtful introspection, and creative solution, is a character that readers will love and want to emulate. Stiefel deftly navigates this sensitive landscape with a combination of honest feelings and hilarious mispronunciations, prehistorical details, and descriptions. Readers will laugh all the way through but will also be absorbing the lesson that everyone should embrace their own “mighty” personality and be celebrated and recognized for their unique qualities.

In her vibrant illustrations, Mary Sullivan creates a comically anachronistic ancient world, where safety cones made of stone mark the playground, a stone telescope is aimed out the window, mail is delivered (this part may be accurate, I’d have to check), and cupcakes are eaten with forks. Kids will want to linger over each page to point out all of the funny elements that add depth and glee to this story. Wakawakaloch shows the feelings bubbling up inside her with furrowed brows, livid gestures, and ready tears, while the other kids cluelessly continue to distort her name even after being told the right pronunciation multiple times. Wakawakaloch’s visit to Elder Mooch is a funny take on therapy sessions, but his advice leads to a welcome image of contemplation and realization that makes Wakawakaloch appreciate her family history and also want to contribute to its—and society’s—advancement. Wakawakaloch’s T-shirt booth is sure to inspire kids to make their own shirt too.

A delightfully inventive story with many applications and prompts for further discussion as well as activities celebrating individuality, My Name is Wakawakaloch! will be a much-asked-for favorite on home, classroom, and public library shelves.

Ages 4 – 7

HMH Books for Young Readers, 2019 | ISBN 978-1328732095

Discover more about Chana Stiefel and her books on her website.

To learn more about Mary Sullivan, her books, and her art, visit her website.

Check out the My Name is Wakawakaloch! “ooga booga” book trailer!

Unique Names Day Activity

CPB - Name Jars standing

Love Your Name Organizer Jar

 

Everyone needs a place to store their special stuff! Here’s a way to recycle a plastic jar and make a cool organizer jar with your name on it. This organizer jar also makes a great gift for your friends!

Supplies

  • A large plastic jar, such as a peanut butter jar or mayonnaise jar, cleaned out and with the label removed
  • Acrylic multi-surface paint or markers
  • Chalkboard paint
  • Paint brush
  • Chalk

CPB - Name Jars on sides

Directions

  1. Paint a rectangle on the front of the jar with chalkboard paint
  2. Decorate the rest of the jar with paint, markers, or paper just the way you want! My green jar sports a friendly dinosaur!

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-my-name-is-wakawakaloch-cover

You can find My Name is Wakawakaloch! at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

March 1 – National Reading Month Book Tour Launch for Agnes’s Place

Posted by

2

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-agnes's-place-cover

About the Holiday

National Reading Month is a book-lover’s delight! With thirty-one whole days where taking extra time to read is not only allowed but encouraged can send one hurrying out to the bookstore or library to stock up! Kids love being read to, and setting aside time to read together every day builds strong bonds that can last a lifetime. The month is officially marked with special events in schools, libraries, bookstores, and communities that bring authors, illustrators, and educators together with kids. This year look for virtual events and make a plan with your kids to find new and old favorites books to share. 

Thanks to Amazon Crossing Kids and Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy of Agnes’s Place for review consideration. All opinions are my own.  I’m happy to be teaming with Amazon Crossing Kids and Blue Slip Media in a giveaway of the book. See details below.

Agnes’s Place

Written by Marit Larsen | Illustrated by Jenny Løvlie | Translated by Kari Dickson

 

In a city of “so many buildings,” Agnes lives on a neat little street where the trolley passes by and a café and corner grocery welcome their customers. In her apartment building, Agnes “knows she is at home before she even opens her eyes in the morning. She knows who is baking, who is playing, and who is saying shush.” When she opens her window, the birds come for the seeds she feeds them because “she knows that the birds are hungry and that she is the only one who remembers.” Agnes knows about all of the residents of her building and especially “what it is like to be the only child in a place full of adults who never have time.”

One day when she looked out her window at the rain coming down, she noticed a girl standing next to her favorite puddle with a tall pile of boxes and belongings. Agnes wondered if she was moving in. She watched through the peephole in her door as the girl and adults carried boxes and bags up the stairs to the fifth floor. Excited, Agnes drew a large picture of the swings outside the building, and she wrote an invitation—“HERE”—with an arrow. Then, when things were quiet, she went upstairs and slid it through the letter box, where it came to rest under a chest of drawers. Agnes skipped down the stairs. “She felt her heart pounding in her cheeks and ears.” But, later, she sat on the swing alone, which felt lonelier than playing on the swings by herself.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-agnes's-place-tenants

Image copyright Jenny Løvlie, 2021, text copyright Marit Larsen, 2021. Translation by Kari Dickson, 2021. Courtesy of Amazon Crossing.

When Agnes woke up the next day, she felt that everything was the same… but completely different. When she went to the window to feed the birds, they flew past her and up toward the new girl’s window. Later, Agnes practiced new tricks on the swing. After that, she played with her toys while she watched the new girl on the swing. Her home “was somehow a new place now,” and all she could think about was the new girl: did she hear and see the same things Agnes did?

