WANDA GAG: THE GIRL WHO LIVED TO DRAW (NONFICTION) and PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHY BLOW-OUT!

NONFICTION

I think children's picture book biography is one of the strongest genres within children's literature, consistently executed with excellence and easy to share across the grade levels. May I recommend regular "biography breaks" within the classroom community or home? Just think: if a child is read aloud just one biography a week, how many marvelous mentors and personalities would they be introduced to in a year! Here are a few of this season's stars to start you out:

WANDA GAG: THE GIRL WHO LIVED TO DRAW by Deobrah Kogan Ray (Viking) Thought of as the mother of the modern picture book thanks to her scrappy 1929 tour-de-force MILLIONS OF CATS, Wanda Gag did not always have it easy, but she always had the drive to succeed. Using primary sources (as she did in TO GO SINGING THROUGH THE WORLD: THE CHILDHOOD OF PABLO NERUDA), the author captures the struggles of young Gag as she followed in the footsteps of her hardworking father. His imaginative dreams were thwarted by his need to support his family, but on his deathbed he fortells, "What Papa couldn't do, Wanda will have to finish." Most teenagers would have would have folded under the weight of caring for six young siblings and a sick mother, but the resourceful Gag not only gets her family through the hard times (two sisters became teachers!), but was published and earned a scholarship to study art in New York, where her creative genius began to truly blossom. This is a story that will truly inspire any creative spirit who encounters it, with lovely cozy-brown soft illustrations reminsicent of Don Freeman; you will have to resist pulling pictures out to frame (or maybe you don't have to resist). The story is penned with a personal touch that allows the reader to warm their own skin against the heat of Gag's passion for art ("I can't help it that I've got to draw and paint forever; I cannot stop; I cannot; cannot, CANNOT...I have a right to go on drawing...") and to genuinely revel in Gag's accomplishments, especially in the face of such hardships. By the last page, any reader would want to be friends with sweet Bohemian Wanda, and bring a basket of ginger cookies to her as she draws in "a sagging farmhouse she called 'Tumble Timbers.'" It's exciting to read about somebody who put dreams first, even when it wasn't easy to do. (7 and up)

A RIVER OF WORDS by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet (Eerdmans) What a beautiful tribute to the poet who brought us a red wheelbarrow upon which so much depends and the apologetic eating of plums, a man who worked hard all day as a busy doctor, and then fled to a world wallpapered in his own imaginings when the moon rose. The story captures not only the romance and beauty of being a poet, but the bravery and hard work as well; it's hard not to fall just a little bit in love wit ol' William. Illustrator Melissa Sweet has a lot of titles out these days (TUPELO RIDES THE RAILS, CARMINE: A LITTLE MORE RED and BABY BEAR'S BOOKS to name a few), all consistently darling, but I this one in particular has a texture that goes beyond Sweet's sweetness, that I hope will warrant a closer gander by awards committees for the subtle and ecelectic genius she brings to books; she is one of those very gifted illustrators whose pictures truly bring something more to the text. Here, she weaves the words of the poet in and out of her artwork like a fine and golden thread. Thorough and affecting, this book also includes a timeline, notes from the author and the illustrator, and poems on the endpapers. (7 and up)

BUFFALO MUSIC by Tracey E. Fern, illustrated by Lauren Castillo (Clarion)

"The heat that summer fell heavy as an angry fist. the trails were deeps with dust. The grass cracked like glass underfoot. And everywhere, far as the eye could see, the bleached bones of the buffalo glistened white in the sun."

During the terrible pioneer massacres of the buffalo, Mary Ann Goodnight had the foresight to cultivate the first captive buffalo herd, helping to save the species. Succinct, captivating writing with both strong description and dialogue hits hard but without any unncessary prosaic fuss, making anyone who reads it aloud seem like a seasoned storyteller, and a thoughtful bibliography with young readers in mind will keep kids following the buffalo trail. Homey illustrations accent the tender heart and common sense of a woman who made a big difference. (6 and up)

SHE TOUCHED THE WORLD: LAURA BRIDGMAN, DEAF-BLIND PIONEER by Sally Hobart Alexander and Robert Alexander (Clarion) Before Helen Keller there was Laura Bridgman, the first blind-deaf child to receive a significant education in the English language. Anne Sullivan learned the manual alphabet from her, and the knowledge of Laura Bridgman's accomplishments are what inspired the mother of Helen Keller to seek help for her daughter. Many detailed biographies bury themselves in their own research, but this rich story is truly readable for its intended audience. Little Laura's movement into the land of communication is one of a benevolent spiritual awakening to her, as well as one of secular interest to all. The pages brim with interesting photos that really contribute to an understanding of the experience and the period in history, including a stirring photo of Laura's bust, eyes covered, sculpted by Nathaniel Hawthorne's wife, Sophia Peabody. The co-author is blind and has experienced some hearing loss herself, and contributes a very thoughtful afterword, "If Laura Were Alive Today." (8 and up)

SANDY'S CIRCUS: A STORY ABOUT ALEXANDER CALDER by Tanya Lee Stone, illustrated by Boris Kulikov (Viking) With a few masterful twists of wire, an artist entrances the Parisian audiences with his playful scrap circus, and a world of joy and play. An angel-like muse seems to follow Calder from page to page. I found myself wishing there were more photos of Calder's actual work included (see Melissa Eskridge Slaymaker's BOTTLE HOUSES: THE CREATIVE WORLD OF GRANDMA PRISBEY), as I was not sure that a child would be able to recognize Calder or his work based on this book alone (a concern that was confrimed when a child noted that the man in te photo has a moustache and the man in the drawings does not), but supplemented with additional images, this book makes for a very exuberant introduction to the inventor of the first mobiles. Play on, playa! (6 and up)

