The Boy, the Troll and the Chalk by Annie Booth illustrated by David Litchfield

The title of this book sets up the plot. Yes, there is a boy. Yes, there is a box of chalk and you can see a boy drawing with the chalk on the front cover. Look closely and you will see the boy, who looks very calm, is sitting in front of a cave. But what of the Troll? Surely there is a danger here even though we cannot see this troll and yet the boy is sitting outside what might be the home of the troll. What do you know about trolls? Perhaps you have memory of that famous trickster tale of the Three Billy Goats. 

The blurb below contains a spoiler - but I am sure your class or young reading companion will be very surprised to discover the true identity of the 'troll'. The final pages of this book are such a celebration of community and happiness and coming together.

Bookseller blurb: Everybody knew that a big fierce troll lived in the cave. "Leave me alone!" it yelled. So everybody did. Only one child cannot turn their back on the troll at the edge of the playground. One day, he takes his chalks up to the mouth of the cave. He draws a flower with every petal coloured in but one, and leaves the chalk behind. The next day, the flower has been completed. Day-by-day, the boy and the troll finish each other's drawings, until they each draw a portrait, showing a boy holding hands with a fierce, scary troll. "But you're not a troll," says the boy. "You're a boy - just like me." Patience, kindness and the power of art win out in the end: the two boys wordlessly draw together. Soon all the other children gather to join in with the game. Everyone forgets that there was a troll inside the cave. Because outside the cave, there is so much to draw.

Companion book:

The Boy, the Troll and the Chalk is sure to appear on the Empathy Lab book list in 2025. The previous book by Anne Booth and David Litchfield is A shelter for Sadness - it is way more didactic than this newer book. Here is the Kirkus review. 

It is not really connected with the themes of this book but you might need to explore famous books about trolls with your library group:

You can see other versions of this story on my post. 

If you work in a library (school or public) I think it is essential to build up your field knowledge of authors and illustrators. I have been quite shocked lately when I meet staff in libraries or in children's literature related occupations who had not heard famous names I mentioned. At Seven Stories in Newcastle-on-Tyne the three young education staff members had no knowledge of the UK illustrator Brian Wildsmith. Yesterday I was at a library meeting in my local area and one of the experienced Teacher-Librarians who is an organiser for this group had not heard of Ann James or our special illustration and event space Dromkeen (Victoria). I am hopeful that if I had mentioned specific books illustrated by Ann James such as Little Humpty; Penny Pollard; I'm a dirty dinosaur; Lucy Goosey; and It's a Miroocool. 

When I saw the name David Litchfield on the cover of this book, I knew the illustrations would be splendid! I knew this because I am familiar with other books he has illustrated - I have 'field knowledge'. This comes from 40 years of working as a Teacher-Librarian, book judge and blogger, but more importantly it comes from READING tons of children's books - picture books, junior novels, middle grade books and non-fiction.

 My strongest advice if you are new in any library setting is to take books home every week or even every day so you begin to know your collection and build up your personal knowledge of authors and illustrators from Australia and more importantly from around the world. I talked about Brian Wildsmith at the library meeting yesterday - I wonder how many of the twenty participants were familiar with his gorgeous work.

The One and Only Family by Katherine Applegate

The 'voice' of Ivan as lingered with me for over 12 years since I first read The One and Only Ivan. I remember how shocked I was to discover that this story was based on a true story of a young gorilla captured in Africa, taken to America and eventually kept in a shopping mall as a curiosity.

By now Ivan has been living in a wildlife sanctuary although at the beginning of the book the only gorillas are Ivan and mate Kinyani. The other members of the troop will return but for now they have been moved while the gorilla enclosure is renovated. Kinyani seems to be putting on weight. Then their keepers give Kinyani and Ivan some toy dolls. Have you guessed - yes Ivan is about to become a dad. And if you have read the series you will know Ivan himself was a twin. Sadly his sister Tag died when the pair were first bought to the US but when this part of the story is mentioned in as a recap I was certain twins were on their way.