Every day, Agnes waited by the swings until it was time to go in. The new girl discovered Agnes’s puddle by herself. She did a lot of fun things, and if she saw Agnes at the market, Agnes couldn’t tell because she walked right by. When Agnes went to get Emilia’s newspaper from the mailbox to deliver as she did every day, she found the box empty. And when she went to visit Emilia, she found Emilia already doing the crossword puzzle.

Agnes ventured: “‘it is a bit strange, isn’t it, that you can just move into a place without asking everyone who lives there if they think it’s okay?’” Emilia said, “‘Well, now—we’ve all been new at one time or another. Even me.’” Then Emilia offered her a waffle, but Agnes thought “a waffle is not much comfort when you are five and have no secrets left to share.”

But coming downstairs, Agnes was suddenly face to face with the new girl. They were the same size and “both just as quiet.” Agnes’s sweater matched the new girl’s hat, and when Anna opened her hands the marbles inside glowed as if “she had the whole universe in the palm of her hand.” They laughed together as the marbles flowed down the stairs like waves. Then Anna grabbed Agnes’s hand and led her upstairs to the roof, where Agnes had never been before but which Anna had transformed with birdhouses and little lights, and they had a picnic of waffles and hot chocolate. “It turned out that Anna had her own secrets. And they were wild and wonderful.”

Amazon Crossing Kids aims to increase the diversity of children’s books in translation and encourage children to read from a wide range of cultural perspectives. Agnes’s Place was originally published in Norway.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-agnes's-place-birds

Image copyright Jenny Løvlie, 2021, text copyright Marit Larsen, 2021. Translation by Kari Dickson, 2021. Courtesy of Amazon Crossing.

Marit Larsen has written a complex and thought-provoking story about making new friends and the nature of friendship, about loneliness, a sense of loss, and feelings of discovery. As the only child in the apartment building, Agnes has been left to make her own way and find her own entertainment and routines—her secrets. She is excited to see a new girl moving in and immediately invites her to play. But when her picture goes unseen and Agnes’s secrets are one-by-one discovered and, in some cases, “taken” by Anna, Larsen introduces the idea of how mixed signals, disappointments, and unfulfilled expectations can affect one’s own sense of self and place in the world.

Of course, Anna doesn’t know about Agnes and can’t know that the puddle, the swings, the birds, and Emilia’s newspaper have been “hers,” and in one illustration Anna can be seen as lonely too. When Agnes and Anna finally meet up and they realize that they are alike in many ways, they quickly become friends, and together they can their world more “wild and wonderful.” The events in the story give readers and adults excellent opportunities to discuss commonly felt emotions surrounding friendships and new experiences and what someone could and/or would do in similar situations.

In her gorgeous matte illustrations rendered in soothing hues, Jenny Løvlie creates a charming neighborhood and apartment building, in which cutaways show Agnes’s neighbors baking, reading, and tinkering in their own apartments. Through snapshot images Løvlie shows the disconnect between Agnes and Anna, and clearly shows how Agnes’s initial excitement at making a friend turns to sadness and uncertainty when her invitation goes unanswered and her comforting daily routine is seemingly usurped.

The moment when Agnes and Anna meet, however, is infused with acceptance, understanding, and promise. The final two spreads in which Anna and Agnes climb to the roof and have a picnic are stunning for their color and the magic they inspire. Kids and adults will want to linger over each page to soak up all of the details that are so true to home life as well as the whimsical antics of a pair of mice. Readers will also love to point out all of the cats and other animals that appear throughout the pages.

A heartfelt and lovely story about new friendships and growing up set in a vibrant apartment community, Agnes’s Place would be a captivating addition to home, school, and public libraries for thoughtful story times.

Ages 4 – 8

Amazon Crossing Kids, 2021 | ISBN 978-1542026758

Marit Larsen is a Norwegian songwriter and musician. Agnes’s Place, her debut picture book, was first published in Norway and will also be published in Denmark and Italy. She currently resides in Brooklyn, New York. You can learn more about the author at www.maritlarsen.com and on Instagram: larsenmarit

Jenny Løvlie is a Norwegian illustrator. Her previous picture book, The Girls, written by Lauren Ace, was the winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. She currently lives in Cardiff, Wales. You can connect with Jenny Løvlie at www.lovlieillustration.com and on Instagram: lovlieillustration.

Kari Dickson is a literary translator from Edinburgh, Scotland. In 2020 she won the Mildred L. Batchelder Award for best children’s translation for Brown, written by Håkon Øvreås and illustrated by Øyvind Torseter. She holds a BA in Scandinavian studies and an MA in translation.

Agnes’s Place Giveaway

I’m happy to be teaming with Amazon Crossing Kids and Blue Slip Media in a giveaway of:

  • One (1) copy of Agnes’s Place written by Marit Larsen | illustrated by Jenny Løvlie

To enter:

  • Follow Celebrate Picture Books
  • Retweet a giveaway tweet
  • Bonus: Reply with your favorite childhood book for extra entry

This giveaway is open from March 1 to March 7 and ends at 8:00 p.m. EST.

A winner will be chosen on March 8. 

Prizing provided by Amazon Crossing Kids and Blue Slip Media

Giveaway open to U.S. addresses only. | No Giveaway Accounts 

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-agnes's-place-cover

You can find Agnes’s Place at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review