Watch Out For The Water!

It's that time of year when the end of school is fast approaching or for some, summer break has begun.  The days are longer which means more outdoor fun; bike riding, skate boarding, baseball games, days at the beach building sand castles, and endless neighborhood games of capture the flag and hide and seek.  When the children come tumbling inside instead of being cold and covered in snow, they are coated in grass stains, dust, dirt and mud.  In that case, it can only mean one thing and one thing alone...the dreaded bath.

It's a major accomplishment to get them in the tub.  Bargains are made.  Usually, but not always, the watery occupants end up with pruney skin despite their earlier protests.  For some though, as in OH NO, Little Dragon! (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, August 2012) written and illustrated by Jim Averbeck, pruney skin is the least of their problems.


Little Dragon had a spark in his heart,
so he could huff and puff and ...
PHOOSH.

Oh my, how he loves to phoosh decorating the air with fire like an artist who puts paint to paper. And his mama loves her fiery child and his flames.  But anyone knows, where there is fire, eventually there will be soot.  And Little Dragon looks as if he has been dipped in the stuff from the top of his head to the tip of his claws.

Little Dragon is no different than any other child...baths produce protests like "phew", "phooey" and general grumpiness all around.  Finally succumbing to the inevitable, playing with his new wooden boat, it falls victim to his huffing and puffing.  Fire on board!  Cannonball to the rescue! Sploosh! Gulp!

OH NO!  Something is missing.  There is huffing and puffing.  Something is still missing.  The spark has sputtered and gone out.

Little Dragon thinks and tries.  Nope, no spark.  He thinks and tries something else.  Nope, no spark.  Will this work he wonders?  He tries but no spark.  Tears fall as he wonders if his mama will still love his flameless self.

Her reply to his question will warm you as much as it seems to Little Dragon.  Little Dragon is getting warm.  Oh, yes he is.  He might even be getting hot.  Could it be?  Spark or no spark, Little Dragon has learned a significant bath time lesson. In the future he is taking no chances.


Spare text and pacing make all the difference in this title.  Little Dragon's remarks and reactions are typical for his age and for his er...specie.  Readers will feel a kinship with his attempts at finding his spark, with his thought processes.  Repetition of Oh no and Phoosh entices readers into the rhythm of the narrative.


As soon as I saw the cover, I knew I had to read this story.  The panic-filled, wide-eyed look, the anxious mouth and hands placed on the face of the blue dragon was a huge invitation.  The back portion shows a burned and smoking heart-shaped, child-like drawing of a mother dragon holding her little dragon with the word PHOOSH! underneath.  Opening and closing endpapers done in two tones of gray feature a row of six trees (a line, a circle with dots scattered around), one with flames shooting out the top.

The first title page has the gray outlines of castle bricks in the background, blue dragon hands holding a red crayon finishing a drawing of a family of dragons.  Following is the verso and second title page, a single illustration spread across both.  Burned edges frame another crayon drawing of four homes in a row; three are similar with green trees and red apples.  The fourth is a gray castle with a burned bare tree next to it. Throughout, liberal use of white space with the outline of bricks supplies the best kind of canvas for Little Dragon, his flames and Mama Dragon.

Rendered in handmade papers and oil pastel on textured paper, digitally assembled and enhanced in Photoshop by Jim Averbeck, the illustrations convey a range of emotions on Little Dragon's face and in his body movements.  All the flames are realistically portrayed in contrast to the rest of the pictures.  The details of the Viking boat for his toy, a Viking helmet as the faucet head on the bath tub and the skull under the bathtub claw add to the atmosphere of the story.  The combination of all these elements adds up to a heartwarming tale guaranteed to bring smiles.


OH NO, Little Dragon penned and pictured by Jim Averbeck will have readers looking for their own special spark, a talent unique to them.  (It would be fun to list talents with a sound effect associated with each.) I can already hear the chorus of "read it again", as this title should be shared one-on-one or aloud with a group.  You might want to have flippers, a mask and snorkel handy.


Follow this link to the publisher website to see a couple of illustrations from the book.  This title was recently named to The Pennsylvania Center for the Book: 2013 A Baker's Dozen: The Best Children's Books for Family Literacy.  There is a link embedded in Jim Averbeck's name above to his official website.

Wishes? Tears? Friendship Found

Sometimes when you read a book and the final page is turned, you flip the front cover back and read it all over again.  You read the words aloud instead of in your head.  You study all the little extra details in the pictures.  You do this because there was a connection, a combination of the two, that drew you into the story.