The aspect of this book that I truly appreciated is the way Katherine Applegate is able to, in just a few words, help the reader recall parts of the plot from the previous books. The School Library Journal reviewer agrees. 

Here are some text quotes to remind you of the way Katherine Applegate tells these stories:

"There was a time when I never dreamed I'd grow up to be a father. There was a time when I never dreamed I'd grow up to be a silverback. There was a time when I never dreamed I'd grow up at all. But the years passed and here I am. When time tells a story, surprises are the one thing you can count on."

"Though I was born in the wild, I've spent most of my life in the company of humans. The older I get the more I realise how much this has affected me. I am a gorilla, yes. But I am also something more. Or perhaps I am something less. ... But I spent almost three decades without seeing another gorilla. I lacked an instruction manual for how to be me."

"It's a baby. It's an infant gorilla. It's a son. It's my son. I let out a noise. I don't know quite what it is or what it means, but it feels like it's coming from somewhere deep inside me. ... I fall back on my rump. I stop breathing. Please, don't let me pass out. Kinyani nods, as if to say, surprise. There in the vet's arms is a second baby gorilla. A girl. Squirming and skinny and beautiful."

This newest book does not disappoint. I read the whole story in one sitting (254 pages). 

"A wonderful farewell tour for these endearing characters and the themes that they have come to embody so well: adversity, resilience, and hope." — Horn Book Magazine

This is a satisfying send off, and readers will want to reread the whole series to share the laughs and the tears surrounding this memorable band of buddies one more time. A must-read celebration of family, natural and found.  Booklist

The One and Only Family is the fourth and final book in the series that began with The One and Only Ivan winner of the Newbery Medal. The One and Only Ivan (2012); The One and Only Bob (2020); The One and Only Ruby (2023); The One and Only Family (2024). I do have to say I really prefer the original US covers.

The One and Only Ivan

When I wrote about this book I said: Books should make us feel things. Being sad is a real emotion and not one we should shy away from or avoid.  Ivan is a hero in the true sense of the word. 

He has wise words to share. At times this book feels like a verse novel.

Ivan

The One and Only Bob

The One and Only Ruby

Three Strike Summer by Skyler Schrempp

"First the rain stopped falling. Then the wheat stopped growing. Then the dust storms started coming. Then the tractor stopped working, and the jars in the cellar started dwindling, and Pa stopped joking and joshing like the words dried right up in his mouth."

Times are so hard. The have to leave the farm. This is the place where the young child Little Si is buried. Gloria is in such a rage. Everything is so unfair. She picks up a rock and hurls into the window of the bank manager's car!

"Gloria. Mae. Willard. ... I ain't ever been as mad with one of kids as I was today. Never. But I never raised a hand to you, and I'm not about to start. ... I raised you better than to be smashing things up and cussing at your sister and paying no mind whatsoever to your ma, so you knock it right off, hear?"

Gloria is the wild child of the family. She is not afraid to speak up especially about an injustice. One of the biggest of these in her life is that the boys will not take her seriously when she says she wants to play baseball. Gloria knows she is a fine pitcher but those boys won't even give her a chance. 

"She'd been sneaking off whenever they practiced and hanging around the baseball diamond, waiting and hoping they'd give me a chance."

And now they have to leave their farm and Gloria will have to find a new team and start all over again to try to convince these new kids that she sure is a real fine player. What will happen on this new farm in California? The family, and all farm workers, are treated so badly by the farm manager. Picking peaches is hard, hard work. And there are so many rules. Things were bad before but now they seem way worse. At every turn the family debits are rising. But for Gloria there is one glimpse of happiness - she manages to talk her way in the boy's gang and their baseball team and there is a big game lined up with kids on the next farm. Surely, with Gloria on their team, her gang will win. And somehow this will also make things fairer for her folks and for the other workers. All of this will mean breaking the rules and keeping secrets from the adults but Gloria is so determined to win and also to expose the corruption she has witnessed among the farm bosses. 

