Whether you have a cat (or many), enjoy playing with your friend’s cat, or just love watching cat videos, you know that cats are cute, curious, cunning, and completely captivating. They’re also great communicators, and we can learn a lot about what they want and what they don’t want if we pay close attention to their patterns of behavior. Today’s holiday was thought up by Ruth and Thomas Roy of wellcat.com to encourage cat owners to spend extra time with their cats and do just that. By understanding your cats better and and seeing to their needs, both you and your feline will forge a stronger bond, be closer, and be happier living together.
P Is for Purr
Written by Carole Gerber | Illustrated by Susanna Covelli
Do you hear it? That low motor revving with happiness? That Purr with a capital P? That distinctive hum can only be signaling one thing: a pure love for Carole Gerber’s and Susanna Covelli’s adorable alphabet book that delivers all sorts of information on cats, from different breeds to their cunning behaviors to their unique physical attributes. Beginning with “A” for American Shorthair, readers learn cat-centric vocabulary and surprising facts about this favorite furry pet. Did you know, for example, that American Shorthairs “crossed the sea on sailing ships and kept them free of rats”? And some of those weren’t just any ships. “Ancestors of American Shorthairs came on the pilgrims’ ships to guard their food from rats.”
Image copyright Susanna Covelli, 2022, text copyright Carole Gerber, 2022. Courtesy of Familius.
At “I” we learn just how felines can be so aloof one minute and then snuggling up to you the next: “I is for Intelligence. / Cats are cunning and they’re smart. / They all know how to get their way / and creep into your heart.” How do they know? In a little cat-paw-clue sidebar, Gerber reveals that “The parts of cats’ brains are connected in exactly the same ways as human brains.”
Image copyright Susanna Covelli, 2022, text copyright Carole Gerber, 2022. Courtesy of Familius.
In charming rhymes, Carole Gerber answers kids’ (and adults’) questions about which breed of cat is the chattiest, how fast a house cat can run, how cats release their claws, and how a cat tells you it’s time for some affection: “Underbelly, soft and warm. That’s the letter U. / A belly turned up on display? That’s a feline petting clue!” And what about all those whiskers that give cats their very distinguished look? Well, “W is Whiskers. They grow mainly on the face, / and help a cat to feel its way into every space.”
Susanna Covelli’s fluffy, expressive cats and kittens gaze out at readers with their big, bright eyes, mischievous grins, and even those supercilious frowns we cat-owners know all too well. Tabbies, Siamese, black cats, white cats, a Maine Coon, and even a Sphynx stretch, yawn, leap, lie across knees for pets, groom, play, and sleep in heartwarming and humorous illustrations.
P Is for Purr would be a purr-fect addition to home, school, and public library collections for young children learning the alphabet and becoming readers as well as for cat lovers or those looking to welcome a cat or kitten into their lives.
Ages 3 – 6
Familius, 2022 | ISBN 978-1641707411
About the Author
Poet and author Carole Gerber has written sixteen picture books, three chapter books, and more than one hundred elementary science and reading texts for major publishers. Her most picture recent book, A Band of Babies, was named a 2017 Best Book for Children by Amazon editors. She holds a BS in English education and an MA in journalism from Ohio State, and has taught middle school and high school English as well as college news writing and factual writing at OSU. Learn more at www.carolegerber.com.
About the Illustrator
Susanna Covelli was born in a small town in Piedmont, Italy, earned an MA in architecture, and followed her passion for art and decided to attend a specialization course in both traditional and digital illustration at Scuola Iternazionale di Comics in Turin. Her art expresses her own imagination and inspiration from nature, and she has always been attracted by sinuous shapes, Baroque style, and out-of-the-ordinary perspective. You can connect with Susanna on Instagram.
Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day Activities
Match the Kittens Puzzle
Little ones can have fun matching up the kitten pairs in this printable puzzle!
Missing the green leaves and colorful flowers of spring and summer? Maybe it’s time to recreate the sights of warmer days inside with houseplants! Placed in a sunny window, some plants will continue blooming all winter long, making you feel happier. Houseplants also provide health benefits as they produce oxygen, release moisture into that dry winter air, and improve air quality. Add a few herb plants and even cooking will take on new life. Whether you add just one plant or create an indoor garden, today’s the perfect day to get started.
Luna’s Green Pet
Written by Kristen Pendreigh | Illustrated by Carmen Mok
When Luna saw people on her block walking their dogs and playing with their pets, she wished she could have one. “But her apartment building had a very strict NO PETS! policy.” Luna’s friends tried to help out by suggesting other types of pets, including a pet rock, an expensive dog-shaped purse, and an ant farm, but none of these were quite what Luna was looking for. Then one day, she found a small discarded plant in a trash can. She decided it would be the perfect pet.
Image copyright Carmen Mok, 2022, text copyright Kirsten Pendreigh, 2022. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.
Luna took it home. The plant’s tag read Stephanotis Floribunda, which Luna shortened to Stephanie. Luna gave her pet a “bigger crate, new bedding, and fresh water.” Stephanie took to her new home right away. At night Luna read to her; every morning she took her to the park. Luna’s friends “were not impressed.”
Image copyright Carmen Mok, 2022, text copyright Kirsten Pendreigh, 2022. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.
Stephanie turned out to be more “rambunctious” than she appeared, climbing the walls and wrapping herself around the headboard of Luna’s bed. Luna trimmed her and got her into shape with “obedience training” and a collar. One day unusual white “clumps of bumps appeared” among Stephanie’s leaves. As the bumps grew, Luna tried washing and hugging Stephanie, but the bumps only got bigger.
Image copyright Carmen Mok, 2022, text copyright Kirsten Pendreigh, 2022. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.
Luna decided she’d take Stephanie to the botanist the next day to see what was wrong. During the night under a full moon, though, “the bumps burst open!” Then a “powerful perfume woke Luna.” Luna couldn’t believe her eyes—or her nose. The sweet scent floated out the window and soon attracted bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies during the day and moths at night.