PRISCILLA AND THE HOLLYHOCKS by Anne Broyles, illustrated by Anna Alter (Charlesbridge) One of the great joys of reading is learning something you really didn't know before, and I really didn't know that some members of the Cherokee tribe who were trying to assimilate with European settlers owned African-American slaves (though not without controversy within the tribe). This is the true story of one young African-American girl who, as a result of being enslaved in a Cherokee family, accompanied them on the Trail of Tears, a five hundred mile genocidal treck in freezing weather. She was rescued by a man who saw her by chance, tracked her down and bought her freedom, raising her as one of the family. The growing and blooming of flowers through the story is a moving and hopeful allegory, and the stark differentiation of a life under another's thumb compared to a life of freedom and inclusion is effectively drawn. A powerful, interesting book that retells a painful chapter in American history through the eyes of a brave child. (7 and up)

PORTRAITS OF JEWISH-AMERICAN HEROES by Malka Drucker, illustrated by Elizabeth Rosen (Dutton) From the well-known such as Harry Houdini, Albert Einstein, Leonard Bernstein and Gloria Steinem, to the lesser known and the modern (Henrietta Szold, Hadassah founder; Abraham Heschel, civil rights advocate; Judith Resnik, astronaut; and a very moving closure of the book with a tribute to Daniel Pearl, the journalist, and a poem by an Arab Muslim), Twenty-one thoughtfully selected personalities are presented and given a colorful portraiture in word and in picture. A fine addition to multicultural collections, a great gift book for Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, high holidays and a must-have for Jewish American Heritage Month in May (what, do you want to wait until the last minute?) (9 and up)

WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE? by Barbara Kerley, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham (Scholastic)

"I can be president of the United States, or I can control Alice. I cannot possibly do both." -- Theodore Roosevelt

Plans were being made to send the irrepressible Miss Alice Roosevelt to Miss Spence's boarding school to become a proper young lady. "Alice was appalled. The idea completely shriveled her." But with a little consistent effort, Alice manages to get herself homeschooled. Let loose in the library, the dear little autodidact "taught herself astronoy, geology, even Greek grammar. She read Twain, Dickens, Darwin, and the Bible, cover to cover." But what better home to school in than the White House? As her father's career rose to the highest power, Alice (and her pet snake Emily Spinach) make the move to D.C. Her high spirits and propensity not to listen to her father made headlines, and a difference in what women started to think they could do...and what fun they could have doing it. The goodwill ambassador and serious party girl gets celebrated here in a way that will have little girls snorting at the poor little Paris Hilton. Some of the most charming pictures seen since McKinley's time happen here, and fans of Shana Corey and Chesley McLaren's YOU FORGOT YOUR SKIRT, AMELIA BLOOMER will appreciate the retro feel of the characters laid out with crisp, dynamic line and composition. Favorites pics include Alice having a tantrum with her head beneath a pillow, or zipping from shelf-to-shelf beneath a stuffy stuffed moose-head in the library; honestly, it makes me want to write something just so Edwin Fotheringham can draw it. What to do about Alice? Read about her days spent making the point: well-behaved women rarely make history. (6 and up)

Also of interest:
The Cybil Awards are just getting started, which are the premier web-based award for children's and young adult literature! A very fun part of this award is that you, dear reader, can nominate titles for serious consideration! Check out what others have recommended, and you'll find a pretty amazing list of some of the best books of the year. Happy reading!

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.
More Esmé stuff at www.planetesme.com.

THIS IS YOUR LIFE CYCLE (NONFICTION) and VOTE FOR CHICAGO AS NEW PUBLISHING HUB!

NONFICTION

THIS IS YOUR LIFE CYCLE WITH SPECIAL GUEST DAHLIA THE DRAGONFLY by Heather Lynn Miller, illustrated by Michael Chesworth (Clarion)
While this generation may not be familiar with the Ralph Edwards program, the format that follows the arc from egg to nymph is effective in conveying the drama of a dragonyfly's life. From the tear-jerking (but understandable) demise of her mother after laying eight-hundred eggs to nail-biting escapes from predators to the tender coming of-age story that is molting, and, of course, a word from the sponsor ("Bird-B-Gone"), the efforts of the chronology are not wasted on Dahlia ("I'm so excited, I popped my exoskeleton!") or on readers. The illustrations are as busy and manic as live televsion, and the story is written in such a back-and-forth dialogue that read-aloud is a challenge (pair and compare with Kingfisher's crazy excellent Backyard Books series by Judy Allen, like ARE YOU A DRAGONFLY? for a more demure treatment); but if you manage to convey the format, it's a content-rich book that begs for more scripted episodes based on the lives of other creatures in the animal kingdom, which the children can write and then act out on YouTube for all of our entertainment. Salmon: this is your life! Elephant: this is your life! Apple: this is your life! Paramecium: this is your life! Beats a dry old oral report any day. (8 and up)

Also of interest:
Round and round we go with more life cycle fun!

