The Teeny-Weeny Unicorn by Shawn Harris

Begin with this post by my friend from Kinderbookswitheverything - I confess I was one of her library customers who asked about this book not knowing it cost almost AUS$40 - which is way too high for any school library to consider.

In this video Colby Sharp talks enthusiastically about this book.

I think The Teeny-Weeny Unicorn could be fun to read aloud mainly because the words 'teeny-weeny' are such fun to say. This book does have a 'message' but the funny parts of the story and the soft-focus illustrations along with the delicious twist at the end mean the moral "we are all just the right size" does not feel too heavy handed. There is also a satisfying structure to the story when the galloping, cantering, trotting and walking page is repeated.

Teeny-Weeny is bullied by his huge siblings. I love their names and wonder in a different context if they themselves might be subject to some bullying! - Fancy Annie and Prince Butterscotch. They use him as a piece in their giant chess game and tease him about being too small to swim in the castle moat. The mother and father unicorns never intervene and so finally Teeny-Weeny runs away! He accidentally steps onto, and crushes, a car belonging to a gnome. She is not happy. Note the gnome is a girl or a lady! And suddenly Teeny-Weeny is BIG. 

"Oh,' said the teeny-weeny unicorn. 'I'm sorry.'
'Sorry doesn't feed the bullfrog,' she said, trying to catch her breath."

The gnome demands $250,000 as payment for her broken vehicle. Luckily the Unicorns live in a castle filled with gold left by the previous owner. (You could talk to your class about this reference - hint I am thinking of dragons).

I won't want to spoil the final twist, but I will say the gnome now needs transport for all this treasure and you will remember two very large unicorns live in the castle!

One more thing - the preamble to this story really sets up the fun:

"Once upon a time, in a land where horses were mythical beasts, found only in the pages of books for children, it was common to see a unicorn. But not one this size."

At last! A unicorn book as charming as the species it highlights. Kirkus Star review Facial expressions and visual gags complement the text perfectly, all thanks to Harris’ particular skill with chalk pastel.

The book’s ultimate thesis is made clear by the droll narrator’s conclusion - “We are all teenyweeny. We are all giant,”—and the relativity of both size and wealth is driven home with a particularly hilarious close-up of the gnome, sporting some cool shades and lounging among coins and dollar bills. Harris’ chalk art is smudgy and vibrant, playing, quite appropriately, with size and perspective as the teeny-weeny unicorn explores his world. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Shawn Harris (click this link to see inside The Teeny-Weeny Unicorn and here is a video of Shawn) is an award-winning creator of books for kids. His authorial debut, Have You Ever Seen A Flower, was called a “stunning tour de force…” by The New York Times, and was the recipient of a Caldecott Honor. The National Museum of Wildlife Art awarded Shawn’s cut-paper art in A Polar Bear in the Snow (by Mac Barnett) the Bull-Bransom Award for excellence in the field of children’s book illustration with a focus on nature and wildlife. Harris has illustrated a number of other books, including Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers, and Everyone’s Awake by Colin Meloy. He also illustrated The eyes and the Impossible. 

The size and perception issue in this book reminded me of this wonderful older book which sadly is long out of print.

Starfish by Lisa Fipps

 

"The secret to surviving childhood

so far has been knowing when 

to keep my mouth shut.

But I am not a child anymore.

I have feelings.

I have thoughts.

I have the right to express them both."

I have no idea how to talk about this book because it has affected me so deeply so I am just going to share the blurb and some review comments and then say every high school library and public library should have this book - if you have a book shopping list add this title to the top of your list now. As Colby Sharp says (see link below) this is a book for teacher, teacher-librarians, gate keepers and all sorts of readers - bullies, kids with weight issues, and every other kid too. 

'It seems like these rules

would make you think about

and hate your body

every minute of every day.'

'That's what society wants.'

'What about what you want, Ellie?' ...

'I want people to accept me,

just as I am.'

Blurb: Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she's been bullied about her weight. To cope, she tries to live by the Fat Girl Rules like "no making waves," "avoid eating in public," and "don't move so fast that your body jiggles." And she's found her safe space her swimming pool where she feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world. In the water, she can stretch herself out like a starfish and take up all the room she wants. It's also where she can get away from her pushy mom, who thinks criticizing Ellie's weight will motivate her to diet. Fortunately, Ellie has allies in her dad, her therapist, and her new neighbor, Catalina, who loves Ellie for who she is. With this support buoying her, Ellie might finally be able to cast aside the Fat Girl Rules and starfish in real life by unapologetically being her own fabulous self.

Here is Colby Sharp talking about Starfish. "This is a book you NEED to read!" "You need to experience this story."