Image copyright Carmen Mok, 2022, text copyright Kirsten Pendreigh, 2022. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.
When Luna entered Stephanie in the neighborhood pet parade, she even “won a special prize—Best in Scent.” But Stephanie wasn’t finished with her tricks. A green fruit grew from her branches, and when it burst open Luna found that “a tangle of tufted seeds lay inside.” Carefully, Luna took out one seed for each of her friends and neighbors so they could grow their own Stephanotis Floribunda. And the rest, she let fly away on the “warm night wind” to find new homes where they would be loved as much as Stephanie.
Detailed back matter includes ways in which plants make great pets, a list of ten houseplants that are easy to grow, more information on Stephanotis Floribunda and how to care for it as a houseplant or in a garden.
Image copyright Carmen Mok, 2022, text copyright Kirsten Pendreigh, 2022. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.
Kirsten Pendreigh’s gentle and creative story will charm kids who have a natural tendency to anthropomorphize plants, toys, furniture, and anything they love, imbuing these inanimate objects with personalities all their own. As Luna repots her plant, cares for it, and reigns in its wandering tendrils, Pendreigh enhances her pet imagery by using terms commonly associated with pets, a detail that will also enchant kids. With Luna’s sharing of Stephanie’s seeds, Pendreigh sparks wider ideas of generosity, friendship, and nurturing the environment.
Carmen Mok’s soft-hued, yet vivid illustrations have a quiet grace that allow readers to identify with Lulu’s creative thinking and caring nature. During Lulu’s serendipitous discovery of Stephanie in a trash can, Mok emphasizes Lulu’s personality with a kitty purse, shirt decorated with hearts, and gentle way she examines the plant’s wilted leaves. Kids will love seeing tiny Stephanie grow from a straggly stem into a lush, dog-shaped shrub with the help of some topiary framing.
Any child who has raised plants from seeds or seedlings will understand Lulu’s love for Stephanie and her surprise when Stephanie blooms unexpectedly. Mok’s lovely nighttime spreads spotlight the starlike beauty of the Stephanotis Floribunda flowers and the heady scent that calls out to pollinators. With the appearance of Stephanie’s seedpod, Mok realistically depicts its size, the tufted seeds inside the pod, and how those tufts carry the seeds to new far-flung growing spots.
Unique and heartwarming, Luna’s Green Pet will enchant kids who love pets, plants, a well-told story, or all three and will become a quick favorite to be heard again and again. The book is sure to inspire young botanists and would be a creative way to introduce lessons on plants in school classrooms or for homeschoolers, to spark projects for extracurricular clubs or library programs, and to get kids excited about gardening as well as planting a pollinator space at home. Luna’s Green Pet will enhance any home, school, or public library collection and is highly recommended.
Ages 4 – 8
Sleeping Bear Press, 2022 | ISBN 978-1534111615
Discover more about Kirsten Pendreigh, her poetry her debut book on her website.
To learn more about Carmen Mok, her books, and her art, visit her website.
World Pet Day Activity
Flip-Flop Plant Holder
Have you outgrown your flip-flops or sandals this summer? Well, you can repurpose them with this easy craft that turns summer shoes into a creative way to hang small plants on walls or even windows!
Supplies
Child’s flip-flops with elastic heel straps
Buttons or charms
Small plastic solid-bottom pot
Small plant
Dirt
Hot glue gun
Heavy duty mounting strips
Small shovel or spoon
Directions
Place the flip-flop toe down on your work surface. With the hot glue gun, attach the buttons to the plastic toe straps of the flip-flops.
Add dirt to the pot
Add plant to the pot
Slip the pot into the elastic strap and gently push down so it is also supported by the plastic toe straps
To hang, use appropriate-weight mountable strips.
To make an interesting and attractive arrangement, use various sizes of flip-flops
You can find Luna’s Green Pet at these booksellers
Thanks to Beach Lane Books and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy of Dark on Light for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.
Dark on Light
Written by Dianne White | Illustrated by Felicita Sala
The setting sun paints the sky a golden yellow, deepening to rose as it slips below the horizon. Trotting down the path from the cozy red farmhouse, it’s windows already aglow, a dog makes its way towards the woods. Three children—a brother and two sisters—look out over their yard and beyond to the rolling hills, wondering where their pet might be. They pull on boots and grab a flashlight. The youngest sister checks the doghouse just in case.
Image copyright Felicita Sala, 2022, text copyright Dianne White, 2022. Courtesy of Beach Lane Books.
Following behind the beam of light, they pass through the gate, leaving their garden gnome behind while knowing how “inviting the trail. Timid the fawn. / Dark the hedge that borders the lawn.” The older sister waves to a doe and her baby standing silently in the meadow as she passes by, The full moon is on the rise as the children wade into the tall grasses where “lavender blooms, fragrant and bright. / Hedge and trail and dark on light.”
The late autumn sky is scattered with stars now as a ghostly figure moves overhead. The boy directs his flashlight upward, just in time to catch a barn owl pass by on its way to perch in a nearby tree. The older children call out their dog’s name and look behind trees while their little sister inspects tiny discoveries hidden in the grass and turns cartwheels in the deepening shadows. The flashlight’s beam illuminates something that begs more investigation.
Image copyright Felicita Sala, 2022, text copyright Dianne White, 2022. Courtesy of Beach Lane Books.
As a fox looks on and a squirrel, curled up in its nest, dozes, the girl bends down and shines the light into the hollow underneath a tree’s thick roots. And who should appear, but their adventurous pup. The game of hide-and-seek over, the four take in the mystery of the forest: “Damp the moss. Ancient the sky. / Dark the leaves, crisp and dry.” The dog runs from the woods as the kids give chase, the flashlight no longer needed under the glimmering moon. A lone rabbit hidden in undergrowth at the edge of the woods witnesses their play.