TROUT ARE MADE OF TREES by April Pulley Sayre, illustrated by Kate Endle (Charlesbridge) You think you know what you're made of? You think you can handle the truth? Well, the truth is, trees are made of trout, and trout are made of trees, and this simple little book of few words and huge ideas does a deliciously unsentimental job of laying out life cycles and our interconnectedness. Reminicent of sitting with a pot-head having an epiphany, and almost as enlightening and provocative a children's book as Mordicai Gerstein's MOUNTAINS OF TIBET, even the youngest readers will see the world in a new and thoughtful way. (4 and up)

HOUDINI THE MAGIC CATERPILLAR by Janet Pedersen (Clarion) "You will do amazing and magical things, Houdini," whispered Houdini's mother when he was just a tiny egg, nestled on a bright green leaf. Watch carefully as a little class pet who loves the spotlight performs a magic trick that has all eyes on him. Inspired by some classroom posters, Houdini does an impressive disappearing act that ends with quite the "ta-da!" Funny, sweet, and sincere, Houdini's fetching eyebrows are worth the price of the book alone, and scenes are painted with colorful, wet strokes on large pages, easy for sharing with a group. Almost every kindergarten class studies metamorphosis, and this really perfect combination of story and science offers up a very hungry caterpillar with a fresh personality. Grab a butterfly garden and watch the show live! (4 and up)

On a personal note:

I first met Leonard Marcus in New York City, where he gave
me and some friends a grand tour of Grand Central Station.

Thanks to all who attended the Matzo Balls with Leonard Marcus event at the PlanetEsme Bookroom, we really did have matzo balls and we really did have the celebrated scholar Leonard Marcus, and best of all, we had some very lively conversation! I felt very proud of the community of booklovers that gathered and had such intelligent commentary and questions, many strong and outspoken women persisting in trying to find out the best way to serve children through literature through the exchange. Wow, my cup runnethed over, being in the room. I also was very excited to see some new faces, including author Emily Ecton, who was just so lovely and sweet as a cookie, you'd never know just by looking at her that she'd give R.L. Stine some goosebumps of his own with her own grisly brand of older-kiddie-horror (try THE CURSE OF CUDDLES MCGEE , about an angry hamster who has come back from the grave).

I couldn't get enough of that Marcus stuff, so I went to see him speak again a week later at National Louis University's Center for Teaching through Children's Books, where he was our tour guide through a timeline of children's book history a la MINDERS OF MAKE-BELIEVE: IDEALISTS, ENTREPRENEURS AND THE SHAPING OF AMERICAN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE. Though I don't imagine it was his intent, at one point in the lecture I was struck with how much influence New York has had on children's publishing as its American geographical hub, and I wondered 1) what sort of regionalism has been infused into children's publishing as a result, consciously and unconsciously, and 2) with all due respect, from a business standpoint, why the heck is New York, one of the most expensive cities in the world, still the capitol of children's publishing? The only other big success story mentioned was indeed Midwestern: Golden Books originally out of Wisconsin, and one of the most enduring and successful children's publishing enterprises of all time; the more recent Pleasant Company, also located in Wisconsin, is another Midwestern success story. Fast on the heels of these thoughts came the big article in New York Magazine: "Have We Reached the End of Book Publishing As We Know It?" Well, at the risk of alienating my wonderful New York readers, I am going to have to nominate Chicago as the new geographical hub of children's publishing and give you a few reasons why. We have much more elbow room, and the rent is cheaper. We have one of the most active and supportive SCBWI chapters in the nation. We are home to the national headquarters of The American Library Association, hundreds of amazing independent award-winning booksellers in the area, including veterans like The Bookstall, Women and Children First, and Anderson's Bookshop (who hosts behemoth booktalks with teachers from all over the state) and more independents opening all the time. We are geographically central and home to O'Hare International Airport, one of the biggest in the world, making it easy and relatively inexpensive to travel to and fro any where else, plus we have a solid public transportation system throughout the 'hoods. We have a commitment to our environment, with a mayoral plan to keep us on the list of greenest cities. While New York may rightly boast about the inimitable Broadway, Chicago also has great theater traditions (Steppenwolf and Second City are nothing to sneeze at), we have outstanding restaurants (Rick Bayless lives here, we have deep-dish pizza and the world's finest hot dogs!), art and cultural museums (don't miss Coleen Moore's Fairy Castle at the Museum of Science and Industry) and two outstanding zoos (sorry, Central Park and Holden Caufield, you haven't lived until you've ridden the endangered-species-go round at the Lincoln Park). Chicago has a reputation for being cold, but I'm guessing that's just something we say to keep out those who aren't hearty and hale. Though we certainly take some icy gales, it's really not much colder than New York; it just seems that way because we get a chill from running alongside that amazing lake that looks like an ocean, and almost thirty miles of beach. And as far as literacy initiatives go, we have Dave Eggers' Boring Store, NLU's aforementioned initiative, one of the world's leading research libraries (currently exhibiting 700 Years of Children's Books), the ever-expanding Rohner Letterpress , and the entire City of Readers program (which inspired whole subways full of everyone reading To Kill a Mockingbird; what a sight!) and of course, the fabulous PlanetEsme Bookroom. Inventive, always new, and always growing, this was the place to be at the turn of the last century, and I think it's the place to be at the start of this one. Here in Chi-town, we are a city with big shoulders...and that means we can carry a lot of books.

