Each One Is Unique

Life is filled with moments and memories of unbearable sadness and exhilarating happiness.  In between those unbelievable lows and highs, each day is filled with simple, tiny, truly magical instants, if we only take the time to notice and honor them.  I was writing on December 14, 2012, toggling back and forth from my blog to Twitter, when my feed was suddenly filled with the tragic events unfolding at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut.


On June 30, 2013 when attending the American Library Association Annual Conference & Exhibition, I found myself sitting at a table with Nerdy Book Club friends for the Random House Fall 2013 Preview Tea.  Two of the authors present were Patrica MacLachlan and Steven Kellogg.  That afternoon I received a f & g of their beautiful collaboration, Snowflakes Fall (Random House, October 29, 2013) and had the opportunity to chat with each of them.  To all present they both spoke about their desire to create this book for the children, prompted by the heartbreak felt by all on and after December 14, 2012.

After the flowers are gone
Snowflakes fall.

The mysterious beauty of snowflakes is they are all different.  As they cover the buildings, bushes and trees in our communities, the coats of our beloved dogs and gently land on our out-stretched  tongues, we marvel at their potential.  They are small but together they can transform a landscape.

They are carried on a breeze like sound.  Wild winds during the night, shape them like sculptor's hands as we lie awake listening in the dark.  With gladness we greet the new day, sun shining on fresh wonders.

Imprints are left in the snow by animals, sleds and children.  Men, forts and angels are made of and on the snow.  Weeks pass, the season changes.  Imprints, men, forts and angels disappear, replaced by warmth, green grasses and blooming flowers.  Even in the midst of a new season, the one passed will be not be forgotten.


Today as I write, it's snowing here again.  The wind is mingling dry, feather-light leaves with flakes of whiteness.  What I see outside is reflected in the words of Patricia MacLachlan.  Having read this book over and over again, I still continue to be carried from page to page by the gentle rhythm of each phrase, some repeated, one connected to the other.

Readers are transported to those snowy days, bundled from head to toe in winter wear, laughing and playing with others outside in the snow.  Readers can imagine the cozy comfort of snuggling under the covers in a warm bed as a storm  passes through in the night.  Readers are reminded of the flow of life and the power of memories.  The words of Patricia MacLachlan take you where you need to be.


When you first look at the front matching jacket and cover, you know you are looking at pure bliss; it's familiar and freeing to make angels in the snow, no matter your age.  On the back cover of both is a single snowflake set in a circle.  Close inspection shows a pattern with diamonds, hearts and snow hats.  This is enlarged, set within a square of snowflakes, for showcasing the title on its page.

Opening endpapers show children playing a game of hide-and-seek in the autumn woods.  One child is running off the page in the upper right-hand corner in a swirl of snow.  The closing endpapers are done in shades of blue, snow covering the land, snowflakes scattered about, twenty snow angels weave their way from one corner to the opposite; from land to the air.

The artwork of Steven Kellogg is as unique as a single snowflake.  All of the illustrations, two page and single page, are filled with the joys of childhood or in two, looks of questioning.  You can hear the chatter of children coming from the pages as they seek, discover and enjoy.  A couple of my favorite illustrations are a two page spread of children running up and down hills among the trees as their dogs scamper along with snow falling and a single page close-up of branches framing a window, a boy being tucked in by his mother for bedtime, the warm glow of inside contrasted with the icy chill of night.


Winter has always been one of my favorite seasons but watching the world get covered with snow will be different now after reading Snowflakes Fall written by Patricia MacLachlan with illustrations by Steven Kellogg.  In the stillness of a wintry walk I will be listening for the laughter of children, gone but remembered.

No two the same---
All beautiful.

For more information about Steven Kellogg please follow the link embedded in his name above.  Follow this link to the publisher website for more information about the title, a couple of downloadable activity pages, a teacher's guide about life, renewal, grief and memory, and a peek at some of the pages from the book.

