SMILE! Click!

Oh, yes...it's a day unlike any other.  It's a day filled with distractions in the classroom.  It's a day of long waits in line and the wearing of dress-up, sometimes uncomfortable, clothing.  For parents it's remembering to fill out the form, including the proper amount of money and hoping this will be THE year.  Truth be told, for teachers, it's a day unlike any other, filled with distractions in the classroom, long waits in line and students fidgeting in clothing they don't normally wear BUT it's also a day filled with interesting insights and unexpected surprises.

Neat and clean, wearing their favorite shirt, maybe even a tie, pants, blouse, skirt or dress, boys and girls arrive ready to rock school picture day. At least one hundred times they've been told to sit up straight and smile, but be natural and relax at the same time.  They, of course, are wondering at the improbability of those things occurring together.  Picture Day Perfection (Abrams Books for Young Readers) written by Deborah Diesen with illustrations by Dan Santat follows the singular efforts of one boy to achieve greatness on this very important annual occurrence.

I'd planned for months. 
This was going to be the year
of the perfect school picture.

But some days, not everything goes 
according to plan.

 It happens to all of us, despite the precautions taken the night before and our best efforts to sleep soundly without tossing and turning.  We wake up, look in the mirror and see the dreaded bedhead.  Well, perhaps a favorite article of clothing will compensate for the overabundance of unruly hair.  It's not looking exactly tidy from being in the dirty clothes basket but it will have to do.

Now it's on to a pancake kind of breakfast.  Yikes!  It's a maple syrup eruption!  The bus ride to school is less than stellar.  What's that?   The background box checked on the form just so happens to be the same color as that favorite shirt?!  At the moment this is looking like the farthest thing from a perfect kind of school picture day.  It's like this dude has been zapped by the Master of Disaster

Trouble is following this boy around like a shadow, even when practicing smiling.  Paint seems to go everywhere but on his project in Art.  When it's finally time for the picture taking, hearing the photographer say "Cheese" umpteen times, makes his stomach churn and gurgle.

Yes! Oh no! Yes! There's always next year.


Deborah Diesen knows how to build a story sentence by sentence.  With a practiced preciseness she gives each calamity a little more comedy than the one before by placing emphasis on certain words, words added to create exaggerated drama.  We readers turn the pages in anticipation,  wondering what new mishap will befall our protagonist, when the first unexpected twist is thrown our way, quickly followed by another.  Readers won't know whether to laugh at themselves or the guy who has plotted and prepared for 365 days.  Here's a sample, which is great to read to yourself but even better read aloud.

Then it took me quite some time to unearth my favorite shirt.
I finally found it at the very bottom of the hamper.

You might call it "stained."
You might call it "wrinkled."
You might even call it "smelly."
You wouldn't be wrong.


Taking the picture options, the mixture of sizes you get in a typical school picture package, illustrator Dan Santat divides them up, placing the largest on the front jacket, sets of the two smaller choices on the back jacket.  For each of the eleven images the boy's face assumes a different expression, each one more hilarious than the other.  (You have to wonder who the model was for these.)  The front and back cover highlight illustrations from within the story.  Opening and closing endpapers mirror a single and two partial rows of pictures like in a yearbook, leaving an empty frame in the back for your personal photograph.  All the guys and gals are sporting their own unique grins.

Prior to the title pages we are given a hint, Santat style, of possibilities in the narrative; a red, hand-drawn smiley face wearing a mischievous look.  This particular drawing does appear several more times in the book.  Each set of double pages zooms in on an entire image, a group of smaller images opposite a single picture, or large close-ups over fainter elements in the background.  The photographic theme is found in the attention to details; the eyes, nose and grin formed on the pancake stack with fruit, butter and bacon, four-printed snapshots of bedhead, student pictures as slides, publication and pricing information on a photographer's background with camera equipment placed nearby.

