What could that be? Reza Dalvand translated by Baobab Books.

 

One day, the forest gleamed in colours more beautiful than ever before. 

There in a clearing, between trees that glittered green and red, lay something small.

Well, what could that be?

The leopard thinks it may be one of her spots. A crow thinks it might be a piece from a star. The fox thinks it could be a jewel that has been lost by the princess. 

"The bear thought the object was a bit of horseshoe from the hoof of a warhorse. The enemy was near!"

The owl thinks it might be a dragon's egg. 

"By now there was complete confusion in the forest. ... Everybody was very excited about the mystery."

Have you read Harvey Slumfenbuger's Christmas?  Do you remember the wonderful ending with the words "I wonder what it was?"  This ending is perfect because it allows your young reading companion, or in my case the whole class in the library, to use their imagination. The open ended question allows the story to continue. It also, I would ague, makes rereading this book fun every time. What could that be? has this same delightful open ending. 

This is also one of those very special books you could share with a range of ages. It is of course magical to imagine this object might be a dragon's egg but what about the implied threat as the army of soldiers march out from the palace? There are also things to discuss here about curiosity, suspicion and fear along with all the possibilities that are afforded by this mysterious object. 

Now onto the book design used here.  WOW WOW!  I love the way the cover stretches out to reveal a larger image and even better there is a surprise under the dust jacket:

Image Source: Reza Dalvand Something Black

Here are the scrumptious end papers:

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned Reza Dalvand from Iran.  This week, thanks to my friend from Kinderbookswitheverything, I have now seen his fabulous book - What could that be? (2020). This book was originally published in German with the title Etwas Schwarzes which translates as Something Black. The book was also translated from Farsi by Nazli Hodaie.  

About the author: Reza Dalvand (*1989) was born in the Iranian city of Andimeshk. As a child he had but one idea in his head – to draw. After studying graphic design at Isfahan University of Art he completed a master's degree in illustration at the University of Tehran. He has illustrated many books for children in Iran and abroad. His works have been recognised at international exhibitions and competitions. Something Black was originally published by Baboab Books and has since been translated into English, French, Turkish and Korean. Besides his position as Art Director of an Iranian Publishing House Reza works as a freelance illustrator in Tehran.

Here is the cover of the French edition of this book.

Here is the cover of the German edition:

Boabab Books say they publish books, promote intercultural reading skills and initiate international projects. "In today's multifaceted society, characterised by constant change and migration, Baobab Books stands for respect for people with different backgrounds or beliefs, as well as for solidarity and equal opportunities in global society."

If Only ... by Mies van Hout translated by David Colmer

"The child thought, 

If only I were a butterfly.

Then I could fly everywhere."

"The whirligig beetle thought,

If only I were a firefly.

Then I'd never be scared of the dark."

You might like to begin with my previous post about the wonderful Dutch illustrator Mies van Hout.

Which insect would you like to be? Stick insects blend in; bees have lots of friends; ladybugs are adorable; and grasshoppers can jump over things.

If only ... is such a terrific title. So much to talk and think about.  If you love the illustrations of Eric Carle then you are sure to equally love this book. On the final pages, Mies gives her readers a page of instructions on how to make collage art. She also has a double page spread with extra facts about each of the insects found in this book. I didn't know about whirligig beetles - they have this name because they swim in fast circles on the surface of the water.

Publisher blurb Pajama Press: What child has not daydreamed about having wings like a butterfly? But secretly, the flashy butterfly yearns for a stick insect’s privacy. And the stick insect wants to swim like a whirligig beetle.  One after the other, the denizens of bestselling author-illustrator Mies van Hout’s vibrant garden landscape wish to be like somebody else. From the glowing firefly to the capable spider to the adorable ladybugs, each one brings something to be admired. And when the dragonfly wishes to be like a child who can run, play, laugh, and build, a world of possibilities opens up.  A gentle but effective story for social emotional learning, If Only… allows children to reach their own conclusions and acknowledge that while it’s common to compare ourselves to others, it’s best to remember and celebrate what we ourselves can do.

If you speak Dutch here is a video where Mies talks about her book. The Dutch title is Was ik maar... You can see the ants from this book - I think they are terrific.