A Summer To Be Remembered

Today I looked up the definition of a word whose meaning is probably known to most---beginning.  The meaning I chose for this post is:

being brought into being (The Free Dictionary)

When you think of an author laboring for years to write a book, getting it published and into readers hands, it's an act of creation, a true labor of love.  Every time the cover is opened, the pages turned, the words read, the book comes to life.  It becomes animated in our minds.

The beginning, whether it's the jacket, cover, title page, dedication, preface, first words, sentences, paragraphs or pages, beckons to readers.  For me the jacket of Patricia MacLachlan's The Truth of Me (Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers) captures my attention; a boy, a dog, and deer surrounding a person nearby.  Who is this person?  Why is the dog sitting there so

patiently?  Then between the contents and the first page I read:

This is a true story.  The truest story ever.

You may not believe it.  Your loss.

But it's true.

I have a witness.  

With these six sentences I am committed to this book.  I need to read this story.  For me this tale is already becoming a part of my story.  

Robert, an only child, is the latest in a long line of Roberts. His parents are deeply committed to their passion, their professional music careers; Robert thinks they like music more than they like him.  To his parents credit they brought a rescue dog, a brown hound mix, Eleanor or Ellie for short, into their home for Robert.  

For two months this summer Robert and Ellie will be staying with Maddy, his grandmother, his mother's mom.  His parents are going on an international musical tour with their group, the Allegro Quartet.  Robbie (as his grandmother calls him) loves spending time with Maddy for her stories, her ability to get close to wild animals in the nearby woods, but most of all because she, like him, make his parents nervous. 

Maddy's doctor, Henry, lives four doors down from her cottage style home.  Robbie knows he is more than Maddy's doctor; he's a fantastic cook and has dinner with them nearly every night.  While Henry likes everything about Maddy he's not quite sure about the truth of her stories either.  In a conversation with Kiddo (his name for Robert) Henry says:

"We all have our truths, Kiddo," says Henry. "Some are big truths. Most times they're small truths.  But those stories are Maddy's truths.  Your parents have different ones of their own."  

For some reason, it's particularly important to Maddy this summer, for Ellie to be able to remain calm around all wild creatures.  Robert is confident she can be except for squirrels.  Imagine his surprise to see Ellie calmly sitting among squirrels next to Maddy one morning.  So begins Robbie's training with Ellie.  

Weeks go by, walks are taken off-leash every day from Maddy's house to Henry's house; both Robbie and Ellie are learning.  One day upon their return home, Maddy has a surprise.  They are going overnight camping, up the hill and into the woods.  

In the morning after their first night there, Maddy's truth becomes a truth for Robbie, too.  When they return the next night an unplanned event tips the scales into the danger zone.  Little by little other truths emerge; gifts, fears, and the healing power of love.

Reading a book written by Patricia MacLachlan is like eating your favorite comfort food.  Her written words surround you with their calm, their realistic portrayal of family dynamics.  In this title one generation provides the bridge for another.  

In choosing what words to use in conversations and in Robbie thoughts, we have clear pictures of each of the characters' personalities, even Ellie.  Patricia MacLachlan knows people, she knows dogs, she has a keen sense of the natural world and she blends all this together with seamless beauty.  When she writes, she invites; invites her readers to examine, wonder and appreciate the wonders of the human heart.  Here's a sample passage.

"You'll see," says Maddy mysteriously. "Now who's cooking tonight?"

"What do you have in the pantry?" asks Henry.

"Cold cereal," says Maddy.

"Oh, good grief," says Henry. "I made spaghetti sauce this morning. I'll get it."

Henry goes out the door.

"Did you make meatballs, too?" calls Maddy.

"Yes, yes yes!" Henry calls back.

"Maddy?"

"What, Robbie?"

"You have chicken in the refrigerator," I say.

"I know," says Maddy, laughing. "I love Henry's spaghetti and meatballs."

The Truth of Me written by Patricia MacLachlan is one of those books you will read over and over.  The strength of this tale does not diminish with subsequent readings but grows.  That's the power of storytelling from a master.  While this book can surely be enjoyed by an individual, as a read aloud it's a winner from the beginning to the final sentence.