Finding a true-blue friend can be difficult especially if you're a girl longing for a dragon or a dragon longing for a girl.  When one lives in an isolated castle and the other a cave in the snowy mountains, what are the chances of the two ever meeting?   Author Barbara Joosse and illustrator Randy Cecil tell readers exactly how it's done in their new collaboration, Lovabye Dragon (Candlewick Press).

Once there was a girl
an all-alone girl
in her own little bed
in her own little room
in her own little castle
who didn't have 
a dragon
for a friend.

What this little girl cannot know is a dragon asleep in his mountain haven has the exact wish for friendship.  In her loneliness the girl cries and cries and cries.  Her tears become a stream leaving her room, winding through the castle.


Past the mouse, past the moat, past the bog, past the glen and yes, readers, right to the mountain, the very mountain where the dragon lay dreaming, those tears do flow.  Special tears from a special girl wake her longed for friend. The watery trail leads him to his heart's desire.

Oh, the joy of them finding one another knows no bounds.  These two are unstoppable now.  Marching, singing, hiding, comparing and sharing their day passes into evening.

Having a dragon for a pal has its benefits in the chilly darkness, warmth and protection.  Having a little girl for a companion has its benefits as quiet wraps around the two, little songs to shepherd in sleep.  On the next starry night look upward, you might (because wishes do come true) see a shadow pass overhead, a shadow with a rider singing sweetly.

Lilting, lyrical language tells the tale of desires fulfilled.  Barbara Joosse employs the technique of repetition of words to invite readers into the characters' realm, zooming out with her descriptions and taking them on the trail.  Mixed in with the repeated phrases are rhyming words adding to the song quality of the narrative.  Like the silver stream bringing the friends together, the text gently moves through the pages.

Dusty plum front and back endpapers set the tone for the regal setting.  Four times within the story artist, Randy Cecil, frames his illustrations in golden scrollwork, reminiscent of medieval times, to begin, end and introduce.  His oil paintings in shadowy shades of blues, browns, purples, grays and greens give readers, despite the wanting of the two characters, a sense of peace.

The size of the pictures vary to accommodate the storyline, using oval or circular insets to heighten interest, to instill a sense of comfort.  The shapes of his faces, the body proportions, are interesting, funny, lovable and huggable, especially the bug-eyed, thin-necked plump dragon with the toothy grin.  Including tiny details provides a certain symmetry to the story; there are three castle guard toy figures on the girl's bedroom floor, three live castle guards search for her and the dragon.

Lovabye Dragon written by Barbara Joosse with illustrations done in oil by Randy Cecil is an ode to single lonely hearts becoming one in unbridled happiness, soaring among the stars.  This would make the best bedtime story with a snuggly stuffed dragon on hand or as a group read aloud anytime of the day.  Howling winds and pounding rain have been on hand here all night.  I'm taking this with me to bed, reading it for the...hmmm...fourth time.

A World Apart

You know you are completely immersed in a world conceived by an author when, pausing in your reading, you look out the window over the kitchen sink, spot a large black bird silhouetted against the lacy trees as night falls and for two beats of your heart, it's not a raven but a dragon.  You have been visited by the magic of storytelling; pictures in your mind, like a movie, created by the author's vision have completely consumed you.  This is the power of Seraphina (Random House) written by Rachel Hartman, a fantasy that soars on the wings of words.

The anniversary of the treaty, between humans and dragons, reached forty years ago is fast approaching; a treaty with strict rules for all, a treaty with dragons reluctantly assuming human form.  Commemorating the event will be the arrival of Ardmagar Comonot, the ruler of the dragon world.  There are those on both sides desiring the treaty's downfall; perhaps offering an explanation for the sudden murder of Prince Rufus, son of the ruling Queen Lavonda.

Tensions in the capitol city of Goredd, Lavondaville, are running high among the people, fearing a rogue dragon.  Prince Rufus was killed in the style of dragons, decapitation.  None is feeling the strain quite like Seraphina, newly appointed assistant to the court composer, Viridius.

Harboring a secret which could mean not only the death of her beloved father, a lawyer and advisor to the Queen, but also of herself, Phina walks down a precarious path.  Troubled by visions and personalities in her mind, Phina seeks solace in her music and in the tutelage of her mentor, a dragon named Orma.  At her birth, Phina lost her mother, a dragon of uncommon musical talent and beauty.  This marriage between dragon and human, strictly forbidden by all, makes Phina a being which should not exist.