They near the house, elated by their nighttime escapade and brimming with the story as they run toward their father, who has come out to meet them with a lantern. The door opens and silver light spills across the porch, down the steps, and onto the well-worn path. Inside, it’s time for quiet cuddling, a story, and saying goodnight: “Cozy the blanket. Pillowed the head. / Dark the attic. Snug the bed. / Sapphire the window, glowing and bright. / Attic and blanket and dark on light.” Downstairs, the dog snoozes in his bed while in the sky above: “white the star, shimmering bright. / House and room and dark on light.”
Image copyright Felicita Sala, 2022, text copyright Dianne White, 2022. Courtesy of Beach Lane Books.
In this follow up to Green on Green, also illustrated by Felicita Sala, and Blue on Blue, illustrated by Beth Krommes, Dianne White calls readers back to explore the natural world. Her lovely, effortlessly flowing cadence transports readers into the wonders and mystery of a late autumn night with a trio of siblings on a mission to find their playful dog. As the three search, White invites readers to notice animals and plants, scents and sounds, and the colors and comfort of darkness and light with her overlapping and repeated phrasing. Her evocative vocabulary (a “timid fawn,” the “burnished moon,” an “ancient sky,” and the forest “veiled and deep,” among other beautiful choices) not only adds to the ambiance of the story but encourages readers to reflect on the complexity of the world around them. White does all of this while also presenting a mystery that kids will no less compelling for it’s gentle and straightforward resolution.
Accompanying White’s lyrical storytelling are Felicita Sala’s captivating watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil illustrations that glow with the setting sun, the warmth of a waiting home, the shimmer of the rising full moon, and the steadfast comfort of a flashlight in hand. Sala perfectly captures the rhythms of childhood, from the three siblings gathered at the window looking for their dog to their search through bushes and grasses close to home and farther afield to their excited return home and quiet bedtime routine. You can almost feel the smooth paving stones leading away from the house, smell the lavender as the older sister picks a small bouquet, and hear the children’s shouts and laughter upon returning home with their pet. The final scenes of cuddled-up reading and goodnight kisses and the house finally dark for the night make Dark on Light a perfect book for bedtime story times.
A superlative melding of lyrical storytelling and exquisite illustration that invites discovery and a love for language, Dark on Light is a book that both children and adults will love sharing for snuggly story times any time. The book is a must for home, school, and public library collections.
Ages 3 – 8
Beach Lane Books, 2022 | ISBN 978-1534487895
About the Author
Dianne White is fond of lavender blooms and the way an orange moon hangs in the evening sky. She’s the author of several picture books, including the award-winning Blue on Blue, illustrated by Caldecott medalist Beth Krommes, and Green on Green, illustrated by Felicita Sala. Dianne lives with her family in Gilbert, Arizona, where many nights at twilight, the desert blazes rose on sapphire on dark on light. For more information and to download a free activity kit, visit diannewrites.com. You can connect with Dianne on Facebook: Dianne White | Instagram: @diannewrites | Twitter: @diannewrites
About the Illustrator
Felicita Sala is a self-taught illustrator and painter. She has a degree in philosophy from the University of Western Australia. She now lives and works in Rome. She draws inspiration from nature, children, mid-century illustration, folk art, and architecture. To learn more, visit felicitasala.com. You’ll also find Felicita on Instagram: @felicita.sala
Read a New Book Month Activity
Flashlight On, Flashlight Off Game
It’s fun to play games in the dark! During Earth Hour flip off your lamps and overhead lights and play this game that challenges your memory while you think about our planet! This game can be played with two or more players.
Supplies
Flashlight
6 – 12 small objects (the number of objects can be adjusted depending on the ages of the players)
A table or floor area large enough to lay out the objects
Directions
With the Flashlight On:
Lay out the objects on a table or on the floor
Give all the players time to look at the objects and try to memorize them
Choose one player to remove one of the objects
With the Flashlight Off
Turn off the flashlight
While the room is dark, the designated player removes one object from the rest
Turn the flashlight back on
With the Flashlight Back On
The other players try to figure out which object is missing
Variations
In addition to removing one object, the other objects can be moved around to different positions
Today we celebrate those lowercase letters that make up a predominance of our sentences (and nearly all of our texting). The lowercase letter has a proud history, dating back to the earliest development of script and writing. The terms “lowercase” and “uppercase” come from the era of the printing press, when individual letters were inserted by hand into plates that were then inked and pressed onto paper. The tiles etched with each letter were kept in trays conveniently located for the printer to set them into the plates with capital letters found in the upper case and small letters arranged in the lower case. To learn more about the history of our script was developed, visit My Modern Met. You’ll find rules on using lowercase and uppercase letters at Gammerly. And to discover the fun you can have with the letters of the alphabet, read about today’s book below and meet its creators!
My Pet Feet
Written by Josh Funk | Illustrated by Billy Yong
A little girl wakes up on a glorious morning. The bees are buzzing and the palm tees (no, it’s not a typo, you’ll see…) outside her window are standing tall. First job of the day is to feed her pet ferret, Doodles. She goes to his cage only to find two very long feet and a very sad face looking up at her. “‘What happened to my pet feet?’” she cries. “‘I mean my pet feet. Why can’t I say ‘FEET’?’” She looks all over her room for an answer and then spies something suspicious. Her alphabet banner is missing the ‘R.’ She quickly assesses the situation and realizes that without the letter R, her beloved pet has become simply FEET. Immediately, she decides she must do something and calls her best friend Lucas to help her.
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022, text copyright Josh Funk, 2022. Courtesy of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
But when she left the house, she discovered that the missing R wasn’t just affecting Doodles, but the whole town. On the way to find Lucas at his mom’s bake shop, she had to avoid “a bunch of kids on go-cats” and a policewoman on the back of a galloping hose.” Then when she found Lucas, her bestie had turned into a fiend. What was worse is that no one acted like anything was wrong.