This is absolutely on point when it comes to modern feelings about body image in young girls, and shows Ellie's struggles in a way I haven't seen very often in middle grade books. This is not a book about a girl struggling to lose weight (as books in the past would have been), but a book about a girl struggling to come to terms with her body and the people around her who constantly harass her. Ms Yingling

The text places readers in Ellie’s shoes, showing how she is attacked in many spaces—including by strangers on public transit—while clearly asserting that it’s other people who need to change. ... Make room in your heart for this cathartic novel. Kirkus Star review

I have had this book on my "to buy or borrow" list since reviewers first talked about it back in 2021. Every word of praise for this book is true - this is an engrossing, heart-breaking story of courage. I loved every word of this honest and emotional verse novel.

Awards - a selection:

• 2022 Association for Library Service to Children Notable Children’s Book
• 2022 International Literacy Association Notable Books for a Global Society Award Winner
• 2022 National Council of Teachers of English
• Charlotte Huck Award Honor Book
• 2022 NCTE/Children’s Literature Assembly
• 2021 Internationale Jugendbibliothek  White Raven

Starfish is available in English, Turkish, Korean, Spanish, Chinese and large print.

I would pair this book with;

Out of my Mind

Bev and Kev by Katrina Germein illustrated by Mandy Foot

Where does Bev fit? She is SO tall. The other animals say cruel things to her, mocking her for her height, belittling her for being different. Bev is desperately lonely and very sad. She heads off into the desert. Finally, after days of walking and extreme thirst and hunger Bev collapses in the desert. But she is not alone. A little bird arrives. 

You may already know that yellow-billed oxpeckers hang out on massive African mammals like giraffe, water buffalo, and eland during the day—an often-beneficial relationship that provides hosts with cleaner, healthier skin. These small brown birds can often be seen perched on top or hanging off the animals, picking through their hair in search of tasty parasites like ticks.

Book design - the end papers in Bev and Kev are perfect - they look like the markings on a giraffe. At the front there are simple (child-like) pictures of giraffes on each 'spot' and then at the back we can see nine other African animals - okapi, colobus monkey, secretary bird, and red river hog. The final pages of this book fold out in a joyous celebration of new friends. But the best part of this book are the illustrations.  Take a look at these close-ups of Bev's face. Mandy Foot captures every emotional nuance so perfectly.

Bev and Kev was a 2023 Children's Book Council of Australia Early Childhood shortlisted title. Here are the judges comments:

Themes of friendship, acceptance and finding one’s place and tribe are explored as Bev the giraffe moves through the African landscape, experiencing social rejection from animals that cannot relate to her due to her size. Using the theme ‘opposites attract’, readers may empathise with Bev's loneliness and her joy at finding a non-judgmental companion. Interesting synonyms for ‘big’ provide rich language, while important messages are imparted, such as body image, the comfort found in companionship and how our words may affect others. The pencil and watercolour illustrations shift in perspectives, emphasising Bev’s great height and perfectly matching her mood as seen in the bird’s eye view of her solitary walk. The southern African setting is clearly defined in these outstanding watercolour and pencil illustrations which are placed onto digitally rendered backgrounds, capturing the mood of the story to perfection. Illustrations and text harmonise well, and the spectacularly eye-catching final fold-out page creates a lovely resolution, told wordlessly.

I am sure Bev and Kev has been shared in every school library in Australia this year, but my plea is to keep it at the top of your list when you are selecting books to read in your school library again next year and beyond. I often ponder which books from awards such as our CBCA book of the year titles continue to be shared by Teacher-Librarians and even class teachers. It surprises me, when I look back at the CBCA short lists from past years, how few books featured in my program in later years, but I do think Bev and Kev should be added to your library read aloud repertoire. 

Here are all the books from the 2023 CBCA Short list - Bev and Kev was my own personal favourite after Jigsaw. I have also talked on this blog about Market Day. 

The way Bev and Kev combines actual animals (in this case African animals) with things that are true in nature reminded me of these two classic animal stories both of which are a joy to read aloud.

Puffling

Little Humpty

Blue Flower by Sonya Hartnett illustrated by Gabriel Evans

 

"I wake up in the morning and I don't want to go to school. Other kids like school, or at least don't mind it. But I never want to go to school. At school you're supposed to have lots of friends, 

but I'm shy about making friends."

The only part of the school day she enjoys is her art class once a week. Her honesty is heartbreaking but it so so good that she talks to her mum:

"I can't run fast or make people laugh.'

"Why do you need to run fast?" mum asked.

'Other kids can,' I said.