To read the first twenty-seven pages of the book, follow this link to the publisher website.

To The Rescue

We all need to be rescued from time to time whether it's once in a blue moon or if life is topsy-turvy, daily.  It can be as simple as helping to banish a bad mood or as critical as performing the Heimlich maneuver on someone choking.  Frequently we are well aware when we provide assistance to a person in need but on occasion the smallest gesture in word or deed, can make a significant difference without our knowledge.

Members of the animal kingdom are no different than we when it comes to needing human intervention. Having no voice our vigilance is of the utmost importance.  In her first chapter book of 2013, White Fur Flying (Margaret K. McElderry Books), Patricia MacLachlan writes about the varied forms rescue can assume.


"Once upon a time there was a wicked queen," said my younger sister, Alice.

In the Cassidy family Alice is the talkative sister, an observer of life, a weaver of outlandish tales and a writer jotting her latest thoughts in a journal.  Daddy is a veterinarian with a huge heart.  Mama with an equally large heart, rescues Great Pyrenees.  Zoe, the narrator, while not as talkative as Alice misses little of the world around her; she sees and knows much.

Into the mix are Kodi and May, Pyrs.  May will soon leave for a new home.  A recent addition is Lena, an African grey parrot whose favorite phrase, repeated in a British accent is "You cahn't know!"  It seems Mama is not the only rescuer; Daddy seeing the need to save this feathered mimic.

As the story begins a new family has moved into the home across the street appearing to be pretty much the opposite of the Cassidy crew.  The suit-wearing Mr. Croft comes and goes silently in his big black car.  Prim, proper Mrs. Croft seems uncertain and slightly fearful.  A boy, Philip, Alice's age, does not talk.  Philip is staying with the Crofts until his parents can work out some problems they are having.

Within a couple of days, outgoing Alice, wise Zoe, warm Mrs. Cassidy and the two dogs have welcomed Philip into the supportive, loving fold of their lively summer.  Philip still does not speak (except to Kodi and Lena) but he is now smiling and laughing.  When Mrs. Croft accepts an invitation for a tea date at their home, a new understanding of their neighbors is revealed to the Cassidy family.

With May in her new home, Mama has rescued two more Great Pyreness, Callie an adult female and Jack, a young male.  Very soon though the rhythm of their days changes.  In the middle of a stormy night, two are missing, one canine and one unable to speak.

Three leave to search; Mama has Kodi but Zoe has only her knowledge of the truth to assist her.  By morning all that has been lost are thankfully recovered.  Understanding and compassion can and does heal, sometimes the rescued becomes the rescuer.


Consistently Patricia MacLachlan delivers stories reaching into your heart, shaping it and holding it warmly surrounded by love.  When you step into the world of the Cassidy family, narrated by the older Zoe with the added day-to-day dialogue between the characters, you can't help but want to be a part of that world too.  The importance of a dog's ability to heal and help, to sense and see, what some humans can't is at the essence of this tale.

Each of the short chapters carefully connects to the next with a single profound closing sentence or remark.  Through the technique of Alice's writing MacLachlan offers further insights into what she hopes readers will take away from this book.  Alice's poem, You Can't Know, and the final pages of the book taken from her journal are pure perfection.  One of my favorite passages is:

My voice sounded loud in the quiet kitchen.
No one said anything.
"He thinks many things. And those things are trapped inside of him.  Maybe something happened that made him afraid to talk," I said.
I looked out the window.
"Except to Kodi," I added softly.
"Kodi and Phillip are friends in some way we don't know about," said Daddy.  "And it doesn't have much to do with words."


Happily and with confidence give White Fur Flying written with impeccable, masterful skill by Patricia MacLachlan to fans of her work, to those people who love dog books, or to someone who might need rescuing.  This story shows family dynamics at their very finest; full of understanding for the personalities traits of one another.  Also, if we choose to view those around us with the same care as our canine companions, bridges can be built and crossed.

