Faithful readers will recall that I have gushed on occasion about the book MAYBE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL by F. Isabel Campoy & Theresa Howell, illustrated by Rafael López.  For years he’s been creating truly delicious art in a variety of great books.  Remember Drum Dream Girl?  Right there. That.

In this latest book, a community comes together to create not just a mural, but a series of public art ventures. Inspired by Mr. López’s public art work with real communities, the book is a joyful dance of colors and tones.  I’ve had kids come in for years asking for community garden picture books. Those are great, but if we’re looking for books that speak to the beautification of public spaces, this is a great and slightly different story to start with.  There’s even a Twitter hashtag (#maybesomethingbeautiful) for folks looking to show off their own public art discoveries and ventures.

Until then, here’s a truly lovely book trailer for the title.  Don’t let it pass you by!

Many thanks to HMH for the link and the scoop.

The Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) has revealed the winners of the 2015 Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature (APAAL).

According to the press release, the organization aims to “promote Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage” and recognize “titles published from October 2014 to September 2015 based on their literary and artistic merit” with these awards.

Below, we’ve collected free samples of many of the honored works for your reading pleasure.

Adult Fiction

Winner: Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Honor: Don’t Let Him Know by Sandip Roy

Adult Non-Fiction

Winner: The Making of Asian America by Erika Lee

Honor: Canton Restaurant to Panda Express by Haiming Liu

Honor: The Good Immigrant: How the Yellow Peril Became the Model Minority by Madilyn Y. Hsu

Young Adult

Winner: P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

Honor: Ink and Ashes by Valynne E. Maetani

Children’s Books

Winner: Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton

Honor: Blackbird Fly by Erin Entrada Kelly

Picture Books

Winner: Juna’s Jar by Jane Bahk

Honor: Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music written by Margarita Engle and illustrated by Rafael Lopez

I love a story that I have never heard before. Enter Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music, which tells, in the simplest language, the story of Millo Castro Zaldarriaga. It does not surprise me that I had not heard of one little girl in Cuba; what surprised me was that girls were not allowed to play drums in Cuba in the 1920s. It was actually considered taboo. I simply had no idea. Which brought me to my next thought, “Were women in the good old USA allowed to play drums?” This book did that thing that books sometimes do: open the crack in the door to the realization that I sometimes accept things without examination. I really had never even thought about drummers, let alone girl drummers. So, when I could only bring Karen Carpenter and Meg White to my mind as female drummers, this book sent me running to the Internet to do some quick research about the many other female percussionists. I hope Millo’s story will inspire young readers to do the same.

Margarita Engle and Rafael López team up to tell Millo’s story — Engle in poetry and López in deep, saturated acrylics on wood board. The Caldecott Committee will undoubtedly spend some time talking about López’s color choices. He uses deep blues, purples, and greens, with each painting filled with images of flowers, birds, and butterflies, allowing the reader to feel a part of Cuba. Millo and her sisters are always clad in white, which allows the reader both to see them on the bright pages and to feel how separate Millo must have felt when she could not follow her dream. On the pages where their father is chastising the girls, the artist uses hot orange and browns to show his ire and the sisters’ disappointment.

The illustrator requires the reader to turn the book 90 degrees for two tall spreads — a carnival scene and an affecting image of Millo’s drum shut up in a birdcage. The committee will surely discuss why he chose to have the reader turn the book. I am not sure myself, especially when there is another image (when she is flying to the moon) that seems to be made for a vertical illustration. It always makes for interesting table discussion when artists make these sorts of choices.

We learn in the historical note that Millo was of Chinese-African-Cuban descent. There are a few nods to those cultures in the art, most notably a Chinese dragon and costumed drummers. I did not pick up on any image that refered to Millo’s African heritage, though I bet some of you will!

The post Drum Dream Girl appeared first on The Horn Book.