"When you don't fight for what you deserve, the world just digs its heel into you little bit more. If you don't speak up for yourself, probably no one else will ... "

Three Strike Summer is a punchy, inspiring historical middle grade book about family, baseball, and life on farms during the Great Depression. Featuring a spunky female protagonist who won’t take no for an answer, this book explores a wide range of themes from gender inequality to poor worker compensation and dealing with death and grief. Reading Middle Grade

This is one of those books that I just 'gobbled up'. I read it as an ebook during my recent trip. I love the way Skyler Schrempp describes the door knocking pattern - "a shave and a haircut, two bits". This book will also give readers a wonderful insight into life during the Great Depression and the beginnings of workers unions, worker saftey and workers rights. Listen to an audio sample read by the author. Here is the web page for Skyler Schrempp. 

I cheered when I read the review by Betsy Bird:

Three Strike Summer? The pun in the name is the name of the game. This here’s a baseball book, loud and proud. You’re fairly sure of the fact when, in Chapter One, Glo uses her golden pitching arm to nail a rock through that car window of the bank man repossessing their house. ... I don’t know it for a fact, but suspect a person wholly unaware of the rules of the game would still get swept up in Schrempp’s storytelling. ... For me, one of the best parts of the book was an almost off-handed comment from Glo’s ma late in the story. At the beginning of the book Glo is furious and baffled by her mother’s willingness to just pick up and leave the family farm without so much as a blink. When at last Glo is able to ask her about it, almost at the end of the book, her ma says honestly, “Aw, Gloria… You couldn’t have paid me a million dollars to keep on living in a house that my baby died in.” Glo’s little brother died, probably because of the Dust Bowl, in that home. It’s so simple and so human and so understandable. Plus, I love children’s books where kids get this sudden clarifying instant where they can see everything adults have to go through and try to hide.

Narrated by Gloria in a conversational tone that brings the setting to life, readers feel her grief, outrage, and gritty determination. Descriptions of the Dust Bowl years and hardscrabble life in the camps are searing, and Gloria matures as she learns about others’ struggles. While she organizes a ballgame, Pa organizes the peach orchard workers to strike for better conditions only to be betrayed. Pa is in danger of being clobbered by police until Gloria and her teammates intervene, illustrating the importance of hope, honor, and team spirit in combating hardship. An informative author’s note explains the historical context, including the reasons behind the all-White communities Gloria inhabits. Kirkus Star review

Here are some text quotes to give you a flavour of this writing:

"I knew that bank man was coming. I knew what he was there for. And I knew what would happen when he was done with us."

"He had taken the bank man outside so we didn't have to hear him beg."

"I wanted to belong somewhere, even if it wasn't Oklahoma. I wanted to be someone people listened to, even if I was loud sometimes and maybe said the wrong thing once in a while. ... And I wanted to play ball for real, not just by myself, knocking old apples out of a tree with a creek tone, or watching everyone else play. I wanted to be on a team."

"I missed her biscuits. I missed her breads. I missed her green beans ... I missed smoky bacon and golden, runny egg yolks. I missed her blackberry jams, dark and sweet enough to keep a smile on your face all night. And fritters fried."

"Anyone congregating in groups at any time of day will be personally escorted off the property. We employ good, decent folks here, not lazy sons of guns, not rabble-rousers, not Reds."

"Meanness is funny like that. The bigger you get the smaller, they have to make you feel."

"I just wat there trying not to see Davey falling again and again. Kicking myself for telling him to go up that ladder in the first place. Downright dumb. Downright selfish."

Companion books:

Read more here

Someplace to call Home

Echo Mountain

Please stop this!

 

All of these publishers produce fantastic books. 