The bright, bold colors and definitive lines of these illustrations rendered in Adobe Photoshop, bring the text to life with the same energy as the main character's unfortunate moments throughout the day.  No one portrays humor exactly like Dan Santat does;  the looks on the boy's face alone are enough to have readers exploding with laughter.  From covered in syrup, to walking dismally down the hallway, to the shock of blending into the background, to goofy grin, painted splattered and rascal supreme, we see a person brimming with personality.  It seems pretty perfect to me.


Without a doubt you are going to want to have a copy of Picture Day Perfection written by Deborah Diesen with illustrations by Dan Santat in your personal, classroom or school library.  This team has depicted the misadventures of a boy bent on bringing a bold plan to fruition with the sure knowledge of firsthand experience. I know you will be hearing "read it again" over and over.

If you want to discover more about the work of either Deborah Diesen or Dan Santat follow the links embedded in their names above to access their websites.  Enjoy the book trailer below.

Grump For A Day

For whatever reason, there are those mornings when your eyes first open and you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, it's going to be a bad day.  Little things that would normally not bother you in the slightest add up, then multiply; things like not being able to squeeze more than a smidge out of the toothpaste tube, realizing you're going to have to use orange juice on your cereal because the date on the milk carton has expired or glancing at the gauge on your car hoping the fumes will get you to the nearest gas station.  What makes it go from bad to worse are the cheerful people who respond with phrases like, "Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed", "Put on a happy face" or "It could always be worse".

The younger you are, the more this matters.  Frustrations build until you feel something growing inside you.  It's...it's...it's a monster!  It might even be Crankenstein (Little, Brown and Company) written by Samantha Berger with illustrations by Dan Santat.

Have you seen Crankenstein?
Oh, you would totally
know if you had.

There is no mistaking being in the presence of this small human whose outlook on life has gone astray.  No siree!  For every spoken word, every incident, his stony stare will make the blood run cold in your veins.

A happy greeting, question or timely reminder will be met with a loud MEHHRRRR!  Even his reflection in a rainy puddle will give you the shivers.  You had better be careful when he comes calling at your house on Halloween especially if it's a bit chilly outside.

Woe to anyone near him when his Popsicle melts too quickly on a hot summer day, when he has been waiting in a long, long line or when he has to swallow icky-tasting cough syrup.  And it might be a good time to draw straws to see who gets to tell him it's bedtime.  By now you are beginning to wonder if the monster is stronger than the little boy.

Is there no cure for this crabby creature?  Is there any hope whatsoever?  What's that you say?  There are two of them?  This could be double the trouble or...the best thing of all...the sound of children's laughter.


Without a doubt Samantha Berger comprehends being a grump.  She also knows how hard it is not to laugh around someone who is grouchy, no matter how you are feeling.  In this title the questions posed, the situations described, are the very things to incite and increase a case of the crankies.  The tempo of the telling and the clever conclusion, are both gifts to her readers.  You can't wait to discover what happens next.


There are a select few illustrators when I see their names, I know I'm going to be chuckling at least once, if not throughout the entire book.  One of these is Dan Santat.  He has a knack for knowing which facial expressions, body postures, and details will ignite laughter in his intended audience no matter their age.

The jacket of Crankenstein explodes with pure, bold colorful emotion as little "Crankie" looks straight out at the reader with pink ice cream smeared across his mouth, the scoop of ice cream fallen from the cone topping the "T".  On the back we zoom in on the scoop sitting in the middle of a shadow of a very angry young guy.  When you remove the jacket you see a cover which I double dog dare you not to burst out laughing as you read the labeled parts of Crankenstein front and back.  Lines are drawn from phrases such as

hard-to-explain mystery stain
leftover scum from piece of gun and
still has dog poo residue (P. U.!) 

to the appropriate areas.

Opening and closing endpapers capture the main character's mood; patterned gray raindrops and golden laughing suns.  Stopping to read the title verso, especially Dan Santat's comments, is a must.  For starters, all the words in this book are hand-lettered.