This new book (published 2021) is quite expensive here in Australia but if you have a little money I highly recommend adding this book to the collection of a preschool or primary school library. Here is a very detailed teacher guide from Pajama Press (Canada).

This gentle celebration of differences also promotes an appreciation of others’ strengths and quietly emphasises relationships within the animal kingdom. Kirkus

A visual delight, this picture book offers openings for conversation about wishes, predictions, and one’s own enviable strengths. School Library Journal

Other reviewers use words such as luminous, radiant, vivid and thought-provoking.

It seems obvious to pair this book with the books of Eric Carle and other illustrators who use collage but another possibility for a book to read along side If Only could be this very old book about being happy with who you are - The Mouse with the too long tail. Sadly this book, which I adore, is long out of print but you might find a copy in a library.  

One more thing - here is the bee page - it is scrumptious.

Raising an Active Reader by Samantha Cleaver

A ask questions

B build vocabulary

C connect to the child's world

There are many ways to read a book to and with a young or even an older child. Above all the experience, should be an enjoyable one. In the school setting books are sometimes "killed" by over analysis and through dreaded worksheets which are often meaningless or busy work or simply require no deep thinking. There is a wonderful movement in some schools now, especially in the US, to simply read a picture book every day.  No complex discussion questions and no worksheets. Just reading a wonderful picture book, and there are tens of thousands of these, for the sheer joy of a shared reading experience. One aspect of this program that I really like is that the book covers of all the books that are read over a year are put up for display in the classroom. This is a wonderful way for children to make connections between books, between authors, between book themes and between the books they read and their own lives. 

In my school library I read thousands of picture books - every day of every week - for over 30 years. I also watched colleagues attempting to read my favourites with our library groups as my library qualified for extra staffing. Sadly I often despaired listening to others sharing books with classes when I had also read these same books many many times. The extra teacher either didn't scaffold the text prior to reading, or they spent way to long dissecting the book and then had to rush the reading, or they launched into a book without having read it for themselves first and then stumbled over the pace needed for reading. With picture books, even the way you turn pages can be important. 

We talk about teaching for success and one of the things I liked to do with a picture book to assist the students to enjoy the story - to achieve success perhaps - was to scaffold the story briefly prior to reading. Not to dissect it or give to much away but just help the children, again briefly, to develop a field of knowledge if needed, to help with unfamiliar words/vocabulary or signpost things to notice in the story. Some of this comes very naturally through exploring, prior to reading, the features of a book such as the cover, title, end papers, title page and sometimes the blurb (not always because sometimes the blurb can spoil a story). 

Raising an Active Reader: The case for reading aloud to engage elementary school youngsters is the full title of this book and I will pull out one word from this title - active. Synonyms for active might be words engaged through actively participation by making the reading a shared experience. 

Here are a few text quotes from this book:

"It should always be an enjoyable experience to share a book with your child."

" .. kids today need to understand and relate to lots of different issues that they may never experience firsthand ... One solution to a lack of empathy is reading, and meeting many different characters and experiencing lots of different situations in books."

"Reading aloud for fifteen minutes a few times a week is a way to take small steps toward the big goal of raising children who are critical thinkers, strong readers, and who love books."

"There is an emotional quality to reading; we read a story and we feel the sadness of a scene. We ache for a character's loss. We are sickened by the description of an injustice. We feel happy when a character succeeds. In this way, books build empathy by teaching children about the world they live in; that includes experiences that are like their own and experiences that are far from anything they will ever experience."

"When kids are able to think critically as they read, when they ask questions, think about and learn new words, and make connections they are becoming strong readers."

"When your child starts interrupting you to ask about new words, that's great. It means that they're developing word consciousness, or an awareness of and interest in words."  (I would add to this it also means they are following the story, they are interested in what is happening - and yes - your child is engaged).

Here in Australia this is a very expensive book costing over $42 but if you can find a copy in a library or perhaps access an ebook version from a library I do recommend reading Chapter 4 "Ask Questions"and Chapter 5 "Build Vocabulary".  These two chapters have some excellent practical advice relevant to parents and teachers. 