WaterBridge Outreach: Books + Water recently announced the books in English they have selected this year for donation to the different schools and libraries they support around the world.  WaterBridge Outreach is a non-profit that seeks … Continue reading ... →

I ‘met’ Joy a couple of years ago through her FB page Got Story and love her contributions to the kid lit community. She has been curating a fabulous exhibition in Southern California and it is open for another ten … Continue reading →

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Review by Ariadna Sánchez

Last week the world lost one of the most brilliant writers of the century. Gabriel García Márquez is considered a genie of modern literature. His words echo the unique and majestic essence of his intrepid spirit. García Márquez will live forever thanks to his master pieces full of imagination and beauty.

My Name is Gabito written by the award-winning author Monica Brown and delightfully illustrated by Raúl Colón depicts the childhood of the 1982 Nobel Prize Literature recipient Gabriel García Márquez.

Gabito was born on March 6, 1928 in Aracataca, Colombia. Gabito was nurtured by his grandparents along with a 100-year-old parrot named Lorenzo el Magnifico. His grandfather was an important figure for the development of Gabito’s talent.  Gabito loved learning words from his grandfather’s dictionary. Gabito realized that the more he read, the more imaginative his stories became.  Gabito witnessed the struggles of poor banana workers in his hometown. This situation created an urgent sense of justice and equal opportunity for all people. This life experience was evident in his novels because he often shared stories about the banana workers.

Gabito grew, grew, and grew. Gabito became one of the most famous Latin-American writers in the world.  As a result, Gabriel García Márquez became an international figure. Gabito wrote more than thirty books, some of his emblematic novels are Love in the Time of Cholera, Living to Tell the Tale, and the best-seller One Hundred Years of Solitude. During his lifetime, Gabito received the most prestigious awards for his merit. In 1982 he won the Nobel Prize for Literature reaffirming the remarkable gift to produce incomparable stories. Gabito married his boyhood girlfriend, Mercedes Bacha Pardo, and they had two sons named Rodrigo and Gonzalo. This is a phenomenal life for an incredible human being.

My Name is Gabito helps children learn and appreciate the extraordinary journey of Gabriel García Márquez, and it also allows them to discover the dynamism of the renowned author. His legacy will last for an eternity in our hearts and in our mind. Thanks to the Tlapazola community from Oaxaca, Mexico for spreading the legacy of the eternal Gabito.

¡Viva Gabriel García Márquez por siempre!

* * * 

My Name is Gabito/Me llamo Gabito Presentation 

for ELL Bilingual Reading Night

National Hispanic Heritage month occurs each year, from September 15 to October 15. It is a time to celebrate the history and culture of Hispanics and Latinos in the United States along with the contributions they have made to American society.

This specific time of the year was chosen because the U.S government wanted to pay tribute to the Hispanic tradition during a time when many Latin American countries celebrate their independence. September marks the independence anniversaries of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico and Chile.

Lee & Low Books is proud to have many wonderful titles written and illustrated by Latino/a authors and illustrators. Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in your own home, classroom, or library with these favorites:

A young boy gives thanks to all that he loves and is thankful for in the lighthearted bilingual celebration, Gracias • Thanks, written by Pat Mora and illustrated by John Parra.

Carmen Lomas Garza’s Family Pictures shows different aspects of the traditional Mexican American culture in which she grew up, including picking cactus and making tamales with her family.

Her second book, In My Family, depicts birthday celebrations, eating empanadas and other fond memories of Carme’s childhood in Kingsville, Texas.

Family Pictures and In My Family are two of the most beloved books published by Children’s Book Press, and we’re thrilled to bring them back into print as part of our CBP imprint!

By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: January 23, 2012

Author Award Winner

Illustrator Award Winner

Author Honor Book

Author Honor Book

illustrator Honor Book

Illustrator Honor Book

“The award is named after Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. It is co-sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), and REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking, an ALA affiliate.” ~ALSC

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

Earlier this morning the American Library Association (ALA) announced the 2012 youth media awards winners. A full list of the winners can be found here.

Highlights from the list include:

John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature: Dead End in Norvelt, written by Jack Gantos.