Everywhere she went there was pandemonium, strange hybrid creatures, and weird machines. The girl wanted to find out “what happened to the eighteenth symbol of the alphabet. Could someone have taken it? “But who? And why? …I don’t want to have pet feet until the end of time!” Distressed to hear this, Doodles ran away, and even though she chased him “by the old babbling book, down a tail, and into a gassy field, the girl couldn’t find him.
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022, text copyright Josh Funk, 2022. Courtesy of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
But then, faintly in the distance, she heard familiar footsteps and followed the sound until she found him at the seashoe …ummm…at the beach, which was not quite the way it used to be. Still, she found Doodles and apologized for hurting his feelings. He gave her a big hug, but then was off again—this time into the sea. The girl dove in too. Could Doodles be leading them to the answer for the missing R’s? Could life eally etun to nomal … ummm … Could life actually go back to the usual? To find out, jump in and paddle along! You don’t want to miss the supising esolution … I mean the astounding ending!
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022, text copyright Josh Funk, 2022. Courtesy of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
In My Pet Feet, Josh Funk has carefully crafted a grammatical mystery that will keep readers (both kids and adults) marveling over the cleverness of each word transformation and how they add to the richness of the story. As the little girl races to restore Doodles to his normal cuddly state, readers become totally immersed in the laugh-out-loud, fantastical R-less world even as they empathize with her dilemma. The pitch-perfect ending comes as a real surprise, one that is sure to please readers of all ages.
Perfectly matched to Funk’s comedic talents is new picture book bright light Billy Yong, who brings a fresh, vibrant, and hilarious sense of humor to this story. Readers will want to linger over every page as Yong infuses each spread with a wealth of astoundingly clever details in depicting not only the R-less words provided in the story but in creating a whole town and outlying regions in which every element is flawless. Yong’s illustrations set up an irresistible game of search-and-find for all the visual puns, and the before and after images of the town make for an engaging find-the-differences puzzle.
A joy from beginning to end, My Pet Feet charms on many levels. The book is laugh-out-loud fun for the whole family as well as a way to engage kids in lessons on the alphabet, sound recognition, spelling, and grammar for teachers. Both avid and reluctant readers will love the silliness that makes this a must-have addition to all home, classroom, school, and public library collections
Ages 4 – 8
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2022 | ISBN 978-1534486003
I’m thrilled to be talking with Josh Funk and Billy Yong today about My Pet Feet. So put up your feet and get ready to learn about the amazing journey this story took from an initial idea to an instant classic!
Meet Josh Funk
Credit Carter Hasegawa
Josh Funk writes silly stories such as the Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series (including the forthcoming The Great Caper Caper, November 15, 2022); the It’s Not a Fairy Tale series (including the forthcoming It’s Not the Three Little Pigs, October 1, 2022); the How to Code with Pearl and Pascal series (including How to Code a Sandcastle and How to Code a Rollercoaster); the A Story of Patience & Fortitude series in conjuction with the New York Public Library (including Where Is Our Library? and Lost in the Library); Dear Dragon, Albie Newton, Pirasaurs!, A Night at the Bookstore: A Barnsie & Noble Adventure, and Dear Unicorn, coming in the fall of 2023!
Since the fall of 2015, Josh has visited (or virtually visited) over 500 schools, classrooms, and libraries and he is a board member of The Writers’ Loft in Hudson, MA. Josh grew up in New England and studied Computer Science in school. Today, he still lives in New England and when not writing Java code or Python scripts, he drinks Java coffee and writes manuscripts.
Hi Josh! I’m so excited to be a part of your book tour for this comedic tour de force! Thanks for taking time to chat with me about My Pet Feet and how the story came to be!I’m sure readers would love to know a little about how you wrote this story. How much fun was it to find all of the convertible words? How long did your writing process take?
It started with a typo on my phone (or possibly an autocorrect). I meant to write the word ‘friend’ but it came out ‘fiend’ which led me to wonder … what happened to the R? Why would a friend become a fiend? Did other words also lose their R’s? Did ALL words lose their R’s? Why? And what would the world look like if there were no R’s? What silly illustratable shenanigans would occur in a book written without the letter R?
This led me to start searching for words where if you took away an R, it would become another word—especially word pairs that made for funny illustrations. Crows becoming cows. Babbling brooks becoming babbling books. The seashore becoming the seashoe.
But I still also needed a story. I needed a reason, an important reason, that someone needed to investigate the missing R’s … and needed to get them back. And rescuing a pet who had been transformed into something else was the perfect reason.
Once I had the list of words to play with along with the main character’s motivation, everything easily fell into place. JUST KIDDING! I wrote many, many, MANY revisions of this story both before and after it was acquired to get things in the shape they finally ended up in. And truly, nothing really came together until Billy Yong joined the team.
Speaking of Billy, what were your thoughts when you saw his illustrations? Do you have a favorite spread?
As an author of picture books, I think I benefit from not thinking too visually, at least in specifics. By that, I mean, I had no idea what ‘pet feet’ would look like. Would they be human feet (with human toes? Ew.)? Would it be like a rabbit’s foot? Would the foot have a face? I honestly didn’t even bother thinking about these things—I left that for someone else to tackle.
And unsurprisingly, I think Billy’s visual creation of pet feet is amazing! I have no idea how he made ‘pet feet’ look cute. The concept is just so ridiculous, but he managed to pull it off.
As far as favorite spreads and images, I love the spreads with all the visual gags in the background, like the one in town with everyone acting like it’s just a typical day. But the best, without a doubt, is the gassy field. I had no idea Billy was going to illustrate a bunch of butts farting—but I totally approve. Like I said, I don’t think too visually—I just wrote ‘gassy field’ and assumed someone else would take care of it. And there are no buts about it—Billy did.