But let's talk about the M.O.'s in NYC publishing that are causing a financial 9-1-1. Smaller lists with more equitable distribution of publicity would probably make more sense than buying the work of authors and then not giving the kind of attention that is necessary for the book to find its audience, as the New York magazine article suggests. Kind of like buying a car and never driving it, but how could they ever get it out of such an overcrowded lot, even if they wanted to? The market is glutted, far exceeding the demand and most publishers know it, though nobody wants to bell that cat by tightening their lists and investing in what (and who) they already have. Would Margaret Wise Brown or Leo Lionni have been published or kept in print given the current model? It's hard to imagine; and I see for myself how many outstanding books fall by the wayside and are out of print in a couple of years. This is a disservice to the children on top of a waste of resources. I know from my "small is beautiful" approach that one of the signs of a business failure is when the resource of the human element is undervalued. When publishers lose money, they also start firing and displacing editors and publicists who require higher salaries by virtue of experience and track records, and bring on undertrained newbies or have staffs continually in flux. So, yes, publishing will fail this way, you bet. But in the interest of life cycles and metamorphosis, I know there in a butterfly-in-progress, and I am excited to see publishing's next incarnation, which will undoubtedly and necessarily be the result of a lot of change.

So. With Chicago making its energetic Olympic bid, I have to get into the spirit and remind the powers that be that, like Horton's Whos, "we are here, we are here, we are here,"in the midst of these changes and challenges. Dear New York, I love a good Judy Holliday movie as much as the next person, and have no qualms with your sensational skyscraping town. But Chicago is a less expensive place to live and to do business, but with many of the same cultural and culinary perks. Please, the next time you consider relocating your office, or for any publishing/agenting/book-promoting/bookloving mavericks out there, please look past the stereotypical corncobbery of the Midwest and into our potential. Imagine a publishing house with less overhead and more money to spend on the talents it takes to create and promote good books, and a standard of living that allows employees to live better (or at least in bigger apartments) at a rate employers can afford. So much depends on the survival of the industry in one form or another, not only in terms of individual jobs, which are certainly important, but also in terms of the education of children and the forward trajectory of critical thinking and democracy, all of which we can ill afford to take for granted. So publishing people, I put this forth: I double-dog-dare dare you to revitalize yourselves. No, I double-Chicago-style-Vienna-beef-hot-dog dare you.

That's my opinion! Decide for yourself what the next best chapter is in the history of children's literature by reading Leonard Marcus's new book, and with that in mind, I offer a giveaway of a free autographed copy to one winner, chosen from comment-posters below in the next week. Good luck!

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.
More Esme stuff at www.planetesme.com.

THE WAY WE WORK (NONFICTION) and FALL PREVIEW

NONFICTION
THE WAY WE WORK by David Macaulay (Houghton Mifflin)

After showing us THE WAY THINGS WORK, a lifetime achievement by any standard, Macaulay outdoes himself by turning his attention to the most complex machine of them all: the human body! Scaffolding from the smallest cells, readers move from system to system within the body and ultimately, to the creation of another life. The book took years to create, during which time Macaulay attended dissections, surgeries, studied anatomy at length and had the pleasure to handling a spleen. His hands-on and all-eyes approach paid off in a book that makes the intricate workings human body at once familiar and beautiful; he depicts the respiratory system as a roller coaster , describes DNA as "old family recipes" or a virus as a "population explosion," and draws microvilli like mountains rising out of the mist. His conversational writing style, matched with clear, well-labeled illustrations make this book not only remarkably informative, but remarkably accessible. You don't have to be a brain surgeon to understand this book, but it may very well inspire a few young people to become one someday. (9 and up)

Also of interest:

Macaulay isn't the only uber-talent with a fresh book on the fall list; here at PlanetEsme we are scoping out an influx of both new and retooled titles by popular authors and illustrators that you may be happy to know about, and even a newbie or two destined to be face-out on the bookstore shelves:

DELTORA QUEST by Emily Rodda (Scholastic) An epic fantasy quest adventure played out against a richly rendered fantasy landscape is waiting to be discovered within the bindings of this international sensation. The missing gems from the powerful Belt of Deltora are all that stand between the Shadow Lord and his plan to enslave the population. While the city spirals into despair, hopefulness and action are wielded like swords by Leif, Barda and Jasmine, who bravely traverse some of the most fearsome corners in the kingdom and show a myriad of monsters who's boss, determined to restore the belt before their dreadful enemy gets the chance. For the first time, all eight of the books in the series are collected in one handsome and affordable volume, so there will be no need for the reader to stop and catch his or her breath. Even better, this is a fantasy series that is appropriate for the early intermediate reader, so a younger audience can enjoy the status of finishing a book as thick as Harry Potter without sacrificing comprehension or author intention. Ten million readers around the world have found their way to this series and Japanese anime has embraced it, with good reason; themes like the need to know history, the necessity of leaders to stay connected with the common people and the power of optimism will resonate after the last pages are turned. Give it to your favorite dragonslayer with some ceremony. (8 and up)