Two Newbery Honor Books also were named: Inside Out and Back Again, written by Thanhha Lai; and Breaking Stalin’s Nose, written and illustrated by Eugene Yelchin.

Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children: A Ball for Daisy, illustrated and written by Chris Raschka.

Three Caldecott Honor Books also were named: Blackout, illustrated and written by John Rocco; Grandpa Green, illustrated and written by Lane Smith; and Me … Jane, illustrated and written by Patrick McDonnell.

Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults: Kadir Nelson, author and illustrator of  Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans.

Two King Author Honor Book recipients were selected: Eloise Greenfield, author of The Great Migration: Journey to the North,  illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist; and Patricia C. McKissack, author of Never Forgotten,  illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon.

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award: Shane W. Evans, illustrator and author of Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom.

One King Illustrator Honor Book recipient was selected: Kadir Nelson, illustrator and author of Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans.

Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement: Ashley Bryan.

Pura Belpré (Illustrator) Award honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children’s books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience: Diego Rivera: His World and Ours, written and  illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh.

Two Belpré Illustrator Honor Books were selected: The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred illustrated by Rafael López, written by Samantha R. Vamos; and Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match /Marisol McDonald no combina, illustrated by Sara Palacios, written by Monica Brown.

Pura Belpré (Author) Award: Under the Mesquite written by Guadalupe Garcia McCall.

Two Belpré Author Honor Books were named: Hurricane Dancers: The First Caribbean Pirate Shipwreck written by Margarita Engle; and Maximilian and the Mystery of the Guardian Angel: A Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller, written by Xavier Garza.

 

The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred
By Samantha R. Vamos
Illustrated by Rafael Lopez
Charlesbridge
$17.95
ISBN: 978-1-58089-242-1
Ages 4-8
On shelves now

I am lucky to work in a children’s room with a significantly sized bilingual section. The books you’ll find there cover a wide range of languages. Chinese, Arabic, Urdu, you name it. Of them the largest section by far is the Spanish language section. Of course, what we don’t really include in this section are books that integrate Spanish words into English text, though the stories are predominantly in English. There really isn’t a name for this kind of book, which is a real pity since they serve a definite use. Now you can go about integrating Spanish and English any old way you prefer, but Samantha Vamos has you beat. According to the back bookflap “Samantha R. Vamos was cooking one day when the idea for this book popped into her head.” The idea goes beyond a mere food related plot and ends up being one of the most creative ways of working Spanish elements into a work of English I’ve seen in years. Top off the fact that the art is enough to give your jaw a downward plunge, and I’d say you were dealing with one of the cleverer picture books of the year.

Are you familiar with the cumulative tale format? Well Ms. Vamos takes the idea and twists it a little. A variety of different farm animals aid a farmer and a farm maiden as they work together to make some rice pudding. A donkey picks limes, a duck buys sugar, a hen grates, and by the end everyone has done their part. Of course, in the midst of some dancing the pudding almost gets out of hand, but our heroes are able to save it in time. The end of the book includes a Glossary of Spanish Words and a recipe for the pudding.

I’ll say right here that the way in which Vamos has seamlessly integrated Spanish words into her text is extraordinary. Until now the standard method of doing this was just to throw the words into random sentences and cross your fingers. Best case scenario, you end up with something like Gary Soto’s Chato’s Kitchen. Worst case scenario and the words become jarring and needless. The trick Vamos uses here is to take the cumulative format and make it work for her. Normally a cumulative story doesn’t shake up the words. It’s the old House That Jack Built idea. This did this, that did that, it did it, etc. But Vamos has a different idea going on here. She starts out with an English word on the first reading, then switches that word to its Spanish equivalent when it’s repeated. So the first sentence in the book reads “This is the pot that the farm maiden stirred”. Fair enough. Turn the page and suddenly you read, “This the butter that went into the Cazuela that the farm maiden stirred.” You see what she’s

By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: May 4, 2011

To celebrate Cinco de Mayo, take a look at the bilingual books that we’ve been reading …