Double-page spreads, edge to edge, enhance and interpret every phrase.  Readers need to notice all the little extras contributing to the humor, the labels on the maple syrup and cough syrup bottles or Crankenstein waiting 40 minutes in line only to discover a surprise up ahead.  It's the Halloween illustration which is my absolute favorite.  The colors, perspective and layout are perfection; Crankenstein all decked out in his robot costume, shivering in the cold outside as a hand holds out the tiniest piece of candy in the entire bowl.


My face actually hurts from grinning and laughing so much from reading Crankenstein by Samantha Berger with illustrations by Dan Santat.  You can't read it just once; multiple readings are a given.  Expect high demand; people love to laugh especially when they can see a little bit of themselves within the pages of a book.

Stop by Samantha Berger's and Dan Santat's websites via the links embedded in their names.  Make sure you read some of the entries in Samantha Berger's blog too.  You might want to listen to PW KidsCast: A Conversation with Samantha Berger and Dan Santat.  Here's a link to the publisher's website for a peek at some of the inside of the book.

Enjoy the book trailer and the eve of book release book trailer.

He's Big, He's Bad And He's Back!

Yes, I'm talking about the wolf.  Oh, he's shifted shape from time to time; a coyote, a shark, a big-bottomed boar, a wrecking ball, an eagle, a tyrannosaurus and in a real switcheroo, a pig.  To be sure, he's struck terror in many a critter's (truck's) heart.

This time, though, from the get-go, he's met his match.  He's huffed and puffed one too many times.  The Three Ninja Pigs (G. P. Putnam's Sons) written by Corey Rosen Schwartz with illustrations by Dan Santat gives this fairy tale a fun, feisty flip.

Once upon a dangerous time,
a wolf loved to huff and to puff.
He'd go around town
and blow houses down
till three little pigs cried,
ENOUGH!

This trio, two brothers and their sister, know what to do--Ninja school.  Two weeks of basic aikido for Pig Number One has him bored, without knowing the score. Not nearly enough learning jujitsu by Pig Number Two nevertheless has him pumped with bravado, going out the door.  Months go by as Pig Number Three perfects every stance, legs and arms moving in a flawless karate dance.

All believe they're ready until you-know-who comes a howling.  A fist hits air, a foot gets stuck.  Pigs One and Two have run out of luck.  As they scuttle to safety, Pig Number Three definitely needed, greets Mr. Wolf with a stare and a dare, a warning to be heeded.

As she whirls and dips to demonstrate, the foolish lupine is unafraid.  It's the final fierce chop that makes him think and stop.  Though fractured, this story of the fairy-tale three ends better than well; the ending....I'll never tell.


If you close your eyes and listen to the rhyming words, Corey Rosen Schwartz has created a rhythmic text not unlike the various moves made in the martial arts studied by her porcine protagonists.  Never faltering in the flawless flow, she presents an original setting, a strong female figure appreciated by two, less productive brothers and endless action.  With dialogue reflective of the culture and customs as well as character traits, this narrative never misses a beat.

The teacher said, "Excellent progress.
But Pig-san, you must study more."
Pig Two said, "No way.
Sayonara, Sensei!
I'm ready to settle a score."


From cover to cover (jacket flaps, too) Dan Santat, using Sumi brush work on rice paper with completion in Adobe Photoshop, superbly portrays the essence of the country in which this tale is set with a vibrant color palette.  Beginning and closing endpapers feature a panoramic view of mountains, a field, a bamboo forest and a groove of cherry trees in which the characters's homes, the Ninja school and town is located.  The theme continues as the dedications are shown on scrolls opposite the Three Pigs in meditative poses beneath the title.

The first two page spread, of ten, pictures the larger than life wolf blowing houses down as a lighter background for the Three Pigs raising their arms and voices in outrage.  This initial scene sets the tone for the entire story; expressive facial features, proper attire and bodies in explosive motion.  Altering perspective, inserting smaller visuals within a larger illustration, and odd shaped panels increases tension and brings the story right to the reader. No detail is overlooked; a Japanese crane as one of the animals in the aikido studio.