And then we have another exciting quest, against a more realistic backdrop:
THE 39 CLUES: THE MAZE OF BONES (BOOK ONE) by Rick Riordan (Scholastic, ages 9 and up). Imagine the choice: to find out your family was among the most powerful in human history, or get a million dollars? After the reading of their grandmother's will, Dan and Amy forgo the cash and start on the first of thirty-nine clues that will reveal the source of their power. Readers follow the story, use the "clue cards" included and join the on-line search, which offers readers over a hundred grand in prizes. Nothing shivers my timbers quite so much as a volume that says "book one" on the cover, let alone a book that requires a Happy Meal toy collector's mentality, but hey, it has Wonka-Golden-Ticket-like potential that I'm sure I'd be all over like a cheap suit if I were ten, and moreover, it's Rick Riordan, whom I trust intrinsically to create something kid-tastic after composing the compulsively readable novel THE LIGHTNING THIEF. This book is no exception; he has the gift of making you want to know what happens next. This type of book delivers quality with a gimmick, and brings to mind talents like Ann Martin, who spent years creating the fun but pulpy BABYSITTER'S CLUB, and then went on to create what might be considered "serious" (and certainly wonderful) literature for children like THE DOLL PEOPLE and A CORNER OF THE UNIVERSE. Both styles of books contribute to creating readers in their own ways, and the fact that these authors can create both kinds should be commended. I'm just wondering...it seems "back in the day," an author wrote more commercially in order to earn enough trust from the publisher to invest in the more artful attempts, and nowadays, it seems to be the other way around? Who knows, just a thought. Moving on...

INTO THE VOLCANO by Don Wood (Scholastic) Illustrator of beloved preschool picks like THE NAPPING HOUSE and KING BIDGOOD'S IN THE BATHTUB tries a very different tack with this imaginative survival story aimed at preteen reluctant readers. Every lava-hot comic-book style frame delves us deeper into the volcano's boiling innards, where we find two brothers lost and pursued by evildoers. And you thought you had a bad vacation! (8 and up)

Speaking of sulfur, we have HECK: WHERE THE BAD KIDS GO by Dale E. Basye (Random House) about two siblings who perish in a marshmallow bear-related accident. Kleptomaniac sister Marlo may belong in the underworld's reform school known as "Heck," but bystanding brother Milton (get it?) sets out to prove they don't belong there. It's a tough task convincing the instructors, though, with the likes of Lizzie Borden teaching home ec and Nixon teaching ethics. The allusions are often adult, but are balanced with a Bullwinkle-like sensibility that suggests the story may be enjoyed on many levels...or at the very least, is balanced out by a heavy preponderance of poopy-doody jokes. Oh, dear, I can hear the scritchy-scratch of pencils on "request for reconsideration" forms in libraries across the country as we speak! Enjoy this subversive little devil while you can. (9 and up)

BAD KITTY GETS A BATH by Nick Bruel (Roaring Brook) The author/illustrator of BAD KITTY and POOR PUPPY proves he never runs out of funny in this redux that feels like a picture book but reads like a chapter book, a hairball-in-cheek how-to for cleaning the cat that will leave readers howling. Fans of Dav Pilkey, rejoice! This new series is as fun and even easier to read than good ol' CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS. (7 and up)

When not waving Captain Underpants's Fruit-of-the-Loom flag, all reluctant readers bow down before the mighty John Sciezska who writes books like THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS and THE STINKY CHEESE MAN which make readers snort and giggle like victims of a ruthless armpit-tickling. He now delves into the primordial brew from whence his quirky humor first took legs via an autobiography for kids, KNUCKLEHEAD: TALL TALES AND ALMOST TRUE STORIES OF GROWING UP SCIESZKA. In short, succinct, and (of course) hilarious chapters, Scieszka offers words of wisdom ("There is something about boys and fire that is like fish and water, birds and air, cats and hairballs. They just go together.") and speaks eloquently of his secret love affair with MAD Magazine, the despair in receiving socks for your birthday or being in the backseat with five carsick brothers, the joy of receiving your first boy scout knife, the peril of swearing in front of nuns, and most of all, the importance of family through all the ups and downs. Full of photos and funky paper ephemera, good luck even getting into the book because you will have to spend some significant time on the back cover, which reads like one of those comic book ads for x-ray specs and sea monkeys. This Gen-X'er and memoir-writer personally salutes the author for bridging the generation gap in such a readable way.

LAZY LITTLE LOAFERS by Susan Orlean, illustrated by G. Brian Karas (Abrams) A rivalrous big sister tries to explain the drawbacks of the new baby from a purely anthropological perspective. I didn't personally cotton to the narrator's contemptuous tone which seems more aimed at entertaining the adult than the person in the adult's lap, but that's what comes of being a bestselling author for grown-ups. That said, Karas's illustrations of babies were so utterly scrumptious that I could practically feel the thump baby kicking in a stroller, the warmth of baby's hand, tread alongside his slow, waddling gait, and breathe in the powdery smell of baby belly. It made me want to get pregnant again (for a few minutes). Oh, the power of art. (5 and up)

A better-matched sibling pair may be found in ADELE & SIMON IN AMERICA by Barbara McClintock (Farrar Straus Giroux). Fans of Adele and Simon's French foray will be glad to have them return to port, with little Simon misplacing things from sea to shining sea. While ambitious, I don't know if sporting around an entire continent is ultimately as effective as their prior picture book tour of Paris, but ultimately, who cares? Who could possibly get enough of McClintock's Edwardian-flavored, etching-inspired genius? Booklovers will go wherever she leads. (6 and up)