The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred
by Samantha R. Vamos (Author), Rafael Lopez (Illustrator)

Mama and Me
by Arthur Dorros (Author), Rudy Gutierrez (Illustrator)

Ten Little Puppies/Diez perritos
by Alma Flor Ada (Author), F. Isabel Campoy (Author), Ulises Wensell (Illustrator)

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By: Laura, on 4/7/2011
Blog: the pageturn (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Vivi Escriva, Laura Lacamara, Arthur Dorros, Pura Belpre, Books, Ginger Foglesong Guy, Rudy Gutierrez, holidays, Authors, Picture Books, Yuyi Morales, Pat Mora, Spanish, Illustrators, Rene King Moreno, Storytime, bilingual, Dia de los ninos, Raul Colon, Alma Flor Ada, Joe Cepeda, Rafael Lopez, Quinceanera, Rueben Martinez, Add a tag

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By: Laura, on 3/21/2011
Blog: the pageturn (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Texas Library Association, Sophie Jordan, Suzanne Harper, Rafael Lopez, Jamie Lee Curtis, Will Hobbs, Tween books, Bettina Restrepo, author signing, Audrey Vernick, Lauren Oliver, Diane Stanley, Crystal Allen, Jennifer Archer, Jason Henderson, Libraries, Books, Authors, Conferences, Picture Books, Pat Mora, Don Tate, Texas, YA Books, Illustrators, Kevin Henkes, TLA, Austin, Tera Lynn Childs, Add a tag

Around the office, we refer to this time of year as “Conference Season”.  You’ll see why – here’s the schedule:

April: Texas Library Association Conference
May: International Reading Association Conference
May: SLJ Day of Dialog/BEA
June: ALA Annual Conference

It’s crazy…but we also have lots of fun.  First up is TLA in Austin where we have a phenomenal line-up of authors signing with us:

Wednesday, April 13th
10:15 am – 11:00 am Pat Mora (author aisles)
10:15 am – 11:00 am Rafael Lopez (author aisles)
11:30 am – 12:30 pm Lauren Oliver (author aisles)
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Will Hobbs (author aisles)
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Bettina Restrepo (author aisles)
1:30 pm – 2:00 pm Crystal Allen (Harper booth 1824)
2:00 pm – 2:30 pm Sophie Jordan (Harper booth 1824)
2:30 pm – 3:00 pm Tera Lynn Childs (Harper booth 1824)
3:00 pm – 3:30 pm Suzanne Harper (Harper booth 1824)

Thursday, April 14th
9:00 am – 10:00 am Diane Stanley (author aisles)
11:30 am – 12:00 pm Jason Henderson (Harper booth 1824)
2:00 pm – 2:30 pm Jennifer Archer (Harper booth 1824)
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm Kevin Henkes (author aisles)
3:00 pm – 3:30 pm Don Tate and Audrey Vernick (Harper booth 1824)

And don’t miss JAMIE LEE CURTIS as the Keynote Speaker on Wednesday, April 13th at 9:00 am!

Aside from our outstanding authors, we’ll have galleys galore at our booth (#1824) and we hope you’ll stop by to say hi to Patty, Robin, and me!

See you in Texas!

~ Laura

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By: Rene Colato Lainez, on 3/2/2011
Blog: La Bloga (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Rafael Lopez, Samantha Vamos, The Cazuela That The Farm Maiden Stirred, mutticultural books, Add a tag

 

It is time for another virtual book tour. Today is the turn of the awesome picture book The Cazuela That The Farm Maiden Stirred.

 

You can still visit and leave comments on the day number one and two of the book tour. You may be a lucky winner of this fantastic book.
   

Day 1: Monday, February 28th  (Book Review)– The Latin Baby Book Club

Day 2: Tuesday, March 1st (Book Trailer)– The Tiki Tiki Blog

Ladies and gentlemen 

and children of all of ages!

 

 I present day number 3 with the Illustrator's, Rafael Lopez, Story Behind the Story.