When you combine the talented writing of Corey Rosen Schwartz with the signature artwork of Dan Santat there is only one word to describe the fractured fun of The Three Ninja Pigs---KIYA!

For more information on both Rosen and Santat please go to the embedded links in their names above to view their websites.  Both were interviewed separately about this title on the blogs of the dynamic reading duo, Mr. John Schumacher and Mr. Colby Sharp.  To read the interview of Corey Rosen Schwartz follow the link attached to Mr. Schu's name.  Dan Santat's interview can be read by following the link in Mr. Sharp's name.

Small But Mighty

When a challenge presents itself to any of us we all have techniques to meet it; even the simplest of daily tasks.  Sometimes it's a phrase mentally whispered, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can" or a vision of victory held in our minds as we struggle forward.  Nothing, and I mean nothing, though can compare with the courageous creations for coping that come forth from the imaginations of children.

Their capacity knows no heights.  In Kel Gilligan's Daredevil Stunt Show (Abrams Books for Young Readers) written by Michael Buckley with illustrations by Dan Santat, a new talent a la Evil Knievel blasts forth on his mighty tricycle.  No feat is too formidable for this little guy.

I'm Kel Gilligan and I'm a daredevil!  I perform super scary stunts while laughing in the face of danger.  They call me "The Boy Without Fear."

With that said, this champion proceeds to prove to readers exactly how brave he truly is as his family members look on, first in horror, then in disbelief.  Conquering first the alarming test of eating broccoli, he next faces the terror of the potty chair. With those accomplishments under his belt, he proceeds the next day to win the battle of dressing himself, resisting the temptation of needing constant attention, surviving the dreaded bath and the final audacious act of meeting the monsters.

Michael Buckley pens a narrative so snappy the air crackles with the sheer boldness of his character's spunk as he describes his attempts and conquests.  As each exploit is introduced family members, mom and dad, an older brother and sister and grandmother watch from the sidelines, their anxious exclamations posted in speech bubbles.

Is he insane?  Without a net?

What pervades every syllable of this story is the outrageous humor.

The perfect partner for this laugh-out-loud tale of triumph is the master of exaggerated expression, Dan Santat.  His book jacket has separate visuals for front and back showcasing bold red, white and blue Kel Gilligan, man of action, in all his glory, superimposed on excerpted pictures from the book in hues of blue-green.  Beneath the jacket the cover is different; the front proclaiming Viva La Kel with his fierce face peering straight ahead amid a red, white and blue starburst and the back is nearly all creamy white except for a hilarious view of Kel after his tackling the potty chair.

Matching endpapers done in a white and blue tint show family members in various facial forms of fright (except for grandma who's usually clapping) with an enlarged Kel, teeth gritted and fists raised in power.  No detail is overlooked by Santat when is comes to portraying a book about a kid for kids.  On the title page his name and Michael Buckley's are spelled out in wooden blocks beneath a full spread of Kel's handiwork.  Toys about the house, Kel's artwork on the walls and framed photographs are all part of the continuity.

When readers first meet Kel his look, one eye partially closed, the other with raised brow, cowlick in the back, looking straight out the page is downright laughable.  It never stops from then to the end.  Every look, every gesture by him and his family are an invitation to join in the fun.

Kel Gilligan's Daredevil Stunt Show written by Michael Buckley with illustrations by Dan Santat demands to be, has to be read, aloud.  My surefire prediction is once will not be enough.  No, this title will be read again and again and again amid giggles galore.

Guard Your Chocolate! She's Back!

You have nannies who fly in with the East Wind holding an umbrella,  ask you to list your favorite things, live in the Plaza Hotel with Eloise or have a magical walking stick and warts that vanish when a lesson is learned.  But there is one particular nanny in a class all by herself; first because she's a pig and second because nothing she does is anything short of audacious with a capital "A".  Readers were first introduced to this particular, prominent porcine in The Adventures of Nanny Piggins written by R. A. Spratt, illustrated by Dan Santat. 