A trippier kind of getaway is booked in WHAT A TRIP by Arthur Yorinks and Richard Egielski (Scholastic), the same zany team to bring us the Caldecott classic HEY AL, and this latest title is no less surreal. When Mel, an ordinary boy, klutzes his way into another dimension where everything is pointy, his attempts to convince others of the way he has seen the world makes his sanity suspect. This book about accepting differences without labeling definitely has a point. (6 and up)

Another author/illustrator that many folks will be happy to see has a new offering is David Shannon, of NO, DAVID! fame, tapping into some more testosterone with TOO MANY TOYS (Scholastic). Spencer has a lot of toys. A LOT. "There was an entire zoo of stuffed animals and a gigantic army of little action figures. He had a fleet of planes, trains, and toy boats, and a convoy of miniature trucks and cars. He also had lots and lots of musical instruments, art supplies, and alien spaceman weapons." Shannon perfectly captures the hysteria of consumerism on both ends, whether depicting the motley crew of relatives burying Spencer in birthday gifts, his barefoot dad howling over stepping on a Lego, or his mother desperately trying to negotiate some downsizing (met with huge doleful puppy-dog eyeballs from Spencer, a la Margaret Keane). What toy will Spencer be left with in the end? Shannon obviously had a lot of fun with this, and so will readers, as page after page explodes with jubilant, colorful, messy piles to pore over. Anyone who has ever had to clean a child's room will relate. Follow a group storytime with a big toy swap, or better yet, use the book as an impetus gather up all those extra toys and give them to charity. (5 and up)

GINGERBREAD FRIENDS by Jan Brett (Putnam) In this stands-fine-on-its-own sequel to THE GINGERBREAD BABY, our cinnamon-sprinkled buddy sets out to find some companionship, only to be disappointed by the cool response he receives by his inanimate brethren at the bakery. As is always the case with the inimitable Brett, set your eyeballs on stun, as the Gingerbread Baby is carried across snowy double-paged spreads on a chariot pulled by an exquisite black hen, details in the borders cumulate to offer a recipe for gingerbread, and the last page folds open to reveal an over-sized panorama of frosting, sprinkles, and hooray, plenty of smiling friends! The scene in the mouse hole in which very realistically rendered rodents are nibbling on the Gingerbread Baby's marshmallow pom-pom might be intense for the very young, but older picture book readers will thrill to the drama of it all, and will understand the yearning to find someone to play with. So much to look at and savor again and again, it really is as delicious as choosing treats from a display case. Read with THE GINGERBREAD GIRL by Lisa Campbell Ernst (Dutton) for more fresh flavor added to an old folkloric favorite. (6 and up)

MADELINE AND THE CATS OF ROME by John Bemelmans Marciano (Viking) In this exciting new addition to the Madeline family of books, the youngest girl in Miss Clavel's famous lineup is is hoodwinked by the Protector of the Colonia Felina, a conniver posing as a street urchin. While our heroine contends with a female Bad Hat, readers are taken on the most pleasant Italian tour since Roman Holiday. A nice cameo by hound Genevieve and the tender placement into good homes of several stray cats will make this a repeat read for animal lovers. Though I am a Bemelmans purist and was initially skeptical of his grandson's efforts, I found myself flipping around to double-check whether the book wasn't a reissue or done under a nom de plume, so authentic did it seem in both the meter of the writing and the flow of the brush. Obviously, wit and a flair for Fauvism is in the gene pool. (5 and up)

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.
More Esmé stuff at www.planetesme.com.

SISTERS AND BROTHERS (NONFICTION)

NONFICTION
SISTERS & BROTHERS: SIBING RELATIONSHIPS IN THE ANIMAL WORLD by Robin Page, illustrated by Steve Jenkins (Houghton Mifflin)

Did you know that older elephant siblings babysit the younger ones? That peregrine falcon families like to pretend together? That nine-banded armadillos are always born as identical quadruplets? That whiptail lizards only have sisters? That a termite has over a million siblings (makes one or two not seem so bad!) and they all cooperate? That in the world of naked mole rates, the younger sibling must bow down before the elder (as an oldest child, I like this precedent!). Graced by muscular paper-cut illustrations against a white backdrop, surprising facts are divided into meaty and readable bites, manageable for newbies to nonfiction as well as the more seasoned naturalist. Also check out Steve Jenkins' recent LIVING COLOR for an impressive zoological compendium that covers the spectrum, or his and Robin Press's HOW MANY WAYS CAN YOU CATCH A FLY?, hot off the press. How many ways can a child learn about nature? Children can never get enough animal books, and this author always finds the unique angles that keep the subject fresh. (7 and up)

Also of interest:
Speaking of keeping the subject of animals funky-fresh!

ANIMALS CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS SAW: AN ADVENTURE IN THE NEW WORLD by Sandra Markle, illustrations by Jamel Akib (Chronicle) A nifty new series by a nonfiction veteran, the perennial visitation upon the explorer's route is renewed through silk worms spinning along the silk road, stowaway rats, bugs in the grub, sharks swimming the Sargasso and and manatees mistaken for homely mermaids. You can also get on board with ANIMALS ROBERT SCOTT SAW: AN ADVENTURE IN ANTARCTICA; penguin stew, anyone? (8 and up)

Shop with Esme
Unfair advantage of people who read novels: their books fit easily in the purses. That's why I heart my new "I heart children's books" messenger bag, which accomodates all those twelve-inch picture books, and is nice and wide for my multiple-title-shlepping pleasure. Handier than a Prada any day! Another perk is that its purchase supports the Kidlitosphere 2008 conference in Portland, which tragically I am not able to attend this year but is sure to be a blast. Visit their Cafepress shop to see the full line of stylish swag, including a "Grown-Ups Read Kid-Lit, Too" t-shirts designed by the talented Laini Taylor.