Stirring the Pot of Color 

 

<

8 Comments on The Cazuela That The Farm Maiden Stirred- Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway, last added: 3/4/2011

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sam said, on 3/2/2011 3:43:00 PM

The color and texture created by Rafael's paintings in Cazuela stun me each time I look at his work. Thank you Rene and La Bloga for sharing this post. - Samantha

Alvarado Frazier said, on 3/2/2011 5:09:00 PM

The vibrant colors in the illustrations chased away the cold and rain of today. I can smell the simmering arroz con leche. What a wonderful book.

Rene Colato Lainez said, on 3/2/2011 7:55:00 PM

Hi Samantha,

Your book is amazing. I am using your book in my kindergarten classroom.

saludos,

René

Marcela said, on 3/3/2011 7:35:00 AM

I love the colors also! Beautiful pictures!

Would love to read this book to my chiquitos!

Patricia said, on 3/3/2011 9:03:00 PM

Me encanta esta historia!!! La forma en que la historia se forma a partir de la imaginacion y la creatividad de su autora, de una manera sencilla pero sobretodo divertida, es simplemente hermosa.

Kara said, on 3/4/2011 4:32:00 PM

The illustrations are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing about this book.

Anonymous said, on 3/4/2011 8:29:00 PM

Oh pick me. Yo quiero ganar! I would love to add this to our collection. I am always looking for ways to increase my little girls Spanish vocabulary. Plus she loves books. I love that art and vibrant colors of the book!
Patricia E...in ID

Molly Cox said, on 3/4/2011 8:46:00 PM

This book is so beautiful... it is really interesting to see the page go from a colorless sketch to such whimsical interesting illustrations!

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17.

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By: Julie Fortenberry, on 2/27/2011
Blog: Children's Illustration (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  rafael lopez, Add a tag

Rafael Lopez

(jpeg from charlesbridge.com)

0 Comments on as of 1/1/1900

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18. Congratulations to

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By: Julie Fortenberry, on 1/20/2010
Blog: Children's Illustration (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Pat Mora, rafael lopez, slideshow, Add a tag

Rafael Lopez, winner of the 2010  Pura Belpré Illustrator Award.
More  American Library Association news here: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/2010medawardwin.cfm
See a slideshow of Rafael's work here:
http://www.papertigers.org/gallery/Rafael_Lopez/01.html

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19. 2010 ALA Youth Media Awards Announced

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By: Aline Pereira, on 1/18/2010
Blog: PaperTigers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Eventful World, Julia Alvarez, Charles R. Smith Jr., Pura Belpré Award, Rafael Lopez, Caldecott Medal, Coretta Scott King Book Awards, 2010 ALA Youth Media Awards results, Book Fiesta!: Celebrate Children’s Day/Book Day; Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los l, My People, Return to Sender, Pat Mora, Add a tag

Earlier today the American Library Association (ALA)  announced the top books, audiobooks and video for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting in Boston.

A complete list of all the 2010 literary award winners can be  seen here. Highlights include:

Winner of the John Newbery Medal ( for most outstanding contribution to children’s literature):
When You Reach Me written by Rebecca Stead

Winner of the Caldecott Medal (for most distinguished American picture book for children):
The Lion & the Mouse illustrated and written by Jerry Pinkney

Winner of the Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award (recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults):

Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

Winner of the Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award
My People illustrated by Charles R. Smith Jr. and written by Langston Hughes

Winner of the Pura Belpré (Illustrator) Award (honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children’s books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience)

Book Fiesta!: Celebrate Children’s Day/Book Day; Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros illustrated by Rafael López and written by Pat Mora

Winner of the Pura Belpré (Author) Award
Return to Sender written by Julia Alvarez

0 Comments on 2010 ALA Youth Media Awards Announced as of 1/18/2010 11:57:00 AM

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20. 2008 Américas Award: A Celebration of Cultural Heritages