Meet Billy Yong
Billy Yong is an illustrator and character designer. Since starting out he has drawn storyboards, engaged in visual development, and has even voice acted for animation, games, and children’s books. When he’s not creating his professional doodlings, he can be found in a cafe drawing or painting in his sketchbook, in his studio developing his personal projects, or in the dojo teaching Japanese swordsmanship. Billy currently lives in sunny Singapore.
To learn more about Billy Yong and view a portfolio of his work, visit his website. You can connect with Billy on Instagram and Twitter.
Hi Billy! I’ve been looking forward to chatting with you since the moment I saw my review copy of this book. First, I want to Congratulate you on your debut picture book! Can you talk about your previous work and how you came to illustrate Josh’s story?
Thanks Kathy! It is such a privilege to be debuting through Josh’s hilarious story. Up till then, most of my illustrative works centered around the Young Adults range. Now that I think about it, one of my most enjoyable school projects that brought me into the kid lit scene was TheBoy Who Cried Wolf.
Copyright Billy Yong
When I was first approached about the project, Josh, Kendra and Chloe (editor and art director respectively) said my sense of humor was what got me the role. At that time, I honestly struggled to understand what they meant, but never say no to great opportunities eh?
What were your first impressions when you read Josh’s manuscript?
Dude, I loved it. Probably not a good thing that I first read it just as I was about to turn in for bed (it was 02:32 in the morning since I live in Singapore). I couldn’t sleep for the next two hours because I was drawing scenes in my head haha.
Your illustrations are so ingenious, even including foreshadowing and visual puns that go beyond or riff on the “r-less” words in the text. I’m sure readers would love to learn a little about your process in creating them.
You’re too kind! First off, for anyone wanting to get into illustration, particularly with larger projects like these, understand that the process is more often a back-and-forth than a straight journey. I typically like to doodle on the script when I first read it, it helps to just spill out any ideas onto paper without restraint at the earliest phase.
Some of the earliest ideas featured the town name: Butterfield Shores -> Buttefield Shoes. Me being the adult that I am, figured why not a bronze statue, butt resplendent for all to see, with a sign sticking out his bum, and a shoe on his head, with a little flower growing from it.
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022
Developments of bums are always a joy.
Another was around miscellaneous things we would encounter.
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022
Even though they were never used, it helped kick off the vibe of this crazy world our heroes lived in.
Back on the main subjects, I’m usually drawn most towards characters, so that’s usually what I like to start off with after doodling on the script.
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022
I loved that our main human was pretty nondescript, so that left a lot of room to create a cast of characters. I eventually settled on no.2, since her shapes felt quite a lot like our fe(rr)et, Doodles. Below are some other characters I drew during the development process:
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022
When it came to laying out the pages however, my usual methods of working digitally lacked the grand overview and the bravery to push past mistakes. Ironic since the digital medium allows me to undo to my heart’s content, but that also means I don’t see my mistakes and move past them.
So, feeling stuck, I whipped out a giant A3 sketchpad with a sharpie and just went ham at it. No distractions, not even music in the background, just drawing at the dining table figuring out the flow and composition for Josh’s story. I think I managed to churn out the entire layout in 2 days because of this, haha.
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022, text copyright Josh Funk, 2022.
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022
(Initial doodles of the first couple of pages. When I liked a composition but didn’t like parts of it, I would paste a sticky note on top and just draw over it. It feels a lot more intuitive ideating like this compared to a digital drawing.)
This wouldn’t quite make sense to Josh, Chloe (art director) and Kendra (editor) though, so the next step was tidying up.
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022, text copyright Josh Funk, 2022.
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022, text copyright Josh Funk, 2022.
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022, text copyright Josh Funk, 2022.
(I think the most important part about this sketch cleanup phase was not to be too married to the original sketches, so if it doesn’t work on cleanup, then it helps to go back to the sketchpad or just move on and revisit the spread.)
Once layouts were done, it was back to designing the characters. Doodles (or Feet) had the most rounds of back and forth. Ranging from foot-face, to a head on feet, ultimately to feet with a face, every interpretation brought us closer to what you see before you.
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022
Doodles (Feet State) v.2 was what we settled on in the end.
Was there a spread that was particularly fun to illustrate? What made it so?
Haha, they were all a joy to do, but my favorites would be these three:
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022, text copyright Josh Funk, 2022.
While the layout changed quite a fair bit from the original sketch, my goal of showcasing the go-cats and the topsy-turvy-ness of it all culminated in a winding road, with a subtle line at the top to lead the eyes back to the cat’s tail, ultimately to rest at the water splashing of the police ho(r)se.
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022, text copyright Josh Funk, 2022.
While this was less dynamic than the previous one, it was really fun laying out the look and feel of the town. I think the biggest challenge was to make it feel populated without overloading the senses, and allowing the eyes pockets of rest in a spread so full of colors and information. I also sneakily snuck in my friends, who are getting married at the end of 2022, so even though I couldn’t be there, it’s my little wedding present to them.
The @-rats were also a suggestion of my wife (I think). Honestly in the thick of things I’ve confused ideas I’ve received from Josh, Kendra (our editor), Chloe (art director), my wife Rachel and myself. It really has been a team effort to bring this book to life.
Image copyright Billy Yong, 2022, text copyright Josh Funk, 2022.
Again with the swirly composition. (I’m starting to think I have a thing for these…) Also relatively simple, but I’m happy turning the tail into a device for our readers to traverse from left to right. Of course the gassy fields had to be a field of bums farting into the wind.
What do you like best about illustrating children’s books?
I enjoy the freedom of expression. It’s very daunting whenever you start a project like this, because said freedom means you often start on a very blank canvas, with only the story to guide you. You have to give yourself permission to be as wild as your skill and imagination can allow, and avoid listening to the doubts you have with certain decisions you make. When those doubts do manifest, I’ve found it useful to remind myself that this is a team process, and if the author, editor or art director don’t quite approve, they’ll let you know. Until then, go ham.
What’s up next for you?