'Why do you want to make people laugh?'

'Everyone likes laughing,' I said.   ... Mum was making our favourite macaroni and cheese she said

'Being different isn't easy until you decide it's a good thing to be."

Publisher blurb: A young child describes her qualms about going to school and how hard she finds asking the teacher for help, how she feels shy about making friends, not being funny or a fast runner. But through her love of art, a conversation with her mother and her observations about nature she comes to see that being different might not be a bad thing after all.

Blue Flower was published in 2021 but because it was entered for the CBCA Picture Book of the Year I haven't been able to talk about this book until now.  Book Week and the announcement of the CBCA Award winners for 2022 happened last month. As a CBCA judge I had to wait to share these books until the judging was completed. 

This book explores themes of shyness, confidence, optimism, and difference. The line “at lunch I sit where mum would see me if she drove by in the car” is such a small idea but also a powerful one that I think may resonate with some children. 

There will be a lot to discuss after reading this book. The title is sure to make readers curious to know more. Blue is a rare and different colour for flowers just as the little girl is different. This book is filled with such genuine emotions. The way she shares her innermost thoughts has so much honesty and bravery. 

One thing I noticed, reading this book aloud, is the perfect pacing and positioning of the page turns. It was good to see the restrained involvement of the mother. Mum offers wise advice but then leaves the little girl to think through her words and then make her own conclusions. The portrayal of a single parent family is also not given an unnecessary focus. It is just explained in a very natural and ‘matter of fact’ way. I also like the soft colour palette used by the illustrator. 

Here is a video where Sonya Hartnett and Gabriel Evans talk about their book. Sonya explains her personal connection with this story.  Here are some teaching notes from the publisher Penguin.

Here in Australia, by now, most children in Primary schools are sure to have seen this book but I know people from other places in the world read my blog so I do hope you can find Blue Flower in your local library, school or book store. If you can that means this book has travelled beyond our shores - and yes this is a book that should have an international audience. 

This week I have been watching an ABC television program Old People's Home for Teenagers. There are two girls featured in this program who are so similar to the little girl in Blue Flower. I was a little like her too. This post is dedicated to Dora and Anna. 

Here are the judges comments about Blue Flower:

A beautiful book exploring important themes of disliking school, self-love and being proud to be different. The book is filled with genuine emotion and has a strong central character revealed through convincing inner dialogue. Perfect pace and positioning of page turns make this an excellent read aloud. The illustrations offer delicate and nuanced explorations of character and setting; the colour palette is restrained, and colours are used in a symbolic way. This character and situation will resonate with many young readers and the overall message is inspiring. A thought-provoking book which will generate lots of discussions with children.

So, let’s celebrate the things that makes us different and not hide our talents and gifts under doonas and behind closed doors, let’s allow all of our differences to make life more wonderful and a little easier for those of us who struggle with it. Diane's Picture Book Favourites

The story of the Blue Flower is about finding who you are and accepting who you are. Gabriel Evans.

Standing apart from the crowd can be lonely, and fill a child with self-doubt. I wanted to write a story that spoke to these children – the loners, the shy ones, the awkward, the meek –and recognise the bravery with which they face each day. Sonya Hartnett

Gabriel Evans’ emotionally charged illustrations that capture the complex inner life of a child learning to celebrate everything that makes her unique. The Sydney Morning Herald

In a previous post I talked about companion reads for each of the Picture Book short listed titles. 

Oddbird by Derek Desierto

Oddbird arrives at the water hole. None of the other fancy birds have entered the water even though it is a very, very hot day. They are way too concerned about their appearance. The water might ruin their fabulous feathers. 

But Oddbird is different. He is grey. His feathers are dull. He is hot after his long flight. He dips his toes into the cool pool and immediately all the other birds begin to verbally attack him. Oddbird bursts into tears and flies away.

In the surrounding jungle, Oddbird notices all the colour in nature. He picks up various colourful pieces and transforms himself into a fabulous bird. His little swimming suit is especially cute. Back at the pool none of the other birds recognise him - well not until he climbs up the tall ladder and dives into the pool. All of his colourful accessories fall off and of course now the other birds can see the fancy bird, they had admired just minutes ago, is just Oddbird. If you read this book to a group of older students I would stop at this point and try to predict what could happen next.

Make sure you spread out the covers so your class or library group of young reading companion can enjoy the full spread. The vibrant birds, each with their distinct personality, is a fabulous image. You can see the whole spread at the top of this post. 

The obvious companion read to go with Oddbird would be Scary Bird although I do think Scary Bird has a deeper message.