On a personal note:
Happy back-to-school to Chicago and Chicago-area teachers and students, with a special shout out and big hug to my son and favorite person, Russell, who starts the eighth grade today! And also, my heart goes out to those involved in the controversial Chicago Public School funding boycott. Your cause is just; whether the actions are right or wrong, I applaud the personal commitment and family sacrifice that went into the decision to participate. If only we as a country knocked ourselves out to fulfill the mandate of Brown vs. Board of Education the way we have done to fulfill No Child Left Behind, our kids would be better served. Until that day, children's books remain our best hope for equalizing education in America; a great book in the hands of a rich child is the same great book in the hands of a poor child. I am so thankful for the wonderful books and the teachers are parents who go that extra mile to read them aloud and share them in so many ways, keeping our country democratic by leveling the playing field through literacy. Keep up the great work, and have a great school year!

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.
More Esme stuff at www.planetesme.com.

WE ARE THE SHIP (NONFICTION) and many more baseball at-bats

NONFICTION
WE ARE THE SHIP: THE STORY OF NEGRO LEAGUE BASEBALL by Kadir Nelson (Hyperion)

"We look back and wonder, "How did we do all that?" It's simple. We loved the game so much, we just looked past everything else. We were ballplayers. There was nothing we would have rather spent our time doing.

Imagine that you are child in the box seats of the great baseball game of history, and sitting right beside you, giving the play-by play, is a man who had been around the block and around the bases of the Negro leagues of the early 20th century, a man who wanted to whisper to you all the secrets, truths and legends of his day before it fades past memory; imagine that can really happen, that such a gift can be given, and you have a sense of the spell cast by this formidable book. The dust is stirred, the crowd is heard, and the crack of the bat and the sting of the mitt sings, sings, sings in these pages. Via first-person voice (which takes a little getting used to, but then becomes incomparably warm and confiding), readers discover a parallel sports universe, a dream manifested by some powerhouse business visionaries who created a league of their own, with rules that bent (six foot curve balls, sharpened spikes for sliding, umpires chased over center-field fences?!) and heroes that were larger than life. Descriptive and well-researched chapters celebrate the greats, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell and beyond, and allow us to travel across the country with them as far as the Jim Crow flies, across the border to Cuba, and then, so bravely across the color line. Stoic painted portraits capture the serene beauty and almost loneliness of the field, the power of every sinewy muscle of the bat-swinging, ball-throwing arms, the dignity of every set jaw, and a double-page fold-out group portrait of the "First Colored World Series" will take. Your breath. Away. Nelson managed to match if not out-do the stirring visual tribute he gave in Ntozake Shange's ELLINGTON WAS NOT A STREET, and proved that his pen is as mighty as his brush. (And that's pretty mighty!)

A grand slam of sports history, African American history and All-American history, it's sure to sweep the ALA awards series and is the perfect gift for any baseball fan, but even more than that, it contains a piece of America that every child deserves to know. (8 and up)

This review is dedicated to my son and the most ravenous sports fan I know,
Russell (who just turned 13...proud of you!),
and to the memory of my Grandpa Sy (1918-1993),
who was a white bat boy for the Philadelphia Stars...
how he would have loved this book!

In their honors, how about we go in for a few extra innings of baseball books?:

First things first, let's get the Jackie love-in out of the way:
JACKIE'S BAT by Marybeth Lorbiecki, illustrated by Brian Pinkney (Simon and Schuster) (6 and up) A fictionalized account from Jackie Robinson's bat boy is the vehicle for an accessible story about tolerance and how people even during times of terrible intolerance have still stepped up to the plate. Fans of Jackie Robinson will also love Myron Uhlberg's DAD, JACKIE AND ME (Peachtree) (7 and up), based on the author's experience of being the child of a deaf sports fan; the stirring scrapbook-style life story; PROMISES TO KEEP: HOW JACKIE ROBINSON CHANGES AMERICA by Jackie's daughter Sharon Robinson (Scholastic) (8 and up); STEALING HOME by Ellen Schwartz (Tundra) (10 and up), a well-developed novel about a mixed-race boy who finds hope and acceptance in his family and beyond, thanks to Jackie's rising star; then there's one of my very favorite children's books of all time, the brilliant novel IN THE YEAR OF THE BOAR AND JACKIE ROBINSON by Bette Bao Lord and illustrated by Marc Simont (Harper) (10 and up), about how baseball impacts a new immigrant. Gosh, if I could just get through reading that last chapter out-loud and not choking up...and I don't mean on my bat! Sigh!