I own lots of them and have talked about so many here on this blog 

BUT

My question is: How can we persuade them to stop the barrage of 

celebrity titles for our children?

I do feel somewhat qualified to enter this debate/discussion about the proliferation of books written by celebrities because every week I read a big pile of picture books and novels for middle grade readers. I call this field knowledge. I also follow authors and read about their struggles to get their work which they have spent months or years writing, published. The issue of celebrity books is not new or recent but lately it seems to have become quite out of control.

With all the justified controversy over the second children's book by chef Jamie Oliver, I took at closer look at the recent books that have been added to the hospital library where I work as a volunteer. You can see a photo of some of the celebrity authors at the bottom of this post - I have not put their book covers (I absolutely do not want to promote their books) and I have not put their names, but I imagine many of these faces will look familiar. 

This is my second post about this topic - the first was entitled 'Fairy Floss Books'.

My focus here is WHY are these books published. Authors (and illustrators) do not receive very much money for their books and even less when books are sold in chain stores like BigW or Target so I don't imagine celebrities do this 'for the money'. Most are surely already millionaires AND of course they don't do this for the 'fame'? They are already, well, famous. SO, can we lay some of the blame for the writing, commissioning, publishing and promotion at the door of the publisher? Yes, I think we can. And none of this is about the children. These BIG names are mostly intended to lure in the adults who buy books for children - parents, grandparents, other relatives and possibly (but I sincerely hope not) librarians and Teacher-Librarians. 

If a celebrity writes a book for children about their actual field of interest or expertise - a chef writes a cookery book or someone like Costa Georgiadis writes (he has done this) a gardening book aimed at young gardeners, I think that is okay. But I do not want to read a book about a lost glacier by a television personality or a book about a small puppy that saves the day written by a football player. And often these books are written in rhyme (badly) - this is the most complex form to get right. Our children should be given the best books not, as I said in my previous post, fairy floss books, which are all hype and no substance.

If you can find a copy or you subscribe to the Sun Herald or The Age (Melbourne), find the issue from November 17, 2024. I really appreciate the way the author of "Hey, celebrities, leave those kids alone" Thomas Mitchell is not afraid to name names such as Tom Trbojevic (footballer) and Tony Armstrong (media personality). 

"Writing for children is an art form, one that required discipline, creativity and skill, qualities honed through years of practice and crippling rejection."

"Unfortunately, the industry's fragility means the lure of a big name always intoxicates publishers. Attach a famous face, and publicity takes care of itself, providing a shortcut to morning show TV appearances ..."

"Ultimately, the most cynical part about this business is that it is not designed with children in mind."

I agree wholeheartedly. In my view the blame for this lies in the two camps - the celebrity themselves and sorry to say this, but also the publisher. 

I have collected a series of quotes that echo my dismay. 

Celebrities need to stop writing children’s books: they’re woefully underqualified. The Guardian

The celebrity children’s book trend is out of control ... Which has naturally frustrated non-famous authors who rely on their talent, rather than their name to sell books, particularly as trying to eke out a living as a writer is increasingly difficult.

Are celebrities ruining children's books? The week.com

"In many ways, children's books are the most important section of literature," said Philip Womack for The Spectator World. Studies have shown time and again that reading at a young age has an array of benefits from expanding vocabularies to improving cognitive skills; well-written children's books "lay down the groundwork for a happy, successful adulthood". But celebrities' efforts tend to be "formulaic" and "composed in haste".

Why Do So Many Celebs Write Children’s Books? The Cut

Why do so many celebrities write children’s books? It can’t be that they think to themselves, Gee, I’d like to write a book, and kids’ books seem short, simple, and easy. I’ll crank one out before dinnertime! The answer must be that since they have already attained global success in the realms of singing or acting or morning-show hosting or playing professional sports, they now feel ready to take on the biggest challenge known to mankind. Because writing a great children’s book is really, really hard ...