Here is the trailer for Oddbird. Here is an interview with The School Library Journal where derek talks about Oddbird. Take a look at this interview with Let's Talk Picture Books.  This is the first picture book Canadian animator Derek Desierto has made where he is both the author and illustrator. His previous book was:

You might also like to compare this book with:

Elmer

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.

A Mystery in the Forest by Susanna Isern illustrated by Daniel Montero Galán translated by Jon Brokenbrow

Deer follows his daily routine. He crosses the river and goes to an isolated part of the forest to collect seasonal produce - oranges, pears and apples in Winter; strawberries, cherries and apricots in Spring; blueberries, raspberries, plums and figs in Summer; and grapes, chestnuts, walnuts and hazelnuts in Autumn. Deer loves to cook and his neighbours enjoy the delicious smells wafting from his kitchen. 

When his cooking is complete, Deer shares his treats at a huge outdoor table with all of his forest friends.

"They share a snack, laugh, and chat until the sun sets, and the first crickets begin to chirp."

At this point you could stop reading this story and ask the question what will happen now? How will Susanna Isern make her story interesting? Can you think of a complication?

Someone has been watching Deer. When he reaches the forest on an Autumn morning he finds a scene of destruction and back at home it is clear he has been robbed - his secret recipe book is missing. Who is the thief? Why has this happened? And most importantly how should or will Deer react when he finds the culprit?

This lovely book about forgiveness shows that friendship can form even in the most unlikely situations. Kirkus star review

Susanna Isern is a writer, psychologist and mother of three. She is the author of over 60 children's books, which are available all over the world and have been translated into over a dozen languages. Susanna lives in Santander, Spain. Susanna Isern is a psychologist BUT even though this book has a "message" or moral it is done with such a light touch there is no sense that she was writing with an agenda or that she wanted to teach her young readers "a lesson". Take a look at this post about another of Susanna's books - The big book of Superpowers. You can see art by Spanish illustrator Daniel Montero Galan here. 

I would use Shelter by Celine Claire illustrated by Qin Leng as a companion read with A Mystery in the Forest.

A Mystery in the Forest (Spanish title Un misterio en el bosque) is the second book by Susanna Isern and Daniel Montero Galán in the series Whispers in the Forest. I am very keen to read the first:

Here are some other books by Susanna which I have added to my own "to read" list:

Beautiful by Stacy McAnulty illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

I like to think about the processes between the words of an author and the creativity of an illustrator.  The words in this book say one thing and the pictures show something quite different - making this a powerful story about image, stereotypes, perception, individuality and girl power.

Here is some of the text:

Beautiful girls ...
... have the perfect look.
Beautiful girls move gracefully,
And light up every room.
Beautiful girls know all about makeup,
And have a smart style.

Let's look at this last line.  On this page you will see one girl exploring nature. She has dirt on her face and knees and is keenly observing and recording bugs. Another girl is working on an engineering project. She is welding a circuit board. The final pair of girls are surrounded by test tubes and chemicals. Yes, they are all very smart!

Here are some other books illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff. Stacy McAnulty explains the importance of her book and provides links for further discussion.

With a text that sounds like it could have been directly lifted from a charm school handbook, McAnulty and Lew-Vriethoff upend the norm. Each phrase is paired with illustrations that show an alternative meaning.  Kirkus

The Blue Songbird by Vern Kousky

"Once there lived a blue songbird. 
every morning she would wake up, hop to the edge of a high branch, and listen to her sisters' lovely songs. 
The songbird always tried to join in with them, but she could never sing like they could sing."

The blue songbird is not mute. Her song is not yet formed. Her wise mother suggests the songbird needs to find her own special song - "that only you can sing."

Songbird sets off, leaving her home and traveling great distances. She asks every bird she meets how she can find her own special song. The Crane sends her to the wisest bird who lives beyond the mountains.

Image Source: Brainpickings.

Songbird finds the wise bird - the Owl - but his only answer is 'whoooo'.  She flies on asking other birds, the pigeons and penguins, until finally she meets Mr Scary Bird - the Crow. He tells her to keep flying east to a small island.

"She flew through 
storm and wind,
through night 
and day, until she
was more tired 
than she had ever
been. But the
songbird did not
rest, for she
knew that soon
she'd find her
special song."

When she arrives at the island she makes an amazing discovery. Songbird has flown around the whole world. The island is her home. Her mother is waiting for her and now, after all those adventures, songbird has her own special song to sing.

When I saw this book during a recent library visit it instantly appealed to me. The cover has such a simply image and as one reviewer suggested it looks quite Japanese.  what I did not expect was such a powerful story about identity, self discovery and most importantly perseverance and tenacity.  This book is at heart a fable. It covers topics we've seen before - who am I, why am I here, there's no place like home, life is a journey of self discovery, experiences give us stories to share.