HEROES OF BASEBALL by Robert Lipsyte (Atheneum) Gorgeous photos accented by commentary from an author who clearly loves and knows the game. Lots of pictures and lots of text, this one's a hot dog with all the trimmings for the hard-core young fan. (10 and up)

PLAYERS IN PIGTAILS by Shana Corey, illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon (Scholastic) Did you know that "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" was inspired by a player from the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in the tuen of the last century? Irresistible retro illustrations with smart, subtle humor add to this book's substantial charm. (6 and up)

BALLPARK: THE STORY OF AMERICA'S BASEBALL FIELDS by Lynn Curlee (Atheneum) Elegant and well-researched exploration of the history architecture behind the game's dreamiest fields, past and present. (8 and up)

BAT 6 by Virginia Euwer Wolff (Sholastic) An oldie but goodie (which means it's available in paperback), this provocative piece of historical fiction follows a girl's baseball team as two players struggle, one Japanese girl recently out of internment, and one girl who has lost her father in the bombing of Pearl Harbor. A brave storyline with plenty to discuss in mother-daughter book clubs or classrooms. (10 and up) A picture book on the same theme is the powerful BASEBALL SAVED US by Ken Mochizuki, illustrated by Dom Lee (Lee and Low) (8 and up).

Also an oldie-but-favorite on the baseball fiction shelf is Alfred Slote's FINDING BUCK McHENRY (HarperTrophy), about a boy who tries to "out" his school janitor as a catcher from the Negro Leagues. Plenty to learn and to discuss for baseball enthusiasts! (9 and up)

JUST LIKE JOSH GIBSON by Angela Johnson, illustrated by Beth Peck (Simon and Schuster) Seems African American men weren't the only ones to get hit by some discriminatory pitches, as young fan of the Negro Leagues takes a swing at her baseball dream in her pink dress. Language sails over the fence and the illustrator calls "I've got it!" with beautiful and evocative pastels. (6 and up)

THE SHOT HEARD ROUND THE WORLD by Phil Bildner, illustrated by C.F. Payne (Simon and Schuster) Folksy recounting of the legendary Brooklyn Dodgers' and New York Giants playoffs of 1951, told from the POV of the fans of the losing team. Wait'll next year! (6 and up)

HEY BATTA BATTA SWING!: THE WILD OLD DAYS OF BASEBALL by Sally Cook and James Charlton, illustrated in cool retro style by Ross MacDonald (McElderberry Books) What fun! Nicknames, slang, rule changes, changes in equipment and uniforms, legends and doctored baseballs make this required reading for any future umpires, commissioners, and present sports conversationalists. (7 and up)

PECORINO PLAYS BALL by Alan Madison, illustrated by Anna Laura Cantone (Atheneum) Hilarious account of a rookie's first little league game. (5 and up) Tee-ballers will also warm up to Leonard Kessler's classic I-Can-Read book, HERE COMES THE STRIKEOUT (HarperTrophy) (5 and up).

ROBERTO CLEMENTE: PRIDE OF THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Raul Colon (Aladdin) The pride of both Pittsburgh and Puerto Rico, beautiful cross-hatched illustrations grace the picture book biography of a great hitter, fielder, and humanitarian. (7 and up)

BASEBALL CRAZY: TEN SHORT STORIES THAT COVER ALL THE BASES edited by Nancy Mercado (Dial) The title kind of says it all, doesn't it? Solid authors like Jerry Spinelli, John K. Ritter and Charles R. Smith help reluctant readers raise their page-turning averages with brief, high-interest sport spots. (9 and up)

ZACHARY'S BALL by Matt Tavares (Candlewick) Ever want to be one of the lucky few who catches a foul ball? The one Zachary's dad nabs at Fenway seems to have other-worldly powers to make baseball fantasies come true. Check out all of Tavares' baseball books (MUDBALL, OLIVER'S GAME, moments of magical realism captured in the alluring, black-and-white pencil style from the school of early Chris Van Allsburg.

THE BIG FIELD by Mike Lupica (Philomel) A sportswriting master creates a scintillating story of a mushrooming competition between boys, set against the backdrop of an impending chamionship game. Father-son dynamics, old school vs. new school styles and a real passion for the details and depth that make baseball our national pastime all converge to make this a home run for older readers. (11 and up) Some people are saying Lupica is the new Matt Christopher or John Tunis. But hey, don't retire these guys yet! Keep them in your rotation to get on base with intermediate readers who could use a squeeze play from sports fact to sports fiction.

If you have a baseball card collector in your home but still don't know Dan Gutman's BASEBALL CARD ADVENTURES (MICKEY AND ME, SHOELESS JOE AND ME and HONUS AND ME are a few to start with), you are in for a treat as addictive as peanuts and popcorn! These are highly imaginative and engaging stories in which characters on baseball cards come to life and lead young baseball fans in time-traveling jaunts. Just like baseball cards, you'll want to collect them all. (8 and up)

And finally, speaking of time travel, I just have to make sure everyone has a copy of Christopher Bing's rendering of Ernest L. Thayer's immortal poem CASEY AT THE BAT, a 2000 Caldecott honor winner. Stunning how-did-he-do-it illustrations in the style of turn-of-the century engravings, peppered with collaged remnants of baseball days past, perfectly frame the erudite language of the ballad and make it a home run even for modern readers. A great keepsake gift for any baseball lover of any age.

If you have a reluctant reader with a sporty streak, try this tack! On an index card, create a baseball diamond, and assign base values for books: a triple for a novel over 96 pages, a double for non-fiction, a single for a picture book, a home run for every four books read or two hundred pages...whatever motivates your player to round the bases without being overwhelming. Keep the cards all through the summer, and calculate the average through the season. Reward your rookie with a trip to the ballgame...go to the dugout early, and have the players autograph his or her favorite baseball book instead of a program!

Root, root, root for the readers...