Haha, I don’t think I’m allowed to say, but perhaps I could hint that it’s about a boy, his friends and a hammer. It’s quite the wild ride, and I hope when it’s released readers will enjoy it. I certainly have. Apart from that, just raising a baby girl with my wife. It’s an exercise in patience and endurance. I cannot wait to start drawing with her and learning from her. Perhaps I will become a better artist from that.
Wow! Thank you for sharing so much about how you brought My Pet Feet to life! Your awesome illustrations and sense of humor are going to keep kids searching for all the visual puns and laughing from beginning to end – and over and over again! I wish you all the best with this book and am really looking forward to seeing more of your work. And, since we’re talking about bringing the story to life, I think we have time for one more image ….
Copyright Billy Yong, 2022
So, Everybody, jump on your Go-Cat and head to your local bookstore to pick up My Pet Feet to celebrate New Book Month in hilarious style!
My Pet Feet Virtual Book Tour Activity
Feet Pet Portraits
Feet don’t have to be just for walking, running, or dancing. As today’s story shows, they can make pretty awesome pets (even when it’s just a mistake). With this craft you can use your own feet to make a pet portrait to decorate your room!
Supplies
1 Sheet of regular printer paper or heavy stock paper for the portrait
1 Sheet of colored heavy stock paper for the frame’s backing
1 Sheet of heavy stock paper in a contrasting color from the backing to make the frame
Crayons or colored pencils
Scissors
Glue or glue dots
Directions
Stand on the white paper with your feet together and trace your feet
Now it’s time to get creative! Turn the paper toes up, toes down, or toes to the side and design your pet.
After you’re finished drawing, color your picture in
Cut your pet out
To Make the Frame and Frame Your Portrait
Measure one inch around each side of one piece of heavy stock paper
Cut out the middle
Use glue or glue dots to adhere the frame to the backing
Use glue or glue dots to adhere your feet pet portrait to the backing of the frame
Whether you’re still in the midst of winter or spring is knocking on the door, dog owners know that one part – maybe the best part – of their day will be spent taking their beloved pooches for a walk. Today’s holiday celebrates this special time people share with their pets and encourages them to make today’s walk extra fun by taking a new route or rewarding your pup with a few extra treats or minutes of playtime.
Thanks to Floris Books for sharing a copy of The Dog Walk with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.
The Dog Walk
By Sven Nordqvist
Anyone who spends time outside with their pet knows that you start to see the yard, neighborhood, and perhaps even the world in a different way. Small details of nature, hidden creatures or objects, odors and sounds wafting on the breeze, and people passing by all become new when seen through the eyes of an animal. In his wildly whimsical The Dog Walk, Sven Nordqvist takes readers on a wordless meandering out of the city and into fantastical worlds where anything is possible.
Copyright Sven Nordqvist, 2021, courtesy of Floris Books.
The frame for this adventure is the titular dog walk, in which a child takes their grandmother’s shaggy pet for a jaunt, setting up dazzling discovery as well as an amusing search-and-find puzzle. Following along on this journey, kids and adults are treated to Nordqvist’s endlessly delightful creativity that plays with perspective and size, the expected and the extraordinary and invites readers to look, look again, and ponder.
As the train leaves the station, traversing a bridge that elevates it high above rolling hills and the vast tree houses residents call home as well as a derelict stone castle that now serves as the trunk of a tree, a giant chess board, and giggle-inducing images of a man rowing a boat with a giraffe as passenger (cargo that requires the drawbridge to be raised and traffic to back up) and a bull sitting on the river’s bank and enjoying a tuft of grass like a person picnicking while his bovine friends chomp grass the regular way.
Copyright Sven Nordqvist, 2021, courtesy of Floris Books.
The train is headed for a maze of tracks that twist their way through a castle that houses no fewer than five kings and boasts a turret-top pool. The next stop is a sculpture and animal park, where readers will want to stop and join the cleverly posed statues that tour the gravel paths via goat-pulled platforms and a variety of familiar and fanciful creatures welcome them.
Continuing on, take in the orchestra that’s playing in the bandshell while the appreciative audience enjoys pastries, ice cream, and tea served by a walking teapot and creamer. Further on, readers come to a seaside vista, where small islands of thatched buildings set sail. And if there’s no wind to power them, that’s okay because each island has its own windmill. On shore, a giant couple sit enjoying the sun; the woman reads under a parasol, while the man, his painting supplies at hand, carefully recreates the tiny kindergarten-drawing island. Other islands dotting the inlet are in the shape of hats, while the harbor’s lighthouse is a burning candle atop a top hat.
Copyright Sven Nordqvist, 2021, courtesy of Floris Books.
After a bite of lunch, the child is literally dragged into an antiques store – breathtaking in its intricacies – when the pooch chases a cat inside. This showstopper of a two-page spread juxtaposes items from homes of yesteryear with those of today with, of course, surreal and inventive additions to capture readers’ attention and imagination. From here, the walk takes the child into more bucolic scenery, where the dog gets to frolic with other animals while blueberries are picked from tall trees by a well-steered dragonfly.
Then dodging spitballs through a field, the two come to a sleepy castle where Escher-like stairways lead to the exit and a game of croquet – or is it billards? It’s nearly time to get back home, but first the dog becomes distracted in a community of cats. But nothing – not even a bicyclist balancing on a huge orange; a unicyclist juggling lit torches, an ax, a knife, and a toaster; or a hot dog big enough to fee four – can arrest the dog’s attention when it sees… Grandma!
Copyright Sven Nordqvist, 2021, courtesy of Floris Books.
Beyond lingering over Sven Nordqvist’s hilarious, ingenious, and unbelievably detailed drawings, The Dog Walk offers unending opportunities to expand on and engage with every page. Whether embraced in a classroom or at home, every page provides plenty of inspiration for kids to create their own stories, artwork, inventions, games, and so much more based on the images. Searching for repeated themes, objects, and creatures will also keep kids happily occupied.