We can all join in the the joy experienced daily by the Green children, Derrick, Samantha, and Michael, in welcoming her back in Nanny Piggins and The Wicked Plan (Little, Brown and Company) written by R. A. Spratt with illustrations by Dan Santat, released less than a month ago.  Mr. Green is still his heartless, slightly insane self, but now instead of hoping for a human nanny, he has decided he will find a wife.  Boris, the ten-foot-tall, ballet-dancing bear from Nanny Piggins's circus, her brother (don't ask, just read) is now an integral part of events; still remaining undiscovered by the distant elder Green. 


In twelve action-packed, never-a-dull-moment chapters, Nanny Piggins attempts and succeeds in one harebrained scheme after another.  Because, it goes without saying, Nanny Piggins always has a plan, even if formulating one as she goes along.  It begins with the Green children, Boris and Nanny Piggins actually babysitting an infant girl belonging to Mrs. Pettigrain, one of Mr. Green's prospects for wifedom.  Imagine when the porker's plan for play involving a television commercial works out for everyone but Mr. Green. (tee-hee)

Pretending to be pirates, ends up not digging a hole to China but involving a prison break and sticky buns. Whether Dead Man's Gorge is lined up with cannons (one stolen), an old family cookie recipe theft is resolved, personal ads go haywire, the medicinal uses of cake are punctuating a point or sniffing out a fortune for Chef Pierre, these characters are living lively lives.  Of course, Nanny Piggins delivers her own brand of justice when she is summoned to jury duty.

Her old nemesis, Nanny Anne, is back on the scene, arrogant as ever; rest assured the international Westminster Nanny Show is never going to be quite the same. When a gypsy queen sets her sights on Mr. Green, the riotous rescue pulls out all the stops.  Nancy Piggins is quite the persistent pig; always getting her cake (preferably chocolate) and eating it too, even if she bakes it herself.

R. A. Spratt, has perfected her personalities in this sequel to the first title with hoot-hollering dialogue and delectable descriptions. Her two page, Previously On Nanny Piggins..., is a genuine segue into this title, a title replete with small type asides sprinkled throughout adding to what I call the laughter factor.  While Nanny Piggins may have an unorthodox method of nannying, she does pass on true wisdom on occasion.

Here are a couple of passages to showcase the writing of R. A. Pratt. (I really wanted to show you more but hope these will entice you to get a copy of the book ASAP.)

Simply put, when Nanny Piggins blasted out of the cannon, the children had no idea where she went.  All they saw was a streak of pink pig flying across the sky at the speed of light.  She passed over Dead Man's Gorge and kept flying until she was a tiny pink dot disappearing over the horizon.
"Uh-oh!" said Derrick.
"Oh no!" said Samantha.
"Cool!" said Michael.
Boris did not say anything because he was too busy whimpering with his paws over his eyes.

But it was not just Nanny Piggins's appearance that won him over.  He also fell in love with her educational theories.  He approved of her decision to take all the school's required English texts and run them through a wood chipper.  Both because the pages provided excellent mulch for the school gardens and because she allowed the children to read books they might actually enjoy, having formed the radical theory that if children were allowed to enjoy reading, they were likely to read more.

What truly takes this title to the top are the illustrations by Dan Santat.  His full-color cover reaches out and grabs you.  Distinctive black and white graphics inside are tingling with emotion and humor.

Each chapter beginning features one of his spot illustrations foreshadowing events.  Within each chapter is a full page illustration framed by straight lines and embellished corners.  It's a good thing I was not snacking or sipping a drink when the picture of Nanny Piggins with bananas stuffed up her snout, blasting across the gorge or Boris trying to hide under a rug, a third of his size, came into view.