The paperback copy of this book is not expensive. I highly recommend this book as a great addition to any school library.

Kousky’s watercolor illustrations have a delicacy that matches both his prose and his heroine, simply rendered with daubs of light blue onto which are painted a little beak and dots for eyes. Kirkus

After reading this book I am now adding these two books to my "to read" pile.  One is by Vern Kousky and the other was suggested by Maria Popova in her detailed review (for Brainpickings) of The Blue Songbird.

Almost Anything by Sophy Henn

I take huge delight in reading picture books like Almost Anything. The premise seems almost obvious. Has any other picture book author thought of this idea? Belief in special magic, shared by a wise elder, can give you the courage to try new things.

Little George the rabbit has huge doubts. He thinks he is a failure or he has fear of failure so he declines every invitation by his forest friends. No he won't try kite flying. He won't dance or roller skate. He is certain he cannot paint or even play a game of skittles. While everyone is busy with "this and that" George did nothing.

A wise old bear observes the scene. The bear takes a piece of paper and folds it:

"For you,' said Bear as she handed him a small paper hat. 'It's magic.' 
'Really?' asked George.
'Really,' said Bear. 'If you wear this hat, I'm quite sure you will be able to do almost anything, even roller skating."

George puts the hat on and tries roller skating but he is just too wobbly. Bear reassures George that he can ride those skates he just needs to give the magic a little more time to work. This is all the encouragement he needs. George preservers and after a little more practice he finds he can roller skate. This gives him the courage to try other things like dancing, painting, reading, knitting and even a game of chess. Keen eyes will notice something though. The hat is gone!  What will George do now? Can Bear step in and offer more gentle wisdom - of course she can.

This is the first time I have encountered Sophy Henn but I now discover she has an impressive body of work including board books and other titles for preschool children.  Take a look at this review where you can see inside this book.  Almost Anything has been short listed (see image below for all the shot listed titles) for Oscar's Book Prize (2019) which is a UK prize awarded to the best preschool book of the year. The winner for 2019 was How to be a Lion by Ed Vere. Click the title to see a video of the book and watch out for the word meandering - how wonderful to see this use of vocabulary in a book designed for the youngest readers. I am keen to check out more of these short listed titles.

The Mouse with the Too-long Tail by Bani McSpedden illustrated by Greg McAlpine

Tuesday Treasure

"Mr and Mrs Mouse were the proud parents of fourteen happy children."
"But Mr and Mrs Mouse also had a fifteenth child who was not so happy.
He was known only as the Mouse with the Too-long Tail."

The Mouse with the Too-long Tail longs for a short tail like his siblings. His long, long tail gets in the way of every activity. Swimming is horrible, skipping is painful and riding a bicycle is torture. It is time for some action. Our little hero tries putting his tail out with the rubbish, he tries to give it away "he even attempted to throw the too-long tail off a cliff. But it was very attached too the Mouse and refused to go away."

Mouse tries to incorporate the tail into his every day life but this only works for a short time.Then one night he has a wonderful dream.  Our mouse has been looking at this issue as a problem! Let's look at this issue in a different way. Could he turn his tail to his advantage? He dreams of space exploration, show business and fancy rope tricks.

"His dreams had given him an idea.
He would try a few tricks with his tail.
He practiced in secret of course.
In his room, in front of the mirror."

When everything is ready he performs for his brother and sisters.

"Soon the Mouse with the Too-long tail was being called the Mouse with the fabulous Too-long Tail, the lucky Mouse with the Too-long tail."

As I write these words I am smiling. I have read this book aloud many many times. I still feel so much joy when the MWTTLT changes his view - his tail is not a handicap it is a asset.

The format of this book is perfect too.  It is a large landscape shape which allows the illustrator, Greg McAlphine, to show the full length of this cumbersome tail.

It seems Bani McSpedden didn't write any other books. I would love to know the background to writing this story.

I am working my way through titles on my Tuesday treasures list. This is a book I truly treasure. I mentioned this one previously when I was discussing my one hundred book project. The Mouse with the Too-long Tail was published in 1988. It might be in a school library. I was so lucky to find my copy at a charity book sale. I am very, very sad this book has been culled from my former school library. It truly is a treasure. There is no reason to think an old book has no value. This is an emotional and important story that should be reprinted. We talk about a new teaching focus called Growth Mindset. This book is an utterly perfect text which exemplifies these ideas.

I would pair this book with Trixie the witch's cat by Nick Butterworth.