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By: Aline Pereira, on 10/3/2008
Blog: PaperTigers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Authors, Yuyi Morales, Pat Mora, Eventful World, Illustrators, Laura Resau, Latino Book Awards, Rafael Lopez, Hispanic Heritage Month, Jorge Argueta, 2008 Américas Award, Carmen T. Bernier, hispanic children's books, latino children's books, multicultural children's literature, Children's Books, Add a tag

If you’ve had a chance to savor Yum! Mmm! Que Rico! America’s Sproutings, or any of the books in this year’s Américas Award list of winners, honor books and commended titles, you will understand how spot-on this award’s committee is in recognizing and honoring accurate portrayals of our Americas’ rich cultural heritage.

As this year’s winners, Pat Mora and Rafael Lopez’s Yum! Mmm! Que Rico! and Laura Resau’s Red Glass will be honored tomorrow (Oct 4), at a ceremony at the Library of Congress, in Washington D.C. Hosted by the Library of Congress’s Hispanic Division and the Center for the Book, the event is free and open to the public, so don’t miss it if you are in the area!

Yuyi Morales’ Little Night, Jorge Argueta’s Alfredito Flies Home and Carmen T. Bernier’s Frida: Viva la Vida! are among the honored and commended titles selected by the award’s 2008 committee.

What better way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month than by giving these books the recognition and readership they deserve?

3 Comments on 2008 Américas Award: A Celebration of Cultural Heritages, last added: 10/27/2008

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Corinne said, on 10/5/2008 11:18:00 PM

Kidlitosphere blogger and literacy advocate Jen Robinson announces:

Nominations for the third annual Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards (the Cybils) will be open Wednesday, October 1st through Wednesday, October 15th. The goal of the Cybils team (some 100 bloggers) is to highlight books that are high in both literary quality and kid appeal. The Cybils were founded by Anne Boles Levy and Kelly Herold.

The Cybils lists, from long lists to short lists to the lists of winners, offer a wonderful resource to anyone looking for high-quality, kid-friendly books. The Cybils team has worked hard to balance democracy (anyone can nominate titles) with quality control (two rounds of panel judging by people who focus on children’s books every day). We do this work because we consider it vital to get great books into the hands of children and young adults.

To nominate titles and to learn how you can help spread the word, check the Cybils blog.

Marjorie said, on 10/19/2008 11:02:00 AM

We will be publishing a full review of Wabi Sabi by Mark Reibstein with art by Ed Young in our next issue of PaperTigers so I’m not going to say much now - except that it is stunning and enriching, a gentle, heart-warming delight that lends itself to being read aloud in many different ways! It had already been nominated for a Fiction Picture Book Cybils Award by the time I got round to it (as had a couple of others on my list, making decisions much easier… I finally plumped for Colors! ¡Colores!, which I blogged about last week…).

We’ve been waiting for Wabi Sabi to come out for a while – and one of Aline’s and my thrills at the Bologna Book Fair in April was being shown the proofs for the book by Andrew Smith at Little, Brown and Company, where we learnt that we were not looking at the original but at the second version of art-work…

Yes, this book has an amazing, Wabi Sabi-esque story behind it. It’s hard to explain but Alvina, over at Blue Rose Girls, is the book’s editor and has blogged about its amazing story in four installments – read from Number 1 now! In the meantime, here’s what she says about what Wabi Sabi actually means:

Mark spent some time living in Japan, and while there he was introduced to the concept of wabi sabi. He asked many people about it, and they all paused and said, “That’s hard to explain.” but they would offer a poem, or a photograph, a small description, and gradually, Mark began to piece together the meaning of wabi sabi.

So, what is wabi sabi? Well, as I understand it, it is a Japanese philosophical belief in finding beauty in the imperfect, the unexpected, in simplicity and modesty. For example, a old, cracked clay tea cup is wabi sabi, but a fine china cup is not. Fallen leaves in muddy water is wabi sabi. A scruffy, multi-colored cat can be wabi sabi. Mark actually named his cat in Japan Wabi Sabi!