Here is the publisher blurb from Rowman and Littlefield: Parents and teachers know that reading aloud to children is important, and many parents of young children read aloud to them daily. However, when children start to read on their own, parents often stop reading aloud. But, the early elementary school years, when children are learning how to read on their own, is a perfect time to build vocabulary and comprehension skills through read aloud and Active Reading. Raising an Active Reader makes clear the process of learning to read, how Active Reading fits into raising strong readers, and the behaviours that adults can do to encourage strong language, comprehension, and vocabulary in children in grades K-3. This book extends on the ABCs of Active Reading (Ask Questions, Build Vocabulary, and make Connections) as they apply to older children and picture books, chapter books, and novels. Raising an Active Reader provides parents and teachers with the knowledge and skills to engage elementary school-aged children (grades K-3) in Active Reading with examples, clear explanations, and ideas for making one-on-one or small group read aloud sessions a powerful way to build children’s early literacy and language skills, all while creating a lifelong love of reading. 

One final thing - I was excited to read that one of the author's favourite books to read with her own children is Strictly No Elephants.

I would like to be able to wholeheartedly recommend Raising an Active Reader. The author of this book makes some really good points and gives practical examples of active reading but sadly this book is not very accessible. It is printed with a small font and with very text dense pages. I found the format made it hard to read. If intended audience is parents, this book looks a little too much like an academic text.

Here is Samantha Cleaver's previous book which is part one of her discussion. In this first book the focus is children aged 2-5 while her second book, as discussed in this post, focuses on children from Grade 3 and up. 

If you were Night by Mượn Thị Văn illustrated by Kelly Pousette

This book could be used as an exemplar to demonstrate the very best of picture books. The text is lyrical and reads like a poem and the illustrations invite you to linger and explore.

Each page begins with the words "if you were the night." 

Here is my favourite:

"If you were the night 

and you saw a spider scuttle and pull,

would you sweep aside the trap?

Or would you roll up your sleeves

and stitch by starlight, too?"

I love those delicious words - stitch by starlight. As you can see in this example, the provides two propositions for each question. Kelly Pousette creates her illustrations with layers of cut and folded paper. This reminded me of the art Soyeon Kim. 

A marvel of a nighttime book that is perfect for bedtime or camping outside. Waking Brain Cells

Publisher blurb from Kids Can Press: A poetic and evocative exploration of the natural world at night illustrated in illuminating paper-cut dioramas. This dreamlike picture book asks the question: if you were night, what would you do? If you saw the moon tiptoe past your window, would you nestle under the covers? Or would you step outside to follow it? What if you felt a tail brush your ankle, would you freeze? Or skitter away? And if you saw an owl swoop from a branch, would you hide? Or join the hunt? All the while, the child pictured in the book chooses adventure, and thrillingly experiences a night like no other. From the award-winning and acclaimed author Mượn Thị Văn comes a lyrical and evocative exploration of the natural world at night. The poetic language of the text engages all the senses as it gently poses questions that pull readers' imaginations outdoors, where night creatures roam and everything seems different. Kelly Pousette's intricate paper-cut dioramas, intriguingly presented with shadows and darkness falling around them, are packed with charming details for children to investigate. This unique and thought-provoking book is sure to encourage observation and spark curiosity --- and many conversations. A wonderful read-aloud or bedtime story. 

Here is an interview with Kelly Pousette from Canada. You can see other books by Muron Thi Van and also books illustrated by Kelly Pousette:

School Library Journal review by Betsy Bird

I'm not (very) afraid of the Dark by Anna Milbourne illustrated by Daniel Rieley

What a discovery. There are holes on the front cover and tiny holes on the last page along with hundreds of holes all the way through this book. I really appreciate publishers who are willing to spend extra money on features like this. I am sure these extra details must had added to the cost but in a surprise twist I have discovered this beautiful hardcover book costs less than $20 here in Australia - this feels like some sort of miracle. Well done Usborne books!

"In the day, the Dark is small. It tucks itself under things, almost as if it's hiding. But as the sun goes down, the Dark stretches out. It gets bigger."

Even inside, with the lights on, there are still dark corners. Then after a story mum turns out the light and things get really creepy. Turning the light back on helps, though. It is obvious now that those monsters are not real but then, oh no, dad suggests a camping trip. It could be truly frightening but when our narrator turns off his own torch he sees the most spectacular night sky filled with bright stars.

"And so I wonder. Maybe the Dark isn't all that bad. It's just a big, velvety night-blanket wrapped around the world so it can go to sleep. And if the Dark never came, you'd never, ever see the stars."