I can say in all honesty I laughed aloud more times than I can remember reading this title. The side of my copy, filled with small sticky notes, looks much like a porcupine with quills spread.  I highly recommend Nanny Piggins and the Wicked Plan by R. A. Spratt with illustrations by Dan Santat for an individual read or as a read aloud.  You might want to play the sound track from The Pirates of the Caribbean as an announcement to a read aloud each time before you begin; the episodes are that good.

Oh, and be sure to visit R. A. Spratt's website for more information about Nanny Piggins.  It looks like there are more books in her future. Dan Santat's website is linked above, too.  He is the creator of the book trailer below.

Oh, Those Cats...

There really is no middle of the road when it comes to the relationship between cats and dogs.  When I even whisper the "C" word around my canine companion, she is off like a shot.  Sometimes they will tolerate one another by giving each a wide berth when passing or in those rare, exquisite instances they will become fast friends.

In her picture book debut, Michael L. Printz Honor (Fat Kid Rules the World) award winning author, K. L. Going, tells the tale of Dog In Charge (Dial Books for Young Readers) with illustrations by Dan Santat.  Not being a cat owner myself, I was curious as to what Going would bring to the story as her family is in the possession of two very wily cats.  What I do know is, no one is ever in charge of cats; therein lies the humor.


Dogs will do anything for a treat; come to think of it, everyone likes treats but not as much as dogs.  Dog, for a single treat, sits, stays and dances in a circle.  His human praises him.

"Good Dog.  Smart Dog.  The very best Dog...."

Needing to go to the store the family places Dog in charge of five, not one, two or three, but five cats.  Seeing them lined up in a row on the living room sofa, all wide-eyed and still, he imagines them sitting and staying as he does.  In a flash they vanish.

Dog discovers each of them throughout the house exactly where they should not be; lapping up milk on the kitchen counter or pawing through the bathroom clothes hamper.  When Dog barks he is issuing one word commands but readers will be fully aware the cats understand those barks to be something else entirely. Chaos ensues.

Frustrated to say the least Dog wonders whether he will still be the stellar dog worthy of treats.  Treats!?  What about the cat treats?  He's sits, stays and dances for treats, why not the cats?

The unthinkable happens; dogs will be dogs.  What's the saying about Lay's potato chips?   Exhausted Dog falls asleep as those five frisky felines slink into the kitchen surrounding him before they execute the purr-fect plan.

K. L. Going knows cats...and dogs.   Her ability to depict Dog's thoughts and the cats actions places her in the "whisperer" category.  Her word choice is "on the nose" every time;

 scrumptious dog treat.

Repetition of phrases,

No cat.  Or was there?,

and action adjectives,

FWOMP,  KERPLOOIE!

give readers the opportunity to be active participants in the storytelling. 

Dan Santat designs a front and back cover picturing two completely different scenarios foreshadowing events in the story.  His endpapers are reminiscent of the pictures taken in a photo booth; twelve varying expressions on Dog's face.  Readers will be chuckling before the first page is turned. (I was laughing out loud.)

His illustrations enhance K. L. Going's already present humor; placing a bow on Dog's head with a tutu around his waist as he sits, stays and dances.  The layout of visuals is altered giving this book the feel of a comic or graphic novel; insets, overlaps, and the four illustrations on a two-page spread tied together by a clock in the center.  From beginning to end there is never any doubt about each character's emotions; the closeups say it all.

Dog In Charge written by K. L. Going is a story with a capital "H" for hilarity that dog and cat lovers will enjoy not once, not twice, not three times but maybe five times noticing details cleverly inserted by illustrator Dan Santat.  Picture books are never better then when two talented artists such as Going and Santat collaborate.  This book is meant for sharing.

It would be a great idea to tell the story of Why Dogs Chase Cats found in the book How Many Spots Does a Leopard Have? And Other Tales by Julius Lester, illustrated by David Shannon before reading this title.  Following the telling/reading children could add action adjectives to a virtual post-it board acting them out randomly.  I'm also thinking that sugar cookies cut in the shape of dog biscuits would be a good closing.