The Cats Are Out Of The Bag

For whatever reason, cats like me.  It would make perfect sense to me that I would give off some type of distinctive smell that says, "I am a totally, over-the-top, lover of dogs so don't bother", but they continue to come to me if we are remotely near one another. What I do know about cats, having never lived with one, has come from reading.

I have the utmost respect for the majesty and prowess of all the big cats; mourning their diminishing numbers on our planet as addressed in author Martin Jenkins' and illustrator Vicky White's Can We Save The Tiger?  When their much smaller domestic relatives become comedic characters portrayed in Splish, Splash, Splat! by Rob Scotton, Fuddles by Fran Vischer, Skippyjon Jones: Class Action by Judy Schachner or Dog In Charge by K. L. Going with illustrations by Dan Santat, I'm chuckling on the inside if not bursting into laughter.  When I read and reread Cat Talk (Katherine Tegen Books) by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest with illustrations by Barry Moser, I came to appreciate their true nature and individuality.


Tough Tom
You opened the window 
And I walked in.
I didn't want to
But it was cold outside
And dark.
And I was hungry.

You opened the window
And I walked in
With a torn ear
And a scratch on my nose.
It was warm
And you had food
And a blanket. ...

Tough Tom is the first of thirteen poems, introducing readers to unique felines named in each poem's title.  Young and old, tall and small, white, black, and all the cat colors in-between, we get to meet them. Quirky personalities, bold, shy, playful, arrogant and slightly sly emanate from the printed page with clever clarity.

A barn cat named Lily thinks her best friend might be a mouse.  The sound of running water in the bathtub has Alice nearly jumping in to join the bubbly fun.  Henry can't get enough of his girl or her wedding gown; it makes the nicest spot for sleeping.


Surely authors Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest must have some kind of magical communication connection to the family of cats to have conveyed them so well.  Or perhaps as authors they both have a very keen sense of observation and the ability to transfer those into the pleasing poetic free verse found in this title.  Their selection of words, how they are joined to complete a thought and their placement on each line depicts the essence of cat; an unmistakable rhythm in their movements and mannerisms.  Choosing to use the voice of each cat in the individual selections makes the reader feel like they are in a private conversation getting the inside scoop.  Here is an example at the end of the poem titled Peony.

... You can hardly see my nose
Pink.
They brush me to keep out tangles and ticks.
What no one knows
Is that under my big coat
I am
Little.


Opening the front and back jacket and matching cover, readers will be entranced with the nearly photographic quality of Barry Moser's paintings; you can almost feel the softness of the fur, hear the gentle purring.  On the back is a single cat looking over his shoulder beneath the poem Simon printed in its entirety.  The blue in the title, Cat Talk, is replicated in the opening and closing endpapers. On the first title page under the title is the back of a cat seated in repose.  With a page turn on the left is the front of the same cat, Tough Tom, opposite a more expansive title page.

The illustrations for Cat Talk were executed in transparent watercolor on paper hand made at the Hayle Mill in Kent, England, for the Royal Watercolour Society.  For six of the poems Moser has extended the picture across the gutter into a third of the opposite page with a clean edge creating a column for the text.  For the other seven his visuals span the two pages leaving liberal amounts of white space to showcase the poetry.  Whether it's a cat creeping through an open kitchen window, contentedly smiling with a mouse on its head, bed sheets with three sets of feet (one feline) protruding from the end or a sleepy cat lying next to a computer mouse on a desk, each are shown in beautiful detail.  I think my favorite is of Henry, a charcoal cat, eyes closed on his back nestled in the folds of the white dress.


The first person (cat) poetic free verse written by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest illustrated with the warm, softly rendered paintings of Barry Moser are a purr-fect pairing in Cat Talk. You don't have to be a friend of felines to appreciate this beautiful volume.  It would be outstanding to use during National Poetry Month along with Hate That Cat by Sharon Creech or with Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told In Haiku by Lee Wardlaw with illustrations by Eugene Yelchin.


Please follow this link to the publisher web site to get a glimpse inside the book.  The links embedded in the author and illustrator names provide more information about them and their considerable work.