The frustrating rise of celebrities ‘writing’ children’s books. The Spectator

Remember: when you give a child a book by a celebrity, you are feeding their minds with advertising. When you buy a book by a celebrity, a children’s author, somewhere in the world, is forced to work as a seasonal turkey wrangler. Buy a book by a celebrity, and a fairy dies. ... In many ways, children’s books are the most important section of literature. Good children’s books lay down the groundwork for a happy, successful adulthood. Time and time again, studies show that children who read widely fare better, intellectually and socially, than those that don’t. ... There is a solution, and it’s not even that radical. Could the vast pools of money currently sustaining celebrity children’s books be funneled, instead, into decent advances for midlist authors and debut writers? Investment could go into supporting as wide and rich a range of voices as possible, so that people from across the social spectrum can have the opportunity to become serious, committed and innovative children’s authors.

Who are these men? 

Yes, they have all written a picture book (or two or three ...)

Bowerbird Brood by Aura Parker

In the first book - Bowerbird Blues - the pair of bowerbirds find each other. Time has now moved on and there are three eggs in the nest and the female is charged with all the work - keeping the eggs safe and warm over the long days and nights until they hatch. Then when the three little chicks arrive we watch them grow and change all expressed in the most delightful language.

"When the wind blows, my wings are walls, sheltering, keeping. Cuddling, caring. Softly, slowly stroking, gently with my feathers. Whispering, over and over, little ones you are safe and warm and loved."

Special mention with this book goes to the magnificent end papers and the soft colour palette used throughout the book. This is such a visually appealing book with illustrations to linger over and revisit. 

Before or even after reading Bowerbird Brood with your library group, class or young reading companion it would be good to look at some photographs of male and female bowerbirds. As with many bird species - the female bowerbird has very different plumage to her male companion. I also recommend you dip into my previous post about bowerbirds. 

The female bowerbird has sole responsibility for raising the chicks. The female builds a shallow cup-shaped nest from sticks and twigs, in a bush or tree. She lays 1-3 eggs of pale brown with darker markings, which she will incubate for about 3 weeks. The chicks leave the nest when they are 17-21 days old and are dependent for food on their mother for several more weeks.

Here is a description of the art process in Bowerbird Brood by Aura Parker:

The illustrations created for this book are a mixture of digital and traditional watercolour, with some elements painted by hand on smooth watercolour paper and others with a Photoshop brush. 

You can see inside this book here. 

This is the companion volume to Bowerbird Blues.

Orris and Timble: The Beginning by Kate DiCamillo illustrated by Carmen Mok

Orris is an enterprising rat. He has made himself a cosy nest in a hole in a wall of an old barn. He has one comfortable slipper which he uses as a bed. The walls are covered with paper from old books and he has a yellow marble and a sardine can. 

On the label there is a picture of a king, and it seems as though he is looking straight into the eyes of Orris.

Orris hears the cries of a young owl who has become trapped in a rat trap in the barn. What should Orris do? Owls, even young ones like Timble, eat rats like Orris but then again, the king on his sardine tin keeps saying:

"Make the good and noble choice"

Can a small rat set an owl free? What might happen next? How does the telling of stories help these two find a way to solve their dilemma?

The last page of this book made my heart sing!

Oh, and find some butterscotch sweets to enjoy after you close the cover on this truly special book about friendship, kindness and courage. 

A simple tale about looking beneath surfaces that’s as sweet as butterscotch candy. Kirkus Star review

On Instagram Carmen Mok wrote about Orris and Timble and she said the highlights of reading this book in her family are:

• The charming and relatable character Orris the rat has a curmudgeonly exterior but a good heart.
• The lesson about choosing kindness, even when it’s hard or potentially dangerous.
• Beautiful watercolor illustrations by Carmen Mok bring the characters and setting to life.
• The book subtly highlights the power of storytelling in forming friendships.
• DiCamillo’s trademark ability to create heartwarming stories filled with real emotion makes it a perfect read for children and adults alike.

