Tag: Paul B. Janeczko

Only Picture Books’ 19 Favorites of 2019

On By Only Picture BooksIn OPB Favorites, Picture Book Lists

It’s the end of 2019, and here at OPB, we always close out each December with a list of our favorite pictures books of the past 12 months.

Some of these picture books appeared in OPB in one capacity or another. Because of space considerations and other factors, some didn’t. Regardless, all of the following books are worthy of attention and space on your shelves. I’ll even share a few words as to why they’re on this Best Of list. Enjoy!

(Don’t read anything into the order, though–it’s simply alphabetical by book title because, well, that’s easy to do.)

Another by Christopher Robinson (5 March 2019)

I confess that I resist wordless picture books on principle…except when they’re done this well. The fun shapes here remind me of Paul Klee, and the dreamy story is quite compelling.

 

Astro Girl by Ken Wilson-​Max (3 Sept 2019)

There’s so much here to like. A determined girl wanting to be an astronaut. An effective single parent (Papa). Dramatic acrylic artwork. Solid backmatter. Well done, Ken Wilson-Max!

 

Bird Count by Susan Edwards Richmond, illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman (1 Oct 2019)

This book about young Ava becoming a “citizen scientist” is SO cool. Learn all about the New England Christmas Bird Count, too, as well as facts about winter birds uncovered via birding ID techniques. Find out more about this book via our OPB review here.

 

Crab Cake: Turning the Tide Together by Andrea Tsurumi (5 Feb 2019)

Got a budding environmentalist in your life? This funny story about a crab’s actions in the aftermath of a disaster (trash being dumped into the ocean) will surely be a hit. There’s a fine message here about getting past mishaps and challenges. I’m a fan of the rich artistic textures in these pages, as well.

 

Dr. Seuss’ Horse Museum by Dr. Seuss, illustrated by Andrew Joyner (3 Sept 2019)

An unrhymed Dr. Seuss manuscript? Sounds crazy, but that’s exactly what we have in this look at how different artists have depicted horses. The full-​color reproductions here (Picasso, Seurat, Manet, and more) help make this a solid introduction to art. It’s not like most other Dr. Seuss books, but if you can get past that, it’s a good one regardless.

 

The Good Egg by Jory John, illustrated by Pete Oswald (12 Feb 2019)

This one just tickles my fancy, as much because I had a neighbor who used to call me “A darn good egg!” as the fun art here by Oswald. Add in Jory John’s quirky take on perfectionism, and that’s the good read you’ll find here.

 

The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Sarah Jacoby (21 May 2019)

This is a standout biography of a a first-​rate picture book writer, done in the style and tone of Margaret Wise Brown herself. The book is quirky, so don’t expect it to fully adhere to the standard chronological form most biographies take. The story’s also about taking risks and experimenting–great lessons for young readers to encounter.

 

Just Because by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault (10 Sept 2019)

The child in this bedtime book fires off questions instead of sleeping, and the dad sends back amazing, imaginative answers versus the easy-​but-​unhelpful “just because” answer a tired adult might be inclined to give. The unexpected retro illustrations give this a nice feel.

 

Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Kana Urbanowicz (5 March 2019)

Here’s the true story of how Momofuku Ando dreamed about making a new kind of ramen noodle soup that was easy to make and tasty. Why? Because he saw lines of people waiting for food in Japan right after World War II, and he believed that “the world is peaceful only when everyone has enough to eat.” A useful Afterword gives fine bonus information for teachers, parents, and librarians.

 

Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré by Anika Aldamuy Denise, illustrated by Paola Escobar (15 Jan 2019)

This book won a ton of awards largely because it’s the well-​told biography of puppeteer, storytelling, and NYC librarian Pura Belpré, who was a champion of multicultural literature. A librarian who supports multicultural lit might not sound that odd today, but consider that she arrived in American in 1921! The author’s ability to move from English to Spanish within the story without translations or italics? Very impressive.

A sizable amount of backmatter offers plenty of depth on the life and doings of this important figure.

 

The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-​to Poems by Paul B. Janeczko, illustrated by Richard Jones (25 Feb 2019)

This poetry anthology by Janeczko showcases poems by Kwame Alexander, Pat Mora, Nikki Grimes, Marilyn Singer (see her OPB Author Interview here!), and more. All of the poems are a how-​to of one type or another, ranging from how to be a snowflake to how to bird watch. It’s a fine collection with just enough range and style.