Her final post on the subject came out on Monday and has had me chuckling aloud – but only after I knew the outcome. All’s well, that ends well! Phew – if ever a book has gone through a parallel journey in real life, this is it!

Corinne said, on 10/27/2008 12:18:00 PM

Author Holly Thompson was raised in New England and earned her M.A. in fiction writing from New York University. She has resided for many years in Kamakura, Japan where she teaches creative writing at Yokohama City University and is a Regional Advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) -Tokyo branch.

Her latest book The Wakame Gatherers, published by Shen’s Books, is the story of a young girl, Nanami, who has two grandmothers - Baachan whom she lives with in Japan, and Gram who lives in Maine. When Gram visits Japan for the first time, Baachan and Nanami take her on a trip to the seashore for the centuries-old Japanese tradition of gathering wakame seaweed. Nanami acts as translator as her two grandmothers discover they have much in common, despite being from two countries that fought each other during a time that both women remember vividly. With bright, beautiful illustrations by Kazumi Wilds, this book captures the warmth and love of a blended Japanese and American family, with its two grandmothers who become close despite their memories of war.

Recently 14 teachers from Colorado traveled to Japan to take part in a three week study tour entitled “Japan Through Children’s Literature”. Holly was asked to host a study session based on The Wakame Gatherers and took the teachers, along with community volunteers, to the sites illustrated in her book. It was a truly memorable event for all involved, with teachers commenting “That was the best day we’ve had on the tour!” “Amazing!” “So great to be able to cook together,” and “This, today, was the true meaning of exchange.”

Click here to read Holly’s description of the day’s events and learn more about wakame!

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21. (Poetry Friday) Book Review: Our California

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By: Kelly Herold, on 8/29/2008
Blog: Crossover (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Poetry Friday, book review, Picture Books, Pam Munoz Ryan, Rafael Lopez, Our California, Add a tag

As bright and beautiful as California itself, Pam Munoz Ryan's Our California makes a wonderful gift for young residents of the golden state or for those planning to visit soon.

Pam Munoz Ryan takes a trip to fourteen California cities and regions, dedicating a few lines of verse to each. Ryan's California road trip begins in San Diego ("Start in the south of this golden land,/in fair San Diego, where vistas are grand") and ends in Palm Springs ("Put up your feet and enjoy the poolside.") Along the way, readers visit Yosemite, Sonoma, San Francisco, and the Central Valley.

Rafael Lopez's illustrations are stunning--they are bright and colorful and grand in the best California tradition. (Think Diego Rivera. Yes, I know Rivera is a Mexican artist if we're being precise, but we Californians--Southern Californians, especially--associate Rivera with our state.) Each city or region is devoted a two-page spread infused with sunlight and the deep colors of nature.

Information about California and each city and region featured in Our California is included in the back of the book. Our California is best suited for children ages two to six years old.
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Today's Poetry Friday entry comes from Our California and concerns The Channel Islands:

Now, the Channel islands! Take a boat out
and cruise these blue waters to glimpse a whale's spout.
Here in the Pacific, among the kelp strips,
are playful sea otters and the ghosts of old ships.

A very happy Poetry Friday to you all! The roundup is at Charlotte's Library.

4 Comments on (Poetry Friday) Book Review: Our California, last added: 9/1/2008

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TadMack said, on 8/29/2008 2:51:00 PM

This is gorgeous!
And oh, I miss the Channel Islands! There's nothing like them.

Breeni Books said, on 8/29/2008 3:06:00 PM

What a beautiful cover! Sounds like it might make a good educational resource for children who are learning about other states, as well.

PJ Hoover said, on 8/29/2008 3:21:00 PM

And a happy poetry Friday to you, too! And I just remembered - I was going to write a haiku. Maybe later this evening when I can concentrate. Or maybe it would be better to do so now with the kids debating around me.

laurasalas said, on 9/1/2008 6:50:00 AM

Sounds lovely! I wonder if I'll be able to find a copy here in my Minnesota library:>) (I'll put it on ILL if not.)

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