I would add to this list the delightful names of the two characters, 

You probably already know I am a huge fan of ALL books by Kate DiCamillo. I have read her two new books just this week. Along with loving her work I am also always on the hunt for books like Orris and Timble - junior or easy chapter books, with illustrations, short chapters and most importantly of all - a very satisfying story. Orris and Timble ticks all these boxes and it should be added to your library NOW so it can sit alongside these books about other unlikely friends. I do recommend shopping around for a good price here in Australia. I have seen this book listed between AUS$20 and AUS$35.  

Check out my posts with the label 'Unlikely Friends'

Here is the website for the illustrator Carmen Mok. You can see inside Orris and Timble here. Watch a five minute video with Kate DiCamillo and Carmen Mok.

Blurb from Candlewick: Orris the rat lives alone in an old barn surrounded by his treasures, until the day his solitude is disrupted by a sudden flutter of wings and a loud screech. A small owl has gotten caught in a trap in the barn. Can Orris “make the good and noble choice” (as the king on his prized sardine can might recommend) and rescue the owl, despite the fact that owls and rats are natural enemies? And if he does, will he be ready for the consequences?

On each page of this book Carmen Mok adds a hand drawn frame with some delicate flowers beside the page number. It is a tiny detail, but it added to my delight over the design of this book. Here are some other books illustrated by Canadian illustrator Carmen Mok:

The second book from this series will be published in May 2025.

We sell a brand of sardines here in Australia which also features a king. This image could be a way to introduce this book to your library group.

After reading Orris and Timble try to find a copy of The Lion and the Mouse - either a picture book edition or from an Aesop anthology.

You can see inside this book here

Also take a look at the website of books by Brian Wildsmith

I also need to mention a long out of print book which features a rat (a little like Orris). I hope this book can be found in your local or school library - it is a perfect one for readers aged 8+. 

Walter

My friend from Kinderbookswitheverything has a Pinterest collection of stories that feature rats. 

Brian Wildsmith Oxford reader series

See some pages inside this book here

Read more here

Beginning in the 1980s Brian Wildsmith created eighteen slim 16 page 'readers' for Oxford. The artwork is amazing. How lucky were the children who had these in their library or classroom. Each one ends with a surprise. The series began with The Cat on the Mat. I did have a copy of this one in my former school library but I had not seen other books from this series until I visited the Brian Wildsmith exhibition in Barnsey this year. And then luckily for me the library I visit each week had a few of the titles in their collection. Sadly these are all now out of print but I did find used copies for around AUS$20 each.

Image source: Brian Wildsmith books - click on the images on this webpage to see inside each book.

I took some photos from the books I borrowed this week and also one at the exhibition.

Here is the text from 'If I were you':

I went to the zoo, and I thought ...

If I were an eagle, I would fly to the moon.

If I were a walrus, I would swim to the bottom of the sea.

If I were a monkey, I would climb the highest tree.

If I were an elephant, I would lift a tractor high into the air.

If I were a cheetah, I would win every race.

But if you were me ... you would be free.

This shows you the structure of these stories with a predictable text pattern and then a final twist. Look at all the words a child encountered in this book and they also had a chance to try out the way commas work because each sentence was spread across two pages.

The Trunk is a wordless book and If Only, contains just two words - but there is so much to discover in the illustrations. 

Here is an interview with Brian Wildsmith's children 9Simon, Clare and Rebecca) about his art techniques. 

His work is more suggestive, visually strong, but honouring a child’s natural ability to understand the essence of quite complex paintings in a way that adults often fail to do. He once said, ’I paint what I see with my eyes and feel with my heart.’ From the tiniest of little insects feasting on flowers, to the mightiest of mammals, his art is filled with the joy of all that is best about our world – a world that is rapidly changing but with children that are fundamentally the same as they ever were.