 

Small in the City by Sydney Smith (3 Sept 2019)

Some readers might not be happy with the situation–a child in the city looking for a lost pet. But it’s poignant, realistic, and filled with anything but false promise, all done in poignant, sensitive language. This story could’ve gone wrong in a host of ways in the hands of a less attentive author/​illustrator.

 

Smile: How Young Charlie Chaplin Taught the World to Laugh (and Cry) by Gary Golio, illustrated by Ed Young (26 March 2019)

Charlie Chaplin’s life held a lot of sorrow early on, yet Charlie knew sadness and humor went hand in hand. This book does a fine job of telling his story–and his own special sense of fun–through lyrical text accentuated by interesting collage-​style illustrations.

I’m quite taken, too, by the silhouette of the Little Tramp–Chaplin’s most famous on-​screen character–that becomes animated when the pages are flipped.

 

Stonewall: A Building, an Uprising, a Revolution by Rob Sanders, illustrated by Jamey Christoph (23 April 2019)

While Stonewall is obviously picture book worthy, this book lets the Stonewall Inn ITSELF tell this vital tale. It’s not only an essential addition to LGBTQ literature, but an essential addition to literature in general.

Bonus note: Rob was kind enough to be the very first Author Interview @ OPB. It’s interesting to see how his philosophy of picture books from a few years back still plays out so powerfully in his current work.

 

Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o, illustrated by Vashti Harrison (15 Oct 2019)

Sulwe’s skin is dark as midnight, but all she wants is to be bright and beautiful. This debut picture book by actress Lupita Nyong’o offers readers a magical journey that ultimately help them realize that true beauty always comes from within. That art here is beyond striking. Lovely.

 

A Tiger Like Me by Michael Engler, illustrated by Joëlle Tourlonias, translated by Laura Watkinson (1 Aug 2019)

Sometimes a kid might want to imaginatively become something else–like a tiger. In this story, that’s what happens, and he goes on wild-​tiger-​kid adventures. But at the end of the day, he’s happy to snuggle in bed with tiger-​mom and tiger-​dad. A sweet story.

 

When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree by Jamie L.B. Deenihan, illustrated by Lorraine Rocha (5 March 2019)

What kind of kid would EVER want a lemon tree for a birthday gift, right? Well, it turns out that in some situations, it’s the best gift of all. You even get a great recipe for lemonade here with this moving story.

Check out OPB’s interview with the author here, where we talk about–among other things–this very book!

 

When Sadness Is at Your Door by Eva Eland (29 Jan 2019)

There aren’t enough quality books about emotional literacy, but this is one of them. The simple illustration style adds a fine dimension to this important story.

 

Who Wet My Pants? by Bob Shea, illustrated by Zachariah OHora (17 Sept 2019)

It’s hard to imagine anyone tackling the tough topic of wetting one’s pants, but leave it to the ever-​amusing Bob Shea to do exactly that. The clever, silly pictures really help make this a memorable read.  There’s still plenty here for younger readers to appreciate even if they miss the more sophisticated aspects of the humor in play.

 

Picture Book List: Nine Terrific Poetry Picture Books

On By Only Picture BooksIn Picture Book Lists

One of the pleasures of reading poetry is to witness the urgency, the intensity, and the sheer beauty of language. This is as true in well-​written picture books as it is in the classic “adult” poems of Rumi, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, or Yusef Komunyakaa.

As I think about which relatively-​recent picture books most embrace the wonders that poetry offers, I recall what Romanian-​born German poet Paul Celan once wrote:

“A poem … can be a message in a bottle, sent out in the–not always greatly hopeful–belief that somewhere and sometime it could wash up on land, on heartland perhaps. Poems in this sense, too, are under way: they are making toward something.”

Each of the following picture books all are a “making toward something” that’s remarkable thanks to their use of poetic forms and a keen sensibility for language.

See for yourself.