I highly recommend this beautiful book for all school libraries and home collections so grab a torch and settle down with your young friend and read this book. As I said it is filled with hundreds of tiny holes and shining a light through the holes adds a perfect perspective to this story about the magic of the stars. See inside the book here.  You can see other books by Anna Milbourne (Usborne Books) here. 

Here are some books illustrated by Daniel Rieley:

Who Left the Light On? by Richard Marnier illustrated by Aude Maurel translated by Emma Ramadan

 

Every house looks the same. The same roof, the same front door, and the same daily routine until one night someone leaves their light on! Everyone is dismayed but then this odd ball neighbour moves away and things settle down again. Over time, though, the empty house begins to fall down. 

"The house, abandoned by all, starts to collapse. The roof starts to leak, the walls have huge cracks, and the dangling shutters are beginning to flap. The house gets so bad the town has it demolished."

One day the home owner returns. He has seen wonderful things on his journey so he sets about building a splendid new and very quirky house. The neighbours are not happy but then one of them decides to paint their shutters blue. And so the transformation of this neighbourhood begins. 

The final pages spread out over four pages and boy oh boy you and your young reading companion are in for a wonderful surprise.

Image Source: Restless Books

This translation from the French, told in simple rhyme, will inspire young architects to think outside the box. Kirkus

Here is a statement from the publisher web site - Yonder Books an imprint of Restless Books:

"Yonder is an imprint from Restless Books devoted to bringing the wealth of great stories from around the globe to English-reading children, middle graders, and young adults. Books from other countries, cultures, viewpoints, and storytelling traditions can open up a universe of possibility, and the wider our view, the more powerfully books enrich and expand us. In an increasingly complex, globalised world, stories are potent vehicles of empathy. We believe it is essential to teach our kids to place themselves in the shoes of others beyond their communities, and instil in them a lifelong curiosity about the world and their place in it. Through publishing a diverse array of transporting stories, Yonder nurtures the next generation of savvy global citizens and lifelong readers."

Take a look at the web pages of the French illustrator. This is a very special book but I am sad to see that here in Australia it costs over $40. Perhaps you will find this book in a well stocked library as I did.

Cog by Greg van Eekhout

Cog looks like a twelve year old boy but in fact he is a robot or a biomaton. He lives with Gina. She teaches Cog new things each day:

"I am programmed for cognitive development, and to learn by consuming information with my sensors, which are similar to human eyes, noses, ears, tongues and skin. I am capable of learning through reading, through smelling, through hearing, through tasting."

Things are going well for Cog until he is badly hurt in an accident with a truck. When Cog wakes up he finds himself in a science facility. It is there that Cog discovers the truth and this discovery is truly terrible for Cog, his sister ADA, his new friends and even more importantly it could mean the whole world is in danger. Nathan has plans for world domination and be warned he has plans to insert computer chips in human brains too.

I love the word placement in this book.  Take a look at these sentences

"Nathan smiles, but it is a very different kind of smile. It is a smaller kind that shows no teeth. I am unfamiliar with this kind of smile. It does not convey happiness or excitement or agreeability."

"The man strikes Proto with the hockey stick. Thwack. Proto clatters to the ground."

"So first we're going to gouge the X-module out of your brain."

I should mention the characters from the front cover are Cog, his sister ADA, and their new friends Trashbot and Proto the dog. The other important character is Car and he is heroic but also very funny.

Blurb from author site: Cog looks like a normal twelve-year-old boy. But his name is short for “cognitive development,” and he was built to learn. But after an accident leaves him damaged, Cog wakes up in an unknown lab—and Gina, the scientist who created and cared for him, is nowhere to be found. Surrounded by scientists who want to study him and remove his brain, Cog recruits four robot accomplices for a mission to find her. Cog, ADA, Proto, Trashbot, and Car’s journey will likely involve much cognitive development in the form of mistakes, but Cog is willing to risk everything to find his way back to Gina.

You may already know that I am drawn to books about robots. This is because they are often funny (there is a terrific supermarket scene in Cog) but these stories are often also dystopian and occasionally even political and always seem to be about the misuse of power. Cog contains all of this and more.

