Mutual admiration, mutual criticism, mutual support — I’m my writer friends’ biggest fan.
These framed cartoons in Penn Wynne Library, my home away from home which was recently renovated, were created by Emidio Angelo for Penn Wynne’s last renovation in 1989. Angelo (1903-1990) was a cartoonist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the two Victorian women pictured here are Emily and Mabel, the stars of his 1950s syndicated strip.
I’m excited to be on the Lu and Bean Read podcast today. Thanks to Tracy and Lu for the interview, and to Eloise for insisting that they host me. Eloise built her own meteorology station just like Mira! So happy to hear that she was inspired.
Today I’m posted as part of a blog party hosted by the wonderful Eileen Manes, a picture book writer who blogs at Pickle Corn Jam. Ten of us are writing about one of our favorite books of the year — here’s mine! At the bottom the post, you’ll find links to the other blogs.
One of my favorite books when my children were small was City Animals by Simms Taback. I had always wondered about early childhood’s obsession with farms. Why is it necessary for babies to know that cows moo and pigs oink? Most of them won’t encounter these animals in everyday life. Why is this somewhat anachronistic knowledge is among the very first things we impart?
That’s why I loved Taback’s lift-the-flap book. After three clues, these animals revealed itself. I’m a PIGEON! I’m a SQUIRREL! I’m a MOUSE! These were the animals that my inner-ring-suburban children were likely to encounter (they encountered the mice with far more delight than I did).
This year’s City Shapes, written by Diana Murray and illustrated by Bryan Collier (Little, Brown. June 2016) does the same reimagining to the classic shape book that Taback did for animals, and it elevates it. Shapes can be well, two-dimensional, but this book is anything but.
The young girl in City Shapes encounters CIRCLES, SQUARES, and TRIANGLES in her own city neighborhood in Murray’s flawless rhyme and Collier’s gorgeous realistic watercolor and collage illustrations. These shapes move and live, and these words are vivid and playful.
I love the specificity and sense of place here, I’d like to see similar journeys in more diverse, real places with other children.
But in the meantime, there’s even a pigeon!
“the pigeon flies back through the night cityscape/as city lights sparkle, SHAPE after SHAPE./But her heart starts to ache for the SHAPE/she loves best./The SHAPE that is home—/her warm CIRCLE nest….”
Ready for the rest of our 2016 recommendations? Just follow the links!
Mira Forecasts the Future has had a flurry of new reviews, especially from the UK, including a great review from BookTrust, which promotes literacy and reading among children and awards the Bailey Women’s Prize for fiction, and a three-book review featuring the wonderful Ada Twist, Scientist and The Way to Outer Space.
Here’s a roundup.
“This deceptively simple picture book not only gives youngsters a basic introduction to understanding how weather works, but also celebrates individual difference and talents – and shows how failure can be something positive if it is used as a learning experience.” – BookTrust (UK)
“…a heartwarming story. A lovely book to sit and read to your children and a great stepping stone into the world of science. ” – Chantelle Hazelden, Mama Mummy Mum
“One of our absolutely favourite reads from over the summer was Mira Forecasts the Future … Little Miss loved it so much I didn’t complain when she asked for it two or three times … a great structured story” – Amy Marie, Cocktails in Teacups
“Meet Ada Twist, Scientist, Mira, and Em”: Three new picture books featuring diverse science girls – Jill R. Bennett, Red Reading Hub, on Ada Twist, Scientist, and The Way to Outer Space
Hooray for science girls, including The Way to Outer Space, Ada Twist, Scientist, and Mira Forecasts the Future