Having both human and dragon traits is a blessing and a curse; being able to sense what others cannot but having been taught to not draw attention to herself.  With her exquisite musical abilities brought to light at Prince Rufus's funeral and her intelligence, wry wit and skills as a tutor to Princess Glisselda gaining notice, Phina becomes a major player in the court intrigue, the murder investigation and in the preservation of peace.  Added tension comes in the form of Prince Lucian Kiggs, Captain of the Queen's Guard for whom Seraphina, against all common sense, develops an attraction.

Hartman's use of language paints vivid pictures of this alternate reality with detail, dialogue and dimension.  We walk among the rooms of the castle, along the city streets and throughout the countryside.  We step inside characters' personalities experiencing their lives as if they are our own.
Here is a single passage illustrating her writing.

"Maybe it didn't expect the knights to risk imprisonment by reporting to the Queen.  Or maybe it assumed the Queen would never believe their story---which also happened, didn't it?  I hesitated, because it felt like giving away something personal, but finally added:  "Sometimes the truth has difficulty breaching the city walls of our beliefs.  A lie, dressed in the correct livery, passes through easily."
He wasn't listening, however; he stared at a second object of intense rookish interest on the floor of the hollow. "What's that?"
"A dead cow?" I said, wincing. ...
...The rooks swirled and dove in unison, screaming, then scattered into the trees.  Kiggs, his arms wrapped protectively around his head, had nearly reached the bottom.
My horse shifted uneasily.  Kiggs's horse pulled at the reins and whickered.  The rooks had all but disappeared, leaving the coppice and hollow eerily silent.  I didn't like this one bit. ...

That Rachel Hartman has a love of music is evident in this writing not just for the vivid descriptions of melody and lyrics but in her art as a writer.  This book reads like a well-written symphony scripted from the heart illuminating a rich tapestry of place, people, and dragons that resonates well after the final page is turned.  Seraphina is a stunning, beautiful, wondrous tale filled with unforgettable characters, flawed but filled with strength for their individual purposes, a world you will not want to leave, life-affirming questions and answers and a heart-stopping plot. 

A link to Rachel Harman's website is attached to her name.  At that site are several other links to interviews but the most recent I am embedding here for you to enjoy.  You will probably want to add a personal copy of Seraphina to your bookshelves (I did.) to be read again at least once before the sequel arrives.

Dragons' Dietary Delight

Scattered throughout my home are my TBR piles prominently on display much like pieces of furniture.  I am one of those people, when presented with gifts at my birthday or a holiday, who like to open each one slowly relishing the moment.  For that reason I have many wonderful books stacked waiting to be read which should have been enjoyed months, weeks or even days ago.

One of those titles I was urged to pick up and read right away by Ame Dyckman, author of her first book, Boy + Bot (Alfred A. Knopf), with illustrations by Dan Yaccarino, on Twitter was Dragons Love Tacos (Dial Books for Young Readers), by Adam Rubin with illustrations by Daniel Salmieri.    (Amy's book is on the top of my picture book TBR pile.)  Yes, the hoot and holler duo, that brought readers Those Darn Squirrels and  Those Darn Squirrels and the Cat Next Door are back.  From a tree-lined backyard with forest critters to one filled with dragons of fantasy, they take flight, fly high and well.

An unseen narrator begins the tale as readers view a boy and his dog in his bedroom decorated with everything a la dragon:

Hey, kid!
Did you know that dragons love tacos?
They love beef tacos and chicken tacos.
They love really big gigantic tacos and tiny little baby tacos as well.

This narrator goes on to propose reasons for this love; the last of three has a distinct air of mystery.  Then the speaker, like a news reporter, moves to the scene of a dragon emerging from a favorite taco take-out shop, asking for answers, reasons why.  Meanwhile the young dragon lover, Robbie, and his furry friend are laying out the fixings for concocting salsa only to discover from the narrator, no less, dragons do not appreciate spicy salsa.

I guess anyone would hate spicy salsa if it made your ears smoke, sparks come from your nose or gave you a stomach ache.  But what dragons do love, in addition to tacos, is parties.  And the best party of all is...you guessed it...a taco party.