If you have a super curious, quirky kid of 9 or so who needs a book to read, offer this one. Then, if you are a smart, quirky grown-up, read it yourself. Charlotte's Library

The author nicely inverts gender roles, making Cog introspective and shy while his sister—a weapon android—is brasher and braver; watching the pair grow together as they explore humanity provides pathos and humor.  A thought-provoking tale for younger readers about hubris and what it means to be human. Kirkus

If the theme of world domination interests you try to find The Seven Professors of the Far North and The Girl who could Fly.  Here is Greg van Eekout's web site and here are some companion reads about robots:

Runaway Robot

Boot Book One (there are three in this series)

The Wild Robot (and sequel)

Troofriend

Tin

Monster and Boy by Hannah Barnaby illustrated by Anoosha Syed

"Once there was a monster who loved a boy."

As the story opens the boy has not met the monster, who lives under his bed and the monster has not been brave enough to venture out and meet the boy but when mother reads a bedtime story that states monsters are not real it is time for action.

When mother leaves the room the monster comes out from under the bed. The boy screams and the monster gets such a fright he swallows the boy. At this point the off stage narrator steps in (we call this breaking the fourth wall).

"This story is not quite what you were expecting, is it? When a story begins with the word Once, it seems like you know what you're getting into. .. If it makes you feel any better, I am also quite surprised by what just happened. In fact I have no idea what's going to happen next."

Eventually the boy does make it out of the monster's tummy (he is coughed out) but when the boy emerges he is now tiny so we have a new problem. How will the monster restore his new friend back to the right size? Everyone knows food makes things grow but our monster friend lives under the bed. He never ever ventures downstairs. But this is a crisis. When the pair of friends arrive at the kitchen they are in for another surprise. Is this a monster? No it is the the little sister. She is bossy, she is feisty and she is a skilled blackmailer. The little sister might also have and answer to this problem. 

In archly amusing fashion, the author breaks the fourth wall—this is marked by teal-colored page backgrounds—reassuring readers during potentially scary parts of the book, filling in background details, or collegiality including them in aspects of the storytelling. Kirkus Star review

Barnaby’s entertaining narration breaks the fourth wall—indicated by teal pages—encouraging readers to take an active part in the story, while Syed’s bubbly monochromatic illustrations with teal embellishments add whimsy to this amusing story about an unlikely friendship. Publisher's Weekly

There are three books so far in this series - here are the other two titles:

Hannah Barnaby has worked as a children’s book editor, a bookseller, and a teacher of writing for children and young adults. Hannah lives in Charlottesville, Virginia. Anoosha Syed is a Pakistani-Canadian illustrator based in Toronto. She has a passion for creating cute characters with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion.

The best book to read alongside Monster and Boy is Pog which is one of my all time most favourite books to read aloud.

Monster and Boy would be a fabulous class or home read aloud book. I love the discovery of a new book series. even better if the series is for newly independent readers. Even better still if the book contains an off stage narrator. My favourite book that uses this device is O'Diddy by Jocelyn Stevenson.

Monster and Boy has 130 pages with heaps of illustrations, white space and even blank pages which help the reader to keep turning the pages. The designer has used one colour splashed onto the black and white pages. It is a pale aqua blue. If you have read books like Mango and Bambang; Dixie O'Day; or Stick and Fetch then you will be familiar with this style.

Image source: Anoosha Syed

Pax Journey Home by Sara Penny Packer

Please begin by reading my post about the first book Pax.  Here is a quote from my post:

One of the most wonderful things about reading is when you know you are in the safe hands of a master storyteller especially when realise this right from the start of the story.  You know the characters might experience hardship, difficulties, pain and trauma but you also know the author will bring everyone safely home - not in a sentimental or trite way - but in a way that leaves you gasping at the sheer brilliance of their writing.

In the second instalment a year has passed. Pax is making a journey and so is Peter and it seems certain they will meet again. Peter has been deeply affected by the loss of his parents and the loss of his beautiful fox friend, Pax. His grief is utterly terrible and he is unable to share these feelings with anyone. He has decided it is best to never again become close to another - be they human or animal - because he needs to protect his heart from experiencing deep hurt.

He makes a plan to join the Water Warriors.  In this dystopian world the precious water ways have become contaminated. Peter tells Vola and his grandfather he will join this group but really this is just his excuse. He wants to return to the family home and his plan is to live there alone. He is now thirteen and he has well developed survival skills. 