A book for sharing or enjoying individually that will spark laughs, awe, inspiration, and fun conversations, The Dog Walk would make a treasured gift and is a highly rewarding and recommended addition to home, school and public library collections.
Ages 3 and up
Floris Books, 2021 | ISBN 978-1782507437
National Dog Walking Day Activities
I Love Dogs! Word Search Puzzle
If you love dogs, you’ll have fun discovering the names of eighteen dog breeds in this printable word search puzzle!
Each of the puppies has a friend. Can you match them up based on one trait? There may be multiple right answers! Why do you think the dogs you chose go together in this printable puzzle?
Today’s holiday probably needs no special promotion since sharing pictures of our singular pets with our friends, coworkers, and family is something all many of us pet owners do every day, whether it’s on social media or just scrolling through pics of our pet’s latest antics on our phone. Our pets are just so cute and funny and clever that it’s hard not to show everyone. To celebrate today, capture your pet doing something extraordinary—or ordinary, it doesn’t really matter—and share them for your family, friends, and the world to see!
Thanks to Sleeping Bear Press for sending me a copy of Tails from the Animal Shelter for review consideration. All opinions about the book are my own.
Tails from the Animal Shelter
Written by Stephanie Shaw | Illustrated by Liza Woodruff
Welcome to the Humane Society Animal Shelter! The animals are waiting to meet you, and the staff are happy to introduce you to the wonderful animals who are available for adoption. While most animals who arrive at shelters across the country are dogs or cats, there are lots of other pets looking for a new home. Why do some animals come to live in a shelter? The book reveals many reasons. Among them are that “some of the animals are strays; some are rescued from natural disasters” and “some have been given up for adoption because their owners can no longer care for them.”
Image copyright Liza Woodruff, 2020, text copyright Stephanie Shaw, 2020. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.
Are you ready to find a new friend? If it’s a puppy you’re looking for, you’ll love Tinkle, who’s so excited to see you that he “cannot help but piddle.” But it’s okay. “Happy puppies always dribble….As time passes and pups grow, / This little guy won’t pee ‘hello.’” If you don’t know what type of dog is best for your family, the staff at the shelter can help match you to the perfect one.
Cats also make wonderful pets for many reasons. Whether you like long-haired or short-haired, large or small cats, you’ll find just the right fit for your family at the shelter. Not ready for a long-term commitment? You can look into fostering a newborn kitten to get them ready for adoption. What kinds of kittens will you find? All sorts, like Ariel, who says: “I’m an acrobat cat! / I can climb anywhere! / I’ll roll in a ball and then / leap to a chair!”
Image copyright Liza Woodruff, 2020, text copyright Stephanie Shaw, 2020. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.
These dogs and puppies, cats and kittens are only a few of the animals that turn up needing a new home. Take Pooter, for example. Pooter is black and white and, despite the recognizable stripe down its back, does not stink. Skunks that make their way to shelters “have never lived in the wild” and have had surgery so they cannot make their “smelly spray.”
Veterinary advances have improved the lives of injured animals or animals with health problems. Animals with special needs can now be fitted with “rear-support leashes or wheelchairs” and “can live happily for many years.” If you can adopt “an animal with special needs [you] will bring a grateful and loyal pet into your family.” A popular pet that has some surprising talents, a rabbit can also be a top choice for people who live in a smaller home. Trained to use a litter box, rabbits “can live indoors just like cats do.”
Image copyright Liza Woodruff, 2020, text copyright Stephanie Shaw, 2020. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.
If you live on a farm or have a lot of land in an area that allows for farm animals, you may be interested in Hamlet, who tells readers, “I am a sweet potbellied pig. / I started small but I grew BIG….I know some tricks. I’m neat and clean. / I’m many things. I’m just not… / lean.” Around the nation there are many “pigs, goats, sheep, and chickens [that] need new homes. There are over two hundred thousand horses alone rescued or surrendered to shelter care every year.”
Along with detailed descriptions of the birds, reptiles, and senior animals that also make loving pets, the book is packed with information about how and why certain animals come to shelters and programs that sponsor a variety of animals and help get them ready for adoption. Back matter reveals how animal shelters were established, gives extensive tips on and issues to consider when adopting a shelter animal, lists ways people can help shelter animals even if they can’t adopt, and provides online resources for learning more and finding shelters in your area.
Image copyright Liza Woodruff, 2020, text copyright Stephanie Shaw, 2020. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.
In her fascinating and accessible text, Stephanie Shaw combines poetry with facts and interesting tidbits about each type of animal to discuss why they make excellent pets for the right person or living condition. Her humorous, whimsical verses that accompany each category and introduce a particular animal will charm kids with a snapshot of the animal’s personality. Kids will also enjoy talking about how each name fits the animal.
Liza Woodruff’s cheery illustrations will enchant animal lovers with adorable images of funny, loving, and endearing animals happy to find a forever home. The joy that pets bring to a family is evident as kids hug, play with, and react to their pets.
An excellent introduction to shelter animals and pet ownership, Tails from the Animal Shelter is highly recommended for any family thinking about adopting a pet as well as for young animal lovers and kids interested in veterinary medicine or volunteering to help animals. The book would also make a favorite addition to school and public library collections.
Ages 5 – 8
Sleeping Bear Press, 2020 | ISBN 978-1534110489
Discover more about Stephanie Shaw and her books on her website.
To learn more about Liza Woodruff, her books, and her art, visit her website.
All American Pet Photo Day Activity
Roly Poly Spool Potbellied Pig and Piglets
Get ready to have fun making this cute and easy craft! Ham it up with your own pig and piglets who can keep you company on your desk, near your bed or anywhere it’s fun to play!
