Hand-painted illustrations fill the page with over-sized animal images.  Little Lion's facial expressions cover a wide range of emotions.  He moves from pride to doubt, fearlessness to trepidation with each page turn. Animals roar, grunt, snap, and whisper. These descriptive verbs enrich the story experience and provide opportunities for dramatic reading. With limited vocabulary and repetitive text, this book makes an excellent read aloud. A chorus of young voices will joyfully join in the refrain, "Oh really?" 

German illustrator and author Constanze V. Kitzing hosts an interactive website and a newsletter which are chock full of interesting explorations for youngsters. There is one obstacle: the site is in German. However with the assistance of Google translate and some deductive reasoning, it is possible to share some of these creative activities with children everywhere.

Back matter includes an author's note which provides information on Nez's life following World War II and his decision to finally tell his story. A portion of the Navajo Code, including the alphabet letters is accompanied by corresponding Navajo words and literal translations. Frequently used battle words as well as the months of the year are fascinating insights into this complex code. A timeline of Chester Nez's life is helpful.

This picture book biography is an excellent addition for libraries, enriching historical accounts of United States History, especially during 1939-1945. A tribute to the heroic actions of a Native American, emphasizing the importance of indigenous languages and cultures.

Messer has created her own little hide-and-seek game within the pages of the books.  Discovering where Lazybones is hiding on each successive page is part of the book's charm.  Dog owners everywhere will delight in the antics of Lazybones.

Jen Corace uses a soft muted color pallet and stylized shapes to capture the essence of Jane's world in the late 1770's to the early 1800's. Darker silhouettes against a creamy yellow background echo images often often seen during this historical period.
A lovely volume to share with young readers, feminists, and aspiring authors.

Literary Lust: Gift items celebrating the works of Jane Austen.

Which ones are your favorites?

Just this week. Just this week. A tween was in tears because of a cutting remark about her body size/shape. As tears and hurt and shame spilled from her eyes and lips and heart, I kept thinking, "What can she do?  What can I do? What can we all do to prevent this type of ugly treatment?"
Susan Hughes offers some thoughtful things to consider in What Happens Next. 
Told through a series of statements usually beginning with the word "what,” a young girl describes events in her life.  Each statement is followed by her observations and inner thoughts.

Her feelings are real and raw. It hurts to read of her endless pain. Her only solace is her dog Sparky. Eventually she is able to share her feelings with her mother and together they formulate a plan to help her cope with the hostility she encounters. The book ends on a hopeful note. 

​Pub date: March 15, 2018       Publisher: Owlkids        ISBN: 978-1771471657

Arnold is no ordinary member of the flock. While others fill their days grazing on the hillside, playing cards, and knitting, Arnold is in training. Push-ups, squats, pull-ups: this is a serious workout.  Arnold aspires to be a strong and fearless hero, a Super Sheep. Look at that muscle, which he proudly sports on the cover of Arnold the Brave. 

Reader who are attentive to the images will catch on and knowingly smile when they realize the secret to Arnold's moment of triumph.   Herget's clever tongue-in-cheek narrative gently pokes fun at Arnold. Renger's illustrations are spot-on, lovingly spoofing the super hero while letting readers in on the inside joke.

Sometimes the heroes are the ones we don't notice.  Milo is that type of hero: supporting his friend's efforts, cheering for him on, and recognizing his accomplishments.  This might be an excellent opportunity to recognize the unsung heroes students encounter at school.  Perhaps the honoring the school lunchroom staff and campus custodian would be a good place to start. 

Lola fulfills the assignment, creating a pastiche of images incorporating joyous memories with painful ones. The finished product is evidence her of understanding of the past, appreciation for the present, and hope for the future of her homeland.The evil that once threatened this island will not destroy the life and love and hope of its people. ​

Without mentioning a specific individual, Díaz uses the imagery of a monster to explain the cruelties of life under a ruthless dictator. He handles this difficult topic with a sensitivity and understanding appropriate for young readers.