Meanwhile Pax and Bristle have three cubs. His baby daughter is an inquisitive little creature. Pax knows he neesd to take is family to a safer place so he sets off with his daughter (she has followed him) to find a new place. I won't give too much away but remember the water is contaminated. There is a heart wrenching scene in this story when the little cub drinks from the river. I just held my breath for several chapters waiting to see the outcome. 

Watch this video where Colby Sharp talks about Pax Journey Home. 

This is a deftly nuanced look at the fragility and strength of the human heart. An impressive sequel. Kirkus star review

This tender story of love and reconciliation, and of families made and chosen, promises comfort after unfathomable hurt. Shelf Awareness

Everyone  of us knows the risk of loving and trusting.  Sometimes life hands you a lesson that you have to unlearn. A Book and a Hug

Huge thanks to Beachside Bookshop for my advance copy of Pax Journey Home. This book will be released on the 7th September this year. You should add a copy of this and the first instalment to your shopping list. You might like to buy the set (hardcover). Here is Sara's website.

Here is what Sara Pennypack said in an interview with Publisher's Weekly:

Pennypacker said that she received “a ton of letters” from readers wanting to know what happened after Peter and Pax are reunited in the novel’s closing pages. Calling the conclusion of Pax “a great ending,” Pennypacker said that she initially resisted writing a sequel because she wanted readers to feel “that the right thing happened” to Peter and Pax. “If your emotional investment was to get Peter and Pax back together again, you can imagine that. If it was to know that they both went on and became who they were supposed to be, I left room for that.”

The Oath of Bad Brown Bill by Stephen Axelsen

 

Tuesday Treasure

A few days ago I talked about previous winners of our Australian Children's Book of the Year awards. I mentioned The Oath of Bad Brown Bill (1978 CBCA Commended title 1979). I found my copy so I thought I might talk about this funny, scary, horror, bushranger story today. Sadly this book is long out of print but I am sure many Australian Primary school libraries will still have their copy.

Bad Brown Bill and his horse Mudpie travel around the country of Western NSW and Northern Victoria looking for people to rob. 

"Gruff and tough, rude and shrewd,

A scoundrel to the cor,

He plundered, stole, robbed and thieved

And still went out for more."

Bill is a bragger. He constantly boasts and one day Mudpie has had enough. Mudpie sets Bill a challenge to rob the ghostly dead?

Bill is affronted. He accepts the challenge and swears his oath:

"Pure and simple, straight and neat

I vow I'll rob the folk I meet.

Be they live or dead and dry

I swear I'll rob the folk I spy,

And if I ever break this oath

I'll eat my boot! I'll eat them both!"

Late the night Bad Brown Bill encounters a creature - a gibbous ghoul. The ghost invites Bill back to his lair. It is a cavern filled with vile creatures:

"Gross and gruesome monster ghosts

Loathsome and befouled,

Begrimed, beslimed and horrible,

They howled and scowled and growled."

The monstrous creatures plan to turn Bill and Mudpie into bushranger stew. It's all so terrifying that Bill eats his boots and they gallop away. Bill has had such a dreadful shock he changes his ways and invites others to hear his tale. 

"Yes, everyone who heard the tale

Turned grey and shook with dread

And swore they'd change their wicked ways

And settle down instead."

In the final illustration you can see some other famous bushrangers including Ned Kelly!

Our Grade Five students complete a history unit of study each year about the Australian Goldrush. In our library I liked to extend this to a study of the bushrangers who took advantage of the situation robbing stage coaches and gold prospectors. In NSW alone there were over 100 bushrangers. Famous names include Ned Kelly; Ben Hall; Captain Moonlite(Andrew Scott); Frank Gardiner; Captain Thunderbolt (Fredrick Ward); and Mad Dan Morgan.

The Oath of Bad Brown Bill is so much fun to read aloud. The vocabulary is rich but it does need some scaffolding prior to reading with words such as oath; shrewd; plundered; bailed up; bragged; and malodorous.

Here are some of the other bushranger picture books I have used for this topic:

If this topic of Australian Bushrangers interests you or your middle grade child take a look at this new book from Jackie French - Night Ride into Danger.