With a flurry of preparations completed, oodles and oodles of tacos, getting rid of all the hot sauce and party decorations, dog and boy bask in the fruits of their labors as dragons converge. With the gala event in full swing the voice points to something tiny and green that's been missed.  Yikes!  Holy smokes...

Adam Rubin's use of a narrator makes readers feel as though they are sitting down to hear the words of storyteller; it adds to the intimacy inviting readers to partake in the world of boy, dog and dragons.  When the humor and surprises come it's more potent when shared in this manner.  Listing reasons in groups of three, the repetition of phrases with a single word change for emphasis and the word choices reflecting a conversation among friends,

But wait!...
...oh boy...
...Just remember:...

combine to make this narrative a surefire winner.

Watercolor, gouache and color pencil in the resourceful hands of artist, Daniel Salmieri, most certainly spice up the laughter factor. With endpapers covered in miniature tacos and a title page picturing a silver platter, lid lifted by a purple dragon hand to reveal a delicious looking single taco, readers are welcomed into the world of taco.  Title verso and dedication page spread to include a view of the land of dragon with the Taco Cave in the foreground.

Salmieri's attention to detail encourages readers to pause and grin.  In the boy's bedroom dragons decorate the lampshade next to a bed with medieval towers for bedposts, Kodi, meaning helpful, on the dog's dish, dragons on the dog's collar, a dragon arm reaching into a page giving the thumb's up sign and a taco calendar hanging on a dragon's cave wall are only some of the numerous little extras he provides.  The tiny arms and legs supporting his characters' bodies and the facial expressions on all are so much fun.

Together Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri have in Dragons Love Tacos a book guaranteed to generate giggles and bursts of mindless mirth.  Please follow the link to Daniel Salmieri's website embedded in his name to view more illustrations from this book.  In case you're interested this post was written while consuming not one, not two, not even three but five tacos. (The shells were tiny. Trust me.)

Oops!

Reading aloud is a pleasure for both the listener(s) and the reader; a win-win relationship.  In many a household the daily ritual of reading before bedtime is treasured by all.  Invariably the reader will be asked to repeat the story for a variety of reasons, the story is loved, no one can read it as well as the reader or perhaps... the listener is stalling; putting off the inevitability of having to go to bed.

Emily Gravett's title, Again! (Macmillan Children's Books), released in October 2011, gives readers a glimpse into one particular dragon's bedtime practices. What they might not have imagined is how what he wants takes over his good sense. His burning desire to hear a story repeated repeatedly has unexpected results.

Cedric, a youthful dragon, has had a full day of play with his princess doll, flying, and sword swinging.  His bedtime snack of dragon cookies and milk consumed, his teeth brushed and a bubble blowing bath finished, he pads hopefully, book in hand, to his mother.  Curled in her embrace, his dragon blanket clutched tightly, he listens to his favorite story about a dragon named Cedric who:

He's never,
His whole life,
(Not once) been to bed.


At this first reading storybook Cedric teases the trolls without mercy and hungrily consumes princesses.  When youthful Cedric holds up the book imploringly questioning again, the second reading has an altered storyline; apologizing to the trolls and sharing dessert with them.  Subsequent readings are much changed and quite a bit shorter until an exhausted mama dragon dozes off.

No amount of shouting or foot stomping will awaken her.  Shaking the book, continued yelling and jumping up and down cause Cedric's temper temperature to rise.  His final frustrated, ferocious AGAIN! flares up, opening up a surprise ending.

Emily Gravett begins the narrative visually on the front jacket flap, continuing on the front endpapers followed by a double set of verso and title page information (Again?).  A careful reader will note that almost everything is identical except for the bath bubbles, a piece of punctuation and Cedric's expression.

Mint and lime green hues are prevalent throughout with rich reds, some golds and brown.  All of the illustrations flow across two pages on the characteristic, for Gravett, heavy cream paper.  Mood, especially that of the mother and the storybook trolls, is conveyed convincingly and with much humor.

As Cedric goes from contented to hopeful to willful to angry the text size changes as does the neatness of letter formation.  With his anger increasing Cedric undergoes a color transformation accordingly.  Gravett pictures the characters on the storybook's pages suffering his wrath looking like flakes in a shaken snowglobe.

I can not reap enough praise on the books artistically created by Emily Gravett; care given to detail is exquisite.  Readers like Cedric will crave to read Again! again and again.  Travel over to Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast to feast on an interview and partake of additional illustrations from other titles.