Espinosa's vibrant illustrations capture the wonder and vitality of the island. Pages brimming with details of island life invite exploration. The full-page spread depicting the monster attacking the island is frightful. However, the overall tone of the images throughout the book, especially facial expressions and body language, depicts a family that offers reassurance and security in times of distress.

Islandborn is the English edition and  Lola, the Spanish edition of this picture book from 2008 Pulitzer Prize winner Junot Díaz.

The beauty of this book is the acknowledgement of this universal truth: often children do not remember events from early childhood. They rely on family and others within their circle to help them construct a sense of identity, history, and heritage.

After reading Islandborn, youngsters can be encouraged to search for information about their own family history and heritage. Research may take the form of interviews, family stories, music, recipes, artifacts, and more. Many years ago, I attended a workshop presented by Alma Flor Ada. She suggested that schools can help children discover and appreciate their identity and heritage. I was inspired by her presentation and decided to implement a few of her suggestions with a group of eight-year-old youngsters. Here's what we did:
Each student interviewed a family member, organized the results of individual research into a biography, and published the personal narrative as a book. Text was enhanced with copies of family photographs and student-created illustrations. We also (a suggestion from Dr. Ada) solicited recipes from families and compiled a cookbook of family recipes. A copy of the cookbook was prepared for the family of each student.
Then came the celebration! Families were invited to school to read the amazing family stories and to sample the delicious dishes from a variety of cultures. This became an annual event, shared with extended families.

The sun is shining. The weather is balmy. That can only mean one thing: It's the perfect day for a pignic. 

​​​​A jovial porcine family is set for a day of frolicking in the great outdoors.
They've got a basket filled with lunchie-munchies: Pretzel! Pies! Pickles! Plums! They've got a kite.
​They are excited. So excited. Watch them skip and leap as they head out for an afternoon of fun.

She runs alongside registered competitors, completing the entire marathon and crossing the finish line with them. Sadly, her effort was ignored by the marathon director and her results received no official recognition. Nonetheless, her achievement was a seminal moment in the struggle to erase misconceptions of a woman's ability to compete in arduous athletic contests. Echoing the pace of the race, the text keeps readers engrossed in the story as it builds to a triumphal conclusion. Readers will find themselves cheering for her.
​Go Bobbi! Go every girl and woman who wants to join the race!
​Back matter includes an afterword, a note of the use of Bobbi's name, a selected bibliography, and attribution for the quotes used throughout the text.
Poignant. Inspiring.

Collages created by Micha Archer are stunning.  They add important details and context to the story. When Bobbi attends the Boston Marathon as a spectator, points along the 26.2-mile route run across the bottom of the two-page spread. When Bobbi secretly enters the Boston Marathon, Archer begins to chronicle her route from start to finish on the base of each page. She ingeniously depicts the elevation as well as the distance of the entire course. The final spread features Bobbi running up a hill, leading a pack of girls running.  Beneath their feet the names of previous female marathon participants are inscribed on solid ground. The symbolism is exquisite.

Try these picture book biographies 

I like his assertion that good design is a balance between clarity and mystery. I immediately thought of Jerry Spinelli’s Star Girl, a cover that encapsulates this book design concept.  I was ready to post that iconic blue cover when my eyes happened upon Draw the Line by Kathryn Otoshi.  I was captivated. Look at the boy on the front cover: his jubilant face, standing barefoot on tiptoe, body stretched to make a line. LOVED this. But wait. The back provides an important clue to the story. Someone else is also creating a line. What will happen when the line meets? Where will the boys draw the line?  With both clarity and mystery, Otoshi invites readers to open this book. 

Below is a selection of some covers favored in the Twitter thread.  Each image was to be posted without comment. Some of these books are old and dear friends of mine. Some are titles that I have yet to explore. What say you? If you were allowed only one book cover, what one would you post?