2 ½-inch wooden spoon, available from craft stores
1-inch wooden spool, available from craft stores
Pink yarn, I used a wide-strand yarn
Pink fleece or felt
Pink craft paint
Pink 5/8-inch or 1-inch flat button with two holes
Pink 3/8-inch flat button with two holes
Paint brush
Scissors
Glue
Black marker
Directions
Print Pigs Ears Template
Trace the ears onto the fleece or felt and cut them out.
Paint the spool with the pink paint
Let spool dry
When the spool is dry, glue the ears to the spool, letting the ears stick up over the rim of the spool.
Wrap yarn in straight layers around spool until the body of the pig is a little bigger than the end of the spool, which will be the face
Cut yarn off skein and glue the end to the body
To make the nose, glue the button over the hole in the middle of the spool
Mark the eyes and mouth with a marker
To make the tail for the large pig, cut a 4-inch long piece of yarn. Tie a triple knot in the yarn (or a knot big enough to fill the hole in the spool). Then tie a single knot near the other end of the yarn. Insert the large knot into the spool’s hole at the back of the pig. Trim the yarn in front of the second knot as needed.
To make the tail for the piglets, tie a single knot in the yarn and another single knot below the first. Insert one of the single knots into the hole. Trim yarn as needed.
You can find Tails from the Animal Shelter at these booksellers
Today’s fun holiday reminds dog moms and dads that people aren’t the only ones who like to party – dogs do too! Throwing a party for your pooch and their best buds with toys, games, treats, and all the trimmings is a perfect way to spend a summer day. For more information and tips on how to plan a successful party, visit dogtime.com.
WOOF! The Truth About Dogs
By Annette Whipple
If you love dogs, you can probably recognize different breeds just by their tail…or snout… or, maybe even by their bark. You probably won’t be surprised to learn that “dogs are the most popular pet in the world,” but why is that? Readers are about to find out with Annette Whipple’s WOOF!, which includes adorable photographs and answers to lots of questions you might have about dogs. Where does she begin? With puppies, of course! If you’ve ever seen a newborn puppy, you probably noticed three things right away: they are tiny, they have a unique, unforgettable sweet puppy smell, and they keep their eyes closed—for a long time. Why? Incredibly, “a puppy and its siblings grow for just two months in their mother’s womb. That’s fast—too fast to fully develop.” Whipple explains all the things newborn puppies can’t do and how their mom’s help them.
Copyright Annette Whipple, 2021, courtesy of Reycraft Books.
You know that when a dog wags his tail, it means it’s happy. But do dogs experience other feelings? Whipple says, Yes! With text and photographs, she describes a dog’s various emotions and shows readers how they exhibit and communicate them to their humans. Dogs help their humans learn about them, but how do dogs learn about their humans and other parts of their world? Dogs are master sniffers! “Dogs smell thousands—possible millions—of times better than humans.” How is this possible? Whipple shows what goes on inside a dog’s snout and tells readers why they—and unfamiliar dogs—always undergo a sniff test.
Having a dog as a pet is lots of fun, and they bring comfort and companionship too. But dogs can also help people in a myriad of ways from herding sheep and cows on a ranch to assisting police officers and soldiers to living with someone as a service dog to provide daily needs and keep them safe and healthy. Whipple reveals fascinating details about these special dogs and includes photographs of dogs at work. Think some dogs look like wolves? Whipple states that “scientists know dogs descend from wolves,” but goes on to relate all the ways—some of which are astounding—that dogs and wolves differ.
Copyright Annette Whipple, 2021, courtesy of Reycraft Books.
Whipple reveals ways that kids can help their canine friends at home or by volunteering at or fundraising for a local animal shelter. She also shows readers how to meet a dog as well as important actions to not take when greeting a dog. Interested in knowing which dog is the largest, tallest, smallest, fastest, hairiest, and not so hairy? That’s all hear too. And any dog lover likes nothing more than playing with their pet. Whipple includes instructions for making a tug toy out of recycled material that will make kids happy and keep their dogs wagging their tail.
Sidebars illustrated by Juanbjuan Oliver reveal more intriguing facts about dogs throughout the book. Backmatter includes a glossary of words found in the text as well as Internet resources from further learning.
Copyright Annette Whipple, 2021, courtesy of Reycraft Books.
Annette Whipple’s engaging and informative text educates readers—whether they are already dog owners, considering getting a pet, or just want to know how to interact with dogs they meet—on the health and behaviors of these beloved animals. Her straightforward delivery backed up by excellent photographs of a wide range of breeds will appeal to kids. Children who may love dogs but for some reason can’t have one at home, will want to check out Whipple’s discussion of various ways kids can volunteer to help dogs.
Visually striking and filled with information that’s sure to surprise, impress, and educate kids about dogs, WOOF! The Truth About Dogs would make an excellent choice for new or prospective dog owners at home and as an addition to school and public library collections.
Ages 6 – 11
Reycraft Books, 2021 | ISBN 978-1478873808
Discover more about Annette Whipple and her books on her website.
National Dog Party Day Activity
Homemade Dog Biscuits
These homemade dog biscuits are fun to make and a special treat for your dog at home, a neighbor’s pet, or dogs waiting for forever homes at your local shelter.
*Children should have adult supervision when using the oven.
Supplies
1 large bowl
Large spoon or whisk
Cookie cutters – shaped like traditional dog bones or any favorite shape
Ingredients
3 cups Buckwheat flour
½ cup powdered milk
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup water
1/3 cup margarine or butter, melted
1 egg beaten
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Add buckwheat flour to bowl
Add powdered milk to bowl
Add salt to bowl
Stir to mix dry ingredients
Add water
Add melted margarine or butter
Add egg
Stir until liquid is absorbed
Knead for a few minutes to form a dough
If the dough is too dry, add a little more water, one Tablespoon at a time
Place the dough on a board
Roll dough to ½ inch thickness
Cut into shapes with cookie cutters
Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes
Biscuits will be hard when cool.
Makes about 40 biscuits.
You can find WOOF! The Truth About Dogs at these booksellers
celebratepicturebooks.com 