Thunder Underground by Jane Yolen (illustrated by Josee Masse)

In this collection of 21 playful poems by kidlit master Jane Yolen, readers learn all about the things beneath the Earth’s surface: subways, fossils, pirate treasure, caves, magma, and even tectonic plates. A Kirkus starred review notes that the poems honor “the ability of young readers to navigate syntax, imagery, and wordplay… a thoughtful exploration of nature expressed in poetry that should open the eyes of children to unseen worlds.”

 

Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph by Roxane Orgill (illustrated by Francis Vallejo)

In playful verse and vibrant images, this book captures an amazing real-​world moment from 1958, when Esquire magazine and graphic designer Art Kane brought together a group of 57 beloved jazz musicians to be photographed outside a Harlem brownstone. Celebrate Picture Books notes that author Roxane Orgill “recreates the syncopation of jazz and the exhilaration of the photo shoot in twenty poems that capture the sights, sounds, conversations, horseplay, and vibe of that special day that forever commemorate the Golden Age of Jazz.”

One especially cool feature? A fold-​out page in the book shares the final product of that historic photo shoot.

 

H is for Haiku: A Treasury of Haiku from A to Z by Sydell Rosenberg (illustrated by Sawsan Chalabi)

Writer’s Rumpus reports that this book is “a delightful exploration of the alphabet through Haiku. Each page explores a moment in time with lovely, lyrical and luscious language. Colorful, playful illustrations complement the poetic text.” As the late Rosenberg once shared: “The split second one starts to touch a flower–real or plastic? That’s haiku. Before the hoof comes down–that’s haiku.”

 

In the Land of Milk and Honey by Joyce Carol Thomas (illustrated by Floyd Cooper)

This book tells the true story of Joyce Carol Thomas’ trip as a girl from Oklahoma to California in 1948. A Booklist review shares that “clear free verse captures the excitement of the journey–the steaming train, the hissing wheels, the long lonesome whistle.” But don’t neglect Floyd Cooper’s masterful pastel artwork and oil wash paintings which are equally impressive and help make this book a must-read.

 

If I Never Forever Endeavor by Holly Meade

This book tells the inner story of a fledgling thinking about leaving the nest, but isn’t quite ready to go. To fly or not to fly? That is the question explored in these poems that emphasize rhyme, repetition, and onomatopoeia.

A Storypath review says that “the bird’s soliloquy is rhythmic and memorable and will be picked up by the listeners by the second reading.”

 

Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander and Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth (illustrated by Ekua Holmes)

Newbery Award-​winning author and poet Kwame Alexander–with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth–writes poems about great poets … in the style of those poets themselves. In an NPR interview, Alexander states that the three aims for this book are to encourage kids to read poetry, introduce them to great poets, and inspire them to write poems of their own. “It’s a lofty goal,” he admits, “but I think that’s a metaphor for what poetry is.”

 

A Poke in the I: A Collection of Concrete Poems by Paul B. Janeczko (illustrated by Chris Raschka)

This award-​winning collection of 30 poems provides no end of fun thanks to a commitment to the playfulness of poetry.  A Booklist starred review explains that “these aren’t poems to read aloud, but to look at and laugh at together, with young children and especially older readers, who will enjoy the surprise of what words look like and what can be done with them.” A Publisher’s Weekly starred review adds that this book is “an uncluttered, meditative space for the picturesque language.”

 

Marvelous Math: A Book of Poems by Lee Bennett Hopkins (illustrated by Karen Barbour)

It’s hard to imagine a list of good poetry picture books without including something by Lee Bennett Hopkins, the grand master of poetry and poetry anthologies for young readers. The 16 poems in this book–two written by Hopkins and the rest written by others–all include math or numbers as a thematic element. A few of my favorites? Lillian M. Fisher’s “To Build a House,” Janet S. Wong’s “One to Ten” and Felice Holman’s “Counting Birds.”

 

Where the Sidewalk Ends: Poems and Drawings by Shel Silverstein

What can be said about a poetry book from 1974 that nearly all adults recall with wonder, joy, and an enduring sense of nostalgia?

Sisters are auctioned off.

Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout will simply not take the garbage out!

A girl eats a whale.

Crocodiles go to the dentist.

Silverstein’s poetic mad-​but-​makes-​sense world is one where you wash your shadow and plant diamond gardens. Yes, his poems are loads of fun, but he’s a master wordsmith whose writing is far more profound than you might realize at first.